I apologize.
I made a mistake with the chapter number I posted.
A business trip to the battlefield.
That’s a phrase I, from a bygone era, probably would have thought only newscasters, journalists, and military personnel would use.
But in reality, I’m heading to the battlefield too.
After a week of hospitalization, I will be returning to my peak physical condition.
“Whew.”
“My score is updated, I’m getting stronger and stronger.”
“Thank you.”
It feels strange to have a training facility within the hospital, but I take a sip of the sports drink from the lizardman doctor who is supervising my training with a mineral tree in hand.
The drink, with its perfectly balanced sweetness and saltiness, replenishes what I’ve consumed.
“As far as I can observe, there are no issues with your magic flow, and your soul’s wavelength is normal. You should be fine going to the battlefield.”
Evia has given me valuable advice, stating that I would only be a hindrance if I went to the battlefield without being in perfect physical condition.
That’s why I’m trusting the doctor’s words and making sure my health is in top shape.
“So, you’re saying I can be discharged today or tomorrow?”
“It’s unlikely for me to be discharged today unless something extraordinary happens, but you should be able to be discharged tomorrow without any problems.”
“I see.”
By recuperating in this hospital, where some of the best doctors in the Demon Lord’s Army gather, combined with my original toughness, my body is rapidly recovering.
It’s like…
“However, I can’t help but laugh every time I see a General’s status.”
“My past self felt the same way.”
“In your case, you’ve achieved this status in just a few years. You must be a general who has grown at an unprecedented rate in history.”
I’m not working and am recuperating, adjusting my body, so I’m in good condition.
What’s more, with experts overseeing my recovery, they can even correct any skeletal misalignments.
Thanks to that, in terms of physical condition, I’m probably in the best state I’ve ever been in.
The doctor, a lizardman with his characteristic grin, points out my status after checking it on a tablet, even as I finish some light training against dungeon monsters that leaves me only slightly sweaty.
“Even so, you’re no match for the Demon Lord, are you?”
“That’s right. Information about that person is only disclosed to a very small number of trusted doctors, so I don’t have access to it. Therefore, it’s difficult to say…”
It’s clear that my status is exceptional, even within the Demon Lord’s Army; in fact, it could be considered abnormal.
However, there’s always someone stronger.
“A doctor friend of mine told me that your status is high enough to confront multiple active generals at once.”
“I see, so it’s a matter of continuous effort, then?”
Even with my current status, which is like a distant star to the general public, I still cannot reach the sun shining in the heavens.
I’m curious as to how I was able to grow to this extent.
“If you’ve grown that much, you might become the next Demon Lord.”
“Whoa, if I grow that much, I can foresee a future where things get complicated. I need to keep my growth in check.”
“It’s rare to find someone who thinks like that.”
However, if that growth rate were applied, it could become a source of conflict in this country, so for now, I’m letting it be.
I’m not so masochistic as to create new problems before solving the immediate ones.
For now, I’ll start some stretching as a cool-down.
“Has there been any change in the war situation?”
“On the Undead King’s front, a state of superiority, known as a stalemate, continues. We currently have time, so we are avoiding an expansion of damage by launching an aggressive attack.”
“The fact that the instructors aren’t idle means… the enemy must have stepped on a landmine. If they’ve incurred the wrath of the instructors, there’s no chance of them surviving. So, this problem will truly be resolved with time. Domestically, the issue is how long the post-processing will take. How about the other front?”
“It’s the same as before; they were moving significantly at first, but due to supply lines, they couldn’t expand too much, so they are currently in sync. With no self-serving leaders, a group with a shared ideology is forming, and they are in the process of reconciling reality with their ideals.”
“For Instructor Kio, that must be a somewhat stressful environment. It’s not that he dislikes it, but it doesn’t suit his nature. He probably feels like he wants to cause a bit more chaos.”
My body has become quite flexible.
Flexibility is an extremely important factor in combat.
Being able to do this or not makes a world of difference.
With a barely audible sigh, I resign myself to the fact that Instructor Kio will probably be bothering me a lot when I go over there.
“Are there any significant problems?”
“If I had to pick one, it would be the requests for an audience with the Human King that have been coming to the hospital. Given the number of requests, they are causing some disruption to operations.”
“Everything has been handled by Keiri, so they’ve finally gotten impatient and decided to negotiate directly… I apologize, but please shut them out until I’m discharged. You can say it’s affecting my physical condition, and that should be enough.”
“I hope that works.”
It seems that even while I was hospitalized, I had attained a position that influenced those around me.
I’ve turned down all the arranged marriage proposals, but they still haven’t given up.
No, with the war situation now in our favor, they’re trying to get on the winning side and are pushing even harder.
If I try to refuse with my health as an excuse, a general wouldn’t easily get sick.
This is an exceptional case, and the doctors understand that such things rarely happen.
And it seems they are starting to understand that on the other side too, so they won’t give up with the excuse that it’s a lie.
That’s why my response has a nuance of slight resignation.
“I’ll tell them to give you a slight preference for potions, for now.”
“I’m counting on it. Frankly, I’m tired of answering inquiries about whether they’re hiring temporary nurses.”
“That’s a honey trap, isn’t it?”
“Yes, and they were all women of marriageable age. How about it?”
“My wife would kill me.”
Feeling a sense of apology for their attitude, I promise to increase the amount of potions sent to this hospital slightly and have them deal with it that way.
Falling for a honey trap will bring nothing but trouble.
It will worsen marital relationships and force me to listen to strange requests.
This is a situation where there are a hundred harms and not a single benefit.
“Even as a general, are you henpecked at home?”
“Who knows? No comment.”
Once I’ve finished loosening my body, I’ll break a sweat and then end the day by briefly reviewing work reports in my room.
“I see. Ah, and regarding the visits from the wives, is it to be the usual arrangement?”
“Yeah. That’s fine.”
If the workload were always this much, I wouldn’t have any problems.
In reality, the burden on Keiri is constantly increasing, and I don’t know when her dissatisfaction will explode. I need to return to duty as soon as possible.
Fortunately, the work can proceed even with the person in charge, me, absent.
It paid off that I had made preparations as if I were going to the battlefield.
However, that doesn’t mean I can leave everything entirely to others.
My family will visit later, and Keiri will come along.
At that time, I will have to handle documents, confirmation matters, and various other tasks.
I thought I should quickly sweat and get ready to receive them.
“…Suella, why are you in a suit?”
Suella, who had been wearing casual clothes recently, appeared in the suit she wore when I first joined the company, and I couldn’t help but widen my eyes slightly.
“I heard that Jiro-san was going to the battlefield, and I thought Keiri alone would be overwhelmed, so I decided to return to work on this opportunity.”
Suella, wearing glasses and a suit, looked so perfect that for a moment, I felt as if I had gone back to the past.
“Oh, I’m so glad. Suella, it’s hard to believe you’ve had a break! You’re working so diligently.”
“I’ve been kept up-to-date on the situation by Evia-sama, so there were no issues with my knowledge. I’ve also been simulating supply line security with Memoria, so I have that experience as well.”
What’s more, she had already started helping out while I was asleep.
“This is the first I’m hearing of it.”
“Ah, I specifically asked her to keep it quiet. Your training has reached a point where self-defense is no longer an issue. We’ve also solved the problem of childcare by creating a nursery room next to the workplace. We’ve confirmed that there will be no problems if Himik is stationed there as support.”
Furthermore, the office layout had been completely remodeled without my knowledge.
“The materials were provided at a low cost by the Toris Trading Company.”
“Indeed! We’re also taking care of other employees’ children, and it’s become a much more pleasant place to work! Yukiera and Sachiera have also made friends and are very happy!”
Moreover, my wives’ initiative is incredible.
Their ability to quickly prepare an environment for Suella’s return to work, as well as their swift and decisive actions without any hesitation, is remarkable.
Furthermore, by creating a childcare facility to improve the working environment for employees, it has become easier to work.
Himik, a Seraph, is in charge of looking after the children.
She’s becoming famous not for her combat power but for her culinary skills, cleaning, and recently, her expertise in childcare.
Her dream of making meals for her own children in the future is not just for show; she has mastered everything from infant formula and baby food to meals that children enjoy.
Moreover, since she can use Healing Magic, there’s no need to worry if a child falls ill, creating a safe environment for parents to leave their children.
“I had no idea about any of this.”
“The discussion began because you collapsed, and as you know, Suella is very capable at her job. We can’t afford to have such talent idle. Besides, Suella herself volunteered, wishing to be by your side and support you rather than wait. You worry too much.”
“When you put it that way, I have no comeback.”
The reason such an environment was created is because I have collapsed repeatedly.
I’ve caused them worry, and each time we’ve discussed it.
I’ve been told repeatedly to take care of my health and avoid injuries.
And they’ve reached their limit.
Seeing Evia’s resigned gaze, I, who had no intention of objecting in the first place, simply raised my hands in surrender.
“Well, from my perspective, it’s great that Suella can help with the work.”
If it’s not a dangerous zone, then I’m fine with it.
“I see. Then there’s no problem with Suella accompanying you on your business trip.”
“Wait a minute, I haven’t heard about this. No, even now that I’ve heard it, I object. You’re returning to work as an administrative official, right?”
I assumed she would be handling administrative tasks with Keiri in the rear, but Evia shakes her head at my words.
“No, Suella’s return is as a political minister. The work she’s done over the past month is just a prelude to regaining her rhythm.”
If she’s going to the battlefield with me, that’s a different story.
To be blunt, Suella is the biggest weak point among our family.
Are you taking her to a battlefield full of dangers?
Didn’t you just say she was doing administrative work while looking after the children? I stare at Evia, wondering if this is some kind of joke.
“You heard from Raidou, didn’t you? What he needs is a political minister who can establish a nation. You excel in combat power, and your knowledge in that area is greater than Raidou’s, but it’s not your specialty. We initially planned to send Keiri, but it would be inefficient for Suella to fill the void left by Keiri. Therefore, it’s more efficient to address the vacant position from the start.”
“That’s not what I’m trying to say…”
Evia is not unaware of the danger. I felt my magic surge and applied pressure, demanding an explanation.
Today’s Word:
Preparing early allows us to deal with future troubles.
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Pandora Pandemic Panic – Pandora’s Box Has Been Opened Again, But We’re Fighting Back With Secret Bases and More!!
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