After Retirement, Living a Stud Life in Another World - 84
Chapter 84: Earth Mother Goddess Beatrice
The slender upper body, which fit snugly in my arms, was struggling with short, labored breaths. When I took her hand, I felt an unusually cold sensation and a slight tremor. Ah, she really pushed herself to the limit.
“Well done, Beatrice. That’s enough for now. Let’s leave the rest to nature.”
“N-no… If we stop here, the harvest will be only about half of normal… The people will undoubtedly starve.”
“If you push yourself too hard and collapse, it won’t help anyone. With half the harvest, we’ll request additional support from the capital and manage somehow.”
“Just a little more…”
Seeing Beatrice lower her long lashes in anguish squeezed my heart. But I couldn’t let her collapse from magic exhaustion here. After all, the entire army had acknowledged her as their new leader. She needed to maintain a dignified appearance in front of the soldiers for a while longer.
So we stayed like that, just holding each other tightly, for what felt like only a few minutes. Though I think only a few minutes had passed, I suddenly realized that warmth had returned to Beatrice’s hand that I was holding. The trembling had subsided, and when I peered at her cheek, I saw a faint blush on her girlish skin.
“Lutz, please, let go for a moment.”
Quickly releasing her from my embrace, Beatrice regained her composure, albeit with a curious expression, and firmly planted her feet on the ground, facing forward.
“I don’t know why, but I feel really good now.”
As she said that, she began another long incantation. Seeing me trying to stop her in a hurry, she gently restrained me with her left hand, showing a remarkable calmness. Though I was somewhat worried, I decided to trust her instincts.
In response to Beatrice’s magic, the wheat in front of us began to grow once more. A lush green view spread across every corner of the farmland, and the wheat in the foreground had already turned a pale yellow, bearing firm ears. Cheers erupted from the people and soldiers. While I was more concerned about Beatrice than the fields, her expression remained calm, and a smile, visible only to me, graced her lips. For some reason, she seemed to be in really good spirits now.
“Please, once again, from behind.”
At her blunt request, I hastily pressed myself against her delicate body. It couldn’t be helped that I instinctively pulled back a bit. In such close contact, I, like a monkey, might get excited in the wrong places. Perhaps understanding my thoughts, Beatrice’s lips curled upward.
“All right, the final touch.”
It was a mysterious sight. The green carpet before us gradually turned into a golden hue. Slowly but surely, Beatrice’s magic nurtured life, bringing forth abundant harvests. While she couldn’t perform flashy acts of slaughter like my mother or Liese, her magic was incredibly gentle, embracing everything like a mother’s love. Well, it’s not easy to see her as a loving mother when she’s expressionless and as cold as porcelain, but still…
And then, Beatrice let out a deep sigh. It signified that her magic had reached a satisfactory level of completion. Now, as far as the eye could see, the wheat fields were a golden sea, heavy with ripe ears.
“T-This is…”
“To think you could make the wheat bear fruit in just one day!”
“Princess Beatrice, thank you so much!”
The beautiful princess who saved the people from famine before their very eyes. It was natural for everyone to praise her. But from here on out, dealing with the people of this medieval world was going to be a hassle.
“It’s a miracle! The princess who can perform such miracles must be a goddess!”
“Come to think of it, doesn’t Princess resemble the statue of the Earth Mother Goddess in the church?”
“That’s right! Princess Beatrice must be the incarnation of the Earth Mother Goddess!”
“Earth Mother Goddess Beatrice!”
No, no, gods don’t just descend so easily, you know? And about Princess resembling the Earth Mother statue… wasn’t that in the church, a plaster statue? It’s totally normal for Beatrice, who is usually called a “porcelain doll,” to look similar, right? It’s going to be troublesome if she’s deified for no reason…
When I glanced at Beatrice in bewilderment, there stood before me a girl, unlike her usual self, with a smile of genuine affection, much like a mother showering love upon her child. Although she couldn’t shine in battle, the joy of being able to save the people from suffering with her own power overflowed in her eyes, on her lips, and in the soft, relaxed cheeks.
“Thank you, Lutz. I never thought a day like this would come. Everyone cherishes me.”
“It’s all thanks to Beatrice’s power. You were born with the strength befitting a queen. Believe in yourself and keep moving forward.”
“No, I couldn’t have done it alone. You thought of the plan, gathered the people, assigned roles… And in the end, you gave me strength, though I don’t really understand how.”
“… … … … …”
“I can’t imagine a life without you anymore, Lutz. So please… stay with me forever. Stand by my side, watching over me until the day my life in this world comes to an end.”
Oh, could this also be considered a reverse proposal??