Chapter 45

While I am an accomplished cook, I was not the only one in the Manor who could please any palate. For example, tonight's cook was Mikoto. When she was at the orphanage, before she became an adventurer, she was also the cook there. Those skills, like all of her skills, sharpened with time. Her discipline would allow nothing less.

So our JSDF Guests were sent off with a rather expansive feast of fish, mushrooms, rice, vegetables, and all sorts of 'Eastern' traditional dishes. It was similar but still quite different from the Japanese dishes they resembled, but were no less pleasing.

Sadly, our Guests did have to leave after dinner, so we didn't do one last meeting in the living room. Instead it was one last cup of tea when everyone had cleared their plates.

"I've been considering how to deal with the one thing we didn't see on our tour." Sugawara said, the meal making him forget his professionalism for just a moment as he sipped his tea and sighed happily. But the moment passed and his face returned to the serious one from a moment ago, "We don't doubt the dungeon is dangerous. And while we know there will be no way to avoid a 'spectacle' when we are allowed into the Dungeon..."

Itami and the others nodded, "I'm not sure how familiar you are with our recording methods, but your Occulus are at least a little similar." Itami said, glancing at me, "We might be able to requisition a few devices to allow us to record things, while keeping a possible 'accident' from happening."

Most people would think they were being cowards, or overcautious, but there were no rookies here. Only the truly exceptional (the Oni) or crazy went into the dungeon without the gift of falna. But I could see where this was going, as could Maki and even Ryuu. "Who will you send?" Ryuu asked, "With those devices, would you send no one?"

"We could." Itami shrugged, looking at his Girls, "But I'm guessing if the order clears, it will be a small team of capable people, with a request to Royman-san for an escort."

"If they stay above floor six, I'm sure they'd do okay." Maki said.

"What's on floor six?" Tuka asked.

"Giant ants." Every adventurer said at once. Even the Oni, Lelei as well.

"It is still the single most dangerous floor to rookie solo and small party adventurers." Delly said quietly.

Lelei, with an epic nerd muscle flex, set her teacup down and explained, "Two zelch, or metres long, half that tall, they have mandibles comparable plain iron blades, are very strong, and commonly spawn by the dozen." She tapped the side of her head with a fingertip, like she was loading the next lines on the page she read, "They spread out to forage from their spawn point, and seem to be connected with their 'spawn mates' by a kind of hive mind." Another pause, "If you are not confident of being able to kill more than one at a time, avoid the temptation of killing 'solo' ants."

"What the book doesn't tell you, is that you don't know where the others are. So you might kill one, then have three come at you from the front, then two more from the way you came in from." Aisha said.

I was pleasantly surprised when everyone, including Sugawara, looked thoughtful. It was the same kind of thoughtful adventurers had when they were trying to think about how to kill monsters. No arrogance, no posturing. Just a quick 'how would I' play in their heads. Itami's girls were doing it too. Well, except Rory, she was just shivering at the thought of going underground.

"If we are called on to be your escort, we will do so with utmost care." Takemikazuchi said, "But even if we are not, there are many adventurers in the city would would be capable of such a task."

"That is good to know, Takemikazuchi-sama." Sugawara nodded, "But, until then, I believe you had one more place to show us, Bell-san?"

"Ah yes." He smiled, "I was thinking, since you stayed for dinner, we could visit Enki's Creations."

Almost all the women of the table stood up, "We'd be happy to escort you." Haruhime said.

"Bring back some flan please." Shinkage said, raising her hand a little.

"Ko-san?" Haruhime asked.

"Pass. I've got lots of work to do before Brisid's Room shows up. Delly? Do you know how far along the capture teams are?"

"I'll be back down there tomorrow. But the first wave of monsters are ready to go." She sighed, "I should really skip dessert." Her wings buzzed for a second, "But I really wanna..."

Our guests gone, the rumble of their Humvee well on its way towards the Gate, Welf and I went to the workshop to finish up the Amazon's order of equipment.

Shinkage didn't just skip dessert because she wanted to nap. No, she was in the 'quiet' side of the workshop with me, mostly holding bits of leather and fabric down for me while I cut or sewed things. "Surprised you skipped dessert." I commented, looking at the numbers Welf had written down, then cutting some hardened orc leather to size.

"This world still has no chocolate." She sighed, "And I'm still waiting for the Carob to arrive from... where ever you sent the seeds to."

"Hm... Those ended up way south, over the ocean. They need a warmer arid environment, and do not like winter." I started sewing, using treated sinew to hold things together. "So unless the ships with the seeds on it sank, you'll get your carob."

"Hope springs eternal." She replied flatly, "I am curious if this plan for the Oni will work." She handed me a metal shoulder plate, and I started to attach it to the leather. "I agree with Fukawa and Okakai, this world is... much nicer than the one I left."

"Glad you think so." I nodded, "Really glad actually."

"Still worried we might want to go back?" She asked, "Doubtful. Maki escaped the world she never fit in. Delly can grow freely, without being tied to a place or person. The Oni have everything the 'Gods' would have denied them and more. Sir Skitters and Jiru are easy to please..."

I waited, feeling that she was working up to something, but I made sure to look at her to show I was paying attention.

"And I am free. The Gods keep to themselves, the people treat me as one of them, and I am only as attached as I let myself be." She sighed.

"Except?"

"Even if I'm in a body less than four years old, I'm still older than you."

"I'm still your big sister." I swished at her with a tail, then a few more since I was busy and they were bored.

She pouted, "Fine. Except even after 10,000 years, I never really bothered to learn how to be attached to people." She relented, and let my tails perch on her, even grabbing a couple to hug like her stuffed Hagane (that she finally got back from the children a year or so ago). "Hagane and I no longer talk to each other like we used to, and I am, for once, alone with my thoughts."

"And you'd like to learn?" I offered.

"I would like to figure out where to start." She tapped her temple with a fingertip, "I have a lot of reference material, but it isn't the most well organized."

"Ahhh, you've watched from the closet, yet never done it yourself." I nodded, referencing an old story of a young Monk who wasn't allowed to attend fighting classes, so instead hid in a closet to observe, then learn on his own.

Shinkage apparently hadn't heard that one though, "You make me sound like Issei."

I set down my work, facepalmed, then picked it up again, "You may have lived 10000 years, but you still have time. You've already made friends here, and they like you for who you are. No need to do anything drastic or dramatic."

"So in the end your advice is 'keep doing as you have been'?"

"Maybe go out with them for dessert next time? But otherwise? Yeah." I nodded, "While you don't have a 'fresh start' with that body, you do have one in this world. People are going to either like you, or not." I held up the metal plated vest I'd been working on, "Hmm, maybe some teeth for buttons? Or am I pushing a trope?"

"We have more than enough teeth for it." She shrugged, "And if they pop off, they can replace it with more teeth."

"Fair." And I started sewing on hellhound teeth buttons. "If you want to interact with more people, do things that will bring you in proximity to them. If you like reading, go the Ganesha public library and sit in their common room. If you want to learn to cook, there are a bunch of different soup kitchens for the city's poor."

"I suppose so long as it wasn't poisonous, they wouldn't mind if my soup wasn't very good." She nodded.

"Maybe take a lesson or two with Chigusa or Mikoto first." I laughed, "But don't rush. You have time, and a good reputation in the city. Even if your hobbies are quiet ones, there are places for you to enjoy them outside of the Manor."

"Hmm." She pet one of my tails thoughtfully, "In the mean time, I think I will find my brother and see if he wanted to read a book with me."

"Actually... I was thinking of something." She was just turning to leave, but I hugged her with my tails to stop her, "Do you think he'd like an actual body? Like the Golem? It would solve almost all the problems he's having when it comes to his body's limitations."

"Except flying."

"Except flying." I agreed.

She started to untangle herself from my tails, waiting until she'd finished before replying. "I could ask. But as you've done with all of us, the choice will be his."

"Of course. I was going to ask him myself, since even if he doesn't want a two legged body, we'd have to figure out a way to upgrade his current one. But 'minor' changes aren't the only ones we can do."

"I will ask. Good night, big sister." She gave me a tiny smile.

About an hour later, Welf came out of the 'hot' side of the workshop. Covered in soot and holding an armload of metal armour bits, he said, "That sounded like it went well. I guess even she has worries, huh?"

"We all do. This the last of the metal bits then?"

"Unless I screwed up a measurement someplace. I mean, I tried not to get too distracted, but I'm only human."

We laughed, "Don't worry, I'll do final fitting tomorrow. I shouldn't have that problem with them." Each of the metal bits was clearly lablled with a bit of charcoal. Things like 'L S Brisid 1'. Left shoulder, Brisid, first plate. A simple wipe with a wet cloth would clean the mark off and until then it would stop me from putting someone's shoulder bit on a kneecap or something.

A moment or two of sorting the metal bits into neat piles, and a shared fist bump later, we got to work on finishing up the order.

After a slightly longer than intended bout in the workshop, then getting (very politely, yet firmly) told to come to bed, I slept with my two lovers. Woke with them. Went about the usual morning 'hour' with everyone. And was back in the workshop again just after breakfast.

That was fine. Welf and I had made great progress and for the most part we were mostly done. Honestly, all that was left was to have the actual owner in the shop for a test fit. You know, to make sure they could take a deep breath while wearing their new gear, and to make sure nothing pinched/chaffed while they moved in it.

As promised, Brisid and her Room arrived as soon as the sun was up, and some of them (by the sound of it) even joined in on the morning spar.

Brisid, by right of being the strongest in her room, was first in the shop for her new 'suit', and a quick discussion about the Oni-zons. Even if she looked a bit dull faced, she had a sharp mind and good memory, so she was really just making sure of her role in 'telling the world' of the new race.

On a side note, that was not all she had. Or didn't have. Like body shyness. Nope, 404 shyness not found. As soon as I'd locked the door to the shop so no one would 'accidentally' walk in and potentially get slapped around (like Welf, or Bell, or Ouka) for 'peeping', she had stripped out of her old gear and waited for me to start fitting her new stuff.

Now, it was rude to ask who an Amazon's father was. Generally, they didn't know, didn't care, or saw it as 'beneath them' for thinking about it. The only time they might tell you, is if their father was very strong. For example, you'd never hear the end of it if Ottar was their father. But Aisha had said she was sure Brisid's father was a Hill Dwarf (like Mama Mia, the 180cm tall Dwarf).

And looking at her back and shoulders, I could believe it. She had that Triangle figure most bodybuilders aim for, and all the muscles to fill it. She was actually the hardest to fit, since she fell out of the 'norm' for the female form.

Another thing she had a lot of, were scars. Not nearly as 'loud' as the one I'd fought in Telskyura for the JSDF soldier, Brisid had mostly healed the scars. This left an impressive yet subtle weave all over her body to show off that yes, she'd lived through it all. But she wasn't doing so to brag like the other one.

After a few adjustments, a poke and prod, and a few test swings with her new weapon (a sensibly sized scimitar made by Welf), she nodded thanks and we shook hands to declare 'business done' between us.

The next few Amazon went much the same. They showed up, stripped down (or didn't, not all of them had no nudity aversions) and I fitted them for their new armour. Due to climate, they were still mostly in 'amazon armour' but at least they had more of their soft bits protected, and had some metal to go along with it. One thing I noticed, and 10000 percent agreed with, were bracers. They all wanted a pair. Aside from your hands, the arms were the next most common place to get injured when fighting wild things with teeth, and sticking a metal bracer into a monster's mouth was much better than... well almost anything really.

But someplace around the fifth or sixth tall athletically inclined monster killing woman, I discovered I'd spoken too soon about not having trouble.

Next to enter were a pair of twins. Not unlike Tiona and Tione. A couple of big differences however, was they actually matched, and weren't angry with me.

So, like the other five or six before them, I waited for them to strip down and let me get on with my work. Except...

"Welcome to my personal space?" I said, when one of them took my hand, and pulled it around her so it was around the small of her back. The other one got behind me, used her hip to push all my tails to one side, and wrapped her arms around my middle, resting her chin on my shoulder.

Yup, Amazon sandwich, and I was the filling. They were both just a tiny bit taller than me, and I was only wearing my Mana Cloth house robe, so I could feel every curve as they clung to me.

"We saw you and your wife, and your children..." One said.

"So we were wondering what kind of magic you had..." Said the other.

"And if you'd be willing to share." The first one said, rubbing her cheek against mine, while her twin started letting her hands wander.

"We know you take another Amazon to your bed too..."

Hmm, cruel or kind... and wow, I may have to adjust those cups for these two... "Well, there are a few little... problems with your plan." I said, unable to stop myself from warming up a little to the attention.

"Oh don't be like that..."

"Look she's blushing, that's so cute!"

The one behind me had figured out what side my robe opened on, and was moving her hand over and down my belly, "Oh no, it's not that." I said, my breath catching a little when the other one did a rather interesting thing with my right breast. "Ttttthere are a few conditions..."

Then the other one found, or rather, didn't find, what she was looking for, and before she could paw at me more than a couple times, I finally wiggled free of them. "Well if being excited is one of them I think we're there?"

"But..." The 'explorer' blinked at me, then her (empty) hand.

I put my robe back in place, "Ahem."

"Then how...?"

"The magic around that only happens on a full moon." I had regained most of my composure, "And, you'll have to ask my wife first."

Except the two of them were apparently willing to try for a consolation prize, pouting, but turning on me with the same hungry look Aisha gave me.

I made a few complex gestures with my hands, "Reisui kyūryū!" Cold water torrent. "Horny jail for you!"

Brisid came by while I was fitting the next in line, tapping on the locked door and asking, "Hey Fox? Why are two of my Room sitting out here in a pile of armour, naked, and half frozen?"

I yelled back through the door. "I'm not part of the bargain!"

The one I was working with giggled, while I heard two very distinct 'eeps' from outside. "Is that so?" It was Haruhime's voice.

"Yes dear!" I called back, then in a normal voice to the Amazon in front of me, "Deep breath? No pinching? All comfortable? Nothing threatening to come loose?"

She did a few hops in place, a spin, a little heft of her breasts then gave me a thumbs up. "Feels great." She nodded, holding out her hand.

So like most of the others, we shook, and she left the workshop.

"Fox?" Aisha was the last Amazon in line, though, she wasn't actually supposed to be in the line. "I thought you'd have more stamina than that." She teased.

Because yes, while there were no more 'incidents' I was still a little excited after that. After the second last Amazon had left, I'd flopped back into my workbench chair and tried to think of something else. Except Aisha was here, and teasing me.

"Are they gone?" I turned my gaze away from the ceiling and looked at her, then slowly got to my feet and stretched my arms over my head.

"Yeah, Brisid, her room and our Rookie team just wandered off. Couple of others too. Monsters won't catc-oh?"

I had been getting closer to her, and since our Guests had left, I felt I had no reason to uphold decorum. So, I wrapped Aisha up in a hug, pushed her back exactly half a pace, and locked the workshop door. "Just need a minute." I mumbled into her shoulder, "You Amazons... always causing trouble."

"Well, if you wanted to skip lunch..." She wasn't 'cuddly', not really. Growing up in a humid place where 'cuddling' was usually just too uncomfortable would do that to a person. Not to mention the 'show no weakness' mentality of Amazon in general. "Though, I'm actually here to deliver a message." Her arms went around me though, and she used one hand to do that thing with my ears.

"Hmm?" I didn't do any exploring, and she didn't either, "More work?"

"Royman is coming over as soon as Brisid gets to the Guild to pick him up. So if you wanted to..." Now she was doing a little more, like checking to see if I'd kept up on leg day and giving my rear a squeeze.

"That's not nearly enough time to satisfy." I sighed, moving my hands to push against her shoulders.

She didn't let go right away, instead capturing my lips and kissing me. With how excited I was, it was the kind of kiss that threatened to make my knees stop working. But like almost everything she did, she stopped before it went too far, and just held me tight after letting the kiss go. "Later, for sure." She said, "We can practise making another generation after we help the Oni secure their first generation."

I nodded, promising myself that if the Amazons interrupted another bit of fun with my two lovers, I'd kill them. But the promise of 'future nookie' helped take my mind of 'right now nookie', "Hopefully Royman arrives after I've talked to Jiru for some tea..."

Royman, through some kind of magical administrative super power, arrived at the exact time I had taken the last sip of tea from my cup. Feeling far less distracted, I felt ready to face what ever news he had.

And that news simply wasn't for me.

"Ko-san?" Haruhime mumbled as Royman finished greeting me and said, 'I need to speak with Okakai and Fukawa', then walked past us with that 'official air' of haste.

"She's just disappointed she didn't take me up on my offer." Aisha said, leaning down and 'grr'ing quieting into Haruhime's ear.

Haruhime cutely covered her mouth, "Ko-san, Aisha... It's only just past lunch." Though she was very subtly leaning into Aisha. "You will just have to wait until tonight, after the children are sleeping."

We both sighed, "I know I know..."

"Do you think it is time for the announcement?" Haruhime asked, switching topics like a pro.

"Maybe?" Aisha shrugged, "If Brisid wants to start escorting things to the jungle, the sooner the better."

We three nodded, then returned indoors to find things to do.

It was indeed about that. And about a half hour later, the Oni, their 'wives', their children, Takemikazuchi, His Familia and Royman marched out of the Manor with Brisid following behind. I'd raised a hand, to maybe offer to go with them, but the Oni shook their heads, smiling.

"This is on our shoulders." They said, "And now our deeds will prove them wrong."

So, I just waved as they left, and remembered I had to prepare something in the science lab.

"O-ma? What are you doing?" Toshi asked, having found me first.

I turned to the door of my Lab, where the children knew to wait until I waved them in. "I'm working with HIDA on something for the Phoenix." I replied, pausing my work, dusting off the Ko-steel card, then waving Toshi in.

He trotted up to me and glomped onto my leg. I found this lacking, and just picked him up and hugged him, before shifting him around so he could half sit on my arm, "Hello Miss HIDA-chan." He greeted the little cellphone screen, then hugged my head and shoulders happily.

"Hey Toshi!" HIDA greeted, her little avatar waving, "Getting taller I see."

"heehee." Toshi nodded, then asked one of those almost adult questions, "Are the Phoenix sick?" As opposed to 'is something wrong'.

"They aren't sick. But they are missing something to help them grow." I said, "They are magical birds, but there isn't quite enough magic in the air for them."

"Is that bad for them?"

"It's not bad, but not good enough." I said, rubbing my nose against his, "Kinda like not getting just one more cookie when you're hungry."

Toshi made a 'hmm' face, then seemed to just give up the idea for something more amusing, "When you're done, can you come play with us?"

"I can." I nodded, kneeling and putting Toshi's feet on the floor. "I just have a little more to do. Go find the dodge ball, and I'll be in the yard soon."

"Yes O-ma." He hugged my head, gave my forehead a mmmmmmmmm-wah! Then walked quickly (never run in the halls!) away.

I sat back down with a happy sigh, "Pull that image back up HIDA?"

"Sure." Her avatar went 'poof' and a Mathmagic design appeared in its place, "Heehee. They're all growing so fast! I notice it every time they walk past my cameras."

"Shh, don't remind me." I chuckled, tapping my chisel very carefully, "Though, on the topic of growing. You still have Hagane's schematics?"

"Well, you didn't tell me to delete them, so yeah." She replied, "Oh! Gonna do a little remodelling?"

"Thinking about it." I nodded, "Oh. I don't suppose any of the JSDF had cellphones on them?"

"I dunno about all, but I did pick up a few Wi-Fi handshake requests in the past couple of days." She sounded like she was poking her fingertips together, "Magical espionage is kinda one of my lesser known functions..."

"And what did you learn?"

"That First Lieutenant Yoji Itami's password is 123698745. And he's has a modified offline version of the Magical Mil-tan gacha game." She replied, "Oh... and my current hardware is out of date and it makes me sad."

"Maybe I can ask for one?" I offered, "No promises, but it might happen."

"Urg, I'd have to clean off all that APK rubbish again..." She sighed, "But if you could? There's no errors with the three phones you brought with you, but..."

"I understand." I said, blowing the dust off my work, comparing it with the picture, then giving HIDA's screen my best equivalent to a headpat. "You didn't..."

"Nope. Gasper forbid me from anything more invasive than spying. Since you 'gave' me the two other phones, I am allowed to inject data onto them, or copy myself to them for backup purposes." She said confidently.

"I'll set you up to talk to HIDA-prime and Gasper tonight. Just so he can tell you what a good girl you've been." I said, "Also, you can tell him the Hephaestus Labs managed to make crystals similar in size, colour and shape to HIDA Prime's projection crystals."

Her little avatar clapped happily, "Oh! I'll tell him for sure! Though..." She paused, shook her head back and forth for a moment, "No! We can make it work I'm sure! Thanks boss!"

I gave her screen another headpat, then put her back on the shelf, "Sleep until then. I'll make sure your generator has a fresh crystal in it before tonight."

"Okay! Lemme just... and sort that... and put that there... okay!" And her screen went dark.

Dodge ball with the children wasn't quite how you might think. Since I couldn't throw a ball at anyone, I couldn't actually 'play'. However, I could be a target. So after giving all the children a hug, nose boop and maybe an ear scroofle, I got in the middle of the training field and tried not to get hit. It was easy, I mean, even if there were seven of them, they weren't quite five years old yet. Sure, they were all athletic for their age, but that wasn't really going to help them.

However, I wasn't exactly trying very hard. I usually just picked a number between seven and twenty one, and let myself get hit. I'd then step to the outside of the circle, and the one who hit me got to stand in my place. Once they were out, I'd step back in, and it would start over again. I almost felt dirty for doing it, but I made sure they each got a turn in the middle.

The funny thing though? All the others who played Dodge Ball with them did the same thing. Mikoto, Chigusa, Bell, Aisha, Asuka, Lilly, even Shinkage and Weine! I never told them the 'system' I used, to let them all get a turn, but they seemed to know it already.

Again, I felt a little ripple of power sweep past me. So did the children, with little Chie missing her dodge, the soft red ball smooshing against her face and flopping to the ground.

"Gather around." I said, kneeling, facing the tower and holding out my arms. They'd all settled in just as the big 'projection' screens appeared half way up the tower, with Ouranos's wizened face appearing in them. Today, that face had a hint of a smile.

"People of Orario. Gods, Adventurers and Citizens alike."

"Look it's Mr Ouranous-sama." Kei said, "And he looks happy today!"

"Hush." I said quietly, "Today is going to be special I think."

"While it is not usually our practise to announce things like this, the recent disturbance in the city has sparked a little bit of a need for it."

"ohhh he's talking about the thing..."

"what thing?"

"the thing we slept through."

"ohhhh that thing! wait... what was it then?"

"All of you, by now, have seen the two Oni. Brothers, who like every adventurer enter the dungeon to suppress the endless spawn of monsters." Ouranos continued, "They have been valiant and stalwart, even if some of you still look at them with a little unease."

"well they can be kinda scary..."

"yeah, they eat our snacks when we're naughty."

"Such strength attracted the eyes of the Amazon, and as nature does, they have begun to raise the next generation of adventurers." He smiled just a little wider, just enough to notice if you were looking carefully, and it made his eyes sparkle just a little. "And while congratulations for this comes a little late, I will make up for it just a little by offering a praise to Takemikazuchi, who has inducted them all into his Familia."

"O-ma? Are we going to become adventurers too?"

"One day, if you want." I replied, not taking my eyes off the screen, but leaning down and nomnom-ing an ear, "Now hush, he's not done."

"eep!" followed by little hands hiding their ear from me.

"And while I hope this will settle the matters that caused the recent incident... There is another matter that will further settle the dispute I think. As it is well known among the Children, and the Gods, Amazon only birth Amazon. They seek the strong, to bear the strong, and this led some of them to the Oni."

Takemikazuchi appeared on his own set of screens underneath Ouranos, the background not the Chamber of Prayer, but the Guild hall. His handsome face was calm as ever as he bowed his head to the city silently, then moved his hands a little. The 'camera' backed up a little, allowing all of Fukawa and Okakai to appear on 'screen'. Once the were 'in focus' a dozen Amazon of various heights and builds, walked onto 'screen' to stand in front of the Oni. And of course in each of their arms was a child. Adorably ugly, it was obvious who the fathers were, but not so obvious who the mothers could be.

At least, not as obvious as it usually was when you had an Amazon holding their child.

Ouranos spoke again, "Not only do these children, born of strong mothers and fathers, not represent the Amazon who birthed them. Some of them are male."

"they aren't gonna show..."

"that would be silly."

"I'm gonna nom your ear again..." I threatened.

"This change, this... difference from the norm, has given even me, God of the Sky, pause. And while each Child is unique, these ones are their own breed entirely."

It was about here one of the Oni-zon flailed a little fist at their mother and said, "Boop." This prompted most of the other Amazon to laugh quietly, and of course my children to giggle as well.

Takemikazuchi, off to the side of the 'portrait' of the Oni/Amazon and Oni-zon, waved a hand to cut the sound from his projection. Then gave a 'not smile' to the offender, who hid their face against their mother's shoulder.

"I declare that these dozen children are not only Unique, as are all of Our creations, but Unique to the world, created not by Us but by the Children themselves. A new race."

Okakai and Fukawa looked to Takemikazuchi, then stepped forward just enough so that they were still totally in 'frame'.

"In honour of both our own ancestor," They said, (and I noted they used 'ancestor' as a singular, since they only had one to represent their Demon side), "And the strength of the Women who honoured us, we will have three names."

"Our common name, Demon, to represent our common heritage as 'cast out by the Gods'." Fukawa said.

"To honour our Father, the sons of our race are Oni." Okakai said. Reaching his hands out to engulf the heads of two of the children in a massive headpat that still made their son's giggle.

"And to honour the Mothers, the daughters of our race are Kijo." Fukawa finished, the two of them stepping behind the Amazon again, their huge arms stretching out and gathering them all a little closer together. Not quite a hug, but possessively.

"Any of those are fine, anything else will be corrected." They all said together.

A declaration of existence and boundary. Cross them at your own risk. Just like the mothers and fathers.

"O-ma is laughing."

"I am." I admitted, "We'll take care of your little cousins, won't we?"

"Yes O-ma!" They all said.

My little pool of family aside, the rest of the city was cheering too. It might not have been all sincere, but Orario would cheer anyone's good fortune so long as nothing else was going wrong. So while Ouranos, closet showman that he was, waited for the city to quiet down a little, I hugged the children close.

"I hope." Ouranos said, just a little louder than he had to, "That this will settle matters around them. Orario and Telskyura enjoy a beneficial relationship both with trade of goods and sharing the strength of the Dungeon. It is clear, not by just Guild law, but Amazon law as well, that these children belong to no one, and they will remain in their parent's care until they themselves decide when to leave the nest."

I was just about to stand up, feeling that the 'news' was over, but Royman appeared on the lower screen, a bit of paper in his hands. With nothing more than a nod and simple hand motion, Ouranos gave the Guild Master the go-ahead to speak.

The Amazon, while Royman made an official little 'ahem' started to walk off Camera, leaving Royman so stand alone save for a just barely on camera Takemikazuchi. "Ahem, certainly good news for the world." Royman smiled, "But since I have all of you looking this way, and in an effort to save paper used in flyers, our Guests from beyond the Gate have been working with us of the Guild, to organize a little expedition."

He looked at the paper, though from my experience he had a memory like a computer and never forgot anything, so again, just for show. But Orario itself was just entertainment for the Gods. "In one week's time, they will have their own team assembled to enter the dungeon. This will give us, of Orario, a chance to see how those without the blessing of falna do in the dungeon. And while our relationship with our Guests may be brief, we hope this exercise will help us understand each other."

It wasn't a cheer, no, it was much quieter. Something close to a city wide 'hmm' that I felt.

"As well, they will be bringing a small caravan of goods to trade. Over the course of this season, there will be further trade and exchange between us. It is our hope that we can all get along, and enrich each other's lives."

That got a cheer, not quite as loud as the declaration of a new race, but still a cheer.

"In that effort, I would like to open a small raffle. Those of you who would like to join in on the expedition of our Guests into the dungeon, must apply through the Guild. Both myself and Mr. Sugawara hope this will be a learning experience for all involved, and thus we are asking for confident volunteers to join them."

And with that, he looked to Takemikazuchi, who nodded, and with a wave of his hand the Godly Projection screens vanished.

While that was all serious business, it had interrupted play time. So once I'd given the children another group hug, hair ruffle and Eskimo kiss, we got back to playing.

Haruhime came by a few minutes later, and once I'd been hit I joined her so we could both watch our children throw stuff at each other.

"Thoughts, Ha-chan?" I asked, our tails tangling with each other while we stood just a tiny bit apart.

"It's given them at least a year." She said quietly, "It wasn't hard to tell they were a little uncomfortable with it all. But..."

"Once they saw it as a way out, they were willing to take it." I nodded, "And a year under Takemikazuchi? Even as toddlers, they're figuring out Tai-chi."

She nodded, her hand finding mine, her fingers lacing with mine, "I've been thinking of our own children as well." She said, "I know you said we would let them choose. And we are all here to protect them..."

I saw where this was going. But even with all my strength, I couldn't be there all the time. And despite all my strength, there were still things that could hurt me. And all it would take was that one moment of distraction... So, even though I wanted this to be their first Choice...

"I agree." I said quietly, "But... It will have a condition."

"Hmm?" She didn't look surprised, or offended, or even concerned. Just curious.

So once again, I thanked what ever luck Gods or Goddesses who had blessed me with such an understanding wife. "We do this to protect them. Not bind them." I said quietly, "So after a year, or two years, or any time they choose. If they wish to leave, then they must be allowed to leave."

She nodded, then leaned over a little to rest her shoulder against my arm. "I agree." She said, "But I think it's my turn in the middle. We can talk about it later."

Reluctantly, I told my tails to let her go, let our fingers separate, and gave her shoulder a little pat/push to encourage her forward. "Yes my love." I nodded.

NOTES!

So, a few things. First, the name 'Kijo'. As literal as any Japanese to English translation gets, it simply means 'Demon Woman'. I'm not trying to make a joke or pun, just taking the historical name for 'Female Oni' right outta history. :)

Second, just a little reminder. A Child (adventurer) is bound to a God for a year. Only after that year may the adventurer change Familia, the exception (I think) is for that God to be sent back to Tenkai, leaving the adventurer an 'orphan'. On a 'grand scale' or rather, concerning the Demons, this will keep any god from converting them to their Familia (like say... Kali, the Amazon God).

Third... Shameless self advertisement. :)

Daeore on Ko-fi for art (more soon!) and donations (if you feel I've earned it).

Daeore on Inkitt, for my book Were Too?

And if you play, or want to play Azur lane... a fun mobile game of shipping ships...

I started a Guild: Foxxo Orario ID 268452286 on the WASHINGTON server (forgot to mention this.)

And if there is any significant interest in a Discord channel, speak up, and it'll happen.

See you in five days.