Chapter 461 – Tantsu is Ready

A new woman comes snuggling next to me, one that I'm not so familiar with.

"Aya?" I grumble.

"Sorry, my dear struggles with boundaries," Aya whispers. "But I do feel weak."

"Oh, yes, don't worry!" I say. I try to sit up, but with all the limbs wrapped around me, I don't get far. Or anywhere, really.

"You remember now," Tanatsu says. "Done fucking the pixies?"

"I needed to complete that deal to heal her fully," I say.

"Tanatsu, language and respect," Nanoka says. "Fix it. Now."

"Sorry," Tanatsu forces out. "My lover is looking pale. Could you please check on her?"

"Of course," I say. My wives slowly free me up to move again, not that I really need to move to fix up Aya. But moving is probably required soon anyway. "Elora, can you check in on your mother? I need to know when the coronation is. I need to handle Aya and the dryad today. There are never-ending things for me to do."

"I'll work hard to improve things," Elora says. "It should be soon. We don't have as many who need to travel, with most of the nobles already being in the area."

I guess the faster the coronation happens, the quicker I can get lost in the Kitsune realm. If Kiyomi lets me get lost. Yuki should be able to do plenty to fix the population issue, and Nakuma also seems willing to help. Maybe Aya will come around and get a few more herself. And then Kou needs some kids, and Nanoka is looking wonderful as her belly slowly pops out.

I did promise one of the warriors a kid, too. But it won't be awful. The kids will be in the right realm to see me often with their cute tails.

Aya doesn't have much wrong with her if you ignore the soul issues. Just a bit of extra vitality to help her last through the last day of her death march. Her death march will continue, though; I'm just turning back the clock. Maybe Future can be happy about me messing with time for her.

"Feeling better?" I ask.

"Yes, thank you. Sorry for invading your bed," Aya says.

"You're carrying my kids," I say. "You can jump in when you need to. And I think Kou is happy you woke me up. I think she was struggling to get to me in this bed. The sun seems a bit high in the sky."

"I could've woken you up if I really wished to, My Queen," Kou says. "You're heavily pregnant, undergoing changes every other day, and deserve time with your wives. If you wish, you can stay in bed. You have at least a few days before the coronation. But don't underestimate my abilities, or I may surprise you with my skills. I have some very fun ways to wake you up, and I can come up with plenty of activities that can start when the sun comes up."

"Threatening your Queen?" I ask. Kou straightens up with her hands clasped in front of her, her tails pointing straight up behind her. Did I sound too serious?

"Yes, My Queen," Kou says. "In good fun, of course. Unless you continue to think I can't be much worse."

"Kou, I just annoyed your sister about this," Nanoka says.

"Lady Nanoka, I'm having some fun with my Queen," Kou says. "But I do promise to listen to your requests, my Queen. I know your second, third, and fourth bodies are already up and working hard, so I can let the pregnant one relax."

"Sorry, I may be a little too old and pregnant," Nanoka says. "I'm sorry for stepping on the young ones' fun."

"You're fun," I say. Are some of my wives not getting up? Do I really have so many women in this bed that they're still working on getting out of bed? I guess I could steal Aya from Tanatsu for a bit and go back to sleep.

"Thank you, dear," Nanoka says. "I need to go snooping around. Have a good day, everyone."

"She's going to go watch your kids," Kou sighs. "Now, are you staying in bed, or do you want to get up? You have a lot of wives still keeping you in place."

"Yuki?" I ask.

"Yes, I have the potions," Yuki says.

"Thank you," I say. "I can get up. I shouldn't let Aya struggle like this. She's too cute for that."

"Ladies?" Kou says, fanning out her tails.

She'd better keep that cage thing on tight.

But Kou's tails get my wives moving this time. Soon, it's just Mommy and Aya keeping me in bed. "I guess it's our turn, baby," Mommy says, giving me a little kiss. "Ready?"

"Yes," I say. "It's time to see if Dragon was right about the order of things."

"I doubt the Goddess would tell you to do something useless," Mommy says.

"I hope so," I say. Mom still trusts the Goddesses too much.

I crawl over to the side of the bed, swing out my legs, and I have already completed my classes.

Why don't I have nine choices?! I only have three. Is Power mad that I killed Nature or something?

'Space, I don't have the options I'm supposed to. Why do I even have choices? I get three classes at a time.'

'Dear, just pick one. Things have changed for you. You'll understand in a few weeks. You've sped things up a lot more than we thought they would be. You've been carrying Goddesses around for a while, so we all thought you would be a Goddess eventually. But Kitsune got her wish, and did probably save you and Malralloz by telling us all about the little ritual. Make your next choice carefully.'

'I should still get nine choices.'

"Something wrong?" Mommy asks.

"Kind of," I say. "Things are just a bit strange, is all. I've completed my classes, and now I have to make a choice about the next one. Space told me to be careful with it. She thinks I'm close to becoming a Goddess or something."

"Sorry, what did you say, baby?" Mommy asks, frozen in place.

"Space said I'm closer to becoming a Goddess than they thought," I say. "Something about me carrying Goddesses often or something. She says that my next class choice is important."

"You really have grown up," Mommy says. "If this is important, should I call in some of your wives to help you?"

"No," I say. "I think the choice is a lot easier than they thought it would be." Power had better not be playing a trick on me with these choices. 'Overseerer of slaves.' Why would I ever pick that class? I'm getting rid of one slave today, and the others are hardly even people. Then can't really count as slaves. And Elora and Shimmer are just playing the part for my amusement.

Did I really spend that much time as a slave? Well, I did, but Kitsune said I wouldn't become the Goddess of Slaves.

The 'Focus of Sex' isn't any better. Is that because Sex died? Did that force this choice on me? Power and Fertility have some explaining to do if this is what they offered me. What a stupid fucking choice!

"Shh," Mommy says, craddling my head against her belly. "It's alright. You're going to be a great Goddess, no matter what you pick. You'll treat the power you'll have fairly and with grace. I know you will. I'm right here to support you. Mai, as well. Don't worry, you'll be just fine."

"I only have three choices, and two of them... Two of them are terrible," I say. "About sex and slaves. That's my life! Sex and slaves!"

"No, no, baby, you have so much more in your life," Mommy says. "Think about all the kids you're going to raise. The two in this womb and the two others you're playing with right now in the nursery. And then the bunch in your own womb. Your nursery is so full, and I've heard whispers of plans for a giant field day with some visitors. You're a Queen. You were one of the top healers in the war. There's so much that you do. And so much more that you can do. Those ten years aren't your life. You have so much of it still before you. So many lives that you now get to shape and grow. They're part of you. Don't pick those two. Look to the third. You'll like that one, I just know it. It is the real you."

"I'm too scared to look," I say.

"I know it's hard," Mommy whispers, her soft hands combing my long hair. "It'll be good. You've done so much in your life. It'll be you. That's why the others are so bad. To point you to your true purpose."

"Ok," I say. "I'll look."

Empress of Life: You're becoming the Realm's first Empress. Mother of the next generation. The life of the world will look to you for guidance. Lead them with your great heart and care for the weak. Or put them all under your boot for their failure to protect you. The decision will be yours.

"I guess this is better," I say. "Still not sure what that means for my Goddess affinity. Royalty already exists, unless an Empress is something else?"

"An Empress is still royalty, My Queen," Kou says. "I suppose if the Goddesses already see you as an Empress, then I should refer to you that way as well. My Empress. Something like that should lead to a good affinity. You'll be happy, I think, with your affinity."

"I hope so," I say. This feels like it still leaves room for me to become the Slave Goddess. There's always a route back to chains.

"Baby, why don't we go start setting things up to help Aya? I'm sure this class will grow on you."

"You don't know what it is," I say. "But yes, I hope it'll work out. Empress of Life. What a scary thing to say out loud."

"That sounds like a great path to becoming a Goddess, My Empress," Kou says. "We have a room already set aside for the rituals. It's been cleared out and is ready for blood. With Annoris out and about, we'll be able to clean it better than I thought we would. We just need you to paint out the rituals and get the women in place."

"This one is a lot easier than the last one," I say. "Show me to the room."

"This way, my Empress," Kou says. "You can give Ashryn her new orders while she bleeds out to mark the floor."

"Efficient," I say. Mommy gives my head one last kiss, and we head out.

...

The dryad is sitting in the corner, looking a little pale. Ashryn is hunched over a bin again, giving me her blood. I can free the dryad before dealing with her. It'll be a lot more pleasant that way.

"How are you feeling?" I ask.

"Better, knowing it's going to be over soon," she says.

"Good," I say. "I've got another little dryad asking for a good tree. Are you ok with sharing a forest?"

"I suppose," the dryad says. "Just make it a good one."

"Only the best for my kids," I say. "Let me take that collar off you, and then I have some blood to spread out."

"Thank you."