It seemed like the night Muil-san brought over a celebratory gift for Suella’s discharge from the hospital was a difficult one.
While it wasn’t exactly a wild party with singing and dancing, Muil-san was all smiles, joyfully sharing stories throughout the night.
The stories varied, with talks of Suella’s childhood causing her to fluster.
He also offered plenty of advice for deciding on names for the twins.
“I wonder if Muil-san is still awake?”
“Knowing your grandfather, he might still be, but he did say he had an early day tomorrow, so he’s probably asleep by now.”
As if a storm had passed, the night felt quieter than usual today.
For the first time in a while, the four of us would be sleeping in Suella’s bedroom.
We changed into our sleepwear, and the lights hadn’t been turned off yet.
I lightly placed a hand on the railing of the baby crib and spoke to Suella, who was brushing her hair behind me.
When I asked about Muil-san’s situation, which was the reason for the quiet atmosphere, Suella gave a wry smile and answered.
Muil-san’s actions had been quite memorable.
Suella and I reminisced about such things.
“He’s such a lively person.”
“Yes, but I heard from my mother that he was just as delighted when I was born.”
Muil-san, who showed no signs of old age, tried desperately to convey to the children that he was their great-grandfather in a cooing voice. However, the infants, not even a month old, couldn’t recognize people.
Instead, they recognized him as a stranger and started crying and fussing together. But as a seasoned elder, he didn’t seem flustered at all. He calmly summoned small spirits to entertain them.
His skill was something a novice parent couldn’t hope to match.
In the end, we were even lightly lectured about needing to step up.
“Seeing Muil-san made me feel like a parent, but I realized that just having the feeling isn’t enough.”
“That’s true. Me too.”
We couldn’t even comfort the babies, change their diapers, or understand what their cries meant.
We had prepared beforehand, but our children surpassed all that preparation.
Seeing us, Suella and I, being tossed around by the children, Muil-san said with a laugh.
“He told me that just as children grow, we too grow as parents, and I found that convincing.”
As I was relieved after managing to change a diaper, he patted my shoulder and said with a smile that I had grown. Looking back, I had to agree.
“I thought parenting was the final destination, but my grandfather told me it’s actually the beginning. Until then, I thought I could somehow manage this life with the children, even if it was tough.”
Suella seemed to feel the same way. She finished brushing her hair and we both peered into the baby crib at our sleeping children.
“Sachiera, Yukiera.”
Then, she called out the names of our daughters with all her love.
Sachiera was the name of our black-haired daughter.
Yukiera was the name of our silver-haired daughter.
The names had a blend of Japanese and Western styles, but Suella and I loved them.
Sachi and Yuki both came from kanji meaning happiness.
The word “Era” is an ancient language of the Dark Elves, meaning tree.
“We want them to grow up happy.”
Suella and I, a Japanese person and a person from another world, named our daughters by connecting our worlds.
Naturally, my hand went around her shoulder, and Suella leaned into me.
We were supposed to fall asleep like that.
“?”
“Jiro-san?”
I felt a prickling sensation behind my neck.
It was a sensation I often felt within a Dungeon.
Hostility, killing intent, malice, whatever you want to call it, the common factor was that sensing it meant something bad was about to happen.
“Is something wrong?”
Suella asked, noticing my suddenly serious expression as I scanned our surroundings. I could only convey it as a feeling.
“No, it’s just a strange sensation.”
In ordinary language, I would likely be dismissed with reasons like “you’re imagining things” or “that’s weird.”
However, in a world where magic, a supernatural phenomenon, is commonplace, things are different.
“…”
Suella closed her eyes and immediately began to draw on her magic, extending her awareness to search the surroundings.
“There doesn’t seem to be any suspicious magic or presence.”
Her sincere investigation into my intuition seemed to lead to the conclusion that my senses were mistaken, but I still had an unsettling feeling and tried to find its source.
“…..Is it outside?”
Then, I had a vague feeling that it was outside, not within the company building. I quietly approached the window.
The room’s window had a special structure that allowed sunlight to enter but prevented outsiders from seeing in.
However, it allowed us to see out.
I pulled back the curtain, peeked outside, and checked if anything seemed amiss. The scenery in front of me was unchanged.
The surrounding lights were just those from houses and streetlights, with nothing particularly out of the ordinary.
I began to think it was all in my head when I finally looked down.
“A truck? Why at this hour?”
A medium-sized truck was stopped on the road in front of the company entrance, followed by a line of five large vans.
As I mentioned earlier, it was still before midnight, but it was a time when people would normally be asleep.
I hadn’t heard anything about material deliveries, and it was strange to do so at this hour.
It was an odd group to simply dismiss as suspicious.
As I pondered this and focused my magic into my eyes to see further, one white figure descended from a van.
White in the literal sense of the word.
Covered in white cloth resembling a robe, it was impossible to tell from a distance if it was a man or a woman.
One figure after another stepped out, following suit.
“Jiro-san? Is something wrong?”
“Yeah, something seems off.”
I had been staring out the window, and noticing something was wrong, I beckoned Suella and showed her the view outside.
More and more figures appeared, and they seemed busy doing something around the truck.
They hadn’t entered the company grounds, but their presence was unsettling.
“What do you think they’re doing?”
“I don’t know. However, the company is covered by a barrier, so they shouldn’t be able to easily get in. But just in case, I’ll contact security.”
While I hoped nothing was wrong, I also thought it would be bad if something did happen.
As Suella was making a telepathic call to security, it happened. The truck bed suddenly lit up blindingly.
“Magic!?”
I recognized that phenomenon and understood what had happened.
“Did they cast a barrier!?”
A barrier was deployed, completely enveloping the entire company.
Then, the white figures removed their hoods.
“Are those… Angels!?”
I couldn’t suppress my surprise at the impossible sights happening one after another.
Why were there angels outside the company?
Why were angels coming at this hour?
Why, why, why? As questions flooded my mind, the suspicious group didn’t wait.
Though it was too dark to see clearly, I saw three figures carrying something cylindrical on their shoulders.
I couldn’t comprehend what it was.
After all, I had never seen one in person.
If there were someone knowledgeable about military equipment, they would excitedly say: It’s an anti-tank rocket launcher.
Before I could stop them, fire erupted from behind the tubes, and something shot out from the front.
The projectile flew towards the company’s main entrance.
“Suella!”
Instantly realizing what the object was, I lunged at Suella and threw myself to the floor. The sound of a massive explosion echoed in my ears.
“Gyaaaaaa! Gyaaaaaa! Gyaaaaa!”
“…What in the world happened?”
The building shook violently.
This was not a natural disaster, but a man-made act.
The word “terrorism” flashed through my mind, but a more precise word came to me.
“It’s an attack! Suella, the children!”
As if to confirm my words, sirens blared throughout the room. Sachiera and Yukiera’s cries grew louder with the piercing sound.
“Memoria! Himik! Muil-san!”
This was no ordinary event. Understanding that, I shouted to wake the three who were still asleep.
“Jiro-san, what is that sound?”
“Son-in-law, what’s going on?”
However, that was unnecessary. Memoria, Himik, and Muil-san emerged from the room, already fully awake.
“I don’t know. All I know is that someone attacked us.”
With so much uncertainty, I knew I shouldn’t panic, but I felt a sense of urgency.
“Emergency, emergency, a portion of the front barrier has been breached. It appears someone has infiltrated. Security, respond immediately. Non-combat personnel, evacuate to the shelter. I repeat.”
“…”
As if to fuel my anxiety, a clear but rapid voice announced the emergency. There was only one entity that would attack the Demon Lord’s Army that I could think of.
“No way.”
“…It seems so.”
Memoria was stunned that the entity had attacked the company, while Muil-san accepted the reality with a grimace.
“For now, we can’t stay here. Let’s move to a safe place.”
Accepting their words, I realized we couldn’t fight a dangerous organization bare-handed without any equipment. I began the minimal preparations necessary.
“Ah, Master.”
As we prepared to leave the room, Himik, who had been silent until then, spoke to me.
“What is it?”
Her face was contorted with urgency. Her face was pale, and she looked like she was trembling.
“Are you alright?”
Despite the emergency, I felt I couldn’t ignore her. While Suella and the others prepared, I turned to Himik. She was always smiling innocently and would readily share her worries. Seeing her like this… I gently placed a hand on her shoulder and asked, but Himik just shook her head. I could tell she wasn’t alright, but I didn’t know why.
“It’s okay to take your time. What did you feel?”
Although we needed to hurry, I knew I shouldn’t rush her. To help her endure her fear, I held Himik’s hand. Her hand was terrifyingly cold. The hand that gripped mine back was trembling.
“…My older sister.”
“Older sister?”
After taking three deep breaths, her trembling subsided slightly, and Himik spoke of her own sister.
“Nisia-nee-sama has arrived.”
The fact that a Seraph was the attacker.
“We have to escape! We can’t win against my sister!”
She gripped my hand even tighter, desperately trying to convey the threat she posed.
“…Understood.”
I resolved to evacuate, not to waste her feelings, but…
“No! We have to tell the demons inside the company too! They’ll all be killed!”
Himik shook her head vigorously, saying it wasn’t that.
“Nisia-nee-sama can use the Overgod’s power!”
She desperately tried to convey that we shouldn’t fight.
“Enemy advancing into the dormitory and Dungeon floors. All personnel in the vicinity, evacuate immediately! Repeat! Evacuate immediately!”
As if to push her words, the call for evacuation was made with a voice that now conveyed panic, a stark contrast to the initial calm broadcast. The situation was clearly deteriorating by the minute. I picked up an Ore Tree I had happened to bring from my room, switching my thoughts to combat mode.
“Suella, inform security about Himik’s information.”
“Understood!”
“Memoria, if you can, inform the members of the Shopping Street.”
“I understand.”
“Muil-san, it’s an emergency. Can I count on your combat strength?”
“I wouldn’t spare my life for my great-grandchild. I’ll lend you my full strength, son-in-law.”
“Himik.”
“!”
I took care of what I could, prioritizing safety first. And then, I set the priority order for securing safety. Suella and the children were the top priority. Then Memoria and Himik. Lastly, and I apologize, Muil-san.
“Can you fight?”
I then asked Himik about the element that worried me the most. From this point on, I might have to fight her own sister. Given the atmosphere, her combat power was undoubtedly far superior to Himik’s. Hence the question. It was fine if she couldn’t fight. Just having her escape with Memoria and the others would be enough.
“…Yeah, I’ll be alright.”
However, Himik was a strong woman. Suppressing her anxiety, she closed her eyes once, took a deep breath, and then opened them. Her eyes held a look of resolve.
“Alright! I’ll lead the way. Suella and the children will be in the center, with Muil-san and Himik at the rear. Memoria, you’ll support Suella.”
With that decided, we took immediate action. My only armament was this Ore Tree. Therefore, I, who could wield it, should be at the front.
“What’s the route to the evacuation shelter?”
“There should be emergency transfer gates on each floor, but they might be unusable to prevent enemy intrusion.”
“Understood. Let’s head there first. If that’s not possible, we’ll have to change our course.”
With the resolve to protect them no matter what, I plunged into the unfolding chaos.
Today’s quote:
Sometimes, the impact isn’t confined to the other shore.
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*The first volume of this novel has been published by Hayakawa Bunko JA.
It was released on October 18, 2018.
The e-book version was released on October 31 of the same year.
Volume 2 was released on December 19.
The third volume was released on February 20, 2019.
The content has been revised and expanded from the version posted on Shōsetsuka ni Narō, with the inclusion of an unpublished interlude.
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A manga adaptation is being serialized in Kodansha’s “Young Magazine The Third.”
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