"Yeah, Anitami born and raised. I have two half-siblings, my mother died when I was little. I can't imagine the fact that the three of you came as a package stopped your parents from wanting more."

"That's true. They are going to get their second credit next spring."

"—wait, how old are you?"

"Five."

"Blues always needed to have fewer children because we have to pass on our lands to the future generations. The cost of the credit is only part of it. Our parents worked aggressively in the meantime."

"Still. Five springs being able to have a child and just... not doing it," she says, slightly wistfully.

"We know. But at least they spring mildly."

"At least you aren't Voan. They don't love it when people use their second free credit after having multiplets."

"It's not particularly popular back home. Our parents even considered co-raising us with our uncles."

"You're from an auction country, though, no? Why would they wanna do that, isn't the probability of multiplets priced in the credit?"

"Part of it was pressure from our grandparents. Mild pressure, mind you."

"The other part is that even if you consider the effort of co-parenting, we are still a one-for-three deal."

"Okay, so I guess I have to come up with a point to say? ...Oh, right. I guess our country - while not Voa - still puts some social pressure for people not to have tons of babies since those are a limited resource."

"That's weird. And also priced in."

"What's weird about it?"

"Well, having triplets doesn't make next year's credits more expensive or scarcer on average, so it's not like you're taking any resources that weren't already going to be taken by whoever replaced you, except for—like, food and stuff but you're blues. When people buy credits it already factors all of that in. I guess it's not a super rational worry, though."

"Ah, yes. The idea is that it's unfair to factor multiplets in because it means more families going through an empty spring and instead some supposedly fairer solution should be found. It's not actually really kind or rational, but wanting babies has that effect on people."

"I suppose that's true," she sighs. "Must be some cultural thing, here there isn't much of a sentiment one way or another—other than envy, I guess—towards multiplets."

Nod. "We actually do incentives for milder springs. I am sure that plays a factor."

"—you do? Like what?"

"In practical terms, we subsidize credits. The bonus is directly proportional to how old you are, the age you had your first kid, the time since you had your last kid and inversely proportional to how many children you already have."

"Huh. That's... weird."

"Which part?"

"All of it. Subsidising credits like that at all."

The three of make a "go on" gesture.