— Eris Greyrat —
My name is Eris Greyrat, a Sword King who has gained the nickname of 'Mad Wolf' and the wife of the most amazing man in the world, Leon Greyrat.
But more importantly…
"You're pregnant," Leon said, smiling as his hands moved from my belly up to my head. "Congratulations, Eri. And… thank you."
More importantly, I was also a future mother.
I felt my heart soar as he pulled me into a kiss, my hands wrapping around his neck to grasp his small ponytail as my tongue invaded his mouth.
I… was finally pregnant, after such a long time of trying.
Perhaps, just as Leon had said, I really did need to calm down my training in order for my husband's seed to take root.
Detaching our lips, I felt my lips spread into a wide smile as our eyes stared into each other's.
"I'm excited, Leon," I said. "I can't wait to give you a boy."
He smiled back as he shook his head. "I don't care if it's a boy or not. I'll love them-"
"It's a boy," I said, cutting him off.
I could feel it.
In my belly, growing stronger with each day, was my child. The one that would become the heir to the Greyrat name.
Though… we weren't nobles… nor did I want us to be anything like that… but I was still happy to provide Leon with a son considering Aria and Anna were both girls.
Plus, I would be sure to train him into a good swordsman.
"Okay… do you want to do something to celebrate?" he asked, raking his hand through my hair in the way that always made me melt. "Sylphy's guarding Ariel, so we could spend the day together if you'd like. Though I would still have to watch Aria and Anna."
Narrowing my eyes, I quickly shook my head.
"No. Just… stay here with them," I said, getting up from the bed. "You're… father is still home, right?"
"Hm? Yeah, I believe so," he said, a bit confused. "Why?"
"I… just need to do something first," I said, quickly throwing on a shirt and pair of pants as I headed into the hallway.
Walking down the stairs and out into the chilly morning air, I began contemplating about my feelings now that I was pregnant.
I was excited, for sure, but at the same time… I was worried.
I had been something of a mother to Aria and Anna over these past months since coming back home, but still… was that enough?
I didn't know, and there was only one way I could find out.
If it was Leon, Roxy, or Sylphy, they would probably have a much better way to ease these worries, but I wasn't them.
I was a stupid girl who didn't know how to handle her feelings, and I had long since accepted that.
So this was the only way for me.
Gripping the two wooden swords that I had grabbed on my way out the door, I hastened my pace down the cobblestone road, spurred on by the biting cold as I felt my blood pump through my body.
"Hm? Eris? What are you doing over here so early?" Paul said, tilting his head as he finished his last swing.
I guess he was training in the morning, just like he did back in Buena Village.
It seems I had come at a perfect time.
Throwing a wooden sword over to him, I set my stance as I stood across from him.
"Spar me," I demanded.
"Err… no?" he said.
I narrowed my eyes in response.
"F-Figures that wouldn't work," he said, sighing reluctantly. "Come on, do you really have anything to gain from beating up an old man like me?"
"Stop acting pathetic and raise your sword," I said, snarling. "Or else, I won't hold back."
"G-Got it," he said, setting his stance.
Paul Greyrat… Leon's father and the grandfather to my future child… he was someone I had been avoiding since coming back here.
After all, I hated him.
Not for being annoying, which he still was, nor for the grudge of the last time I had met him, which I was still angry about.
No… this was due to something much more personal.
This man… he reminded me of myself.
More specifically, he reminded me of my past self.
The violent, bratty, selfish, idiotic girl that couldn't deal with her feelings in any other way than lashing out at those she loved, which at the time, was only Leon.
Luckily, Leon at that time was still strong, and he knew that my feelings for him were positive despite my contradicting nature, but that was because he was Leon.
My child… Roxy and Sylphy's children… they wouldn't be as strong, and they probably wouldn't be able to understand my true feelings.
So being like my old self… that was unacceptable.
Paul Greyrat was something similar to that.
He was a terrible father.
When he got angry, he hit Leon without asking for his side of a story, becoming overcome with emotion that he lashed out and hurt his son in ways only he could.
And that was before that aggravating display in Millishion that left my most important person so sad after such a long time of suffering.
Plus there was his infidelity, his immaturity, leaving everything to Leon and making him clean up after his messes…
Yeah, Paul Greyrat was a failure of a father.
And that failure of a father reminded me of myself.
I… didn't want to be like that.
I wanted to be a good mother, especially after seeing Sylphy and Roxy.
Seeing how soft and gentle they were with Aria and Anna, and their overall aura of motherliness… I felt inferior.
Perhaps I could never be as motherly or as soft as them, but I was fine with that.
But I needed to know if I could be a good mother… I needed to know if that bratty girl that was so similar to that failure of a father was truly a thing of the past or not.
And maybe… I also wanted some payback for what he did to Leon back then.
Besides… I heard from Zenith that this guy called Aria a bastard when she was born.
How dare he insult my daughter like that.
"But Eris, didn't you stop training since… you know…" he said, rubbing his stomach like an idiot.
"I'm already pregnant," I replied curtly.
"Ah! Nice job! But… isn't that more reason to not exert yourself?" he asked.
"You think you'll make me exert myself?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. "Just shut up and fight me."
"Oh… right…" he said despondently.
Yeah, this wasn't a spar for exchanging strikes and techniques where I would have to worry about working up a sweat.
This was a spar for exchanging words and feelings.
Again, others would be able to deal with these feelings much better and in more productive ways, but I wasn't like them.
This was the only way I knew how.
And I needed to do this to know… how much had I grown?
Digging my toes into the ground, I then launched forward, my sword whistling through the air as Paul raised his own to defend.
His blade shifted in an attempt to parry me with the Water God style, but he was much slower than Nina, and incredibly lacking in technique compared to Isolte.
And considering I was able to win my last set of spars against those two… it was only obvious what the result of our exchange would be.
"Ack!" he choked, rolling across the ground.
"Get up," I said, looking over to him. "That isn't enough for a spar."
Brushing off the dirt and mud as he got to his feet, Paul shook his head.
"Dammit, Leon. You just had to snag a crazy one too, huh?" he muttered, the words causing my eyebrow to twitch.
Now I had another reason to beat him up.
I was not crazy.
I was just… misunderstood.
Our spar continued for a few more exchanges, with Paul getting dirtier with each one as I sent him on his back.
But still… it was enough.
I doubt anyone else would need such a complicated, roundabout way to discover this, but… even though I was a bit slower than others, I got there eventually.
Paul… he was not the Paul that I knew.
Not the idiotic man of the past, constantly making mistakes and trouble.
He had grown from the disappointing man-child I knew and hated into a man worthy of some respect.
Right… I had known that already, but I guess I didn't want to accept it.
After all, how disappointing would it be to learn that he had become someone worthy to parent a child, while I had stayed the same?
But luckily enough… I had grown, too.
We had both grown, and just like Leon had said, I could become a good mother.
Maybe I wouldn't be as soft as Sylphy, as smart as Roxy, or as affectionate as Leon… but that was okay.
I would become a mother in my own way, providing them with just as much love as the others.
I was definitely not as… emotionally mature as the other three.
After all, I needed to do all this just to see something that was so simple.
But still… that was okay.
I had grown enough that I wouldn't be a bad mother, so that was enough.
Besides, I had two other mothers and a father I could rely on whenever I lacked something.
"So… are you done?" Paul asked, gripping his sword in slight fear.
"Yeah," I said. "I'm not angry anymore, and I finally found the answer."
"The answer? Well… I guess I'm glad you don't hate me anymore," he said, relaxing his stance. "Seriously… I would ask if you're on your period with such an outburst, but I guess that's impossible now, huh? Haha!"
…I didn't hate him… and I wasn't angry at the past…
But he was still incredibly aggravating.
"I take it back," I said, narrowing my eyes.
"Huh? Wait, what- ouf!" he said, wheezing as my sword struck his chest.
Yeah… I was confident now that I could be a mother.
So now it was only a matter of choosing a name now, huh?
Hmm… Ars sounded good. That was always a fun story.
— Leon Greyrat —
"Brother… tell me how you do it…" Rudy whined as we made our way back from the university. "And now you have Anna, and that Eris is pregnant… tell me your secrets, please…"
"What nonsense are you going on about?" I asked.
"Haa… just… Lana is still difficult, you know?" he said, sighing as he trudged along the road. "I thought that with Norn and Aisha when we were kids, I was prepared, but she just cries all the time! Did you know? Last night, I put her in her bassinet, but when I sat down on the bed, the floor creaked, and she began screaming! Just from that!"
I couldn't help but smile at that.
Lana… she was growing fast and was now half a year old.
While Sara was still spending most of her time taking care of her at home, she still asked Mama and I to help out sometimes, so I was able to spend some quality time with my cute niece.
But it seems that Rudy was having his own fair share of troubles…
"Seriously! How can you deal with all the crying?" he asked, grabbing my collar. "Teach me your ways!"
"There's nothing to teach," I said, removing his hand.
Hmm… how to explain this?
The main reason I was able to handle the crying so easily was because of my memories of a baby, how everything was new and a bit scary, even with my knowledge, but Rudy didn't exactly have that experience.
So how should I explain this in a way for him to empathize?
"Look, Rudy… for Aria and Anna, when they cry, it's because something is wrong. They could be hungry, they could be afraid… they have no other way to deal with those things," I explained.
Though, in my two daughters' cases, Anna was a bit more difficult.
It seems that she was a fussy one, but I was sure that she would eventually grow out of it.
"Yeah… I can kind of get that," Rudy said.
"Right? Well, they're also my daughters, and I'm one of the few people in the world who can make them feel better. That responsibility… it's the most amazing feeling in the world," I said, smiling warmly.
Rudy simply deadpanned at me.
"Yeah… I'm not a daughter-con like you, though," he said, shaking his head. "How the hell can you be so optimistic?"
I wasn't really sure what a 'daughter-con' was, but whatever.
It was probably another one of those stupid phrases Rudy always liked to say.
"Well, being optimistic is better than being angry and annoyed, right?" I said, patting his shoulder as I looked into the sky. "My advice is to enjoy the moment while it lasts. I remember when Aria used to only go to sleep if I rocked her to bed… I miss those times."
Truly, seeing my baby girl grow up really was a bittersweet feeling.
Luckily, with Anna, and Eris now pregnant, I would be able to experience those times over and over.
Plus, at least I now had a journal to look back on whenever I was feeling nostalgic.
"Brother… you're like an old man," Rudy said, patting my shoulder as well. "I guess two kids will do that to you…"
…Was I really acting like an old man?
No… that couldn't be the case… I was only eighteen!
…Sylphy was able to be back in action now, so if she and Roxy wanted to, maybe I should give them a night to remember after they got home.
Because I was absolutely not an old man.
"Anyway, do you-"
Rudy's words got caught in his throat as he looked at his hand, the ring Shizuka had given him emitting a faint white light.
That was the signal.
"…So he's here," I said.
"S-So it seems," Rudy said, clenching his fist.
"He probably used that teleportation ruin in the woods, so we should head out to meet him," I said, turning around to head towards the stables instead of home.
"Y-Yeah… I'll leave it to you then," Rudy said, causing me to stop. "Y-You know, I'm not all that good at these things. Besides! Orsted hates the people the Man-God talk to, right? So me being there would only-"
"Rudy," I said, cutting him off. "Don't think that I'm an idiot. You're planning to fight him, aren't you?"
Rudy opted to not answer as I turned to face him, his face set in a mix of fear and anticipation as he took deep, calming breaths.
"W-What are you talking about, brother?" he said, averting his eyes from me before he suddenly stopped shaking. "Besides… didn't you say you would fight with me?"
Haa… well, I had known for a while what Rudy's plans were, or at least vaguely guessed, but in order to keep the Man-God thinking of me and my brother as his way to fight the Dragon God, I decided to let him plan to fight Orsted.
Besides, with the development of his Magic Armour, it seemed that my brother was now able to fight on par with the strongest fighters without getting killed.
That was good.
With Eris pregnant, I would need someone I could trust to watch over and protect everyone.
But the ruse of being Orsted's enemy wasn't needed any longer, at least if everything worked out.
Rudy mentioned a talk with the Man-God, and according to him, he couldn't see the Dragon God in his 'visions', meaning he couldn't easily target him.
So if we became Orsted's ally… well, I just hope everything worked out well.
"Don't fight him," I said. "Let's go greet him and become allies."
Rudy clenched his fist again.
"…No," he said. "I… can't risk Lara and Sara like that."
Figures.
"Alright," I said, walking over to him as I patted his shoulder. "Let's fight the Dragon God together, then."
"Really?" he asked, his eyes lighting up.
"No," I said, striking his neck with my hand and knocking him unconscious.
North God techniques can really come in handy, huh?
Lugging Rudy over my back, I then continued toward the stables.
While Rudy was right in that Orsted might have an issue with him being an apostle, I did need him there to verify the Man-God's threat, as well as ensure that Orsted knew of him before he tried killing him.
Although… I was still a bit worried about ending up in a fight, considering our last encounter… but Shizuka assured me that Orsted wasn't the type to strike first, especially when it was concerning something that went against his mortal enemy's plans.
Besides, while I knew that there was still no hope in killing him, I did think I was strong enough to at least get away with my and Rudy's lives.
Well… let's do this, Leon.
— Leon Greyrat —
Slowly trotting over the snow-covered plains towards the familiar forest on the outskirts of Sharia, I eventually made out a figure walking our way.
That grey hair… those piercing yellow eyes… that calm gait and expression of indifference…
Orsted, the Dragon God.
And his extremely efficient touki and mana control that I could see only further confirmed that fact.
My heart thrummed in my chest as my hand instantly went to my sword.
Fuck it, let's kill this bastard.
He… no… no, what the hell was I thinking?
This man was my ally… right?
Or at least I was hoping for him to be.
But… could I really trust a person like him?
I know Shizuka said he was trustworthy, but was that something this bastard extended to everyone, or was that just for her?
Haa… okay, let's take some deep breaths, Leon.
I can always run away.
My horse neighed, stopping its trot as Orsted came closer.
Right… Shizuka did say animals hated this guy as well.
Getting off, I hoisted Rudy onto my shoulder as I raised a pillar of earth, tying the horse's reins to it as I began walking over to Orsted.
I felt a sensation of pain blossom in my chest and my shoulder, right in the places where I was injured by this bastard the last time we met.
Shit… I wanted to kill him.
But I couldn't.
Not only would I be unable to beat him, but he was my ally.
Why the fuck was that so hard to understand?
Was it some kind of curse?
I didn't feel the fear I had before, the feeling that was similar to how I initially felt around Ruijerd, but I still felt an immense hatred.
Coming within a few metres of each other, both of us stopped as Orsted narrowed his eyes at Rudy's limp form.
More specifically, at his hand, which was still wearing Shizuka's ring.
"You're not Nanahoshi," he said evenly.
I think that's quite obvious.
"No, but we're her friends," I said. "It seems we meet again, Orsted."
He simply narrowed his eyes.
"Friends… and yes, I do remember you, Leon of Rakaz. It seems you have grown stronger, just like I had feared," he said, his eyes wandering over to Rudy once again. "And him… I don't recognize him."
"He's my brother. Rudeus Greyrat, son of Paul and Zenith Greyrat," I explained.
"Rudeus… but they should not have a son," Orsted said, massaging his chin before he shook his head. "Whatever. This world is an odd one, after all. But aside from that… I can only assume you called me here. Why?"
Hmm… how to explain this.
I probably shouldn't explain it was the Man-God right away, right?
Even Shizuka warned us not to do that.
"I'm an enemy of the Man-God," I said, causing Orsted to widen his eyes as his stance became tense.
"That name… as I expected, you're his apostle, are you not, Leon of Rakaz?" he asked, his touki forming a defensive structure along his body.
No… didn't I just say I was his enemy?
"No, I am not. And stop calling me that, it's Leon Greyrat," I said. "And as for how I know that name… well…"
It would probably be best to have Rudy explain it from here, right?
At least before we brought the future diary and stuff into this.
Knowing the future… even for the Dragon God here, that would definitely seem ridiculous.
So, sending some healing magic into my brother's body, I felt him stir awake as I placed his feet on the ground.
"Hmm? Brother?" he said groggily as he looked over to Orsted. "Huh? Who are you? That's an awfully angry face…"
Was he… not scared?
Even with that curse?
Odd… very odd…
"Wait," Rudy said, standing straight. "You're the Dragon God, right?"
"Yes, that's correct," Orsted nodded, seemingly a bit put off by how my brother was acting.
Widening his eyes, Rudy then extended his hand, and seeing the ball of mana begin to form, I sent a wave of disturb magic into it, barely stopping it in time before my idiot brother made a big mistake.
Jeez… whether it was his inherent skill or his unique mana, Rudy's magic was much harder to disrupt than anyone else.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"What do you mean? Now that he's here… we have to!" he shouted, once again extending his hand. "This… this is the easiest way."
"Rudy… I don't know in what world was fighting the Dragon God the easiest way, but it certainly isn't this one," I said, grabbing his hand to stop him this time. "You remember the diary, right? He's just playing you."
"I don't care if I'm played with, as long as they live!" he said. "And don't think I'll forget you knocking me out and brining me here!"
"Oh, get over it, you big baby," I said, shaking my head.
Orsted, who was watching the two of us with narrowed eyes, then spoke up.
"What is with this pointless squabble?" he asked. "And aside from knowing the name, why do you say you are the Man-God's enemy?"
Rudy and I exchanged a glance before my brother spoke up.
"He… threatened us… He wanted us to fight you in exchange for not targeting our families," Rudy said.
Orsted looked confused.
"Such blunt methods don't sound like him…" he said. "But more importantly… how did he threaten you?"
I watched his touki form over his hand and body, as he asked this question, and before I realized what could possibly set off such a reaction, Rudy answered.
"Ah! Well, he sometimes appears in my dreams, so-"
Pushing him out of the way, I covered my drawn sword in touki just in time to deflect Orsted's strike.
This fucking fucker… I know Shizuka said he gets crazy about the Man-God and his apostles, but that was just too much.
The only reason I was able to guess about such a reaction was that this was exactly what Oldeus did in his diary whenever he met an apostle, as rare as that was.
"Leon of Rakaz… are you one as well?" he asked.
"No!" I shouted, reforming my touki armour that had been broken by Orsted's strike.
Even though I deflected it perfectly… he really was absurdly strong.
"Listen," I said. "We know about his apostles, and we know about the Man-God's true nature. Just because my brother has him appear in his dreams doesn't mean he's his follower."
Orsted narrowed his eyes at me. "It's not so simple."
"Why not?" I asked.
"Because the Man-God is seen as the paragon of trustworthiness to every soul in this world," he said, preparing his hand to strike. "And aside from that, his only enemy is me and my clan. Why would he threaten one of his apostles and you, who could be a powerful pawn?"
Wait… were we getting somewhere?
Please tell me we were, because I really didn't want to block another one of his strikes.
"The Man-God… he thinks that my descendants will be instrumental to his downfall," I said. "So… knowing you're his enemy… we are hoping you can help protect us and give us information in exchange for becoming allies."
Orsted paused for a moment as he lowered his hand to look over at Rudy, who was slowly getting to his feet.
"Is this true?" he asked.
"Y-Yeah… he threatened our families unless I got Leon to fight you… or unless I killed Leon's kids myself," he explained. "But still… if it's for my family's safety… I will side with the Man-God."
Did you have to say that, Rudy?
Luckily, Orsted didn't seem to peeved by that, as he simply grabbed his chin in curiosity.
"I see… so you were not taken by his words… and you also don't seem scared of me, much like Nanahoshi," he said before looking over to me. "And you… how can you talk to me so easily? I am hated and feared by every being of this world, yet you seem unperturbed."
"Oh… don't worry, I really hate your guts, even though I have no real reason to," I said.
Other than our initial encounter… but I was long past that.
This hatred was definitely from a curse of some sort.
"But… my hatred for the Man-God is infinitely stronger," I said.
A few moments of silence passed before Orsted finally released his touki technique.
"Such an odd circumstance… but then again, if what you are saying is true, it could finally be a way forward," he murmured before speaking up. "You said he has threatened your lives and that of your family?"
"Yes… and I believe he already manipulated Darius Silva of the Asura Kingdom to try to remove me…" I said, sheathing my sword.
There was no other explanation for why Darius would know of me, as well as why he would send assassins after me.
Orsted nodded a few times to himself before he reached into his pocket.
"Rest assured, once you join me, the Man-God will not be able to easily meddle with your affairs. As such, take this," he said, throwing a bracelet towards Rudy, who quickly put it on. "That should block the Man-God's interference."
Stepping towards us, he then placed his hand on Rudy and I's chest, causing my brother to flinch as Orsted then chanted an unrecognizable spell.
It almost sounded like the one that revealed the teleportation ruins, which I suppose made sense if it was something to do with the Dragon race.
"And that should hide you from his vision, at least temporarily," he said after he was done. "Meet me outside the city of Sharia tomorrow morning, as we have much to discuss. I am sure your Demon eye will find me should I not actively mask my presence."
And with that, my second meeting with the Dragon God came to an end.
Thankfully, it was a much more peaceful meeting compared to the first time, and if all went well, by tomorrow, I would be making some serious progress towards the Man-God's defeat.
But damn… that was quite stressful.
I definitely needed some cuddles from Aria to destress.