Chapter 255 A Father’s Duty
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Is that so…! Thank you, both of you. Thank you!” I said.
”Hehe,” Tania giggled.
”Ehehe,” Laika chimed in.
The moment I stepped through the door, Tania, my elven adventurer, and Laika, my dog-beastman partner, shared the news of their pregnancies. As I pulled them into a tight embrace and whispered my thanks, they both smiled bashfully.
I had expected this from Laika, considering we had worked so hard during her beastman “heat,” but I thought Tania would take much more time, given how difficult it is for elves to conceive.
However, as it turned out, the two close friends were perfectly synchronized. They had conceived almost simultaneously, right at the start of our journey into parenthood. It was an incredibly auspicious turn of events.
”Laika suddenly blurted out, ‘I have a feeling it’s today!’ or something like that,” Tania explained. “I was skeptical, but when we had the Sister check us, she told us that remarkably, we’re both expecting.”
”Ah, so you went to the monastery?” I asked.
In this world, pregnancy is determined primarily through magic. It is an application of concealment-detection spells used to sense signs of life, allowing a practitioner to feel the budding of a new soul.
Originally, they used techniques called “Divine Miracles” or “Holy Arts” performed by those belonging to the Church of Demon-Subjugation. I don’t understand the mechanics at all, but for the Sisters who run the almshouses and are well-versed in medicine, it is one of their specialties.
”Yeah, everyone there was as happy as if it were their own news,” Laika said. “They even told us to come home early today.”
”Indeed,” Tania added. “They advised us to adjust our manufacturing schedule based on our physical condition moving forward.”
”I see. I’ll have to go and thank them properly,” I replied.
Both Tania and Laika have grown quite close to the Sisters through their work producing our shop’s goods, and the Sisters have been very considerate of them. Even setting that aside, they have been helping us increase production for the “Ddo-Buddy Economic Sphere¹.” Perhaps I should increase our donation amount along with my thanks?
Even as I considered the logistics, I couldn’t stop grinning. Following my daughter Momo, these would be my second and third children. They would be almost exactly one year younger than her.
By then, Momo would be talking. Or perhaps she’d be starting to walk on her own? Imagining our home becoming even more chaotic and lively, a profound warmth surged through my chest.
”Congratulations, you two. Momo, isn’t that great? You’re going to have a little brother or sister,” Lily said.
Lily, my devoted companion, spoke as she cradled a freshly-woken Momo. Her eyes were filled with kindness, and I could tell she was celebrating for Tania and Laika from the bottom of her heart.
I suspected she was looking at her daughter getting siblings and picturing her own step-brother Martin and step-sister Flearis. They’ve been through a lot, and there is a strange sense of distance between them, but they are close in their own way. Lily still calls them “Ma-kun” and “Fu-chan,” so she clearly cares for them.
She was likely praying that her daughter would build a good relationship with the new babies. That was the expression she wore.
”Momo, you’re the big sister now! Big sister Momo!” I said.
”Ai!” Momo squealed.
Even though she didn’t understand the words, Momo let out a delighted laugh. I wondered what kind of big sister she would become. I had a feeling she’d be a strict one, just like her mother. I only hoped she wouldn’t accidentally crush her younger brother during playtime… though maybe being sturdy is a good thing?
”We should send word to Miranda as well,” Lily noted.
While I was floating on air, Lily was calmly thinking about the future. My alchemy mentor, Miranda, is a highly skilled doctor as well as a shopkeeper. She acted as the midwife for Lily, and she was a constant source of support during that pregnancy. Without her precise diagnosis, both the pregnancy and the birth would have been much more anxious and hectic. I definitely wanted her to examine the girls this time, too.
”Yeah, you’re right. Let’s go see her as soon as possible,” I said. “We need to get some medicine for morning sickness. I hope the ingredients haven’t become too hard to find.”
Lily’s morning sickness had been heavy and quite a struggle. Unfortunately, the “Stampede²” uproar had disrupted trade routes even more than before. I hoped I could manage to find what we needed just by running around a bit.
”Oh, come to think of it, shouldn’t we go talk to the Adventurer’s Guild?” Laika asked.
”Mhm, probably,” Tania mused. “Even though we haven’t been taking many requests lately, the monsters are active because of the Stampede. Sudden emergency requests might come in.”
I tend to forget when we’re just relaxing at home, but Tania and Laika are A-Rank adventurers-the pride of the local Guild. Even without counting the recent dragon attack, they are precious combat assets.
As Tania said, they’ve been prioritizing the shop lately. They still check in at the Guild once or twice a week to monitor the situation or handle small jobs, but still…
”I heard a caravan was attacked by a pack of Shadow Wolves the other day,” Laika said. “If I’m feeling up to it, I could take some nearby jobs-\\b”
”Absolutely not! I won’t allow it!” I barked.
”Geez, you’re like a dad lecturing a teenager…” Laika muttered.
My overprotection reflex had kicked in. I felt bad for the Guild, but I couldn’t budge on this. I would only allow Tania and Laika to head out for a true worst-case scenario, like another dragon attack.
Even then, I didn’t want to permit it. To make sure it never came to that, I really needed to hurry the construction of the second “Ddo-Buddy Cannon³.”
Actually, I figured we could handle most requests if I provided the “Magic Guns⁴” I’d developed in secret. They were much cheaper to produce than the cannons, and because they were easy to test-fire, mass production was feasible.
However, I wanted to keep those as an absolute last resort. Magic Guns are a potent drug. As the history of my old world proved, “guns” can instantly turn a commoner into a lethal soldier.
A world where anyone, young or old, can fire powerful magic… our own military realized the horror of that during the last war. We only managed a stalemate because of the ultra-compact magic weapons called “PHZ⁵.”
In truth, it probably would have been better if I’d never developed the Ddo-Buddy Cannon, either. If the threat of Zil Meina wasn’t looming over us, I don’t think I would have made that choice.
Then again, the moment the Court Mage Satsuki came up with the idea of miniaturized magical artillery, it was only a matter of time.
”Kento, your face is scary…” Tania whispered.
”Ah… Sorry. I was just… thinking about a few things.”
”It’s okay. I understand. Sorry for making you worry,” Tania said softly.
I’d messed up. I didn’t want to make them look so concerned. I gave myself a mental scolding for coming down with a case of “fatherly blues.”
I was the one who wanted these children. It was my duty as a father to work so they could be born safely. And it was my role to ensure the mothers could give birth with peace of mind.
”Well, let’s worry about the hard stuff later. Tonight is a celebration! Let’s have a feast. What do you want to eat?” I asked.
”Wait, anything!?” Laika’s tail started thumping against the floor. “Then Sukiyaki⁶! I want Sukiyaki!”
”Hmph. Not a bad choice for Laika,” Tania agreed. “Just make sure to put in plenty of vegetables.”
I chuckled and ruffled their hair. Laika’s tail was a blur of motion, and Tania looked perfectly content. They had come a long way from being confused by “communal pot” cooking; they were completely part of this household now.
”Alright, leave it to me!” I said firmly.
I renewed my determination. I would do whatever it took so that in five or ten years, I’d be watching kids with tails like Laika’s and ears like Tania’s twitching with joy at this very table.
—
Summary:
Kento returns home to the news that Tania and Laika are simultaneously pregnant. Amidst the joy, he contemplates the logistics of pregnancy in this world and the rising danger of the outside world. He briefly grapples with his role as a father and the ethical burden of introducing modern-style weaponry to protect his growing family.
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Character Insight:
Kento displays intense protective instincts, refusing to let his pregnant partners take on even minor adventurer guild tasks. His internal monologue reveals a deep-seated fear of technological proliferation (Magic Guns), contrasting his gentle role as a father with the pragmatism of a weapons developer.
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Behind the Scenes:
The chapter highlights the intersection of ‘Isekai’ logic (pregnancy detection via magic) and Earth-based cultural imports (Sukiyaki and firearms history).
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Tania – An Elf adventurer who, despite her race’s reputation for low sex drive, is secretly quite passionate. She initially seemed ‘wasted’ (emotionally dry) to her friend Raika, but was easily introduced to the pleasure-items sold at ‘Harvest.’ She is easily embarrassed and attempts to maintain a dignified facade, despite her recent, frequent purchases. She wears practical but light armor over a simple cloth tunic and short pants, highlighting her grace and agility. Her primary relationship is one of friendly senior-junior with Raika.
• Laika – The beastwoman dog.
• Momo – The newborn daughter of Kento and Lily. She has pink hair and her father’s ear and eyebrow shapes.
• Lily – the sl*ve and primary experiment subject for the magic shop, ‘Harvest.’ She has striking pink hair, Blue eyes, medium breasts, which the Protagonist associates with being ‘wanton’. She has a working knowledge of magic, which she kept hidden from the slave trader.
• Flearis – A member of the diplomatic envoy and guard. Has pink hair.
• Martin – Lily’s non-blood-related younger brother. Considered the strongest candidate to succeed the Popol family due to his lineage and manifested ‘power. He has pink hair.
• Satsuki – A talented Court Mage who was forced to analyze the shop’s adult magic tools. Miranda’s granddaughter. Now she’s the new worker at Harvest, a development she finds both humiliating and surprisingly fulfilling due to the rapid progress in her research under Kento’s guidance. Has long black hair, palace mage robe, and staff.
• Kento – The owner of the magic tool shop ‘Harvest,’ which discretely sells adult goods. He’s a former overworked, ordinary salaryman from modern Japan who was suddenly transported (isekai’d) to this fantasy world. He has dark hair and an unremarkable appearance, typically wearing a plain, slightly suspicious-looking shop owner’s clothes looks like Kazuma Satou from certain series. He has a minimal amount of magic power, enough to craft his specialty items.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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