A scream echoed through the house.
"Ahhh!!"
Cecil stomped her feet with a helpless expression. She wanted to do something upon hearing Asha's painful voice, but there was nothing she could do.
With a face on the verge of tears, Cecil stomped her feet and asked Claudia, who stood beside her with a stiff expression.
"C, Claudia! W, will Asha be alright?"
"... I don't know either. I've fed her everything said to be good for the body."
"Ugh..."
Claudia too... was watching childbirth for the first time, so her mind was equally troubled.
As the due date approached, there was nothing much to do besides procuring and feeding her everything said to be good for the body, so she thought she had done her best.
... The rest was up to Asha.
Since only Claire was inside at the moment, the others were also waiting with strange and anxious feelings.
Similar thoughts occupied their minds, except perhaps for Cecil's.
... They never dreamed they would be on the waiting side rather than the giving birth side.
"Ugh, ahhh!! F, fuck!"
Each time a painful voice came from inside, the group had to find ways to calm their own minds and steady their hearts.
Asha, screaming incomprehensible cries, seemed to be in that much agony.
Veronica was unconsciously biting her nails, and Ariel was pacing in front of the door like an itchy puppy.
The two had some knowledge, so they tried to go inside with Claire, but...
... They had to keep their mouths shut under Selina's rebuke that they hadn't actually experienced it themselves.
Since it was Selina who had recruited skilled medical personnel from Jedo, they couldn't say anything.
Putting aside whether one could be so bold with the Empire's princess.
Thus, only Asha's screams and the voices of those helping her resounded loudly through the house.
They might have grown weary from the endless wait, but in their hearts, they simply wished for Asha and the soon-to-be-born child to be safe.
And after the long wait, the door that seemed like it would never open did, and Claire appeared.
"..."
The group's expressions turned strange upon seeing the exhausted-looking Claire.
... Her hair was a mess, as if someone had been grabbing and pulling at it.
Claire, who opened the door with a tired face, spoke softly.
"For now... one has been safely delivered."
"Really?!"
"Phew..."
"What a relief..."
"... You worked hard."
"A relief indeed..."
After each uttering a word, the group waited for Claire's mouth to open. It seemed she had more to say.
"The thing is..."
No sooner had Claire's mouth opened than painful screams began to be heard again.
The group flinched and trembled, startled and bewildered.
"W, what's happening all of a sudden?"
"... It seems it will take a little longer because there's not just one baby."
"..."
Claire, who had left everyone dumbfounded, closed the door again and disappeared inside.
The group was unsure whether to be happy or sad about the fact that there wasn't just one child.
Clearly, giving birth to two was something to be celebrated, but...
"Sniff... ah sniff... waaah..."
Thinking of Asha, who was now bursting into tears beyond screams... their hearts felt a little heavy.
Yet, the corners of the group's mouths... were slightly upturned.
... Because a happy event was a happy event.
Time passed in a strange atmosphere.
After the long wait, the group was finally able to enter the room where Asha had been groaning.
The people helping Asha had already left, and on the large bed, they saw Claire, whose head was being held by Asha... and small bundles of cloth.
The group steadied their pounding hearts and first approached Asha.
... Asha's face was a mess.
Her eyes were bloodshot and red, and her face was still flushed, likely from screaming.
Although she was holding Claire's hair, she seemed to have lost strength and was listless.
Seeing the group enter, Asha spoke in a pitiful voice.
"... You're here... guys?"
"Y, yes."
"Are you alright, Asha...?"
Asha frowned as if recalling the recent events, but upon seeing the worried expressions of the group, she let out a sigh.
It might be different if the pain still lingered.
... She thought there was no need to reveal her discomfort, so she steadied her heart and continued speaking.
"Can you... show me the babies?"
"Ah, yes."
"Of course."
The babies held in Veronica's and Ariel's arms respectively came into Asha's view.
'... I really... gave birth.'
Feeling a strange emotion, Asha confirmed the babies... she had given birth to.
... Only after confirming the tangible, clay-like reality... did the reality that she had truly given birth sink in.
And seeing them with her own eyes... made the pain she had endured until just moments ago seem forgettable.
"Wow..."
I really gave birth.
Who would have thought, being born male, that I would actually give birth to a child.
Asha, with trembling hands, reached out and fidgeted with the soft cheeks of the babies before pulling her hand away.
Turning her gaze, she saw the group looking at her with warm, pleased expressions.
... Asha somehow felt her body stiffen rigidly.
The group was undoubtedly sending warm glances.
That... seemed certain. But... Asha, for some reason... got goosebumps.
Ariel, looking at the baby in her arms, spoke.
"... They seem to look like Cecil and Claire's children."
"... Indeed."
"Hmm..."
"Aha..."
It still seemed difficult to definitively say whose children they were, but judging by the sparsely growing hair color... it was just a guess.
But... since there was no similar hair color among them... it seemed almost certain.
"A, are they Asha's and my children?"
"... Probably."
Cecil covered her mouth as if startled and didn't know what to do.
Claire, still having her head held by Asha, also secretly clenched her fist tightly.
'... It's strangely coincidental.'
Asha wondered if... perhaps the god had played some trick.
But lacking the courage to voice that thought in front of Claire, Asha left it as a suspicion.
And... there was a bigger problem than that.
Feeling cold sweat run down her back, Asha scrutinized the faces of the remaining group members.
Claudia.
... She was staring intently at Asha with a slightly resentful expression. It was a face that seemed to want to get her pregnant again immediately, but she seemed to be holding back considering Asha's physical condition.
Ariel and Selina, and even Veronica. They seemed to have faces not much different from Claudia's.
Asha, trembling from the pain she had felt until just moments ago, thought.
'... Can I give birth again?'
Realizing that even if she gave birth to twins like this time, she would have to give birth at least two more times, Asha's face displayed complex, subtle emotions.
It was true she had agreed to handle it.
... But having to endure this pain again... was something unheard of.
But even that story.
... Looking at the group's faces, Asha couldn't bring herself to bring it up.
Because she could understand their desire to have... children.
'I'll think about it later.'
It's not like they'll ask to make them right away, right?
'From what I remember...'
A period of postpartum care was needed... so not for the time being.
Muttering to herself that she needed to find a way, Asha leaned her body back onto the bed.
Then, slightly turning her head, she saw the children she had given birth to.
'...'
A heart swelling yet growing complicated.
Asha gazed at the traces of herself and the group, then closed her eyes.
... In fact, it was miraculous that she had opened her eyes to greet the group.
Asha soon fell into a deep sleep.
Only the group, in a strange atmosphere, looked at Asha and had different thoughts.
*
*
*
*
"Congratulations. Two at once."
"...Mmm, thank you."
I scratched my head awkwardly upon hearing words I wasn't sure were praise or something else.
The one who spoke to me with a slight smile like that was... a girl named Eubris who had come with Her Highness Selina.
... Calling her a girl somehow seemed like she might be older, but seeing her innocent face and free-spirited appearance... calling her a girl didn't seem awkward.
But... from such a girl's mouth, a strange sound suddenly popped out.
"I've given birth too, so I know... it's very hard, right? Judging by the circumstances... it seems you still need to endure more."
"...Pardon?"
"There's still... I mean, don't you need to give birth to four more?"
"T, that's true... H, have you been pregnant?"
In response to my reply, the girl, Eubris, nodded with a slightly bitter expression.
... At that look in her eyes that seemed full of stories, I tightly closed my mouth. I was swept by a feeling that I shouldn't ask more.
'... Amazing.'
Who would have thought... she had childbirth experience.
Then... her partner.
Was it that woman named Iris... who had growled at me?
'How?'
Since Cecil's existence wasn't that old, I was a little intrigued.
I don't know what method she used... but doesn't that mean one can have children without making a rod grow?
Then, Eubris, who was looking at my face, smiled faintly and said.
"Perhaps... are you curious how we had a child?"
"... T, well... yes. Honestly, yes."
"Pfft... I thought so from your expression."
Eubris, giggling, rummaged in her bosom and pulled out a small ring.
Blinking at the sudden ring, Eubris spoke softly.
"... Wearing this allows even women to get pregnant."
"T, there's such a thing?"
"Mmm... Yes, a long time ago... it's an artifact a friend made... seems they didn't leave it for posterity."
... If that's true.
As if reading my thoughts, Eubris smiled slyly and said.
"Do you need it?"
"...Yes."
"Your honesty is good."
Eubris rummaged in her bosom again, took out a box large enough to hold the ring, and stored the ring inside.
"... I can lend it, but there are a few conditions."
"Ah, yes! Please tell me."
... I had no intention of borrowing it for free.
If her words were true... it was clearly a very old artifact.
If she had offered to lend it for free, I might have been suspicious.
"For me... it's an item with its own meaning... I'd really like it back."
"That's only natural."
"And... well."
Eubris blushed slightly and carefully opened her mouth.
"... I'd like to consistently receive Potions from Asha's Workshop."
"Let's do that."
I answered in one breath. It was a matter that didn't require contemplation.
Then, Eubris's face brightened.
"Is that really okay?"
"Of course."
... If it means feeling less of that pain, what are Potions?
For a while, I discussed with Eubris the ring's usage method and matters related to the upcoming conferment of the ducal title.
After seeing her off... I headed to the room where the children were sleeping.
... For reference, the Potions Eubris wanted were breast-enlarging medicine and...
... growth medicine.
Author's Note (Author's Afterword)
No matter how much Asha, she does not reach childbirth climax.