Chapter 406: To the beloved era
“What the hell are you guys doing when you think you won’t be found?”
Dianne gave Becker and the bird general a look of dismay as they were wrapped in ropes and dragged to the plaza by Maia.
“No, I thought I’d take one last ba……hey”
“O, Ou. The first guest was there and I wondered if I should go in or not. No, Becker’s just trying to take a peek, right?”
“Ah, you betrayed me!?”
“That’s a fact! He’s suddenly giving me the old hand signal hand sign, like he’s trying to tell me to be quiet!”
“But you were also peeping, weren’t you?”
“Both of you shut up. Your opponent is Kalwin’s hero”
Dianne sighs.
“Isn’t that Smithson’s fault there!?”
“We just went straight to the men’s bath!!”
Yes. That’s right. ……Nia and I are behind them. As expected, Maia flew away and chased the two away, but I didn’t feel like making out again at the hot spring.
“It’s mostly like that, even though Smithson is a guy, he’s a little too much of a guy for a hero!? This is going to be a problem sooner or later!?”
“I know you’re having trouble saying some words during the day, but you sound like a forgetful old man, Becker”
“Leave me alone”
“I mean, we didn’t do anything wrong, did we? Would you please untie me now, so Lucia-san cant see me like this?”
“…………”
“Lucia-san!? No, wait, this is!?”
Some kind of half-hearted carnage is unfolding, but let’s leave it at that.
“Are you going to take the other two back to the fort?”
“Boyd and Lantz, too. That way we could call in the four gauntlet knights”
“I think it’s too obvious……”
“Don’t worry about it. As soon as the preparations are finished, everyone will be back at the fort”
“That’s true, but”
With a cool face, Dianne took the rope from Maia and took the two away.
“Andy, get ready to fly to Celesta soon. We won’t be able to play with them for very long”
“Yes”
With the dragons, we could easily fly around or just relax in a certain spot. But this is only because they are planning their activities based on the assumption of normal troop activities. In the light of common sense, a schedule based on dragons is not considered possible. Dianne is taking advantage of this difference to procure ample supplies, establish a complete supply system and reduce the stress on the team members while successfully carrying out the search. The only reason I can relax and do erotic things is that I have the extra time to do so. Therefore, I have to follow the schedule set by Dianne as much as possible. Dianne respects me, but I mustn’t let that get the better of me.
“That’s why. ……I’m a little flustered, but from now on, I’ll have Neia follow me”
“……He?”
We’ll have to fly around a few times. Neia herself will start her work after she reaches Kalwin, so until then, there’s no problem if she’s with me”
“That’s……true, but……is that maybe?”
“Yes. That’s what I’m talking about”
“……Uh”
In other words, I’m going to do erotic things with Neia in various places. ……Well, actually, in parallel with that, I’m trying to get Neia to change her mind somehow.
“……Maybe a little early”
I stroked Neia´s head, who muttered softly, together with her hat.
—————————————
I, I took Neia to……the Baron´s mansion.
“That……?”
“Hmm?”
“That……I, I´m not good with babies”
“Is that so?”
“Yes……in my hometown, only full-time childcare women are allowed to touch children”
It’s that kind of system.
“But there aren’t that many people here who are used to babies”
Aside from the fact that beastmen tend to have a lot of children, normal families don’t have that many children. That’s why being used to babies……is a great skill. Even if Neia hadn’t touched a child at all, it shouldn’t have made her feel embarrassed.
“Don’t worry about it too much. Peter is a half-dwarf, so as long as you don’t intentionally rough him up, he’ll be fine and if he gets hurt, Polka has a miraculous spring”
“No that, you’re assuming that I’m going to be rough with Peter”
“I told you that as long as you behave normally, you’ll be fine”
While walking around the Baron’s mansion while talking, I found my mother cleaning the lamps in the hall.
“You´re very energetic. Cleaning up?”
“Oh. ……I dont hate it, I just can’t stop thinking about these things”
My mother pointed at the soot on the glass of the lamp and laughed.
“I’m only in charge of the lights all day long. I can’t stop worrying about it. I just replaced all the lamps in the rooms we don’t use much and am in the process of cleaning them up to avoid inconvenience”
“You don’t have to do more work yourself”
“The Baron has been so good to my son and grandson. I don’t want to cut corners”
“Well, I guess so”
I can’t argue with that. Hearing this, Neia takes her hat off and puts it on her chest as she looks into my mother’s eyes.
“……After all, children and grandchildren……is that all that encouraging?”
“?”
My mom stares blankly at Neia’s face. ……Ah, come to think of it, she wasn’t one of the female slaves I introduced, so maybe my mom doesn’t know who she is.
“This girl is Neia. ……Emm, she’s the one I’m thinking of making my new female slave……uowaa!?”
My mom immediately threw the screwdriver at me. Just before it hits, Neia grabs it.
“Andy! What’s wrong with you……that you keep thinking like that again! Is it a female slave when you see a woman and……I’m ashamed of you!”
“No, that……emm, that is well, sorry”
Yes. My mother must say so. And as for me, I’m not going to hide it from my mom, so what can I say. ……In order for Neia to have a vision of the future of living here, there is no way I can keep it a secret from my mother and the Polka people.
“You know, you can pull Andy right back in if you give him a peck on the cheek, too, before he gets too carried away……”
“No, thats……I´m”
Neia looks a little troubled, still holding the screwdriver.
‘Maybe you’re one of those girls who say you’re okay with being Andy’s slave? No. A girl has to have a good eye for a man. You know what I’m talking about, Andy is a disgusting animal who’s already had his hands on dozens of girls and is still going around acting like a goofball, right? Ah, it hurts me as a parent to say it”
“Then don’t say it”
“I can’t help but say it! Putting aside Selenium-chan and Jeanne-chan……I’ve already given up on Irina-chan and Fennel-san, but I can’t leave a child who tries to join a new and strange group of people alone! I know you said that in Celesta, two-timing and three-timing is allowed, but I’m not going to let Andy get away with it”
“No, Smithson-san……Andy-san, I think he is just that kind of person”
Neia interrupted her mother and hurriedly assured her. Mum exclaimed.
“……Andy. What kind of lies have you been spouting……?”
“I didn’t say anything like a lie!?”
But my mother’s reaction was painfully understandable. Not only Neia, but all the female slaves after Irina are overrated because of their impressions of dragons and holy beasts. Well, I guess I have no choice but to believe them because Laila and Maia are calling me their 「Vessel」. I don’t care if it’s someone who doesn’t know me well, my immediate family and old friends would have no choice but to laugh at that assessment. But Neia shakes her head.
“I’d rather leave it at that. I was born and raised in a place where the connection between children and grandchildren and parents is tenuous. So I don’t really understand how you feel that way……so I’d like to hear your honest words. You who have children and grandchildren”
“…………”
My mother, under Neia’s gaze, staggered slightly as if pressured and then closed her mouth.
“……You know what they say about children and grandchildren. ……I wonder if it’s hard to understand when I say that they are well……something that affirms your life”
“……Yes”
“It’s hard to tell by feeling, but……I’ve lived my life to the fullest. I don’t think I’ve lived a very long time from the point of view of the elves. I’ve had fun, I’ve had hardships, I’ve been loved and I’ve loved……those years. It makes me think that it wasn’t all in vain……that my life was necessary for this child to be here……and just thinking about it gives me forgiveness for my own past and strength for tomorrow. I guess that’s the way it is”
“It’s hard, isn’t it?”
“Huhu. I’m sure words can’t convey how much I feel about this. But if I dare say it frankly, that’s what it is”
My mother looked into Neia’s eyes and laughed quietly.
“I thought I was happy to have the baby. I suffered to give birth. I prayed for the future with the person I love while watching my child´s sleeping face and I took care of him in a frenzy and before I knew it, those days became precious memories. And then he will grow up and share his happiness and hardships with someone else, just like I did and one day, we’ll raise them again”
Mom looked at me with a faraway look.
“……I am sure that the memories……that we spun through time like that will never fade no matter how far into the future they become, an important page in this country, in this world. I can be happy over and over again thinking that before I go to sleep. I can’t even remember how I used to sleep when I thought Andy was dead”
“…………”
Neia listened silently……and then abruptly bit her lips and began to weep.
“Neia”
“……I, I’m sorry……that”
Neia hurriedly put her hat on deeply and tried to cover it up.
“…………”
My mother stared at Neia, then she glanced at me and sighed.
“……I thought it was meaningless again. It seems that’s not the case”
“Eh?”
“I wasn’t doubting what Selen-chan was saying, but……she’s a smart girl. ……You didn’t want anything from me, did you? Go on, Andy”
“Y, Yes”
I was sent off by my mother who seemed to be convinced by herself and I headed to Selenium’s room with Neia, who was walking while sniffing at her nose.
“What’s the matter, Neia? You started to cry”
I whisper to Neia as we walk slowly down the hallway. Neia nods a little and sniffs.
“……I, thought about the people I cut down……. I’m ashamed to admit it……but I realized that I didn’t fully understand the feelings of those who did that for the sake of their newborn child……I thought I was sympathetic to them, but I wasn’t at all sympathetic to them. I realized I didn’t have the slightest bit of compassion for them”
“…………”
“……And Faria’s feelings as well”
Neia muttered, holding her hat in front of her face to hide it.
“……I’m sure Faria must have felt that way too……which is why she looked at me like that when she sent me off……”
“Like that……?”
“……Hard to explain. But I understand now. I……was loved very much……”
The sound of sniffling. The sound of tiny, unbearable sobs. I pretended not to hear it, but only slowed down my walking speed and slowly made my way to Selenium’s room.
When I reach the room, Selenium is sitting on a rocking chair next to Peter’s crib, singing some song and Jeanne is folding Peter’s clothes.
“Ah, Andy-san”
“Welcome”
“Peaceful, isn’t it?”
“Of course. And both the Baron and his wife take good care of me”
“Peter’s been in a good mood, too, sucking on Selenium’s boobs”
“……Did he suck?”
“I don’t have any milk yet, but I can put him in a good mood just by letting him sucking on my nipples”
“It’s better to be in a better mood than drinking my milk”
Jeanne pouts her mouth. Selenium chuckled and so did Neia. ……Neia’s eyes are a little red from rubbing them.
“Umm……Peter-kun, can I touch him?”
“Hmm? Yes, you can. But I want you to touch him gently so he doesn’t wake up”
With Jeanne’s permission, Neia gently strokes Peter. I’d like to touch him a little myself. I mean, I wanted to see him when he was awake, since I think he’s starting to question the fact that I’m his father.
“……But I see that Peter has quite a lot of clothes on”
I had no choice but to help Jeanne and she laughed too.
“The elves are constantly bringing in children’s clothes. They say there are so few children that there is no one to give them to”
“……Is that the case?”
I thought it was odd that there were so many grass-colored ones.
“Also, like Oregano……Selenium sometimes sews herself. She insisted that it would be enough for Selenium’s child and that there was nothing wrong with having a lot of them in the future”
“……Ah”
“They’re counting on you. Good luck, Andy”
“……Emm”
“Of course, I’m talking about making children”
“It’s a little complicated being cheered on by Jeanne……”
“About making a baby? I don’t think I’ve ever said anything so small-minded”
“Girls shouldn’t talk about such things”
“Hehe”
Jeanne grinned. Selenium starts singing something again (probably in elf language or Afilm, I’m not sure), and Neia keeps staring at Peter and stroking him. Very gentle afternoon. ……Suddenly my mind wanders to the memory of my mother telling me that she and my father prayed for the future while watching me sleep. I’ll pray too. Peter……Selenium’s child and Neia’s own future.