Witnessing all the changes brought by the coming festival was something else. Merchants and youth seeking to participate joined from all over. With the presence of powerful individuals all influenced to come out of interest to see what Grandmaster Slate’s true purpose at this gathering was. Our town swelled with the influx of people, and the town guard desperately pulled in older and younger townsfolk, hoping to stabilize the town until the newcomers had adjusted to life within our walls.
The carpenters and craftsmen had worked overtime building up both mass residences and luxury homes. Even then there was too much work to do, and those who would normally contribute to the construction were busy making their showpieces. However, even worse was the number of people from the kingdom's center. The tide of fresh meat drew a large number of dangerous monsters to our walls. Dad and the other knights were occupied trying to clear out swathes of predators hunting the unprepared migrants seeking glory by showing off their city skills in a dingy border town.
Yes, a lot of those who did make it to our village were snobby and dumb. They didn’t understand just how dangerous the forest outside was and were often uncooperative with the village guard. The village was quickly becoming a dangerous area even with all the able-bodied idle villagers (including Grandpa) being drafted to try to organize the chaos. Eventually Mom decided that it wasn’t safe enough for Nixie, Reesia, and Crescent to go back and forth between our home and the orphanage. The next day everyone was shocked when Mom announced
“Would you three like to be my daughters?” For a bit everyone was stunned while Mom pulled out the town's documentation for adoption. I break from my stunned silence and can’t help but laugh. It was very Mom's way to make decisions like this and drop them on us without a hint. I can’t help but remember when she brought us all the way to Port Town without forewarning Dad. If there is anything that describes Mom, it’s decisive on big matters. The girls look at the forms or clutch them tightly, but it's a very wholesome moment.
“Hold onto those forms till after the festival. The town's admins are a bit too busy to deal with a formality like this. Oh! I also got some ingredients for a cake from a merchant! It’s been so long since I made one, and I thought everyone would like to celebrate!”
It is an exciting day! I didn’t make a big outburst, but I fully supported Mom’s decision. I shared a look with the girls full of reassurance. Nixie smiled cunningly but also sincerely, like she had long anticipated something like this would happen. Reesia held a stoic look that seemed vaguely too righteous? Then there was Crescent, whose eyes were already red with tears as she clutched the form tightly to her chest as if afraid it would run away. Callia and I quietly came to a decision to leave them to process Mom’s offer and left to help Mom bake the first cake we would get in this life.
Dad got home last night buzzing with excitement, and seeing the cake on the table seemed a bit disappointed.
“I take it you already told them?”
Mom just snickered at his disappointment and urged
“It’s not too late for you to tell them.”
I got the same feeling I usually got before Mom sprung one of her traps. Dad just smiled in exasperation but humored Mom, pulling her into a side hug. And smiling at me, Sis, and all my other sisters-to-be.
“Your mom’s pregnant!” Again, shock and gasping, Crescent is so shocked she actually drops the form she had insisted on holding at all times.
“YES!” Callia jumps up in victory, having long pushed for another sibling from Mom and Dad. The family eventually settles in for a heartwarming dinner, and at some point Mom casually tells Dad she had adopted the girls, another shock for him, but he seemed well inclined to the idea. It seemed in a single afternoon my family had grown from 5 to 9.
The end of the year drew near, and the family bonding activities (violent combat training) had ramped up into an advanced stage. Grandpa wasn’t there to push us since he was busy keeping order or sleeping in the little free time he had. However, that didn’t mean we didn’t push ourselves well beyond the typical limits. With Callia leading the sister squad, they were all preparing for a life of extreme survival, and of course I was being brought into that lifestyle too. The day before the festival began, my sisters and I shared our statuses to see where we stood.
Failed inspection
The village of Port Town was an absolute mess. That's right, village, and even then this place could barely even be called a village. The terrifying encounter with monsters on the road to this town had long soured him against these people. Not only had he nearly been eaten by worms growing in some roadside tree, but they tried to hold everyone up for inspections! Well, he was having none of it. Instead he put to use his high-level Erase Presence to pass by the guards holding him from finding whatever dingy inn this place had.
Turns out the town was completely unprepared for some Dwarf big shot to come, and now everything was spiraling out of control. Despite skipping the inspection, he couldn’t find anyone willing to house a traveler. The ingrates of this miserable village would pay a price after he found a noble sponsor. The right words to his future boss, and whatever idiot hadn’t prepared this village will learn what it means to face noble wrath.
The environment clearly didn’t agree with him, as frequent headaches led him to huddle in an alleyway. Honestly, he had never felt this trash before, but it wouldn’t be long until the competitions began. It would be the perfect opportunity to prove his worth to a noble patron and set himself on the high road to a life of luxury.
Groaning, he tried to ignore the discomfort in his chest, quietly urging the next two days to pass quickly so he could leave this shitty place. So caught up in his misery, he never noticed the shifting of something beneath his skin. He eventually fell into a sleep, from which he never awoke, and in the flesh beneath his skin, something bred and multiplied.
