EP.20.5 Returning Home -1
EP.20.5 Returning Home -1
My vacation with my family came to an end, and I threw myself back into the grind of suppressing the terrorists who were still running rampant.
At first I'd absolutely hated doing this kind of work, but by now I actually found it deeply relaxing to go around wrecking terrorists.
Not that I'd turned into some kind of battle maniac.
It just felt relatively pleasant compared to everything I'd been through recently.
Honestly, anyone would feel that way after getting wrung dry by a fox for days on end.
"Director, I've finished clearing the designated area. Are there any further orders?"
[No, there are no further tasks to assign you. Thanks to your diligent efforts, terrorist activity has quieted down lately.]
"Is that so..."
[You sound rather disappointed. Are you that intent on exterminating terrorists?]
"No, not especially... There's just a personal reason for it."
[I see. In any case, as word of you has spread, the terrorists are no longer able to act so boldly. My estimate is that for the next several days they will be reorganizing and likely formulating countermeasures against you.]
"Countermeasures against me...? Is that really necessary?"
[You seem to take far too little interest in yourself. According to incoming intelligence, the underworld is already calling you the Terrorist Slayer.]
"With all due respect, that is one shitty nickname they've come up with."
[That's fine. I happen to agree.]
I was used to hearing titles like Goblin Slayer or Orc Slayer in games, but hearing one used in the modern world made me shake my head. Fantasy terms really worked best within their own settings.
"So in short, the terrorists won't be showing themselves for a while just because of me. Is that correct?"
[That's the most reasonable view, yes. You've worked hard dealing with terrorists alongside your dragon all this time. I'm deeply in your debt for it.]
"Take your time repaying it later."
[Understood. In that spirit, effective today I'm granting you leave.]
"Excuse me...?"
[It's the leave you're so fond of. Rest well until you're summoned for the next mission.]
Ah, no!
If I got put on leave yet again, it was certain—
"Oh my? Dear husband, you're on leave again? How wonderful! In that case, let's work hard again starting today! Making our adorable little baby...♡"
—That she would try to drain me like that all over again.
I had to dodge that, by any means necessary.
"I'm fine! I don't need leave!! I-I mean, isn't there some other mission?"
[Regrettably, there are no missions to entrust to you at this moment.]
"W-Well, what about that! Cleaning the main government-agency building, or something...!"
[The right personnel have already been assigned to that task. It isn't your job.]
"I-I can do cleaning too! If you'd just let me do that...!!"
[Agent Seon-ju. I understand your enthusiasm, but there are also people who have to earn their living doing that work. Do you intend to take even their jobs from them?]
"Ah..."
Director Edwiner's firm tone and perfectly sensible words brought me to my senses.
I couldn't take food out of other people's mouths just to avoid getting drained.
They too were surely working hard for the people they held dear.
Regrettable as it was, I had to give it up.
"All right. I'll quietly take my rest."
[It seems you understand. In that case, have a peaceful day.]
The call ended, and with it my duties were completely finished.
All that remained for me now was rest—in quotation marks, and baby-manufacturing outside of them.
There was no way around it. I'd just have to look into ways to strengthen my stamina.
And so I dragged my heavy feet home once again today.
***
Even though the nightly draining that took place was grueling and left my body exhausted, fortunately the happy time that came afterward held an indescribable joy. Part of it was that I had managed to hold out against Divine Beasts for yet another day, but the main reason for my happiness was that I slept cradled by my companions rather than by bedding alone.
From Miho's fluffy tails to Yata's soft wings to Kor's cozy body... any one of them alone would be the best, but sleeping with a fox's tails as a pillow, a crow's wings as a blanket, and a wolf held tight in my arms felt practically like drifting off atop a cloud in the sky. I could honestly say I had lived my whole life just for that moment.
"Hwaaahm~ I slept well..."
As always, I rose from among the plush fur and started the day in comfort.
Yata and Kor had already gotten up and begun their activities, so they were no longer on the bed, but nine fox tails amply filled the space the two of them had left.
'Thanks to that, I slept soundly without the slightest discomfort.'
People always said a jealous fox was frightening, but this was the reason I could never bring myself to hate her.
It had to be because of this side of her that always prioritized and devoted herself to me.
—Click.
I carefully shut the door so as not to wake the sleeping fox, then lightly loosened my stiff body with some stretches.
After that, I stopped briefly by Tia's room to check on her, curled up and sleeping adorably, before moving on.
The next place I headed was the bathroom.
Nothing beat washing my face for shaking off a still-drowsy mind.
Just as I was about to step inside, someone opened the door from within and we happened to meet right on the threshold.
"Good morning, dear husband!"
"Good morning."
"Judging by that bird's nest on your head, you've just gotten up."
"Yeah, I woke up just now."
"Hmm~! Then it might be a little tight?"
"Huh? What is?"
"Nothing special. It's just that a guest will be visiting our home today."
"A guest? Who?"
"No comment on that. Telling you right away wouldn't be fun, would it? Instead, I'll give you just this one piece of information—they'll arrive in exactly 15 minutes. You'd better get ready in advance."
"Ah, got it."
"Then I'll see you in a bit!"
"Yeah..."
Yata rubbed her cheek against mine before heading off.
Ever the free spirit, she never wasted time on unnecessary actions when a better future was on the line.
Even so, she never forgot expressions of affection like the one just now, faithfully offering them every time we met.
It drew a wry smile to my lips.
When the day eventually came that Yata had more room to breathe... just how intense would her expressions of affection become...?
The crow who resolutely held back so many desires while striving for that day was as pitiable as she was precious to me.
'I really hoped the day would come soon when everyone could live peacefully.'
Imagining Yata pouring out all that pent-up affection, I straightened up my sleep-tousled hair and body.
It took ten minutes to wash my face, brush my teeth, and fix my hair in the shortest possible time.
With about five minutes to spare before the guest arrived, I stopped by the kitchen.
"Good morning, Kor."
"Ah, Seon-ju...! Good morning...!!"
"Are you on breakfast duty this morning?"
"Yes. Normally Miho handles it, but she's still asleep so I thought I'd try making breakfast this morning...!"
"I see. I'll look forward to it."
"Yes...!!"
"Ah, that reminds me! Yata said a guest is coming soon. If it's not too much trouble, could you prepare an extra serving?"
"A guest, this early in the morning...?"
"Yeah. I don't know who it is either—Yata wouldn't tell me. But there's a good chance they won't have eaten breakfast, so I figured it'd be best to prepare ahead of time."
"Understood! I'll have an extra serving ready...!"
"Thanks."
Kor cheerfully complied with any unreasonable request without a word of complaint.
At first I'd thought she was a timid, easily embarrassed wolf, but that wasn't entirely the case.
While she certainly was shy in front of others, she sincerely tried to face anyone connected to me.
My companion wolf with a gentle heart who was also so commendable—I took great pride in the stroke of fortune that had led me to meet her.
"Seon-ju, I think they're here...!"
"Oh! I'll get it!"
—BAM BAM BAM! BAM BAM BAM!
Instead of using the prominent doorbell, the mysterious guest was frantically pounding on the door.
Who on earth would do that this early in the morning? Curious, I hurried to the front door and opened it without hesitation.
And then, standing before the door... was a wolf grinding its teeth with barely contained fury.
"Hey, you bastard! If I'm here, you should've opened the door faster...!"
—SLAM!
Even though the wolf was smaller than me, the pressure and presence emanating from him overwhelmed me so completely that I reflexively shut the front door again, as naturally as if I had done it before.
'Was this déjà vu?'
***
At the dining table now sat me, Kor, and one thoroughly pissed-off wolf.
"This human really has lost his mind! Not only did he take my daughter, but now he slams the door on me, a Great Divine Beast?"
"I-I'm very sorry...!!"
"Do you think one apology is enough to make me overlook this?"
"Then what must I do for you to forgive me?"
"Divorce my daughter at once..."
"Father, that's enough... To begin with, it's partly your own fault for charging in without even suppressing your menacing presence...!"
"Sniff sob!! My sweet daughter, who always took her daddy's side, has changed so much all because of some lowly human...!"
"If you'd like to leave on all four of your legs in one piece, it would be best to stop right there...?"
With one sincere threat from Kor, Fenrir promptly shut his mouth.
When it came to facing its daughter, the Great Divine Beast's dignity apparently meant nothing.
"But what brought you here in the first place?"
"Obviously I came to see my beloved daughter."
"It hasn't even been a month since we parted...?"
"That's my business, damn you!"
Because of Fenrir and his unshakable obsession with his daughter, Kor was clutching her furrowed brow with her fingers. I could feel her distress completely. Just a short while ago, she had praised my parents as ideal parents and envied them, but now the source of her headache was right in front of her, so her suffering had to be immense.
I wanted to do something for the tormented Kor, but unfortunately that over-the-top, utterly doting Fenrir wasn't someone I could do anything about.
"A wolf who never changes—so endlessly noisy whenever your daughter is involved."
"Hrm...? What's this? Why is that eccentric crow here?"
"Is there a problem? I am in my own home."
"What?! You're saying this is your house, not that human's house?"
"My house, and at the same time my dear husband's house. And your daughter's house as well, of course."
"I had vaguely heard rumors that you'd formed a Companion Contract with a human, but I never imagined they were true..."
"Why act so surprised at this point? You've always called me an eccentric crow."
"Even so, you were always the type to stay within certain bounds. Besides, a being of your stature, with a human..."
"That's enough. You didn't come here to drone on about such tedious matters, did you?"
"Well, that's true."
Yata deliberately cut Fenrir off and steered the topic elsewhere.
It seemed like Fenrir had been about to say something important regarding Yata, but had been blocked. It was a shame I couldn't hear the rest.
Meanwhile, the crow, realizing how I felt, was gazing at me with a guilt-tinged expression.
It was the kind of face that seemed to say, 'I'm sorry I can't tell you, but please understand.'
As the crow's companion, I decided to accept that Yata had no other choice, and I cast aside the lingering doubts in my heart.
"The purpose of your visit is my husband's training, isn't it?"
"Huh? My training? You didn't just come to see Kor?"
"Since the crafty crow has already seen through me, I'll cut to the chase. Human, the truth is I've come to train you."
"You... you came to train me?"
"Yes. Every night I lie awake thinking of our dear Skoll, and I'm so worried I can't sleep, you see."
"What do you...?"
"Damn it!! I can't sleep because I'm worried about my daughter, since you're so damn weak!!"
I understood Fenrir's concern for his daughter, but the assertion that it was because I was weak...
Once I'd heard it, I couldn't logically refute it, because it was true.
"Anyway, that's why I've come to train you personally. Any complaints?"
"No. Regrettably, none..."
"Then get outside this instant! Even if it means drubbing you mercilessly, I'm going to make you into something useful!"
I didn't know if I should be happy about this offer or sad.
If the World-Devouring Wolf itself trained me directly, I would definitely become stronger.
But it would also definitely be brutal—it might even pose a danger to my life.
Should I accept this meekly, or just go on living as I was now? What was the right thing to do...?
"Father. We still haven't even had breakfast... So please save the talk of training until after we've eaten...!"
"Of course! If my daughter says so, then that's what we'll do! Well, then..."
Fenrir began lapping up the broth from a dog bowl.
Just like with Hati, making Fenrir eat from a dog bowl gave me a perverse sort of thrill that I couldn't quite describe.
As I was thinking that, Fenrir suddenly slammed a paw against the floor and began raging.
"Daddy's girl! The soup is salty! What kind of idiot made this...!!"
"Father, I made that..."
"This is delicious? It's so delicious that my salty tears are streaming down and seeping into the broth!"
Perfect lassitude... no, wait. Daughter-itude, I guess?