Book 11 Chapter 6

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#3 The Family's Epilogue.

"H-h-he said, I'm definitely the……"

Aki's gaze lingered on the words of the book she held open with both hands.

"Your."

It was an educational fairy tale titled "The Dragon and the Five Thieves," in which justice was served to the thieves.

"I'll give you two 'keung-ka'……"

"Gold coins."

Beside her, Mir, who was effortlessly flipping through a specialized book that even magic university professors struggled to read, corrected Aki's error in a deadpan voice.

"When are you going to read the part where justice is served?! Nen wants to know what happens next! It's evil to deliberately drag it out when your little sister is curious!"

Setsunen, who had been waiting with bated breath in front of Aki for justice to be served to the thieves, finally burst out in frustration.

"At the current pace, it is estimated to take about three days. Margin of error plus or minus half a day."

"Spending three days on one book is evil!"

"Vocabulary acquisition rate, truly dismal. Drastic measures are deemed necessary."

"Evil! It seems like you unconsciously avoid reading the scenes where justice is served because you don't love justice, Big Sister, are you perhaps an incarnation of evil… is that it?!"

"Analysis of various fairy tales shows that villains generally have significantly low intelligence. Low intelligence is a common denominator; the possibility of being an incarnation of evil cannot be ruled out."

"W-woo-ooh, Hweee-e-e-e-ng…!"

Unable to withstand her younger sisters' combined attack, Aki burst into tears and fled into Rain's arms.

"Aki hates letters! Aki is good at using her fists."

Rain was having a light breakfast of bacon, bread, and stewed corn with Miria on the second-floor dining terrace.

"Nothing works out perfectly from the start, Aki. Stop crying."

He lifted Aki firmly and set her on his lap, then fed her some bacon, which Aki loved, and her tears stopped instantly.

"Aki, you have a talent for martial arts, so you might not have experienced being stuck on something, but consider this a good experience."

"Aki really really hates letters."

Aki rubbed her face all over Rain, acting cute! There was no helping it; she was the one he was most affectionate towards, having spent the longest time with her.

"Tsk! You two, are you going to keep teasing Big Sister? Do you need to get hit by Aki's Punch of Fury to come to your senses? Huh?! Aki's only holding back because she's your big sister; otherwise, you'd all be disciplined with one punch!"

But her younger sisters were defiant.

"Mir merely presented facts. This is separate from jeering. Even the dictionary definitions are different."

"If speaking of justice is evil, then is Setsunen's very existence evil… is that it?!"

What an onslaught!

Aki's face grew even more tear-stained!

As I watched them, they kept picking on my small, precious Aki… but then again, she's the biggest of the three?

"Aki, don't hold back. Show your sisters Aki's Punch! I give you permission!"

"Aki's Punch?!"

"Yes, be Aki's Punch!"

Just as he was about to uphold his eldest daughter's dignity, Miria, who was sipping from a teacup, let out a chilling sigh, and Rain and Aki flinched.

"Ahem, ahem, of course, it's a joke. Right, Aki?"

"Ah, Aki agrees!"

"Really? But do we really have to teach her like this? Wouldn't she naturally learn as she grows up? She's only two years old."

"Our family is a bit like that. Our grandfather, who has the final say, is quite strict."

"That's a very familiar story."

"Anyway, if Aki is to quickly integrate into the mansion, I think she needs to show her clever side. It'll be fine as long as she passes Grandfather's inspection."

The contours of the Crimson Mountains, which had never disappeared beyond the horizon, began to fade day by day until they were gone.

They had left Sunsetland in the southern part of the Empire.

The Crimson Mountains, which divided the Empire's and the Republic's territories from southeast to southwest. No sooner had they escaped its scorching embrace than a green plain unfolded before them.

This was Richland, in the central part of the Empire.

True to its name, it was the most fertile land in the Empire.

"So, the real battle starts now."

"Exactly. Ah, sigh, there were only a few people in the Empire who recognized Aki, so it had just become quiet and peaceful."

"The last time was when the Cheonhwapa caused a commotion, and it's generally been peaceful since then."

Nen and Mir loved the cool climate of the central continent, but Aki found it rather difficult.

'No, perhaps it's not the climate that's difficult, but the education……'

Setsunen and Mir were supposedly unable to speak.

For children of their stature to speak so fluently now was strange, no matter how one looked at it.

"Then, shall I teach you myself so your sisters can't bother you?"

"Dad?!"

"Mm."

"Then that'd be great!"

Teaching Aki was utterly delightful from a parent's perspective, but as a teacher, he was far from satisfied.

By the time five days had passed, the day of judgment had finally arrived…

Holding Aki's trembling hand since morning, he ascended to the judgment seat with her. The name of that judgment seat was Bellwynn Mansion, a place imbued with his childhood memories.

"When you left, you were definitely alone…"

"But when you returned, there were three children?!"

"Oh my goodness!!!"

The mansion's employees were utterly flustered, and shortly after, his father came rushing out in his socks.

"Father, I've just returned."

His father, who had rushed out in his socks, hugged Rain and offered thanks to the gods multiple times.

His mother repeatedly caressed Rain's cheeks, tanned by the southern sun, and began to shed tears.

"Ah, Rain… my precious treasure."

His parents were as expected, not difficult.

The problem lay with the other two people.

Namely, his younger sister Seri and Aunt Elin. Explaining his whereabouts to those two was expected to be the biggest hurdle, but…

"Brother!"

Seri knew he was alive.

How this happened was that the last letter he had sent before crossing the continent had reached her hands.

Aunt Elin must have also sensed something amiss when the always gloomy girl suddenly brightened up…

"Big Brother!"

Bran, who had been the youngest for two years, had grown active and could now run without falling. It was truly a remarkable development.

"Who is this person?"

As Seri looked up at Miria with a cold, wary gaze, Miria, who was holding Nen and Mir for the "performance" (?), flashed a sly smile.

"I'm Nen and Mir's mom~ Please take care of us, Young Lady."

"M-m-mom?!"

"Yes, I'm their mom."

"S-s-so, if you're their mom, then, well, that kind of, already?"

"Setsu-setsu."

Setsunen, who by their setup was a two-year-old baby and shouldn't be able to speak, said. Mir also spoke reluctantly.

"…Mir."

"Th-then, those ch-children are, B-brother's, th-that can't be. This is a nightmare."

Seri, speechless and stammering, sobbed as she ran all the way to a distant part of the garden.

"Hey…"

"What? You told me to do this, didn't you?"

"It's necessary for Nen and Mir's disguised identities, but why do you seem to be enjoying it?"

When Rain gave her a side-eye, Miria coughed awkwardly as if embarrassed, yet gave a playful wink that seemed to ask, "Isn't this fun?"

Indeed, it seemed the personalities of two people were merging within one body…

Meanwhile, Bran engaged in a silent war of nerves with Mir. The reason was unknown.

"Welcome. I am Kayvon, head of the Ludwig family and Rain's father."

"Welcome. You're Rain's savior, aren't you? Please make yourself at home anywhere in this mansion."

His father and mother, though perplexed by Miria's presence, greeted her kindly.

His father hugged Mir and Nen once each, then showed a hollow laugh and even tears.

"To think I'm a grandfather."

"And I'm a grandmother."

"Now, say 'Grandfather'."

Setsunen, prompted by Rain's subtle glance, swallowed hard. And her pronunciation, just as practiced! So excellent!

"Gra-nd-fa-ther."

"Oh my, oh my goodness, call me Grandmother too."

A strange sense of guilt arose.

It was an act to deceive Seri, who couldn't keep secrets, but you two knew, right?

Just like Aki, those kids aren't your biological grandchildren…

'Still, things smoothed over with my parents just fine.'

Was it because they had met Aki back then?

Now the problem was Skalji Ludwig, who was so incredibly strict that he even had conflicts with his parents…

Seri had also plotted to somehow invalidate the marriage by leveraging this grandfather's strictness, but…

'Grandfather is so strict about ceremonies, you cunning vixen. You're finished!'

However, the noble etiquette Miria gracefully displayed at the dinner table was truly masterful!

For Miria, who had learned from a father as strict as Skalji, or perhaps even stricter, this level of etiquette was easier than eating rice cakes while lying down.

Skalji's expression, which had been disapprovingly seated at the head of the table, slowly softened.

"From which family do you hail? Are you from a prestigious family of the Republic?"

"Since I am a descendant of the Demon Slayer, perhaps one could call it a prestigious family?"

"You are aware of the duties Rain must fulfill as the successor of our family, are you not? But to do so, his spouse must also possess commensurate abilities."

"Though my status may be humble, there is something I am confident in that would not bring shame to the Ludwig family."

"What is it?"

"I can wield a Holy Sword. Even though I am not a Faequarius. I will have to return it soon, though…"

"What?!"

"But I heard it's the Holy Sword of the ancient hero Rista…"

"!"

Skalji's eyes finally filled with anticipation.

Miria, who had dealt with various nobles in her previous life, knew well what nobles wanted, so sweet-talking Grandfather seemed like no trouble at all.

"I believe this much would be more than sufficient. A body naturally gifted in martial arts, wouldn't these traits be inherited by our descendants as well?"

"Descendants, you rascal."

Rain's face, who couldn't possibly misunderstand the meaning, turned beet red, but Miria finished her sentence with a bright smile.

"After all, you need physical stamina even for studying, don't you?"

What an aggressive yet logical appeal!

It didn't take long for Skalji's lips to spread into a hearty laugh.

"Prepare a banquet!" the former family head shouted.

As the employees bustled back and forth, Miria sent a victorious wink to Rain.

"How long have you been preparing that line?"

"It's obvious what nobles want. Especially elders, what they think most highly of is the inheritance of talent from both maternal and paternal lines."

The voice of the girl, who had been smiling boldly and slyly like Rista, became shy like Miria's.

"So, what I said was, um, I didn't mean to make a baby… I mean, for now, it's just for persuasion."

"I know. Don't worry."

Still, thanks to Miria, the reunion with Skalji, who had been the biggest problem, ended without difficulty.

There's no need to enumerate the conversations about magic he had with his father and grandfather during dinner afterwards.

Rather, he wanted to explain how Seri, who had been the second problem, was resolved. The key was Aki.

"What? You don't even know this? If you're Big Brother's daughter, you should definitely be able to read this much so he doesn't get laughed at by people!"

Even after coming to the mansion, Seri often helped Aki with her studies, and though her words were sharp, she was incredibly thoughtful…

"Aunt Seri, Aki is telling you this."

"A-Aunt?!"

"To Aki, Seri is an aunt!"

"Hmph! Never mind! How old am I to be an aunt?! Anyway, what will you do if you don't even know this! Come here! See, this is how you read this. And using the hippocampus memory method, you memorize this like so…"

"Oooh!"

Aki soon began to follow Seri around, calling her 'aunt,' and watching them just made him smile. His mother seemed to feel the same way.

"It reminds me of the old days."

"You mean when Lady Elin used to follow you around everywhere?"

"Right. I never knew that's how it looked to others."

On the other side, Bran was showing Nen around the garden.

Despite still being a little tyke, when he heard that he was Nen's uncle, he suddenly acted so grown-up, which was both endearing and funny.

Gently caressing Mir, who was asleep in her arms, his mother said.

"Something has changed a lot, Rain."

"Me?"

"Yes. Before, you always looked sad, but now you've brightened up a lot."

At his mother's words, Rain couldn't help but smile faintly. And he expressed what he had been thinking in his heart.

"Mother, there's somewhere I need to go."

"Hm?"

"This time, I'll really be back quickly. It's in the North."

"Again? Do you really have to go now? Rain, it hasn't been long since you returned, and how happy your mother is to have you here…"

"I'm sorry, Mother. But I feel I must go and return right away. Only then will I truly be able to smile sincerely."

Just as he had returned and greeted his family in this life, now he must go and pay his respects to his family from his previous life.

"There's someone I've made wait for too long."