sigh
"It was really difficult"
Nobody said babysitting was easy, but in this case it was more like trying to put a pacifier on a time bomb.
I managed to explain the situation properly, but the rumors spread within a day.
Considering how well known I became in a single week, it wasn't surprising.
There actually weren't many complications. The people in the city treated it as something normal and quickly brushed it off.
The only real change was that housewives talked to me occasionally.
I'm not a big fan of gossip, but I have to admit it's kind of fun. Maybe my inner lady is starting to come out.
I also refrained from doing any work for the last three days and focused on spending time with Gabriela.
Mainly because this girl requires a lot of attention.
Her stats are low compared to Maria's, but she's still capable of crushing a moderately strong person's skull with her bare hands. She also has an absurd amount of mana.
Thanks to her intelligence, she quickly understood what she should and shouldn't do, which made things much easier for me.
And as a fallen angel, she doesn't share the same needs as mortals.
But unfortunately, she does need to eat.
Most angels or fallen angels are born as adults. From the moment they're created, they're given a purpose, and all they have to do is fulfill it.
But Gabriela isn't like other angels.
She was born from my careful supply of energy, and my intention to raise something from scratch took physical form in her creation.
This means she will grow like a normal girl, and for that she sometimes needs me to supply her with some of my energy.
But I can't feed her the same way I did when she was in her shell.
Her body is more complex now and more fragile.
I can't just pour energy into her randomly.
Luckily, Gabriela already has the ability to channel energy. She only has to take it for it to work safely.
And that's where the other problem lies.
The problem is that
I have to breastfeed her.
When we wondered how she was supposed to take my energy, she pointed at my breasts.
At first I was confused, but after a while I understood what she meant.
I wanted to refuse, but the second option was through the mouth and other places I will not mention.
That was a firm no. She is my daughter. I will not use those methods with her.
In the end I decided to accept my role as a woman just this once, destroying what little pride I had left from when I was a man.
Maria was drawing furiously the entire time I was feeding Gabriela.
I honestly do not understand how that girl thinks, even though I created her brain.
Did I make a mistake?
It also seems Gabriela needs to sleep, or rather rest, so the energy can distribute itself correctly through her body.
Given how energetic she is, it's surprising how quickly she collapses once she's finished feeding.
Aside from being a fallen angel, she's no different from a normal baby.
Once I finished creating the magic concealment tool, I suggested taking her for a walk.
I made a gothic lolita dress to replace the loose shirt I'd made earlier to cover her body.
She jumped with excitement when I showed it to her.
Strangely enough that made me very happy too. Perhaps it's the unconditional love mothers feel for their children.
Though I still would have preferred to be the father.
When we left the inn for the first time, Gabriela clung to my breasts, which only emphasized that area.
I released pure murderous intent at any man stupid enough to look.
Aside from that, it was quite fun. After a while Gabriela loosened her grip and settled into my arms.
She seemed a little scared by the number of people.
When she got used to it she began pointing at places of interest. I bought some food from a stall to see what she liked.
She ate six skewers.
After a short adventure we returned to the inn.
There was a moment I tried to leave on my own, but when Gabriela noticed she burst into tears.
It was quite difficult to calm her. She really didn't want to be separated from me. It's probably instinctive.
She's somewhat attached to Maria, but she will still cling to me if I move too far away.
I just hope it's not permanent, or we might have a problem.
"Well, that's just how kids are, I guess."
I'll accept whatever comes.
Because this is my little girl.
"Even so, when should we move to the capital of this country?"
"I'd say whenever it's convenient, but with tensions rising between the empire and the kingdom, I don't think it will be very pleasant. And now that Gabriela is with us, we have to be more careful."
"You're right. There's a port city further south. It's a bit far from the border, but it might be nice to go swimming there sometime."
I paced around the room, organizing my thoughts, trying to find somewhere interesting to spend time with Maria and Gabriela.
toc toc
Someone knocked on the door. I already knew who it was thanks to their presence, but I still got up to open it.
Gabriela was asleep, so I moved quietly not to wake her.
"Hi, what's up Noel?"
It was the youngest daughter of the innkeeper. She had an ornate envelope in her hands.
"A letter arrived"
"A letter?"
It appeared to be a noble style envelope; the seal even said "sera."
"What's wrong?"
I immediately recognized the crest stamped on it. It was the same crest engraved on Celes's carriage.
The royal family's crest.
But why?
Celes had been so busy since we arrived at the border city that we hadn't had time to meet again. It hadn't been long, but had things calmed down enough for her to send a letter?
I thanked Noel and handed the letter to Maria.
"Do you think it's something bad?"
"Knowing the princess, I doubt she'd send a letter just to deliver bad news. It's probably a request."
"A request then."
With that girl's personality, I doubt she'd ask for anything unreasonable. And it's not like there's anything I can't do anyway.
I opened the letter and read through it.
After a few minutes I let out a soft sigh.
It wasn't anything serious, but the problem was that it was a request to escort Celes to the royal capital.
Celes had recommended us and the king himself approved it.
"No problem"
I didn't know whether to accept or not.
On one hand, we might get involved in trouble. On the other, I don't want anything bad happening to Celes.
"mmm" "well, we'll make a decision"
After thinking long enough, I reached the conclusion that it didn't matter whether I accepted or not.
I'm a goddess. The most powerful one. What exactly am I supposed to be afraid of?
"What do you think, Maria?"
"I don't really care. I'm more interested in the art gallery in the capital."
"Then it's decided. Tomorrow we'll meet Celes and give her our answer. I wonder if she'll be surprised when she sees Gabriela?"
"She'll probably make a scene."
"Hehehe, I'd like to see that."
"mmm"
While we were talking, Gabriela began waking up from her nap.
This little girl plays and sleeps most of the time. It's enviable how carefree babies can be, untouched by the hardships of society.
"mama"
"Hello. You're awake? Want to hear some news?"
"yes I want"
She raised her hands and nodded happily as she sat up.
What is this adorable creature?
"We will probably have to leave town for a short trip. Are you interested?"
"Go out?"
"Something like that, but it will take several days. What do you think?"
"That sounds fun. I want to go with Mom."
Gabriela answered with complete confidence and bright excitement. I could not hold myself back anymore, so I lifted her and gently squeezed her cheeks.
"Hehehehe."
She loved it. Her laughter echoed happily. How could someone like me have such a beautiful daughter? My precious angel. Truly, my daughter is the cutest in the world.
After playing with Gabriela for a while, we left our room and went to the first floor. I told Marta, the innkeeper, about our plans and said our goodbyes. Before leaving the city, I still had one place to visit.
We walked through the streets of the shopping district, heading toward Gudou's store. Several days had passed, and I wanted to check how she was doing with the idea I had given her.
It did not take long before we arrived. The outside looked the same as always, but now there was a stronger air of success around the place. Inside, the store was far more organized, and portraits of various people decorated the walls.
After wandering for a few minutes, Gudou finally appeared from behind the counter.
"Oh, Lucia-sama, what brings you here today?"
"Hello again, Gudou. I just wanted to take a look. It seems the idea worked."
"Of course. I never imagined it would be such a fantastic tool. Thanks to it, I am receiving orders even from nobles in the capital. I cannot express how grateful I am for allowing me to create such a wonderful device."
"Don't worry. I'm glad it went well."
Honestly, I am not surprised it became such a hit. The invention I gave her was revolutionary in my world.
The camera.
Or rather, a magical version of an 1850 camera. It can develop images directly onto special canvas paper and is far easier to produce. Instant images, convenience, and reliability make it incredibly valuable, so its popularity was expected.
"Lucia-sama, who is the little one in your arms?"
"Oh, this is my daughter Gabriela." Gabriela waved. "Hello."
"Lucia-sama has a daughter?"
"Well, a lot happened. And here she is."
"Ancients usually have dozens of children, though Majin rarely feel the desire to reproduce. Is it alright for you to have a daughter at this age?"
I could only laugh bitterly. I had become used to other races calling me old. Among demons, the elderly are respected, so it works in my favor.
"Leaving that aside, I wanted to give you this as thanks for helping me."
Gudou brought out two crystal spheres.
"Communicators?"
These were tools for long distance communication. Their range depended on the user's magic or the sphere's quality. They were extremely valuable and difficult to produce since mastering sacred magic, wind magic, and space time magic was required.
"It was difficult to obtain them, but even this is not enough to repay the favor you granted me. Please accept them."
"Then, I will take them."
Not that I needed them. I could speak directly into someone's mind from across the galaxy. My head is basically a free phone with unlimited coverage.
"By the way, I also have this."
Gudou pulled out a letter.
"What is this?"
"A letter of recommendation for the inventors' guild. After seeing your camera design, I am convinced Lucia-sama possesses amazing talent. If possible, when you visit the capital, please drop by. Many of my acquaintances are there."
"I see. I'll think about it. See you next time, Gudou."
"Bye bye."
"Have a safe trip."
After Gabriela waved her little hand, we left the store and went back toward the inn. There was nothing else to do today.
"So what do we do with these?"
I pointed at the crystal spheres.
"Nothing, really. Neither of us needs these to communicate. Let's keep them anyway. They might become useful someday."
"It is a gift. Throwing them away would be rude."
Maybe I could give one to Celes.
With those random thoughts, we prepared for tomorrow. My adorable daughter sang a strange, incomprehensible song on the way back. Perhaps I should teach her an instrument when she gets older.
The next morning, we arrived at the wealthy district and stood before a large mansion, though smaller than mine back in the Vanaheim Forest. This was the residence of the city's lord, where Celes was staying.
I handed the guard Celes's letter. She panicked and rushed inside.
After ten minutes, Celes finally came out, accompanied by two men. One was the knight I helped during that armored bear incident, and the other looked around forty five, well dressed, with a very distracting mustache.
"Lucia-san, it has been a while."
"Hello, Celes. You seem busy. I have not seen you since we arrived. Working nonstop for over a week is not healthy."
"There is nothing to worry about. I am stronger than I look."
She flexed her slender arm proudly. Celes, you will always be adorable.
"May I ask who the gentleman is?"
"Nice to meet you. I govern this city in my father's name, Count Asarina. I am Patrick Landes Asarina. I have heard about you, Your Majesty."
"Nice to meet you as well."
He seemed like a serious and decent man. But that mustache… truly distracting. Who are you? Dr. Eggman?
"Lucia, if possible, could we discuss the details of my request? There are several things I want to explain."
Before I could answer, Celes suddenly pointed at Gabriela sleeping in Maria's arms.
"Who is the girl with Maria-san?"
Gabriela fell asleep on the way, so I handed her to Maria. She might not fit comfortably against my chest.
So, how should I tell Celes that Gabriela is my daughter? I wonder how she will react.
"She is my daughter Gabriela."
I placed my hands on my hips and proudly presented my little girl.
Silence.
Everyone froze with their eyes wide open, as if something in their brains had crashed.
Several minutes passed before someone finally regained control of their mind.
"What? Lucia-sama has a daughter?"
It was Celes, of course.
"Several things happened. I'll explain inside."
We entered the mansion and sat in a reception room. After explaining the story Maria and I decided on, Celes nodded in understanding.
"I see. So that's how it was."
"Yes. It hasn't been long since she came."
The story was that I left my daughter with my clan while I traveled to cure an illness. After three years, I recovered, and they sent Gabriela to me. Much better than telling them she came from an egg.
"Anyway, Celes, I read your letter. I will accept your request."
"Really? Thank you so much. My father was pleased as well and approved it immediately. I hope it is not an inconvenience."
"No worries. We were planning to leave the city."
"Even so, I feel bad for taking your time away from your daughter."
"It is fine. I am not separating from her. She may be small, but she is still quite strong."
I brushed Gabriela's silky hair.
"Departure will be in three days. Sir Patrick will also lend some elite knights."
"More strength is always welcome."
Patrick gave a stiff, awkward smile, likely remembering the trouble he was in when I rescued him.
"Mm… mama?"
Gabriela woke up and looked around in confusion. She crawled across Maria's lap and sat beside me, holding onto my coat.
"Where?"
"We are in the place I mentioned earlier. Look, that is the beautiful princess I told you about."
Gabriela turned toward Celes, who was blushing intensely, covering her cheeks with her hands.
The moment Gabriela heard "princess," her eyes sparkled. She hurried toward Celes.
I often read her fairy tales, so this reaction was expected.
"Is Onee-chan a princess?"
Gabriela looked up at Celes. For a moment, I thought I saw hearts in Celes's eyes.
"That's right. Onee-chan is a princess. And you are an angel fallen from heaven."
"Hehehe, that tickles."
Celes could not help cuddling Gabriela. It completely broke her elegant posture.
On the other hand, Patrick whispered to himself while wiping tears.
"I wish my daughter had stayed that adorable when she was small."
It seems his daughter has entered her rebellious phase.
I wonder if Gabriela will become rebellious someday. I hope she never says she hates me.
After that, we returned to the inn. Several days passed, and it was finally time to leave for the royal capital.