Chapter 139: Knights as the Symbol of Fertility (2)
At those words, I instinctively froze, looking back at Mollang and Shuru.
Then, I glanced at Delphine's lower belly.
I couldn't believe it, so I asked again.
"No, that can't be... logically."
"Logic exists to be overturned. And most knights, whether male or female, are highly fertile, aren't they?"
Now that I thought about it, among the senior knights, there were almost no cases where they had fewer than three children. Four or five kids seemed to be the norm.
"That's because knights have great stamina, so it's easier for them to make children. Isn't that why they're so fertile?"
"That could be true. But according to Pandel's research and mine, if a knight forms mana circuits in their abdomen and releases semen during ejaculation, then the fertilization rate—"
"If that were possible, wouldn't it have been researched by now?"
It's been a hundred years since the mana circuit training technique was developed.
In the beginning, it was taught secretly, with only a few in the kingdom learning it. But about thirty years ago, it became a fundamental skill that anyone in the knightly order could learn...
"If that were the case, since thirty years ago..."
"Yes. Since then, the number of hybrids has significantly increased."
Hearing that, I was momentarily at a loss for words.
"And until recently, knights were mostly involved in wars with other species, so most knights formed families with fellow humans. But as the number of hybrids began to grow, Pandel theorized that it might be related to mana..."
Delphine raised the flask she held in her hand.
"And it turns out to be true."
"How... how do you know that?"
"Well, when attempts to fertilize the eggs of half-elves labeled as infertile were observed. Normally, half-elves are considered sterile because their genetic structure is complicated by a mix of human and elf DNA, with each half-elf having a unique ratio. They're evaluated as infertile like mules. But if fertilization is possible, it means even interspecies fertilization is likely to succeed."
"What... what... what?"
"Exactly. It's mine. Based on the recent findings... the chances are surprisingly high."
Hearing all of this, countless dangerous moments flashed through my mind.
"That's why I told you to be careful. Of course... I said it was okay to finish inside me because I thought I was fine, but it turns out I was wrong. I didn’t know my body was at risk either, so I have no excuse."
"That's not the issue here..."
At this point, I started mentally tallying the number of women I might be responsible for.
I had thought of them as fleeting encounters, just passing relationships. But imagining someone showing up at the magic knights' headquarters later, claiming to be the mother of my child...
"What am I supposed to do?"
"Well, you can't undo what's already done. But... want to visit Pandel and get yourself neutered?"
"That's not an option either."
After Delphine's shocking statement, I returned to the magic knights' headquarters in a daze.
"Where have you been?"
It really felt like I'd gone to hell and back, hearing things I never should've heard.
Suddenly, as I walked, I couldn’t help but imagine random kids running up to me, shouting "Dad!" And what if Erin showed up months later with a swollen belly, grabbing me by the collar and throwing a fit?
As I laughed soullessly, Dane asked Levin, who was curiously peeking at me.
"What's wrong with him?"
"I don't know. Maybe he ate something weird somewhere?"
"Did he try sticking his dick into a poisonous mushroom while jerking off or something?"
"Ugh... You guys better not do something that stupid... you might get the mushroom pregnant."
"So, he really did stick it in a mushroom? Is his dick growing mushrooms now?"
While Dane and Levin teased me, I just stared blankly at the sky, feeling tears roll down my cheeks.
'What the hell do I do now?'
Technically, the kingdom enforces monogamy, but polygamy is allowed if all parties consent.
When it comes to other races or demi-humans, human laws are harder to enforce. Thankfully, most of the women I’ve been with aren’t human. So, if I stretch the rules, I might be able to take responsibility... but there’s a limit to anyone’s capabilities.
"You're the knight, right?"
While I stood there with a vacant, hollow smile, a centaur approached me hesitantly.
She seemed wary of everything around her, her long horse ears twitching as she cautiously drew closer. Her face and voice were familiar.
'But... she’s grown a lot, hasn’t she?'
She had been a centaur girl about my height before, but now she looked almost as grown as Eileen. Angelica had matured considerably as she approached me.
'Wait... did I sleep with Angelica too?'
I instinctively glanced at her lower belly.
Her human stomach was all muscle, so I focused on the horse’s lower abdomen. It seemed a bit larger than before. Was it just her body getting bigger, or...?
"I called out to you earlier, but it seems you didn’t hear me."
Angelica smiled brightly and innocently, but I couldn’t bring myself to admit I’d seen her and pretended not to notice.
"Did you bring the horses?"
"Yes! The knights said they didn’t have enough horses for the trainees in the capital and asked us to deliver them here first. Also..."
As if sharing a secret, Angelica covered her mouth and whispered just for me to hear.
"Actually, my sister was so excited to see you, Sir Knight."
A sudden clatter of hurried hooves echoed, followed by the sharp sound of someone smacking Angelica's horse rear. In the next moment, Eileen appeared in front of me.
"You're saying useless things again!"
"No, I only said what was necessary..."
"You're not even done with the handoff yet, and you're already chatting with knights out of curiosity... How could you?"
While scolding Angelica, Eileen's gaze eventually landed on me and froze.
For a very brief moment, an eerie silence settled, as if time itself had stopped. Then, as though nothing had happened, Eileen casually turned to Jake, who was jotting something down.
"The horses have all been placed in the stables. A few of them are showing signs of tension with each other, but they’ll calm down once they get used to the new environment."
"Thank you. I’ve checked the numbers, and while we’ll assess the condition of the horses later, I trust that you centaurs know far better than us, so I’m not too worried."
"Still, do double-check. We don’t want any surprises later."
Jake, looking busy, scribbled in his notebook and left. Meanwhile, among the remaining roommates, Dane glanced between Eileen and me with a sly grin before grabbing Levin by the scruff of his neck.
"Reasons. Just follow me."
Though I appreciated them leaving the three of us alone, it only made me more anxious. Now, I was stuck in a situation where I couldn’t slip away from both Eileen and Angelica.
'I feel like I’ve committed a crime...'
"So... how have you been? Nothing major happening where you are? And, um... have the tribe numbers, by any chance—"
"If you have something to say, just say it clearly."
The words just wouldn’t come out of my mouth.
Moreover, Angelica was covering her horse-like lower body with a loose fabric, making it impossible to check the state of her abdomen.
"This isn’t like you. I don’t like it."
Before I could figure out what she meant, Eileen suddenly hooked her arm around me, lifting me onto her back as if it were nothing.
"It’s been a while. How about a run?"
"Ah, maybe not right now—"
"Let’s see if you can hold on like before without any preparation."
With no other choice, I had to grab Eileen’s long hair for support, and she bolted across the training grounds of the magic knights.
"Out of the way, move!"
Shouting at people to clear the path, Eileen quickly dashed through the capital, past the city walls, and into the outskirts where the roads were quieter.
At first, I panicked, thinking, We shouldn’t be running here..., and felt awkward about riding on her back. But before I knew it, I was caught up in the wind brushing through her flowing hair and the peaceful scenery of the capital rushing past us.
"It finally feels like we’re back together again."
"Yes. Even back then, you were a foolish man, but at least you weren’t such a coward who couldn’t even meet my eyes."
'Guess I’m not hiding it well...'
There were so many things I wanted to ask her.
How has she been? Why did she come here? And, has anything happened since then?
But despite my curiosity, I couldn’t bring myself to ask, and she didn’t volunteer any answers either.
"This is true unity between man and centaur."
All we felt was the shared rhythm of running together—a true unity of human and centaur.
"Always walk proudly with your head held high. You are the man riding on our backs."
"What do you mean by that?"
Her vague statement made me uneasy, but Eileen just smiled and didn’t answer.
'She’s probably including Angelica when she says “us,” right?'
Even so, I found my mind beginning to settle after all the confusion caused by Delphine’s words.
‘I’ll do my best to stay true to myself.’
If possible, I wanted to make sure everyone could be happy... somehow.
"By the way, you’re not feeling heavy or anything, are you?"
I couldn’t help but be curious, after all.
The sound of war drums echoed across the battlefield.
Each warrior was handed a drink, taking a single sip to boost their morale.
The liquor was so potent that even a small sip could knock out an average person, but for them, it was the perfect dose to dull their senses and ease their fear, while leaving them just drunk enough to feel bold.
The drumming grew louder, and the warriors grabbed their weapons.
They didn’t carry the latest mana sabers or mana-powered firearms, but primitive weapons that shone under the light, reflecting their bulging muscles and gleaming flesh.
"Sisters, listen up!"
A booming voice etched itself into the warriors’ ears like magic.
"We stand on the brink of a once-in-a-lifetime war."
"This is what we call the War of Flowers! A great war that will shape our strength for the next ten years, or maybe even longer!!"
The soldiers of the kingdom trembled in fear as the deafening roars filled the air.
The enemy's weapons were outdated, and their tactics primitive, but their overwhelming combat prowess was horrifying.
To the kingdom’s soldiers, it felt as if they were being thrown as bait, nothing more than meat shields for the true knights who had yet to arrive.
"Fight, sisters! Take what is yours!! The stronger you are, the greater the flower you will claim!!"
These warriors needed their flowers.
"Charge, and claim your prize!!"
This was the Eastern Orc tribe.
"Drive out the women and ravage the men!!"
They kidnapped men from outside, using them to conceive children. Male offspring were cast out, while female offspring were raised and accepted into the tribe.
Just as a flower needs a seed to bloom, they sought men as their flowers to create new life.
Thus began the War of Flowers.