[Third POV]
On the quiet outskirts of the Royal Capital, a tremendous change occurred from the current timeline. For some obvious reason, the elf mage of the Hero's Party was in labor... again.
"What do I do? What do I do? I'm becoming a brother. What do I do?"
Siegfried, the half-elf son of the hero who had once defeated the Demon King, murmured to himself as he paced back and forth. His striking blue hair swayed as he walked, dazed with excitement and a plethora of ideas on how to handle the situation.
"Calm yourself, Siegfried, you're acting just like your father."
Eisen, the stoic and dependable bearded dwarf, remarked something to the lively half-elf. He couldn't help but feel moody despite his constant presence in times of crisis.
Siegfried stopped pacing momentarily, looking at Eisen with optimistic eyes. "Really? I didn't know Dad used to be excited in situations like this."
"Actually, Himmel was more worried than excited when Frieren was handling your childbirth."
Heiter, the sympathetic green-haired priest corrected him with a wearied smile. He used his calming presence to manage the young man's excitement.
"Speaking of Himmel, where is that man?" Eisen wondered aloud. "He's supposed to be here and support his wife."
"Oh, Dad is in the storage room," Siegfried responded. "He said he has something important to retrieve in there."
Sighing wearily, Heiter retorted, "Well, I hope he gets back in time before—"
"Urggh!!"
Before the priest could finish his sentence, a loud painful scream reverberated from the other room. Siegfried instinctively rushed forward but someone grabbed his hand. He looked back and saw Eisen held him firmly.
"Stay calm, lad," the dwarf insisted. "We need to wait until everything is under control. Trust me, your father was in your position when you were born."
With a nod, Siegfried took a deep breath and stayed. He could hear the muffled sounds of his mother's labor, each screams a reminder of the intense moment unfolding. The minutes felt like hours, but the reassurance from his companions helped steady his nerves.
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Ultimately, the door to the other room creaked open, and one of the midwives emerged with a beaming smile. The people waiting in the adjacent room looked up with bated breath.
"How did it go?" Siegfried asked, barely able to contain his excitement.
The midwife's smile widened as she announced, "Congratulations, Sir Siegfried! Your mother has given birth to a healthy baby girl."
Upon hearing the good news, Siegfried nearly fainted out of bliss but he managed to get a hold of himself. He turned to look at Eisen and Heiter, who smiled wryly at his reaction.
"Did you hear that? I have a little sister!" the half-elf exclaimed, his voice quivering with joy.
Eisen clapped a hand on Siegfried's back, chuckling. "That's quite the news, lad. Now go and see your family."
"That's right, go forth," Heiter agreed, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Your mother and younger sibling are waiting for you in that room."
Siegfried nodded at their encouraging words, but he peeked in the hallway, noticing that his father still hadn't returned yet. Just then, a hand clangs at his shoulder, making him jump and look back.
"Don't worry about your old man," Heiter reassured. "We'll inform him once he comes."
With that consolation, Siegfried hurried toward the room with his heart beating rapidly. As he entered, he was greeted by the sight of Frieren, his mother, looking weary yet peaceful while lying on the bed.
Soon enough, Frieren noticed her son's presence and smiled gently. "I heard you yelling out there. You sound like your father."
"Is that so?" Siegfried retorted, awkwardly scratching the back of his head. "Anyway, where is my sister?"
Frieren's gaze softened as she looked down at a bundle in her arms. "Here she is."
She carefully shifted the blanket, revealing the tiny, wriggling form of a newborn. Siegfried's eyes widened in awe as he took in the sight of his little sister. With little stands of white hair and a pair of blue eyes peeking out, the half-elf was instantly charmed by her appearance.
"She's so beautiful," Siegfried whispered, his voice filled with wonder.
Frieren nodded, letting out a prideful puff. "Indeed, she is."
As Siegfried reached out to gently touch the baby's tiny hand, he felt a surge of emotion. The reality of becoming an older brother settled in, and with it, a profound sense of responsibility and devotion.
"I can't wait for Dad to meet this tiny beauty," he remarked, laughing cheerfully.
Upon hearing this, Frieren furrowed her eyebrows. "Speaking of which, where was he? What took him so long?"
"Don't worry, Mom, I'll get him," Siegfried declared as he quickly left the room, determined to find his father and share the joyous news.
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As Siegfried moved through the house, his excitement grew, tinged with impatience. He first checked the storage room but found it empty. Next, he went to the kitchen, but no one was there. The living room was deserted as well.
Frustrated, the half-elf strode outside and spotted his father in the front yard. Himmel's back was turned, and he appeared to be staring off into the distance, standing quietly and still.
"Dad!" Siegfried called out, his voice echoing through the crisp night air.
The old man turned unhurriedly, his expression shifting from pensive to surprised. "Siegfried? What's the matter? cough..."
Siegfried, noticing his father coughed just now, shrugged and rushed over, perhaps thinking it wasn't a big deal.
"Mom just gave birth to a baby girl!" he announced excitedly.
Himmel's eyes widened in disbelief, and then a broad smile spread across his face. He then turned around, looking visibly shaken and weeping softly.
"I see... cough... I have a daughter," he murmured, his voice choked with emotion and cough.
Seeing this, Siegfried quickly approached his father and placed an encouraging hand on his shoulder. "Come on, Dad. Let's go see her together."
In response, the old man wiped his eyes and then reached for his side, handling something long and wrapped with cloth.
"Here, I want you... cough... to have this first," he declared, giving it to his son.
Siegfried received the mysterious object, looking bewildered. "What is this, Dad?"
"Why not unwrap it and... cough... find out," Himmel urged, coughing ever so slightly.
Following his father's instruction, the young man carefully unwrapped the cloth to reveal an intricately designed sword. The blade gleamed in the daylight, its hilt adorned with detailed engravings. The half-elf's eyes widened in recognition as he took in the familiar sight.
"This is... the sword you used to defeat the Demon King!" Siegfried exclaimed, his voice filled with awe. "But why? Why would you give this to me?"
"Because I want you to.. cough... continue my legacy," Himmel declared, his voice wavering even more. "It's time for you to... cough... forge your own path and assume the... cough... role of a hero."
Siegfried, noticing his father's coughs were getting worse, asked, "Dad, are you alright?"
The old man's face tightened with a mix of pain and resolve. "I'm... cough... fine. Just a little... cough... worn out. Let's go see your mother and... cough... your sister."
As the half-elf guided his father back into the house, Himmel's movement became lethargic, and he staggered from side to side. Unexpectedly, he collapsed to the ground, and Siegfried noticed it, causing him to panic.
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[Siegfried's POV]
My heart raced, my ears rang, and my breath came in heavy gasps. Panic surged through me as I watched my father collapse to the ground. Something was not right and I quickly rushed towards him.
"Dad!" I shouted, kneeling beside him, my hands trembling. "Hey, what's happening to you?"
I carefully shifted my father's body into a more comfortable position, noticing his breathing became shallow, and his face was contorted with pain. I tried to stay calm, but the fear and anxiety gnawed at me as I pondered on what to do next.
"Dad, please, stay with me," I urged, my voice cracking. "We need to get you inside and call for help."
He managed to open his eyes slightly, smiling awkwardly. "Ah, it appears... cough... my time has... cough... finally come."
"No, don't say that! Don't you even dare!" I shouted, my voice trembling with despair. "You're going to be alright, Dad. Just hold on."
Ignoring my father's current condition, I promptly strapped the sword in the cloth to my side and then carefully lifted him onto my back. His weight was relatively light, but I could feel him struggling to breathe. So, I quickened the pace, trying my best to hold back the tears pouring from my eyes.
"I could see... cough... so many stars..." my father mumbled, clearly losing his sanity. "Stars... That's it... I know what to name my newborn.. cough... daughter..."
"Please, Dad, save your energy with the names later," I protested desperately. "We need you to get treated as soon as possible!"
"Her name will be... cough... Stelle..." he continued, disregarding my objection. "Take care of my baby girl... and my wife... while... I'm... gone..."
"No, please, no... Dad, not like this, no..." I pleaded, my voice breaking as I struggled to keep moving, hopelessly seeking help for my father.
As I managed to get inside the house, everything became blurry and I barely remember what happened after that. However, one thing is for certain...
Himmel, my father... has passed away.