BXBX NOVEL Chapter 250 249: Journey West; Back Home
So this'll be ~half Kat's group, ~half Julie's group.
After yet another well prepared breakfast, we stepped outside with our gear packed away, each of us holding our own bags as we approached the carriage out front.
Each of us packed only the things we would need, which amounted to our weapons, armor, some drab, practical clothing, potions, and some small knickknacks to occupy our minds during time away from the fighting.
Leone had debated on whether or not she should bring down her alchemy set, but we all convinced her to not bother with it, and Nirinia said that there were a few sets inside the base camp, where she could help the healers prepare potions for the wounded.
As for Anput, she told us that she could still take care of any major damage that occurred to our weapons, so long as she could get access to some similar metals from the weapons dropped by the enemy.
Yeah, that wasn't a surprise; there were no rules inside warfare besides the most obvious few.
Don't target civilians, though from everything I've heard it sounds like that's just there to make people feel better about wars, since most countries ignore that and demolish entire communities to weaken the enemy.
No alchemical weaponry, or the world begins to target you for such a hazardous attack; this one was followed, as it would instantly push your allies away and open up reasons for neutral countries to target you, causing your entire country to fall.
Finally, the people like the Empress, her wives, Duchess Klaki, the Sultana, and those on that level of insane magical and physical prowess are not allowed to participate in the wars, lest the other countries also send out people of that level, which would be akin to nuking the entirety of the battlefield.
They are simply too strong and too destructive to warrant sending out for each fight, though this is a rule that the Empire could whole heartedly ignore if they wished, but the Empress was the one who suggested it, letting the other countries have some semblance of hope.
Thought when the Empire has people like the Marquess, who the Empress has classified as 'just under her' in terms of power, this rule of hers was little more than a feel good rule for the world, since the Empire was still the pinnacle powerhouse.
These rules were told to us by Nirinia, and she seemed to not care for any of them, but she also explained why they were created.
As such, that was when I learned this world had no 'conventions' to follow, as the prowess of a single country here far outclassed my previous one.
Especially the Empire.
Anyways, we boarded the carriage and set out, the two Banshee's that were our guards splitting up; one drove the carriage West, while the other remained back at our home, guarding it still.
With that, we were on our way out of the Capital, depending down Sanctus Ignacia and making our way towards the West, where we would be forged and tempered in the fires of war.
~~~
Julie PoV
Sighing, I glanced around me for a moment, the sight confusing me for a moment.
I had only just woken up, but a half dozen maids worked desperately around me to prepare everything for when I did awaken, each doing something to guarantee I could be up and about.
Some were preparing my clothes, whilst others were readying the bath.
This treatment was new and...
It made me feel conflicted.
Over these last few years, I had grown too accustomed to my role as Chordeva's and Ria's Personal Maid, and yet here I was getting the same treatment I gave them.
Though...
Groaning, I sat up and laid my hand on my bulging stomach, my mind still groggy and my body achy.
Hearing that, the maids rushed to my side and began to fuss over me, helping me up and into the medicinal bath.
Getting washed by them, dressed by them, and led out into the main hall by them was still weird, but the ability to relax whilst others did the work for me was so comforting, especially considering...
Well, I wasn't incredibly far along in my pregnancy, but twins...
It felt like hell currently; I looked six months in when it was only the third month, and my body was going haywire with the hybrid children growing inside me.
I still don't know if it's just one hybrid or two, but either way, the strain on my body is quite large, so I did indeed need to be fussed over at this point.
Stumbling out into the main hall, I collapsed onto the couch and smiled at the two nobles in front of me, both shifting instantly from their argumentative, serious expressions to gentle, warm, yet worried ones.
The giant Demoness with sharp horns and deep ruby eyes got up from behind the desk, her incredible height and muscular frame making me feel protected as she sat beside me.
Wrapping her hands around my own, she smiled down at me softly while her wife took the spot on my other side.
An elegant, golden haired Elf with dazzling sapphire eyes laid her flawless pale hand on my stomach, a warmth spreading through me as a red glow shrouded my stomach.
Chordeva and Ria, the two women I had been with for years now, who were now responsible for the two babies growing inside of me, were smiling at me with such warm eyes.
"Did you sleep well, Julie?"
Nodding, I leaned my head onto Chordeva's shoulder as I glanced over at Ria, asking "So? How are they?"
The Elf grinned at me, her regal aura gone for a moment as she spoke, her voice filled with relief and excitement.
"Good, good! Both are still growing wonderfully~! What about you, dear? Are the aches still there?"
Sighing, I nodded, a wry smile on my face as I said "Two babies that aren't entirely Beastkin growing inside me... that really does place a stain on me, but the medicinal baths have been doing wonders... though, maybe tone down the Frostglow Lilacs... makes everything too cold."
Pursing her lips, Ria looked away as she began to think about another combination of alchemical ingredients for the bath.
While she did that, Chordeva kissed my brow as she smiled at me, saying "Are you looking forwards to everything, Julie?"
Raising a brow, I sighed as the schedule she had suggested a few days prior entered my mind.
"Do I have to be given a Baroness Title before all of this? It can't be after?"
The Demoness chuckled softly at my unwilling tone, her ruby eyes softening as she shook her head.
"Sadly not, love. You need to be granted a title sooner, rather than later. Otherwise-"
Sneering, I looked away as I growled "Fine! Fucking politics..."
Letting out another chuckle, she stroked my cheek as I stared at the large amount of paperwork on their table, before I glanced at Chordeva again.
"What's going on with Lady Jahi and Kat?"
Chordeva's smile stiffened for a moment, and she looked away when I narrowed my eyes at her.
Ria answered instead, her hand joining Chordeva's as she took a deep breath.
"We... We sent Nirinia over to them at the Capital, and since they all passed each of their Finals... well, we decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to give Jahi some... real experience."
I turned towards the Elf, my eyes still narrowed as I waited for more of an explanation; regrettably, my time has recently been spent being exhausted and bathing with medicines, so I was very out of touch with everything at the moment.
Though...
"Nirinia will take them, and protect them, over at the Western Border, where they will participate with the Empress' Legion in defending our border from the Western Kingdoms..."
My eyes widened as I heard that, before I bit my cheek to withhold another snarl.
I had spent a long time with these two, and a good chunk of that time was before I had been spending time inside their bed, so I knew what they were like.
Both had accepted their roles as members of House Asmodia, with Chordeva improving the Houses' position compared to when her father was at the helm, and Ria being her trusted advisor and right hand.
They had both also accepted that Jahi would need to be moulded into the same kind of woman that they both were now, if not into something better.
And my daughter was tied to Jahi.
Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I felt them both stroke my hands to try and calm me down as well, to placate some of the rage I felt at knowing my little girl was going to be out on a warfront.
She was of an age that she should be able to take care of herself, and the woman by their side, Nirinia, was a prodigy at warfare, so she would be safe, but a mother's instincts are always to keep their children away from any danger, so...
After another few quiet moments, I managed to calm myself down enough to smile at them, though they both guiltily looked away from me.
"You still have work to do, no? Don't mind me, I'll just lounge here and read..."
They nodded, gently getting up and returning to their work while a maid brought me a book.
We would talk throughout the day, each one asking questions based on whatever article they were currently reading, resulting in various discussions and debates.
The entire thing was rather boring, but being around each other made it bearable, and like always, when we finished up and ate, I enjoyed the tender administrations of the two women, before we all fell asleep in a warm pile.