“…Difficult? What on earth is it?”
After finishing a light dinner, I receive after-dinner drinks from Memoria.
Evia is looking at my hand with a hint of envy, but it’s a privilege for those who have finished their work, so I enjoy the wine chosen by Memoria.
The wine from the otherworld tastes different from the wine here.
A subtle sweetness is mixed with a solid acidity, and a pleasant astringency created by magic power remains in the aftertaste.
Personally, I prefer this wine.
What should I say, the astringency is mellow.
While savoring such wine, I listen carefully to what Suella calls difficult.
“When Keiri visited before, she complained about it.”
Suella, recalling the basis of the “difficult” part, begins to explain the reason with a wry smile, chuckling as she remembers.
“There are no good men.”
“““Ah.”””
“? What do you mean?”
With just those words, I, Evia, and Memoria had grasped the general situation.
Only Himik seemed to tilt her head, unable to understand the meaning.
“As Himik also knows, we Dark Elves have a slightly special romantic situation.”
“They say we’re a race that is devoted once they fall in love.”
“It’s embarrassing to be told again, but that’s right. That’s why we are a cautious race when it comes to romance. That might be why we are sometimes called a late-marriage race.”
Quite a nostalgic story came up to explain.
Well, for people on the Demon Lord’s Army side, it’s a well-known story, and I was taught it by my instructors when I joined the company.
Well, it’s mostly cautionary tales about Dark Elves who fell in love and were ruined.
I was told about failure stories, like falling for a terrible man or being deceived by a wicked woman, and despite being told that Dark Elves are cautious about romance…
“Evia pushed you forward with all her might, and you were pretty straightforward from then on.”
“Because it was frustrating.”
“You! Please don’t interrupt the story! I’m grateful to you.”
“Ah, now I regret it a little. Because I was beaten to it.”
Once I took a step forward, it was a straight path like a bullet train.
She’s blessed with children and is happy, so she shouldn’t be so embarrassed.
Evia says it with sarcasm, but everyone knows it’s not her true feelings, and they also sense that she’s a little sulky.
Suella, knowing she’s being teased, clears her throat and restarts the conversation.
“Anyway, the fact that Keiri went to such lengths means that there ‘was’ someone, right? A good man that girl is looking for.”
“……Seriously?”
When I think about it, it’s only natural.
Since I have a Dark Elf wife, it would be strange not to notice.
The fact that Keiri-san put so much effort into the marriage hunting party means that there was such a partner, or candidates.
“To be precise, it would be more like candidates…”
“Well, I’ve only seen a photograph so far.”
Suella, who is abstaining from alcohol for her child who is not yet weaned, softly drinks the roasted tea that Himik made.
“That girl seems quite flustered since I had my child. The other day, she even called me a traitor, with tears in her eyes.”
“I can imagine it.”
I know it’s just lighthearted banter between best friends.
No, rather, because they are best friends, they can see the genuine anxiety behind the jokes.
“Keiri, who put in so much effort, is amazing. Usually, she holds back her full strength and saves some for later, but this time, she’ll surely give her wholehearted effort. She’ll go all out.”
I’m well aware that she’s not the type to let that anxiety lead to failure.
And the meaning of “difficult” that Suella refers to connects here.
“Please handle it properly so you don’t get swept away.”
“That’s right. I understand.”
“However, there’s also something strange.”
“Strange?”
“Yes.”
Twice as much as usual, or perhaps even more.
Keiri-san is in full max mode.
Thinking that it will be quite difficult to work with her at full power starting tomorrow, my smartphone in my chest pocket vibrates.
“Excuse me.”
Wondering who it is at this hour, I excuse myself and look at the smartphone screen.
“Kaido, that means…”
Seeing a call from Kaido, I get up to take it.
“Hello, Kaido?”
“Ah, good work, senpai.”
Entering my room, I answer the phone and hear the voice of my kouhai, whom I haven’t had many opportunities to see recently.
“Oh, you seem energetic.”
“I’m exhausted from dungeon attacking every single day. I have to fill the void you left, senpai.”
“My apologies for that.”
“That’s fine, it’s more rewarding than my previous job.”
Even though he says he’s exhausted, his voice has a certain vibrancy.
When he worked at his previous company, his tone was lower, and he would just reply, “It’s fine,” with weak words.
I feel reassured by Kaido’s voice, which allows for lighthearted banter, and a smile forms on my lips, albeit via phone.
“I see. I’ll make sure we can work together again soon, and then I’ll see your growth. Speaking of which, the reason you called must be about my request, right?”
“Y-yes. If I relay your message properly to Amili-chan, she seems to be available tomorrow afternoon.”
“That’s a great help.”
What I asked Kaido to do was to arrange an appointment with the Machine King, Amili Mazacraft.
She’s from a different faction, and I’m a senpai general.
I can’t just ask for things lightly.
I need to act by following the proper procedures.
That’s why I entrusted the initial trigger to Kaido.
Ideally, I would have asked Evia, the president, or my instructors to accompany me, but they are all so busy that they don’t have time for that.
I’ll thank Kaido later.
“Is the meeting place, is the first okay?”
“Oh, as for the time, if it’s afternoon, could it be right after noon?”
“Yes, I’ll let her know.”
For now, I’ll make use of this help.
“Thanks, I’ll treat you to something next time.”
“Ah, in that case, could you give me some training next time? I want to get stronger too.”
“Understood. I’ll find time next time.”
“Thanks.”
We are friends because we help each other.
One-sided assistance is no different from exploitation.
For now, it seems like my defensive preparations are falling into place.
““Aaaah! Aaaah!!””
I hear the sound of my child crying energetically.
“Oh dear, they’re awake.”
I head towards the living room, thinking I can see their faces now that they’re awake.
“See, Daddy’s here too.”
“Hmm, you woke up sensing Giro’s presence, but then cried because he wasn’t here?”
“These children are sensitive to magic power.”
“It seems they are full of potential for the future.”
I encountered a scene where four women were trying to soothe two children.
Suella was holding Yukiera, and Evia was holding Sachiera, but they weren’t stopping their crying.
Himik was trying to soothe them with her wings, but it seemed like they were throwing a tantrum because it wasn’t that.
Memoria was trying to distract them with toys, but the children shook their heads, saying they didn’t want that.
Was it good timing, or a coincidence?
As I emerged from the room and reached out to ask what was wrong, a small hand reached out with the strength of my baby and grabbed my finger as if to say, “This is it.”
With their small fingers, they squeezed with a grip too weak to be called grip strength, but it was as if they were saying, “This is what I wanted,” and tried to shake my finger with a happy voice.
Seeing this, Suella and the others looked at each other and smiled, knowing it couldn’t be helped.
“You’ve been busy lately, so we haven’t been able to see Jiro-san much.”
“That’s right. I used to come home late at night too.”
“They must have missed you.”
“Hmph, but I’m a little jealous. I’m always by their side.”
“I can’t help that… Well, but I’m happy.”
My children remember me.
It makes me feel like a dad, or rather, I simply feel happy.
The fatigue from work disappears with such innocent smiles, giving me more energy than any famous cake-and-bread warrior.
“I wish I could have done this on my previous holiday.”
Evia rubs her stomach.
Even when I greeted Kaden-san and the others, of course, I did the deed.
Demons have a harder time conceiving children than Dark Elves.
Rather, all my wives are long-lived races, and they are all at the top of the races that have difficulty conceiving children.
“Children are a gift, so let’s take our time. Fortunately, Jiro-san’s lifespan has also become several times longer than that of humans.”
“How many times? My senses tell me that Dragon Species were much longer-lived.”
“It’s at least ten times. We’ll live about that long too. We think of it as taking our time, but when I feel this warmth, I can’t help but feel impatient.”
Suella, the only one who has given birth, has a look that is both proud and a little embarrassed by the words of Memoria, Himik, and Evia.
“Hmm, Suella. Is that the confidence of a victor?”
“No. It’s nothing like that.”
Seeing this, Himik pouts as if to say, “That’s unfair,” and teases Suella.
She can’t escape while holding a child, and she denies Himik’s words with a smile.
“However, I am thinking that it might be nice for these children to have a younger brother or sister soon.”
“That cannot be overlooked.”
“That’s right, you can’t monopolize them.”
However, the other wives, who are stopping her from saying that, see her as cunning for casually stating her own desires.
With her body stable and the childcare supported by Himik, she has a sense of余裕.
Therefore, she shows a glimpse of her face as a woman, not just a mother, and I am also startled by seeing her face as a woman after so long.
“Oh?”
“No, it’s nothing, yukiella.”
“Ah.”
“Hey, don’t put it in your mouth.”
I can’t show such an expression to the children, so I desperately try to fix my expression and attend to the children.
“…Very well. I take those words as a declaration of war. It’s my turn today, so Jiro-san, please give it your all today.”
“Well, I’m fine with that, but…”
“Hmm, then I’ll be on standby. So I can switch in at any time.”
“Um, I have work tomorrow.”
“Hmm, if you can come back by midnight, I can join too.”
“No, what about my will?”
“““There’s no problem, right? (Right?) [No problem, probably.]”””
“Yes.”
However, Suella’s words seem to have flipped a switch.
The words “I won’t let you sleep tonight” don’t seem to be a man’s prerogative.
I prepare myself, thinking that I’ll have to give it my all tonight.
“Then, after that, I will go.”
“““No.”””
“Yukiera, Sachiera, Mother is being left out.”
The fourth round seems to be booked as well, and I’m relieved when the three of them quickly stop me.
Suella, whose eyes were serious despite pretending it was just a wish, “If only it would happen.”
I ask the daughters, who don’t understand the meaning, to comfort me, and they seem to sense their mother’s sadness and pat her face with the hand not holding mine.
“If that’s the case, I’ll go. I must quickly finish the remaining work.”
“Then, Jiro-san, let’s take a bath together.”
“Hmm, then I’ll prepare tomorrow’s lunch box.”
Once their actions for after this are decided, the wives are quick to act.
Evia gently hands Sachiera to Suella, strokes the children’s heads lightly, and disappears with teleportation magic.
Memoria takes my hand and leads me to the bathroom, while Himik starts cooking while tidying up the kitchen.
Suella sees us off.
Tonight, it seems like it will be even busier than work.
Today’s quote:
Listen carefully to the words of others.
Thank you, as always, for your comments and reports of typos.
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