Miss Lan and I decide to talk with Mister Dongu and the others about Mister Nirushi’s wish to save his fellow cat beast people.
Mister Nirushi looks a lot better after crying and finally talking about what was on in his mind. I couldn’t have made him feel better on my own, it’s all because Miss Lan went with me. She really is great.
I don’t know if we can go rescue his friends, but I’d like to go if we could. I’ve heard about slavery, and I honestly think that system is awful. Deciding that some people are above and below others is terrible.
Everyone in here thinks we should keep that away from this village.
As I think about this, I hear that Miss Wetani is in labor.
I hurry up and go where she is. Her house is on top of a tree, just like all the other elves’, but that’s become a problem ever since she got pregnant, so she’s been staying in a place called the clinic that the healers set-up.
She’s doing her best in this clinic, so I wait outside, but I can’t calm down and start talking to people around me. A lot of villagers have gathered here.
It’s the first time a child’s been born in this village.
Everyone looks both nervous and excited. I’m just a kid, so I’ve never experienced this. In the village where I was born women had babies, but I was never allowed to get close.
But… I’ve also heard that people can die from having a baby.
Birthing a new life is apparently very difficult. It’s something to be happy about, but it’s also scary thinking we could lose a friend.
I start getting anxious as I keep thinking about this. Miss Wetani is important to me, so I pray for her to safely deliver a healthy baby.
“A baby…”
“I’m concerned.”
“Is the baby going to be born without issue?”
“I want a little brother, so I hope it’s a boy.”
A lot of people around me sound nervous.
I don’t care if it’s a boy or a girl, I’m happy either way. Just the fact that a new life is being born into this village makes me happy.
If he’s a boy, he’ll be like a little brother, if she’s a girl, she’ll be like a little sister. I’ve never had a little brother or sister, so I want to cherish this baby.
Still, my heart keeps pounding. I really hope the baby is born healthy. I think people are gathered like this because they’re worried too.
“The baby has been born!”
This voice is heard in the middle of all the commotion. Miss Zeshihi says the baby’s been born.
It would be a problem if people started going inside uninvited, so they only go in with the permission of Miss Zeshihi and the other healers, and not all at once.
When my turn comes, I go in.
Miss Wetani is lying on a bed, and looks tired. There’s a small bed next to hers, that was built when we learned that she was pregnant. There weren’t any clothes for a baby in this village either, so people made some. I helped make things for the baby too.
The baby looks cute sleeping on this small bed. They’re tiny, but I can see the pointed elven ears.
It feels weird seeing a tiny baby. This little baby is going to be big one day. Life really is strange.
“Is it a boy or a girl?”
I ask, because I can’t tell just by looking, and I’m told he’s a baby boy elf.
Miss Wetani’s spirit is next to the baby, looking happy. The spirit was looking forward to the baby being born too.
One day, this baby is probably going to form a contract with a spirit too.
“The baby, is so cute. Have you decided, on a name?”
I ask, and I’m told that the baby doesn’t have a name yet, and Miss Wetani will tell me later.
My turn ends, and I leave. Once things calm down, I’ll come see the baby again.
—Girl and the birth of a new life
(A new life is born into the miko’s village, and the entire village is happy.)
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