The Demon Lord's Bride (BL)
Chapter 575: You should never forget about cultural differences when your partner is of another race

Chapter 575: You should never forget about cultural differences when your partner is of another race

It happened when we came back to the nursery because Neel wanted to say goodbye before returning to the Lair. Shwa had fallen asleep in Natha’s arms, as usual, and he had put the baby in the bassinet.

As we stood around the white cradle to watch him sleep, Neel asked quietly. "By the way, what should I call the baby?"

"Oh, we’re going to name him--"

"No!"

Blinking, I found my mouth clasped by Angwi while Zia and the nannies shouting in unison. Even Natha raised his hand--as if telling me to stop talking--before shifting to pick up Shwa who got woken up by the sudden strong exclaim.

"Uu...waa...waaah!"

"Oh, baby cry..."

"Ssh...shh...it’s alright, baby..." Natha swayed our crying child. "You must be surprised, huh? It’s okay, no one scolding you, and your Papa is just surprised."

Ah, was it because I was shocked by the reaction? This child was just like Jade--they sensed my feelings first before seeing it in my face. I glanced at Zia, who clasped her mouth, and the nannies, who profusely bowed apologetically. Sighing, I patted Angwi’s hand that was covering mine, and approached the crying baby in Natha’s arms.

"I’m fine, sweety," I held the tightly clenched fist and nuzzled my crying son. "Don’t be scared."

It took Shwa only three seconds to stop crying altogether and went back to sleep. Basically a flash. We waited a bit more to make sure he fell asleep before leaving him in the bassinet with Angwi and the nannies again.

"So, what’s that about?"

Once we were in the sitting room again, I crossed my arms and demanded an explanation. Zia fiddled with her fingers and replied in a careful tone. "U-umm...don’t you know that you shouldn’t reveal the baby’s name before?" she said. "It will bring bad luck."

"...what ceremony?" I tilted my head in confusion.

"Ah..."

Zia gasped and turned toward a softly exclaiming Natha. "Uncle! You didn’t tell him?!"

Huh? I glanced at the others, but the humans and the elf didn’t seem to know anything, and Neel was clueless--either because she was a transmigrator or because she was a recluse. So it seemed like something that only demons have. Cultural stuff? I turned to Natha, who was smiling awkwardly.

"It slipped my mind that Valen might not know about this," he said while reaching out his hand to my waist.

"You!" I slapped his hand away and glared at him, smacking his arm while at it. "What would happen if I accidentally blurted it out before anyone could stop me?!"

It didn’t matter if it was superstitious--how dare he neglect to prevent me from putting bad luck on our son?!

"Ouch--ah, my apologies, sweetheart..."

I smacked him for a bit more since Jade wasn’t there to witness us until I was satisfied before addressing my curiosity. "Why, though?"

"Because names are tied to one’s soul and identity," Zia explained while pointing at my chest. "It should be cleaned in the sacred fire during the naming ceremony."

"Everyone does that?"

"Every demon, yes," Natha nodded and led me to the couch--which meant it might turn into a rather long explanation. Neel looked reluctant, but also curious, and in the end took a seat again. "Well, the process isn’t very complicated. The citizens usually just come to the Temple and ask one of the clerics to perform it."

"Five to ten minutes is enough, so there’s no need to make an appointment too," Zia added. "Of course, if they want to make it a bit lavish, they can make an appointment for a designated day and time before returning for a party or banquet."

"Oh?"

Zarfa and Aina perked up at the mention of a banquet, and leaned forward in rapt attention. "Please elaborate!"

Why were you more excited than me?

"Well, it’s also a way to introduce the baby to the neighborhood," Zia continued, before turning toward me. "Which means, for someone of your stature, it would be a big, big event."

"A Demon Lord and a Druid Prince--make sense," Zarfa stroked her chin and nodded, which only made me groan.

"Ugh," I covered my face at the thought of another banquet. Not that I didn’t like the thought of many people celebrating my baby’s arrival, but these kinds of events truly drained me. "Why did no one tell me about this?"

I should at least have received a heads-up about this, don’t you think?

"Well, we don’t want your head to be filled with concern regarding the banquet," Natha smiled softly while stroking my hair, placing as much affection as possible into his voice. "I know you’ll start stressing if we tell you."

Hmph--you thought I didn’t know you tried to use your face and voice to quell my annoyance? It only worked a little bit, okay? A little bit! A meager amount! Maybe...

"And when are you planning to tell me?" I asked sharply, trying to maintain my anger. Not from increasing, but from decreasing.

I wanted to look like I was really pissed, okay?

"Hmm...two days before the event?"

Oh, there was no need for me to pretend.

"Natha!"

I smacked him again. Did he think two days were enough for me to mentally prepare for an important ceremony and a big social banquet?!

"There’s really nothing complicated, sweetheart," Natha rubbed my back and smiled apologetically. "We just need to go to the Temple and write the name on a piece of parchment with the ancient ink that the Temple provided, before burning the paper in the fire

I’ll do that myself, and you just need to hold Shwa. You don’t have to stay at the banquet either--we just need to show Shwa for a minute or so, and then you can go back with him if you want."

"Oh, I see..." whether it was for his soothing voice and gentle stroking, or the promise of not having to do much in the event, my agitation dropped a lot. "Well, that’s good."

Hmm...was this why Arta was rarely in the Lord’s Quarter these days? She had been gushing about baby clothes before the baby’s birth, so it was weird that she wasn’t here every hour. Preparing banquets and events was her job, after all.

"So...we still call the baby ’Shwa’ for now?" Neel asked impatiently--I forgot that this whole debacle started because she asked about the baby’s name.

"Yes; a fetus name is okay," Natha nodded.

"Well, that’s enough," she exhaled and stood up, clearly eager to leave now that her curiosity was satiated. "I don’t need to watch the ceremony, right?"

"What are you talking about?" Natha tilted his head. "Obviously, we need a recording for this kind of event."

Neel frowned and pointed at Izzi, who merely blinked cluelessly. "You have this elf."

"More operators produce better results."

"There’s this girl too!" her finger pointed at Aina next.

"I’ll triple your research fund--"

Neel had seated again before Natha even finished his sentence. "How many angles do you want to have?"

Pfft--as I thought, money was great. "By the way, when will this ceremony be held?"

"Normally between nine to twelve days after birth," Zia replied.

And the tea in my mouth sprayed out. This conversation happened on the seventh day of the third month--the eighth day of Shwa’s life.

Natha cleared his throat when I glared at him. "I was going to tell you tomorrow."

This demon?!

"We’ll have it on the tenth."

"Natha!"

He laughed as I attacked him with more smackings. Was it funny, huh? Was it funny seeing me having mental gymnastics? Phew...was this another hormonal thing? Something like postpartum syndrome?

Holding my hands and chuckling, Natha looked at my friends and asked them. "Since you’re here anyway, would you like to stay for the ceremony?"

Zarfa and Aina didn’t even need to look at each other before replying in unison. "Sure!"

* * *

"Are you okay with staying longer?" I asked Zia again while we were walking to the Greenhouse. I needed to get away so I wouldn’t feel tempted to smack him every five minutes.

"In the first place, we came knowing we would stay until the ceremony," Zia shrugged.

"Oh, right--you know about it..."

Zia giggled and hugged my arm, whispering mischievously. "It’s fun seeing Lord Uncle getting hit."

"You naughty niece~" I flicked her forehead playfully.

She giggled again before tilting her head. "Where’s Ignis by the way? I haven’t seen that lizard."

"Careful," I put an index finger over my lips since Ignis didn’t like people calling it a lizard. "Ignis doesn’t want to accidentally hurt Shwa with the fire. I know that Salamander peeked into the nursery every night though."

"Ignis can never be honest," Zia sighed.

"Ignis is still in a phase."

We glanced at each other and giggled again. "I really am happy," she leaned her head on my shoulder. "Well...I’m sad that I can’t be here a lot to see Shwa grow up, but...I’m happy that he’s here safely."

"Yeah, me too," I stroked her head and smiled--to myself more than anyone. "I’m so happy I don’t think the word ’happy’ is enough anymore."

Zarfa, who was skipping through the blooming garden with Aina ahead of us, twirled around and offered some vocabulary. "Ecstatic? Exhilarated?"

I laughed and pointed at her with my chin. "What about you? Wouldn’t your staff be suspicious?"

"Oh, don’t worry," Zarfa swatted the air dismissively. "I told them I was going on a secret mission."

This was one naughty girl too. I took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly, savoring the scent of spring that my child brought. "Ah, I’m so happy you’re all here..."

"Of course we’d be here!" Zia tightened her hug and Zarfa clutched my other arm. Aina protested for being left out and we ended up doing a group hug in front of the bridge leading to the greenhouse, prompting the gardener and the guards to giggle.

But who cares? The Lord Consort had privilege.

"And I guess this will be a nice present for a celebration," Zarfa whispered, taking out a small treasure box with familiar writings on a note attached to it.

It was Tsalinade annual ’tribute’.