Deadline Is Raining in the Status Window - Chapter 307
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
“Leri, you’re a genius.”
“Mmm, feel free to praise me more, darling.”
“Leri, you’re the goddess of beauty itself! To calculate the harmony of East and West—such a conception is impossible without true genius!”
“Ohohoho!”
That should be enough flattery. I switched to spectator mode, took a seat at the same table as Cecilia and Leri, and ordered a pour-over coffee from Hubert. Since I was about to witness something sickeningly sweet, I needed something bitter on my palate to balance it out.
“Ah, um…”
“If you don’t mind…”
“Oh.”
“Oh.”
Kyaa! Look at them both rushing to speak at once, their voices overlapping! How adorable! How absolutely adorable!
“Look at them being shy—isn’t it precious, darling!”
“My thoughts exactly, darling.”
I was glad I sat with Leri. If it had been just Cecilia and me, I’d have had no one to react with and would’ve been bored out of my mind.
“Please, you go first.”
“No, you go ahead.”
“Should we play rock-paper-scissors?”
“Ha, yes.”
Oh my, oh my—look at Lakne leading the charge like she’s getting married all over again. As I slapped Leri’s forearm repeatedly, Leri slapped the back of my hand in return.
“That’s precisely the charm of dating someone older, isn’t it, darling?”
“You speak as if you’ve dated someone older before, darling?”
“Hehe, a man’s secret♥”
Oh no, I’m supposed to be watching Bachelor’s blind date broadcast right now, and you’re making me curious about your story. We giggled and playfully hit each other, and after Hubert served the pour-over coffee, we held our breath and observed the blind date intently.
“I won.”
“Please, you ask first.”
“Um, what might your name be…?”
“Oh my, I was about to ask you the same thing.”
“Really?”
What should I do—just start dating already! No wait, let’s book a kindergarten first. These days, you have to get in line years in advance for a decent kindergarten. Since my Obero will never need kindergarten, I suppose I shouldn’t harbor fantasies about normal child development, darling.
“Wouldn’t Crowell Imperial Kindergarten be a good choice?”
“Well, the Serpent King’s Tower has a private kindergarten too, darling.”
“Since we’ve provided employment, we should now create an environment where they can raise children with peace of mind. If we send their child to the Imperial Kindergarten, it will play a major role in spreading demi-human friendly policies.”
“My goodness, our darling is quite calculating.”
Having served as Village Chief, then Market overseer, and even as Public King, my mind naturally opened up in these directions. When it comes to increasing tax revenue, more people is always best. And they’re having a child in my territory, no less? That means the family unit will be paying taxes to my domain for the next twenty years. I have no choice but to support families with children.
However, I couldn’t overlook the possibility that their child might have excessive wild instincts. In that case, I’d have to rely on the Serpent King’s Tower. As Leri and I discussed the second generation of Lakne and Bachelor, their table was already making a fuss over how pretty Lakne’s name was and how it carried the essence of her race.
“Then, what might your name be…?”
“Ah, I am…”
Huh?! Could this be it—the momentous occasion where, after all these million-character words spanning ages, Bachelor’s name is finally revealed for the first time?!
Half of me was curious about Bachelor’s real name, while the other half didn’t want to know—after all, I’d been calling him “Bachelor” this whole time. My heart was fluttering with anticipation when Gerth arrived with a dessert on a silver platter, graciously announcing its name.
“Injeolmi S’mores with Butter Glaze. Please enjoy it with tea.”
That looks delicious—I want some too! I called out my order to Gerth, eyeing the menu that looked sweet enough to spike my blood sugar, when Cecilia, who had been silent until now, said, “Two servings.”
This girl had been happily slurping melon soda earlier, and it seemed she’d developed quite the taste for sweets outside the Imperial Palace.
“Wow! That’s such a cool name!”
“Haha, it’s hardly befitting of me.”
“But it does seem rather long to use casually.”
“Her Majesty calls me Kane.”
Wait, I didn’t catch that! What’s his impressive full name?! And the shortened version is so common! Kane or Bachelor—what’s the difference?!
I was tearing at my hair in frustration, knowing I’d probably be disappointed if I asked but also regretting not knowing, when Gerth returned with two plates of dessert. He said he’d prepared extra because he thought I’d want some. He really does know me well—my perfect husband.
“Um, I hope this isn’t presumptuous, but….”
If you think it’s presumptuous, don’t say it! Don’t say it, Bachelor! I tried sending telepathic signals back and forth with Leri, but Bachelor didn’t receive our transmission and blurted out something he absolutely shouldn’t have.
“What are your thoughts on having children….”
That was genuinely presumptuous! Hey! What kind of question is that on a first meeting?! Did you come here to breed?! Even if you did, shouldn’t we be creating an atmosphere of getting to know each other first?! That way the other person won’t feel pressured!
“Asking about children on a first meeting—that’s ridiculous!”
“You crazy Bachelor! That’s no different from saying you’re interested in sleeping with her!”
Leri and I were both furious, cursing at Bachelor, when suddenly Gerth sat down next to Cecilia with a face as blue as if he’d taken splash damage.
“Is it wrong to discuss intimate matters on a first meeting?”
“Wait, Gerth, that. We weren’t exactly meeting for the first time back then.”
“Serpent King, did you really talk about intimate matters the moment you met Evan?! Are you insane?!”
Honestly, I’d thought I was insane at the time too, but it didn’t seem worth dwelling on now. I tried to calm Leri down, but he was incredulous, saying that anyone who spoke like that deserved to die on the spot.
Gerth looked absolutely miserable.
“Is that so? Perhaps I deserve to die….”
“Don’t worry about it, Gerth. Leri’s just overly invested in dating shows right now and got excited.”
Stop being so gloomy. I’m telling you it’s fine. I’m not dwelling on the past, and right now I want to focus on Bachelor’s situation.
Anyway, I was worried that Bachelor’s sudden talk about children might upset Lakne, but surprisingly, she seemed delighted.
“Personally, I think it’s best to have as many as I possibly can.”
“Is that truly so!”
Bachelor and Lakne really are a perfect match. People with that philosophy are rare.
Lakne bashfully agreed that more children were always better, when Bachelor, surprisingly, unleashed another tactless outburst.
“I would very much like to present Her Majesty with many Imperial Grandsons.”
Why did you have to mention Cecilia like that, you idiot! I’m dying of frustration. Is this what Hubert felt like when he watched Gerth and me date from the sidelines? Looking at Hubert standing off in the distance with that serene expression, I suppose it might be something like that.
“From my perspective, I need to lay as many as possible to increase the survival rate, so to speak.”
“Pardon?”
“Actually, I pushed myself hard back then and laid up to eighty eggs, but not a single one of them returned to me as an adult.”
“…Pardon?”
Hmm, perhaps it’s the way of nature. The difference in perspective between humans and spiders regarding reproduction starts from these small details.
“Eighty, eighty….”
And Bachelor really does seem serious about giving Cecilia many Imperial Grandsons. He’s genuinely considering the idea of having eighty children.
“Of course, humans and demi-humans must have different ways of life. If my words are presumptuous, please correct me.”
The Bachelor took a deep breath, then spoke with solemn determination etched across his face.
“I do not wish to see even a single one of those eighty children perish. I intend to raise every last one of them to adulthood under my protection, and raise them well.”
“Oh my goodness.”
“Wamma ya!”
“Wamma ya, wamma ya!”
I faced Leri and clapped my hands together, chanting “wamma ya, wamma ya” in unison with him. How romantic! Not a single child out of eighty would be left behind! That wasn’t the kind of resolve one could voice lightly. I knew from experience—I’d helped raise the sea horse couple’s children before.
“And yet, given my species’ nature, I had no intention of raising children at all? You mean to raise all of them alone?”
“Of course. If I may explain the nature of humans: bearing children is the mother’s duty, while raising them is the father’s. I have always intended to raise the children by myself.”
The Bachelor was quite conservative, wasn’t he? He’d held such beliefs from the start? Though nowadays, times have changed—mothers tend to share in childcare too.
“Then shall we get to know each other better, with the premise of bearing offspring together?”
“Please, I would like to ask first!”
And so another couple was formed. Though you two are a demi-human and a human—you won’t be able to have offspring through conventional means.
But if the Ten Thousand Demon King himself steps in, there’s no problem at all. I’ll need to look into the method through Urshuna and Cha Cha.
I decided to move ahead before hearing about the Bachelor and Lakne’s sleeping arrangements.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————