Chapter 499 The End of Paternity Leave
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The development of the resurrection technique for the battered “Ddo-Buddy”¹ had officially begun in earnest. That was all well and good, but the world around me was starting to get hectic in plenty of other ways too.
With the resumption of trade with the Wielope Empire to the east, envoys from various nations had begun arriving one after another. It seemed my days of paternity leave were fast approaching their end. As it happened, reports came in from the Kingdom of Ferguson to the west stating that the restoration of the trade routes – which had been in shambles since last year’s “Stampede”² incident – was finally complete. They came to deliver that report while simultaneously sniffing around to see how the land lay.
In response, Her Majesty the Queen navigated the situation by trotting out the excuses we had prepared. Specifically, she pointed to the fact that we had been sheltering a “Holy Figure” for several months, claiming that joint negotiations between our country and the Church had been a resounding success. The head of the Ferguson delegation was, as usual, Unia of the House of the Duke of Greter. Being as sharp as she is, she tilted her head in suspicion, clearly doubting the Empire would fold for just that, but she ultimately accepted the explanation.
After all, no matter how much she dug, there was zero public information available. She almost certainly realized something had happened behind the scenes, but she wasn’t about to try and force the truth out. It probably also helped that Prince Roland-dono, the King’s younger brother with whom she’s currently enjoying a honeymoon phase, didn’t say a word. Unia-jou seems to trust His Highness implicitly; if he wasn’t talking, she wasn’t asking. She clearly prioritized their current relationship.
Well, this whole situation isn’t bad for the Kingdom of Ferguson, either. Until now, they mostly relied on sea routes to get Eastern goods, but now they can utilize the restored Ferguson-Canaria route and the revived trade between Canaria and Wielope. This made me wonder how Sylvaol – the maritime nation to the southwest that used to control those sea routes – would react. A delegation from their country arrived as well. Honestly, this is the first time I’ve dealt with them since I got involved here. It was a clear sign of just how much attention Sylvaol was paying to this development.
However, their true aim remained a mystery. On the surface, they welcomed the revival of the East-West trade route and the softening of the Empire’s stance, even showing enthusiasm for future North-South trade. (Then again, maybe they really do just see it as another route to move their Southern Continent goods…) Either way, their intentions will come to light soon enough. Regardless of the official delegation, I’d already heard from the two Sylvaol merchant guilds I do business with – the Uminari (Sound of the Sea) and Yuunari (Evening Calm) guilds. They told me that the ships carrying our products to the Southern Continent had finally returned.
Only one merchant vessel had made it back so far, so I didn’t have the full details, but I’d heard the stock we sent was completely sold out. The intel should start pouring in now, and we’ll be sitting down for talks about future deals soon. Depending on the scale of those trades, the Kingdom of Sylvaol won’t be able to stay idle. The East-West route might have been revived from an unexpected direction, but that hasn’t made the North-South route any less vital. I really hope this blossoms into a major deal.
Meanwhile, the reaction from the Coalmine Kingdom – where the former Princess of Sylvaol, Crown Princess Ierse, now resides – was dramatic. Her husband, Crown Prince Gilliam, was visiting our country for the second time this year. Naturally, this was at the behest of Ierse-dono. My heart honestly breaks for His Highness; the man is absolutely whipped. Then again, compared to the envoys on the other side who are being forced to sprint toward Wielope via the northern route through Coalmine’s early-winter mountain passes just to verify facts, maybe he’s being treated gently.
Coalmine and Wielope are on “decent” terms. And by “decent,” I mean they aren’t currently at war. That’s mostly because, until recently, they were comrades-in-arms in the “enemy of my enemy is my friend” sense – both trying to take a bite out of the same pie… which is to say, the Kingdom of Canaria. Given that, sending the Crown Prince to our country – even when the season makes the roads treacherous – is a clear declaration that they are now prioritizing their relationship with Canaria. I’m curious how Ierse-dono convinced the King, but for now, we should just chalk it up as a diplomatic win.
Now, as for the man of the hour, Gilliam-dono… Her Majesty the Queen gave him the same cover story she gave Ferguson: “We asked nicely along with the ‘Holy Figure,’ and they just listened to us!” The problem was that, unlike Unia-jou, he didn’t even blink. He reacted as if he’d known that was the answer from the start. What’s more, after a brief word with the Queen, he turned to me and brought up a topic that could almost pass for small talk.
”Thank you for the ‘Night Light Wand’³ the other day. My wife was quite pleased with it,” Gilliam said.
(This might be a cynical take, but it felt like he was telling me: “You did something, didn’t you? My wife called it.”)
Maybe it’s just my guilty conscience, but I can’t help feeling that Ierse-dono is sitting back thinking, “If something big happened, you can bet that owner of Magic Circuitry Harvest was behind the mess.” Well, considering she visited right after the war and saw the “Stampede” and the development of the “Ddo-Buddy Cannon” firsthand, I can’t really blame her for thinking that way.
In a related move, Gilliam-dono brought forward a proposal that showed a surprising amount of interest in my shop. As I’d feared, some of our “Hot-Shot-kun”⁴ heating magic circuits have started reaching the end of their lifespans and failing. Gilliam thanked me politely for flagging that concern in advance, and then he proposed – well, he didn’t “propose,” the atmosphere made it clear it was a declaration – that the Coalmine Kingdom would foot the bill for the replacements.
It felt like he was saying, “I’m wiping your ass for you, so you better be grateful.” Even when Her Majesty the Queen tried to intervene and say we’d provide the funds, he politely shut her down. The reality is, if Coalmine covers the costs within their own borders, it saves my shop a massive headache and a lot of money. The trade-off is that it’ll be much harder to say “no” to them in the future… but there’s no helping that now.
I tried to pay back a bit of the debt by sharing intel on our dealings with the Wielope Empire, but he stayed one step ahead by presenting me with gifts to celebrate the birth of my children. If Ierse-dono – who should be heavily pregnant right now – managed to foresee all of this from all the way in Coalmine… she truly is a powerhouse.
So, while the international stage is in total upheaval, something huge happened in my personal life too. My love-slave, Lily, is pregnant for the second time.
”It happened!” Lily said, flashing double peace signs like it was the most natural thing in the world.
I almost tripped over my own feet, but that kind of high-speed delivery is just so Lily. Then again, considering we’ve been putting in the work, I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise. I’m telling this story calmly now, but at the time, I was over the moon. I scooped her up in a princess carry – being extra careful not to strain her – and spun her around and around while thanking her.
And the hits just kept coming. Not long after Lily’s news, my Love-Mage Satsuki had a report of her own.
”…I think it happened for me, too,” Satsuki said.
Unlike Lily, she told me with a bright red face and her eyes cast down. I scooped her up and spun around like a madman with her, too. It looks like the shop is going to be plenty noisy with crying babies again next year.
But I do have one worry. While those two are expecting, Sister Amelia – who started trying for a baby at the same time – hasn’t shown any signs at all….
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Summary:
As trade routes reopen across the continent, envoys from major powers converge on the Canaria Kingdom, signaling the end of the protagonist’s quiet paternity leave. Amidst diplomatic posturing and power plays by Crown Princess Ierse, the protagonist receives joyous personal news: both Lily and Satsuki are pregnant again. However, Sister Amelia’s lack of pregnancy becomes a looming point of concern.
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Trivia:
- The ‘Ddo-Buddy’ resurrection technique is a major ongoing R&D project for the shop.
- The Ferguson trade route restoration is a direct consequence of resolving last year’s ‘Stampede.’
- Sylvaol is a maritime nation that previously enjoyed a monopoly on East-West trade via sea.
- Coalmine and Wielope used to be ‘comrades’ only because they both wanted to annex Canaria.
- The ‘Hot-Shot-kun’ circuits have a finite lifespan, creating a maintenance/replacement cycle debt.
- Ierse is Ierse-dono, a former princess of Sylvaol who now effectively runs Coalmine’s diplomacy while pregnant
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Character Insight:
The protagonist is beginning to feel the weight of his own influence; his inventions are no longer just shop items but leverage in international diplomacy. He is both a ecstatic father-to-be and a cautious businessman being ‘managed’ by high-level political figures like Ierse.
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Behind the Scenes:
The mention of the ‘Ddo-Buddy Cannon’ refers to a previous event where the shop’s adult goods were weaponized to handle a crisis.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Unia – Third daughter of the Duke of Greter, head of the Ferguson delegation. She has blonde hair styled intricately, a dol‑like beauty, an expressionless face, and is noted for her sharp, perceptive demeanor.
• Roland – Prince and younger brother of both Queen Cecile and the King of Ferguson, heir to the Canaria throne. He sports clean golden‑blonde hair matching the queen, an innocent, delicate face that could be mistaken for a girl, yet dresses in formal boy’s attire. Close to Unia.
• Gilliam – Crown Prince of the Coalmine Kingdom, a simple, naive figure often overwhelmed by his energetic wife, Ierse, whose dominant presence makes him appear henpecked; his stress is compounded by the ongoing war.
• Ierse – Crown Princess of the Coalmine Kingdom, formerly Princess of Sylvaol, is heavily pregnant and radiates a powerhouse mastermind aura. Lively, healthy, with long hair and a unique charm, she constantly works to cheer up her husband, Gilliam.
• Harvest – Kento Harvest, a gaunt scholar in a tattered academic coat, wields low‑mana circuits and masters Academy systems. He runs an adult magic‑circuit shop, crafting rare components with cold calculation, valuing brand trust. He has multiple lovers/slaves and several children.
• Lily – Pink‑haired, blue‑eyed woman with a medium bust, called a wanton by the protagonist. She is the slave and primary test subject of the Harvest magic shop, hides her magic knowledge from the trader, serves as Kento’s love‑slave, quietly watches repairs, is energetic, flashes V‑signs, and is now pregnant for the second time.
• Satsuki – Long‑haired court mage in staff‑and‑robes, Miranda’s granddaughter, former top Academy student, lives alone and acts as a prickly tsundere companion to Kento and now a Harvest worker. She role‑plays a Professor‑Student dynamic with the protagonist, serves as a Love‑Mage helping the shop with research, Dildo‑Buddy prototype design, and manufacturing insight. The protagonist is a modest, easily embarrassed Love‑Mage, currently pregnant for the second time.
• Amelia – Light‑blue‑haired Sister of the Canarias convent, a saintly, shy member of the Church of Demon‑Subjugating and Kento’s harem. She blushes with red ears and neck, wears the habit and Kento’s ring on a necklace, and quietly runs soup kitchens and shop stock. The only sister not yet pregnant.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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