Chapter 80

EP.80 Revelation-3

"…What do you mean!?"

"Exactly as I said. The problem with the placenta will be resolved if you get married."

Who is at fault, the one who came with him, or the madman who designed the intelligence of the familiar to be on par with the guardian in the cave? Or is it because of the fool who went crazy with pure love, talking about marriage, day and night, and SM to the child.

Perhaps all these factors mixed together created this situation.

"Ain, it's not good to yell at a child."

Aria felt an unbearable happiness at the reversal of Ain's broken words.

"Who is Ain's father?! You shouldn't go along with his jokes!"

Aria found his reaction amusing and sat next to Ain, chuckling.

"Our Ain, don't you feel a bit hurt that he doesn't call you mom right away?"

"I'm sorry, but Father told me to be careful with titles, so I couldn't help it."

"I see~! Our Ain has suffered so much...!"

Saying this, Aria wrapped her arms around Ain and stroked his hair.

"But calling you Aria-Spill seems too stiff. How about calling you 'sister'?"

Is the sound of the family tree getting tangled here just an auditory hallucination, or is it not?

"Hmm... 'Sister' is a term that can be used for older women, so it should be fine."

"Great!! Then let's aim to call you 'mom' next time!!"

"Yes, Aria-sister."

At this title, Aria's face lit up, and she rubbed her cheek against Ain's expressionless one. The desire she had for Leo when he was young was now fulfilled, bringing her twice the happiness she expected.

"Aria-sister, Father is trying to sneak away due to the pressure. Should we stop him?"

Saying this, Ain pointed to Leonardo, who was slowly sliding his buttocks off the sofa.

"Where to?"

"...I...I just need to go to the bathroom..."

"Wait."

Her tone was gentle yet firm.

"...What? Even if I do, it's..."

"Or there's no need to be embarrassed among family..."

"I'll hold it."

Seeing the water bottle, he didn't want to think any further.

"Do you like having a younger brother or a younger sister?"

The conversation has somehow shifted to the topic of marriage.

"Considering the gender ratio, a younger brother would be better. But since it's hard to control, it's best not to take it too seriously."

"You're thinking about it, that's good! Our Ain is so considerate!!"

And the fact that he wanted a younger brother aligned with her own thoughts, making it impossible for her to feel bad.

"Still... marriage is..."

"Leo, I know it might sound mean, but... how did you feel when Father wasn't around?"

Suddenly lowering his voice and asking, Leo answered in a flustered tone.

"...It wasn't a good feeling...?"

It was a feeling incomparable to losing his mother, but it wasn't a good one. As a result, he matured early and deliberately refrained from throwing tantrums.

"I want our Ain to grow up without a father!"

Why is the conversation heading in this direction?

More importantly, how did Ain, who has been preserved for hundreds of years as the Sage's legacy, become a child? While not entirely wrong, it seems too convenient.

"Or does Father have a fetish for watching others connect with Mother directly..."

"No!!"

He wasn't that crazy. If there was a good man, it was right to pass him on, but he didn't enjoy it in that way.

"Then why do you refuse marriage?"

"That's..."

"Among all the people, Father has the deepest bond with Aria-sister."

That's true, but...

"But I'm not a noble...!"

"Developing mana manipulation techniques, defeating various black mages and demons, excavating all the Sage's legacies, developing unique magic, and winning the battle against the Blue Tower Master—these achievements make the position meaningless. And there are procedures for granting a position or adoption, so it's worth considering."

Why does it feel like I'm being outdone by my own child?

Is this what they mean when they say a parent can't win against their child?

"And as a dedicated knight, marriage is..."

"Looking at historical examples, there are many cases where this happens. Even those with achievements below Father's have married daughters of regional lords, knight families, and even royal families."

"But they were all nobles..."

"That overlaps with what I just said. Would you like me to repeat it?"

If I had known, I would have had him defend himself. He talks better than the Blue Tower Masters.

"...But...that..."

"By the way, after observing for a while at the Magic Tower, I found no unusual sexual desires in Father. He dislikes women he's not interested in and dislikes being pursued by all men, and the fact that he doesn't lust after me is proof."

Now it's giving me goosebumps. He's dug into my private life and even chose this form to uncover my fetishes...

"Also, the way you styled my hair is similar to the braid Aria-sister gave me. Was it unintentional?"

"That's right~ Why is that~ It's exactly the same!"

Why is that? I was just trying to properly defeat Aria, but now I've ended up with a fox-like lady and a daughter.

The problem is that I'm still a child.

"That's not the issue. What will the Reinhardt family think if they see this?"

"Don't worry about that."

Ain fumbled with his gray robe and pulled out a small note.

"...What's this...?"

"It's a telegram from Lios. He sent it to make you read it."

"...Where..."

[Bro, I'm worried that you might resign again within the family, so I'm trying to find a way to anchor you. I had an idea and am pushing to get you and Aria engaged, so don't worry and just go with it...]

The sound of a fire spell and the cacophony of grunts and barks turned the message into ashes.

"I have backups. He prepared many in case of this."

"...Ha..."

I feel like I'm losing my mind. After imprisoning the Sage, his familiar has been tormenting me.

"I don't understand. Please explain why you're rejecting this so strongly."

"...Give me a moment to think. And Ain, don't forget the main purpose of coming here. Your fate will be decided by the temple's decision."

Leo held Ain's hand and left the room.

"I'll go out first."

"Alright. Think about it. Ain... "

Bang

The door slammed shut as Leonardo left, either angry or embarrassed.

"Are you angry?"

"Where did that optimistic idea come from?"

"I learned it from Father."

Suddenly, I understood why Mother never came home. (Physically too) I could empathize with the feeling of seeing a child who has been draining my resources.

"...Ha... You know my situation. The Sage vouched for me."

At least the Sage can't hear this conversation, which is a relief. If he were here, he would have tortured me for over a year.

"I know."

"Ain... If you know...! Try to understand... I'm in a difficult position too."

"I can't understand, which is why I'm doing this."

Ain explained his thoughts with a blank expression.

"The things before the regression are not Father's fault."

"..."

I was speechless for a moment. Was it because I heard a rebuke from a being with my blood, or because he comforted me with the same face as Aria-Spill? I couldn't tell.

"...I'm not doing this because I like it. But..."

-------

I've never had a nightmare.

When I dream, it's always about the events of the past, one by one. I scatter blood as fertilizer on a hill without a single light, using it as a grave marker.

I killed everything, regardless of good or evil.

I cut down everything that threatened the world.

It didn't matter if they were enemies or allies.

It didn't matter if they were victims or perpetrators.

I rejected the relationship of understanding because I didn't want to be understood.

I thought that maintaining the existence of the world, even for a moment, would have meaning.

I wanted to believe that.

But the fight never ended, and the existence of the world was just a delay.

Some called me a demon, a slaughterer, a demon king.

Others called me a hero, a savior, a warrior.

There was no difference.

They arbitrarily and conveniently distinguished between good and evil, but crossing that line was simple.

I couldn't choose to die.

Because she wanted me to live, and I knew that.

I wandered aimlessly, seeking a place to die.

This contradiction was no different from a ten-year-old mercenary throwing a tantrum.

-------

"...Anyway, let's focus on the goal for now... Thinking about the aftermath... It's not a lie..."

[You really deserve this.]

The familiar voice, which a few years ago would automatically and permanently echo without warning, belonged to the master of the barking sounds.

[You bastard...! If you do this again...?!]

"Is your lifespan over already?"

"Shall we start today, Father?"

"I'm busy now, so let's finish quickly."

"Understood."

Ain launched a spell at the Sage.

[Choke!! Stop...! Is this filial impiety...!! I made you...!!]

"And I kept you in a metal box for hundreds of years."

The Sage's nose bone bent.

[Cough...!!]

The Sage's cheekbone shattered.

[Choke...!]

"And I took the guardian Kether away."

The Sage's teeth fell out.

[Ah...!!]

"And I have no personal feelings."

After slashing the Sage's face a few times, the Sage's spirit form turned into smoke and flowed into Leonardo's chest.

It would take only a few hours to restore the spirit form, given the extent of the damage.

"I'm sorry for doing it so casually. The standard for 'quickly' was ambiguous."

"No, I'm always grateful."

Ain grew up to be a filial daughter. She was very considerate and good at exorcising evil spirits.

"...Mr. Leonardo...?"

Did he really come back from the bathroom? Luminé wiped her wet hands on a handkerchief and watched the scene of the beating.

{How did you do that...!}

"How did you do that?!"

The former Holy Maiden and the current Holy Maiden were both shocked by the exorcism. Of course, whether they were genuinely shocked in the same way was unknown.

"It's simple. I referenced the time when the Sage couldn't maintain his spirit form after being hit by the Holy Sword and the time when I fought the Holy Maiden, and I tried to create an exorcism formula."

As a result, it was found that by giving a shock to a specific frequency with mana, it was possible to interfere with such a special spirit form, and when the spirit form was severely damaged, it would be restored by the Sage's stone.

Of course, the frequency had to be changed depending on the situation, which was too much for Leonardo to calculate and emit continuously. Therefore, Ain, who was connected to his thoughts, was the one to emit the frequency.

The important point was that the restoration time was quite long.

{...Why are you looking at me like that, Luminé?}

Luminé alternated her gaze between Ain and Angela.

"Father, I think it's necessary to know if this also works on beings made of divine power for research purposes."

"Ah, I agree. What do you think, Luminé?"

At this question, Luminé smiled.

And that day, Luminé had a peaceful sleep for the first time