Chapter 5

And time passed.

"Mother Anna, I'm back."

"Harry, welcome home! You must be tired? Oh, have you grown taller again?"

"Please, stop it. I'm not a child anymore!"

As he was embraced by Kanna, who had rushed to the entrance hall to greet him with great joy, the young heir of the general's family squirmed uncomfortably, his cheeks turning red. The servants watched the scene with warm smiles.

"Brother, it's my turn! I want to hug Mother Anna too!"

"Yes, Floriana, welcome back. Hmm, my daughter is so cute today!"

The young lady, Floriana, who had pushed her way in, was sandwiched between Kanna and her mother, her face rubbing against Kanna's, and she smiled like a child her age. Floriana, with her strikingly beautiful but cold features and vivid blonde hair, was Harry's younger sister by two years.

When Kanna had entered the household, the general already had a son and a daughter. Julia, the first wife, who had fulfilled her duty by giving birth to a son and a daughter, had stopped seeing the general and left the upbringing of the children entirely to the servants.

Her interests were in managing the general's household, which was mainly social, her own business, and her young lover, who at the time was a rising actor. The general, on the other hand, had no interest in anything other than his military duties and tacitly accepted the current state of affairs at home.

"Can I get along with Master Harry and Miss Floriana?"

"It's fine, but why?"

"Because they both look so much like the master. Being with them makes me feel less lonely when he's away."

"Hmm, hmm, Anna, you always say such cute things..."

On rare holidays, when Kanna would sit on the general's lap and lean her face close to his, most of her requests were not refused. The downside was that even when permission was granted for outings or meals, they would end up confined to their room for a while and couldn't be fulfilled immediately. Nevertheless, as a result of these sweet moments, Kanna had obtained the right to supervise the upbringing of the two children.

Saying they looked alike wasn't a lie. Indeed, Harry resembled his father in appearance, and Floriana, with her stern demeanor and stubborn personality, was endearingly like the general.

However, that wasn't the only reason. She couldn't bear the thought of young children being neglected by their parents under the same roof.

When Kanna was bullied and felt miserable, her parents had noticed and the adults in the neighborhood had helped her directly. She wanted the children to know that not all adults were unreliable and that it was okay to have some hope.

When she saw the siblings looking lost in the sterile, security-focused garden, the thought naturally came to her.

It didn't take long for the children to open their hearts to Kanna, who showered them with affection. Now, they were like a real family... no, even closer.

Julia handled the public face of the general's household, while Kanna took care of the private side, and they divided their roles without infringing on each other's territory. Surprisingly, the relationship between the first wife and the concubine was good.

The two children, who had been small, had grown up, and Floriana, who had started school this year, was now living in the noble dormitory on campus. So, on weekends and long holidays when they returned home, Kanna would wait anxiously from morning.

"By the way, Mother Anna, there's a new student who's a bit strange."

"Oh, how so?"

Finally, Floriana, who had been hugging contentedly, poked her head out and began to speak, looking up.

Floriana, whose beautiful but cold features often led to conflicts with friends, had been consoled and advised by Kanna. Recently, such incidents had become less frequent. The siblings chuckled at Kanna's concerned frown.

"She points at me and shouts, 'Villainous lady!'"

"What, what's that about?"

"I have no idea. And to Harry, she says things like, 'Why are you using polite language? You're supposed to be a musclehead!' It doesn't make any sense."

"It doesn't make sense, but it's rude."

Hearing that her beloved children were being accused of things, Kanna puffed up her cheeks, and the siblings each took one of her arms.

"Harry and Floriana are my pride and joy!"

"Hehe, I knew Mother Anna would say that. Right, Brother?"

"Yes. I didn't want to worry you, so I reported it first. I have a plan to deal with it."

"There are many other fun stories. Let's have tea, Mother Anna."

As they were about to go to the living room, Kanna's arms were suddenly pulled away from the siblings.

"Kyaa?"

"Anna, this way."

"Father, you're here."

"...I've been here all along."

Kanna, who had been carried away in a horizontal embrace from behind, wrapped her arms around the general's neck, surprised but delighted. The children's voices, expressing their annoyance at the adults' behavior, were dismissed with a stern look.

"Anna is in an important period now. I can't let you tire her out."

"Really, you. The morning sickness is over, so I'm fine."

The general looked lovingly at Kanna's face and her still-flat abdomen. After years of marriage, Kanna was finally carrying their first child.

When the news broke, the general's reaction was unprecedented, and it even affected the military command for a while. The king and the prime minister's whispered comment, "So, you were a child too," summed it all up.

"Hehe, can you carry me to the living room?"

"...Yes."

He probably wanted to let her rest in their bedroom. Kanna leaned in to kiss the general's slightly pouting cheek, which turned a light shade of red, making her cling even closer. The children sighed, feeling like they were going to vomit from all the sweetness.

"Ah, Mother Anna has been taken by Father again."

"Floriana, Father has to work tomorrow. Let's let them have their time today."

—An ideal husband, cute children, and a baby on the way... Who would have thought that a trip to another world would turn out like this?

She whispered in the general's ear.

"...I love you."

"K-Kanna...!"

Held in the strong arms of the man she loved, Kanna kissed him again.

Thank you very much for reading!