The Achievement Junkie

"I… I can help you raise a granddaughter, can't I?"

All the women, including Lina, stared back at Jack. That statement shook all of their hearts.

Dragas stared at Jack with neither a smile nor a frown, curious. "What do you mean by that?"

Swallowing more of his nerves, Jack managed to reply while motioning to Eliza, "Well… If you make Eliza your daughter… Then you can help raise your granddaughter."

"Jack, that's very different, though," replied Dragas. "It wouldn't be the same as bearing my own child. And isn't Eliza in your party, meaning she'll be busy adventuring and isn't prepared to raise a child?"

"That's where you come in…" Jack replied, still too uncomfortable to easily mention such an idea. "After labor… Eliza could resume her travels with us and leave the child-raising to you… That's something that even Lunara doesn't get to do."

Touching on Dragas's competitive side as a woman, Jack noticed the goddess begin to soften her stance and stare.

Still between the two of them, Eliza stood there silent with a face that got redder and redder by the second. Maura and Daliea were also blushing, staring at Eliza with both nervousness and a tinge of jealousy.

"You're saying that I would get to raise the child?" asked Dragas.

Jack nodded. "Y-you would have to join the Leisure Guild and relocate to Trodar, but yes."

"And what about Lunara? Wouldn't it also be her grandchild? If she'll eventually be moving to Gilga as well, wouldn't she want to help raise it?" reasoned Dragas.

"Knowing her, I'm sure she would want to help raise it," Jack replied with a sigh.

Dragas shook her head lightly, disappointed. "Then that wouldn't do."

"Why not? It would still be your grandchild and you could hold her every day. Is that not what you wanted?" asked Jack.

"That…" Dragas tried to respond but couldn't think of a reply off the top of her head.

Shrugging, Jack looked back to his wives. "If you're not able to accept that, then maybe we'll have Eliza go pledge to some other god. What magic types does Guuro have again?"

"Don't you dare let such a beautiful women pledge to that disgusting man!" Dragas shouted, stepping up to the blushing Eliza.

The goddess carefully examined Eliza's face and figure, nodding and admiring it. Finally, the goddess sighed. "You're quite beautiful, Eliza. In that regard, you're definitely worthy of being my daughter. And of all his wives, you seem like the temptress of the three, a quality that we share. Tell me, why should I consider letting you bear my grandchild?"

The wording that Dragas used made Eliza's head turn tomato red. Words couldn't be formed in her mind as she was completely overwhelmed by the situation and the topic at hand. Having never discussed such a topic with Jack prior only made things much, much worse for her.

"Eliza," Jack spoke softly to his wife, "you don't have to agree to this. I'm sure we can find you another blessing that's just as good as Dragas's. What I said before was hypothetical and for the future, so don't--"

"I wouldn't dare consider it unless she agrees to get pregnant as soon as possible," Dragas added, not letting Jack's comforting words have much footing.

Jack took a deep breath. "Eliza… Really, you don't have to--"

"Jack…" Eliza finally formed a word, stopping Jack from saying anything more. "I… I wouldn't mind… if you wouldn't…"

At that moment, Eliza turned to face Jack. Her eyes were wet and her stare was the softest Jack had ever felt. Never had Jack seen Eliza look so fragile yet so heart-warming. It gave him an overwhelming desire to protect her and that beautiful fragility she showed.

"If you want to…" Jack paused, startled to be admitting such a thing. "If you want to, then I'm willing."

Embracing Jack, Eliza had practically forgotten about Dragas, who was standing in front of the couple.

The goddess watched the display in front of her. She sighed, touched by the feelings that Jack and Eliza shared. It reminded her of Eliza's earlier words, "Why do you love Jack? … Would you lay down your life for Jack?"

"If you two are serious," Dragas spoke up, regathering everyone's attention, "then I'm willing to make Eliza my daughter. But I won't leave here until the baby is almost born. Do you agree to those terms, Eliza?"

Wiping her eyes with her hand, Eliza nodded slowly.

Amazed that she was agreeing to this as a goddess, Dragas shook her head and laughed. Another second later, Dragas recomposed herself. She stepped forward and pulled Eliza in for a tender hug. Lights bloomed out of Eliza, marking her as the next demigod.

Jack was startled. He was feeling emotional and was extremely attentive to what was going on. So, when three different colors of light bloomed as ethereal flowers around Eliza before fading away, Jack was again at a loss for words.

When Dragas stepped back, she noticed Jack's confusion and smiled. "You didn't know I wield three magic types, did you?"

Jack, as well as the others, nodded at the goddess. The beasts were especially surprised as they had sensed what those three magic types were.

"That's probably because you ancient heroes always classified us Neutral Gods by our blessings and not our capabilities," Dragas stated. "I may not be the greatest fighter, but I'm the strongest enchantress of all the gods, including the other two factions. Can you believe that?"

"Then…" Thinking about the different colored lights that came from Eliza a moment ago, Jack concluded, "Then, you wield nature, holy, and dark magic?"

"Yup!" Dragas replied with a proud smile. "Aren't you glad to have a mother as powerful as me?"

"D-Dragas, I--"

"Eliza is my daughter, making me your mother, Jack," Dragas stated, not letting Jack deny her. "If you refuse to call me that, then you can forget my relocation to the Leisure Guild. That goes for you and all of your wives."

"Y-yes, Mother," Jack replied with a smile.

"Good, now, where was I?" Dragas looked back to Eliza, smiling proudly at her new daughter. "I'm guessing you must wield at least one of my magic types and play a support role in the party since Jack willingly brought you here. So, tell me more about yourself, my dear."

"Right…" Eliza hesitated, not used to having a mother of her own and still filled with emotions from earlier. "I'm also an enchantress. I have nature magic but no other magic types."

"Nature magic? Good! That's my favorite kind," added Dragas. "As my beautiful daughter, you'll be able to use all sorts of pheromones to charm anyone and anything if used correctly. Also, you'll feel a great boost to all your nature spells, so I'm sure your party will be glad to have you."

"Y-yes…"

Dragas tilted her head and gingerly asked, "What's wrong? Do you not like to call me mother?"

"No, it's just that… I've never really had a mother," replied Eliza. "My mom passed away when I was young so I don't remember her well."

"Oh, then let me fill in that void in your heart." Dragas reached out and embraced Eliza again, more tenderly and caringly than the first time. The goddess spoke quietly, barely letting Eliza hear Dragas's whisper, "It must've been hard growing up, to become such a woman without a motherly figure to help you. From now on, you can count on me for that. Your father must've been a great man to have raised you so well."

This time, Eliza hugged Dragas back. She could sense the genuine warmth of the goddess's heart.

Happy to feel her daughter returning her embrace, Dragas added, "Should you need me, for anything, just let me know."

Dragas didn't want to admit it but she felt so elated to have a daughter. It wasn't the same as Dragas bearing her own child and she understood that. However, how could Dragas not feel relieved to finally have a daughter of any kind after dreaming about it for more than a millennium?