Women have used that magic before.
The princess definitely said that.
“So, what’s your point?”
My older sister asked cautiously, as if worried that an overly hasty question might change the princess’s answer.
“There was a time in the past when the Demon King’s army had advanced so far that even the royalty and dukes had to participate in the war. At one point, all potential successors to the throne disappeared, and though the Demon King was somehow held back, it became a last resort when there was no way to leave behind descendants.”
The princess said with a smile.
“In the end, they were able to give birth to a daughter. Later, she married a surviving duke’s child and was able to continue the line.”
“…Is there a reason why such a story hasn’t been known until now?”
When I asked with a serious expression,
“I guess the fact that nobles tend to be conservative is the biggest reason. They see such situations as ‘abnormal’ and probably didn’t want to let it be known that things went that way. I’m only telling you this because you’re the Hero, of course. Although it all started from my slip of the tongue…”
The princess said, seemingly embarrassed.
“No, it was really helpful.”
My older sister politely replied.
“Thanks to that… I can think again about the dream I had given up on.”
With that, the expression on my older sister’s face seemed very bright.
“….”
I looked at her, then back to the princess.
“Could you perhaps help us?”
The princess smiled gently at us.
“Of course, I should. I think the kingdom wouldn’t oppose either. We should be grateful that, rather than just simple gold, there’s a way to help specifically in the kingdom’s manner.”
*
After tea time with the princess, we returned to our room.
“…What do you think?”
As soon as we entered, my sister asked me.
“Uh?”
“About having a child. What do you think?”
“Ah….”
Hmm.
To be honest, I did prefer giving birth. Before, I had thought of it as merely ‘impossible.’
So… whenever I fantasized about living with someone I loved, that thought inevitably followed. Imagining marrying a cherished person, having a child, and as time passes, that child having their own child. Forming a big family, quietly retiring, and warmly welcoming the visiting child and grandchildren.
Of course, at this point, it could be completely described as a fantasy. You know, imagining grandchildren just by barely touching the idea with my fingertips.
Honestly, ever since I became a woman, that had really become a realm of imagination.
“I think it’s nice.”
So, for now, I answered my sister like that. I wanted to have a child too. I wanted to raise my child together with her. I wished to see my child when they grew up and formed a family.
Having a wedding in front of Mom, registering our marriage in a country that acknowledges us, or something like that…
But having a child was a whole different story from all that. It wasn’t just because the effectiveness of that magic was extremely diminished and the chances of failure were high. Rather than that…
Yeah. I was considering societal perceptions.
“…Are you worried?”
Maybe my expression and voice were lacking, as it seemed my sister noticed I was concerned.
She took my hand and asked with a worried look.
“Why? Do you dislike it?”
“Huh? Ah, no. Not at all.”
Just the thought of being able to have a child with my sister already made me feel like I could float away. But the reason I wasn’t truly feeling that way was that a heavy concern was pressing down on me.
“…If we live together and people around us find out…”
Spatially, it could be the neighboring apartment or the house above or below us. Or even people within the same complex. If they saw us together every day, they could easily catch on that ‘those two are a same-sex couple.’ Of course, most people probably wouldn’t care, but strangely, there are always those who are overly interested in other people’s lives.
Yeah, that part wouldn’t matter. Even if people found out about us, there aren’t too many who would be ignorant enough to openly say something. Even if someone were to insult us, I could just brush it off as ‘they must be crazy.’
However… getting pregnant is a different matter.
Although there are people who know that there’s some magic that can somehow manage that in this world, on Earth, there’s absolutely no way for a woman to get pregnant without sleeping with a man or receiving sperm in any manner.
And the simplest method was, of course, to have sexual relations with a man.
Naturally, if one of us were to get pregnant, others would surely gossip about it.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I could endure such a situation.
“You seem to think a lot.”
When I shared such thoughts, my sister quietly hugged me.
Her body was always warm. After hugging like this so often, I’d started having those thoughts more. Whenever I felt a bit gloomy or sank into contemplation, my sister would hug me like this, and I could feel a bit of hope rising from a corner of my heart.
“It’s all because you’re thinking of me.”
“….”
I couldn’t answer my sister’s words.
My sister could get pregnant. I might get pregnant, and perhaps both of us could.
I could endure someone saying that to me. Honestly, saying such things multiple times could be odd, but I had seen some truly horrifying things. Besides, there was someone supporting me, so I felt I could certainly ignore and endure whatever scorn came my way.
But… I didn’t want my sister to have to endure such scorn.
If I got pregnant, my sister would become a woman raising a child that wasn’t even hers, and if my sister got pregnant, that would make her a woman having an affair with someone else while having someone she loved. There’s no way she could even imagine IVF. After all, what she would be doing without getting married would be illegal in the first place. Even if it were done, she would be seen as an immoral person.
Moreover, wouldn’t I risk hearing such talk from my acquaintances as well? I cared for my sister, but if it were Yu-ri, who had a somewhat hot-headed side… she could very well think I cheated on her. Putting the insults we’d receive to the side, I felt my heart would ache too much.
“I’m really worried.”
My sister smiled and looked up at me.
“Then how about we give birth here?”
“Huh?”
“Even if the people here don’t help… they mentioned there’s compensation money. We could probably live here for about a year, right?”
My sister’s words made me contemplate seriously for a moment.
Of course, if I said I wanted to stay here, the kingdom would offer a place for me. But… even if it were deemed impossible, I had the means to stay here for a number of years. The compensation money the kingdom was willing to provide, along with the money I had from Earth.
But still…
“Sure, there will definitely be a lot of obstacles waiting for us. Issues like household registration, birth registration. Regardless of whether others know, all our acquaintances will definitely need to know the truth, and there will surely come a day when children will ask how they came to be.”
My sister’s voice echoed in my ear.
“But during every moment of that, I will always be by your side. I won’t push it all onto you. Let’s seriously consider what we want to do from here on out. I’m not one to say we should just have a child without thinking. There’s still plenty of time, so we can think it through and decide.”
“….”
My sister tightened her hug around me.
In fact, even though my sister’s strength wasn’t really that strong, it didn’t hurt in any way.
Thanks to that, I could feel my sister’s warm embrace more securely.
“…Sister.”
“Yeah? Go ahead, tell me.”
When I whispered softly into my sister’s ear, she quietly responded.
“…Do you really want to get me pregnant like that?”
“Huh?”
My joke left my sister momentarily speechless before she exclaimed,
“Wha-what kind of conversation is going that way!”
As she said that, she struggled to get out of my embrace.
But my sister was already firmly held by me.
Her face, which was slapping my firmly gripping arm, was flushed red.
Seeing her like that was so cute that I couldn’t help but chuckle.
So, I ended up teasing her more.
…Yeah.
I am not alone.
I don’t have to think things through alone or make decisions by myself. Time isn’t pressing either.
I can take my time, think things over with my sister, and then come to a decision together.
How fortunate I am that my sister is by my side.
