Chapter 127: Choice
“…I have something very, very unfortunate to tell you.”
Hisui said this to me with a sorrowful expression as I stood there in a daze.
“No matter what I tried, I couldn’t find a way for two women to get pregnant. If only I had a penis, there wouldn’t have been any problem…”
Hisui looked genuinely frustrated.
No, I don’t think that would have solved all the problems.
I mean, sure, it’s less uncomfortable than being embraced by a man, but still…
“Not even science or magic could do anything…”
“I get the science part, but… you looked into magic too? How…?”
“I asked a man named Aymok.”
“…What?”
“I met him to ask whether it was possible to transfer a soul into a fetus using Soul Manipulator magic. There’s no way I’d suggest something like this without some kind of basis, right? Besides, I couldn’t exactly ask Alicia.”
“You met Aymok!?”
“Yes.”
“Did you go with Souta…?”
“No, I went alone. I didn’t want anyone to overhear.”
What the hell is Hisui doing!?
Aymok was just humiliated by Souta recently.
And she went to meet someone like that alone?
“That was way too reckless! Do you have any idea how dangerous that man is!?”
“Oh, I’ve heard plenty about that. But when I actually met him, he wasn’t someone you couldn’t talk to. He looked exasperated when I told him I was Souta’s sister, though.”
“It’s because you can talk to him that he’s even more dangerous. What if he slipped some kind of brainwashing spell into the conversation? You could’ve ended up accepting some insane condition without even realizing it!”
“But you went to see him alone, didn’t you? That was because you thought it was necessary to save Alicia, right?”
“Y-Yeah, that’s true, but…”
“Then I only did what I also believed was necessary. Are you really going to criticize me for doing the same thing you did?”
“But you’re a girl, Hisui… it’s just too dangerous.”
“I think you are doing a fine job of being a girl too, you know?”
“Th-That’s not the point…!”
“Well, I came back safe, so let’s not dwell on it. When I asked Aymok if it was possible to transfer a soul into a fetus through pregnancy, he actually seemed intrigued and said, ‘So that’s an option, huh?’ Apparently, there’s a historical case where a mother did exactly that.”
“…Why didn’t he tell me about that?”
“From what he said, it sounds like he didn’t think of it because the attempt ended in failure. The soul transfer itself succeeded, but because she transferred her own soul into the fetus, the mother’s body died, and so did the fetus.”
“I see…”
So it’s a method that only works because of the irregular condition of having two souls.
“After that, I asked if it was possible to use magic to grow a penis, and he just put his head in his hands… Honestly, how rude. I was being completely serious.”
…Aymok.
“Well, that aside. Even though I said what I did earlier, pregnancy is technically possible without sex. Specifically, through artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization.”
I’ve heard of those before.
They’re the methods where they insert collected sperm into the body, or something like that.
Hearing that does make me feel a bit more at ease.
If that’s the case, I might be able to go through with it without too much resistance…
“But there’s still a problem. In Japan, those methods are only allowed as infertility treatments. So under current regulations, someone like Alicia wouldn’t be able to receive them through legitimate means.”
“Ugh…”
“If it’s abroad, it might be possible. Why don’t you try asking your uncle, Alice?”
“Y-Yeah… you’re right.”
I do feel a bit pathetic relying on my parents so much, but the truth is, there’s no way I could have a child without their full support to begin with.
There’s no question I’ll need to explain the situation to them and ask for their help.
“If you’re going to act, I think the sooner the better. I believe Alicia has about three months left before her soul disappears.”
Even if you want a child, it doesn’t mean it’ll definitely happen—Hisui added.
That’s true. I need to properly research how pregnancy works.
“So, Alice, what are you planning to do?”
“It’s obvious… I’m going to give birth to Alicia.”
I declared this to Hisui.
“Do you really understand what you’re saying? If you get pregnant, you’ll have to drop out of school. More than that, until the child grows up, you’ll be completely tied down with raising them. Your youth, Alice, will be over.”
“…Yeah.”
If I can save Alicia, then that much I’m willing to accept.
The only reason I’m still here right now is because Alicia sacrificed everything for me.
“Also, pregnancy and childbirth put your life on the line. Especially for you, with a body about the size of a grade-schooler’s, the risks of childbirth are far higher than normal.”
I placed my hand on my lower stomach.
A baby would grow in there… and then, it would have to come out… from there, right…?
I can’t even picture it.
I’ve never even dared insert a finger before—just the thought terrifies me.
“Even if the soul transfer succeeds, there’s a high chance Alicia’s soul won’t be fully retained in the fetus. So the Alicia who’s born might not inherit her memories. You can’t even be sure she’ll have the same personality. In fact, you can’t choose the baby’s gender—so there’s a possibility Alicia could be reborn as a boy.”
And still, Hisui asked—do I truly wish to carry Alicia as my own child?
“…My answer doesn’t change. I want to live together with Alicia. If there’s even a single path to make that happen, then I will never give up.”
“…I see. I knew you’d say that.”
After hearing my answer, Hisui let out a sigh and said,
“…Alright. I’ve made up my mind too. No matter what happens, I’ll support you. That’s how I’ll take responsibility—for being the one who brought this to you in the first place.”
“You don’t need to feel responsible, Hisui. This is my own decision.”
“No. I already decided when I chose to tell you. I want to save Alicia too. And I’m your girlfriend, remember? Let me shoulder this with you.”
“…Thank you.”
I’m seriously lacking in knowledge, and everything feels so uncertain.
Honestly, I’m really grateful to have Hisui to lean on.
“If I remember right, today makes 24 days since your last period, doesn’t it, Alice? …Assuming a regular cycle, you’d be in the luteal phase right before your period. But since your cycle hasn’t stabilized yet, there’s still a non-zero chance of pregnancy… You haven’t been tracking your basal body temperature, have you?”
“Basal… body temperature?”
“As I thought,” Hisui said.
Does body temperature have something to do with getting pregnant…?
“M-More importantly—how do you even know that much about my cycle!?”
She knew way too much about my period—it was honestly a little unsettling.
“We’re both girls. If I’m around you every day, it’s not that hard to figure out.”
“R-Really…?”
“Yes, really.”
Hisui answered smoothly, as if it were obvious.
I have no idea about anyone else’s, though…
But now that I think about it, I’ve heard friends casually say stuff like, “It’s day X and I feel awful,” so maybe… if you remember things like that, you kind of get a sense for it?
…Yeah. I decided not to think too hard about it.
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