Chapter 84

The Rest of the Wives, the Princess's Devotion, and a New Foundation
As the town where Akio and his companions lived began to feel the true onset of winter, preparations were underway. Sylvia's pregnancy was progressing smoothly, her belly growing more endearing with each passing day. While the villagers eagerly anticipated the arrival of new life, an unexpected change came to Akio's "night rotation."

The trigger was the sudden illnesses of Kina and Leonora. Kina, perhaps exhausted from tirelessly roaming the forest with her usual energy, came down with a rare high fever and was bedridden for several days. Leonora, too, had pushed herself too hard with rigorous self-training and village security duties, causing an old injury to flare up, forcing her to rest for a while.

"Hubby, I'm so sorry... at such an important time, to be so useless..."

"Aiko-dono, my apologies... as a knight, to fail even at self-discipline..."

Both of them seemed deeply troubled by their inability to fulfill their roles as Akio's nighttime companions.

Ayane, as per Akio's wishes, was still limited to "sleeping beside" him. Sylvia, being a precious expectant mother, could not be pushed too hard. As a result, the duty of being Akio's nighttime companion naturally fell entirely to Celestina.

(Celestina is small and delicate, so I don’t want to overtax her...)

Though Akio thought this to himself, he accepted Celestina’s quiet yet resolute offer: "Please leave Akio-sama’s matters to me." Her words carried a hidden determination.

And that night, Akio was utterly stunned by Celestina’s hidden talents—quite literally. Until now, she had always been somewhat reserved, yielding to Akio’s lead. But with Kina and Leonora absent, a sense of duty to support Akio, combined with her deep love for him, seemed to awaken something within her.

That night, Celestina was like a seasoned goddess of love descended to earth. Her slender, graceful fingers precisely stimulated parts of Akio’s body he hadn’t even realized existed. The sweet sighs escaping her small lips, coupled with her bold yet shy invitations, led Akio to the heights of unknown pleasures time and again. Astonishingly, her delicate frame fully embraced everything Akio desired, and more—she enveloped him in an endless wellspring of love and joy, like a boundless fountain.

(T-this... where did Celestina find such passion... and this unfathomable... overwhelming warmth...!?)

In a whirlwind of ecstasy mixed with awe, Akio nearly lost consciousness multiple times. It was, in a way, an overwhelming night that bordered on terrifying for him.

The next morning, Akio awoke with a pleasant exhaustion but a somewhat dazed expression. Beside him, Celestina’s sleeping face was serene, beautiful like a goddess—and yet, somehow fearsome.

Beyond Akio’s personal shock, a new routine was taking root in the village.

At the blacksmith Dolgan’s forge, a dwarven widow named Helga had recently taken shelter. She was a refugee who had fled the invasion of the Garnia Empire and arrived at Akio’s town. Apparently a distant relative of Dolgan, Helga was quiet but hardworking, diligently tending to Dolgan’s needs and assisting in the forge. She had seamlessly integrated into his workshop. The villagers watched with warm smiles as the stubborn, single-minded Grandpa Dolgan now had the gentle Helga by his side.

Meanwhile, another issue weighed on Akio’s mind: the persistent shortage of housing for the continuous influx of refugees. Drawn by rumors of the Tree of Life or the promise of a safe life in the town, people guided by those who knew the hidden paths through the forest kept arriving, seeking aid. The construction of new homes for Alto and Kenta, as well as the expansion of Celestina’s schoolhouse, were pressing priorities, but above all, the absolute lack of basic housing for sleeping and living was a critical problem.

"Sylvia, Dolgan-dono, everyone. I believe we must accelerate our plans and prioritize the construction of large-scale communal housing. Moreover, for the future, we need to seriously rethink the town’s zoning and organization," Akio declared at the village’s regular meeting, emphasizing the severity of the housing issue and seeking everyone’s cooperation for future measures. The idea of a sawmill would likely be a key step in resolving this housing crisis.

Having experienced a shocking night with Celestina and now facing the village’s new challenges, Akio, as both the village leader and the head of his household, deeply felt the weight and fulfillment of his responsibilities once more.

What do you think about this chapter?