Chapter 463
Chapter 463
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 133
Chapter Title: An Adult's Duty
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I was so shocked that I gripped the hilt of my sword. My grandchild was about to be born.
Erzsebet, who had delivered the urgent news, slumped into a chair and began catching her breath.
Her face was drenched in sweat from how hard she must have run.
"Isn't it earlier than scheduled?"
"Yes... hic, about half a month early..."
"Damn it, I haven't even finished proofreading yet."
I clicked my tongue. The plan had gone awry. I had intended to wrap up proofreading by the due date and hand the final version to Lanse.
"Whew... We need to hurry. The hospital called because it's a difficult birth, and they want the family to come as soon as possible."
"Got it. Let's go."
But there was no time for such worries. I hurriedly prepared to leave.
I strapped my sword to my waist and properly donned my coat. Even running, it would take over twenty minutes to reach the hospital where Sechika was admitted. I was in the middle of hastily bundling the manuscript with a leather strap.
"Honey! Eri!"
A shrill shout rang out from outside the window.
Light tapped against the window. Somewhere, a beast-like growl echoed. Erzsebet and I looked outside almost simultaneously. Adeshan was gazing up at our room.
"S-Sis?!"
Erzsebet's eyebrows shot up.
Adeshan was riding some bizarre contraption. It had a single wheel front and back, like a bicycle but far bulkier. If memory served, it was the new "autobike" product from Didikan & Alibriehe Company last month.
"Hop on!"
Adeshan shouted.
The goggles on her helmet and leather jacket suited her perfectly.
I hoisted the stunned Erzsebet over my left shoulder and grinned.
"You're as bold as ever."
"W-Wait a second, Ronan... Kyaa!"
Then I leaped from the balcony. The moment I landed, I mounted the back seat and grabbed Adeshan with my right arm. With a roar, the autobike took off.
"Kyaaaa! I'm falling! I'm gonna fall!"
"Sit still and you won't."
"I-If I die, the Dawn Mage Tower is done for! Save me!"
Erzsebet flailed her legs and screamed.
She was still slung over my shoulder. The autobike tore down the main road at speeds rivaling a ghost horse. Blue flames licked from the exhaust. Adeshan's black hair whipped wildly in the wind.
I leaned my cheek against her back and whistled.
"Cool as hell."
"Ahaha, pretty good, right? It has a different charm from ghost horses. How's the writing going?"
"Still got proofreading left, but it's readable enough."
"Good to hear. I can't wait to read it. Hold on, I'm speeding up!"
Adeshan twisted the throttle. A boom erupted. The autobike accelerated sharply, heads snapping back. The scenery blurred, but Adeshan deftly dodged every obstacle with masterful control.
"Huh?"
Suddenly, I sensed a presence overhead.
Looking up, I saw Sita and the dream bird Abel flying alongside us.
"Pwaaa-!"
"Piiit!"
They seemed eager to witness the new life too. Black and white trails streaked the sky. Soon, we skidded to a stop in front of the hospital, leaving tire marks. It was a whopping ten-story building.
"What floor's the room on?"
"Seventh."
I looked up. The sunset bathed the building's side in red.
This was doable. Luckily, a window was open.
"Window's faster. Come here."
"Haha, it's been a while."
"W-Wait..."
I scooped up both women and leaped. No running start needed. The nurse whose eyes met mine as I entered the window dropped her chart.
"Eek!"
"Sorry for startling you. Go on down."
"M-My heart can't take it... My heart..."
Erzsebet staggered as she landed. Adeshan kissed my cheek. The hallway before the delivery room was already crowded. A red-haired dwarf turned to me.
"Ronan, you made it!"
"Good to see you, Asel. Where are Lanse and Sechika?"
"I-In the delivery room... The doctor said they'd do their best, but..."
Asel's voice trembled. Like everyone in the hall, he was anxious about the difficult birth. A man hailed as a grand mage in the world, yet here he was just an ordinary parent.
Marya beside him shook her head.
"Came in through the window as usual. You're still the same."
"You left it open for me, Marya."
"Of course. So, how's it feel to be a grandpa soon?"
"Eh, what can I say. Lanse didn't have to take after us in this too..."
A hollow laugh escaped me. Like Adeshan and me, Lanse and Sechika had sped things up dramatically. At least it happened after graduating Phileon Academy.
Marya chuckled.
"It'll be fine somehow. Look at me—I popped out six and I'm still kicking."
"Asel doesn't look so fine."
"Pfft, what kind of grand mage do you take me for? We could make number seven tonight. Right?"
"Uh, y-yeah... If that's what Marya wants."
Asel shrugged.
Marya, giggling, patted my shoulder.
"Haa... Thanks, Ronan. I feel a bit less tense."
"No problem."
"It'll be okay. It has to be."
Marya bit her lower lip.
Her mouth smiled, but her jade eyes looked ready to spill tears. I'd thought it before, but she was terrible at acting. What parent wouldn't worry with their eldest giving birth?
As Adeshan comforted her,
the delivery room door burst open, and a pale young man stumbled out.
"Haa... haa... urp."
"Lanse!"
All eyes turned. It was my son, Lanse. Dressed in strange sterilized garb and cap, he was dry-heaving. He looked up, alternating glances between Adeshan and me.
"...Dad? Mom?"
"Lanse. You still have hair left, huh."
I swept back his bangs with a grin. His face looked like it'd been mauled by a feral cat thief gang. Claw and pinch marks sprawled from head to neck. Sweat-matted hair was frozen in Sechika's grip shape.
"Dad."
"Quit being so damn creepy."
Suddenly, Lanse teared up and approached.
His face was ashen, body shaking like a soldier barely surviving the battlefield.
Panting heavily, he clutched my hand.
"S-Sechika's dying, Dad. Sechika's gonna die."
Marya and Asel gasped. I said nothing, furrowing my brow. His expression alone told how grueling a fight Sechika was enduring.
Looked like a stubborn kid was coming.
Collecting my thoughts, I spoke.
"She won't die, you idiot. Don't you know women are weak, but mothers are strong?"
"B-But."
"And even women who aren't mothers can be tough as nails. Look at Naviroje sis or the Mother of Fire. They could crush your skull with thigh power alone. Sechika's that type too, so relax."
"R-Right? But she's suffering so much... hic."
Lanse covered his face with his palms. I got the gist of his feelings.
The mother bore the worst, but a husband's anguish watching wasn't trivial.
As a father, racking my brain for words,
Maybe give him this manuscript to read?
Suddenly, Sechika's scream echoed from the delivery room.
"Aaaahhh!"
"Sechika! No!"
Lanse spun and bolted back. His return speed was impeccable.
The door barely closed before a thunderous roar erupted.
"You jerk! Where'd you go leaving me?!"
"S-Sorry, Sechika. Mom and Dad came. Just calm down a bit..."
"Does this look calm-down-able?! This pain's all your fault!"
"Gaaahhh!!!"
Now Lanse screamed.
It sounded like his soul fed into a thresher. Asel clamped his hands over his mouth. Adeshan poked my side, mouthing Was I like that?
Judging by the state, we'd wait longer.
Standing dazed, a refined greeting came from my periphery.
"Uncle Ronan. Long time no see."
Her diction was aristocratic. Turning, I saw Iril-lookalike with dark blue-dyed hair standing demurely. Beautiful enough to mistake for my sister.
I offered a handshake with a welcoming smile.
"Oh, Sword Saint. Good to see you."
The empire's top swordmaster. Aria de Grancia, only child of sis and Schlieffen.
Once a monkey-reincarnate rascal, now a proper adult. Schlieffen and sis sat in the waiting area, faces etched with worry.
Aria finished shaking hands, shaking her head irritably.
"Good to see you. But I'm not Sword Saint anymore."
"Why?"
"Lost the Sword Saint Decider two months ago. Salting the wound, huh."
"What? Who the hell beat you? Naviroje sis and that Zaifa geezer fully retired. Me and your dad too."
"Well..."
"That's bullshit. You're my niece, right?"
As Aria trailed off, someone smacked my back hard. My head rang briefly.
"Oof!"
The spicy snap came from her mom-lookalike.
Pulled by the arm from behind, I turned forcibly.
A white-haired girl thumbed herself and yelled.
"I'm the Sword Saint! Me! Erin, the peerless beauty swordswoman shaking the capital!"
"Sorry, kiddo. Dad's been busy lately."
I stroked her head apologetically. My daughter, Lanse's little sister, Erin.
Unlike Aria, she only took after sis in hair color.
"Busy or not, how do you forget that? Wow, now I get why bro whined at his entrance ceremony that Dad didn't come."
"Strictly speaking, forgetting implies I knew. Haha."
"Kyaa!"
Erin bit my arm. I let out a theatrical scream and soothed her. Buried in writing, I hadn't even known my daughter became Sword Saint.
'They change it too damn often.'
A bit disappointing. I'd thought some other challenger beat Aria.
I hadn't properly tracked their matches anyway. The Decider pitting Erin vs. Aria was long past.
Erin, arm linked in mine, stuck out her tongue.
"Gotta challenge soon and take the title back, Aria. Grancia name's at stake."
"Sis Erin. Not the face for someone with a 3-7 record to say that."
"Hehe, what can ya do? I won the last one? Don't look so smug~"
"...Hoh."
Aria chuckled. Air chilled; Erin hid behind me.
Schlieffen cleared his throat, calming his daughter.
"Ahem... Aria."
"Got it, family head. I know."
The situation was amusing. Years ago, Lanse became Sword Saint after grueling effort, only to get crushed by Aria next match. Erin, vowing revenge, beat her on third try. Lost immediately after, though.
'Beating Aria was huge news back then.'
But Erin kept at it. That's how they became rivals.
Only Aria matched Erin's sloth-to-ambition blaze.
Lanse gave up swordsmanship for military studies. Inherited Adeshan's talent, thriving there.
A proud smile crept up.
I patted Aria and Erin's heads together.
"I'm proud of you both. Amazing, really."
"U-Uncle...!"
"Fine. Good. Rub for an hour, and your merciful beautiful daughter might forgive?"
Aria blushed; Erin giggled.
My anxious heart from the difficult birth eased a bit.
But only briefly.
Two hours later, as night fell, Sechika and Lanse's screams resumed in the hall.
"Aaaah!"
"Gaaah!"
"...Sis Sechika."
Aria clenched her fists. Erin had hands clasped in prayer. To them, Sechika was like blood sister.
"Hang in there, Sechika... Hang in there."
"Not good. I'm gonna check with the doctor."
"I-It'll be okay, right? Really okay, sis?"
"Heard Sita's using blood magic to stop excessive bleeding."
Everyone prayed for safe delivery. Materialistic, but priceless prayers. Each here could sway the continent. Uniting them was no small feat.
Five more hours passed.
"Ack... Aaaah!"
Only Sechika's scream this time. No more laughter.
Due date long passed. Midnight sky starred. Something wrong—medical staff entering kept increasing.
From the corner, Marya's muffled sobs.
"A-Asel... What do we do... Our girl..."
"It'll be fine, Marya. It'll be fine."
She buried her face in Asel's small shoulder, weeping. Rare reversal—Asel comforting.
An hour ago, a panting doctor asked: if only one savable, mother or child—who?
Marya couldn't answer; Asel squeezed eyes shut, begged save Sechika.
No one emerged since.
Two more hours.
"......"
Hall fell silent. Eastern sky dawned dimly.
No more Sechika screams. Marya cried herself to sleep.
All sleepless through night.
"......Geez."
Me too. Didn't expect this grave. Laughing hours ago felt dreamlike. Wanted in to check, but delivery room barred outsiders strictly.
Sitting, tapping sword hilt, I spoke.
"Come out already. Kid."
Gaze on sealed door. No reply, naturally. Ear pressed: frantic medical chatter of amniotic fluid this, vessels that. Even C-section wouldn't drag like this.
"Don't you pity Mom and Dad?"
The thought struck.
Baby might sense from womb. The turbulent world ahead. Impending Akasha disaster claiming lives.
If so...
"What's so scary you won't come out? Hm?"
"Honey..."
Adeshan turned. Dark circles under her eyes. I released hilt, clasped her hand.
"Don't worry. Come out."
I continued.
Voice so soft even Adeshan strained, but earnest.
Eyes closed, I vowed.
"Whatever future comes, I'll protect you for sure."
Comforting scared child was adult's role. Saved world four times—piece of cake. Repeated promise, but no reply again.
As ruthless dawn crept in,
"Waa! Waa!!"
Lusty wail echoed hall.
Sitters leaped up.
Thumping footsteps neared; door opened.
Sweat-drenched doctor lowered mask, shouted.
"Mother and child both healthy!!"
What followed blurs.
Vision hazed; cheers erupted everywhere.
Tear-warped world shimmered dawn-gold.