Chapter 188: Holy Mother
「Goodbye, Eliza.」
「Yes…」
Our duties in the imperial capital of Northmark were fulfilled, and now we were bound to return to the royal city.
My own position demanded it—I couldn’t simply stay away once my business was done.
Eliza stood there, clutching the hem of her dress, looking so forlorn. Seeing her like that tugged my heartstrings.
「Eliza.」
「I’m sorry.」
Unable to contain herself any longer, Eliza flung herself into my arms. I held her gently, though our circumstances forbade us from being swept away by emotion. She was still a child, after all, and farewells were always bittersweet.
「It’s okay, Eliza. At times like this, you don’t have to suppress your feelings.」
「Ugh… I still don’t want this.」 Despite her reluctance, we couldn’t halt our departure.
I held Eliza’s shoulder, allowing her to cry until she found some solace.
Behind us, the old general with the white beard silently bid me farewell.
Mainz nodded his head in silence. Even without words, he understood that I’m asking him to take care of her.
「Eliza, I promise we’ll meet again.」
「Absolutely.」
Her small frame seemed as if it would break in my embrace.
We linked our little fingers, sealing our reunion.
Just as we were about to leave, I caught sight of Zither.
「Zither, take care of Eliza for me.」
「Of course!」
Zither’s attempt to lift the mood involved playing a poignant farewell tune on her stringed instrument. Despite her air headedness, perhaps her carefree spirit would be a comfort to Eliza.
When would we see Eliza and the others again?
Zither’s whimsical voice sang, ‘Fare thee well, parting ways, adieu…’. As our basket, carried by Oracle and Kaara, slowly ascended from the imperial capital of Northmark, I gazed at Eliza’s diminishing figure. Uncharacteristically, I allowed myself to be swept up in sentiment.
「Why the long face? You’re about to return triumphantly to your own country, after all. Buck up.」
Said the ever-energetic Eleonora, giving my back a hearty pat. Well, more like a resounding thud—though I’d appreciate it if she didn’t jostle the basket too much.
Part of my lackluster mood was undoubtedly due to being thoroughly squeezed by Eleonora. I briefly considered telling her that, but decided not to.
「Thanks for trying to cheer me up.」
「If it’s about Empress Eliza, there’s nothing to worry about. We’re all here for that purpose!」
「True…」
「But listen, Takeru, won’t you be having a wedding in the royal capital with Louise and the others? You should think about that.」
Her practical advice made sense. Eleonora’s perpetually optimistic attitude was commendable.
As the newly appointed King General, I had plenty of duties to fulfill. I needed to switch gears and move forward.
By the way, Eleonora’s usual flame-imbued armor was carefully wrapped in a fireproof bag. It wouldn’t do to accidentally set the basket ablaze mid-flight.
Once she shed her armor, the princess knight revealed herself—a spirited, golden-haired beauty with azure eyes. I hoped she’d always remain this way.
I left the Lanct Duchy’s knight corps and the volunteer artillery unit—the crucial defenders of the imperial capital—behind. During peacetime, even the steward knight, Seneshal Kato of the Am-main family, could handle their command (in fact, he often did better during peaceful periods). That’s why I brought only Eleonora with me.
My request for Eleonora to stay by my side was partly an excuse—I wanted her close because she was my wife. But it was also because having a free-spirited knight near Eliza’s side wouldn’t be ideal for her education.
As for Louise and the others, Eleonora seemed determined not to be outdone by the incoming bride. Apparently, she was fully committed to the serious business of starting a family. I’d just have to accept any inconvenience that came with it.
Ah, Eleonora—the spirited bride who manages to be both adorable and formidable. It’s no wonder I want her by my side. True, she holds the title of General in the Lanct Duchy and is the heir to the Lanct throne, which means eventually she’ll need to return home. But now that the war is finally over, perhaps we can delay that a bit longer.
And let’s face it, post-battle Eleonora sheds her battle-ready demeanor and transforms into a whole different force of nature. We can’t just let her run wild. Maybe it’s her lack of worldly knowledge combined with pure instinct, but she tends to veer off course. A little extra education from Oracle might be in order.
Our unconventional princess knight isn’t easy to handle, but as long as Louise is around, things tend to stay manageable. Eleonora harbors a certain admiration for Louise, a renowned female knight, and having Louise nearby tends to keep her in check—a rather strategic arrangement, if you ask me.
Speaking of Louise…
I leaned back against the somewhat precarious basket and addressed Louise, who still clung to her sword as if she were on guard duty.
「Louise, about the wedding…」
「Hmm? ah…..oh, right.」
Lately, she’s been a bit absentminded, lost in her thoughts. I wondered if something was bothering her.
Hopefully, it’s just pre-wedding jitters.
「Listen, Louise, if you have any concerns, feel free to share.」
「Well, I’ve been debating whether to mention it… Before the wedding, would you consider visiting my family? I hesitated because I didn’t want to burden busy Takeru, but there are certain martial traditions in our household that need to be observed formally…」
Ah, so that’s been weighing on her mind.
Louise adjusted her posture, and I turned my attention fully toward her. I’d completely forgotten about Louise’s father, Master Jerome. My apologies for the oversight.
「You’re right! Properly greeting Louise’s father is a must. Once we’re back in the royal capital, I’ll make time.」
「As for the formalities with my family, well, that’s not as crucial… But considering we’re becoming family, it’s probably necessary. Still, the wedding ceremony follows age-old customs, and I’d like to honor those properly.」
Ah, the customs of noble households—sometimes rigid and formal. But if it’s necessary to properly greet Louise’s family, then I suppose we’ll do it right.
The Carlson family, Louise’s ancestral home, boasts a renowned swordsmanship dojo known as the Carlson School. For over two centuries, they’ve also served as swordsmanship instructors to the Silesie royal family. Despite Louise’s battle-hardened appearance, she’s still a young lady. Considering her position as the daughter of the martial lineage’s head, adhering to tradition is only natural.
「Traditions can be a bit stifling, but if it’s what’s needed to marry Louise, I’ll do it properly.」
「Ehto, Takeru, it won’t be too burdensome. And I’m sure you’ll handle it with ease.」
If it’s a straightforward ceremony, then I’m all for it.
Once we’re back in the royal capital, I’ll make sure to take care of it promptly.
※
And now, our return from the skies.
We landed discreetly in the palace gardens of Silesie, aiming to avoid any unnecessary commotion.
「Silesie Royal Palace—it’s my first time here, but it doesn’t seem all that grand.」
Eleonora remarked from within the cramped basket. Perhaps her shoulders were stiff; she rotated her arms as she spoke.
Come to think of it, this was indeed Eleonora’s first visit to the royal capital. Well, technically, during the war with the Germania Empire, she’d been an enemy commander—but this was her first time stepping into the heart of the city.
The fact that the former enemy commander now entered my harem as my bride—truly, fate works in mysterious ways.
「Compared to Northmark, known as the world’s capital, or the bustling city of Lanct, Silesie is still an agricultural backwater.」
Despite the efforts of Lyle-sensei, who oversees the city’s bureaucrats, and Sherry, who tirelessly promotes industry, the city’s size won’t expand overnight.
「Takeru has returned home triumphant and they didn’t even welcome you. In my city, if I came back from battle, they’d throw a grand celebration!」
Descending from the sky in our basket, we went unnoticed by the guards—perhaps because the concept of aerial defense wasn’t quite established here. Well, we’ll have to think about that in the future. But for now, let’s focus on the upcoming wedding festivities.
「Welcome back, master!」
Sharon emerged from the inner palace, having noticed our arrival. Despite her lofty title as the ‘Lady of the Palace’ overseeing the modest Silesie harem, she remained in her demure apron dress.
「Ah, I’m back, everyone.」
I acknowledged, raising my hand. The slave girls, serving as maids, gathered around Sharon. Even Roll, our workaholic dwarf girl, appeared with her hefty axe—apparently, she’d been splitting firewood in the backyard.
「Master, you must be tired.」
「Indeed. Roll, you’ve been working too?」
Roll, our industrious workaholic, always found something to do when she was awake. Even after a long absence, she hadn’t changed—still covered in dust and ready to work. It reminded me that peace had returned; the war was over. I’d better make sure to give Roll a proper bath and scrub away the grime.
As for what exactly she was tired from, who knew? Well, it seemed various things had taken their toll. Not Eleonora, but the swift pace of aerial travel could indeed leave one’s shoulders stiff.
「Master, allow me to prepare a bath for you.」
「Jumping straight into a bath upon returning, huh? Well, I suppose I’ll take you up on that.」
Perhaps I’d overplayed my love for baths. It seemed everyone assumed that as long as I had a bath waiting, I’d be content. Roll, having overheard, happily headed off to stoke the fire for the bath. Well, let’s consider it a win.
Just as Sharon and I were conversing, a smooth, alluring voice interrupted us.
「Sharon-san. A wife welcoming her husband home should ask, ‘Would you like dinner, a bath, or me?’ It’s a customary practice.」
「Is that so?」
「Yes, in Takeru’s homeland, newlywed wives must ask this without fail.」
「Ria…」
Ria emerged from the harem and, just as I was about to retort to her ridiculous statement, my words got caught in my throat.
Ria, dressed in a loose gown, was holding a baby.
That alone wasn’t surprising. What was astonishing was that Ria, having just stepped out of the harem, had one side of her dress pulled down, revealing her chest as she breastfed the baby she held.
「What’s wrong, Takeru? You look like a pigeon that got hit with a bean.」
「Umm…」
What can I even say? That was breastfeeding. Ria was breastfeeding the baby.
「Bre… breast?」
「It’s not just breasts, but yes, in a way, it is!」
It wasn’t that Ria had given birth already—of course not. She was indeed pregnant, but her belly wasn’t noticeably large yet.
However, her chest was noticeably larger.
I mean, huge! Her already generously sized breasts had grown even bigger and fuller.
How those massive mounds of flesh maintained their shape without a bra defying gravity was beyond me. Her mammary glands must have developed significantly, and her pectoral muscles must be well-toned.
The baby in Ria’s arms suckled skillfully on the large breast presented to it, its tiny mouth working diligently.
Once useless, her breasts now served a noble purpose in nurturing a child.
The baby with Ria had soft, curly gray hair, a child between Oracle and me. A half-demon, half-human baby with gray skin.
「I don’t even know where to start with this…」
「Oh, as expected of Takeru’s child. Such a skilled breastfeeder. Ah, by all means, blood can’t be disputed……」
「Well, Orakeru is a demon. Is it really okay for him to drink the milk of a human, especially a priestess?」
「Oh my, calling it ‘just milk’ is quite rude. The milk of a holy mother is not something you can just get anywhere, you know.」
Of course. After all, there is no other pregnant saintess in the world but you—effectively, it’s only you who can fulfill this role!
That’s not what I’m asking, though.
「No, you see…」
「Don’t worry. Even if a baby with demon blood were to drink human breast milk, it wouldn’t cause any issues. I have the unequivocal endorsement of Asama for this.」
「If that’s the case, then I suppose I will say no more…」
Getting caught up in these details is exhausting.
Seeing me teased by Ria, Oracle stepped in from behind and explained:
「Takeru, it’s like a goat kid drinking cow’s milk. No cause for concern.」
「Well, I don’t know much about dairy farming, but if you say so…」
「If it weren’t safe, I wouldn’t entrust my precious child to a saintess.」
「Ah, I see. That makes sense…」
As Oracle entered the room, Ria’s expression turned serious. She seemed to think it was time to stop playing with me.
「Now then, let’s limit our teasing of Takeru. Allow me to provide a proper explanation.」
「Fine, fine. Just start from the beginning.」
If Oracle confirmed that feeding Ria’s human milk posed no problems, then I supposed it was acceptable. But really, what’s with the ongoing conflict between the Church of Asama and the demons? I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve questioned this.
「As Oracle mentioned earlier, the holy mother’s milk is suitable not only for demon infants but also for adults. Thanks to Asama’s blessing, my breast milk flows abundantly like gentle rain. So, Takeru, feel free to partake later.」
「Enough with the teasing!」
Expecting a straightforward explanation from Ria was clearly a mistake.
Why, oh why, are they all so eager to make me drink breast milk?
「Well, I assure you, the taste is impeccable by all means. This divine nectar, Amrita, is rich in nutrients, divine milk specially bestowed by Asama.」
「You’re all insufferable.」
「Oracle-chan enjoyed it too.」
「Well, I suppose having her act as a wet nurse during my absence was helpful, but…」
It’s hard to complain when they use a baby as leverage.
Orakeru, having drunk her fill of sweet milk, now slept in Ria’s arms.
Despite our bickering, the baby remained unfazed. Held by a woman who wasn’t even her real mother, he was nursed and fell asleep. Clearly, he was a resilient child.
I couldn’t help but think he’d grow into someone more significant than me—a reassuring thought.
「Oracle-san accompanies Takeru so Asama adjusted my milk production. Even during pre-birth nursing, there’s no issue.」
「Asama’s generosity knows no bounds. To think she’d bless demon-blooded offspring with nourishing milk—how magnanimous.」
Indeed, for the world’s grand creator goddess, Asama seemed to have an abundance of time for such personalized services. She could easily expedite milk production, but ensuring compatibility between human and demon infant feeding? That was truly going above and beyond.
Sure, we could find wet nurses in our royal court if needed. But perhaps raising Orakeru, with his requirement for demon milk, posed a challenge in itself.
Asama—the deity behind the entire human race on the continent of Eura. Gratefulness was due for her foresight in making human and demon milk compatible.
「Asama’s compassion flows equally to all in this world. Orakeru, being half-demon, is undoubtedly loved.」
「Indeed.」
I replied. Orakeru’s soft, curly hair and tiny limbs were impossibly endearing. Perhaps even Asama herself would offer her divine milk to such an adorable half-demon baby.
Indeed, witnessing the camaraderie between Saintess Ria and Orakeru, the immortal king Succubus Queen’s offspring, makes me wonder if distinctions like ‘human’ or ‘demon’ truly matter. Despite the many points I could nitpick, seeing Ria unexpectedly soften her expression and expertly lull the baby to sleep—rocking gently from side to side—leaves me speechless.
Ria is fulfilling her role as a loving mother. The scene radiates a divine beauty, as if she’s bathed in a celestial glow. Looking at her now, one might mistake her for a truly noble saint.
It’s moments like these that remind us that compassion and care transcend labels and boundaries. Perhaps there’s more to being a saintess than mere lineage; it’s about the love we give and the bonds we forge.