kscans

Chapter 250 - Epilogue: Second Half, The Fate of Self-Preservation

Mia and Maytyl tilted their heads, puzzled. The door opened, and a woman with blue-silver hair tied back entered the room. She was holding a baby in her arms, cradling him preciously.

"Please keep your voices down, you two. I just got him to sleep."

The two recoiled at Alfina’s words.

"Um, Alfina, aren’t you still supposed to be visiting your family in the kingdom?"

"That’s right. According to the schedule, you were supposed to return tomorrow."

"Thanks to the new carriages and roads, I was able to get back earlier than planned. I was worried about things here. Both of you…"

Alfina smiled at the flustered pair, still holding the child.

"Please don’t lead my husband around so much, you know. It will affect Alex’s upbringing as well."

Mia and Maytyl took a step back.

Alfina and I got married right after that battle ended. The wedding ceremony was quite an ordeal. It was held at the royal palace, which was unavoidable considering the guest list. Since the bride was a princess, the king and nearly all the kingdom’s most important figures were in attendance. And with the groom being a commoner, I heard the seating arrangements were a nightmare.

It seems Luiza handled all of that splendidly, though.

But I still wonder if being forced to parade all the way to the Forum in the Royal Capital was truly necessary. Thanks to that, I honestly don’t remember much about the ceremony itself. Incidentally, it became the reason for my first marital spat with Alfina, which erupted one month after we were married.

Apparently, there was a lot of debate about our positions as well. In the end, I was appointed as the representative for the Kingdom and Empire’s Magic Pulse Disaster Alliance. It’s like a special-assignment minister from my past life, but representing both nations is a major headache.

On top of that, I have to attend a cabinet meeting at the royal palace once every six months. When Craig started calling me the "Lord of Calamity," I thought he was just insulting me.

The truth is, my office is located in the old headquarters on the hill. As far as disasters are concerned, I’m the one in charge here. In the event of a large scale Magic Insect attack, the disaster response armies dispatched from both nations are to be placed under my command.

Well, Fabius and the others are very competent, so during peacetime there’s almost nothing for me to do. That’s precisely why I’m so desperate to maintain this peace.

Because of all this, I’ve had no time at all to be involved with the Vinder Company since that decisive battle ended. Upon my marriage, my father declared in one fell swoop that Mia would be his successor. I have to wonder about a father whose first words to his son after marriage are, "Ricardo. You’re fired."

Well, even when I did go to the company, the newer employees didn’t even recognize me as an executive. Incidentally, when I explained my position, their impression was of the king’s son-in-law or the hero of the Great Magic Insect War. It’s my own fault, but that stung a little.

Then again, the title of hero is more like a medal that all the civilians around me, starting with Mia, received.

Putting my family matters aside, let’s talk about us. Two years passed after our marriage, but Alfina and I were unable to have a child. It was something both Alfina and I had braced ourselves for. It seemed Alfina was still worried about it, though.

Around the two-year mark, Alfina, along with Euphillia, subtly suggested I consider taking another woman. I refused, wondering what kind of torture this was for someone as socially inept as me. That became our second marital fight. I felt the profound difference in our upbringings. Incidentally, Alfina’s father was apparently devoted to his one wife. If so, she should have just followed his example.

It was right after that when we found out Alfina was pregnant. To be honest, all sorts of risks crossed my mind. Fortunately, the birth went smoothly. A boy we named Alex. He is now one year old, and so far, he is developing just like a normal child.

The fact that the battle was over in a month. The precautions we took during the battle, like the protective corset. The fact that the crystal was gone. And one more thing…

I don’t know what exactly worked, and I think it’s uncouth to dwell on it. Well, the fact that Alex has absolutely no aptitude for magic probably means something.

Incidentally, Alfina was delighted, saying he took after me. I too think it’s for the best that he didn’t inherit any aptitude for handling purple magic. I need to use this as a reason to ensure he isn’t saddled with anything unnecessary like succession rights. Or rather, Craig needs to hurry up and get married.

Anyway, we are living happily like this. We’ve been through a lot, and problems still crop up daily, but we should be getting closer to self-preservation. So close, in fact, that it’s almost within my grasp…

"Wh, what is it? I was holding back thinking you might not be able to have children, Alfina, but you did. So there’s no need to hold back anymore, right?"

"That’s right. If we’re going by our promise, it is my turn next."

Maytyl is saying something strange. For some reason, Mia is agreeing with her. What promise?

"Both of you… perhaps you should show a little more modesty."

Alfina faltered slightly but immediately retorted.

"Modesty? How do you think you made the child you’re holding in your arms?"

"Th, that is, because we are husband and wife, it is, is it not, a matter of course?"

"In the first place, I wonder if it was really true that you had difficulty conceiving."

Maytyl looked at me. What is she trying to say? You were the one who brought that information. Not that I’m not still grateful, Alfina and I both are.

"Could it be that you knew how to avoid it from the start with your knowledge, Ricardo…"

"So we were completely fooled, is that it?"

The two of them look at me and start saying strange things. As if that’s possible. I mean, how much we… I can’t say that.

"N, no. It’s because Ricardo was so… every day. A, anyone would… get…"

But Alfina mumbled, her cheeks blushing. What is my wife saying? Well, if you have a wife this cute, that’s just how it’s going to be.

"A, all three of you. This is bad for Alex’s upbringing…"

Even though he was crying just a moment ago, Alex is now happily gurgling, opening and closing his little hands. What will I do if he grows up to be a harem protagonist?

"Besides, you were a little strange back then, Alfina. With your personality, it wouldn’t have been surprising if you were crushed by your sense of debt to Ricardo. Yet you were strangely confident from the beginning. I wonder just how he won you over."

The line of fire turned toward me.

"That, of course, is a secret just between the two of us."

Alfina puffed out her chest, cheeks still flushed. I think what she said just now should also be a secret.

"I wonder if it has something to do with memories from before you were born."

But Maytyl’s next words made me freeze.

"Y, you. It would be one thing if it were just Mia or my father, but to tell Maytyl too…"

"Well, after they started praising me as a genius in magic pulse research, I just couldn’t… my guilt reached its limit…"

"Fufu, so I’m at least as close to Ricardo as Alfina and Mia are. Right, Ricardo? By the way, the fact that I’m still unmarried is your fault, you know."

"Wh, what are you talking about?"

"That ring, in the Empire, it means entrusting your everything to someone. In other words, it’s a proof of proposal."

"A ring… you mean the one from Tuvil Mountain? That’s a scam. When I tried to return it after the battle, you said it was a memento of us fighting together."

"Oh, but I did say it. That I would entrust my everything to you. Legally speaking, you are my fiancé, Ricardo."

"Y, you…"

"Hey, that’s imperial law. It’s invalid."

Maytyl, I’m calling off our engagement. Not that we were ever engaged.

"At that point in time, one could argue Tuvil Mountain was imperial territory. At least it wasn't part of the kingdom."

"That’s absurd."

"And you worry about me so personally, don’t you, Ricardo? Just at the dinner party yesterday, you said I might be eating too many sweets. Are you that concerned about my figure?"

"No, that’s…"

It’s because I’m worried Maytyl might have poor glucose tolerance due to her constitution. Well, with her figure and the lifestyle here, I think she’ll be fine, but…

"That’s right, Maytyl. Let’s talk about that thing. Using the spiral flame formula to cool… to lower the temperature."

I tried to redirect Maytyl’s attention to research.

"You mean the ice cream maker… That is interesting, but not right now."

"You said you came here about research just a little while ago."

Besides, what kind of crude understanding is "ice cream maker"? Spiral flame is incredible. By manipulating air molecules with spiral flame and using the rotation of a battering ram, you can create almost anything. The possibilities are infinite. So let’s talk about that kind of future…

"Right, come on Mia, entro…"

"Alfina. You remember that morning, don’t you? I have waited a proper two years. No, considering you were pregnant, Alfina, I’ve waited three years."

When I tried to ask for help, Mia also started bringing up the past.

"Th, that is, b, but…"

"‘I want to have him all to myself for just two years. After that…’ That’s what you said, right?"

So that’s what the two of them were talking about that morning. I was never told. Could it be that what you tried to recommend to me a year ago was…

"B, but, that was because of the possibility that I wouldn’t be able to bear Ricardo’s child…"

Alfina flinched under Mia’s intensity. I’m in shock too.

"The morning after I pledged my future to her, Alfina…"

This calls for a third marital spat, no question.

"It is your fault as well. When Mia was abducted by the Empire, you risked your life for her twice, at the royal palace and on the battlefield. On top of that, you went into Kurtheite all by yourself…"

"That’s right. At least at that time, you chose me once, senpai."

Mia nodded. Yeah, I did say it. "In the worst case, it’s better than letting Mia go to the Empire alone." But…

"Because I knew that, I thought if it was Mia, maybe it couldn’t be helped…"

Alfina bit her lip softly. Am I caught in a bad situation here?

"Th, the root of all this is the princess over there, isn’t it?"

"And who was it that brought that princess into this?"

My protest was shot down by Maytyl’s single comment.

"It has become clear that you have various problems, senpai."

Mia glared at me.

"It’s… frustrating, but I may not be able to deny it."

Why are you on their side too, Alfina?

"Senpai."

"Ricardo."

"You…"

Mia, Maytyl, and Alfina closed in on me. What am I supposed to do? No hypothesis, no countermeasure, nothing comes to mind.

Helplessly, I kept backing away until my back hit a wall. The door to the balcony was far away.

Something is definitely wrong. We protected human society from disaster, and the free commercial city we aimed for has begun. All that was left was for all of us to protect and nurture it. That’s how it was supposed to be.

Where did the self-preservation I thought was within my grasp just a moment ago disappear to?