When Luca stepped into the Dungeon-linked barn, the first thing he heard was his good brother's voice, high and panicked, echoing off the rafters.
"—and it's starting, I don't know what to do, what if something goes wrong—"
He stopped in the doorway, blinking at the sight before him.
Ollie was clutching his knuckles like they were the last anchor to his sanity, pacing beside the pig pen. His mother, Marquise Julienne, appeared as a hovering holographic projection, her usually poised expression pulled tight with alarm.
"Oliver Mylor," she said sharply, "are you telling me someone is giving birth right now?"
"Yes!" Ollie blurted.
From the back of the barn, Kyle's dry voice cut through. "To piglets, my lady. Piglets. Not a human baby."
The Marquise paused, then sighed with visible relief. "Say the important details first next time, Oliver. I nearly woke your father."
Kyle asked, "Should I still inform you if such a thing actually happens?"
