Chapter 149
Chapter 149
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 149
Chapter Title: 15. Adding Insult to Injury? (10)
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# 149
Winter's chill had finally ended, and the tail end of spring had arrived.
In other regions, this would already be called summer.
But due to this kingdom's location up north, summer weather hadn't arrived yet.
In places elsewhere, they'd be harvesting different crops right now, but here we were, just starting to plant corn.
Tug.
Something tugged at my clothes, so I looked down to see my expressionless daughter.
"Ah, you want me to get to work?"
Nod, nod.
"Got it."
She nodded at my words and returned to her spot, diligently planting corn seedlings into the soil.
"Sigh."
All over that damn chicken.
She still treated me the same as always, which was reassuring, but her silent protest was lasting longer than expected.
I figured it'd be a week at shortest, a month at most...
But it's been three months without hearing my daughter's voice!
"I'm thinking it's about time to end it."
It was like some stubborn streak kicking in the wrong direction, making me yearn to see my adorable daughter tearing up and calling for Daddy!
If that iron bat punk were nearby, even it'd yell, "Pervert alert! Pervert incoming!" and I wouldn't be able to deny it—this weird desire had taken hold.
Must be the devilish charm of a demonic daughter.
Add a blue filter on top, and her allure could shake the entire continent.
Tug.
"Ah, alright already! Don't throw dirt at me, sweetie! I'm working!"
Her flinging soil from the freshly fertilized ground, I hurriedly planted the corn seedlings.
I'd selected the seeds carefully, and just in case, bought some from the neighboring village that might be good for popcorn, raised them into excellent seedlings, and spaced them out properly.
As long as there were no freak weather events, our food supply would be plentiful this year too.
Now then.
"How about we strategize on winning over our daughter?"
"Just give her some chicken, duh?"
Having finished another rewarding day of farming, I was pondering ways to make our cute daughter cry when the iron bat punk showed up, grumbling as usual.
"Succeed once, and people keep trying. They think constant favors turn into rights!"
"Sounds like something you picked up somewhere, but it started because the master got lazy and fat, dragging us into it!"
"We're family!"
"So where's this pathetic dad plotting to make his family cry?"
The iron bat narrowed its eyes and glared, pricking my fragile conscience a bit.
"Fragile my ass—you're tougher than dwarf-forged steel."
Lately more prickly than usual, the iron bat started tearing into me sharply.
"What's with you? Stormy teen phase? Our daughter's not even there yet—why're you hitting it first?"
"Hmph, obviously 'cause of you, master! Can't even play with my little sis! Ellis won't talk to me when you're around!"
"Just play in Ellis's room."
Wary of talking to me, Ellis had been holing up in her room mostly since the weather warmed and the fireplace went out.
So the iron bat going into daughter's room should be fine.
"But Kkoko throws a fit if I go in. Even cats say Kkoko's extreme, but it gets aggressive when I enter."
"All self-inflicted."
This thing had, despite being newly hatched, managed to mess with a dragon too.
Thus achieving the feat of pummeling this world's top races: gods, demons, and dragons.
"Now just need to beat a hero, demon king, emperor or something?"
"With master, it somehow feels doable?"
No, even if I said it, don't drag me into those horrors.
"What bullshit? You provided all the chances to smack gods, demons, and dragons!"
"Hey, watch your words. Dragon wasn't me—it was the dragon."
The dragon was brought by our daughter, not me.
"And you brought that daughter?"
"I get you wanna fight, but hold off a bit. Soon she'll surrender on her own."
"Just make chicken for dinner tonightggg!"
I shoved the iron bat away as it threw a tantrum on my bedroom floor and started calculating dates.
Given this place's traits, it wouldn't be long.
Not even she knew her own surrender date!
Imagining her soon tearfully clinging to me, I steeled myself to endure this lonely time a bit longer.
#12 Their Circumstances: A Certain Cat's Circumstances.
My savior is truly pure and kind.
Even after coming home tired from work, she always smiled at me and the lizard.
It clashed completely with my tribe's teachings that all humans are evil.
But.
"Uwaaaaaah!"
Sometimes she showed utterly incomprehensible behavior.
"I wanna talk to Daddyyy!"
Her face buried in the pillow, screaming—it stirred a vague pity.
Not that I felt sorry for her or wanted to help—no way.
"Daddyyy!"
Kicking her feet on the bed, pressing her face harder into the pillow, it just made me think humans really break easily.
"Mommy~"
"Kkoko~"
The lizard approached my savior, licking her cheek.
Despite being less than a year old, the lizard had grown quite a bit, now slightly bigger than my current form.
"Kkoko. Daddy doesn't like me anymore. I tried so hard, but he won't make chicken..."
"I want chicken too, Mommy!"
"Sorry, Kkoko. For having such a useless mom... I can't even feed my Kkoko yummy chicken..."
"No! Mommy's not useless!"
"Kkoko!"
"Mommy!"
Seeing my savior and the lizard hugging and crying, even as a cat, I couldn't help sighing.
No, if it's that big a deal, just give up on chicken?
I ate it and it was tasty, but not worth moping for months.
"It's been over 100 days without talking to Daddy! 27 days without headpats. And with Daddy..."
Counting days obsessively yet refusing to talk—it bordered on pathetic.
"Mommy, you okay?"
"Yeah, it's tough. But for my Kkoko, Mommy will win this fight!"
Her eyes brimming with tears, hugging the lizard and rolling on the bed—it went from pitiful to downright sad.
"If only Grandpa were here, it'd help."
The old man from next door, who visited often, left on a trip after winter once chicken stopped.
Deprived of another emotional outlet and listener, my savior was very sa—
"With Grandpa, my plans would've had more options!"
Not sad, apparently.
Lately, she hasn't seemed like the savior I knew. Just my imagination?
"Daddy's holding out tougher than expected. And sis isn't helping at all."
"A-Auntie scary..."
"Ah, Kkoko!"
At "sis," the lizard in her arms started trembling.
Come to think of it, the lizard recently got knuckle-rapped by the silver girl.
Cute term "knuckle-rap," but the pain? Not cute.
Beyond "ow"—vicious, brutal, agonizing, packed with worldly torment.
As a fellow victim, I knew the lizard's fear well.
"Yeah... scary, huh."
"Mommy... sob..."
My savior, having endured the same, understood our fear.
"It's all Mommy's fault. So Mommy will definitely..."
Yes, all because of the cold war between savior and that man.
End the cold war, and the silver girl won't visit out of boredom.
So hurry and end it...
"I'll beat Daddy!"
['Just surrender already, savior!']
Ignoring my silent scream, she eagerly briefed the lizard on future plans.
['This has no end in sight.']
Looks like this cold war won't break easily.
#13 Their Circumstances: An Old Man's Circumstances.
After my horrific defeat to Melrn's magic sword, I started rethinking swords.
I'd lived forgetting them, vowing not to care anymore, but apparently impossible.
After agonizing, near winter's end, I reached one answer.
The current Sword Saint, who stole my title, said:
-Mithril swords are the best!
Melrn, who inflicted pain worse than anything lifelong, said:
-Because it's a magic weapon.
From fighting Melrn, I realized:
-Weapons are key after all!
All pointed to one path.
Weapons. Dwarf-made ones!
Get a dwarf weapon!
Having decided, before summer, I told Melrn, Ellis, and villagers I was off on a short trip, and set out seeking dwarves.
"Hmm..."
Staring at the crackling campfire and roasting wild boar, my senses picked up others approaching.
"Three of them..."
All strong warriors.
One seemed a priest with potent holy power.
"Heading this way."
Drawn by smoke? No hesitation, straight here. I pondered briefly, but I'm just a traveling old man now.
New encounters are travel's joy.
"Uh, hello?"
Soon, the trio arrived. A handsome blond youth, seeming leader, smiled and greeted me.
"What is it?"
"We're travelers. Mind if we camp with you tonight?"
"Great spot for it. Please. I'm Hill, priest of the Church of Nature. This is our church-recognized Hero. Proof from the church—trust us."
"Hoo..."
Many claim "hero."
Moths flock to the title.
But church-recognized heroes? Few.
Each church picks one, god-blessed only.
His badge: Church of Nature's, marked by god—hard to fake sane.
"Impressive guests. Join me."
"Thank you."
I used polite speech, but heroes often arrogant.
Young, yet humbly bowing—Church of Nature chose well.
"Selena, come on!"
"With a stranger... Hero trusts too easily."
"Hoo..."
At hero's call, the last emerged from shadows.
"Hero, priest, elf... What's your purpose here?"
Pointy ears, beautiful—elf.
Classic bard-pleasing party.
"Nature God gave an oracle: Go to the northernmost kingdom, save the world."
"Northernmost... Belselk Kingdom?"
"We judged so, heading there."
Their words soured my face.
"Something wrong?"
"I'm just traveling, but live in Belselk. Ominous oracle brings neighbor kids to mind."
First thought: Ellis's cute smile, Ar's suspicious but innocent face.
Melrn's there, so they'll cope, but "save the world" from church? Worrying.
"Fine. Before anything happens to the kids, I'll end it all."
His confident smile inexplicably trustworthy.
"Should hurry home, but your words reassure."
"Yes, trust me."
The young hero beamed brightly,
"I'm Raina Rel Swin, the Hero!"
proudly declaring his name.