"I've never heard of cooking doing that and it's useful to know. We say almost the same thing about people and animals at home, but I've never known anyone to be creeped out by it before."

"Animals and people are supposed to be different." Shrug.

Idle conversation continues as they eat.

Soon, "...You know, I should deal with the Divine Beast sooner rather than later. I'm going to go find Prince Sidon and maybe start on it today. My nice indestructible shield will be a great help, I'm sure."

"Come back safe."

Should he offer to be there to keep her from bleeding to death if anything happens? Nah, he couldn't keep up, he'd just be in the way.

"I have to do my best to protect others... But, will do."

Link hugs Valanda, then departs.

Valanda didn't know it was possible to be this afraid for someone else.

He goes looking for something useful to do while he waits.

The same priest as before is walking around, looking thoughtful. Maybe more lessons would be on the table?

"Hey, let me know if there's anything else I can ward for you or anything, I'm not tired or busy."

"Hm? Well, there are many more records. I will take the same deal as before if you wish to listen to me prattle on some more."

"Sure! Will you tell me about what priests do this time?"

"Of course. It may be different in other places, but among the Zora we spend our time studying history, debating moral questions, praying to Goddess Hylia, and counseling and guiding people who ask for advice. We also officiate important ceremonies like funerals... Or more happily, weddings. Ah, I'm getting nostalgic... I do wish I could officiate a wedding before I get too old and have to retire."

"What are weddings? How do you officiate them?"

"You don't have...? A wedding is the start of a marriage, and a marriage is... An expression of love between two people. An intent to start a family together, to protect and help each other, to be devoted to one another, to have children together."

"Oh, I like that! Why are children part of it?"

"-Ah, hmm... In an ideal world, only two people who love each other and care for one another will have children. People naturally feel happy and satisfied when things are done this way. The things people need to be happy are firstly material needs like food and warmth, but also a sense of safety and security, and past that a feeling of belonging, and yet further the respect of others and the ability to do things that are or interesting or challenging. Children find belonging easily with married parents. The sincere love of a family is possibly the single most important social bond in society. Not all families are caring and give a sense of belonging, unfortunately."

"What's a feeling of belonging? Why do married parents help children find it?"

That... Is hard to explain. Parents loving their children is morally good. Refusing to care for your child is morally bad unless you have a really, really good reason. Goddess Hylia says so.

The priest resorts to anecdotes about parents going through great effort to help their children.

"You have a moral duty to be nice to your children even if they don't do anything for you? Why?"

You have a moral duty to be nice to everyone, but most particularly your children. Family is important. Being able to rely on family, on friends, on the kindness of strangers, will rescue people from spirals of bad decisions, bad situations, and bad ends. It's hard to be so caring, it truly is, but it's important to try.

"Do you have more of a duty to your children because if everyone helps their families then you don't have everyone trying to help one person while someone else gets ignored? What happens if a child's parents die?"

"I'm not sure the reasoning is so clear. We have traditions and they work well enough. Different places have different traditions, and they also usually work well enough. Orphans are mostly adopted by neighbors or friends of the parents. If nobody can be found they are placed in a communal home with caretakers. This is better than the child living on their own, though it is not a proper family."

"How do you fund the communal homes? Do the caretakers have the same duties as parents? Does someone pay them?"

"The king pays for them out of taxes. The Hylian crown did this in the past - after the Calamity King Dorephan took over the cost for our orphanage. Social services that are extremely helpful for a small proportion of the population can be funded with taxes - most people will barely notice the marginal extra tax, but everyone benefits from orphanages existing somewhere. They also accept donations, and some people want to help orphans enough to donate things."

And they want to donate things because people will be nicer to them if they find out about it. Maybe the orphans grow up to be grateful. Val's just guessing but it sounds plausible. He opens his mouth to ask how everyone benefits and then remembers something else that makes this whole idea weird.

"Link mentioned that you're only supposed to have sex with one person. If you're supposed to have children with someone you're married to does that mean you're only supposed to have sex with someone you're married to and can only marry one person?"

"...Yes. Ah... As a priest I really should not be saying so, but being the strict moralist would hurt you here, I think... Many people ignore the idea of having sex only with the one you marry. They will take lovers outside of marriage. I don't think that is good, but I don't think it's particularly bad. The important part is, if you are married, not to have sex with someone you are not married to. To make sure that a married couple's children are their children most of the time. And if you're going to be parents without meaning to, you should marry."

He's met people who cared about paternity before, at least that part isn't weird. And without knowledge mages they can't check so they have to avoid having sex with multiple people. But that would only apply to women. Wait, no, a man taking multiple women in a species with an even ratio would be a little unfair, someone would feel left out and maybe act out in frustration.

"What if you can't have children or can't have children with the person you'd like to have sex with?"