Chapter 32: Father and Son Discussion
“By the way, what’s going on with the war between Weimar and Admos?”
Since then, following Yulia’s persuasion, Ivern has started living at my house, and I’ve begun a routine of commuting between the town and this home.
To accommodate Ivern and Yulia, I’ve been using magic to construct a house. Just as I took a break from my work, I remembered and decided to ask Ivern about the war.
“Ah, it seems Weimar is in the lead. The soldiers’ morale is high, and if things keep going like this, it looks like Weimar will win,” he replied.
“Really?”
“…You asked me about it, and yet you seem completely uninterested. Just so you know, you’re the one who stirred this up.”
Ivern said that, but honestly, I couldn’t care less about the outcome of this war.
“Well, this is just punishment for both Weimar and Admos. As long as they both suffer, that’s good enough for me. I don’t give a damn about who wins or loses.”
When I said that, Ivern slumped his shoulders in disappointment.
“Come to think of it, you’ve always been like that… I thought you’d softened up a bit since you’ve been helping us build our house.”
He looked up at the half-finished house as he spoke.
“I only did it because Yulia asked me to. After all, Yulia is Meileen’s best friend, and now…”
Just then, a loud wail from an infant echoed from the house, a duet of cries filling the air.
“Haha. Those little ones are as lively as ever.”
Indeed, several months have passed since then, and Yulia has given birth.
She had a girl, and they decided to name her Aira.
Now, my house is bustling with the presence of two infants.
Meileen and Yulia have become close friends and fellow mothers, helping each other raise their children.
Their bond seems to be deepening, and I couldn’t be happier about it.
“By the way… hey, Kenta.”
“What is it?”
As I imagined the chaos inside the house filled with the sounds of crying babies and the commotion that followed, Ivern suddenly spoke to me with a serious expression.
“This place is empty, and in terms of safety, there’s no place in the world safer than here.”
“Huh? What brought this on all of a sudden?”
“Well… I’ve been wondering why you let us stay here.”
“Oh, that.”
So far, the only ones allowed on this property are Ivern and his wife, along with Mr. Bennett.
“You bowed your head after hearing my story.”
“Oh, when I found out why you became a bounty target?”
“Exactly. You immediately apologized for your part in it. You’re the first person I’ve met since coming to this world who can genuinely apologize.”
When I said that, Ivern seemed to hesitate, as if he wanted to argue, but he quickly fell silent.
“I never thought I’d earn your trust over something like that.”
“I didn’t trust you yet. I thought maybe I could trust you, but…”
“Is that so…?”
“Of course. I have nothing but distrust for this world, you know? Back then, I seriously thought there was no one I could trust besides Meileen.”
“…Is that still the case?”
Ivern asked, but what was he even talking about?
“I told you before. If you betray us, I’ll take you out.”
“…Right. I remember.”
As he said that, Ivern slumped his shoulders again.
“Well, as long as you’re on our side, I’ll protect you. After all, you’re Meileen’s best friend’s husband.”
“!? “
Upon hearing my words, Ivern looked at me with a shocked expression.
“What? Huh?”
“Seriously, why are you asking me this now? You’re building your house right next to mine.”
“Kenta…”
“Well, that means you’ve earned my trust to some extent. The biggest reason is that Meileen trusts you guys.”
When I spoke my mind, Ivern burst into laughter.
“Haha. Your circle of friends revolves entirely around Meileen, huh?”
“Of course! What are you talking about?”
Aside from Ivern and his wife, the only other person allowed here is Mr. Bennett, who supported Meileen during her childbirth. To me, he’s a benefactor.
He’s still helping with parenting and giving plenty of advice.
In fact, he’s arguably the most important person here.
Ivern is the one who gathers materials.
“So, why are you asking about this now?”
When I asked, Ivern looked at the house.
The cries of the infants had quieted down, and laughter could be heard occasionally.
“Well, I was just wondering what you plan to do when the kids grow up.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, are you going to raise them here, let them make friends in town, or invite someone else here? Have you decided what to do?”
“Oh, that.”
We’ve already discussed this with Meileen and Mona.
“We’ll raise them here. Meileen was a former queen, and Mona used to work in the Royal Castle as a lady-in-waiting. They have more than enough education to teach the kids.”
“Ah, right, I forgot about that.”
“And don’t you remember?”
“Remember what?”
“Leon is the child of the former queen of the Demon Tribe, you know?”
His skin color and eye color resemble mine, but he inherited Meileen’s silver hair, and his ear shape also shows the characteristics of the Demon Tribe.
And more importantly…
“I realized a few months after he was born that he’s starting to look more and more like Meileen.”
Hair color, ear shape, facial features.
Those who look closely might start to see Meileen’s resemblance in Leon.
“If that happens, Meileen’s existence might be exposed to the Demon Tribe. In fact, Mona figured it out with very little information.”
“Now that you mention it, that’s true.”
I never thought a handkerchief’s embroidery would give us away.
Right now, Mona’s presence is a huge help, but that was just luck.
I won’t make such a blunder again.
“On top of that, Leon is my child. Even as an infant, it’s clear he possesses considerable talent.”
“Are you just being a proud parent?”
“Not at all. You wouldn’t understand, being a human, but Leon’s magic power is already substantial at this stage. Both Meileen and Mona recognize it.”
“So that means…”
“Yeah.”
I imagined Leon’s future while thinking about the child in the house.
“If he continues to grow well, he’ll become an enormous spark for the Demon Tribe.”
“Knowing that, you still…”
Ivern trailed off, but I understood what he wanted to say.
“Why did I decide to have a child with Meileen, right?”
“Uh, yeah.”
“That’s obvious.”
I looked straight at Ivern as I spoke.
“Why should I care about the Demon Tribe? Why should I let something so trivial interfere with my love for Meileen? If the Demon Tribe tries to meddle with Leon…”
At that moment…
“The Demon Tribe will receive their notice of termination.”
As I said that, Ivern turned pale.
“I’ll seriously pray that the Demon Tribe doesn’t act recklessly.”
“Do that.”
A few months after that conversation, I learned from Ivern that Weimar had won the war, gaining a portion of Admos’s territory and a hefty sum in reparations.
Upon hearing that, I could only muster a “Hmm” in response.