Nina glanced down, but there was a look of satisfaction on her face. “Yes… I’m happy. Of course, I’d have liked to keep going with the sword a little longer, but I don’t know. Funnily enough, I don’t have many regrets. I think maybe I stopped being a swordswoman when I lost to Gino.”
“You lost?”
“Yes, before he challenged the Sword God, he told me, ‘If I win, be mine.’ I fought him without holding back, and I lost.”
“That’s a beautiful way to propose.”
“Isn’t it?” Nina laughed softly, thinking back on that day. Up until then, Nina had wanted to be the strongest sword fighter in the world—the Sword God herself. That desire had vanished in an instant. Gino was just that strong. He’d shut her down in a single strike, a pure mockery of her efforts, just as he’d done to Eris today.
If it hadn’t been Gino, if it hadn’t been her childhood friend whom she’d made follow her around when they were little, maybe she would have felt differently. She might have thrown herself into her sword training with tears streaming down her cheeks and renewed determination, just like she had after losing to Eris.
Instead, it had been Gino. He’d become strong just to marry her. He’d beaten her, then gone toe to toe with Sword God Gall Falion and won. When he returned with the title of Sword God, he swept Nina up and kissed her forcefully, then pushed her to the ground then and there. That day, Nina had become Gino’s in both mind and body. Nina knew that it was impossible to become Sword God without extraordinary effort. Neither hard work nor talent alone was enough. Even both might not be enough. Up until then, Gino had let Nina lead him, putting in as much effort as she did. On top of that foundation, he’d gone even further than she had, pushing himself hard enough to spit blood.
He made it. He attained the rank of Sword God, reaching a place that vanishingly few ever achieved. Nina thought he ought to have a reward to match—in the words of Gall Falion, to do what he liked, so she said nothing. She had her own thoughts about it and things she’d liked to have said, and Gino would probably have listened. But she was gripped by the fear that if she did, he would suddenly become weak. Nina couldn’t get in the way of the person she’d come to admire. Thus, she decided to give up her sword and throw herself into her next challenge: being a mother.
“What about you, Eris? Are you happy now?”
“Yeah, I am.”
“Even though you’re one of three wives?”
“Yeah. It’s normal. My father only married my mother, but my grandfather had plenty. Rudeus’s father had two wives too.”
“I mean, I don’t follow the Millis faith, but I just… I can’t imagine being one of many,” said Nina.
Eris had her share of frustrations, of course. She wondered, sometimes, what it would be like to be Rudeus’s only wife. She’d be happy, of course. Just the two of them all day long, with no one to get between them. That was the thing, though—it’d be just her and Rudeus. What would that be like compared to the Greyrat household they had now? If there were no Sylphie and Roxy, that meant no Lucie, Lara, Sieg, or Lily. She’d still have Arus and Chris, and instead of the other kids, she might have had more children herself. But she couldn’t imagine better kids than the ones they had now.
Comparing what could be to what she had, there’d be no one to hand her a towel when she came in drenched in sweat after a day of training; no one to say “Take her into the bath with you” as a mud-covered Lara was pushed into her arms; and no one who’d leave a change of clothes and underwear for her when she came out after bathing the kids.
They gave each other just the right amount of space, not clinging so tightly it got annoying, but not hesitating to share little tasks. Eris couldn’t imagine what her life would look like without Sylphie and Roxy—and life was good. Watching their children grow up felt fun and rewarding. Soon, she’d start more serious sword training with them. Lucie was more focused on magic than swords, and Lara was still a bit spaced out, but Arus and Sieg seemed keen. For that matter, Sieg was already learning North God Style. Thinking about how she’d teach them and how they’d grow filled Eris with happiness.
“You’ve changed too, Eris,” said Nina.
“I have, huh?”
“Back in the day, you’d have drop-kicked a kid out of the house.”
“Excuse you! I’d never kick a kid.”
“You were like a kid yourself back then. Now, you’re looking after them.”
“I’ve had two.”
“What about a third?”
“No, I’ve had enough.”
“Have you had enough of the fun part?” Nina asked.
Eris’s cheeks burned scarlet. “N-no, that part I want more of,” she answered honestly. It was feeling heavily pregnant and unable to move freely that she just couldn’t bring herself to like.
“You know, you’re much easier to talk to now,” Nina said.
“I like you better too. You were a bit of a pain in the butt.”
“I bet I was.”
The old Nina had been all sharp edges. She’d thought she was the best and could treat everyone below her however she liked. Being humbled by Eris had brought her down to earth a little, but marrying Gino had made a bigger difference.
Eris suddenly remembered another person. “Oh yeah, did you hear? Isolde got married too.”
Isolde Cluel, the master of the Water God school who now went by the name of Water God Reida.
“Yes, I got a letter about the wedding, but I was pregnant, so I couldn’t go.”
“What about her baby?”
“That’s the first I’ve heard of that. A girl or a boy?”
“A girl. She can’t have many kids as Water God, so she was disappointed that she didn’t produce an heir.”
“That’s rough. Isn’t her husband a North Emperor? Wasn’t he angry or disappointed that she had a girl?”
“Dohga would never say anything like that. He’s a good guy.” As she spoke, Eris rifled through her memories.