Black-Haired Dad Isn’t Something You Reap - Chapter 255

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Epilogue
Side Story 1. How Should a Centaur Wear Pants? (1)
A couple of months had passed since the wedding. The new year had dawned, and Jim had turned twenty-two. I’d spent several sleepless nights in anxiety even after the Takkapo incident passed, but as they say, time heals all wounds—now I slept soundly through the night and even caught afternoon naps without worry.
The Head Attendant Grandmother managed the Imperial Palace’s internal affairs, I entrusted diplomacy to Croa who handled it flawlessly, Nanakda kept the people’s hearts firmly in check, and Father meticulously reviewed and oversaw the Emperor’s administrative duties I’d handled roughly, so I worked just enough each day while enjoying plenty of leisure—it was perfect. The food was delicious, and we had Kisomalos strawberries for snacks, so Jim was utterly satisfied.
“Mother, say ‘ahhh.'”
“Ahhh~.”
The strawberries tasted even better when Leon fed them to me. Truly, Kisomalos strawberries were the finest—sweet even without sugar, with a delicate rose fragrance that marked them as premium quality.
When I plucked the stem from a strawberry and fed it to Leon in turn, my eldest son—born between Shirley and me—munched happily. It was strange; not a drop of my blood ran through his veins, yet his palate was identical to mine. Perhaps adoption was a bond bestowed by the Unnamed Deity.
“Pisha, the prototype for Father is complete. Would you like to see it?”
“Oh, absolutely! Of course Jim’s going!”
You could infer from the fact that I was clinging to Leon, but the place where we were currently lingering was my life partner Shirley’s palace. Originally it had been the Princess Palace where I lived, but after I became Emperor and moved to the Main Palace, and after I gained my formal husband Croa, I granted it to Shirley. It’s usually called the Life Partner Palace or Shirley Palace.
After the marriage, Croa was registered in the Kisomalos household registry and inherited the Empress Palace that my mother had used.
Since the current Emperor of Kisomalos is female, the title “Empress” couldn’t be used, so that place became the Consort Palace. Croa’s formal title is also Consort. Someone questioned, “Isn’t it the Consort Palace Palace since the Consort lives there?” but I heard from the Chief Chamberlain that it was settled this way because it’s inconvenient to pronounce.
“Leon wants to go too!”
“Okay! Jim permits it!”
“Yay!”
Shirley and I each held one of Leon’s hands and swung them as we headed toward the Main Palace. We rode the mini electric vehicle for inner palace travel and arrived at the Main Palace in no time, where we could see a large tent pitched in one corner of the grassland.
Father was there, of course, along with Choco, Croa, and the Chief Chamberlain—it looked like almost the entire Imperial Palace family had gathered. I waved at them, but Shirley scolded me to keep both hands on the steering wheel.
“I can drive safer one-handed than you can with both!”
“You should be careful because there’s a child!”
“You’re just using the kid as an excuse when you’re bored!”
Nagging woman. Like a wife scraping a rice bowl. As I grumbled, Shirley, apparently fed up, patted my back repeatedly. Leon didn’t seem to view this as a marital quarrel and simply laughed.
“What on earth did you prepare to make such a fuss about?”
As I parked the mini car, Father—still confined to a wheelchair—gave me a sidelong glance. He’d improved considerably since starting rehabilitation exercises, but prolonged walking or standing still strained his body. At my wedding, he’d only walked around for about ten minutes before sitting down for the rest of the ceremony.
“Hehe, of course I prepared something magnificent, Father.”
“That statement had better be true.”
Why does Shirley still lose her nerve whenever she stands before Father? She’s the life partner of the current Emperor and the mother of the First Prince, yet… though I suppose I also think Father is the top dog of the Imperial Palace despite being Emperor myself.
“Come on, let’s go! I’ll set it up for you personally, Father.”
Shirley rubbed her hands together eagerly and led Father behind the black curtain. I got out of the car with Leon and took a spot next to Croa.
“Welcome, Pisha. A mobility aid device? I wonder what Shirley created?”
“Who knows? Besides, isn’t mechanical engineering Shirley’s specialty?”
“Geniuses typically excel at more than one thing.”
Well… you’re right. Now that you mention it, that’s true. People like Wittgenstein in the Western Continent or the Dasan Family in the Southern Region weren’t good at just one thing either. Though those are literary geniuses.
“Ladies and gentlemen!”
Ah, something’s starting. As Shirley grabbed the microphone, a small drum sound went “chrrrrr.” It’s a conditioned reflex of sorts—that sound always makes me tense up, even though I’m not from the circus generation.
I’d heard it was a traveling theater troupe-type show where people performed acrobatics or animals did tricks in a large tent, and it was apparently hugely popular in Grandmother’s generation. Then, as soon as Helbatro inherited the throne, he issued a ban throughout the Imperial Kingdom. The reason was that the children and animals used in the show were pitiful. It was almost the only good deed you could say he’d ever done.
Chrrrrk!
Lost in thought, the drum sound stopped and the black curtain fell. At the same moment, Shirley lifted the microphone and proclaimed proudly.
“Introducing the mobility aid device created solely for Father—Centaur Prototype Number One!”
“Ooooh!”
What is that? It looks like something I’ve seen before.
Father was wearing long iron boots that covered his entire legs, and behind them was a mechanical form resembling a horse’s lower body. When Father tried to move forward experimentally, the horse-like mechanism in the back clattered and propelled him forward.
“Wow! That’s so cool!”
“Chiron! Doesn’t that horse part look like Chiron? It’s amazing!”
“Grandfather is so cool!”
Right, it does resemble Chiron from that movie Nanakda edited sometime ago! Shirley must have been inspired by that when creating this support device.
Croa, Leon, and I jumped up and rushed over to gawk at Father, exclaiming in wonder. Father seemed a bit embarrassed at first, but as we continued our enthusiastic praise, he puffed out his chest and demonstrated walking forward and backward.
“Which part of that is supposed to be impressive, exactly?”
“I couldn’t say. I don’t understand modern children’s aesthetic sensibilities either.”
What? Having a mechanical body has always been cool regardless of age, hasn’t it? It’s a timeless taste—modified humans, mechanical arms and all. When I insisted on this point passionately, Choco and the Chief Chamberlain exchanged bewildered glances and shrugged their shoulders.
Hmph, these middle-aged and elderly people understand nothing of romance.
“Shirley, can someone actually ride this? Can I ride on Father’s back?”
“According to the design specifications, it should handle up to one hundred kilograms.”
“Awesome! I want to ride! Can I ride, Father?!”
“Me too! Me as well!”
“Princess, perhaps you should yield this turn to Leon.”
Of course I’m yielding. Why would I not? I’m not a child—naturally Leon goes first!
I positioned myself behind my son to indicate that Leon should ride first, and Father chuckled, nodding his head in approval.
“If it can handle one hundred kilograms, we should be able to carry both of you.”
“Yay! Father is the best!”
“Grandfather is the best!”
As we praised Father, he manipulated the circuitry on his thighs and gently bent his hind legs to crouch down. Once Leon and I climbed onto his back, Father slowly stood and began trotting around in a circle.
“Oh, oh! It’s quite like horseback riding!”
“There is a similar quality to it, Mother!”
Father walked experimentally at first, then picked up speed and began to gallop. I could feel the wind. This really does feel like riding a horse!
“It’s fun, but Father, aren’t you tired?”
“Not at all. In fact, since I’m not exerting much effort, it probably won’t be very good for rehabilitation.”
After another lap, Father offered his assessment, and Shirley quickly approached him, pressing the arrow buttons on the circuitry panel repeatedly.
“I anticipated you would say that, so I prepared a Gear setting for you!”
Shirley never overlooks even the smallest consideration. Father and I have every reason to be proud of how we raised her. She’s become a genius who understands the human heart, not a cold and heartless prodigy.
“Hmm.”
Father trotted around and tested his legs, then remarked that with increased resistance, the exercise felt better and more effective.
“Excellent. I acknowledge you as my daughter-in-law!”
“Yes!”
This is a problem. Now Croa is the only one who hasn’t received Father’s family acknowledgment, isn’t he? Anxiously, I glanced at Croa, and as expected, the man was gnawing at his lower lip. He’s going to draw blood at this rate.
If I speak to the Consort Palace right now, I’ll probably end up bleeding too. I decided to give Croa time to cool off, so I went to the Main Palace with Father to finish the Emperor’s duties before retiring to the Consort Palace. As I gathered various items to appease Croa’s feelings, Father clicked his tongue and tossed me a bundle of wisdom.
“What is this now?”
“A copy of the Imperial Family genealogy. Read it and think about what it means.”
Huh? Why can’t you just tell me directly? I voiced my complaint, but Father said that if I don’t use my head, it will atrophy, and told me to actually think for once in a while.
Ugh, I think constantly every single day, don’t I? Both Shirley and Father keep acting like I’m stupid.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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