“Kuuuuaaaah!”
“It looks like you’re quite exhausted.”
A week has passed since I’ve been undergoing training that’s so intense, I’d call it a joke rather than just being like an oni. My body’s fatigue has finally reached its limit, so tomorrow is a blessed day off.
Today, as usual, I finished my errands in the morning and then underwent that hellish training in the afternoon. Thanks to repeating it, I can feel myself gradually becoming more comfortable with it.
Even after finishing training, I’m completely exhausted, but I can still walk home.
Even now, I’m pushing my tired body to get home. Suella, who was taking care of our two children, greeted me, and I’m now in the process of being healed.
However, perhaps because I’ve accumulated so much fatigue, my guard dropped, and I let out a yawn. Suella noticed and ended up laughing at me.
“I think I’m pushing myself pretty hard.”
“That’s absolutely true. Even as a magic body, that training is excessive. I thought Keiri was joking when she told me.”
Yukiera is using my little finger as a toy, squeezing my finger with small, weak forces. Is she curious about my calloused, rough fingers from sword training, or has she noticed the difference compared to her mother Suella’s soft fingers that she touches all the time?
She seems curious, grasping and releasing my finger, trying to swing it around with her weak strength. Of course, I can’t let her put it in her mouth, so I apply just a little force to stop her.
Such a cute gesture from my daughter melts away the prickly atmosphere that felt sharpened from being in a brutal environment, and I feel a great sense of relief.
“…Sorry.”
“You always are. But I’m not asking you to apologize.”
That’s why I can sincerely apologize to Suella, who I worry about all the time. Even now, while conjuring a small spirit for Sachiera to entertain her, she’s supporting me with one hand, worrying about my body.
Ever since I joined this company, she’s been looking out for me. What can I do for her?
“Right. Thank you always. For waiting for me.”
“Yes, you’re welcome.”
All I can do is express my gratitude sincerely. While I financially support our household, there’s no doubt that she supports me mentally.
It’s Suella, the children, Memoria, Himik, and Evia. Kaido, Minami, Kitamiya, Katsu, Amelia. And the instructors and everyone in the department.
It’s precisely because I’m supported by so many people that I’m in an environment where I can work hard like this. I can’t do everything by myself. But perhaps the reality that it’s okay to be this way is truly a luxury.
“I am truly a happy man. With Suella and the others supporting our family life, and Kaido and the others supporting me at work, I’ve changed in many ways without realizing it.”
“My body has changed the most,” I say with a laugh, and Suella chuckles too. And when Suella laughs, the children respond by giggling, and I feel the stress accumulated from battle rapidly decreasing. This place definitely has a healing effect.
“At first, I intended to extend my lifespan by making a contract with Valse, but before I knew it, something like dragon’s blood was flowing through me.”
The fact that I’ve become something other than human was accepted with less shock than I expected, probably because I’ve seen many different species at this company. And just because my species has changed, it doesn’t mean my tastes have.
It’s also easier to accept because there are no strange changes like my form altering, wanting to eat people, or wanting to break things. The only change is that my pupils change shape when I raise my magic power. Since my eyes are normal most of the time, it doesn’t interfere with my daily life.
“Thanks to that, I can be close to Suella and the others, and watch over Yukiera and the others. You never know what will happen in life.”
“That’s true. I wonder what my past self would think if she saw this scene.”
“Me too. If I told my past self, who was a corporate slave, that I’ve married four beautiful women and am earning well, she’d never believe it.”
“What do you mean by that?”
A Dark Elf having children with humans. In a way, it’s a very common story, but for me, who is actually living it, if I think about whether my past self could have predicted such a future, I can say with full agreement that she couldn’t. She might have been so worried about me overworking and blurring the lines between reality and fantasy that she would have sent me to the hospital.
Suella probably knows what kind of environment I was in. Still, she gently leans into me, as if showing me that this is reality. Her body temperature transmits through my clothes. A faint warmth, a softness unique to women, is felt through my arm.
“…You haven’t reconsidered the offer of the General’s position, have you?”
Suella, who had been avoiding the topic until now, brings it up. I thought I was pushing the conversation too quickly, so I had been holding back my feelings until Suella could sort out her own thoughts. And because of that, it’s undeniable that our relationship has been a little strained recently. But lately, Suella’s demeanor seems to have softened. No, it should be said that it has returned to normal.
That day, when Evia mentioned the offer, Suella had been agonizing over it. The worry that used to be on her face was no longer there. But perhaps it still takes courage to speak, so she nervously grips my arm, as if conveying an unseen anxiety. To avoid the children hearing, she summoned another spirit to play with them and then gently tightened her grip on my arm, moving away from the children.
I had no intention of resisting. I didn’t want the children to hear Suella’s anxious voice. And after moving a little distance away, I looked straight into her eyes and told her my honest feelings without pretense.
“…Yeah, I’ll take it.”
I had told Suella and the others about the President’s offer on the same day I received it. To be honest, their reactions that day weren’t very favorable. Evia, from her public position, offered congratulations but didn’t say anything personally about me taking the position. Memoria, from her position as a merchant, offered blessings but used ambiguous words personally. Himik, who possesses power, accepted my taking the position but said she couldn’t tell my true feelings. And the only one who asked me to reconsider was Suella. She, who had been by my side longer than anyone else here, was the first to ask me to reconsider my promotion.
I couldn’t accept her feelings at that time. I told her I didn’t want to miss this perfect opportunity to stand beside the instructor. I was taking advantage of Suella’s feelings. I mistakenly thought Suella would be happy about this. I thought she would laugh and accept it as she always does. However, having become a mother of two, she now holds a stronger sense of danger and didn’t approve of me, an ordinary person, taking the General’s position.
I understand perfectly that she doesn’t doubt my abilities or personality. Suella was the first to deny that she was worried about those aspects. “It’s not that I don’t trust your abilities. It’s just that I haven’t been able to make up my mind.” And she became the spokesperson for the feelings of the four women here, including herself.
Since then, I’ve been thinking. What does it mean to take the General’s position? It’s an extremely high position within the Demon Lord’s Army, a direct subordinate of the Demon Lord, the highest executive. Becoming his wife would be a completely different level of existence. The Demon Lord’s Army is a meritocracy. Therefore, Cinderella-like success stories often happen. And proportionally, tragedies also abound. Due to the nature of the position, many covet it. Hence, intrigues arise. Those who cannot repel them are treated as the weak. And the end for many of them is death. If they can live and retire somewhere out of the way, that’s fortunate. However, at the very least, the Demon Lord’s Army’s darkness isn’t so shallow as to allow someone with the ability to become a General to remain unchecked. Retirement is a euphemism for confinement. Their strength is slowly eroded, and even if it’s publicly announced that they are being well taken care of, they are essentially being kept alive. The past glory of former generals is exploited, and they are allowed to act outrageously. Even after retiring, they face calamities. Suella, knowing this, imagined that it would next befall her, and consequently, Yukiera and Sachiera as well. Hearing this, I felt ashamed of my own selfish excitement. It’s not just my problem. The fact that taking the position of a top executive like the General immediately affects those around you. I must be prepared for that. It’s also about shouldering responsibility, but more importantly, forcing others to bear responsibility and the consequences of those choices.
“…”
“…”
A quiet pause settles as we gaze at each other. The only sound is Himik’s cooking, which I’m sure she can hear our conversation, echoing in the room. We’re both searching for the next words. I, too, have been troubled. At one point, I considered refusing the General’s offer for Suella’s sake. But I couldn’t choose to refuse. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the instructor was a non-negotiable line for me. I’m aware that this is selfish. But I will strive to uphold that selfishness. The current training is part of that. I believe that by becoming an undeniable force, including in terms of pure strength, the dangers will decrease significantly. That’s the reasoning behind the training regimen. Day by day. With each passing day of training, the monster subjugation records are updated. Defeating many weak enemies might not be boast-worthy, but the results have also impacted dungeon clearing. My personal best in challenging the Kiō’s dungeon alone was the eighty-ninth floor. I could only go that far due to time constraints, but with a little more time, I could have reached the ninety mark. My abilities are steadily improving. I am also focusing on building my network. Starting with Keiri-san, the people in the shopping street, and using Memoria’s connections to reach people on the continent, and further, asking Evia to contact nobles who are in a relatively neutral position. These are all preparatory steps that would be in vain if I didn’t win the battle for the General’s position. If I weren’t preparing now, I’d have to say I’m already too late, given my weakness in having a weak foundation. My aggressive actions might be pushing Suella’s nerves. I’m moving forward without pause. It wouldn’t be strange if I were told I’m going too fast.
“I see.”
But I believe that such an environment can become the power to protect them. I waited silently for Suella’s words, and as she finally chose her words after serious consideration, the tension reached its peak. The words she would speak next might be an unforgettable moment for me. The anxiety that she might say she can’t keep up. What would I do if it turned out badly? I tried to compose my expression so as not to show it, but…
“What kind of face are you making?”
Even so, Suella seems unable to hide my anxiety. Her delicate fingertips reach out and poke my brow. She moves them, as if to smooth out the wrinkles.
“Even though I’ve finally resolved myself, if you’re going to make a face like that, I won’t be able to focus on raising the children with peace of mind.”
“Suella.”
Suella, with her usual smile, as if finding me hopeless, gently hugged me.
“At first, I thought I had to protect you. But before I knew it, I became the one being protected.”
“No, I’m still being protected by you.”
In response, I hug her too, and Suella presses her face into my chest.
“That’s right. There’s still some anxiety about your actions, so I need to protect your safe haven properly, don’t I?”
“Yeah. That would be a great help.”
In a sense, it’s no exaggeration to say that I can work hard because Suella and the others are here. A place to return to. A safe place. A place where I belong. I recognize that all of these are essential, so if Suella were to let go now, I might have collapsed in the future. I want to protect this warmth. It’s the same for the others. It might sound greedy, but in the end, that’s all it is. This is what I want to do. I want to do that. Life is colored by the accumulation of such things. From here on, things will get even busier. Even knowing that, I can keep going as long as they are here.
“Well, in exchange. I have a request too!”
It’s Suella’s wish. And I have a feeling I won’t be able to refuse what comes next.
“As soon as possible, have children with Memoria and Himik! And if possible, with Evia-sama too!”
Suella makes her request, as if driving a wedge into me.
“Otherwise, I won’t be able to have the next child! Yukiera and Sachiera certainly want a sister or a brother!”
And behind those words, there’s a hint of jealousy, a desire not to let me go, mixed with her concern. Thinking it was just a little, cute, and endearing.
“I’ll do my best.”
With those words, I hug Suella tightly.
Today’s word: Know the limits of your own work.
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