Author´s Note1: I hope it is correct when I write about the baby as "it" while the gender isn´t revealed.

.

.

.

.

I feel so strange.

Ais looked down to her slightly swollen belly and wandered with her hand slowly over it. The bulge was minimal so far, Amid had told her it would grow over time. Because of the pregnancy, her stomach felt harder than usual in this area.
Ais was really, really carefull with her hand. It was an really unfamiliar sensation. It wasn´t only the feeling in her belly, but her whole body felt weird. As if all her thinking or sensations were focussed on her belly.

The first change in her was very obvious for everyone. Ais was a trained adventurer and took her fair share of heavy blows over the years, more than one time into her stomach too. It wasn´t like she was careless before with her body, but it wasn´t that big of a deal when someone bumped against her stomach before.
Now she was constanly on the edge, even the tiniest object that threatened to come even close to her belly was blocked by her or Bell. He became even more overprotective about her than before. Ais had started to move more carefull, even when she walked normally. Most people saw her constantly with one of her hands on her belly, to protect the life inside her.

Her conversations with Bell were also a bit strange sometimes, since both still needed a bit of time to get used to the changed situation.

"Bell...your child...our child...is growing inside me."

"Yeah, it is."

He had moved his hand slowly and carefully. Getting touched by Bell felt different from the touch of any other person, it immediatelly calmed her down, she just knew that the father of her child would protect them both. The feeling of pregnancy was really weird, but on the other hand Ais was just pregnant for a few days now, even when she was technically at the end of her second month already.

Did mother feel the same? How was it for her when I was inside her belly. Did she used a part of her essence like Amid had guessed? I have so many questions.

Aside from the fact that Ais had never a period in her life, due to her being a half spirit so her body worked different, there was also something different now, that most women would probably curse Ais for. She had no pregnancy-related morning sickness. But Ais got tired pretty fast and took one or two naps each day, sometimes she fell asleep on one of the couches in the living room of the Loki Familia and always woke up with a light blanket over her.

Different people would put it on her, Riveria, Bell, one of her friends or Loki. Ais had changed her clothes a bit, from her sometimes more tight shirt, that Bell really loved, to a more loose one. What was strange about that, sometimes it looked like the shirt was slightly waving even when the windows were closed.

The magically sensitive members of her family, mostly the elves, often sensed the touch of magic around Ais. It seemed like a whiff of her wind magic was constantly near her stomach. When they had asked Amid, they visited her every day to be sure everything was okay, she could only guess again it had something to do with Ais´ race. That her body did that subconcious to protect her child. Ais knew that she was a half spirit but had never given it much thought what that actually meant or made her different from humans.
Of course there was her affinity for wind magic, but aside from that, she mostly felt normal.

It were her friends that had arguments to help Ais realize how different she was. The fact that her body didn´t did some things that were normal for a women was one fact, another let her gasp in shock.

Tione told her that. "Ais, have you never realized that a normal woman would become fat by the sheer amount of food you eat?"

"It´s not that much."

"Really? Ever since you became Bell´s girlfriend, you stuffed yourself like never before, as if your happiness increased your hunger. And now you eat even more...even I am jealous of that fact."

"Is it...that much?"

Tiona had grinned. "Even I couldn´t eat that much, remember the time when we went to the bathing facility on your birthday? Lefiya said her plate was full with just a few things and you had a literal mountain of food on your plate."

"So, you think I eat too much?"

"Not at all, it´s just what makes you different from a normal human."

Lefiya had sat with them like usual. "Hm, weren´t spirits called the most beloved children of the gods, maybe even created by them? Maybe it´s a gift from them that you can eat so much. I mean look at lady Hestia or sometimes even Loki, a mortal would probably die by the amount they can eat or drink, without getting even slightly fat from it."

Then the elf had glanced down to Ais´ belly and smiled. "And now you have to eat for two people."

"You are right...Ehehe."

"""Wow..."""

All three of her friends were amazed by the beauty of Ais´ smile. They couldn´t see it, but with her twenty years now, Ais had nearly reached the height of her feminine beauty, over the next few years she would also get the charm of adultness. There wasn´t much difference anymore between Ais and her mother, they didn´t looked identical but her smile had lost the close resemblance to a child and had more of a woman now.

.

She was lost in thought as she looked at her stomach and slowly stroked it. Her whole world had suddenly turned around and she had to get used to it. Ais was happy, so happy she didn´t had the right words for it. It wasn´t just the fac that Ais was pregnant, but that it was Bell´s child that grew inside her. One would argue that they were too young for that, but with the life they led, Bell and Ais had matured a lot ever since they had started to be adventurers. Ais was a bit surprised when Bell told her, on the countryside it was pretty normal for people to have their first child around the age of eighteen.
Loki had once joked Ais shouldn´t be so worried, since she was technically over a thousand years old, then the goddesses wondered if that made Ais a shota con. Before Ais could react to that, Riveria had scolded Loki with her iron fist, she shouldn´t say things like these to her little one.

"Ais?"

She looked up and smiled lovingly again. "Bell."

"Here are your tea and snacks."

"Thank you, my love."

"Everything for you...two."

Her eyes widened a bit and her smile got even more beautiful if that was even possible. She had really found her hero, deep down Ais wondered if her mother had felt about her father the same way, she decided most probably and she would ask her when they had freed her. To free her mother wasn´t just a dream of Ais, she would absolutely do it with Bell´s help, she was sure of that. That brought her to her next thought, her mind really jumped around the last days.

Ais looked to Zephyr at Bell´s hip, she felt strange when she looked at her sword. Until Olympus was repaired, Bell carried Zephyr, it had accepted him since Ais wouldn´t use her sword for a long while. Not that Bell went into the dungeon at the moment, he wanted to be with Ais every second of the day for now, but he carried the sword so that Zephyr and him could get used to each other. It might have just been her imagination, but for Ais it looked like Vesta and Olympus were burning with jealousy that Bell carried another sword.

In the first morning she was very confused because Riveria had looked at her and asked where she intended to go with her sword. Out of reflex Ais wanted to go and train with Bell, then she realized that wasn´t possible anymore. Ais was very confused what to do now, nearly every day had started like that for her and now it wasn´t possible anymore.

When Bell sat down next to Ais, she leaned to him and kissed him. Even without the nausea and some other symptoms that stayed away from her, there was one thing that Ais had like any other pregnant woman, mood swings. She often got really cuddly with Bell, refused to let him go for hours, even looked at him with puppy eyes when he just went to the toilet. Then she often got hungry, even more often than usual. That could be for two reasons, Ais had to eat for two people now to provide nutrients to her baby, the other was to counter the constant use of mental strength.

It wasn´t as tiring as when Ais fought in the dungeon, but not only protected her body the baby inside her, it used some of her mental strength...her magic...to help the baby grow. It didn´t grew faster that way, but the baby inside Ais was also a half spirit, so it needed more than just nutrients to grow. It was one of the few times that Ais really felt like a magical being and not a normal human.

Aside from cuddling and her hunger, there were other moods that often came to Ais. She was often tired or just fell sleepy, when Bell wasn´t there to hold her, it had often to be Riveria. With her Ais felt felt safe like with a mother. There were other things that happened to many pregnant women, but nothing they couldn´t deal with.

"Where are the others?"

"Tiona and Lefiya accompany Lily and the others for a while on the small Expedition, they want to show the lower leveled members how much different level five and six adventurers are. I think Ms. Tione is with Mr. Finn."

After they discovered that Ais was pregnant, Finn was a bit worried because of Tione. She really surprised him when they went to bed and she just wanted to cuddle, telling him she would wait until they were ready for it.

There had been an huge uproar in the Loki Familia after the return of their Expedition. Loki had cried and begged to let her relax, but all of her children demanded to get their status updated in one single day. Ais was the exception and Loki wouldn´t update her status until the baby was born, since they didn´t knew if that would affect the child in any way. But when Loki would do it, they would be shocked, Ais´ status wouldn´t really change since she didn´t fought anymore, except for her magic. Due to the constant use of magic from her body, this part would grow stronger, so much that Ais would have nearly maxed her magic out, the other stats still lacked much behind.

Most party members had only increased their status a bit, but two were able to level up and did so. And then there was Finn, only the high executives of the Familia, Loki and Bell knew about it, but Finn was able to level up to seven. His great deed wasn´t the fight against the Vorpal Bunny King together with Tione, but instead that he had beaten the labyrinth on an intellectual level and had recognized a pattern in the movement of the apparently completely random maze.

Not even Zeus´ or Hera´s children were able to do that in the past, but they also had no need to do it. It was a deed that no one before or after him would manage to do, something that the gods just had to acknowledge. On top of beating the labyrinth with his mind, he also commanded his familia at the same time. Some thought it was a bit scary about the things that their commander was able to do with his brain.

Loki told Finn he had the choice between three different advanced abilities, for each of them they didn´t knew what they would do. The first was called "High Commander", the second "Frenzy" and the third "The third Eye". So they had started a secret operation to get some of the notes that Freya had about the Hera Familia...which meant they asked Bell to ask Freya. The goddess had never really given up on Bell, so she provided him with everything he asked for. She simply thought he wanted more informations about the Familias that he was the child of.

When Helun witnessed how Freya acted around Bell, she felt strange. In a way, Bell had broken Freya´s heart, even when he didn´t intended to do it. Then he had rescued her when the monsters had attacked, now Freya acted sometimes as if Bell was her crush. She would never get him, but the faint pain of her broken heart and the longing for him were feelings she never had before.
And Freya would taste these feelings until their end.

In the notes they only found the description of one of the abilities, "The third eye" would grant Finn feelings and insights...hunches where an unknown monster had a weak point. The more he would fight these monsters types, the more he would learn about the whole family, like dragon types. It was like the enhanced version of "Hunter", but meant for unknown monsters. So Finn would wait a long time and think about his choice.

He also wanted to increase his status more, it was difficult, but it was easier than on level seven. Also he planned to do some other work first, he wanted to spread the word about Fianna and gather more prums in Orario and then when many would be here, he would go up to level seven and when they announced it from the guild, he would show the world that a prum could reach such heights. Loki had accepted his choice and grinned that her first child would reach level seven without having such a cheating ability like Bell and Ais shared.

Tione would fall even more in love with Finn, smiling and telling him that she always knew he was the one. She also highly recommended "Frenzy Barbarian", which didn´t surprised Finn.

.

Ais munched on her potato snack and sighed happily.

"Hah, Bell. I love you for that."

She didn´t had the chance to eat many potato snacks anymore, since Amid had given her a list with the best things to eat to help the baby. Riveria had even more informations that she got from Aina, Eina´s mother. Aina was a trained elven chamberlain with all the skills needed to comfort a pregnant woman and about the things that were good to eat. Of course it was all elven cuisine, but Ais didn´t minded, she liked elven cuisine. Thankfully Anakitty would give Ais lots of informations, since she was at this state before.

"Ais how are you feeling, tired?"

Amid told them it was probably because her body had changed so suddenly and needed a few days to arrange itself with the situation, that was why Ais was often so tired. Her body could work the best when she was asleep and all the ressources in her body were free to use.

"No, it´s okay at the moment. I always feel better when you are around."

"What do you say, should we two go for a walk?"

Ais shook her head.

"You don´t want to?"

Now she smiled and put her hand on her belly.

"We three."

His smile returned and they kissed lovingly, each with a hand on her belly before they got carefully up.

.

It took them a while to leave the Mansion due to Riveria. She had asked them if she should come along or ask a few of the others to guard them. But Ais had just smiled wryly and told Riveria that she was pregnant and not helpless. Also that there wasn´t much danger with Bell around. Since they only wanted to stroll around a bit, Bell left Zephyr in Ais´ room and only took Vesta with him.
The moment that Bell let go of Zephyr, he swore he heard a faint "Heh..." in his mind, as if Vesta was showing a smug grin.

Is it possible for weapons to be jealous? Do they have some kind of soul? I should ask Welf and maybe lady Hephaistos.

Bell grinned slightly when he rememberred at least one weapon that could be very jealous. The sword that Welf had forged as a vessel for Ursu, she would scorch every other weapon that Welf would consider to wield.

From the entrance of the Twillight Manor they turned west and crossed the North Main, then used the alleys along the northern wall to get to their usual training location. Bell offered Ais a hand as they went up the stairs, but she declined with a smile. She went up as easy as always and showed Bell was she was still flexible, but she gave him a kiss for his chivalry.

"Ah, this is my favorite place in all of Orario."

"For me too."

Both stood there and looked over the lands and when they turned around, Orario.

"Hehe, I still remember when you started to train me here. Do you know how happy I was that my idol teached me?"

"I was your idol?"

"Did I never told you? I fell for you the moment you saved me from that minotaur. I came with a dream to Orario to save a girl in the dungeon and that she would fall in love with me...and it came exactly the other way around."

Ais giggled. "I still felt sorry for how you looked and how scared you were. Back then I really thought you were scared of me."

"While it was terrifying, I´m happy that it happened. Without it I would have probably never turned out the way I have."

"But you saved me too. To see you strife forward, getting ridiculed, getting beaten, getting belittled by "some people"..."

.

In that moment a wolf man sneezed.

.

"And still always getting up again and never losing your kind and caring nature. You defeated the black flame in me without knowing it."

"Black flame?"

"I was about to lose myself, I was so desperate about...you know what...and even my Familia couldn´t pull me away from that path. I felt like a monster myself that I had an endless wall of skulls before and behind me...then I saw you."

"So you are saying you also fell for me at that point?"

"No, that happened later, Darling."

"D-D-Darling?!"

Ais giggled, sometimes she used this word to tease Bell. The Ais of the past would never be able to do something like that.

"While I liked you, the start of my feelings was after Knossos...but you know what happened back then."

"Oh yeah, your kiss in the field really surprised me."

Bell noticed that Ais got a bit red. "D-Don´t remind me..."

"Hah, but to think you would be the pushy one...and that where I nearly kissed you in your sleep during our training."

"You did?"

"I was really tempted when I saw your lips...really tempted. But it felt wrong and I heard you mumble something."

Bell knew about Ais´ nightmares, about what happened when the black dragon came. Now when Ais had this dream, she didn´t cried for her parents and was scared...now she glared to the shadowy figure with a white light next to her, determined to save her mother.

I´m sure father is waiting for her in heaven. Mother, we will free you. I want to show you your grandchild so that you can tell father about it.

Ais smiled. "Now you can kiss me as often in my sleep as you desire."

"Oh I totally do that already."

Ais blinked surprised. "You do?"

"Oh yes, very often."

Both chuckled and kissed again...then he heard a light growl from Ais´ stomach.

"I guess you two are hungry, shall we get something to eat?"

"Yes please."

"The Benevolent Mistress?"

"Sure."

The fastest and best way to get to the pub was to return to the North Main. They slowly walked along it, bought two potato snacks for Ais at the stall on their way and continued until they reached the Main Plaza in front of Babel. A few people looked at them on the street, both were well known but stood out mostly because of their haircolor.
Thankfully Ais´ shirt hid her belly, so that no rumors would spread around the city. While the mortals didn´t cared much, the gods on the other hand did and it would be an exciting news for many. After reaching the Main Plaza, they turned to the West Main and followed it until they arrived at the pub.

At this hour mostly women or a few couples were here.

And since these people didn´t ate that much, Mia was happy that she had a bit more to do now. The one who brought them their food was Syr, she had looked with slightly widened eyes at Ais when she saw her.

"Please enjoy your food, Ehehe!"

She was as energetic as ever.

But before she left, Syr leaned down and whispered to Ais´ ear. "Congratulation, Ms. Wallenstein."

"Huh?"

Syr winked after her eyes flashed for a splitsecond down to Ais´ belly and continued her work.

"How did she notice?"

"Syr has special talents."

Ais´ surprise was forgotten when she started to eat her pasta. With a bit of meat, brown sauce, mushrooms and other vegetables it tasted heavenly. Bell didn´t cared about the money and they ordered as much as was necessary until Ais was fully statisfied. She had eaten so much that Bell believed her belly bulged a bit more.
The fruit juice they drank was to die for, fitting for it´s price and the dessert was even better. They left 98.500 Vals at the pub, but the food was worth it. .

.
After the pub they slowly walked to the Hearth Mansion, since it was close by. The only one they met at home was Haruhime, since the others were in the dungeon or shopping at the moment. Haruhime´s face lit up when she saw them, she was overjoyed when she had heard about Ais´ state.

"Ms. Ais...how does it feel?"

"Hm...hm...hmmm...Wonderful, I can´t describe it any other way."

"M-M-May I touch it a bit?"

"If you are carefull."

"I will!"

Ais lifted her shirt slightly up and allowed Haruhime to feel with gentle fingers the slight bulge...her tail wagged from happiness.

"Master Bell´s and your child, haaah I can´t wait to see it."

The warm smile on Ais´ face rivaled Haruhime´s. "Me too."

Only a few people were allowed to touch Ais´ belly. And after getting the information, Lena bragged that her belly was way bigger, but well she carried two babies inside her. Loki was just happy that her Familia grew, even when it wasn´t discussed which Familia the baby would join in the future. Ais and Bell would wait until their child was old enough to decide on it´s own.

With the good food and a warm tea in her belly, Ais got sleepy again while sitting on the couch and soon she nodded off. Bell couldn´t believe how beautiful his wife was.

"Master Bell?"

Haruhime only whispered to not wake up Ais.

"Yes?"

"Are you excited to become a father?"

"Hehe, I am."

Bell helped Haruhime for a while in the house while Ais slept. Over the course of the next two weeks, Ais´ body got used to it´s new state and she didn´t got tired so often. Since Orario tended to be really loud sometimes, Ais thought about leaving the city for a while, like a small vacation.

He agreed to her suggestion and to the destination she had in mind, Edas village. A few days of peace and being away from Orario would help.

.

.

Both didn´t knew it, but they would discover somethine on their Expedition that would shock many people.

.

.

.

Author´s Note2: Three chapters left. Next will play in Edas village where they discover something. Then the grand final of the Spirit Child will follow, written as an epic by Tiona again, then the Epiloge, but different from Like a Fairy´s.

I tried my best with this chapter to make it different from Ryu´s in LaF, to show that Ais and Bell are really happy about it, but need time to get used to the situation.

In case someone thinks that Finn´s level up makes no sense, he is level six for a very long time now and at some point it is only natural that he levels up. Also I wanted to use another way than just beating a strong enemy to level up.

To the questions

Sadkai727: Alfia´s Ero chapter will be written in "Blood of Zeus (Ero)", but takes place in Change of Fates. It will take a while because I need to reach a certain story point in CoF or it will spoil something of the story.

Ladis11: No further explanation from Jupiter, I will leave the guessing for the pregnancy as it is.