— Leon Anemoi Asura —
A month had passed since Shizuka had contracted the mysterious 'drain syndrome', and consequently Rudy's adventure to the Demon Continent to grab the temporary remedy, and in that time… not much had changed.
I currently split my time between the house and royal palace, having long since abandoned my post as a swordsmanship instructor in light of my technical standing as a king, as well as my fairly large family that I needed, and wanted, to always spend time with.
I was the extremely lucky man to be blessed with not only four beautiful wives to love, but also three cute kids to watch and help grow up, with one more on the way, and surely more to come in the future.
But still… while we had the entire palace of Asura to our disposal, we mostly remained in our house in Ranoa, with Ariel and Sylphy teleporting to Ars during the day that practically acted as their jobs.
It was quite the good protection against any possible assassins aiming for the newest queen, but it was quite annoying in the fact that Ariel and Sylphy needed to use transformation magic whenever they wanted to go outside.
But yes… those two had been quite busy, even though things had eventually calmed down, especially a month ago, when the former king eventually succumbed to his illness.
With my little… uh, 'outburst' at the capital's banquet, it ended up being quite a blessing, as it cleaned out the royal court of all the most powerful enemies, while also allowing Ariel to fill the following power vacuums with trustworthy nobles, and with Aisha at her side, they were able to choose the right people, and instill loyalty to their new queen as well.
But the downside… well, it seemed that the nobles of the kingdom hated me quite a bit, thinking me as the tyrannical brute that had stolen the dear Ariel's heart.
Luckily for me, I never liked them anyway.
But one thing was for certain… the Kingdom of Asura was changing.
And with my Ariel at the helm, I had the feeling it was for the better.
Even that Luke had relinquished his position as Ariel's knight and becoming the head of the Notos Greyrat family.
He even went so far as to get married to that Tristina Purplehouse I had met at the banquet and had seemingly given up his womanizing ways… or at least, he had given them up for the moment.
He was Paul's nephew, after all, and also Rudy and I's cousin.
It was only a matter of time for him to return to his roots.
But those thoughts on the state of the kingdom weren't very important right now.
After all, my very cute eldest daughter was currently trying her hand at casting magic, and what else would I be doing but supporting her?
"You remember the words, right?" I said to Aria, who was currently sitting on my lap. "Just focus on how you say it, the power behind them, and think of the feeling you feel when you move your mana as you do so."
She looked up at me.
"The tingly feeling?" she asked.
"Yes, the tingly feeling," I answered, nodding my head. "You should feel a very faint tingly feeling in your chest. Just focus on that, and try drawing it out as you chant the words. The chant should do most of the work for you, so you simply have to help it along."
"Like… like when you help me get on the couch?" she asked.
"Exactly like that, very good," I said, giving her a pat on the head in praise.
She nodded before scrunching her face in concentration, while I myself had to maintain my composure as to not burst out into laughter.
She just looked too cute. It reminded me of how Roxy looked when she had tried to do chantless casting in the past.
I really wanted to give my cute daughter a hug, but she was trying her best, and it wasn't my place to break her focus.
No… instead, I was here to help her.
"L-Let the great protection of water…"
As Aria began her chant, I watched as the light in her core fluctuated, slowly snaking down her arm and towards her hand, before slowly going out.
Unfortunately, while she had drawn out her mana well along with the chant, she seemed to be having trouble making it form a physical construct.
She just needed that final push, the last step that most magicians ended up getting stuck at when they first try their hand at magic.
So… let's help her out a bit.
Reaching my hand down to cover hers, I slowly let out some of my mana to wrap around hers, making sure to not destabilize it, but simply guide it into the proper shape as she maintained control of her mana.
And lo and behold, with the final words of the chant spoken, and the elemental mana changing into the desired physical form… a ball of water appeared, floating steadily above her open palm.
"Great job… now, I'm going to let go, okay? You'll have to keep it stable on your own," I said.
She nodded. "G-Got it, Dada…"
Hnngh!
No… ignore it.
This was practice time, not doting time.
Gently letting go of her hand, I let my mana dissipate into the air as Aria attempted to maintain her control over her spell.
But that attempt only lasted a few more seconds, and with the sound of water splashing into the bucket below, Aria opened her eyes with a bit frown.
"I… I failed… again…" she said, her voice hitching in sadness. "W-Why can't I do it like Mamas and Papa? Why…?"
Oh, dear.
It was only the second day of practice, and she was doing so well… so there was no need for her to make such a sad face.
"It's okay, sweetie. You're doing great," I said, running my hand through her hair as she turned to cry into my chest. "Keeping control is the hardest part of magic, since you need to keep concentrating on it. I had trouble when I was younger as well, so don't worry. You'll get there soon."
Such a delicate age, Aria was.
Life was tough for a three-year-old, after all.
"B-But I wanna do it! I wanna make pretty magic like Papa and Mamas!" she cried, her voice hitching as it neared the point of a breakdown.
Well, two of your mama's couldn't do magic, kid… but I decided to keep that point to myself.
"Hey, hey… listen to me," I said, tilting her head up to look at me.
Such sad eyes… yeah, I think practice was done for today.
"Aria, you don't need to worry. You can try, and try, and try again, just like I did, and you can fail over and over… that's how you'll get better. And I'll be here to help you. Always," I said, giving her a kiss on the forehead. "So don't worry about it, sweetie."
Her lower lip was still trembling, but at least she had stopped crying.
"B-But… I wanna do it!" she proclaimed.
She really was quite eager to become a little magician, huh?
"You will," I said, smiling down at her. "You're my daughter, after all. And Roxy's as well. There's no way you won't be able to do it."
Not to mention that even being able to cast any spell at her age was a great feat, even if she wasn't able to maintain its form.
Simply being able to control her mana in any way was worthy of praise… well, my daughter was definitely a genius, but I wouldn't let that get to her head.
But that didn't mean I wouldn't shower her with praises, of course. I would simply do so in moderation.
Ah… and then there was that possibility…
The possibility of another one of my children not having such talents, and feeling inferior due to their difference in talent.
That… I really hope it didn't come to that, and I was still clueless as to what I would need to do to mitigate such a thing.
Parenting really was difficult.
But it wouldn't feel so rewarding if it was easy, right?
"So yeah, it's alright to fail a little. Even your Papa wasn't amazing right away," I said, combing my hand through Aria's hair once again.
"Really?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Really," Roxy said, moving to sit down next to me on the couch as she entered the room. "I have many stories about him as a kid… but I think I'll save those for bedtime. They're quite… amusing, after all."
She then sent me a playful glance, making my smile harden on my face.
What… what stories, my dear Roxy?
They… they wouldn't be that bad, right?
My dear daughter would still think that her father is the coolest in the world, right?
"Yeah! Tell me!" Aria cheered.
"Later. For now, I think it's time for you to take a break," Roxy said, bringing her hand down to caress Aria's cheek. "It's good that you're taking magic so seriously, but don't overdo it. You still want to have enough energy for playing, right?"
"Oh! Yeah!" Aria nodded. "I'm, huam~ I'm gonna go play with Lana…"
"Nope. You, little lady, are going to head to bed," Eris said, coming in to pick her up. "And you need a bath."
"Hmph. Says you, Mama Eri," Aria huffed, turning her head away.
Ah… that was a bad choice.
"What'd you say, brat?" Eris snarled, picking the girl up and turning her upside down in one smooth notion.
"W-Wait! No! F-Forgive me!"
Didn't Eris want to put her to bed? Why was she swinging her around now?
"She's going to throw up all her dinner if you do that, Eris," Roxy said, shaking her head.
"Yeah? Well… anyway, she needs a bath! So let's get going, you brat," Eris said, tossing my poor daughter over her shoulder as she walked into the hall.
"W-Wait! Dada! Help me!" Aria pleaded.
I simply turned my head away.
Apologies, my daughter… but you indeed need a bath, and a good rest.
Just try to be nice with Eris, and everything should work out well.
As I watched Eris carry her away, like some princess being taken by the villain from a story, Roxy then sat down on my lap, claiming the spot our daughter had occupied a moment before.
"I really love watching you two, you know," she said, leaning sideways into my chest.
"Really?" I said, wrapping my arms around her.
"Really," she assured.
I guess I could understand what she was talking about.
Whenever I saw Roxy and Aria acting cute together, I found my focus taken away by them quite easily as well… they were adorable, after all, and past that, seeing two girls that I love so dearly being happy together filled me with an inexplicable warmth.
"That aside… are you sure you don't plan on returning to the university? You looked quite at home being a teacher, after all," Roxy said in a teasing tone as she tilted her head up to look at me. "Perhaps you could even wear a pair of glasses, hmm~?"
"Maybe," I murmured with a shrug. "But… glasses, huh?"
I had never really tried them, but I knew that Lilia looked pretty with them, and as for Roxy when she wears her reading pair before bed… well, let's just say it really gets me going.
I wonder… would it have the same effect on her as it did on me?
"Can I see yours, then?" I asked.
"My glasses? Uh, sure. Here, wait a second," she said before getting up to head upstairs.
As I sat still on the couch, I blankly watched the fire crackle and hiss before a faint pulse of mana erupted from beneath my feet.
It wasn't anything dangerous, of course.
It just meant that those two were back from the capital.
"Good afternoon, darling. We're back," Ariel said, walking up the stairs with Sylphy at her side.
"I see that. Do you want some tea or something? I'm sure you're tired," I said, preparing to stand up.
"No need," she said, waving her hand. "But… it is true that I'm finding myself more fatigued lately… perhaps I can stay in for the next month. I doubt anyone would complain considering my condition."
As for the 'condition' she was talking about… well, with time having passed since her ascension, she was now eight months pregnant.
It seemed that we would be greeting the newest member of the family very soon, with the only question being whether it was a prince or a princess.
"Yeah, I suppose you could," I said, reaching my arm to hold her as she sat down next to me on my right, while Sylphy took the spot on my left. "Any problems back there?"
"No… just the Euros family wanting more privileges," Ariel said, leaning her head on my shoulder as she huffed in annoyance. "Nothing serious, just a waste of time."
"I see…" I said. "And you, Sylphy?"
"I simply follow Ariel, so I'm fine," she said. "Though… I do wish I could spend more time with Anna. How is she?"
"She wanted her mother quite badly before bed, but she's happy, even if she prefers being with Roxy…" I said with a hint of frustration. "Maybe you two should take that month off, though. We can move into the palace if that would make it easier, even if just for a few nights."
As the two were about to respond, Roxy made herself known, having come down the stairs.
"Here. They might be a little small, but you should try them nonetheless," she said, handing me the glasses. "Ah, and welcome home, you two."
"It is always nice to be back," Ariel said, accepting Roxy's hug as she patted the shorter girl on the head.
Yeah… just like Roxy had said before, I really loved watching my family get along.
"You're getting awfully big… it should only be a matter of time now," Roxy said, looking at Ariel's belly. "Have you decided on any names?"
"Hmm… a few, but I think that it will come to me when I see them," Ariel said.
"I suppose so… you know you can come to us if you need anything, right?" Roxy said.
"I do. And thank you, Roxy," Ariel added.
Roxy simply gave her a smile in return.
"Mm. And thank you for taking care of Anna, Roxy," Sylphy added.
"No need for thanks. We're family, after all," Roxy said, turning towards me. "And that aside, it was mostly Leon who looked after… her…"
As her voice trailed off, I tilted my head in confusion, watching her pale cheeks light up in a blush.
"What?" I asked, reaching up to my face to take off the glasses. "Ah, they don't work on me, do they? These really do feel quite small… Yeah, I don't think glasses are for-"
"Don't," Roxy said, her tone unusually forceful as she grabbed my hand. "Don't… don't take those off, please."
Watching her nose flare as her breathing became slightly erratic, I found myself slightly scared as to what I had just awakened.
Wait.
That look…
She… she was almost like how Eris looked whenever she was really pent-up.
Were… were the glasses that effective?
Turning to the side, I noticed that Ariel and Sylphy seemed to be acting excited as well.
I then felt my hand get tugged by Roxy, as if trying to pull me to my feet.
"L-Let's go… please," she said, averting her eyes from me. "Upstairs…"
Sylphy nodded her head. "A-And me too…"
Ariel licked her lips. "Alas, while I wish I could join, it is likely unwise considering the timing… but I will watch all the same."
Uhh… I was pretty sure I was meant to be the one dragging them to bed.
But still… it wasn't as if I hated it.
It had been a while since I had spent the night with Roxy and Sylphy at the same time, after all.
But interesting… glasses seemed to be… very effective.
I would have to keep that in mind.
— Leon Anemoi Asura —
The sixth month of the year K425 had arrived, and with it, came the most precious gift I had received yet this year in the form of a beautiful little girl.
Emilia Anemoi Asura.
The first of my children to not take the Greyrat name, not that it really mattered.
Regardless, she was my little princess… both as a nickname, and in reality as the heir of the Asura Kingdom.
With a few strands of blonde hair, and wide, light blue eyes, she really was a beautiful little thing.
Though, considering who her mother was, that much was a given.
"Haa… with this, I suppose I have finally caught up with the others, no?" Ariel said, leaning against my side as I continued to hold Emilia in my arms.
"You know I don't care about that," I said, leaning down to kiss her head. "But still… thank you, Ariel."
I should really thank all my wives for giving birth to such beautiful children, but for now, this time was reserved for Ariel.
"Mmm… I should be thanking you, for gifting me such a wonderful heir," she said, reaching her finger out to prod the sleeping baby's cheek. "Hmm… she has your face."
"Isn't it a bit too early to tell?" I asked.
"No, I am sure of it," she said, her lips spreading into a smile. "How else would I be feeling such a strong connection to her?"
I… think that was just the natural love a mother had for their child, but I decided to keep my thoughts to myself for now.
I was just glad to see that Ariel was so happy.
To think that Ariel would be able to smile so beautifully, and so honestly…
It had been only a little over four years since I had met the then princess, but she had really changed a lot in that time, and ever since she ascended to the throne, her facade had only ever been used for political meetings, leaving me with the truthful and loving woman I had come to adore.
Yeah… I was glad.
She looked much prettier like this.
"Are you okay?" I asked. "Now that she's calmed down, I can heal you some more if you're still in pain."
"No need," she replied, shaking her head. "Just having Roxy and Sylphy help me was enough. I think I'll be mostly recovered after a good night's rest."
Huh. Who would have thought that she would take it so easily.
"I'm surprised," I said, looking back down at Emilia. "I figured that Eris recovering so fast after her pregnancy was only natural, considering her disposition as a talented swordsman, but for you…"
Well, even if she was quite weak in terms of strength, at least she was a human unlike Sylphy and Roxy, so her body was more prepared for a child of mine.
"Hmph. Despite not being a fighter, I'm tougher than I look," she said, giving me a pout. "You know that quite well, no? After all the things you've done to me…"
I felt a shiver run up my spine as Ariel gently leaned over to nibbled on my ear before whispering. "Because you're so~ rough."
…Dangerous.
Extremely dangerous.
I quickly shook my head to make her stop.
"Not in front of our daughter, please," I pleaded.
"Hehe~? Did I make you all flustered? Well… I'm also too tired for such acts, so I'll stop for the moment," she said, giggling as she leaned back against the pillow. "But as for recovering so fast… well, I was simply too excited to feel much pain. To have a daughter… to be part of such a loving family… it really is a dream come true."
I… wasn't sure that it worked like that, but I suppose I would leave it be for now.
"You were part of it before we had her, Ariel," I said. "But… I won't complain about getting another cutie in the family."
Emilia… a name chosen by Ariel among the three I had picked out, to ensure that it was given by the both of us… she would need to be treated a little differently than Aria, Ars, and Anna.
After all, as of right now, she was the sole ruler in line for the throne of the Asura Kingdom, and with Ariel's brothers both out of the equation, that would be the case until Ariel gave birth to another child.
I would still love her all the same, and she could still do whatever she wished… but Emilia's life was already in danger.
Not only because of the Man-God's schemes, but because of her position as the princess.
It was a position that came with just as many dangers as it did privileges.
"Although… I guess it makes it quite easy to decide what nickname I'll give you… my little princess," I said, smiling as the infant turned her head towards my chest.
Yeah… there was sure to be trouble in the future, trouble that I had already accepted as soon as I decided to fall in love with Ariel.
But for now… I would simply spend some quality time with this little princess of mine.