Deadline Is Raining in the Status Window - Chapter 296
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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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“Obero? Is that truly the girl’s name?”
The Starving Child, who had greeted Seian by calling him Father and remarked, “It’s been so long, and I’m delighted to see you,” continued to savor the name Obero with a pleased expression on her face.
“To bear the name of the Fairy King—I can see that this girl carries the expectations of both her parents upon her shoulders. That is a heavy burden indeed.”
“Evan named her. Oh, Evan is your mother!”
“I am honored, Mother. This girl has sworn to become an adult worthy of such a noble name.”
That’s just because her hair was patchy when she was born. Leri, who knew the real story, shot me a cold glance. I felt a pang of guilt, but I had more pressing matters to attend to, so I pretended not to notice and sought out Gerth instead.
The child was hungry. I needed to feed her, didn’t I?
I informed the kitchen that the girl had awakened and was hungry, then returned with the infant formula Gerth had quickly prepared. Since she spoke well but her muscles were still underdeveloped, I would need to feed her. I scooped a spoonful of formula and told her to say “ah,” but Obero complained with a look as if the world had crumbled.
“There’s no meat!”
When the child, who had spoken only like an adult, pouted about the lack of meat with a devastated expression, everyone burst into laughter.
“You don’t even have your molars yet. Eat your formula.”
“Does Mother mean that once my molars have fully grown, I may eat meat?”
“Sure, once they’re all in, you can gnaw on some meat.”
“Haaah!”
What was she planning to do now? Obero made a fierce expression and let out a loud cry, “Hraaaaah!” before opening her mouth wide at me and saying, “Aang!”
“Evan. What is it?”
“Obero’s innermost molars have just come in. Her canines have also grown nicely for tearing meat.”
“Why?”
“She wants to eat meat.”
“Understood.”
Gerth really is remarkably accommodating. As Gerth went to grill meat according to Obero’s wishes, the young lady danced with delight in her walker.
“To manipulate your own body at will—you truly are Gerth’s daughter.”
“Indeed. Obero is Gerth Father’s one and only daughter.”
I see. While the meat was being prepared, I tossed Obero up and caught her repeatedly to play with her, and I checked the letters that had arrived at the Serpent King’s Tower.
“Hey! Don’t play rough with the child!”
“Obero enjoys it.”
“Caw caw!”
“Obero, stop enjoying it! Play gently! You’ll get hurt!”
While Seian fretted over Obero falling, Cha Cha had been tinkering away and brought over a saddle to place on White One’s back. Oh, Obero had loved hanging from White One’s back before, and with this saddle, she could ride more securely.
“Let’s see—the Headmaster, Father, all the club members… and Cecilia sent one too.”
Word that we had a child spread like wildfire, and inquiries came from all over asking if they could visit the baby. Among them, Cecilia had sent an invitation asking me to bring the child all the way to the Imperial Palace. That’s just like her.
“Obero.”
“Yes, Mother? What is it?”
“Your grandfathers and my friends wish to see you.”
“Oh my. The household is still in disarray.”
“That’s not your concern.”
“Since this girl is not yet accustomed to meeting people, would it not be better to gather those with whom we have connections and invite them all at once?”
“Understood. Let’s organize them by team.”
The Academy Headmaster is Father’s friend, so I’ll place him in that group, and I’ll have Eleanor Mother, Rael, and Titi come with Father as well…. It would be best to divide them into a family team and a friends team altogether. Cecilia can simply enter the Palace with Gerth when he reports for duty.
I summoned Hubert to organize the visiting schedule, when the delicious aroma of charcoal-grilled meat began wafting through the air. Gerth arrived carrying grilled pork ribs. Obero devoured the meat he’d brushed with sauce, then began tearing into the meat clinging to the bones with gusto.
“At this rate, she’ll be eating the bones too.”
“Judging by the crunching sounds, it does seem like she’s eating them?”
“No bones! Spit it out! Spit!”
Even if she could chew bones, sharp fragments could lodge in her esophagus and cause serious harm, Seian said, grabbing the child and patting her back. Obero, who had been contentedly gnawing on bones, made a pitiful face.
“It’s fine! I can eat bones too!”
“A child born just days ago shouldn’t be eating bones!”
“Waaah! My special treat!”
Once Seian forcibly opened his daughter’s mouth and removed all the bones, Obero pouted. Seian lectured me extensively about why I hadn’t stopped the child from chewing bones when I was right there. After scolding me at length, Seian went into the Kitchen and even nagged Gerth about what would happen if he gave the child bones.
What a nagging, stick-like Crown Prince.
“What a nagging, stick-like father.”
Oh no, I was startled. Obero repeated the words I’d muttered under my breath, so I hurriedly taught her that it was bad language and she shouldn’t say such things. So this is why people say you can’t even drink cold water in front of children.
Once Gerth gave the bones to White One and arranged just the meat on a plate, the dissatisfied Obero called for her parents and Cha Cha. It seemed her parents had done something she disapproved of, and she intended to air all her accumulated grievances.
“If I may be so bold, there is something I’ve been meaning to bring up since before I hatched from my egg.”
“What is it? Feel free to speak.”
“Why does Father Gerth embrace Father Seian, but Uncle Underworld King is not allowed?”
“The family tree is complicated.”
“Don’t lie. It’s not because Uncle Underworld King has a long lifespan, is it?”
It was a direct hit—Gerth’s face showed he’d been caught. If he’d disliked the family tree becoming complicated in the first place, he shouldn’t have married Mother, my daughter said, speaking nothing but truth. She summoned Cha Cha, who was wearing a space suit, and continued her righteous argument.
“Look here. Uncle Underworld King has lived for 10,000 years. He’s equally a child of the divine, so why would Father Gerth be unable to live 10,000 years?”
“But 1,000 years is too long.”
“Just look at Aunt Machine King. Even with 1,000 years, she hasn’t matured, so how long would that actually be?”
“…That makes sense.”
“When the household is at peace, both Mother and Father can accomplish great things, can they not?”
Gerth and Seian, who would normally argue against my words even unto death on this matter, were strangely yielding completely to their daughter.
“Right, I learned this after getting married—I can’t handle her alone. I was grateful that lizard demi-human was there, but if we added one more, it might make things easier….”
“Even married couples are more affectionate as weekend couples.”
Something feels off.
I immediately went to the Citizen Center, registered Obero’s birth, received the biometric chip for her resident registration, and inserted it into her right hand with a click. Then I pressed Apet to appraise her skills right away.
“My goodness, how is this child going to grow up like this?”
“Does she have an unusual skill after all?”
“Extra Intelligence, Ultra Rare Guidance, Super Rare Weather Magic.”
My daughter is going to start a religion.
Ah, wait—I’m already getting a headache. The granddaughter of the divine, born with excellent eloquence and intelligence, possessing a skill to enlighten and guide others, and now she can manipulate weather too? If she goes to any farming village, she’d be revered as a god on the spot.
And it’s not all good either, because people with such origins often end up meeting tragic ends after being marked by those in power. What if our daughter ends up crucified!
“C-Character education, moral education!”
“Got it. I’ll head to the nearest bookstore right now and sweep up all the ethics and morality books!”
Since Apet was trying to go alone, I sent Leri along with her—he could serve as both porter and warp device.
Even when she grew in the right direction, that was merely a crucifixion ending. If she harbored malicious intent and wielded her guidance skill, she possessed limitless potential to flourish down a criminal path.
“Demi-human Wenri—no contact permitted!”
“Kyaaaah! Why me?!”
“You’re the most dangerous kind of demi-human!”
What if Obero absorbed Wenri’s criticisms of authoritarian regimes and sparked a revolution? Could Cecilia even handle that?!
Wenri knew imperialism was wrong, but she was too lazy to gather followers anyway. Obero, though—she assembled people effortlessly. Thank heavens Bruno was in Ilam. Well, Prime Minister Bruno now, I suppose.
“Evan. Evan has good news.”
“You’re only being lenient because we’re family. I’ll be grateful my whole life.”
That “good news” didn’t sound good at all.
After receiving Obero’s guidance and gaining that strangely lucid look in their eyes, Gerth and Seian cheerfully declared they would yield me to the Underworld for one month during winter while holding Cha Cha’s hand.
I scooped Obero into my arms and shook her playfully.
“Obero. Mother and you must make a promise. You cannot use that guidance skill recklessly.”
“Fear not, Mother. The guidance skill is not something this girl can activate whenever she wishes.”
“Damn it, a random passive skill!”
The fusion authority had transferred completely to me, but it wasn’t a skill I could activate at will. It only activated when truly necessary—and the definition of “necessary situation” depended entirely on Ursula’s calculations. What was this artificial satellite planning to do with my daughter?
“Then let’s make one different promise.”
“What might that be?”
“Act foolish in front of Cecilia.”
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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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