Side: Seraria
Right now, I am lying down on a bed in a private room at the hospital in Weed.
It's not like I suffered any serious injury or anything. Right, the baby inside me and Yuki and I’s child was just moving around a little too energetically, and I started feeling just a tiny bit unwell.
Such a mischievous child.
As expected of a child carrying both mine and Yuki’s blood.
However, everyone around me panicked and rushed me to the hospital.
"Geez, Millie, you're making such a big deal out of it. It was just a little—just a little—bit of the baby acting up."
"How could I not make a big deal out of it!?"
"But you contacted Yuki, didn't you? Right when the defense battle is about to start."
That's right.
After bringing me to the hospital, Milly had informed my husband, who was just about to begin defending the town.
I seriously doubt he would completely abandon the front lines to come back here, but a distraction like this might cause him to lose his focus, which could put the town in danger.. Because my husband is incredibly kind. If he heard I had collapsed, I'm sure he would worry.
"Don't worry, Chi-anesama. Yuki-san would never do anything that dangerous."
"Indeed. That Yuki wouldn't lose himself to the point of abandoning the city just to rush to Seraria."
Elju and Derieu speak up.
Elju being here makes perfect sense since she serves as the hospital director, but Derieu—or rather, the rest of the pregnant wives—have gathered in the hospital room as well.
"Well, I agree with what Derieu is saying, but why exactly is everyone else here?
I asked the group of pregnant women who had assembled.
"I am technically the other co-director, after all."
Rurua explains.
Her reasoning is perfectly sound. She is a master of Extra Heal and has studied Earth's medical practices, making her an incredibly reassuring presence.
...Though her belly was just as large as mine. She was due any day as well.
"I figured I'd observe how Seraria's delivery goes to use as a reference for my own down the line."
"Me too~"
Eris notes.
Ah, well, it's everyone's first time, so it's natural to feel anxious. Even though I personally received a divine blessing for a safe delivery as a skill from that Fake Goddess and Lilishe-sama, I'm still anxious myself.
"I may also be pregnant, but I cannot simply neglect milord's first wife."
That earnest answer came from Killue.
It's a good answer for a maid, but you're also carrying Yuki's child, so please take it easy.
"So, Grandma, what do you think?"
And then there's Grandma, who can only use light healing magic, but has experience as a midwife and is a veteran who has given birth three times herself.
"Just as I told Milly-chan, I think it'll be today or tomorrow. Stay here for today and tomorrow just in case. Honestly, Seraria-chan, you're the Queen of Weed, you know. Normally you'd have something grander than an ordinary private room..."
"It's fine. Building something extravagant just for me would be a waste. This room is more than enough. But it really will be today or tomorrow, huh."
"Yes, if my assessment is correct."
"If it's your assessment, Grandma, I trust it completely. For the sake of the baby, I'll hold off on my daily sword-swinging practice today and tomorrow."
Sigh... Not doing practice swings makes me feel restless.
"...Chi-nee-sama. Were you secretly doing those? I explicitly told you to stop because it's bad for the baby."
"I couldn't help it. It's been my daily routine for so long, you can't expect me to just drop it instantly. It was only a few swings, so it's perfectly fine."
"You haven't changed a bit, Seraria."
"I don't want to hear that from you, Derieu. You've been training Jessica, haven't you?"
"T-That is because I am utilizing my Doppel..."
Derieu defended herself, then slowly turned her head to the side.
And there stood Elju, Rurua, and Killue with furious expressions.
"What exactly is the meaning of this, Derieu-san?"
"After we explicitly asked you so many times to take the baby into consideration..."
"Yuki-sama—and your little brother—would be saddened."
"I-I'm sorry!! So please stop looking at me like that!!"
Derieu desperately apologized to the three.
So she really was secretly training Jessica without telling anyone.
"Anyway, we've gone off topic, but I don't think Yuki-san would lose his composure and cause harm to the city."
"That's true. I suppose Onii-san might just crush the enemy army and come back in one go for Seraria's sake?"
"Like Ratz said, Yuki is certainly capable of that, but with our current policy of keeping a low profile, he has no choice but to fight a standard defensive battle."
"I know, but given how Onii-san operates, I wouldn't even be surprised if he found some other way to deal with the enemy without anyone noticing."
"...That does sound like something he'd do, which is terrifying."
That husband of mine is incredibly good at applying Earth's knowledge in battle.
After learning Japanese with a skill, I've read famous strategy books like The Art of War and Six Secret Teachings, but honestly, I can only call his ideas absurd.
Honestly... They were beyond imagination. The way they approached warfare was fundamentally different. Unlike this world, Earth possessed no magic. Yet within that harsh world they'd accumulated centuries of warfare, technology, and strategy. As much as I hated admitting it, Earth's military knowledge far surpassed ours.
And my husband is very good at using that knowledge to maneuver in ways that avoid battle whenever possible.
Like dropping an entire army into a pitfall, for example.
"...Pitfall?"
Something caught my attention.
"What's wrong, Seraria? Are you feeling unwell?"
Eris peered worriedly into my face.
"No. I feel fine. I was simply thinking about Yuki."
"Should we call Yuki-san after all?"
"Fufu, it's alright. I don't feel lonely or helpless at all. Not with everyone here by my side."
Hearing that, everyone smiles.
If I'd remained in Roshure... I never would've experienced something like this.
Various people gathered around Yuki, smiling together like this. And on top of that, every single one of them is his wife—including myself.
Though... The timing was a little unfortunate.
Enaria Holy Kingdom, was it? Once I've recovered from childbirth and things settle down, I'll have to pay them back properly.
Honestly, I really wanted my husband by my side when the baby comes, but in this era of endless conflict, perhaps simply being able to prepare for a safe birth like this is a miracle in itself.
As we continue chatting idly, the sound of footsteps sprinting down the hallway echoes out, and the door to my hospital room slams wide open.
"Seraria!! Are you alright!?"
My husband bursts into the room, shouting.
He is in his Doppel body... wearing rather nice armor.
Ara? It actually looks pretty good on him...
"Wait—that's not the issue!! You, what on earth happened to the battlefield?! Don't tell me you completely abandoned it..."
For a second, I thought Yuki had thrown away the town's defense just for me, but right behind him, the members who accompanied him to the New Continent also came bursting in using their Doppel bodies.
"Yuki-san! You can't stay in that armor!"
"This is a hospital, so we have to keep our voices down..."
"...More importantly, he got here faster than us, and we used our rings to teleport."
The beastkin trio said that and tried to drag Yuki out of the room.
"...Yuki's incredible."
"...We... haah, couldn't even catch up..."
Ria and Jessica must have run all the way from the government office trying to chase after him... How pitiful.
There's no way you could keep up when Yuki goes all out.
"Seraria-oneechan!! Are you alright!?"
"Seraria-anesama!! What about the baby!?"
"Alright, alright, both of you calm down."
"Exactly. We are inside a hospital, after all."
Aslin and Filia were gently scolded by Labyris nd Sheila.
Still, even as doppels, those two are adorable.
"Now, now, Onii-san. Seraria's fine. So send that Doppel back to the battlefield and come here with your real body. The rest of you too, of course."
"""Ah."""
At Ratz's words, everyone seemed to realize their mistake of coming back here using their Doppel bodies.
This is actually... kind of bad, isn't it?
Still, listening to them while they were covered in dirt wasn't exactly hygienic.
So, we had them send the doppels back to the New Continent and listen to the story from Yuki and the others in their real bodies.
* * *
Side: Rurua
Ahhh... Danna-sama in armor...
He looks absolutely breathtaking!! Next time, I really want him to pin me down while wearing that exact outfit!!
...Wait, no, no!
First, we need to hear what happened to the defensive battle at the town of Betan. Don't tell me Danna-sama actually abandoned the town just for the sake of Seraria-sama's delivery...?
"Ah, I just opened a dungeon right beneath the enemy army's feet, making it look like a natural ground collapse to trap them. Look."
As he spoke, Danna-sama opened the management screen for the new dungeon.
Seeing this, those of us who stayed behind quickly pull up the new dungeon management screen ourselves.
"...This is the large-scale army dungeon we all came up with."
"...Oh, wow. I see. This is actually the perfect opportunity for a field test... Though I do feel a bit sorry for the other side."
Just as Seraria pointed out, this is a specific dungeon layout we all brainstormed to handle massive military forces.
We never had a chance to use it until now, so in that sense, it really is the perfect test run... though it truly is pitiful for them.
"Husband. Did you change the plan for my sake?"
"Of course. I'd do the exact same for any of you."
He answered without hesitation.
Ahhh... as expected, Danna-sama is wonderful.
How could anyone stay angry after hearing that?
He didn't fail the mission, and his execution is completely flawless.
"Sigh... with you acting like this, I can't even scold you... Thank you, dear. I'm truly happy you came... I really am."
"Sorry for being late. I couldn't shorten the observation period."
With those words, the two embrace.
Mmm, I'm so jealous... Aah, I want Danna-sama to hug me tightly too.
But right now, I should let Seraria have this moment...
Everyone else is watching them warmly, and I might as well munch on the apple nearby while monitoring the dungeon. Still, in three minutes, I'm pulling them apart.
Thinking that, I reached for an apple on the table—
"Ugh!?"
My stomach... no, is the baby inside me kicking...?
This is... it hurts like never before!!
"Uuugh..."
"Wait, Rurua, what's wrong!?"
Danna-sama, who had finished hugging Seraria at some point, noticed my change and immediately rushed over to support my body.
But this wasn't the time to be happy about that.
Because—
"I... I think I'm about to give birth..."
"""Whaaaat!?"""
I didn't have time to respond to everyone's shocked voices.
My stomach...
"Hey Rurua!? A-A doctor!! A hospital!! We need to get her to one!!"
"Yuki-san, calm down!! We're already in the hospital!"
"R-Right... Grandma!"
"I know. First, calm down. Take Rurua-chan to the delivery room. Yuki-chan, calm yourself."
"R-Right... Rurua, I'm going to carry you, okay?"
Danna-sama gently lifted me into his arms.
