"Now then, the day after tomorrow, we'll be leaving for 'Japan,' but did everyone understand what to be careful about?"
When I asked, ten children sitting on the sofa responded all at once with a cheerful, "Yes!" Their responses are good. At least the replies are.
"Steph, what about red traffic lights?"
"Stop!"
"Correct!"
Applause erupted around Steph, who had answered correctly. Steph, with a smug expression, leaned back triumphantly.
It seems that Yumina and the others remember their Japanese education to some extent. In addition to traffic rules and general common sense, there's also the rule that magic cannot be used.
It’s not so much that it shouldn’t be used, but in a world with few magical elements like Earth, it can't be used at all.
Still, for example, with [Fireball], it can create a fire as hot as a lighter, and with [Waterball], it can produce water the size of a golf ball.
In this world, such abilities are insignificant, but if someone were to see that being used over there, it would cause a huge uproar.
In the worst case, the trip would be canceled, and we'd never be able to visit Earth again. I stressed this point repeatedly.
Since magic is nearly nonexistent in this world, Kohaku and the others, of course, along with Paula, Mechapaula, and the crown-bearing Silver and Gold, will stay behind. There's no way we could bring along talking swords or robots.
My wife and I, thanks to the powers granted by the World God through our wedding rings, can communicate by translating not just Japanese but any language on Earth. However, the children can’t do that.
Therefore, we had to create a translation item for them.
Even if I were to make one, the magic I imbue would disperse on Earth, rendering it useless. So, I asked the Craft God, a deity of craftsmanship, to create a translation tool that would work on Earth. I also asked for some local handicrafts from the other world as souvenirs. Hopefully, there's something that meets the Craft God's standards...
I was a bit torn over what to imbue the translation function into.
At first, I thought about asking for smartphone cases, but these kids would probably drop them... In the end, I settled on bracelets. This way, the children can also have conversations while we're over there.
"Are you really sure it'll be okay to bring them along...?"
Suddenly, I became anxious... I'd shown them some Japanese films and explained the general nature of the world, but still...
"It'll be fine. Just make sure each one of you takes care of your assigned child."
Elze brushed off my concerns with that response.
The basic plan was for the children to be looked after one-on-one.
Naturally, the children's mothers would take charge, but Yumina and I are a bit different—Yumina will look after Alice, and I’ll take care of Kuon. It could've been the other way around, but it's probably easier for women to be with women, and men with men. After all, we can’t just go into women’s restrooms or baths...
"If you get separated, call us immediately. If you lose or drop your phone and can't call, move to a spot where you won’t disturb anyone and wait there for us. Then..."
"Hold on, darling. That's a bit too detailed."
Leen’s voice sounded in exasperation. Hmm, maybe it's too detailed...
I mean, even though we have some leeway, you guys aren't that familiar with Earth’s customs either. Well, it can be forgiven to an extent, since you're foreigners.
"By the way, Touya-san. Are you going in your child form again this time?"
Linze, who had been trying not to think about it, directly asked.
"Hmm... I’m not sure until I ask the World God, but it'll probably end up like that..."
Going in my current form would definitely be problematic. If I meet someone who knows me or get photographed, it’d be bad. There are probably surveillance cameras all over the town too.
Last time, it was a honeymoon, so that was fine, but how would it be if I appeared as an old man?
Maybe I could go as an old man with a bunch of grandchildren? Is that too far-fetched?
"If he go as a girl, maybe no one would notice?"
"Leen-san, that’s actually a great idea!"
"No way, absolutely not!"
I sharply opposed Linze, who was giving a thumbs up at Leen’s mischievous laugh.
Are you serious?! If an acquaintance noticed, it’d be hell! And I can't let my parents see me like that!
Maybe I’ll just go in my child form. It's more convenient that way. It’d also be easier to move around with Kuon.
"By the way, can Kuon's Magic Eyes work over there?"
"I think it would be weak, but it should be usable. However, it will cause more fatigue after using it, so it won't be used frequently. It was like that for me too."
Yumina answered my question. It seems that it’s usable, at least.
But since the Magic Eyes are activated by internal magic, using them forcibly on Earth could lead to health problems and even bed rest.
Once the internal magic is used up, it’s hard to recover on Earth with so little magical energy.
I need to explain this to Kuon and tell him not to use his Magic Eyes.
Since the children use magic regularly, I’ll have to make sure they don’t use it. If they run out of magic and collapse, it’ll be a problem.
The older ones seem to understand, so I think they’ll be fine, but the younger ones... especially Linne, Alice, and Steph, tend to unconsciously use body-enhancing magic, so I'm worried about that.
I don’t think there will be opportunities for fighting, but I’m worried they might get too excited and cause chaos. I’ll have to keep an eye on them.
◇◇◇
The next day, as everyone was preparing for our departure the day after tomorrow, I suddenly realized something important.
Money. Cash.
I don’t have any Earth, or rather, Japanese money. Last time, the World God provided the money, but that was more like a wedding gift.
Going anywhere or buying souvenirs requires money. Without any, there’s no way to enjoy the trip. Money is absolutely necessary.
So, what should I do? Should I sell gold, silver, or jewels over there?
A small amount shouldn’t be a problem... but wait! No identification!
Even if I used [Modeling] to counterfeit coins... that’s too much.
Plus, having only coins would make it hard to use.
I could go to somewhere like Las Vegas and make some money with a little cheat... but no, no. Why does the idea of earning money always lead me toward crime...?
I could just do a part-time job... but I don’t have any identification!
As I was holding my head in the office, my phone, which was placed in front of me, notified me of an incoming call.
From the World God? Wait, could it be...?
'Seems you're in trouble.'
"Did you see all that...?"
'You don't have to worry about the money. I’ll handle the exchange here. A few modest gems should be enough.'
I followed his instructions and took a few gems that were stored in [Storage] out onto the table. Should they be small? There are plenty of marbles-sized gems here...
I avoided the big ones and kept three that were more common sizes on Earth.
The gems in front of me suddenly disappeared, and a stack of bills fell onto the table with a thud. Whoa...
Uh, is this a stack of one-million-yen bills? There are five of them... five million...?
I switched my phone to speaker mode and picked up the stack. It felt surprisingly heavy.
"This is more than enough, isn’t it?"
'You can’t exchange money, so I told you. It’s your money to begin with.'
Hmm, this feels heavier than usual when it’s in yen... Even though I’ve been wealthy for a while in this world, the feel of it in yen is different. It’s hard to shake off the money sense I’ve had since childhood...
"By the way, is this money okay to use...?"
This isn't like some dark money, right? Something we can't use in society?
'It's real money. Don’t worry, you can use it for your trip.'
Okay, I’m not going to question it any further. I’ll just accept it gratefully and put the bills back into [Storage].
Wait, I just realized... After meeting with my parents, I could’ve had them exchange it for me, couldn’t I? Well, I guess it’s safer to let the World God handle it.
'Also, about your appearance for the trip... Since you'll actually meet your parents this time, I think it’s better not to go with the child form.'
No...! I want to go in my child form!
If I went in my current form, I’d definitely be in trouble...
While I was trembling alone, a silver bracelet fell in front of me.
It was a slightly wide bracelet with a round crystal-like object embedded in it.
'I had the Craft God and Time-Space God make a simple transformation tool for you. Wear it, and by channeling divine energy into the crystal, you’ll become a child. Channel it again, and you’ll return to your original form.'
"Huh..."
A transformation bracelet, huh. Honestly, it would be tiring to stay in the child form all the time.
I slipped the bracelet onto my left arm and tried channeling divine energy into it. Poof! Smoke rose, and in an instant, I was back in my child form. Whoa, my clothes are falling off!
'Oh, I forgot to mention... once you transform, you can't use it again for a full day.'
"Eh!? Why didn’t you tell me that earlier!?"
I tried channeling divine energy into the bracelet again, but nothing happened. No way...
The bracelet automatically adjusted its size, so it fit perfectly even on a child’s arm.
'Since you’re leaving tomorrow, there’s no problem. But don’t go out in your original form. Stay with your parents and relax for a full day inside the house.'
Ah, so once I revert, I can’t change back into a child form for a whole day. No worries, I’ll only use my original form when I meet my parents. Otherwise, I’ll stay in my child form.
If I appear as a cute little son, maybe my mom will calm down... I hope so.
"By the way, have my parents been told we’re coming back?"
'No, they haven’t been told. I haven’t mentioned it... I’m too scared to.'
The World God’s true feelings leaked out in a small voice at the end. Hmm, so we actually have to go meet them in person? I guess I could call and have Grandpa come over... but...
"I feel heavy about this..."
No, it’s not that I don’t want to meet them. It’s just the lecture that comes with it...
'If your mother had been born in this world, she would have definitely become a legendary hero...'
Yeah, I can see that.
She's the daughter of that crazy Grandpa... and she doesn't hold back. When she does something, she does it thoroughly. There’s no compromise, no consideration—none of that.
"I have to call and report to my parents that my wife and the kids have come... I don’t think they get it…"
I mean, who would believe that, just about a year after our honeymoon, we now have nine kids? I wonder if they'll even understand when I explain it to them.
Well, since both of them are manga artists and picture book authors, I think they’ll accept it flexibly, though.
'Well then, enjoy your family trip slowly.'
"I think it’ll become fun once we get past the initial difficulty…"
I hung up the phone with the God and changed into the kids' clothes from [Storage]. Good thing I kept them...
When my perspective lowers again, the room feels so much bigger.
"Alright."
I reached out and turned the doorknob to open the door. It’s really inconvenient being this small.
As I stepped into the hallway, I ran into Steph, who was with Gold.
"Hey, Steph. Is your travel preparation done?"
"...Who?"
Steph looked at me with a puzzled expression.
Oops. I’m in my child form right now, huh...
"Ah, um, it's your dad."
"OttÅ-san?" (TL Note:Steph referring to 'husband')
"No, it’s daddy. Your father. I'm in child form."
"Ehh!? Daddy!?"
Steph, with a surprised face, hurried over to me.
She circled around me, looking at me from head to toe with an excited look on her face. She seemed very curious.
"Is this [Mirage]?"
"No, it’s not an illusion; I’ve actually transformed. I’ll be like this for a day."
Before I could finish, Steph grabbed my hand and ran off. She’s fast! Don’t use [Accel] in the hallway!
"Everyone! Daddy has turned into a child!"
Being dragged along by Steph as she sprinted down the hallway, I was brought into the living room.
In the living room, the mothers and children had gathered to prepare for tomorrow’s trip.
The children opened their eyes wide in surprise, and the mothers, though not as much, had similarly surprised expressions.
"Eh? You've already turned into a child? Isn’t that a bit early?"
"Well, it was a little mix-up… but since I’ll be like this anyway, I guess it’s not a big deal if it’s a day early."
"Owhh... I wanted to see the gender-swapping pattern..."
I made an excuse with a slightly exasperated tone, and then I heard a disappointed voice from both sisters. It doesn’t exist, okay!? No such pattern!
I showed them the bracelet the World God gave me and explained that I could return to my original form after a day.
"Even if I can return, I won’t be able to go outside..."
"How about if you put on the [Mirage] using divine energy and transform into someone else?"
"Well, if the divine energy runs out halfway and I accidentally return to my original form... I don’t want to take that risk. The World God kindly made it possible for me to visit my hometown once a year, after all."
"That’s true... After meeting your parents, if you return to your child form, you’d be able to move freely... so there’s no need to take any risks."
Leen’s suggestion was something I had also considered, but it’s probably safer to not do it. If I stay in the house for a day, it’s not that hard. Though I do feel bad for the kids who’ll be dragged into it.
"Dad, you're so small! It’s like I have a younger brother!"
"Well, Kuon is here too..."
Arcia was excited looking at me. Hmm, I’m losing in terms of height... I guess I could look like a younger brother.
My height is about the same as Kuon’s, right? Steph is probably the only one shorter than me.
Hmm, as I looked at myself, Yakumo asked.
"So, are we going to be siblings over there?"
"No, Alice is here too, so we can just be friends, right?"
Honestly, calling my own children "older brother" and "older sister" feels really awkward... My fragile heart can’t handle the embarrassment.
If my mothers found out, I’d definitely get teased. I can’t let that happen.
"Is everyone ready?"
"Yes. Since [Storage] doesn’t work, we’ve packed the essentials into our backpacks."
Hilda looked at the nine backpacks lined up on the sofa. It’s quite the sight when they’re all lined up. Including Alice’s, each backpack is a different color, so there shouldn’t be any mix-ups.
I could just store them in [Storage], but if we get separated, the kids will have to manage for a while without us.
The contents are simple emergency food, a thermos, lighting equipment, raincoats, spare clothes, and so on, which are almost like a disaster preparedness kit.
It would have been convenient if I could imbue [Storage] into these backpacks. Well, I could do that, but when bringing them to Earth, the magic’s effect would disappear, and everything stored in an extra-dimensional space would vanish.
"Since tomorrow will be an early start, let’s have dinner, take a bath, and go to bed early."
"Yes!"
The kids responded cheerfully. Tomorrow starts the two-week family trip. I hope it ends without any trouble.
As I watched the children heading out of the living room, I thought about how I wanted them to make happy memories and return to the future.
...Well, I still have a lecture waiting for me.
With this appearance, there might be a chance I could get out of the lecture. I’m just hoping for the best, praying to the gods.
No... even praying to the gods might not help this time...
◇◇◇
The next morning.
The sky was clear and bright, with no clouds in sight.
Well, the weather here doesn’t matter for the trip, but it does feel nice.
Along with Alice, Ende, Melle, Ney, and Lycee came to see us off. Everyone from the castle also came to see us off.
As Alice rushed towards Kuon, Ende pulled me aside into a shadowed area.
"Make sure, make sure, don’t take your eyes off Alice! If any of the primitive people over there try to do anything to the cute Alice, feel free to slash them down!"
"Don’t say such dangerous things."
On Earth, there’s something called the Gun and Sword Law, you know? And stop calling Earth people primitive.
Before the overly cautious father starts bothering me more, I should just head out quickly.
"Alright, everyone gather around!"
The children, each carrying a differently colored backpack, and the wives, who were empty-handed, gathered around me. A total of twenty people. It’s starting to feel more like a company trip than a family trip.
Everyone had changed into casual clothes that matched the style over there. With this, we shouldn’t attract any strange looks.
The transfer destination is Grandpa’s house. I still have the key from last time, and we plan to use it as our base. Just like before, the World God has made sure we can use the electricity, water, and gas. It’s a big house, so it should be fine even with twenty people.
I spread a thin layer of divine energy around. This way, if anyone’s nearby when we transfer, they shouldn’t notice us. Alright, let’s go!
"[Spatial Transfer]"
A brief feeling of floating in the air for a second, and then I quickly land on the ground.
The scenery changes instantly, and an old brick-built Western-style mansion appears before me. Grandpa’s house. It feels nostalgic. It’s only been about a year, though.
"Is this Earth?"
"There's really so little magic here."
"Is that house... daddy’s grandfather’s house?"
The kids are excitedly chattering about Earth, their first time here. The wives are also looking at the mansion with a nostalgic gaze.
For now, let’s go inside and take a rest. We haven’t done anything yet, but [Spatial Transfer] uses quite a bit of magical and divine energy. I’d like to take a break...
"Touya-san, look at that..."
"Hm?"
"There’s a notice on the front door..."
Just as Yumina said, there was a notice on the front door of the house. In bold, stylish handwriting, it read:
'Contact me as soon as you arrive, you stupid son.'
Ugh, it’s like they already predicted our every move...
I’m a bit scared of calling, so maybe an email would be better...
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