I shouldn't have done that…
Mother.
Father.
I am…
Sorry.
In a remote village.
It was quite a hectic day for Agar and his wife Callisto. They were expecting a child, but no one had told them it would be such a dramatic and tension-filled episode in their lives.. While weretigers were known for their above-average physical abilities, it seems that this did not apply during childbirth. Callisto was enduring a lot of pain and was hell-bent on sharing it with Agar by crushing his hand, which he had, oh so proudly, declared as the strongest support for her. Big mistake, might he add. Eileithyia the midwife really pitied them both. Callisto for experiencing a particularly painful childbirth and Agar for enduring a seasoned adventurer's handgrip. Still, she focused on her work, aiming to quickly deliver their baby and let them see the fruit of their painful efforts.
"Wah Wah," the newborn cried with great strength, which was always a good sign in Eileithyia's book. She had delivered many babies of different races as a midwife and knew what to check for in a healthy newborn of nearly every kind. Once she had finished checking everything, she handed the baby to the new parents—though Callisto held her first, as Agar was in no condition to do so.
'It seems stronger female adventurers recover faster than normal women—or even weaker adventurers—from childbirth. Or is it a species thing? Perhaps a combination of both. I should note this for future reference and observe her and the baby for a while.Fufufu… though this certainly looks comical—Agar looks like he's the one who just gave birth. Poor man.'
Eileithyia smiled happily at the new family she had helped bring together. However, hearing their next words made the smile on her face falter.
"So, is it a boy or a girl?" the new parents asked in unison, as if something important depended on the answer. Eileithyia was confused for a moment, then immediately became both angry and worried for the newborn. She had seen many parents abandon their children if they were not the desired gender, but she restrained herself from judging too quickly as she was quite familiar with both of them.
"It's a girl, but—"
"Yay! I won! Now—"
"Waaah Waaah!"
Eileithyia wanted to warn them that a child's gender should never determine love or care, but she was cut off by Agar's loud cheering—only for him to be cut off by his newborn daughter's cries.
Callisto elbowed Agar, then gently cooed and coaxed her daughter to sleep with practiced ease. Agar nearly doubled over in pain but still maintained a triumphant smile, as if he had just won the jackpot. Eileithyia was momentarily confused, but she could sense that the girl was neither being abandoned nor likely to be neglected. Which made her relaxed and happy for the child. Though she was curious as to what was going on.
"Care to explain what's going on here?" Eileithyia asked, her tone laced with curiosity.
"You see, this idiot and I made a bet. If it's a boy, I name him. But if it's a girl, then he gets to name the baby," Callisto explained with a hint of annoyance.
"And as you can see, I won—and she's just annoyed about it," Agar added, as if the blow he received moments ago had been an illusion.
"I am not annoyed," Callisto said with irritation.
"Then why did I feel that in your blow just now?" Agar asked with a wry smile.
"That's just your imagination," Callisto said, turning her head away from him.
"While I enjoy seeing happy family moments, you and your newborn need rest. I also need to observe you both to check for injuries, illnesses, or anything unusual," Eileithyia explained calmly, trying to maintain a peaceful atmosphere..
"Okay, Goddess," they both said respectfully. Eileithyia was a goddess of childbirth and midwifery, with Agar being a member of her familia. He was her bodyguard and protected her on her travels throughout the lower world. Her familia was small—just her, Agar, and Ilithyia.Ilithyia was her new apprentice, and like those before her, she would eventually settle in a different village to serve as both a midwife and a doctor. This was so that mortal children anywhere in the world could be welcomed into the world without complication or worry. Her apprentices also opened orphanages wherever they went, to ensure no child was left alone or neglected. Money might have been a problem, but the children who grew up in the orphanages always sent a large portion of their salaries back home. This was why Eileithyia always found joy in her work—because to her, a newborn was the purest and most sacred thing in the world.
'Even purer than the so-called three virgin goddesses,' thought Eileithyia dismissively.
"So what name have you decided on, Agar?" asked Eileithyia curiously.
"Arcas," said Agar proudly.
"Idiot, that sounds like a boy's name," Callisto said angrily, almost wanting to drop-kick him—if not for the fact that she was holding her baby girl.. It seemed his newborn daughter was already saving him from enduring more blows from his wife.
"Who decided that? And let me tell you—it's a great name, from a great figure in history," Agar said, defending his choice.
"Plus, we already agreed that I would get to pick the name if it's a girl. So keep your promise," Agar continued with growing confidence.
"Okay, okay, alright. So, welcome to this new world and new family, Arcas," said Callisto, looking down lovingly at her daughter.