"The meal is ready. Please head to the large hall."
While I was relaxing with my father in the room, the innkeeper came to inform us that dinner was ready. Looking at the clock, it was already past six-thirty.
Kuon, who had gone out with Alice and the others, hadn't returned since. They had mentioned a game corner; I wonder if he's been playing there the whole time. Was there a standard ping-pong table or something?
Anyway, I sent a message to Kuon telling him it was dinnertime, so he should come back. Soon after, the fusuma (sliding door) of the room opened, and he returned.
He looks incredibly exhausted, though...
"Eh, what happened?"
"No... Well, Alice and Linne-neesan got so into the air hockey at the game corner that I had to stop myself from unconsciously using body enhancement magic..."
Ah... It wasn't ping-pong, but air hockey.
In the Earth with little magical energy, magic can't be used. But it's not that it can't be used at all—if one uses the magic power within their body, they can activate it a little.
However, it's like squeezing more water out of a wet towel, so if you forcefully try to extract it, it puts a considerable strain on the body.
In the worst case, there's even a possibility of collapsing on the spot. I don't think either of them would want to end up bedridden during a trip.
Kuon had been keeping an eye on that the whole time. If he concentrated for such a long time, no wonder he's tired...
But there should be air hockey at the castle's game room too... I wonder if playing air hockey during a trip holds a different kind of charm.
Well, anyway, it's time for dinner. I walked out into the hallway with Kuon, and the others also started to leave their rooms in a group.
We looked at the small inn brochure in the room and walked toward the large hall.
"Oh, this is... this is..."
It seemed like the sliding doors of the two large rooms had been removed to connect them, forming a tatami-floored hall. In the center, a long table was set, with seating cushions arranged on both sides, enough for everyone.
And on top of the table, for each individual seat, seafood and mountain delicacies were arranged in a colorful spread. It looked almost like a banquet hall.
"How beautiful...! Just by the appearance, I’m already moved!"
"To think that the dishes can stand out so much just from the choice of tableware, ingredients, cutting, and coloring...!"
Lu and Arcia raised their voices in amazement as they looked at the dishes on the table.
As the saying goes, "Japanese cuisine is eaten with the eyes," Japanese chefs pay delicate attention to presentation. From the choice of tableware to decorative cuts, the food is made not only to please the taste but also to be enjoyed visually.
The children were also wide-eyed at the dishes they had never seen before.
Sashimi, crab, abalone, tempura, and even a small hot pot. Everything looked delicious.
Everyone sat down in their seats, and the innkeeper came over to light the solid fuel under the hot pot.
"Well then, let's eat."
"Let's eat!"
In sync with my mother's voice, I pick up my chopsticks. First, I’ll start with the sashimi... There’s tuna, sea bream, yellowtail, and mackerel, but I’ll go with the tuna first.
I add a bit of wasabi, dip it in soy sauce, and bite in. Mmm... delicious! Fresh sashimi really is the best...
While the taste of the sashimi lingers, I scoop up some hot rice. This combination is unbeatable...
Next, I have a sip of the clear chicken soup. The gentle, clear flavor is so comforting.
The small bowl with simmered taro is also delicious. I had this at lunch, but the tempura was a bit overwhelming. Well, this one tastes good too, so no problem. Let’s try it with salt.
It seems everyone else is enjoying their meal too. Only Lu and Arcia have serious looks on their faces while eating. I wonder if they're trying to steal the taste of this place.
Suddenly, I notice Yoshino next to me making a peculiar face.
"I thought it was pudding, but it wasn't..."
"Ah, it’s chawanmushi (steamed egg custard). If you don’t like it, I can have it, but are you alright?"
"I’m fine. This is good in its own way."
Yoshino scooped up the chawanmushi with a wooden spoon and ate it. Sakura next to her was also munching on the chawanmushi in the same way.
I couldn’t help but eat it too. Hmm, the dashi (broth) is rich, and it’s tasty. The chicken is tender, and the shiitake mushrooms are packed with flavor. The scent of mitsuba (Japanese parsley) is nice too.
Ah, it’s been a while since I had "Japanese food" like this...
I had had Lu and Arcia make it for me, but there was always something a little off. Maybe it was the tableware? But I guess it’s the atmosphere of this place too.
The last dessert, yuzu sherbet, was also delicious. As I was enjoying the feeling of satisfaction while sipping tea, I heard the click of a smartphone camera, and Yumina took a picture of me.
"Eh, what...?"
"Because you were smiling so nicely. I took it for a memory."
Eh, was I really smiling like that...? I asked to see the photo, and there I was, grinning with a slack, unrefined face. Is this really a good smile? It looks like a magnificent goofy face to me.
"It’s such a nice, peaceful smile. I think it’s cute."
Cute...? Is that so...?
It really just looks like a slack, goofy smile on a kid... Well, since my wife said that, I’ll gratefully accept it.
Oh, speaking of photos, I need to take a few pictures of Alice. Otherwise, my dad Ende will complain when we get back.
I turn my smartphone camera towards Alice, who is still eating.
Next to her, Kuon is being fed by Alice in an adorable fiancé moment, but if Ende sees this, he might shed tears of blood... Yeah, better take the shot.
"I look forward to seeing my grandchild’s face."
"You're getting ahead of yourself."
Yumina comments while looking at the two of them.
No, no, at this point, they’re not even born yet. It’ll be at least twenty years before Kuon and the others have children.
In twenty years, I’ll be nearly forty... About the same age as my dad now?
"By that time, do you think Touya-san will be like father-in-law?"
"Unfortunately, it seems that gods stop growing around twenty years old, so I don’t think he’ll change much."
"That's disappointing... I would have liked to see Touya-san as a refined gentleman."
Yumina sighs sadly. I don’t know if I’d become more refined, but I do admit I kind of admire the image of a dandy man.
Should I grow a beard? ...But it probably wouldn’t grow.
Our family’s facial hair is thin anyway. I hardly ever shave, and my dad does, but even when he grows a beard, it’s apparently thin.
If it just grows out as scruffy stubble, it’d probably be better to have none at all...
Men from the other world tend to have impressive beards. There’s this idea that a beard equals a mature man.
Most kings have them. My brother-in-law from the knight kingdom of Lestia and the King Cloud Lihnea don’t have beards, but I feel like they’ll grow one eventually.
Would it lack dignity if I’m the only one without a beard? Should I wear a fake one...? But it’d probably just look like a costume...
As I indulge in my thoughts about dandyism, everyone finished eating and it was time to return to our rooms.
After that, we had free time until bed.
"Dad, there’s a game corner over there! Let’s go!"
Pulling me along, Steph and a few other kids took me to the game corner.
The game corner we were led to was a place that seemed to have stripped away the retro atmosphere the inn exuded in that corner.
There was air hockey, a crane game, a racing game, a fighting game, and even a drum game where you hit the taiko.
This is definitely a small game center. It has designated opening hours, and it’s apparently open until 9 PM. Well, I suppose no one would want to hear taiko drums banging at midnight.
Linne and Alice, who came with me, immediately started playing air hockey. They must’ve been playing before the meal, but I guess they couldn’t finish the game.
Once again, Kuon looks like he’s going to have a tough time keeping an eye on them to prevent them from accidentally using magic.
"Dad, let’s do this!"
The game that Steph begged me to play was the drum game where you hit the taiko drum. I remember doing this once before, and it was pretty difficult.
I’ve only played drums a little at my grandfather’s acquaintance’s house, but a taiko drum is a completely different sensation from that.
"Looks fun. I want to play too."
"Oh? Then you and Yoshino should play. I’ll watch from behind."
Thinking that I was secretly relieved, I handed over the drum game spot to Yoshino.
When I inserted the coins, the two of them each held a drumstick with a string attached to it. We’ll start with an easy one.
They selected a simple children's song, "Kantan" (easy), which they both knew.
As the song started, they hit the drums rhythmically, "Don-don, ka-ka," and quickly cleared the level.
When they raised the difficulty to "Futsuu" (normal), they still managed to clear it. However, as soon as they selected "Muzukashii" (difficult), the number of beats increased drastically, and Steph's reactions started to slow down.
"Too fast!"
While Steph complained, Yoshino calmly kept the rhythm and hit the drum. This level gets really difficult fast... I tripped up here too.
Yoshino managed to meet the required number of hits, but Steff failed to meet the target here.
"It suddenly got hard!"
"Yeah, well, that's how it is."
Steph grumbled, but that’s something to take up with the game makers. I wholeheartedly agree, though.
Yoshino entered the command to unlock "Rasetsu," which was marked as even harder than "Muzukashii," and prepared for the challenge.
When the song began, I wanted to shout, "What is this!?" as an overwhelming number of beat marks appeared on the screen.
While I was thinking this might be too much, Yoshino, laughing, started hitting the drums incredibly fast and rhythmically.
To be honest, I couldn’t even tell where she was hitting anymore. Maybe if I enhanced my eyesight with divine power, I could see it?
In the end, Yoshino cleared the "Rasetsu" level as well.
"Dad! This is fun! Buy it!"
"Whoa, that’s a bold request."
Steph casually said "buy it," but how much is this thing...?
Can I even buy it? I searched online, but it looks like personal purchases for new ones are impossible; maybe I can get a used one...? Even then, it’s like four to five hundred thousand yen...?
And even if I bring it to the other world, it won’t work without a power source...
Well, I feel like I could probably get something done by asking the researchers... Maybe I’ll just have them make it from scratch. If I explain what this is, those geniuses should be able to make it.
After all, they made a mock combat system frame unit.
To explain to the researchers, I decided to record a video of the kids playing the drum game and the game screen.
I also filmed Linne and Alice, who had started a racing game. Racing games are similar to the magical vehicles in the other world, so making one might be easier.
Afterward, we played to our hearts’ content with the crane game, where I won a stuffed animal for the kids, and some old-fashioned pinball.
Eventually, the game corner's opening time ended, and we decided to return to our rooms.
"Welcome back. Did you have fun?"
When I returned to the room with Kuon, my dad, now completely relaxed, greeted us while watching TV. There were already three futons laid out in the room.
"It was fun, but I’m a little tired."
"When I was your age, it was just you, Touya-kun, but you have so many kids now."
Both my parents were busy, so I have the overwhelming memory of playing with my grandfather when I was a child, but that doesn't mean my parents never played with me.
They took me to publisher parties, amusement parks, and movie theaters.
Every time I saw my parents trying their best to finish their manuscripts early to make time for me, I gradually stopped asking for unreasonable things.
If I said I didn’t feel lonely, that would be a lie, but thanks to that, I don’t think I ever went through a rebellious phase.
Rather, when I saw my mother up close, I couldn’t bring myself to rebel. The lesson I learned from my father was that it's best not to resist women unnecessarily.
As we were reminiscing about trivial things from the past, Kuon, who was sitting beside us, was nodding off, drifting into sleep.
"Shall we go to bed soon?"
"Yeah, I think so."
My father picked Kuon up and laid him in the futon in the middle. He turned off the TV and the lights, and we also crawled into bed.
Ah... I’m tired from the first day of the trip (though technically it’s already the third day).
Well, the travel was tiring, but the hot spring felt great, and the food was delicious. It was quite a good start, don’t you think?
"I never thought I’d be able to sleep like this with my children and grandchildren, all lying together."
Dad muttered that, but isn’t that normally something for a couple and their children?
Did I used to sleep like this with Dad and Mom... when I was young? I don’t remember much about it, though.
"Hey, Touya-kun."
"Mm...?"
"Do you think it's possible for us to go to the other world?"
"...Well, if you’re asking whether it’s possible or not, I’d say yes, but..."
In that case, we wouldn’t be able to return to our original world for at least a year. They’d have to live there.
If I had died on paper like I did, that would be one thing, but if we were cut off from communication for a year (or 16 months on Earth), there would be too many problems, like with work and other matters.
Moreover, if my parents came to the other world, there’s the risk of a time paradox—conflicts in time.
Kuon and the others hadn’t met my parents until three days ago. That assumption would collapse.
If Yakumo is born, and then Frei is born, and then my parents meet them while they’re growing up, there would be contradictions in the timeline of the current events.
If we had some grand cause, like "saving the world from collapse," then maybe Grandma Tokie, the time god, or the time spirits could help and erase the contradictions, but this is a completely personal issue...
So, if it’s possible, it would have to be after the kids have returned to the future.
If Kuon and the others return to the future, then my parents crossing to the other world wouldn’t be an issue.
"So, how many years later would that be...?"
"Well, the oldest, Yakumo, will be eleven, so at least that much later...?"
"That’s a long time..."
Yeah... Even if Yakumo is born, I won’t be able to take him back to Earth for a visit. My parents won’t be able to meet him until 11 years from now.
We might be able to send photos and videos, though...
"...Well, I could use [Spatial Transfer] to have my future self bring the kids to this era..."
"Eh, what do you mean by that?"
"I mean that it’s not me right now, but my future self, who is in the future where the kids return, would bring the kids to this time. That way, my parents can meet them right away."
I’m sorry that my parents won’t be able to enjoy seeing the kids grow up from babies...
Wait, hold on. Since it’s my future self, I’m sure those videos are already recorded. I probably did some serious editing to show them to my parents, because if it’s me, I’d definitely do that!
"Otherworld transfer and time travel... I thought that was just stuff from manga."
"Yeah, me too."
"Well, thanks to that, we were able to meet Kuon and the others... I never imagined I’d have nine grandchildren, though."
"About that... I can’t really say anything..."
I groaned, "Mmm," under the covers.
I never imagined I’d have nine wives either...
"But they’re all good kids. I think it’s because you, Touya-kun raised them with love."
"Well, they’re not even born yet, so being praised for raising them is... well..."
I do think they’re good kids, but there are definitely moments where they make mistakes. I’d like to say something to my future self. As for Kuon, he’s a really good kid, but it seems like Kohaku was the main one raising him...
"Still, if I could go in, say, ten or so years, I’d love to visit the other world. If I had that much preparation time, I think I could manage work-related matters here."
Well, I’m saying I’d love to go, but that probably means I’m thinking of settling down there... I’ll clear up all the work stuff and move on to a relaxed second life.
Maybe I’ll come back to Earth once a year to check on things?
Hmm... No matter what, I think Earth is still more convenient and easier to live in. There’s less danger here than in the other world.
I managed in the other world because I got strange powers from the gods, but I don’t think Dad or Mom have any way to protect themselves. Well, Mom’s naturally strong, though...
I’ve already gotten too entangled with the other world, so I don’t plan to live on Earth again.
Well, if my parents want to move there, I’d welcome them and back them up as much as possible.
Anyway, it’s a matter for more than ten years from now. By then, Touya-kun will probably be in middle school. She won’t want to leave her friends or quit school to move there... She won’t, right?
Unless she becomes a runaway like Mom, impulsive and always acting on her curiosity... wait, what? Why does it seem so fitting when I imagine it? I don’t have the ability to predict the future!
As I felt an unclear anxiety about Touya-kun future, I was lulled into the world of sleep.
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