NOVEL WEB Chapter 424
“Father, please have a snack before you start.”
“Thank you, Melissa.”
Where has that mischievous little one from childhood gone? I now have a daughter who looks just like Karina. If Karina were in her mid-teens, she’d probably look like this.
“Do you recall when Karina is coming back today?”
“Probably in about three hours. Usually, she comes back after the afternoon worship…”
“Well then, let’s wrap things up.”
“Yes.”
We finished up our paperwork and left the office. My daughter Melissa clung to my side as we walked.
“I wonder if Seria is paying attention in class.”
“After that troublemaker got a real scolding from mom last time, she should be on her best behavior this time.”
…Is that really the case?
She has made a run for it a couple of times, spouting lines like “Heroes don’t study.” As a parent, I hope she has at least learned the basics.
Maybe my standards have gotten too high since Melissa has already mastered what a first-year student at Kalon Academy learns before turning ten?
Still, Seria will manage in her own way… but it’s hard not to worry about my children’s futures.
“What will Seria do…?”
“Well, she’s been working hard on her swordsmanship, so she should be just fine, right?”
“Life doesn’t get solved with just one skill. Even your aunt has gone through various hardships…”
“You mean Aunt Renny, right? There are so many mothers…”
True. There are six of them, after all.
“Yes.”
“Aunt Renny sometimes said that if it weren’t for dad, she would’ve ended up as just a pile of bones by now…”
“…Well, our first meeting was in such a situation.”
“Will I ever get to experience such a romantic meeting?”
Melissa, that was anything but romantic!
I wonder how much Renny has romanticized her first meeting with me in her mind. Or perhaps it’s just my daughter’s innocence leading her to think that way.
…Some strange fellow shouldn’t approach her.
“Father, your face looks stiff. Did you forget something?”
“No, it’s just… I’m worried.”
“Hehe, you worry too much, Dad.”
Melissa laughed and crossed her arms as if I was fretting over nothing. This makes me reminiscent of when we were newlyweds. Back then, just a glance would make…
“Darling?”
“Oh, Elisa.”
“Father, good evening.”
“Yes, good evening.”
Was she with Theo in the library? Looking at the book Theo was holding, resembling Elisa and titled Principles of Fire Magic.
“Fire magic, huh… Theo, are you learning well from your mother?”
“Yes. The discussions about the principles of fire magic have been so interesting today…”
Theo, you sure get chatty when it’s about magic. That’s not a bad thing, but… I chuckled lightly and patted Theo’s shoulder a couple of times.
“I’m looking forward to your future. Since you take after Elisa, you’ll quickly master fire magic.”
“Theo is really bright, right?”
“Theo is indeed smart.”
“C-complimenting is too much, you know…”
My shy son hid his face behind the book and turned away. With his androgynous face, it only makes him look more like a girl.
In some sense, he must be really popular with the girls.
Where else would there be a child among mine who isn’t like that?
“Darling. Are we heading straight to the cafeteria?”
“Yes, it’s about time everyone has arrived.”
After the meal, the day will come to an end.
We passed through the cheerful corridor and arrived at the cafeteria.
“Johann!”
“Dad!”
Who’s the daughter and who’s the mother? I patted my daughter who inherited Millia’s genes, then greeted the family.
…Every time I think about it, it’s really many. Six wives and ten children—what a crowd!
“I hope everyone had a good day today!”
“Dad! I learned swordsmanship from Aunt today!”
“Is that so.”
“What about sending Seria to the Knight Department? She doesn’t seem too bright.”
“Still, she should study the basics.”
“But history is boring…”
“Right, right! Math is boring!”
“Economics is boring!”
“Tina. Tiny. Didn’t you promise to help Dad like Mommy?”
It can’t be helped that kids don’t like studying. It’s commendable that Theo and Melissa are the ones doing well in their studies.
“Hehe…”
“Hi hi…”
“Next year, you’re also going to take the exams to enter Kalon Academy, right? I hope you can study hard until then. It would be awkward if other siblings got in and you guys failed.”
Forget about embarrassment, just going to Kalon Academy is crucial for them to learn properly, so I can’t help but wish they pass.
I’m not an emperor; I can’t establish multiple branches of this family. They likely aren’t cut out for that either.
“Yeesss~”
“Really…”
“Dad! When do I get to go to the academy?”
“Mira, just wait ten more years.”
“I want to go too.”
Mira, the second daughter and youngest of Viola, puffed her cheeks and pouted. I’ve seen that expression every time I gently refused her.
I’m weak against cuteness, but that doesn’t mean I can let her go to the academy. She just started learning the basics from a tutor.
She’s sharp like her mother, but that doesn’t mean she’s mature for her age.
If anyone’s mature, it’d be Theo.
“Hoho, looks like everyone’s gathered here.”
“Mother!”
“Aunt!”
“Did you all have a good day?”
As the head of the family, Karina effortlessly commanded the cafeteria with her smile, sitting naturally next to me. A seat that has been hers since the past.
Sometimes Millia or Melissa sit there, but essentially it remains unchanged.
“Now that everyone is seated… let’s start the meal.”
“Yes!”
Responses echoed all around. These are the sprouts I’ve nurtured for 18 years. Someday they will grow into trees.
Whether they become mighty trees or break along the way is uncertain, but I guess I can support them from behind.
Everyone lifted their utensils.
———————
“Looks like today’s worship took a while.”
“Hehe, as I was teaching various things to the next Saint, it stretched out.”
“The next Saint…”
When I first saw her, I thought we had an unknown daughter between us. The identical pink hair and those rare pink-golden Odd Eyes were truly uncommon colors.
Kalon’s taste is as straight-laced as ever.
“I guess it’s time for me to slowly step down from being the Saint.”
Her pink hair tumbled down my arm, tickling the palm of my hand. As I playfully fiddled with Karina’s silky hair, I spoke.
“Even if you retire, you remain my one and only Saint.”
“Johann, you’re too…”
“Johann, what about me?”
“You too.”
“What about me?”
“I won’t need to say it.”
“Still, it’s nice to hear it.”
“Right? It feels better than an IOU, just like cash is better than a promissory note.”
“If you only say such things to Lady Karina, they will get jealous.”
“Still, I like Uncle.”
Watching my wives dive into conversation like it was rehearsed made me chuckle. They were just like how they were when we first married.
Little did I know I’d discover why elves live such long lives in this manner.
Truly, the power of the World Tree that underlies all living beings is magnificent.
“Seeing all of you together makes me feel like our wedding night was just yesterday.”
“Our wedding night was quite intense, wasn’t it? Johann kept…”
“Want to reminisce for a while?”
Millia’s hand stroked my thigh. Looking into her eyes, I felt an urge arise. Now that I think about it, I’ve been too busy taking care of the children, so it hasn’t happened lately.
“…Looks like I might end up giving the kids a sibling after all.”
“Hehe, how shall we name the youngest?”
“Let’s stick to contraception. Ten is… enough, don’t you think?”
I’ve got plenty of resources and energy, but if I have any more, it’ll just create chaos. Understanding my thoughts or not, Karina lightly pushed me down onto the bed.
“Well, I think having at least one more would be fine.”
“That’s if you remember to bring it out, dear husband.”
“Can I never find the shyness again?”
“Is it strange to feel shy after nearly 20 years of mixing bodies?”
“True enough.”
My clothes were slowly peeled off by my wives’ hands.
Feeling the lovely touch of my wives, I began to speak.
“If it’s a daughter, I would like Victoria; if a son, Viktor.”
In the dim room, the sound of fabric rustling began to fill the space.