POV: Ghislaine Adoldia
I woke that morning immediately feeling the familiar weight on my belly.
It was a constant sensation that had accompanied me ever since my pregnancy advanced, and that now limited not only my movement but also my ability to exert my full strength.
That physical discomfort, although not truly painful, was still somewhat bothersome.
It had been almost two weeks since Jino and Nina had arrived at the Combat Temple. During that time, I had the opportunity to watch Jino and Nina fight a few times.
Their progress was visible, especially Jino's.
He was approaching my level... and very fast. Under Rygar's direct guidance, each day brought a noticeable improvement in his movements, his posture, and his technique.
So much so that I was almost certain that, if I didn't return to training soon, he could surpass me in the near future.
I sighed, disappointed in myself, feeling the truth of that thought.
I got out of bed and began to change, choosing light clothes that would make movement easier.
My routine was very different — not training in fencing was uncomfortable on a level I had not anticipated.
Spending an entire day without wielding my sword was like being thirsty and not drinking water: strange, frustrating, and unsettling.
It was during that forced pause that I realized how much fencing had become a fundamental part of who I am.
Still, Rygar was unyielding. There were no concessions.
And I was truly dissatisfied at not being able to train.
Of course, that doesn't mean I didn't want to be pregnant. On the contrary. I wanted this.
In my view, what use is a wife who cannot produce heirs? Seeing Rygar's sincere smile and overflowing joy when he learned of the pregnancy outweighed any temporary frustration.
I was, despite everything, very happy.
A few days ago, Rygar had tried to use his Magic Eye to perceive the baby's mana, hoping to determine whether it was a boy or a girl.
Not that he cared about the gender; he was simply curious. But he was not successful.
My own mana overlaid the child's completely, hiding any perceptible trace.
To discover something like that, the X-Ray Eye would probably be necessary. Therefore, at the moment, the baby's sex remained a mystery.
What we did know was that he — or they — were growing well. In fact, I hadn't told Rygar yet, but I was beginning to suspect I might be carrying more than one.
When I arrived in the kitchen, I found Verdia finishing the breakfast preparations.
Her long golden hair was tied in a high ponytail that moved gently as she reached for utensils.
She hummed a cheerful tune.
Eris was sitting on the couch while the Sacred Beast, Leo, rested his head in her lap.
Eris was listening to Aisha's words, who was describing the Demon Eyes and their various powers.
Knowing your enemies was a vital skill. Knowing what you can and cannot fight against is something that can decide a battle before it even begins.
When she saw me, Aisha smiled and said:
"Good morning! Ghislaine, Selene asked that you visit her today, when you have time."
I nodded with a brief movement of my head.
"I will."
Verdia, still busy with the cups, also said cheerfully:
"Good morning!"
I replied only with a nod. She didn't seem to mind, already used to my manner.
I was never the type of person who was outgoing and effusive, and even after meeting Rygar, that part of me changed only slightly.
He, in fact, once said that my serious, expressionless manner had its own charm. I remember how he laughed when I claimed I wasn't expressionless.
In any case, Rygar can always sense people's emotions through his sharpened senses, and so he never had difficulty understanding what was going on with me.
I cared deeply about every person in this house, especially him and Eris.
Rygar was not home at that moment.
A few days earlier, he had left for the Dwarf Territory in order to help finalize the upgrade of his sword, Tsukikage.
Before leaving, he made it clear that any problem should be reported to him immediately via the Magic Letter.
Although the Dwarf Territory was a bit farther than the places he usually frequented, Rygar could still cover the distance in a few hours if he pushed himself.
Still, I noticed he was uneasy about leaving us alone during the pregnancy.
After breakfast, each of us went our separate ways.
Eris headed to the Combat Temple.
Aisha departed for the Star Rise Academy.
Verdia was going to say goodbye to Gretta, who would return to the Demon Continent later today.
As for me, I went in the direction of Selene's house, accompanied by Leo.
As soon as I left the house, I felt the presence of ten warriors following me in the shadows. I didn't mind. I was used to it.
At least half of them possessed the level of a Saint, and their mission was to protect me.
Of course, I knew that if an enemy capable of killing me appeared, they would probably not be able to defeat them.
Their role would be to contain the opponent as much as possible until reinforcements arrived. But, in a way, that would already mean a failure: the enemy would have managed to infiltrate this far.
But it was better than walking without any protection, after all now I had to consider my child's safety as well.
As I walked through the tribe, the sound of voices and footsteps mixed with the rustle of leaves in the treetops.
Many people greeted me respectfully and their eyes turned to Leo, the Sacred Beast, who walked at my side like an attentive guard dog.
Although, to me, he was just a huge, furry dog, to the rest of the tribe he was a sacred being.
My days without training left room for a new kind of occupation.
Rygar had suggested I find another pastime, since my routine revolved almost entirely around fencing.
I already had some knowledge of magic — learned with effort — but since Rygar taught me to read using books and tales of swordsmen and mages, I discovered that I had developed a genuine taste for those stories.
Especially those based on real heroes, legends of formidable warriors of old.
Little by little, I began to dive more and more into that world, reading volume after volume, noting memorable names and deeds.
I still practiced magic, of course.
My natural talent was not exceptional, but with persistence I reached the Intermediate level in Healing Magic, and I had the basics of Fire and Water Magic.
It wasn't much, but it was enough to be useful.
Verdia recommended several exciting, action-filled books to me, some with descriptions so vivid it felt like I was there, in the middle of the battle.
I had to find a way to repay her for that.
Without realizing it, my steps led me to Selene's house.
It was still the same one Rygar had lived in as a child, although now it had been slightly modified, a bit expanded, and had protective Barriers around it.
"Haaaah!"
In the yard, little Ruby, Rygar's sister, was wielding a wooden sword and advancing against Hontar with all the determination a five-year-old could muster.
Hontar defended easily, but never took his eyes off her, encouraging her to improve.
Ruby showed above-average talent for a child, but nothing exceptional. Besides, she was still at the beginning of her learning.
In magic, however, she was a bit better. She had recently reached the Intermediate level in the wind element.
Hontar greeted me briefly without interrupting Ruby's training.
The house's Magic Barriers did not react to my approach — Rygar had configured them that way.
I entered, smelling fresh herbs. Leo entered right after me.
Selene was at the table, cutting leaves and roots with an intense, slightly bitter aroma.
"Oh, Ghislaine!" she said with a smile. "Come in, make yourself comfortable."
"Hello. What are those herbs?" I asked, sitting down.
She put down the knife, pulled a chair, and sat facing me, her expression suddenly serious.
"I think your pregnancy will not bring just one offspring."
I was slightly surprised by her insight.
I myself already suspected that, but I wasn't sure. Among the beast race, twins or even triplets were more common than among humans, but still, single children predominated.
"All right… but we have no way of knowing. Only when they're born," I replied.
Selene smiled with the air of someone who had a trump card.
"That's where you're wrong. There are some very simple methods. I'm preparing an herbal bath, a technique passed down through generations among the Doldia. It increases the mother's sensitivity in a specific way, allowing her to feel how many there are."
I was silent for a few seconds. It made sense, in a way.
"I wouldn't do this normally," she continued, "but your pregnancy is not exactly ordinary. It's better for us to be prepared for any eventuality."
I thought to myself that maybe Rygar's exaggerated caution came from his mother.
Selene resumed cutting the herbs as we talked about other things, until, some time later, the bath was ready.
Undressed, I slowly stepped into the wooden tub, feeling the warm water mix with the aroma of the herbs.
The sensation was strange — not uncomfortable, but as if my skin and senses were more awake. Selene remained at my side, attentive.
Time passed slowly, and only after almost thirty minutes did I notice the difference. Something inside me felt different. I had a strange sensation.
And then, a smile formed on my face.
I could feel it… there were two.
---
Dwarf Territory — Blue Dragon Mountain Range.
The mountain that rose before the horizon was a monument to death and power.
One day it had been home to an immense volcano and the pride of a Blue Dragon Tribe, but now it was a living hell.
Metallic, thunderous sounds reverberated through its entrails, each impact so strong that the ground for miles around trembled as if it were about to split.
Any fool who dared to approach even slightly the base of the mountain would be instantly roasted alive by the searing heat that escaped from every fissure.
The air there seemed liquid, wavering in incandescent mirages. The mountain's interior was vast and cavernous, and from time to time it spat violent blue flames through its entrances, like the breaths of a hungry monster.
And down below, on the slopes and valleys around it, ran a grotesque river — a dense, viscous sea made of magma, lava, and rocks mixed with large quantities of dragon blood.
A truly terrifying sight.
The corpses scattered across the mountain told the tragic story of the Dragons who were killed in their home.
A deep roar echoed from within the mountain.
Anyone who heard it would swear that some draconic lord still remained inside, resisting heroically.
But only those inside knew its true origin.
The sounds of hammering intensified, each blow accompanied by waves of heat and sparks that escaped through the cracks in the mountain.
It was as if a god, with hammer and anvil, were shaping the very foundation of the Mountain Range.
With each impact, the earth trembled.
Soon after, all the fissures and cracks in the mountain exploded in bursts of blue fire, as if the very heart of the volcano had been inflated to its limit.
And then, from one of those openings, emerged the Ebony Wolf — Rufus's mount — charging forward at speed.
However, it was not Rufus riding it, but another dwarf.
The small man was covered in soot, his skin marked by burns of various degrees, hair singed, and clothes in tatters.
Each breath was an effort, but his eyes shone with insane satisfaction.
When the fresh air — or at least less torrid air — touched his face, the dwarf burst into laughter.
"MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" his laughter echoed down the slope, mixing with the distant sound of hammering.
"We will make history today, men! There has never been a more powerful weapon! I guarantee it!"
Most who heard that, seeing the dwarf's deplorable state, would call him mad. Maybe they wouldn't be wrong.
That man was Brightstone, the same craftsman who, years ago, had enchanted Rygar's sword for the first time.
The Ebony Wolf carried the dwarf away from the unbearable heat; it had been tasked with getting Brightstone out of there before he was completely carbonized.
Inside, in that inferno of flames and molten metal, a masterpiece was reaching its end: the forging of Rygar's new sword.
The Moon Shadow. Tsukikage.
When he finally reached a safe distance, Brightstone jumped down from the Wolf's back, whose fur was also singed.
Even panting from exhaustion, he turned to the mountain and shouted in a hoarse voice:
"HAHAHA! I've done my part, you bastards! You'd better not waste this fortune!"
He knew that, even at great distance, at least one of them would hear.
Inside the mountain, which at that moment more closely resembled a divine furnace, three figures still remained.
The Ore God, Godbard; Rufus, the Earthbreaker; and, beside them, the Beast God… Rygar.
The completion of that work would not be merely the birth of a weapon. It would be the birth of a legend.
-----
Hello! If you want to support my writing, check out my subscription P@treon
By subscribing, you will get access to up to 20 advanced chapters of the Webnovel and polls to decide various things about the story.
Your support will encourage me to continue writing more chapters! Check it out here: pa treon.com/DaoistJunkYard