Chapter 210 Father-in-Law ③
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Our visit to the Duke Badcage Manor¹ was for one reason: to secure formal permission for child-making with the noble lady, Tina Duke Badcage.
My nerves had been rattled more than a few times—first by an unexpected ‘final boss’ encounter with the head of the house himself, Duke Roost, and then by the intimidating circle of old retainers who had raised and protected Tina since she was tiny. Despite those scary moments, the formal introductions had gone forward with surprising warmth.
The old guard had even gone so far as to organize a banquet just to welcome me. Though I had arrived bracing myself for a physical beating, I found myself genuinely enjoying their hospitality.
The Badcage party felt less like a fancy noble function and more like a rowdy gathering of warriors. The veteran vassals were knocking back spirits, tearing into hunks of meat, and sometimes breaking into loud, off-key songs.
”Agh! Grandpa Saruppe, I am certain the doctor told you to stay away from the liquor noja! Grandpa Hock, your teeth are far too weak to be biting into meat like that noja! And why is everyone always trying to strip off their clothes noja!?”
Tina was a whirlwind of activity, frantically acting as a nurse for the old lot. It was quite heartwarming—in a funny kind of way—to realize she knew exactly what was wrong with each of the twenty-odd grandpas. I couldn’t help but wonder how she managed to grow up in such a place and still become such a refined noble lady…
I guess the wives of these retainers must have been tough, or maybe her mother was just that hard-working. Then again, despite Duke Roost’s reputation as a man of great strength in battle, he certainly showed the grace and manners one would expect of high nobility…
Maybe the Badcage family has some unique way of teaching social manners. Now that my own family has technically joined the nobility, it might be worth asking about. I want to make sure that my beloved daughter Momo, and the children we plan to have in the future, are spared any social shame at the very least…
While I was thinking about these things, Grandpa Kario—who was currently balancing three huge beer mugs in each of his hands—sat down heavily beside me. I had heard he was the one who taught Tina magic, and while he looked like an old mage, he gave off a loud, larger-than-life energy that was hard to describe.
”What’s this noja? You’re not drinking…” Kario said.
”Eh? No, I’m drinking, see?” I replied.
”In the Badcage Territory², that tiny sip doesn’t even count as drinking noja. Come on now—drink up, drink up!” Kario urged.
”…Well, if you say so, I’ll have some more,” I said.
It seemed half of the beer he was carrying was meant for me. I grabbed the huge mug set before me and finished the entire thing in one long gulp. Heh—don’t underestimate the ‘nommu-nication’ skills I picked up while surviving the forced drinking sessions of a soul-crushing black company!
”Ho ho! Now that’s a proper way to drink noja!”
”This is an excellent beer. It has a much sharper, clearer bitterness compared to what we see in the Royal Capital…” I noted.
”So you can tell the difference noja!? This is beer made right here on the Badcage lands noja. That thin stuff in the Capital could never satisfy us!” Kario exclaimed.
Grandpa Kario broke into a wide, happy grin and lifted his own mug, drinking it down with a rhythmic, satisfying sound that showed his thirst.
”Look at this! The lad can actually hold his own, Son-in-law!” one of the other elders shouted.
”Ah, thank you. I’m doing my best. Though, technically, I’m not the son-in-law just yet. Our social status is worlds apart, and I’ve been told I need two or three more big achievements before marriage is possible…” I said.
”Nonsense! For a Son-in-law like you, that’ll be easy noja! Our lives were saved by that PHZ³ of yours. There isn’t another Magic Toolmaker⁴ in this wide world who could make such a thing, boy noja!”
”Well, it’s also true that I nearly died because of that same PHZ, mind you!”
””Gahahaha!””
Whether it was Kario’s loud laughter or the fact that I was a good drinker, the other grandpas began to crowd around me. They talked freely, drinking and singing in a messy harmony. I felt arms draped over my shoulders and got plenty of friendly slaps on my back.
This brought back memories of the rowdy thugs from my days as an adventurer… Back then, I used to look for groups returning from their trips just so I could join their parties and eat their leftovers. They eventually caught on and started telling me to ‘get here early’ if I was going to show up anyway. Those were hard times, but they’re good memories now.
”And to think, our Young Lady…”
”The little tomboy who wanted to join us for Giant Bear hunts…”
”The girl who used to say she was happy as long as the grandpas and the Badcage family were around…”
”The child who hated her studies so much she’d jump out of a third-story window and be perfectly fine…”
Soon, the elders began to ‘remember’ things with naughty grins, basically telling all the secrets of Tina’s childhood. I had already guessed it from how she acted, but the bond between the Badcage family and their retainers was clearly very close.
”I once had a clump of my beard pulled out by the Young Lady noja.”
”She once patted my belly and asked if there was a baby inside noja.”
”I was given a pretty rock she found on the ground once; I still keep it in my room noja.”
They were clearly having a great time. As someone who likes a good story while drinking, I wasn’t complaining. But for Tina—the victim of these childhood stories—it was an embarrassing ordeal. Seeing that the grandpas had completely surrounded me, she ran in with a red face.
”H-Hey! You grandpas! You mustn’t bother Kento-dono noja! And stop telling him things that might not even be true noja…!”
”We’re only telling the truth noja.”
”That’s right, that’s right noja! The Son-in-law needs to know everything about our Young Lady noja!”
Before long, she was sat down right next to me, forced to listen to the stories as the grandpas ignored her protests. While she tried to argue at first, the old men eventually started to cry with happy memories, and she couldn’t say anything more.
”Truly, to think you’ve grown up so much…!”
”When that idiot tried to start a rebellion, I really thought it was over for us…”
”The Young Lady found a good man! I’m so happy, I tell ya…!”
”E-Everyone…” Tina whispered.
Tina’s own eyes began to water, and soon the focus of the group moved from me to her. I didn’t want to get in the way of such a sweet moment, and besides, that first drink was finally starting to hit me. I took the chance to quietly sneak away to the bathroom.
Since I had been here before, I knew the way around the Badcage Manor well. I had the path to the restroom memorized. I said a quick word only to Sebastian the butler—who was also watching with a smile from the corner—and stepped out into the hallway. I finished my business and was just about to go back, when—
* * *
”Lord Harvest.”
”F-Father-in-law…”
”May I have a moment of your time?” Duke Roost asked.
”…Of course,” I replied.
Tina’s father, Duke Roost Badcage, was waiting for me right outside the room. Though he still had that gentle vibe, there was a strange, heavy pressure coming from him that made my stomach do a nervous flip. Honestly, I was just glad I’d already finished my business…
Without another word, I followed him down the hallway. He led me to a room that looked like Duke Roost’s private study. Sebastian was already at the door, making it clear who had planned this private talk.
We entered the room in silence. Duke Roost poured some expensive-looking wine into two glasses that Sebastian had brought. Despite his noble manners, it seemed he was still a man of the Badcage Territory at heart.
”Drink. This is a wine made on our lands in the very year my daughter, Tina, was born.”
”…Is that okay?” I asked.
”Yes. Don’t worry; I still have several bottles in storage. Enough for me to enjoy in my old age,” Roost said with a lonely smile.
Seeing him smile like that, I felt it would be very rude to say no. I took a sip. Having the taste of a commoner, I couldn’t give a fancy review, but I found the wine to be very deep, sweet-smelling, and smooth.
”I heard you also recently had a daughter…”
”Pffft…! Y-Yes…” I choked.
I had been enjoying the wine, only for him to drop a social bomb. I almost spit it across the room and answered in a voice that cracked high.
”If you can, you should prepare something like this. Daughters don’t stay by our side forever, you see. Take it as advice from one father to another.”
”Y-Yessir…”
My voice cracked again. Before I could recover, Duke Roost’s face went back to a completely blank mask, leaving me unable to tell what he was really thinking.
—
Summary:
Kento attends a boisterous banquet held by the veteran vassals of the Badcage family, where he successfully manages a drinking bout with the mage Kario. The grandpas regale him with touching and embarrassing stories of Tina’s childhood, eventually moving both Tina and the retainers to tears. Taking advantage of the emotional atmosphere, Kento slips away to the restroom, only to be intercepted by Duke Roost. The Duke leads Kento to his private study for a serious conversation over birth-year wine, subtly acknowledging Kento’s new status as a father.
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Character Insight:
This chapter underscores the deep, familial bond between Tina and the retainers, revealing that her noble upbringing was grounded in warrior traditions rather than just stiff etiquette. Duke Roost’s invitation to share wine from Tina’s birth year signifies a transition in their relationship, moving from high-tension ‘final boss’ dynamics to a shared understanding of fatherhood. Kento’s inner monologue shows his growth from a mere commoner to someone conscious of his own legacy as a parent, even while he remains intimidated by the Duke’s presence.
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Behind the Scene:
The ‘warrior’s banquet’ is a common trope in fantasy LN to humanize powerful martial families and differentiate them from ‘soft’ city nobles. The mention of birth-year wine is a classic narrative device to emphasize the passage of time and the bittersweet nature of a daughter’s marriage.
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T/L:
Notes:
• Roost – Duke of Badcage and father of Tina Badcage. He has long silver hair mixed with some white, a cool-headed expression, and red eyes. Despite a relatively slender build, he possesses a strong fighting spirit.
• Momo – The newborn daughter of Kento and Lily. She has pink hair and her father’s ear and eyebrow shapes.
• Kario – An elderly mage serving in the Pikeaxe Fort, referred to as ‘Grandpa Kario.’
• 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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