The battle of the gods, which I had approached with great enthusiasm, ended in failure, and the very long discussion finally concluded. With nothing left to do in the divine realm (I thought about bringing the remaining gods down to the surface to train them, but a glitch prevented me from taking them due to not having golem bodies, so I gave up for today), we decided to return to our mansion in Pars City that same day.
“Welcome home, Master.”
“Welcome hoooome!”
“Papa!”
Despite my slightly dejected mood due to various circumstances, my maids’ greetings were as usual. Hearing their voices made me feel like I was truly home and brought me a sense of relief. And Kuromel’s sudden embrace was the best.
“I’m home. Was there anything unusual at the mansion?”
“Yes, it was perfectly peaceful. However, a letter has arrived for you, Master.”
“A letter? From whom?”
“Well, the sender’s name was not written on the envelope…”
“From someone unnamed, sounds suspicious. Where is the letter?”
“It’s in ‘Storage’ via Kuro-chan, my doppelganger.”
“Okay, as long as it’s inside Kuro’s stomach, it’s safe. I’ll check it later.”
However, I don’t really feel like doing it right now. I’ve been doing things I’m not used to in a state of indigestion, so first, I want to work up a sweat in the underground training ground.
“Shall I be your opponent for that?”
“Stop reading my mind so naturally— No, before that, why are you naturally returning home with us? Maria and Kuon.”
For some reason, these two followed us to the mansion, mixed in with my allies. But putting that aside, the offer just now was very appealing. However, I wonder if my underground training ground can handle it…?
“We came to say our goodbyes. We’ve decided to return to our original world for now. It’s been quite a while since we’ve been here, and as king of a country, I couldn’t stay too long. My daughters who were left in the country might be causing trouble again.”
“I also want to check on my children I left in Japan~. Well, I had always neglected housework, so I’m sure they’re living without any problems, but parental instinct is a thing, isn’t it? I also want to see how much stronger they’ve become while I was away.”
“I see, kings and mothers are indeed busy… I’ll come visit your world next time, so please tell me a good place to play then. Oh, but how do I get there? I just realized I don’t know the way.”
“I’ll ask if I can open a door for you, and if it’s okay, I’ll come tell you again. I don’t know when it will be, but I’ll do my best to make it as soon as possible.”
“I see, that’s a great help. …By the way, about that incident with the giant monster?”
“Yes, yes, I’ll take care of that matter as well. Honestly, you should be grateful!”
Oh, very much so! Ah, that’s right. Since I have this opportunity, I should also ask if they can help with that plan I’ve been secretly plotting for a while. Whether it’s possible or not is another matter.
“Maria, sorry to keep bothering you… *mumble mumble*”
“Hmm hmm? …Hmm, I wonder? I’ve never thought about something like that before, so I don’t know if it’s possible. But if Gallia and Grandpa Vakara combine their techniques, perhaps…? Yes, I’ll check on that request as well. Don’t expect too much, though?”
“Just checking is greatly appreciated. And I’m surprised it’s even a little bit possible.”
“Well, that’s because my connections are amazing ♪”
And so, it was farewell to Maria and the others. Since we would be sightseeing in Pars City, they refused the sparring match, saying it was impossible! However, I gained more than I lost, and strangely, my heart felt at peace.
“Kelvin, what were you talking about with Maria just now?”
“Hmm? Ah, that was… a secret.”
“What? What do you mean! Tell me!”
“Hahaha, it’s not that grand of a story, just something personal. If you really want to know, I’ll tell you if you win our sparring match. What do you say?”
“Hmph, sounds interesting. I’ll win completely and pry everything out of you!”
It’s not really a secret worth hiding, but this way, Sera will get more serious. Now I can go to the underground training ground while skipping.
“Papa, after Sera, let’s battle me too. I’ve got a lot of room for growth lately…!”
“Indeed, Kuromel, you’re quite motivated! Alright, Papa accepts challenges anytime. If you fight me after defeating Sera without recovering, it’ll be a good handicap.”
“Why are you already assuming you’ve won!? I’m angry now! I’m going to beat you up thoroughly for the first time in a while! Kuromel, I’m sorry, but you won’t get a turn— No, that would be cruel, so I’ll defeat you moderately and make it a good loss, so look forward to it!”
“Uh, um, please be gentle…”
What is this strange concern in a twisted direction? Well, it seems like she’s gotten even more motivated, so it’s a result that’s good, right? However, a sparring match with Kuromel. If I go all out, when was the last time?
…I’ve been curious about it for a while. When I entered ‘Asura’ during my fight with Adams, I could use the tentacles of Black Goddess Kuromel. I wonder if the current Kuromel can use them too? If that’s the case… yeah, it might be dangerous in my wounded state. Heheh, I’ve gained another thing to look forward to. I want Kuromel to grow up as the good child she is now, but I also want her skill to approach that of her Black Goddess era. It’s going smoothly, the future is bright! There might be information I don’t know yet, but for me, misfortune is synonymous with good fortune, so no problem!
“Eh, what? Are we all going to fight now? Then, I’d like to join too, Ange. If I’m going to have a baby soon, I want to move while I still can.”
“If that’s the case, then me too! What about you, Alex?”
“Woof! (I’ll join!)”
“If Rion-chan and Kuromel-chan are participating, then I will too. I want to show everyone the new way I’ve been thinking of using dolls!”
“In that case, I, as the principal wife, will also participate. I’m feeling quite hungry.”
“Are a fierce battle involving Mel-sama, Kelvin-sama, and Rion-sama about to begin…!? I-I want to watch! I want to watch from up close!”
“Whoa, have you forgotten about me? The one who will receive the most attention from my adopted grandchildren is this old man~~!”
“Alright, alright, I can’t lose to my brother or husband! Mudo, Boga! Are you guys ready too!?”
“Frankly, I’m bored. I’d rather have sweets.”
“You must be hungry…”
“Whoa!? Where do you think you’re going, straight to the kitchen in this situation!?”
“… (*fidgeting*)”
“Head Maid, Ryuka and I will prepare the meal.”
“It’s okay to be with Master!”
“!” Both of you, thank you…! Chloe-chan, let’s go together.”
Seeing Efil happily placing Kurot on her head made me smile too. Well, it seems everyone ended up participating.
“Alright, in that case, it’s a battle royale!”
—In the end, the sparring match, in which the entire family participated, continued until night. The durability of the underground training ground sharply decreased, resulting in critical damage. I thought we’d have to repair it tomorrow, as it would be bad if we didn’t… But overcome by fatigue, I collapsed onto my bed.
(Ah, my familiar daily life has returned.)
As I fell asleep, reminiscing about this, I completely forgot about the letter Ellie had told me about. The next morning, upon seeing the letter, I decided to take everyone and head towards the Western Continent, despite having only recently returned.
The next installment will be the final chapter. Epilogue and Status will be posted subsequently.
