Myrina stared at Idas, entranced, unable to tear her gaze away from his pensive, furrowed face. Suddenly, his expression brightened, and he exited the house.

"That was strange," she murmured, placing a hand over her heart. Myrina couldn't shake off the peculiar sensation. Was it a lingering effect of her injuries or a consequence of Idas' resurrection method?

Mentally noting to consult the healer and perhaps the shaman upon her return to Amazon, she considered the possibility of a curse associated with her resurrection.

Idas burst through the door, arms laden with wood. He disappeared into his room and closed the door, only to reopen it moments later, his gaze fixed on Myrina. A strange fluttering sensation churned in her stomach.

Was she hungry, she wondered?

"Can you take care of Billy?" Idas pushed the small, forlorn-looking goat out of his room. The creature's ears drooped, appearing melancholic. "You should take him for a walk or something."

As soon as Idas shut the door, Billy transformed from sad to fierce, charging at Myrina with full force. However, unlike before, when she was injured, the goat only ended up hurting himself by butting his tiny head against her shins.

Picking up the defiant little creature by the back of his neck like a cat, Myrina noticed Billy's cunning attempts to strike her wrist with his head.

"You're all docile and pleasant when Idas is around, but the moment he's gone, you turn into a wild beast," Myrina scolded, tempted to slap the stubborn goat. Yet, she refrained, not wanting to disappoint Idas after everything he had done for her. Instead, she gently released him and nudged him forward. "Come on now, behave like a normal pet, not a raging bull trapped inside a goat's body."

Billy snorted but begrudgingly followed her, his constant grunts echoing all the way to the village.

"Isn't she the woman who aided Lord Idas?" one villager carrying wooden planks remarked, pointing in her direction.

His companion nodded. "Yes, they fought the monster together."

Another villager scoffed. "Together is an overstatement. Lord Idas clearly defeated the monster while she merely got in the way. Did you see her injuries when Lord Idas brought her back? He emerged unscathed, whereas she was near death."

Myrina frowned, appreciative of the villagers' admiration for Idas but resentful of their dismissive talk about her. After all, she had also played a crucial role in saving their village from the wolves.

"Hey, don't talk about her like that. She saved my daughter, and I won't tolerate insults," another villager intervened, bringing a smile back to Myrina's face.

Yes, there were all sorts of people, but at least there were still those who appreciated her heroic deeds.

As she walked through the streets, she spotted a familiar face with dirty blonde hair and a beard. It was the carpenter whose daughter Idas had blessed.

He carried a sack over his shoulder and hurried toward the village square, where a crowd of several dozen people had gathered. Opening the sack, he revealed small wooden goat carvings, each the size of an adult's fist.

Billy's ears perked up, and he began to jump around excitedly.

The carpenter took a deep breath and began to speak. "As we all know, Lord Idas' symbol is that of a goat! The Cult of Idas may be small in number, but we don't discriminate in matters of religion. We offer these wooden goat carvings for free so you can use them in your prayers. The great one is known for his generosity."

He distributed one wooden goat to each person and expressed gratitude for their presence. Even some of the passersby joined in and received a goat figurine.

"Don't forget, unlike others, Lord Idas leads a religion founded on kindness. If you pray to him, he will answer your prayers," the carpenter addressed the crowd. "Much love, my brothers and sisters."

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

Was this a cult? Myrina wondered. No matter how she looked at it, it definitely seemed like a cult.

So that was why Idas seemed troubled when she playfully teased him about becoming a celebrity. She felt remorseful for bad laughing at him back then. This situation was far more serious for someone like Idas.

Contemplating the potential future developments, Myrina wished she could stay here. However, with autumn and winter swiftly approaching, she didn't have that luxury. She needed to return home.

...

After walking Billy and returning home, the goat immediately dashed off to Idas' room, shooting one last disdainful glance at her before pretending to vomit at the sight of her. The peculiar behavior of the goat was far from normal. However, despite her annoyance, Myrina contained her frustration and noticed that Idas' parents were present.

"Did you see Zana's kid? Poor girl lost an eye," Katia, remarked.

Idas' father, whose name Myrina hadn't bothered to remember, shook his head and added, "With the healing potions Idas is making, there's hope she can save her vision. Though this tragedy devastated everyone, a mere scar won't ruin her chances of finding a suitable match."

Upon hearing the conversation, Myrina couldn't help but feel responsible for the tragedy. If she had defeated Arachsh in their initial battle, this unfortunate incident might have been prevented. She clenched her fist in frustration.

If only she hadn't been so weak and arrogant!

Realizing she couldn't change the past, Myrina resolved to be more careful with her decisions going forward. After exchanging brief greetings with Katia, she entered Idas' room. Billy poked his head out from under the bed to see who it was before retreating back.

Idas was seated on the floor, surrounded by scattered papers, his head resting on the bed as he dozed off. Myrina retrieved the covers from her own bed and draped them over his shoulders. She gathered the papers into a neat pile, revealing a drawing of a peculiar one-wheeled carriage.

"Don't eat the papers," she cautioned Billy, stealing another glance at Idas. Once again, she found herself unable to look away.

Myrina had dedicated decades of her life to training, leaving her with little knowledge of the outside world. In that regard, she was akin to a curious child, and Idas had been there to care for her.

As thoughts of their time together flooded her mind, her heart fluttered, and a smile she couldn't suppress formed on her face. For some inexplicable reason, she felt an undeniable attraction to Idas, despite his unremarkable appearance compared to her fellow warrior sisters, who possessed breathtaking beauty that could rival nymphs. Yet, it was only when she looked at Idas that she felt an irresistible pull toward him.

Myrina was aware that staring at Idas' face while he was awake would be considered unusual, despite not being familiar with the social norms of an average person. However, since he was asleep, she had no reason to worry.

With hesitation, she was on the verge of touching his face, but she restrained herself. What if her touch woke him up? Nevertheless, the thrill of the possibility excited her, and she pondered on the worst that could happen. Eventually, she decided to run her fingers through his dark hair. He grunted, causing Myrina's heart to skip a beat, but he soon took a deep breath and returned to sleep.

Lost in the moment and swayed by her own heart, Myrina momentarily forgot her identity as an Amazoness. The action she was about to take could be considered sinful as she leaned forward and gently kissed his forehead.

Overwhelmed by emotions, Myrina felt as if her heart was about to burst. Fearing that she might lose control, she hastily stood up and left the room. She lacked the courage to meet Idas' parents' gaze and quickly muttered, "I'm going outside for some fresh air!"

…

After pondering for a while, Myrina experienced an unusual sensation in her stomach, the absence of butterflies but a lingering desire to spend more time with Idas, making it difficult for her to leave.

Could this be the hypnotic effect her teachers warned her about, that men supposedly had?

Myrina was uncertain, but she didn't care about other men, like those in the village or even Idas' father. No, it was Idas she wanted!

The memories of how they had fought the monster together, risking their lives, flooded her mind. Neither of them had been willing to abandon the other despite the danger. Thoughts of such moments made her chest tingle and her throat feel dry.

She closed her eyes and tried to recall what her teachers had instructed her about men, cautioning her to be careful as even a simple kiss could have consequences.

Those lessons had taken place so long ago that Myrina had mostly forgotten them. Back then, she hadn't been interested in the world of men. But now, those memories resurfaced.

Her teacher had mentioned something about men impregnating women. Was it through kissing? Wait... Did a kiss on the forehead count?

Myrina's heart sank. Yet she knew it was her responsibility, and she would have to take care of the child. Returning to the small hut, she took a deep breath to find the right words and uttered, "I'm pregnant."

Upon hearing her words, everyone, even the goat, stopped and stared at her with wide eyes.

This was difficult. However, Myrina was not the type of woman to crumble under pressure. Pointing at Idas, she added, "And he is the father."