Chapter 222: 207

「I’m back」

『Welcome home~』

When I got home, I was greeted by a resplendent chorus of voices. Most of my family was gathered on the ground floor.

Ea, Rana, and Makina were in the kitchen cooking.

Maria and Regure were organizing some stuff.

『We're home, indeed. Today has been yet another valuable experience. Backup, backup, indeed』

Releasing herself from my belt, Yukikaze rolled away and disappeared into the basement.

「Dear, welcome back. Did you have any luck?」

「I got nothing」

I answered the apron-clad Rana proudly. As I said, there was absolutely no progress today.

「Do your best next time then」

「Yup」

All that matters is that all is well at home.

『Souya-san, thank you for your hard work. Makina will check your equipment』

「Yeah, thanks」

I handed Rana my pointy hat and cloak, and Makina my adventuring gear and katana, leaving only my cane-sword on me. Carrying my things, the two of them also went down to the basement.

When Lanseal is away, it’s Rana's job to mend my clothes.

The maintenance of the weapons and the replenishment of consumables is, as usual, Makina's job.

「Souya, souvenir!」

「Yeah, yeah」

Maria came up to me and held out both hands as if to say, "Gimme."

「This is the souvenir for today」

In the palms of her small hands, I placed a square of construction material that looked like a Rubik's Cube.

「What’s this?」

「It's part of the dungeon's floor. I found it kinda pretty, so I took it」

I had made a certain promise to Maria.

『Every time I go on an adventure, I’ll be sure to bring back a souvenir from there』

It was both a punishment and a consolation for her, who had tried to sneak into the dungeon so many times. So far, I had been able to curb her desire for adventure with this.

「It's so strange~ Well, I'll take it」

She cheerfully tucked it into a pouch. Then she hugged me around the waist.

「Hmm, what the matter?」

How unusual. She’s being somewhat sweet today.

「We won't be seeing each other for some time again, so I'm giving you my warmth so you won't feel lonely」

「Yeah, yeah」

「You'll miss me, won't you?」

「Yeah, I'll miss you」

When I stroked her head, the dark-skinned young elf grinned like a cat.

That wasn't enough for me, so I picked up the commander-in-chief of the new Vindoobunikuru army, who wrapped her arms around my neck like a koala.

Good grief, she's so soft, sweet-smelling, and warm.

「So, Regure, you're finally leaving, huh?」

I checked with the pregnant woman.

From the fact that she's packing her bags, it looks like she’s finally returning to the left continent. ………Right?

「Ehhh~ Do I really have to go back?」

「Of course. Go home」

You've been here for way too long. How long has it been, almost ten days?

「Regure~, don't go yet」

From the kitchen, Ea hurried over.

「Weren't you going to have the babies here? I want to see them」

「So says your sister」

「No」

Regure has a self-satisfied smile on her face, but I feel bad for His Majesty, so this can't continue. He's definitely worried.

「Come on, Onii-chan!」

「No means no」

Ea elbowed me in the side, but what's no good is no good.

Seeing this, Regure's smile turned a little wistful.

「Alright~, I got it. I'm going home already. As you can see, I've been packing my stuff」

「You still haven't finished, right? Why don't you just stay here? The room is still free and you can continue to use it. I mean, Lanseal is going to be spending a lot of time in Onii-chan's room anyway」

「Hey」

That'll put me in a quandary. I do have plans to expand my room though.

「It's fine, I'm flattered though」

Regure gave the lonely-looking Ea a motherly look.

「This place is a little too comfortable for me. The food is good, the weather is mild, and I've gotten to know a lot of good people. But that's precisely why I’ve decided to return to the battlefield」

「Eh, Regure, you're going to go into battle with your belly like that?」

「It's a metaphor. Bearing children is tough after all. Besides, at times like that, I want to be near the man I'm in love with. No matter where I go, that's where I'll always end up. You'll understand such things in time, Ea」

「Hmmm」

Ea hugged one of my arms.

「So she says, Onii-chan」

「Is that so, my sister?」

I wonder what she's talking about! Onii-chan is at his limit right now, so please spare me.

Regure suddenly stared at me with a blank expression.

I wonder why, but she's looking at me like I'm an enemy of women.

「Souya, just how many women have you messed around with?」

「I've always been wholly devoted to Rana」

Isn’t that obvious?

「Onii-chan, can I tell Lanseal that?」

「Please don’t」

You'll make Lanseal cry.

「On that topic, Souya, just when are we going to have our wedding ceremony? Daddy's got the fireworks ready」

Those fireworks, they're probably TNT or something, aren’t they……

「Onii-chan, you even laid your hands on Maria?」

「Not yet!」

「Eh, you intend to mess around with a child like this? Yuck」

My sister looked at me like she was seeing an animal.

「I'm okay with whatever and whenever」

「Ha ha ha, Maria, be a good girl and be silent for a moment」

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To shut her up, I rubbed Maria's back like I was soothing her. Perhaps I had offended her somewhat, but she bit me on the neck. It was a rather painful expression of affection.

「The stories I've got to tell His Majesty have just increased~」

Regure looked at me with her usual smirk.

Until the very end, this woman, this darned woman, makes my head hurt.

「Alright」

Said Maria, who slipped out of my arms and stood next to Regure.

「We're off」

「Send my regards to His Majesty and Tortch」

It was clean goodbye, much like any other.

「Onii-chan」

Ea poked me in the ribs, telling me to keep Regure here.

「That won’t do」

It hurt a fair bit, but what's not good is not good. Regure knows it very well herself. The long marriage blues have passed.

「Boooo. Aah-ahh, they would have tasted so much better tomorrow……」

While grumbling, Ea went back into the kitchen and returned with a carrier bag.

「Alright, Regure, let your husband try these. The jars contain pasta sauce. Just heat it up and pour it on top. But use it all up once you've opened the lid, okay? The wrapped ones are pound cakes. I'm not that confident about how they taste though」

Maria accepted the carrier bag stuffed full of food on Regure's behalf.

「Is that so? Imthmmtsdelimm（I think it’s delicious）」

「Hey! Don't just eat it!」

In no time at all, Maria was snacking on a pound cake, or rather, gobbling it up. Her cheeks looked like a squirrel's as she munched away.

「It's supposed to be her souvenir! Give it back!」

「Noo!」

Ea, who tried to snatch it away, and Maria, who ran away, launched into a chase. It was a common everyday scene.

「Souya, I want you to keep this a secret from Rana-san」

「Hmm?」

Regure lowered her voice.

「I've decided to name my children【Lola】and【Rauaryuna】」

「I think that's great, but the meaning of Rauaryuna isn't really that good……」

If I recall correctly, it means "the impurity of the clan" or something awful like that.

「I know. I've heard about it from Rana-san. But isn't it fine? The impurity of the elves or whatever has nothing to do with me. Rather, if this name gains fame and recognition, it will come to bear a positive meaning and be passed down to future generations. Well, it's His Majesty's child. Doing that much is only natural」

「You're the mother. Do what you want」

It's a child of His Majesty and her. I'd expect no less.

「And you know, are you sure you don't want to keep this?」

Regure touched Khius' sword, one of her souvenirs.

「Of course. Tell His Majesty of my work」

I have to do something vassal-like every once in a while.

「Excellent. Here's a reward for a good loyal vassal」

「Huh?」

Catching me off guard, Regure went on tiptoes and stole a kiss on the lips.

It lasted but for a moment, and perhaps she had caught Ea and Maria unawares, but they didn't notice a thing.

「Keep up the good work, Wolf Knight of Ashtalia」

「………………It’d be my humble pleasure」

Your Majesty, I'm really sorry. But it seems that this is just the kind of woman she is.

She's a test of a man's mettle. She's not the type of woman I can handle. Shuna sure has fallen for a difficult woman.

Ah.

「Regure, have you said your goodbyes to Shuna?」

「I did it yesterday. And I did it again earlier」

He must have run into her because I had sent him home from the dungeon. Both teacher and disciple have such bad timing.

「Shuna said that he's not giving up on me. Considering the kind of woman I am, is that really a good idea, I wonder?」

「I couldn’t agree more. You’re such a handful」

「………………」

Without a word, she kicked me in the shin. It hurt a lot.

However, that proved that I had hit the nail on the head.

「Maria, let's go. If I stay here any longer, the babies are going to come out」

I heard an awful joke.

「Mufuu!（Got it!）」

Maria hid behind Regure.

The souvenirs she had been given were food, maternity items, and Khius' sword. It was a bit too much luggage.

I'm concerned about the burden on Maria.

Her teleportation ability is not something convenient that can be used indefinitely.

Tortch had said that it’s a gift from the gods, but the gods of this world always require something in return. It must take something more than just her stamina. I've got to figure it out before she reaches her limit. Without a doubt, something bad will happen.

「Alright then, it was only for a short time, but thank you for everything」

Regure grabbed some luggage with one hand and gave us a small wave with the other.

Maria, who was carrying the rest of the luggage, came up next to her. The pound cake in her mouth had already become quite small. Right then, Rana and Makina returned from the basement.

Regure scanned everyone's faces……

「Rana, Makina, Ea, I had an easier time here than in my own home. Thank you」

……and gave them a final thank you.

「Please come back again」

Said Rana.

『Please give birth to healthy babies!』

Said Makina.

「Regure, the next time you come, I'll make you a perfect pound cake」

Said Ea.

Regure turned to me and gave me a boyish smile.

「Souya, please thank Lanseal-san for me. She took very good care of me. Tell her to please come to Ashtalia if she's ever on the left continent. Tell her that she's always welcome」

「Got it」

The smirk quickly returned to Regure's face.

「The next time I come to visit, I wonder whose belly will be swollen~?」

「Hey!」

After one last outrageous remark at the very end, Regure tapped Maria on the shoulder, and with that as the signal, the two of them disappeared into the light.

With the two rowdy people gone, a silence that was deeper than usual fell over my home.

Bye-bye, Regure.

And that’s the end of the final arc of this volume. There’s just the epilogue to go, so stay tuned!

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