Chapter 41: Chapter Forty – In which Ark explains the difference between Science and Magic to Prima and Vera, and ponders if he will actually violate Stella.

The next bit of time was explaining to Prima how that wasn’t actually the case. She wasn’t aware of it at the moment, but Prima was about to become one of the most educated goblins in this cave after learning about artificial insemination from me.

“Sound like trick!”

“It is… it’s a trick against nature and life itself, but it works.”

“Evil human magic? Like Old One say?”

“It’s not magic, Prima. In fact, it’s the exact opposite of magic. It’s called science.”

“Science?”

“It’s the study of how all the things in the whole world work. Why the sky is blue, how the moon and the world spin around the sun, all the different kinds of air that you can’t see but are still there for you to breathe, how hard or weak each stone or metal is… if you can think of it, there is a science related to it.”

Vera had dashed out of her room while holding the sharpened bone and sat down next to me just then.

“Science?”

“Well, hello to you too, Vera.” I said, patting her head. “Yes. One example is states of matter. For instance, …let me hold the bone for a second. Don’t worry Prima, I won’t use any magic… Vera will. Vera, can you go get the topaz I left on your shelf? Bring your sapphire as well.”

I began drawing a cube with five sides on the floor next to the table, so that it would have an open top. On each of the five sides on the inside there were three runes used for making things cold. It was attached to an activation formula which Vera took charge of initializing with her mana. The singular open-sided cube took shape, to which I picked up and put in Vera’s hand.

“Vera, go fill the inside of this with water from the basin on the wall and bring it back.”

She did as I asked and I put the cube on the table.

“Okay, now, visualize that you are the power rune here and touch your sapphire to the cube and activate it.”

In short order the water in the open-sided cube began to frost over. I waited about a full minute before I turned it upside down and shook it, letting the frozen cube fall out onto the table.

“This is a state of matter called frozen. As long as the temperature remains below a certain level, it will remain frozen solid. But if it gets hotter, it will melt and turn back into water. That state is called liquid. Then, if you heat it up further, the water turns into air and disappears, and that state is called gas, which is what the clouds in the sky are made of. Knowing this, you can do many things, including making poisonous things no longer poisonous, or make them more poisonous.”

Vera went to fill the cube a few more times and soon there were about half a dozen ice cubes on the table thanks to her repeating the ice cube experiment.

“If you have a waterskin with a big enough hole, or if you put those ice cubes back in the water basin, you could make the water cold. Not cold enough to freeze it, but cold enough that it tastes very good when it is hot outside.”

Prima was staring at the ice cubes.

“Husband say opposite magic, but still use magic.”

“You aren’t wrong. Umm… how do I explain it… do you ever see the flashing thunder in the sky when it rains?”

Prima nodded.

“Humans have a way to make it with certain metals. It is used in place of magic. No runes involved. Instead something called a motor is used. That allows certain metal things to move on their own, and with certain long metal sticks with the insides hollow, liquids that do not turn to ice cubes like that are filled in it, then wind is blown on those metals by other turning metal pieces that look like flowers, and wind cold enough to make these ice cubes happens.”

“Sky fire, metal stick, cold wind, make… ice cubes?”

“Prima, it’s okay to think I’m crazy. It sounds crazy to me, too. But it’s real and it works. It is made for humans who can’t use magic formulas or force magic. I personally think it’s easier to use magic, but that doesn’t mean I don’t use science to help me with my magic. Knowing science is very important actually… magic is the opposite because it tries to change what science says about something. But magic can also work perfectly with science.”

“Vera, know what Husband say?”

Vera loosely nodded and shook her head.

“Learn.”

“I’ll teach you science too, Vera. Don’t worry.”

Vera hugged me.

I had been keeping an eye on Stella who was still sitting on the bed. Her eyes were on all three of us goblins, though she was doing her best to keep it discreet. Was she hearing me in the human language, or was she hearing me speak in goblin? Either way, I have no doubt she is going to call me a traitor to humanity when I talk to her again.

“I want to teach all the strong ones science and magic. Even if they can’t use magic, they can at least benefit from knowing science. For instance, if the goblins who hunt catch something, with a knife we can take it apart and I can point out all the parts of it, what they do, and what, if damaged, will kill it in the fastest way. They could learn where to strike and how to hunt more efficiently. Less danger, more food.”

“Husband teach how kill better?”

“Yes.”

“By the way,” I pointed to my temple, to my jugular vein, to my heart, to my lungs, to my liver, and to my thighs. “These points kill humans the fastest.”

“Why teach Prima how kill human fast?”

“Mercy. Whether it’s me… or another human. If they must be killed, at least aim for a place to kill them quickly.”

“Husband think need kill that one?” Prima asked, obviously meaning Stella.

“I hope not. I can’t say I want her to have to suffer having a strong one from my big-seed, but it has to be better than death.”

“Husband, Not take long when pick time give human female big seed.”

“I know. But making a decision to become a monster… I hope you’ll at least let me think about it for a little while longer.”

Prima sighed.

“Seed-stick work again, Husband not want goblin woman now have human?”

“Yeah, no. It’s not like I don’t enjoy giving you goblins big seed, or care if it’s a human or not that I’m giving it to. But… why didn’t you tell me about what happened that night with Doll?”

“Not think Husband forget. Husband give Doll much big seed… me too. Think enough big seed make all bellies fat like Berry and Lily.”

“I haven’t seen Doll around. Is she avoiding me?”

“Want bring Doll cave-hole?”

I shook my head.

“No. But if you see her, can you let her know I’m sorry, and that it wasn’t in any way her fault, but mine?”

“Prima tell when see.” Prima said.

“Thanks.”

I leaned back onto the ground with my legs under the stone table. My thoughts moving to how a human woman’s pussy would feel compared to a goblin’s. I could only think of how my life felt like some trashy adults-only web novel now. Well, at least it was relatively vanilla. I don’t think I could handle the stronger stuff.

Oh, reporting in on the state of the breeding room. I’ve been steadily building the auditorium area. I’m not done with it yet. I also made an area with a number of fun games for the little ones to play. Lily’s doing great in recovering from her childbirth, and Berry is still stopping in from time to time to help her. I offer to watch Diana, Orchid, and Lilac whenever either mama wants a break. I will totally pay Berry back for all of her help somehow. Ivory got the blue water she wanted, and both her and Truffle have also begun to show well.

I don’t know the status of Fish-catcher, having somehow not seen her lately.

Of the three remaining goblins that I still need to give big seed to, Many-maker should be next. She’s a rather plain jane, even as far as goblins go, but she might be a hopeful addition to the ones I’ve given a name to. She makes things! It’s mostly out of mud or wood, but damn if I don’t have access to a potential maker of something. I’m hoping I can get my dick in working order again, because she seems rather friendly, and I want to solidify good relations with her as soon as possible.

I also want to meet with Doll again.

I want to make the weight room and pump iron with her.

Gah! Why did I have to fuck things up with her. I actually liked hanging out with Doll.

This sucks.

“Husband!”

While I was distracted in thought, Vera sat on my face.

This cheeky little brat!

I guess you need some punishment!

Just because my thing is on the fritz doesn’t mean I’m not doing my part as a Husband. I’ve actually got a sore jaw because of it. Lily’s not 100% yet, but she’s walking fairly well now. Diana stops by to see me on her own sometimes now, but she still won’t call me daddy. She only calls me Husband, like all the others. Orchid and Lilac call me daddy though, so that’s one thing that makes me incredibly happy!

I really don’t know what to do with Stella.

Ugh, my thoughts are all over the place.

Even Vera’s belly is showing. I’m such a criminal. Maybe I should just embrace it and rape Stella?

I wish I was charming enough to have her consent to it. I don’t want her to die, but I also don’t want her to hate any child I might potentially create with her. I’m fine with accepting her cursing me to the depths of hell. I wouldn’t expect anything less from a woman I have to force myself on.

I’m really convinced now that the Great Protector is some high-level demon.

It’s just that the two other options are mostly improbable. Celestial beings wouldn’t bother helping out races like goblins in the first place. And dragons? From what I know they are exactly as you’d expect. Isolationists who like to hoard treasures and possess ancient magic. I can’t imagine one bothering to interfere in the lives of a dozen and a half goblins.

What to do, what to do…?