Chapter 365 – Getting A Meeting

I'm going to have to figure out what to do about the anchors to the portals. I only got half a day out of them before we had to stop so that they wouldn't die. Sure, that means every woman who makes it to me will get fully healed since I don't have an endless stream of women to treat, but not enough are getting to me.

Just another thing I need to ask the Queen about. I'm sure she has some lower nobles that could fill in for them. Maybe the ones that abused me before? It doesn't seem particularly painful to be an anchor, but it has to be boring just lying there.

The short day also made it a bit strange for Elora and Vanya. I didn't really need to regenerate mana, but I didn't want their trip to be pointless. Well, I didn't want Vanya's trip to be meaningless; I'm fine wasting Elora's time. So I just had them suck my cock for a bit.

Vanya actually looked happy doing it. However, that may have been due to her mostly just making out with me while Elora had my dick down her throat. Vanya isn't the most beautiful woman or anything, but she is very cute, and that belly just suits her right now.

I need to see how Inanos is doing. Maybe I can call her over with Fluvis to play with the kids? I'm sure they would love to feel their little sisters in Inanos's womb, and that'll calm the gloomy girl down. Vanya as well.

But right now, I need to focus on getting the Queen to consider letting me see Sarania's sister. A few promises of kids should get me a visit or the name of a Priestess I can talk to.

I really need a different way to pay for things, like healing Tanatsu's lover. That is a lot better than fucking some bitch. Hopefully, just hinting that I'll marry her stupid daughter will be enough.

It's great that nobody cares that I have a nearly naked woman following me. Just one look at her collar, and all the maids just look right past her, or they've gotten used to Sarania already and just expect this of me. It is kind of funny how that happened. Shyla sticks out in her conservative maid outfit, while my own clothes are quite skimpy for all my Skills to work best.

"The Queen is finishing her lunch and will be in shortly," the maid says, motioning to some chairs for me to sit in. "I have some snacks here you can enjoy until she is ready for you. It should be just a few minutes, and this is the closest study to where she is eating. Now, I'm not supposed to say anything about this, but it is important, Your Highness. The Queen is close to giving birth. Weeks, if that. But the Royal Healer is out in the field right now. Is it possible for us to get your assistance, and Kelly's, with the birth?"

The maid doesn't let her side question distract her from bringing out some cookies for me. Then Shyla brings me some tea, and I get to wonder about the question. I wanted a new form of payment. Isn't this perfect?

"I'll think about it," I say. Lotus should be due the same day as well. Offering to handle both should be more than enough.

"Thank you, Your Highness," the maid says. "I'll be just outside if you need anything." With a curtsy, she leaves me alone with my slave, servant, and maid.

I've gone from being a slave to having three different forms of help, four if you count Petra as an assistant.

"My Mistress," Sarania says. "Don't push here. You'll own the Queen eventually through whichever daughter you marry. Then you just need to convince/force the ones running the prison to give her up."

"Don't worry. I think they just gave me something to have the Queen grant us access now. The maid made no mention of the other pregnant woman. If I promise to help both of them with Kelly, she'll agree quickly."

"Start with just the Queen, Your Highness," Shyla says. "Say you wish to see Sarania's sister. That she is being held captive well past the time she was sentenced to, and you believe the Queen knows where this prison is. She'll respond. That is when you offer that you would love to help her give birth. If we're lucky, she'll agree there, and we can use helping Lotus for another deal. Otherwise, bring her up as well. Don't threaten the Queen. That will make her look for a route to 'win' the deal. If we just ask for introductions and access, then it will look like we are just partnering up. Turn this into negotiations, and she'll find the way to get the best deal. Instead, make this about building a better relationship between the Queendom and you. That will keep the Queen from getting defensive. Looking at this from a neutral position, it is easy to see that the Queen should naturally help you, and you should naturally help the Queen. There's no need to make this hostile."

"Ok," I say. That makes sense. Sarania's mother did say the Goddesses stopped the punishment a while ago, so there shouldn't be any reason for the Queen to stop me from freeing Sarania's sister. I take one of the cookies and give it a small bite. I am pregnant, as Aurora said, so I should eat when I get the chance. It's not like the cookies are warm and smell freshly baked and are really sweet or anything.

I need to look respectful, Alzi. Just a few while we wait.

A few is all that I've got time to eat. The Queen really does walk in after just a few minutes.

"Hello, Alzi," the Queen says. She doesn't look that big, but Elora doesn't either. Maybe I'm too used to large pregnancies to tell when a woman is nearly full-term for a small pregnancy. She immediately sits down behind her desk. "How are you?"

"I'm ok," I say.

"Good," the Queen says. "Has the manor been comfortable? If there is something you need, please tell me. We are at war, but that just means you'll have to wait an extra day or two for it. If it is possible to do."

"It's fine," I say. "I'm starting to get a lot of kids already."

"That's a good problem to have. I'm happy things are working out right now. We are all here to help you thrive now. Now, I'm sure you didn't come here to have me ask how you are. What can I do for you?" the Queen asks.

"Sarania has a sister who has been a prisoner for a very long time," I say. "Some Goddesses had her captured, but they stopped the torture a while ago. I think you are able to help me see her and start the process of freeing her."

"I see," the Queen says. "The Goddesses are mainly behind you. But the rules are that only the Queens are allowed, besides the Priestesses."

"I'm a Champion of two Goddesses," I say. "These tattoos are the old way of becoming a Champion, and I'm getting quite the collection. I just want to start talking to them and work on freeing the poor woman. Fertility and I know what it is like to be held and tortured. I want to help others, and Sarania is a big help in keeping me sane. This is a small gift I can give her. I'm not looking to cause problems during a war. Just as you and Lotus will need help giving birth."

Shyla shifts a bit behind me. Maybe she's just uncomfortable with her belly, but I'm guessing that wasn't the right way to put it. The Queen doesn't look mad, so it couldn't have been the worst way. Or she really wants me to marry Elora.

"Yes," the Queen says. "I'm guessing my maid put that thought out there." She lets the sentence hang there while she measures her belly. Is she judging how many months are left? "Introductions can be done. Thank you for offering your help. I would love for you to be there during the birth. Tomorrow, Irlo will begin her first stay with you. I am also working on methods for you to see more of your children. The families are easy to track down and are willing to work with me, and now that you have two bodies, it will make it easier for this to work, I think. After this war, I'm hoping you'll have plenty of time to relax and focus on your family. You deserve it. All of the Princesses who were aiming for the throne are excluded from taking the throne for one reason or another. Mostly to do with you, actually. So I'll be staying in power for longer than I thought. The daughter you marry will most likely become Queen by default. If Elora isn't working out, please tell me so we can find a daughter you can tolerate, and I'll get her ready for the throne so you don't have to worry about it any more than you wish to."

"I'll think about it," I say. "Let me know when you're ready to do the introductions."

"A week," the Queen says. "As you said, there are too many Goddesses behind you for them to truly say no. I just have to work through their first rejections. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"That is all," I say. I hope Tanatsu is fine with me stopping by whenever. She's not asking me to do something small, so she should be happy that I'm coming over to practice.

"My maid will show you out, then. I'm sorry for not doing it myself. I have too many meetings to deal with. If there is anything you wish to discuss, just come by, and I'll make time for you."

"Thank you," I say.

The Queen gives a small sigh, then rocks up out of the chair and leaves the study. The maid comes back in, and we head out.

...

Luckily for us, Sarania knows the way to Tanatsu. The one issue with being teleported around is that you don't learn how to walk there. Not that I walked there today, but I still didn't know the way or how to describe the building. Sarania was able to tell the driver which building we wanted to go to and got us moving quickly. And then we had to go through a strange side entrance.

I thought we took a wrong turn, but then we entered a strange front office. We got a lot of stares, but nobody said anything as Sarania led us to the back and to a random office.

"Tanatsu," I say, knocking on the door.

"Enter!"

Inside is just as disgusting as before. The ant is curled up, shaking, in the corner.

"Hello," Tanatsu says. "I was hoping you would be by today. We have a problem. Living women with mana are hard to come by right now. So we'll have to make do with monsters. Some are close enough to work as practice for you, but I have to get them myself. So, I need someone who can fill the runes with mana while I'm gone getting the monsters. Just once a day."

"Can Yuki and Nakuma do it?" I ask. "They'll be able to get here at least once every day. If needed, I can get them more mana, and I'll be around enough to help."

"Yes. That's what I was hoping for. I leave in two days, so have them come by tomorrow so I can show them how to do everything. For now, we can operate on the ant. Those gates are the key to getting this to work."

"Perfect," I say. Cutting him up was strangely relaxing. It just felt right and natural. "Come here, ant. We need to practice on something worthless."

It gives a shaky nod and starts to crawl over to the slab. My Shadow helps him up, and I get ready to start cutting.