Lu gave birth to a girl. We named her Lupumirina.
Lu chose the name, but we consulted each other beforehand, so there were no issues. While I was happy, of course, no one was more delighted by Lupumirina’s arrival than Alfred.
Up until the birth, Alfred had seemed a bit torn. He was still at an age where he wanted to be coddled, and he likely sensed Lu’s focus shifting toward the child in her womb. However, the moment he saw his newborn younger sister, he changed completely. It looked as though he might treasure her even more than I do. If you dote on her too much, Alfred, Tiselle is going to get angry.
The next most excited person was Progenitor-san. I understood his joy, but she had only just been born; I really wished he would stop talking about marriage prospects and the like. Besides, I have no intention of letting her leave the village anyway.
While we spent a few frantic days celebrating Lupumirina’s birth, Tia went into labor. Her delivery took a little longer than Lu’s, but everything went smoothly. Perhaps it was thanks to the Fairy Queen’s dancing prayers? To be honest, it just looked like she was playing around... but regardless, I was grateful.
Tia’s daughter was also a girl, and she named her Aurora. Tiselle, who had been uncharacteristically quiet out of consideration for Alfred when Lupumirina was born, was absolutely overjoyed this time. Granmaria and the others took turns coming by to see the baby. I told them they’d have to wait until things settled down a bit more before they could hold her.
I couldn't help but notice Kierbit casting suspicious glances between Alfred and me. I recognized that look; it was the predatory gaze of a female targeting a male. Had the sight of the newborns triggered something in her?
I wondered if I should act as a shield for Alfred, but Urza was already on the job. She had positioned herself firmly between him and Kierbit. I felt a pang of envy. The one who stepped up to shield me from Kierbit was... one of Zabuton's children. I appreciated the sentiment, but the little guy was a bit too short for the job.
Actually, you don't need to tie Kierbit up with thread. Hahaha. There, there. We should probably move before she breaks free.
Currently, two High Elves, three Mountain Elves, and two beastman girls are pregnant with my children, though their due dates are still a way off. I truly hope for safe deliveries for all of them.
Still, it feels like the village is becoming populated entirely by my offspring. While more children is a good thing, having the majority be mine gives me pause. I really should exercise more restraint. Is it too late for that? Probably. Regardless, I need a strong will to keep from being swept away by the momentum.
I renewed my resolve and looked around. Though they kept their distance, I felt the weight of the women’s gazes from every direction. It was the same look Kierbit had. Seeing the babies had clearly had an effect on them. I understood the feeling, but in my opinion, men tend to lose interest in lewd thoughts when they see babies. The women, however, seemed to believe that the brain and the lower body operated independently.
I demand a child guard! Alfred, Tiselle—someone, help! Even if someone presses their chest against me, I will not falter! My will is iron!
With the village in a festive mood, I tried to stay grounded. Carelessness is the greatest enemy. Fortunately, the village infants have stayed healthy, but you never know what might happen in this world. There are some things one simply can't control, but I did the only thing I could: I turned to the gods.
I cleaned the shrine, specifically the statues of the Creator God and the God of Agriculture. I did this every year, but they always managed to get dirty. They've been glowing constantly ever since Fouche prayed over them, and cleaning them only made the light more blinding, making it hard to look at them directly. At least it made the dirty spots easy to find.
Once I finished cleaning, I covered them with curtains. These were new ones made by Zabuton, and they were very thin. They were translucent, but they did a wonderful job of softening the glow. Seeing the silhouettes of the statues through the thin fabric gave them a certain air of nobility. I was satisfied.
That left one question: who should I pray to for childbirth and child-rearing? Perhaps the Great Mother Earth? I couldn't quite picture what she looked like, so I decided to let the Universal Farming Tool handle it.
Standing beside the Great Tree with a large block of wood, I brandished the Tool in its chisel form. I emptied my mind and let it work.
The result was a statue of the Fairy Queen. Moreover, her beauty and maturity had been dialed up by about fifty percent. It was likely because the Fairy Queen had been sitting right next to me eating apples and pears with the children while I worked. I didn't mind the audience, but they were quite noisy. I clearly hadn't been as "empty-minded" as I thought.
It was a failure in that sense, but the craftsmanship was excellent. If I showed this to someone who didn't know the Fairy Queen and told them it was a goddess, they’d probably believe me. Not that I’d ever do that.
I asked the children and the Fairy Queen for their thoughts.
"It looks just like her," the children said. You don't have to be polite to me, kids.
"Make the chest bigger," the Fairy Queen added. It’s a wood carving, I can't add more mass. I can only take it away.
I decided to try carving the Great Mother Earth another time. I was reluctant to place the Fairy Queen's statue alongside the actual gods, but leaving it out in the rain felt disrespectful to her. It was a good piece of work, and I wanted to display it. I decided I'd put it out for a bit before eventually moving it to the storehouse. I chose the hall of the Village Head's Mansion.
Before long, the statue of the Fairy Queen was being treated as a fertility idol. People were worshipping it, praying to it, and leaving offerings. I wasn't going to stop them, but if they wanted to do that, shouldn't they just go to the woman herself? She was literally sleeping in a room just down the hall. Then again, being worshipped in person would probably be a nuisance for her. I know I’d hate it.
However, the atmosphere in the hall made it impossible for me to announce that I was going to pack it away in the storehouse. If I tried to give it away, it would likely cause a fight. I decided that when I eventually built the clothing hut, I would build a proper shrine to house the statue there. Yes, that seemed like the best plan.