The flow of time

Author’s note; Unfortunately, the poll in the previous chapter is broken somehow. Here’s a replacement, but this version includes the girls from all three active branches! https://strawpoll.com/dq4w62kdz

Time seems to blur after the victory over the demon lord. Everything calms down, and although you know there’s still problems to be solved, even that fades for a while. The first few weeks turn into months, and everyone is able to relax. People start moving into areas left depopulated by the wars, and refugees are able to return to their homes. Demon sightings are rare, and without a guiding influence, they become simply a dangerous wild animal.

Things happen around home as well. Pregnancies continue, with Kali and Clarissa both happily pregnant now. Maya excitedly shared with anyone who will listen about how she can feel her babies moving, and soon Anna and Lynn are gushing about it as well. Little Yura is quieter, but you often see her touch her growing stomach and smile.

Among the other girls, Sadie, Uzume, and Reika become a fixture, seen together more often than not, and become second only to Maya as crowd favorites in the city. The changeling bonds with the two goofball spirits, and her fears of being shunned are quickly dispelled.

Elys and Rachel also become great friends, spending enough time together that Maya actually gets a little jealous, though not seriously so. Rachel jokes that she’s stealing the gorgon away to protect her from pregnancy brain.

Clarissa and Kali also become a pair, with Samara generally hanging around them as well. The three of them train together, and talk about the future. Samara seems interested in their pregnancy, but conflicted on what to do herself. She doesn’t confide in you about it, but you can tell she’s considering asking you.

Anna and Lynn return to old habits of serving you to the best of their abilities. You try to get them to relax for the sake of their pregnancy, but they refuse. Anna insists that she wants to stay active, and Lynn follows Anna’s lead. The two of them seem happy, so you let it be.

Yura spends a lot of time swimming, often joined by others. Despite being quiet and seemingly lacking emotion, everyone loves the little selkie. Though she doesn’t show it, she definitely appreciates the affection, and finds small ways to return it.

As for yourself, you busy yourself with running the empire, though it’s less work than you expected. The people are generally happy, and your fellow leaders are available to give advice and assistance when needed. If anything, they seem happy to call you the leader.

You have some more rings made, for Sadie, Yura, Kali, Rachel, and Clarissa. You look into wedding traditions, only to find there aren’t any! Relationships are generally more casual in the old world, though longtime partners often refer to each other as husbands and wives. However, you feel something a little more formal is appropriate, especially as emperor. Your plans are delayed, however, as both Maya and Anna tell you they’d rather not be pregnant during that kind of ceremony.

Meanwhile, you’re starting to receive somewhat disturbing reports from outlying settlements. You hear stories of cattle being killed at night by mysterious attackers, and hunters finding animals killed and partially eaten in the forest. Occasionally, these stories come with sightings of humanoid figures, glimpsed in the moonlight. However, no people are ever harmed during these events, and no one can give a description of the attackers. There’s not much you can do but monitor the situation.

All in all, it’s a peaceful few months. While it’s enjoyable, part of you knows that it’s only a matter of time before the wind changes.