Chapter 29
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Surviving Winter - 2
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By the time I got home, Chloe, Sylvia, and Elsia were out waiting to greet me.
"You all should stay inside where it's warm."
"The head of the household is out there working in the most dangerous spots. How could we just rest at home?"
"It's not that dangerous."
"That's something only you could say, Sian. The Dark Forest is officially classified as a demon realm by the Empire."
"Is that so?"
"You must be exhausted too, Leon. Come on in and warm up."
"Yes, Mom."
As we stepped into the living room, I spotted Clia fast asleep in front of the fireplace, with Elin quietly reading a book beside her.
"Welcome home, Sian oppa. You must be tired."
"Thanks, Elin. Reading a picture book?"
"Yeah. It's a fairy tale about a hunter and a bear."
The book Elin was holding was a fairy tale, but it was mostly simple illustrations.
'Well, even something like this probably sells for a pretty penny.'
Judging by the worn condition, it seemed like an old purchase. Probably a few books Elsia had brought when she moved here.
"Elsia, I'd like to read to the kids. Got any other fairy tales?"
"No fairy tales, but I do have some novels."
At my request, Elsia fetched a few books. The title was a novel called The Silent Mute Knight.
"More than I expected. What's this one about?"
"It's a romance novel."
"Yeah, that might be a bit awkward to read aloud."
In this medieval setting, romance novels often depicted illicit relationships between men and women in explicit detail. Well, that kind of sensational genre probably sold like hotcakes.
'Talk about explicit.'
I skimmed the prologue at the start of the novel, and already there was a sex scene between the man and woman. Damn, they were wide open about it.
"Um, Sian oppa?"
"Yeah?"
As I closed the book and turned back to Elsia, Elin tugged at my clothes and asked with a blank expression.
"Can you read words, Sian oppa?"
"Sure can. My dad taught me."
"That's amazing. You hunt so well, make things so skillfully... and I still can't even memorize the alphabet."
"Really?"
I was surprised by Elin's unexpected words. With Elsia's meticulous personality, I'd assumed she'd prioritize her daughter's education.
When I glanced at her with that in mind, Elsia avoided my gaze and started making excuses in her usual cool tone.
"I taught her math first."
"I see."
It seemed Elsia preferred math over reading.
Still, reading...
'In this village, can anyone else read besides me, Elsia, the Village Chief, and Tom?'
Being a rural village, illiteracy was common. Of course, not being able to read wasn't anything to be ashamed of. But it was true that literacy made life more convenient in many ways.
"It's winter now, so not much to do. Want me to teach you some letters, Elin?"
"Really?"
Elin lit up at my offer, but then glanced at her mom and whispered softly.
"Ah, you don't have to go out of your way for me."
"It's fine. I've got nothing else going on anyway. Just something to kill time."
I patted Elin's head and looked at Elsia. She didn't object to my decision. Truth be told, winter drastically cut down on available work anyway.
"Not hurting anywhere, Chloe?"
"No. I feel heavy, but nothing hurts."
Today, as always, I used my past-life knowledge to check Chloe's condition. Thankfully, she was having a healthy pregnancy.
Good.
Maybe feeling guilty about it, Chloe smiled and changed the subject with a question.
"You'd prefer a son, right, dear?"
"A son?"
"Yeah, a healthy son just like you."
"Nah, not really."
"Huh?"
Around here, people usually wanted sons for labor, but not me.
Dividing love based on a child's gender was ridiculous to begin with.
"I like daughters. A cute, lovable one who takes after you, Chloe."
"Dear... I love you."
Touched by my answer, Chloe nestled into my arms. I kissed her forehead, showing my love through actions rather than words.
"Still, I want a son who takes after you."
"Sure, we can just have more if you want. But if our first is a son who looks like me, I worry we might not be able to handle him."
"Why?"
"With stamina like mine, he'd be poking around everywhere every day. That worries me."
"Ah..."
Chloe's face lit up with realization.
Indeed, imagining how to handle a son with overflowing stamina like mine was tough.
'I'm a reincarnator, so I act a bit more reserved for my age.'
But I couldn't guarantee my son would be the same.
"Don't worry about it yet, though."
"You're right. Our child will take after you—beautiful and well-behaved."
"Hee hee, and take after you—healthy and brave?"
"Yeah."
I finally understood what they meant by newlyweds being all lovey-dovey.
That's what we were right now.
Blissfully so.
And then full-on winter hit.
"Falling from the sky. Trash. Fucking..."
"Hey, Sian! Stop messing around and help!"
"Haven't finished yet?"
Leon, struggling to clear the snow, called out for my help.
"That's why I told you to use this snow shovel. It's seriously convenient."
"There's only one, and you're using it."
"Sigh, move aside. Big bro's got this."
"Thanks, but Sian... I'm older than you."
The snowfall was worse than expected, making snow removal a real chore. And true to rural life, the village had plenty of land per capita, so there was a lot to clear.
That's when I ran into some villagers.
"Sian?"
"Ah, Carlson. Rough morning, huh?"
"Ha ha, yeah. This winter's dumping extra trash on us."
Carlson.
The only one in the village who knew swordsmanship.
From what I'd heard, he was born in Lugeron Village but hated rural life so much that as a young man, he ran off to the city with just a sword. He came back later and learned swordplay there.
In a way, he was the epitome of a rural youth.
I occasionally took lessons from him. Swordsmanship wasn't essential for a hunter like me, but after the mercenary fight, I realized I needed some knowledge to counter it.
Not to use it myself, but to break it down.
"How are the kids doing, by the way?"
"Great. All growing healthy on the meat you gave us."
"No big deal. I was just paying for lessons, but glad it suits their tastes."
The kids in question were the orphans from the mercenary raid. Carlson was raising them, and I helped out by sharing surplus meat under the guise of lesson fees.
"Right. While we're here, take the item you asked for."
"That thing?"
Carlson's eyes widened at my words. The item he'd requested from me.
War Bear bile—a natural aphrodisiac.
Carlson adopting orphans stemmed from his sense of duty as militia captain, but it also tied into his years of struggling to have a child with his wife.
And the reason was his azoospermia.
'Seedless seeds, huh...'
Not long after marriage, he'd heard about Chloe's pregnancy and secretly consulted me.
His wife clearly wanted kids with him.
I listened carefully to his troubles. Azoospermia didn't always mean zero chance of pregnancy, depending on the type. Slim, but possible.
"You'll just have to do it a lot."
"Pardon?"
"A fuckton. You'll have to fuck a ton."
"..."
But that was the only advice I could give.
Even with modern medical knowledge, infertility treatment was more about tech than info.
Acupuncture I'd glimpsed wasn't going to fix it.
Fortunately, this fantasy world had a good fix for infertility.
"Here you go."
"Not as foul-smelling as I thought."
"Made it easy to take."
Natural aphrodisiac War Bear bile. Raw was risky, so I mixed in herbs Dad taught me, turning it into a herbal tonic.
I handed it over, and Carlson bowed deeply in thanks.
"Thank you, Sian."
"That's what neighbors are for, right? Helping each other."
Of course, I benefited too.
Trained under my adoptive dad since childhood amid poisons, I had natural resistance. Couldn't properly test the medicine's effects on myself.
In that sense, Carlson's issue was a boon. I could gauge my aphrodisiac's performance through him.
"Take it after dinner. Unless you're not planning relations, then skip it."
"Got it."
"And keep it high up—bad for kids if they get into it."
"Yes."
Carlson, face flushed, headed home after my rundown. Probably using it tonight.
'Please work!'
I prayed silently for the good villager to build a happy family, then headed back out for more snow clearing.
With snow still falling, this winter felt like it would drag on forever.