At the center of Fea Bergen──the meeting place of the elders that Hajime
and others once visited in the past,
" " " " "Aa~~" " " " "
Such voices that sounded like a completely exhausted salary man when
entering a bathtub resounded.
The voices came from the parents in the demon king group. A banquet was
held inside the tatami mat room with a splendid long table at the middle of
it. The parents were tiredly lying down on it.
The welcoming they had just encountered was already beyond passionate
and entered the territory of fanatical. This exhaustion was the payment for
tasting the full experience of a superstar who got surrounded and mobbed
by the fans.
Because everyone in Fea Bergen had become a fans of someone in the
demon king group, their respect and affection toward the parents were also
sky high. If anything, the people's tension exploded hard due to the parents'
presence being even rarer than Hajime and co themselves.
People worshipping them with reverence, people asking for a handshake
while crying emotionally, people giving a ton of offering.
The offerings also included children who wished to be employed as servant
serving at their side.
Then some palanquins were brought from who knew where and the group
almost got placed on those for a parade around the capital like an ancient
daimyo's procession.
The people's feeling of affection was pleasant to experience but, the parents
had to be very considerate the whole time when declining the flood of
people's overly heavy good will while being placed in such unfamiliar
position. That was why they were completely exhausted mentally now.
"Uu, so embarrassing. Akiko-san, this must be how you felt at the royal
capital."
"I'm happy that you understand, Kaoruko-san."
Kaoruko got called as the "Archangel – Kaoruko-sama" by the mass and
worshipped. Akiko also got similarly worshipped as "Holy Mother –
Akiko-sama" at the royal capital. The two of them grasped each other's
hands in sympathy with their face still red. Beside them,
"...Shizuku, what's the meaning of this? Why is even Okaa-san went
through something like this?"
"H-how should I know! I have never done anything really special for the
beastmen to pay attention to me! If forced to answer then I think this must
be Kaori's fault!"
"!? That's a misunderstanding Shizuku-chan! Certainly I think I did
something like making it known that you are my childhood friend and best
friend though..."
"Fuumu. Is it something like "Kaori-sama is an angel but her personality is
a bit... then Shizuku-sama who has been helping her since they were
little is simply a saint!"?"
"Don't say that-, Koichi-ojisan! Or rather, what are you saying about my
personality! What!"
Uncle Koichi silently averted his gaze. Certainly, if compared with Kaorichan in the past... because he thought that a little.
"Truly awkward. For Kirino to be called "celestial maiden", Koichi as
"saint", and for me to be "sword saint". Yaegashi clan lives in the
under... cough. We prefer to not stand out in public. After all we are shy
people."
"I'm not going to make any tsukkomi about those, Ojii-chan."
Yes, just as Shuuzou said, the members of Yaegashi family also got titled by
Shizuku's fans.
When Shizuku came to the sea of trees before, she was still considered as "a
member of the hero party" more. She also joined the party that stormed into
the holy precinct at the final battle, so she didn't leave as much impression
as Kaori and Aiko to the beastmen.
And so, she felt a world shattering shock that her popularity was at such
level that she even had proper fan group. It was completely unexpected.
Kaori received some mental damage because of one of the reasons of that
fanbase formation but...
Putting that aside, what could the real reason be? Was it because of
Shizuku's mother hen nature oozing out to the surrounding? Or else, was
her status as the angel's protector made her popular by derivation? In any
case, it was a puzzle how the title "saintess" got fixed on her.
Also, the titles for the other members of Yaegashi family had only gotten
fitted to them just now due to the mood and course of event and the
impression the gave off.
Because of that, the shadowy fami... the shy family that wasn't good
with being put on stage was unusually shaken due to their unexpected
popularity. It caused them to be relatively tired.
Meanwhile,
"Uu, dear... that was a wonderful rush of animal-eared children-"
"Yeah. It was a terrifyingly fantastic fluffy assault. Human has no chance to
win against such thing-. I almost got sent to heaven then-"
The Nagumo couple were the only ones who were exhausted in different
meaning.
The majority of the crowd held back from crowding them. Perhaps because
they were the parents of the great demon king, the people's feeling toward
them leaned more on awe rather than affection, so a lot of people acted
humbly with the two.
Perhaps that was why something else happened in exchange. It seemed the
children understood that Hajime absolutely wouldn't get angry with them.
They were greatly popular among the boys who harbored especially strong
yearning for strength. It was those little kids who swarmed the Nagumo
couple.
For the beastman character lover Shuu and SUmire, being surrounded by
children with adorable and fluffy animal ears & tail was a supreme bliss.
"Spare me from your antic, Tou-san, Kaa-san. Because you two carelessly
said something like [I'll take everyone as our family's children!] [I'm
bringing all of you homeeeeeeee!]..."
The capital got enveloped in silence just for a moment as though they had
been splashed with cold water. What happened after that was an explosion.
The uproar was so great that it felt like that.
I'm accepted as a member of that demon king family! I'll work hard serving
the family!
We're a soldier of the demon king army from today! Hell yeah-.
No way! It's unfair that it's only you guys! Me too me too!
That kind of thing happened.
"You can't blame us! We hoped to meet a real ero elf before coming here,
but after meeting one, it only made us feel [Wrong, this isn't it...] "
"Altena is a special case after all. If that's the norm for elf, then Alfrerick'll
really ascend to heaven. Or rather, that idea that elf is erotic, can you stop
it? I'm embarrassed as your son. Go ahead apologize to the other
wholesome elves."
"Hah, as expected we can't possibly see eye to eye in this! You've been
like this since the beginning, for eroge's heroine you always like the slightly
pervy seductress older girl, or if the character is demihuman than your
preference is always devil girl or vampire girl!"
"Stop talking about eroge at public place-, you stpid father! You're
completely going over the line!"
"...Nnu. Geez Hajime, so your preference was already me from the start.
Fufu-"
"Hajime-kun... so your preference wasn't me from the beginning..."
"See-, look at what you've done!"
Yue's grinning face, the hard to describe gazes "Hmph" "Hee" from
Kaori and the others, and most of all, the lukewarm gazes that seemed to
say "My my" from the mothers Laoruko, Kirino, and Akiko were
extremely painful. The understanding faces of Tomoichi and the other male
parents also plainly hurt.
"More importantly, Myuu!"
"Myu!?"
Perhaps in order to change the atmosphere, Hajime called out unexpectedly
loudly. Myuu who was sitting snugly on Remia's lap while appeasing her
thirst with a juice of something like coconut slightly choked because of that.
She looked at her papa resentfully even while Remia was wiping her mouth.
But, in respond to the blunt as well as unexpected next blow from her
embarrassed papa...
"By any chance, do you aspire to have harem!?"
"Myuuu!?"
What are you saying nano!? She was stunned out of her wits again. She
dropped the wooden cups that was filled with juice. Remia mama caught it
while going "my my" without looking particularly shaken.
"Myuu think that question should be asked to papa instead nano."
Well, that's true, gazes that said that stabbed at Hajime all at once.
"But Myuu. Mama is also concerned."
"Eh!? Why nano!?"
An unexpected cover fire for Hajime's side. Myuu bent backward to look
up at Remia's face after that remark. Mama was frowning, her expression
was ve~ry troubled, looking like she was lost at what to think.
"Mama know that before moving to earth, you made a lot of friends when
staying at the sea of trees. Just like with Prince Randell and others, there
were also boys who mama wondered if they like you Myuu... Though all
of them completely sunk with a single sentence [I love papa] from you."
"Y-yes?"
After the final battle, during the time Hajime was trying to create a new
Crystal Key and god crystal for going home, Hajime and co were staying in
Fea Bergen but, naturally, Myuu and Remia were also there.
In that case, Myuu who could also be said as having cheat communication
ability naturally cultivated friendship with the children of Fea Bergen. She
instantly created a hundred (and more) friends.
Among them there were also a lot of boys like Randell but... the number
of the girls were relatively more. Furthermore.
"Somehow it looked like the girls became like your royal guard protecting
you from males. It was reassuring in that sense but, still... right,
Remia?"
"Yes. Based from what I saw today..."
"The way the girls looked at Myuu-chan! They were undoubtedly maiden
in love!"
"Sumire-obaachan!?"
"Or rather, Myuu-chan. Did you do it unconsciously? You made them
blushed by patting their head, grinning brightly at them from point-blank,
putting your arm around the waist of a girl who got jostled by the crowd
and led them to a safe place... and in the end, you even did a wall
sandwich, or rather tree sandwich didn't you? You acted exactly like a
handsome guy in shoujo manga."
"Y-you're wrong nano, Shuu-ojiichan! Everyone are just Myuu's friends!
That's why Myuu got to help them when they're in trouble!"
"M-Myuu-chan, you mustn't do that!"
"Shizuku-oneechan?"
"You acted exactly like the early days hero!"
"What... did you say...!?"
Myuu fell down from Remia mama's lap. She was on all four, repeatedly
mumbling "Myuu just... thought it was for the best... it was for the
best..." like a certain vampire princess when making excuse of why she
was mixing strange things into cooking.
In the end, Myuu's bad habit (?) of being kind to friend without any ulterior
motive, especially to girls where she unconsciously made handsome guy
move to them would never really be cured. In the near future where she
enrolled into elementary school, the same situation would be crated in the
blink of eye but... that was a story for another time.
"Cheer up everyone, I shall apply healing magic now. Be sharp. The elders
wouldst also return soon."
Tio lavishly applied soul magic and regeneration magic while looking
strangely energized. Even while straightening their posture, Shuu and
Sumire and others made a conflicted expression at her. Hajime and others
looked at Tio with plain disgust in their eyes.
"You... I'm amazed that you can be so nonchalant──no, so excited after
the children acted like that with you. I wish you can feel a bit a shocked at
least."
"...Nn. They all went [The pervert is hereee~! Runnnn!] or [Noooo-,
don't come near! I don't want to become like Altena-sama-], it was
pandemonium just from Tio coming near."
"What a sad, or rather, a horrible reaction that was..."
"Yes... Were those children sisters? The older looking girl was even
crying while throwing branch and stone..."
"They looked like they met a zombie or something..."
It was like they were scared that perversion was infections... Aiko added
at the end.
It seemed, in Fea Bergen it was thought that the cause of the complete
degeneration of the beautiful elf princess who was a wise, quiet, and
graceful lady in the past was Tio who was widely known all over the world
as an extraordinary great pervert.
At the end Tio also got swarmed by the children but, this too was a
swarming in a different sense from what the others experienced. Some boys
seemed to want to protect the sisters that Shizuku mentioned. They jumped
at Tio who was going haa haa with a look of desperation on their faces and
ganged up on her with a beating although the best that they all could do was
just some harmless weak punches and kicks.
Of course, Tio got totally aroused from that. Although her mouth was
yelling "Please stoppp~", her tone clearly denounced that there was
"♡"attached at the end of her sentence.
"Though it was a complete misunderstanding I sayst!"
Certainly, it was a misunderstanding in regard to Tio's role in Princess
Altena's masochification. If it was asked who was the one awakening her, it
was Shia's pro-wrestling technique (Kinniku Buster). Also from there it was
clear that from the start Altena herself had that kind of attribute hidden
inside her.
Although, for everyone in the sea of trees, the sudden change of their
princess that they even idolized as a "saint" was difficult to accept. If there
was a pervert whose fame resounded all over the world nearby, it couldn't
be helped that they thought of that pervert as the cause. Perhaps.
In any case,
"Tio-chan. As expected, being so happy from crying children throwing
stones at you is... Okaa-san, think it's simply not good."
"── [A beating from pure and innocent children, priceless-] That's just
wrong at all level you know... You should be properly angry there."
"I-I see. Hahaue-dono and Chichiue-dono looking at me like I am some
kind of a pitiful creature... Priceless-"
As expected she is hopeless... everyone gave up.
There.
"Fuhee. Fii~nally I'm freed"
"I'm sorry for all the troubles, Shia Hauria."
"Exactly right, Alfrerick. Being indebted to Shia is being indebted to me.
Don't forget it."
"No, your clan is the most troublesome thing here. You aren't forgetting
that right?"
The fed up looking Shia, and Alfrerick who had gone passed ultimate
exhaustion and had a transparent expression instead, and an energetic
Carmuncle who looked the same as usual entered inside.
Shia and others had been soothing down the crazed people of Fea Bergen so
that the group could tour the capital as smoothly as possible from afternoon.
Even the flow that couldn't be stopped anymore just by Alfrerick alone
could be dealt with if it was by the appeal of Shia and the head of the "race
alliance" that had equal status with the elders.
Unlike Hajime and others, Shia was born in the sea of trees, so even the
people here still considered her as a compatriot, and with Princess Altena at
that state, Shia who was the daughter of the head of the "race alliance" had
high enough status to be seen as "princess"──no, she was one of the demon
king's wives, and she was also undoubtedly a hero so the people had
already seen Shia as the one and only "princess of the sea of trees", so her
words carried weight.
It was easier for her words to reach the people than Hajime and others who
were regarded with crazed fanaticism.
Because of that she stayed behind to try calming down the situation, but the
crowd she faced was only formed from people harboring good will toward
her, so she couldn't really use her usual musclebrained method. It seemed
the process had eroded her nerves by quite a lot.
"Good work, Shia. Did you manage to lead them along well?"
"Uu~, I relied a bit on my fist at the end there, but I managed to did it
peacefully on the wholee"
Shia fell down on her hands and knees and approached weakly. Yue smiled
wryly at that, but she yielded the position at Hajime's side to her. Shia
grinned happily to that before collapsing on Hajime's lap. *Guteee~* She
entered the droopy Shia mode.
When Hajime patted her head, her rabbit ears started to flap around as
though they had regained their vitality.
"Well, the people of Fea Bergen also doesn't want to be a bother for boss.
When we told them that everyone want to prioritize giving their family a
tour of the capital, they accepted it without much trouble."
"What about needing to rely on the fist?"
"The leaders of each faction stubbornly insisted on holding events like
handshake session or the like, so..."
"It became troublesome that Shia Hauria punched them out cold. It was like
pouring cold water on them. Well, it would be a good punishment for
them."
Even from when I'm standing, those guys are just too stubborn...
Alfrerick said with his expression staying transparent the whole time. It
looked bad. If there was light shining down on him from the sky, he might
seriously ascend to heaven with how he looked. "Soul Repose!" came from
Aiko who had recovered a bit.
"Allow me to introduce myself once more. I am one of the elders, Alfrerick
Haipist. I apologize for the many troubles my granddaughter and my
compatriots has caused everyone. Although, I still meant to give a warm
welcome for everyone. Please, enjoy the banquet to your heart's content."
As expected from the actual leader of the elders. His face instantly changed
from an overwhelmed grandfather into the face of an elder. Alfrerick gave
them a bow that was overflowing with grace.
Sumire and Shuu also expressed their thanks once ore for the warm
welcome. They also told Alfrerick that they didn't mind the fanatic
reception from the people although they said it with a wry smile.
Alfrerick patted his chest in relief hearing that, but when he was going to sit
at the back of the long table, Sumire mentioned Altena with a troubled
expression.
"Where is Princess Altena──"
"Please rest assured. She won't show herself during everyone's sightseeing
here. I swear it in the name of my family, no, in the honor of all elves."
"Eh? Umm, just what do you mean? Or rather, where is she right now?"
"Haha-"
"Why are you laughing!?"
In this world there are also things that you don't need to know...
Alfrerick sat on his seat and took a sip of tea as though to say that. With that
he implicitly declared that this talk was over.
It seemed that it was a topic that was best left untouched. He mentioned
before something about sealing but... it was like treating a beast of
disaster that was a threat against humanity. Before long it felt like there
would be a legend passed down orally about "The Sealed Pervert Altena".
Carm also sat down on his seat. Seeing that, Alfrerick clapped his hand.
Immediately, the servants came in bringing foods.
"Finally a meal nano!"
Myuu who was reflecting on herself leaped on her feet with her small nose
twitching from the scent of the delicious looking lunch. Her eyes were also
sparkling.
Sumire and others were also looking bright at the number of the lined up
foods.
"It's not an extravagant and luxurious cooking like in the empire or
kingdom but... the sea of trees isn't lacking in ingredients exactly
because it's a den of monsters. We have abundant variety to choose. Please
enjoy these local cuisines that you won't be able to taste anywhere else."
Certainly, compared to the cooking that was served in the imperial palace
and the like, the foods here were lacking in flashiness. The tableware also
only consisted on simple things made from wood. The food arrangement
was also basically just a large serving of dish placed on a large plate.
However, the fragrant scent drifting from skewered meats piled up high and
the aroma of spices that stimulated the appetite, pots filled with vegetables
that had been boiled to pulpy consistency like a stew, they were all looking
rich in flavor and caused anyone to naturally drool from seeing them.
Among them there were also foods with appearance that were similar to
Japanese food like nikujaga or chikuzenni,
"Ah, there's also Myuu's favorite bean nano! Myuu love how sweet it
iss~"
"Fufu. You ate it everyday when we stayed here didn't you?"
There was also a food that looked like black soybean simmered in honey
that often counted as traditional food for New Year celebration.
The parents who already had their fill of other world cooking until now also
gave favorable reaction seeing the variety of foods that caused feeling of
affinity to well up inside them.
"They aren't using any seasoning like shoyu or the like so they aren't the
same thing though."
"You're right. But, perhaps it's because of the gentle taste? The seasoning
make you feel relieved, just like with Japanese food."
"...Nn. Thinking back now, Shia was also able to create dishes that were
close to Japanese food to fulfill Hajime's request. That too might be
because the taste is similar with her birthplace's taste?"
"Aa~, now that you mention it, that might be true. Well, sometimes it was
all wasted because Yue-san tossed in some absurd ingredient though."
"...I-I thought it was for the best"
Even while they were making such conversation, they began having lunch
before the dishes got cold, because later on the other elders who were still
working to calm down the situation outside would come to give their
greeting.
Hajime and others enjoyed the banquet. Certainly it was different from
Japanese food but, it was just as Kaori said, there was similarity between
the two food cultures based on the gentle seasoning. Everyone of them was
stuffing their mouth in enjoyment.
Alfrerick also seemed to be relieved seeing that. He was finally able to
make a heartfelt smile for the first time since meeting the group.
Like that, everyone was having fun eating while talking excitedly for a
while. There, a small servant walking unsteadily entered their sight.
For some reason, she strangely drew the gazes of Hajime and co.
She was a girl who looked around the same age with Myuu. She was
working hard to replace the dirty plates with clean one with her small limbs.
No matter their age, one had to work if there was something that they could
do. That was the custom of those living in the sea of trees. In fact, they had
seen some boys and girls doing chores even in this mansion that was used
as the conference place of the elders, so it wasn't anything strange.
And yet, for the girl to draw the gazes of Hajime and co...
"Nnsho, nnsho-"
She wasn't really doing anything flashy. She also wasn't showing any over
reaction at the presence of Hajime and co. Rather the girl was shyly looking
down while working hard in her task. She had rabbit ears growing from her
head.
Just what in the world it was, this intense feeling that something was out of
place?
The rabbit eared girl finished putting tableware safely on the table. "Fuu"
She sighed in relief and lifted up her face. There she realized for the first
time that she was being stared at.
"a" She let out a small voice. The rabbit eared girl instantly blushed bright
red. She got all flustered while hurriedly turning around in embarrassment.
"Fukyaa!?"
She tripped on her own feet and fell over. "Uu, it hurtsss. It's
embarrassinggg" She sobbed while sitting on the floor and rubbing her
eyes repeatedly──
"A, an aberrant species nano!?"
Myuu unintentionally yelled. " " " " "That's it!" " " " " Hajime
and others realized the true identity of their discomfort and yelled in
agreement.
The rabbit eared girl started trembling with teary eyes "Hiu!? What is
itttt?" because of the sudden simultaneous loud yells.
Yes, this rabbit eared girl, she wasn't giving off any fighting spirit or
dominating aura despite being a rabbit race!
She was truly a,
"...S-something like her is still not extinct yet"
"Protect! We need to protect this rare species!"
The originator rabbit race that was now an endangered species. A pure and
innocent bunny who still hadn't gotten infected by Hauria was right there!
"U-umm Myuu-chan? Everyone too. If anything, it's the current Hauria
that is the aberrant species desu."
"Or rather, it should be clear to see that several years will be necessary in
order to train the whole rabbit race."
Shia and Carm retorted with conflicted expression, but since entering the
sea of trees, they hadn't seen any "timid rabbit person" even when faced
with that fanatical welcoming, so everyone was deeply interested by the
precious survivor.
It seemed that was also driving up the rabbit eared girl to the wall so,
"Uu, Kira isn't a Hauriaaa. Kira is a good rabbitttt"
*Tremble tremble* The rabbit eared girl was shivering while covering her
head. Shuu & Sumire commented "Her name sounded really strong and yet
she is so frail, the gap is amazing!" "Too cute! Must protect!" while
sidling up at her.
"No, this kid is quite bold with how she's treating Hauria as bad rabbit right
in front of Hauria's chief like this. Don't you think she has the latent
potential to be super strong mentally?"
"Fuh, you said your name is Kira? How about becoming a Hauria too?"
"K-Kira will... not become a Hauriaauu"
Unexpectedly, Shia's words seemed to be right on point. Even when faced
with Carm's words that were like the inviting phrase of a certain upper
moon oni, Kira-chan still rejected him with determination.
Although she bit her lip a bit at the end there, the girl noticed the gaze of
her senior servant "That's rude! Come back quickly already!" and
hurriedly tried to excuse herself.
At that time, she noticed Hajime's gaze and bowed her head with a reluctant
look.
Hajime seemed to recall something from that.
"Ah, you, could it be you're the kid from that time?"
"!?"
When Hajime recalled her, Kira made an easy to understand smile and
hopped *pyon*.
Actually, after conquering the sea of trees' dungeon, during the brief time
Hajime and co were staying in the capital before heading to the cave of ice
and snow, it seemed that Hajime had encountered this Kira girl.
"Aa! I recalled it! Remember, Yue-san, Kaori-san, Tio-san! That time!
When Hajime-san was napping with little kids all over him, she was the girl
being hugged desu!"
"...Nn? Ah! From that precious scene!"
"Aa! That time we fainted from too much pricelessness!"
"I remembereth now!"
Eh? Eh? Shizuku and the parents and the others were looking bewildered.
Then Kira-chan said.
"...At that time, because I said [You, grow big just like you are right
now if possible. Don't be like Hauria, okay] "
"Eh, is that why she is really making effort to avoid becoming a Hauria?"
Kira-chan nodded up and down energetically. Hajime was moved. Just how
obedient and innocent and brave this girl was. It seemed that the lost virtue
of the rabbit race still hadn't died.
"You're... a good girl huh."
Hajime unconsciously made a kind and expression and beckoned with his
hand. After hesitating for a bit, Kira-chan approached with a little run and
Hajime patted her head. "Fuwaa" Kira-chan's face split open with a happy
smile.
Perhaps because of that, a designation that she might have been using only
inside her mind carelessly slipped out from her mouth.
"Ehehe... dadOtocchan..."
Hajime's expression turned into astonishment. Seeing that, Kira-chan
realized with a gasp of what had just run out of her mouth. She desperately
tried to explain with "W-wrong! I made a mistake!". She looked
extremely desperate, that Hajime laughed instead but...
"...What's the meaning of this nano, papa"
"Eh?"
A shaking voice. When he looked at the side, there he saw Myuu tightly
gripping the sleeve of her clothes with teary eyes.
"That girl, who's she!"
"Myuu!? You're misunderstanding! Or rather, your tone is strange you
know!?"
"Papa made another unknown girl from somewhere into your daughter
again! Papa you cheater!"
"You, you were watching too much afternoon drama again huh!?"
"Au au, Myuu-sama... I'm sorry-, this isn't how it look──"
"Shut your mouth-, this thieving cat!!"
"Remiaaa-, forget about doing it later, let's have a family meeting now!!"
"Forgive me dear-. Next time I'll watch my drama recording when Myuu
isn't there-"
"So you're still going to keep watching huh!?"
"This is the only thing that I can't compromise on-"
A quarrel of jumbled love and hate between little girls concerning their
papa. Looking just from the words, it gave the impression of muddiness that
surpassed mere afternoon drama. Though the parents with Shuu and Sumire
at the lead were bursting in laughter.
Yue and others were also smiling wryly. Meanwhile Myuu transformed into
an angry cat that went "Fushaaa-", and Kira-chan entered Charis* Guard
pose while trembling all over, so space magic to create a window and past
replay were used to display the situation at that time.
There, Hajime could be seen squinting his eyes watching the beastmen
children playing tag in the capital.
[Myuu, I wonder how's she doing right now?]
Even though at that time not that much time had passed since he parted
from Myuu, he must be feeling like he hadn't met her for a long time from
the number of dense experiences he had gone through. It could be seen
clearly that he was feeling lonely.
However right after that, he smiled from recalling a fun memory.
Right after that, [She ain't gonna say that she won't come with me because
I'm taking too long to pick her up ain't she? What if it doesn't stop there,
what I'm gonna do if she said that she hate me] Hajime unconsciously
muttered while looking greatly troubled.
"Myu... papa, you were thinking about Muu a lot nano?"
"Y-yeah. Well, I guess?"
Myuu's expression softened *funyaa~*.
There, Kira-chan made her entrance inside the replay. She was taking a
peek at Hajime with her body hidden behind a tree but her rabbit ears
visible.
Naturally, Hajime quickly found her and called out to her but, Kira-chan
who was completely wary against a stranger was so nervous that she
couldn't give any reply back.
Seeing that, Hajime sat down under the tree. He was watching the children
playing with a gentle expression while talking about Myuu.
For the girl who had never left the sea of trees, the story about a city above
the sea at the opposite side of the continent and the girl of the same age like
her who was living there was more than enough to excite her curiosity.
Without realizing it, she already sat right beside Hajime with her rabbit ears
completely absorbed with the story.
She didn't stop there. Finally she even started asking back. She was
hopelessly curious with Hajime's claim that he had a demihuman daughter.
After all, at that time a story about human marrying demihuman was just
completely beyond any imagination.
The question spread from there. The question whether Hajime was really
Princess Shia's lover also got asked.
Most likely, that was the reason she was peeking at Hajime from behind a
tree. An older woman who was also from rabbit race like her was in a
romantic relationship with a human youth. That story had reached her rabbit
ears. The story was just too unbelievable that she wanted to know the truth.
Kira made a troubled face from being unable to understand. Hajime gently
stroked her rabbit ears while answering.
[The thing about having rabbit ears, or that I'm a human, they don't
matter.]
[Don't matter? Even though, she has rabbit ears?]
[She also got rabbit tail. Shia's rabbit ears and tail are my favorite.]
From those words and Hajime's eyes, Kira must have felt something that
convinced her that Hajime having a rabbit person lover and fishman
daughter were the truth. It seemed to manage to completely clear away the
wariness and fear that were common for rabbit race from Kira.
She hopped on Hajime's lap and begged him for more story with relaxed
casualness. Seen from the side, such sight certainly looked like the scene of
a daughter fawning to her father.
The Kira in reality was fidgeting shyly seeing that scene. The girls and the
parents were also watching warmly. Shia's rabbit ears were swaying shyly.
After that, without realizing it the children who were playing tag had also
gathered around and pestered Hajime for story. The children were noisily
yelling me too me too, in respond Hajime shared some candies with them
and asked them to be quiet.
When the children got into a quarrel for the candies, sure enough, Kira had
her candy snatched away and she looked like she was going to cry. Hajime
scolded the boy who took away the candy while taking it back, then he used
transmutation to make some retro toys for them to play with.
Before long the children got tired from playing and it was nap time for
them. Even Hajime fell asleep from the peaceful atmosphere. Kira was on
his chest getting hugged...
And then, Yue, Shia, Kaori, and Tio, the four who were watching that scene
muttered "Precious..." and fainted together while getting heavy
nosebleed. The adults who came to pick up the children saw the area that
was turned into a sea of blood and screamed. It was chaos──
*Pshew* the replay cut off.
"...It was the height of preciousness, so it couldn't be helped."
"Yep, that really couldn't be helped. It was just too precious."
"Goshujin-sama napping peacefully with children, under the sunlight
peeking through the leaves. I wantst to praise myself simply from surviving
that experience."
"I completely agree desu. I really did well enduring that moment."
Even with the girl quartet making excuse about causing such filthy scene at
the end, Shizuku and others only smiled wryly saying "Well, it's not like
we can't understand".
"...Well, knowing that the man my daughter has feeling for is kind to
children... is not a bad thing to know."
"My, dear, that's so honest of you."
It seemed that Tomoichi's reputation was increasing a little bit.
Shuuzou and others also looked toward Hajime with a broad smile as
though to say that they had watched something good. Hajime scratched his
head awkwardly.
"W-well, that's how it was, Myuu. It wasn't like I was particularly trying to
make Kira my daughter, okay?"
"Myu"
Myuu nodded and took Kira's hand. And then, she looked straight into the
eyes of Kira whose body jerked while giving her an apology.
"I'm sorry for getting angry just now."
"Myu, Myuu-sama..."
"Mostly it was papa's fault nano."
"Myuu-sama?"
"Eh, wait, Myuu?"
"After getting papa acting papa like that, of course you'll think of him as
papa then nano. In other words, the fault lies in papa whose papa attribute is
too high, not the side who got papa-ed nano. After seeing that scene, Myuu
think it's fine for papa to become everyone's papa nano."
"There is too much papa in there. Look, Kira's eyes are getting twirly from
confusion."
Apparently, there was a clear "papa theory" inside Myuu.
In any case, with this Myuu's transformation into afternoon drama heroine
was avoided.
Actually in the future from here, another new daughter candidate would
appear and it would become a fight again but, at this time Myuu was
already secretly aware of such future.
Kira somehow at least understood that it was fine for her to call Hajime as
papa in her mind and she returned to her servant work with her rabbit ears
and tail shaking happily.
After seeing her off, Kaori opened her mouth.
"That's right, Yue. There is a past that I wanted to watch for a bit... can
we watch it right away?"
"...Nn? I'm fine with that but, what is this past that you want to see?"
Yue tilted her head in puzzlement at Kaori's sudden request. Thinking that it
could become a side entertainment for the banquet, the others also didn't
really disagree. But,
"Umm, even I don't know the actual location so perhaps it'll be better to
search using the compass. As for the timeline, it was the next morning after
conquering the great dungeon of the great tree──the place where Hajimekun and Shizuku-chan met."
"Eh!? Wait Kaori!?"
Seeing Shizuku reacting so obviously agitated made everyone other than
Kaori looked dubious, but Kaori herself completely ignored that. She spoke
with an expression like a detective who was going to determine the
criminal.
"The "precious scene" made me remember. Or rather it made me got an
idea."
"What idea? Or rather, there wasn't really anything that happened at that
morning..."
"If there was nothing that happened, then isn't it fine, Shizuku-san?"
"...Nn. Or else did something happen, Hajime?"
"No? Shizuku was training, and I improved her black katana... after that
Shizuku fell asleep while I was training so I brought her until her room, that
was all."
Hajime hiself didn't understand what set off Kaori and tilted his head in
puzzlement. Meanwhile Yue was operating the compass and opened a small
window when she determined the place.
At the same time, Kaori was tracing back the time to search for the
corresponding time. She then raised her voice "As I thought!".
Everyone got curious what what and turned their gaze toward the past
replay, there──
A crucified Shizuku was displayed.
Like the figure of Jesus in the church.
She was affixed on a large cross that was floating midair. The morning
sunlight penetrating through the tree leaves was illuminating the capital like
angelic stairs. The figure was going forward amidst that while sleeping
soundly.
Furthermore, the morning glow that was visible from the gaps of the leaves
and branches became a halo behind the floating figure. The sight was just
too divine.
Actually, Hajime who thought it would be too troublesome to carry Shizuku
in his arms put her on a cross that had been enchanted with gravity magic to
carry her but...
From the perspective of the capital's citizens who didn't know anything
about that, the scene was like a procession of a maiden who looked
extremely sacred due to the beauty that Shizuku had. Inside the projection,
the citizens could be seen kneeling to give their worship to the sacred one.
I see, everyone got an understanding.
" " " " "No wonder she is the "saintess"." " " " "
"Right!"
You're the culprit! Kaori looked toward Hajime with a smug face. It seemed
that the reason Shizuku got called as "saintess" was right here.
Shizuku sat down and hugged her knees. She started wrapping her ponytail
around her bright red face.
And then, she gave a sentence.
"It's all Hajime's fault." (TN: In Japanese, it read "Daitai Hajime no
Sei"=DHS)
No objection was raised