"Alright... done."
I adjusted the picture frame on the wall of my office and nodded to myself in satisfaction.
Inside it is the family photo we took yesterday with everyone. Well, since the age gap isn’t that big, it feels more like a class photo from a branch school rather than a family photo of parents and children.
I’ll also place a framed photo on my desk. It’ll be a comforting sight when I’m tired from work. Once Yakumo and Frei are born, I’ll have to put their photos up too. I wonder if I can fit them all on my desk? If I leave about half the space open, maybe it’ll work...?
Ah, I should probably make an album too. Photos can be managed on smartphones, but I should also keep printed ones as well. I’ll need nine copies.
After finishing today’s work, I went to meet the kids.
It would be the last time I could interact with them today. Tomorrow, I’d have to send them back to the future.
Thinking about it made my steps feel heavier. I shouldn’t feel like this...
When I went into the living room, everyone was together, probably because tomorrow was our farewell.
Yakumo and Frei were still sparring with swords in the garden beyond the terrace, while Yae and Hilda were watching over them from the terrace. They both seemed like they wanted to join, but please, not right now. They’re pregnant, after all, and their bellies aren’t too obvious yet...
Quun was sitting at the corner table of the terrace, disassembling a remote-controlled car, and next to him was Leen, reading a book she bought on Earth.
Yoshino was playing a ukulele, also bought from Waikiki on Earth, and Sakura was softly singing along to it.
Arcia and Lu were evaluating the cookies they made for each other, while Elna, Elze, Linne, and Linze were enjoying those cookies.
Kuon was playing a handheld game that his father and Steph bought him, while Yumina and Sue were watching him with smiles.
"Daddy! Is your work finished?"
"Yes, it’s done. There’s nothing else for today."
"Yay! Then let’s play together!"
Steph raised both hands energetically, but her controller fell. That’s not okay during a competitive game.
During that moment, Kuon’s character landed a finishing move and won.
"Nii-sama, that’s cheating!"
"Victory is ruthless."
Steph pouted in frustration, but Kuon was completely unfazed.
By the way, Kuon’s handheld game console was the first to be analyzed by the doctor, and with wireless specialized controllers and a holographic projection device added, it became almost unrecognizable.
When Kuon plays alone, he removes those extras and plays with the standard version, but when playing with family or multiple people, he adds the accessories.
Well, the screen and controller are small in its normal form after all.
"Daddy, you should play too!"
"Oh? To challenge me, born in the birthplace of video games? Fine, I’ll take you on."
I said this with a slightly villainous tone, then switched with Kuon and took the controller.
I’ve never played this particular game before, but it’s the latest in a series I used to play with Grandpa. Many of the characters are the same as back then. The controls probably haven’t changed much.
I picked a classic main character and faced off against Steph.
"Ugh, no, ahhh!?"
"Eh, what’s that!? ...No way!"
In the blink of an eye, I lost twice in a row. I’m not even sure what happened... I thought I got punched once, but then I was kicked and punched repeatedly, and then I was launched into the air by some sort of special move.
Wait, they’ve only been playing for less than a month, right? The growth of children is terrifying...
"Touya, you can go easy, but don’t forget to play seriously. Steph won’t enjoy it otherwise."
"Ha, haha... Well, my eyes are still a bit strained from paperwork, so maybe I can’t use my full power today?"
Suu, unaware of my predicament, was unknowingly cornering me. Yumina, sitting next to her, seemed to understand and was smiling wryly.
After that, we spent the day enjoying board games, listening to Sakura sing, enjoying Yoshino’s performance, and savoring the tea snacks made by Arcia and Lu, all while spending time together as a family.
I had decided to spend the last day as normally as possible with my wives. It wasn’t a permanent goodbye. I’d be able to meet everyone again someday. Yakumo and Frei would be together with me again in a year.
I knew a day would come when we’d all live together again. So, it was fine to just enjoy today as usual.
The children decided to sleep in separate rooms with their mothers. As a result, I was sleeping alone. It was lonely...
Well, it couldn’t be helped. The children were probably cherishing the last night. Fathers are probably supposed to endure moments like these.
I lay down in bed.
...I can’t sleep.
I tossed and turned aimlessly while reflecting on everything that had happened.
The children had come, and everything had become lively. Before I knew it, it had become an everyday routine, and now I was afraid of losing it.
If possible, I wanted to keep them close to me.
But that would be a betrayal to my future self. My future self must have also parted from the children and felt this loneliness.
Earlier, I thought it was just bravado when I said it wasn’t an eternal goodbye, but still, loneliness is loneliness... I’ve become quite sentimental.
"The future feels so far away..."
"Not really. Before you know it, it’ll be over in the blink of an eye."
Suddenly, a voice called out, making me sit up quickly.
In the dimly lit room, a young man was sitting in a chair beside the desk in the corner, illuminated by the lamp.
"My future self...?"
"Correct. It’s not that different, right?"
The person sitting there was me. Well, actually, it was someone who looked quite different from me. He was a little taller, and his face seemed a little more mature. The most noticeable thing was his voice... It feels odd when you hear your own voice, doesn’t it?
...Well, he doesn’t look bad, does he? Oh, I just praised myself. How embarrassing.
Wait, did he come from the future? Time travel is supposed to be forbidden, except when crossing worlds...
"Yeah, I got permission from the World God and Grandma Tokie. Actually, I met my future self twelve years ago, so this is all part of the plan."
"I see..."
So, does that mean that in twelve years, I’ll meet my past self too? I wonder if I’ll remember it...
Twelve years from now? About thirty years old? He looks like he’s just over twenty, though. Maybe becoming part of the divine race stopped his aging?
"Yeah, it’s more like aging stopped. Unfortunately, I can’t grow a beard or anything. It’s impossible to look dignified. There was a time I wore a fake beard, but my wives hated it, so I gave it up."
Oh, that’s a side effect... I guess not having to shave every morning is a good thing.
"First of all, thanks for taking care of the kids. It must’ve been hard, huh?"
"Well, yeah... but you already know that, don’t you?"
"No, it was twelve years ago, so I wondered what it was like. I don’t really remember it being too difficult."
Is it okay for me to be like this... am I starting to lose it? Isn’t this too early?
"I knew it was coming, but I really got anxious when I couldn’t sense the kids’ magical energy anymore. I wasn’t at ease until Grandma Tokie appeared."
"Huh? Don’t the kids return to the time when they disappeared?"
I think I heard something like that from Grandma Tokie.
"They don’t appear exactly when they disappear. There’s a few seconds of lag. It felt like an hour. That’s why I was really happy when they came back safely."
...Hmm? From what he’s saying, the person in front of me is my future self, the one who is about to send the kids back. The future me after this... but since it’s still me, that doesn’t sound so strange, right?
"I’m not the future me who sends the kids back. I’m from a few weeks after that. I went to Earth to visit Dad and the others, bringing the kids with me."
"Huh? You went back to Earth right after returning?!"
Well, I guess the future me is different, but the kids only just came back from Earth a week ago.
Did they go again? It’s like a sequel to some time travel movie where they send someone back to the future and then immediately come back...
"Dad must’ve been surprised... Did you go to meet the dads from a different time?"
"Yeah. Time flows differently here and on Earth, but we went to Earth twelve years after the time you guys visited. Fuyuka’s already a middle schooler."
"Fuyuka is a middle schooler...! I can’t imagine it..."
But in reality, she’s older than the children, so maybe that’s just the usual age gap in his time.
"The next time we take the kids to Earth, we’re planning to go to the past. Otherwise, Dad and the others wouldn’t be able to see the kids at all until twelve years from now."
"I see... that’s complicated..."
Even if we visit home every year, we can’t take the kids with us... Probably, next year’s home visit will have Yakumo and Hilda staying behind with the newborns.
Sending photos and such is apparently not a problem, so I plan on sending them.
"By the way, are Dad and the others coming to this other world?"
"Yeah, the main reason we went to Earth this time was for that. I’ve been planning it with Dad for a few years, and this time, we returned with the three kids. It’s fine to have them meet the kids now."
"Huh!? So they’ve already come to the other world!? No, I’m talking about twelve years from now..."
Could they really be moving here?
"No, this time, it’s more like a one-year home stay? Fuyuka’s technically studying abroad. They’re going to live here for a year and then decide what to do. I also think it’s fine to go back and forth every year."
Yeah, moving here for good might cause a lot of issues...
But is Fuyuka okay? She’s got school and social connections to think about.
"Well, let’s just say... she’s already gotten used to this world in just a few days... She’s been all excited learning magic and even registered as an adventurer..."
"Our sister is so aggressive..."
Is she okay? I’m worried... Unlike me, she doesn’t have any divine boost abilities, after all.
Apparently, Blanca, the dog familiar that’s a subordinate god, is always with her, so I don’t think she’ll get into too much danger...
"Mom’s really into magic too, and Dad’s been excited about the Frame Gear...”
"Ah... I can imagine that..."
Come to think of it, it was Dad who introduced me to robot anime when I was a kid. I think Mom also watched magical girl anime when she was young.
This is all probably the result of that.
"Well, as long as they’re enjoying themselves, I guess it’s fine? I see it as a way to do some good for my parents that I couldn’t do before."
"You’re speaking as if it’s someone else’s problem, but you’ll be going through the same thing in the future, you know? You should prepare yourself now."
Ugh. That was a painfully logical statement. It’s the obvious truth, but still...
"Mom also tried to register as an adventurer, but I stopped her. When I told her to ‘think about her age,’ I got a good punch in the face. If she remembers this twelve years from now, don’t bring it up."
"Haha..."
I can’t laugh.
Well, Mom had me when she was in her teens, so she’s young, but still, she’ll be nearing fifty in the future, right...? Trying to register as an adventurer at that age is a bit much...
It seems like my parents have really loosened up since coming to the other world. They’re definitely going to move here... I’m not sure about Fuyuka, though.
There are people who live alone while in high school, so it wouldn’t be that weird if she did, right? Having a family in another world is rare, though...
I mean, I also left home during my first year of high school, albeit in an unconventional way.
"Well, Fuyuka living on Earth alone is also an option. But..."
My future self had a very serious expression, arms crossed, staring at the sky.
"If Dad and Mom are gone, I feel like she’ll just go wild without any brakes..."
"Is she really that much of a wild child? My sister...?"
This doesn’t make sense. Fuyuka was supposed to be an adorable angel. What happened in these twelve years!?
"Sometimes, I wonder if she’s the reincarnation of Grandpa."
"Don’t say such terrifying things...!"
No way is that cute angel a reincarnation of Grandpa...! If it’s true, I’ll go complain to the World God immediately.
"Listening to the story, though, Fuyuka feels like she’s more suited for this other world..."
At this point, Dad and everyone should just live here in the other world. Even without graduating high school, they’d manage somehow.
"She wants to become a game creator, apparently. That’s why she wants to go to a specialized school over here. She said the activities in this world are research for making a realistic fantasy game."
"She’s already planning out her future...?"
"She wants to make the best otome game."
"Why that direction...?"
I could picture Linze, my sister-in-law, as the potential source of this, but surely not...?
Wait, is this whole otome game thing the result of the influence of the nine sisters-in-law...?
Well, an otome game is a romance game targeted at women. If she’s doing research for one in a fantasy world, then it’s probably going to be set in a fantasy world?
Hearing that a little girl who used to toddle around has suddenly developed such a hobby makes me feel weird... No, I’m sure to her, it wasn’t sudden.
Well, it’s good that she’s found a goal in life early on... right? Right?
"I feel like a really tough future is waiting for me..."
"Go ahead and worry, young one. I’ve walked that path too. There’s no way you won’t walk it as well."
Seeing me suffer with all these worries, my future self grinned with a bad, mischievous smile. Damn, he’s got a bad personality! Wait, it’s me!
"Well, whether it’s the kids or Fuyuka, they’ll each walk their own path eventually."
"That’s a bit lonely..."
I know. I can’t stay with them forever. Children leave their parents and become parents themselves someday. Just like I did.
I wonder if Dad and Mom felt the same way.
"Even if the paths diverge, there are times they’ll come back together. And we have our nine reliable partners. We’ll walk this long road together with them. There’s nothing more reassuring than that, right?"
"Haha, you’re right."
Yeah. No matter what hardships lie ahead, if it’s with them, we’ll get through it.
It’s lonely to part ways, but if I think of the wonderful future ahead, it might not be such a big deal.
"Thanks. I feel a little better now."
"It’s not much, really. You’re just encouraging yourself."
"Hmm? Wait a minute... didn’t I hear the same thing twelve years ago?"
"I don’t remember every word exactly, but I probably said something like that back then."
I really am a meddlesome person. Well, it’s nice, though, to hear it.
"’Kindness is not for others,’ they say, but this is one of the rare cases where it comes back so directly."
"Well, I should be going soon. There’s a ceremony for the launch of the Ether Vision TV tomorrow."
My future self stood up from his chair.
"Is that the TV thing Kuon was talking about?"
"Yeah. For now, we’re going to create some units with kids who are good at singing, teaching by Sakura, and have them sing different songs."
"Are you producing idol units...?"
I hope they’re not doing a popularity vote or something. I always think popularity votes should be avoided because there will always be a bottom-ranked contestant...
But top stars do emerge from such environments.
"We’re also planning on doing some theater and stuff, though."
"Wow, it really is a TV show..."
It seems like the future Brunhild will become a hub for information sharing with the world.
I’ll have to work hard and stay focused on the future.
"Well, see you sometime. I don’t think it’s best for us to meet too often, though."
"Yeah, I think the next time we meet, it’ll be because something big happened."
"Right. See you, me."
"See you, me."
With a soft sound, my future self disappeared. For a moment, I thought it might have been a dream, but when I pinched my cheek, it hurt. Guess it wasn’t a dream.
I lay down in bed. Strangely, all the weird anxiety and loneliness I felt earlier had completely disappeared.
Did my future self feel this calm as well?
It’s fine. Our future is bright. There’s a warm future ahead, where the children will be smiling. I just have to do what I can and trust that future.
Thinking of that future, I slowly drifted into a dream.
And then, the morning of farewell arrived.
"Good morning."
"Good morning!"
"Morning!"
I woke up, changed out of my pajamas, and went to the living room, where everyone greeted me as usual.
Maybe because I woke up a bit earlier than usual, not everyone had gathered yet.
It felt like a regular morning, but somehow, the conversations seemed fewer. Everyone understood. Today was the day we had to part.
After a while, my wives and the children, who had slowly started waking up, greeted me, and the number of people in the living room increased. But still, the usual liveliness was absent.
Contrasting with our hearts, the weather outside was bright and sunny. I couldn’t help but feel a little resentful of the sun.
Since the weather was nice, Yumina suggested we have breakfast on the terrace, and everyone agreed.
Using [Levitation], I gathered the tables from the terrace and set them up so we could all eat together.
"Breakfast is ready!"
Soon, Lu and Arcia returned from the kitchen, and the maids brought everyone’s breakfast on a cart.
Toast, ham and eggs, crispy bacon, and sausages, along with salad and coffee. A classic, but never boring, morning set.
I had coffee, while others had tea or juice. Everyone had their own choice of drink.
"Let’s eat."
"Let’s eat!"
As expected, the conversation was quieter than usual, and everyone ate in silence.
I felt like we all took longer to eat than usual. As if we were trying to savor this moment...
Soon, breakfast ended, and everyone returned to their rooms for a moment. They needed to put their things into their smartphones’ [Storage]. The wives also followed them. They probably wanted to stay together until the very end.
I stayed in the terrace, looking up at the sky. It was annoyingly sunny.
"Hey, Touya."
Suddenly, a voice called out, and when I turned around, there was the Ende family standing there.
"You guys... You should at least come in through the front door already. Alice is imitating you... Wait, are you okay?"
I was complaining to Ende, but I suddenly lost my words.
Alice, clinging to Melle, was sulking and crying.
Leyle, holding Lycee hand, was still calm as usual but was looking at Alice with a concerned expression.
Leyle would be going with them to the future too. Otherwise, he would’ve stayed with us since Alice was born.
"It wasn’t a problem until we left the house... But as we walked and the townspeople kept calling out to us, she became more and more down, and it ended up like this."
Ney explained with a troubled expression.
Alice used to play around the town a lot... She must have realized she was saying goodbye to the kids and townspeople she had become close with.
Even if we return to the future, those people will still be there, but the kids she played with will have grown up, and the adults will be middle-aged, and the middle-aged will be old. She won’t be able to see the same people anymore.
"Alice, are you okay?"
"I’m not okay..."
Saying that, Alice buried her face in Melle’s arms and started crying again.
"Touya-san..."
"Hmm?"
When I turned around, I saw Linne, holding hands with Linze, crying softly. Oh, her too...
After that, Elna, Steph, Arcia, Yoshino, Frei, Yakumo, Quun, and Kuon all came back, each with their mothers, and although there was a difference in the intensity, everyone had tears in their eyes.
Steph was crying uncontrollably, and Sue, following her, was teary-eyed too. Yakumo, Frei, and Quun weren’t crying, but they sniffled, trying to hold back tears.
Kuon, though looking normal as usual, had his brows slightly furrowed. Being a boy, he was probably trying hard not to cry.
Despite the situation, or perhaps because of it, I found myself unexpectedly calm. If I started crying like Sue, things would get out of control.
"Hey, everyone. I met my future self last night."
"Eh!?"
Yumina gasped, and even the children, who had been crying, looked surprised, calming down a bit.
"My future self told me, 'Thank you for taking care of the kids.' Everyone is waiting for you in the future. They’re waiting for you to return. We’re not parting ways. We’re just preparing to welcome you with all the memories we’ve made here. So that we can meet with smiles in the future."
"Daddy...!"
Steff immediately flew into my chest. While there wasn’t the usual rocket impact, the weight of her feelings was heavy.
"Daaad...!"
"Father...!"
Then, Linne and Elna charged at me, followed by Arcia, Yoshino, Frei, Quun, Yakumo, and each of them tackled me in turn. Yeah, it’s nice, but a little painful...
Finally, I gently patted Kuon’s head as he hesitantly approached.
"When we get back, we’re going straight to Earth, apparently. Make sure to say hi to Grandpa and Grandma for me. Oh, and we’re apparently going a little ahead of the time we left, so Fuyuka will be bigger than Yakumo by then."
"Eh!? Fuyuka-chan!?"
Elna’s eyes widened in surprise, but if you think about it, the time difference between Earth and this world is such that it wouldn’t be too surprising for there to be an age difference.
To be exact, Earth has 12 months, and here it has 16 months, so time here moves slower.
If you think of it simplistically, four years on Earth is three years here in the other world.
Well, adjustments are made when crossing worlds, so I’ll align it as one year, but time doesn’t really matter in this case. It’s nonsensical to compare the passage of time in different worlds.
If we consider it from my perspective as the starting point, then it makes sense, right?
Grandma Tokie must be used to this feeling... I wonder if she gets confused by it?
In that sense, even if hundreds or thousands of years pass in the other world, we could still meet again when we go to Dad and their time. That might be nice.
Well, only if we get the World God’s permission.
Fuyuka’s story seemed to have made a bit of an impact, as the children’s tears seemed to have subsided somewhat.
Just then, Grandma Tokie appeared before me.
"Oh dear, did I come a little late? Or was it too early?"
Grandma Tokie laughed, and I wondered if that was a joke related to her being the goddess of time...?
Well, it wasn’t a problem since I didn’t make any promises about the exact time. I only heard "morning."
The time limit was probably nearing... I hugged each of the children one last time and gently patted their heads.
The wives, holding back tears, also rushed over to hug their children, including their own.
"Work hard on your training..."
"Do your best, like a knight..."
"Don’t get too absorbed in tinkering with machines..."
"Don’t make noise with the instruments at night..."
"Make sure to think about the seasoning for the other person!"
"Urgh... Elna..."
"Linne... Stay strong..."
"Kuon, take care of Alice..."
"Be careful with your health..."
The wives were at their limit, and if it went on much longer, their tears would surely break loose.
The others, however, weren’t as affected. Well, except for Ende.
"Alice...! We'll definitely meet again...!"
Saying that, Ende hugged Alice tightly, but seeing him break down in tears like this, my own tears felt a bit more restrained. I’m slightly grateful for that.
"Has the farewell been done?"
"Yes. Please... take care of the children."
Yakumo, Frei, Quun, Yoshino, Arcia, Elna, Linne, Kuon, Steph, and Alice, along with Leyle, walked toward Grandma Tokie.
Beside Quun was Parla, and beside Steff was Gold. Since Steff, the master, is going to the future, it was better to take him along too.
The children were still sobbing. Please, smile. Show us your smile one last time.
Grandma Tokie had a troubled smile on her face, but just then, Kuon stepped forward.
"Father, Mother, and all the mothers. We’ve learned many things here. These will be unforgettable memories that we’ll take with us to the future. When we return there, we’ll talk about everything we experienced here. So, please remember us and the memories we shared. I look forward to the day when we can laugh and talk about this. Please look forward to that day."
...Geez, my son really is a well-behaved kid.
But man, could you consider how the father is holding back tears too? My nose has been tingling non-stop, and it’s been tough...
"Well, everyone, stay healthy. See you in the future."
I still managed to string those words together.
"Thank you for everything!"
"Thank you for everything!"
Following Kuon, the other children bowed. When they raised their heads, despite crying, they gave us their best smiles. That’s what I wanted to see. That smile.
"Well, take care, and we’ll meet again."
Grandma Tokie snapped her fingers, and with her, the children disappeared silently from the spot.
It was as if no one had been there from the start...
Ah, they really have gone, and a sense of loneliness and emptiness washed over my chest.
"Uuu~... Steph has gone...! Urgh, Touya~...!"
Sue hugged me from behind. But I couldn’t turn around. I probably had a terrible face with all the tears and snot...
From behind, I could also hear the other wives softly sobbing. They all felt the same way. It’s still so lonely.
The sky I looked up at, as if to stop my tears, was still unbearably clear and sunny.
◇ ◇ ◇
When I felt the tremor in the castle, I thought, "It’s finally here."
A dimensional quake. The children, who had gone to the forest for their monster-slaying request, must have been caught in the dimensional quake and jumped into the past.
As planned. There’s no need to panic or fear.
Grandma Tokie had told me that the dimensional quake would happen at this day and time.
That’s why we’re all gathered in the courtyard like this. Even Ende, who threw aside his adventurer guild duties, is here. I wonder if the chief guild master is okay with this, but I’m not going to say anything, as it’ll undoubtedly come back to bite him.
It’s only been a few seconds since the dimensional quake happened, but it feels like a very long time.
Are the kids okay? Did something happen in the past that we don’t know about...? Did something change, and it’s affecting the future? Something could have happened to the children!
Just as these bad thoughts crossed my mind, Grandma Tokie and the children appeared silently in front of me.
"Mom!"
"Mother!"
"Mama!"
The children rushed towards their respective mothers. For us, it hadn’t even been three hours since we sent them off this morning, but for the children, it had been almost a year apart.
Though we had past versions of ourselves, they didn’t remember anything from when the children were born until now. Things were definitely different for them.
Though I feel bad for the past me, the real parents of these children are us.
And now, Leyle and Gold, who weren’t there in the morning, were present. Leyle was looking around curiously, while Gold calmly watched Steph and Sue hugging each other.
Alice took Leyle’s hand and led him to their family. Melle patted Leyle’s head and said, "Welcome back." It was a reunion after twelve years. Ende was still being glared at, as usual.
It wasn’t just Leyle. For us, it was also a reunion after twelve years.
The children we met in the past, fought with the apostles of the evil gods, went on a trip to Earth with, and then parted from.
Kuon, who was being petted by Yumina, came toward me.
"We have return, Father."
"Welcome back. Did you have fun?"
"Yes, very much."
We fought the apostles of the evil gods, but if he says he had fun overall, I’m glad.
Back then, I was probably filled with more anxiety, but now, the children seem to have become more solid, somehow. Living in a different world (even though it’s technically the same place) must have helped them grow significantly.
They say, "Send your cute child on a journey," and that’s certainly true. But as a parent, I also wish they wouldn’t grow up so quickly.
"Now, after a good rest today, tomorrow we’re going to Earth! Grandpa and Grandma are waiting."
For twelve years, I couldn’t let my parents meet the children. Because it would change the future. I didn’t want to trouble Grandma Tokie again.
Once a year, I made sure to visit Earth, but that was only with my wives, and when we returned, we always went back to the original timeline, so the children didn’t realize anything.
I’d show my parents photos and videos of the children each time. Also, the version of me from the future, even more advanced than this time, apparently brought the children with him to visit, so it didn’t seem like my parents were too lonely.
This time, however, my parents and Fuyuka were going to live here in this world for a year.
Fuyuka must be really excited and waiting eagerly. I feel a little anxious...
As my future self said, it really was all over in the blink of an eye.
From now on, our days will continue to be noisy, but full of joy.
The sky I looked up at was so blue, it felt like it could pierce the heavens.
◇ ◇ ◇
After the children returned to the future, we were left in two extremes: either lost in thought or focused on work.
When I worked, I could forget about the children, but when I zoned out, I immersed myself in memories of them.
Eventually, we all realized we couldn’t stay like this and started getting back to our usual routines.
As expected, or maybe naturally, the first ones to recover were Yae and Hilda.
After all, they had the children inside them. Whether they liked it or not, they had to face reality.
Inspired by them, we all started doing what we could for the future.
We were going to be parents. Whether or not we could be good parents was uncertain, but I didn’t want to call myself one based on blood alone without trying my best.
So, we decided to prepare everything the children would need once they were born.
With the help of the doctor and Flora, we developed powdered milk. I planned to have Orba-san mass-produce it and sell it in the town.
We also developed bottles, diapers, baby soap, baby powder, baby carriages, and child seats for carriages.
I planned to sell these items too, so parents with infants would be happy.
I had forgotten about something. Since Yae and Hilda’s bellies were gradually getting bigger, I needed to think about maternity clothes.
In this world, there were almost no maternity clothes, so they’d just wear oversized tunics.
Especially for noble or royal pregnant women, they rarely went outside, so fashionable clothes were non-existent.
I immediately went to Zanac, the clothing store, and presented all kinds of maternity clothes materials.
With this, pregnant women could enjoy being fashionable, and Yae and Hilda would be at ease.
What surprised me a little was that after Yae and Hilda’s pregnancy was discovered, several women working at the castle followed suit and became pregnant.
Maids, cooks, and, of course, female knights as well.
"Well, the children of the royal family or those of similar age have a high chance of marrying into wealth if they’re girls or becoming close aides if they’re boys."
"They’re both girls, though..."
"Well, the others don’t know that. Normally, people would expect the birth of a royal heir."
The doctor, who was working on developing the other world’s television, Ether Vision, made such a remark.
Is that why there’s a maternity boom?
If all of them go on maternity leave at once, it might mess up work. We’ll need to prepare for that.
Also, I’ll need to hurry and set up the daycare center we had planned. It’s going to be tough before and after the babies are born...
But it’s worth it. Not just the childcare stuff, but everything—king-related matters, god-related matters, I’ve got a lot to do.
There’s still so much I can do. Since I’ve been entrusted with this world, I’ll keep doing my best to make it better.
I take my smartphone out of my pocket.
I remember the day I first set foot in this world. I had no food or water, and no money. All I had was this smartphone, which I received from the gods.
" We've been through a lot..."
Since then, I’ve met many people, seen many things, and learned a lot.
From now on, I’ll continue to meet new people, see new things, and learn new things.
According to Kuon, in the future, smartphones will be widespread in this world, and almost all nobles will have one.
He said they’re developing a smartphone for commoners next. Anyone will be able to talk with anyone anytime, and get the information they want immediately. It was something normal on Earth, but thinking about it again, it’s pretty amazing.
I hope the world becomes a place where people can connect and understand each other by talking, but I know it won’t be that simple.
Well, I’ll just do what I can.
"Let’s keep going, partner."
I slip the now familiar smartphone into my pocket.
"Touya-san!"
Yumina waves her hand, and Elze, Linze, Yae, Sue, Hilda, Lu, Leen, and Sakura... my family, my dear ones, are calling me.
"I’m coming!"
I’ll live here from now on.
In this other world, with my smartphone.
Author Note: Thank you for your long-term support and readership for over ten years!"
There is one more chapter, the epilogue. Thank you for your continued support until the very end.
No comments:
Post a Comment