Surviving a Harsh Fantasy with Cheat Items (WN)

I accompanied the Germanian delegation on their return journey to Northmark, the imperial capital of Germania. With a flying demon beast, there was no need to use a teleportation spell to cover this distance.

Emperor Conrad was still bedridden, yet his mind was clear. When I informed him of my marriage to Eliza, he murmured, ‘Now I can rest easy.’ his voice raspy but his smile content.

I hope he can hold on as long as possible, as Eliza’s only remaining family. But I realized that if Conrad passed, Eliza would be left without any blood relatives. Thinking about it, it was easy to understand why Mainz and the others were eager for our marriage.

Besides, the Archbishop of Northmark, Nicholas, who was tending to Emperor Conrad, had disappeared. In the imperial capital, he’s already hailed as a hero who perished in the God-Demon War, but I find it hard to believe that someone so tenacious has actually died.

Knowing him, he’ll turn up again one day. Although a successor has taken over Emperor Conrad’s care, I would have preferred the overly capable Nicholas to remain on the job.

He’s one of those rare people who are bothersome when present, but strangely missed when absent.

Back in the capital of Silesie, I was approached by Kaara.

「Nation’s Father, I apologize for interrupting, knowing how busy you are with palace affairs, but may I ask for your guidance?」

「What? I’m not busy with anything at all! Feel free to bring up anything.」

Busy with palace matters? Quite the opposite—I’ve been itching for an excuse to get out of the capital, or else I’ll soon be surrounded by even more wives and children. 「The matter is this: a decision regarding the Abyss Continent’s situation must be made soon. I’ve visited numerous times and observed the progress, but there are aspects requiring your direct judgment.」

「Oh, right. Ria’s established a queendom over there, hasn’t she? What was it called again?」

「The Holy Steriana Queendom. That’s actually the primary issue. The Holy Mother’s Army is entrenched in the demon city of Laurentite, creating quite a predicament.」

Well, that sounds like a mess.

「All right, we’ll make Ria take responsibility for the Holy Mother’s Army’s actions. Hey, Ria!」

I entered the palace and asked Sharon where I might find Ria.

「If you’re looking for Steriana-san, she’s in the nursing room.」

「Ah, got it…」

Thanks to the extra-maternal blessings from Asama, Ria produces an abundance of nutrient-rich divine milk (Amrita), so she spends a lot of time feeding babies as a wet nurse. I’ve experienced firsthand just how potent that is.

When Ria feeds them, all the babies grow strong and healthy. But if she’s nursing right now…

It’s a bit difficult to bring up complaints when she’s like that, but as husband and wife, there’s no need for embarrassment. So, with that in mind, I entered the nursing room.

「Ria…」

I was startled.

Ria was sitting there, nursing a baby like a holy mother—but with silver wings sprouting from her back.

「Ria, what’s with that look? Is that… Asama descending upon you?」

「Takery, is there something you wish to discuss with me?」

「Asama? Really?!」

「Please, keep your voice down. You’ll scare the child.」

Nestled in the arms of the Asama-possessed Ria was Kaara’s newborn son, Kaaru—a rare sight, with a golden-haired, gray-skinned half-demon child nursing from a goddess.

「I apologize for the intrusion.」

For a moment, I thought Ria was just playing a joke, but her whole aura was different—far too solemn.

「No need to be so formal. Even I was caught off guard; I didn’t expect to descend only to find myself in the middle of nursing a child.」

「Uh, I see…」

Even goddesses can get caught up in such situations by accident.

「I am the Goddess of Creation, but far from omniscient or omnipotent.」

「Is that so?」

「Are you heading back to the Abyss Continent?」

「Yes.」

「There’s a task I’d like you to take care of as well. I came to grant you all the ‘Silver Feathers’ for the journey—oh, you’re still hungry, are you, little one? Takeru, sorry, but could you wait just a moment over there?」

Asama, the great goddess herself, was soothing a crying infant—a rare and almost surreal sight.

「Oh, of course. I’ll wait outside.」

Realizing that Asama might mind being stared at while nursing, I stepped out of the room.

After a while, her voice came through.

「Hm, you may come back in now. Infants are such sweet creatures, aren’t they?」

「Indeed. He’s my son, so I find him adorable, though I apologize for causing so much trouble.」

「Oh, don’t fret. He truly is an endearing child. To think that even another’s child becomes this lovable just from nursing—I never imagined such an experience. This was a first for me.」

Asama added with a slightly softened look.

After settling Kaara’s child, Kaaru, back into his crib, Asama adjusted her divine robes before approaching me. It really did seem like this was her first time nursing a baby.

She appeared a bit flustered; her usual air of aloofness softened somewhat.

「Ano, by the way, what’s the task you mentioned for the Abyss Continent?」

「Oh, right… Well, goddesses aren’t detail oriented. Bring Ria and take this ‘Silver Feather’ with you, and you’ll understand.」

With that, Asama said, ‘I’ll be off then.’ and left rather briskly. A strangely ordinary reaction—usually, she’d say something like ‘time’s short.’

Perhaps she felt a bit embarrassed? Or maybe it’s silly to think a goddess would feel that way.

「Uh, Ria?」

「Yes… I am most certainly yours, my dear Takeru. Asama descended earlier and entrusted me with a new ‘Silver Feather’.」

「Yeah, I noticed. It’s good to have it, though. Otherwise, we’d be unable to use holy magic over there.」

「Indeed.」

After the goddess’s departure, Ria seemed a bit dazed, but soon regained her usual composure. If Asama descended personally, something must be brewing on the other side.

Now I was curious.

「All right, let’s head to the Abyss Continent.」

「Yes. Now, we will all go together to your Demon Kingdom, Orakeru-sama.」

Kaara arrived, holding the hand of a child, Oracle’s son, Orakeru, whose big, innocent eyes blinked in surprise at all the commotion.

「Kaara, you’re bringing along a one-year-old?」

「Given the chance to travel with His Majesty to the demon capital, it’s a perfect opportunity for the future Demon King to see his realm.」

「Well, I suppose there’s no danger. In that case, let’s bring Kaaru too.」

「Good grief, Kaara’s favoritism is showing.」

Oracle showed up holding Kaaru in her arms.

What a strange sight.

It’s clear Kaara has high hopes for Orakeru’s bright future, but she should cherish her own child, too. Kaaru, with the blood of the finest mage in him, is destined to become an advance mage someday.

Now, as I was thinking Ria might be the last one to join, Hydra, the beast tamer who had transported me from Germania on a dragon, also asked to come along.

「King General-sama, please, let me come along too!」

「You’re saying you want to bring your beast along?」

「Please, King Genaral-sama! My dragon and I will be of great use, I swear!」

「All right, all right. No need to cling so tightly. Since we’ve got children with us, we could use a guard, so you’re in.」

Ever since she became my wife, Hydra has been unusually clingy, which can be a bit challenging.

「Great! Traveling alongside the future Great Demon King will surely boost my rank, right?」

「Not sure I’m the one to help with that.」

Hydra obviously wanted to go, hoping to become a high-ranking official in the new demon kingdom Kaara plans to establish. If she’s looking for career advancement over there, she should be talking to Kaara, not me.

Might as well take care of not only the situation in Ria’s queendom but also the setup for a new demon kingdom. So, with Kaara’s teleportation magic, we traveled to Abyss Continent’s demon capital, Laurentite.

※※※

「… So, we’re here.」

「Indeed.」

「Kaara, what the heck is that?」

Laurentite was still a wasteland of rubble from the devastation wrought by the Great Demon God. And standing in the middle of it all was a massive, eerie white statue at least ten meters tall. What sort of twisted deity does that thing represent?

「The Holy Mother’s forces claim it’s a statue of the Holy Mother herself.」

「Not some blasphemous god?」

Even Ria cringed at that. The monstrous face brought back memories of that ugly statue of Queen Liliella from the ‘White Tower of Trials’.

At best, you could call it primitive—like an enormous ancient clay figure. Despite the lack of sculpting skills, its menacing aura was overpowering.

Thousands of Holy Mother devotees had come to Laurentite on Ria’s command. But instead of rebuilding the ruined city, engaging in farming or trade, they’d been fervently constructing that bizarre statue. They’d occupied the city, but they didn’t even try to restore it or develop their own food sources.

「With that thing looming over them, even the demon refugees driven out of the city are too frightened to go near.」

「No wonder. These people are troublesome…」

Once the statue was finished, they apparently began dancing around it, joyously. That alone is terrifying.

Even I wouldn’t go near it. Compared to the chaotic faith of the demons, I can’t say which one’s more twisted.

Actually, the Holy Mother cult might be the worse of the two.

「They do have impressive vitality, though.」

Since they’ve taken over the city, you’d think they’d at least build some shacks out of the rubble to shield themselves from the elements. Once their living situation is secure, they could try reviving agriculture or commerce—normal steps for any society.

However, for the Holy Mother’s army—a ragtag bunch of beggars and miscreants—this ‘normalcy’ is entirely nonexistent. Sleeping on the bare ground, getting by on whatever scraps they can find, they simply live in the moment, dancing in gratitude to the Holy Mother with nothing but a deep, unwavering faith. They’re content with that alone.

Expecting these people to restore the city is futile.

「I’m at a loss with them myself. What should we do about this?」

No wonder Kaara’s exasperated. Feeding the Holy Mother’s army is a massive drain on resources, and if food supplies run out, they could turn violent at any moment.

「Ria!」

「Though I could order them to move, they’d obey reluctantly, at best…」

That’s true. Although Ria’s responsible for their creation, she’s only a Holy Mother; she doesn’t have the political or economic skill to manage them.

In the end, I’d probably have to clean up this mess myself.

「Kaara, I’d like to hear your thoughts, too.」

「Yes. If we consider tasks suitable for the Holy Mother’s army, they could serve as transport teams to carry supplies and mail across vast lands, or perhaps maintain public order as soldiers. Even so, their sheer numbers would be overwhelming.」

I see. Figuring out what to do with the thousands of people left here, who can do little more than march, dance, and pray… Yeah, that’s a challenge.

I do have some ideas about handling the Holy Mother’s army, but…

「By the way, Kaara, the stone used for that statue—it’s high-quality material.」

It looked like marble, only even whiter. Depending on the light, it had a rare silver sheen to it.

The statue might be eerie, but that stone could fetch a high price. My merchant instincts were tingling.

「Indeed. That kind of precious stone shouldn’t exist around here.」

「Shall I inquire about it?」

As Ria approached, the Holy Mother’s army started exclaiming, ‘It’s the Holy Mother! Oh, how blessed we are!’ and, with everyone falling to the ground in deep bows, it was like watching a row of dominoes fall.

These people are seriously unsettling, no wonder the demons don’t come near the capital. Honestly, they need to stop this; it’s scaring the kids. Laurentite has practically become a true city of horrors.

「Takeru, I found out. Apparently, there’s a place nearby where this white stone can be mined.」

「I don’t recall any such place existing before.」

「It’s the blessing of the goddess by all means.」

Yeah, but hearing her say that with such confidence is a bit much. I find it hard to believe Aasama would make a special stone source appear on the Abyss Continent, just to build statues where her holy magic doesn’t reach.

「Takeru, let’s check that spot out.」

Leaving the kids in Kaara’s care, I let Oracle carry me up into the sky, and we flew toward the stone source. When I saw the mountain of stone from above, I was at a loss for words.

「No way… It was Nicholas…」

The ‘white stone mountain’ the Holy Mother’s army spoke of had manifested in the shape of a massive, white face of the Homo Archbishop Nicholas himself.

The Abyss Continent truly was hell on earth.