Chapter 181

Arifureta Chapter 181

Arifureta After – Morning at the Nagumo House Part 2

AN: Regarding the autograph session at [Tora no Ana] that is planned to be carried out on 22 November because Shirakome is diagnosed with influenza, it was suddenly canceled in a hurry.

Please see the details in my action report.

Really, my deepest apologies to those who are looking forward to it.

I think I will get better if I can recuperate at home.

Please treat me well.

A year after a whole class from a certain high school was spirited away which made a stir in the world.

At first, the impossibility of a group kidnapping in the middle of the day inside a school, within an instant, without any other classes noticing, and the unlikeliness of it being a group disappearance from the half-eaten lunch, the unfinished homework, the kicked down chairs, etc., all of those heated up the media excessively toward this modern time Mary Celeste case that happened in a school.

However, what was called as the flow of society was quite callous, even the interest towards such a major occult incident didn’t continue for long. After half a year passed, with the news that there was no concrete progress within that short time, there were only impertinent commentators or self-alleged occult researchers harboring ulterior motives trying to use this case as their chance to make it big who kept trying to attract attention to this topic from various kinds of viewpoints while the media was sprinkled with new topics one after another, like some celebrity couple divorcing or getting into an affair, or some big shot politician having their dirty laundry aired.

Like that, the heated mass media calmed down and the interest of the people began to move to other topics. Even so, at that time, the family of the students, who were still missing without any information, and the police were still frantically searching for their whereabouts. However, unable to obtain even a single clue, every one of them was beginning to be encroached by fatigue and resignation.

Shuu and Sumire were also the same. They became exhausted from continuing to search for the whereabouts of their vanished son. While desperately believing that Hajime was safe and that he would definitely return home, they could definitely hear the flow of time that was heartlessly flowing away and the sound of despair that was gradually approaching them.

So that Hajime could come home anytime, they never missed a chance to clean up Hajime’s room for even a single day. And each time they cleaned the room, the coldness of the room that had lost its owner chilled their body. Even when they were in the living room, or when they were having a meal, what was echoing inside their ears was the voice of their son. While understanding that it was only their hallucination, many times they still suddenly looked around at their surroundings in surprise. It was already forgotten how many times they dashed to the front door every time they heard small sounds from there.

Even the 「family association」 that was formed together by the families of all the disappeared students only seemed to infect Shuu and Sumire with a chill to their hearts from looking at the faces of the parents who were losing their expression day by day.

And then, soon it would be one year since Hajime disappeared. For the two of them, that meant that the shadow of despair would only become thicker.

The tick-tock sound of the clock was echoing excessively clearly. Shuu, who was looking at his PC display, suddenly opened his mouth without turning away or stopping his hand that was clicking on the mouse.

「Sumire, how about going to sleep soon? Yesterday you already stayed until late right?」

「It’s no problem. If you are saying that, then you yourself, isn’t it better for you to sleep? Yesterday at work you had a lot of problems, right? You had almost no time to sleep at all.」

Late at night, Shuu and Sumire who had gotten thin due to their anxiety were checking the bulletin board on the PC and producing the flyer that called for information with a movement that was like a programmed machine. They were both exchanging words without even lifting up their face to look at each other.

「There is no problem with work. After all, my guys are all reliable. Even when the president is not there, it really doesn’t matter for them. Rather, I would just be a bother for them if I go to work with a face that looks like a ghost. Like that, they would even chase me out. Besides, doesn’t Sumire have it worse than me? You missed your deadline again right?」

「……Yes. But, that was only one time. My assistant is also excellent after all.」

Both Shuu and Sumire, in this one year they often took days off in their respective works of managing the game company or the manga serialization. Everything was for the sake of finding their son. Normally that kind of consecutive days off would make them lose the social trust from the people around them, but their coworkers and subordinates who knew about the circumstances of the two showed their understanding and even proactively cooperated with them. Thanks to that, they didn’t end up unemployed.

That was really an appreciated consideration so that in the case that Hajime came home, there would be no complicated situation like him witnessing both his parents becoming jobless altogether. There was also the factor that both of their work environments were special, and also how Hajime often showed his face at both his parent’s workplaces so the people there held favorable impressions of him. So the people at Hajime’s parents’ workplaces were also really worried about Hajime from the bottom of their hearts that Hajime had disappeared after getting involved with a sudden occult situation.

But even those people’s gazes were gradually changing into a gaze that was filled with a lot of pity, as though they were looking at something painful. Surely resignation had already grown thick inside them. There was no way they could say anything to the parents whose son’s whereabouts became unknown, but everyone had begun to think 「It’s possible, that Hajime is already……」

There was also no way that Shuu and Sumire wouldn’t notice such atmosphere. It also became a factor that cornered their minds needlessly, but the fact that they could take the time to search for Hajime like this now was also thanks to those people, so there was no way they could do something like exploding in anger towards them.

Even with their gloomy hearts, while both understanding that there was no way they could rest, they still exchanged barefaced words like recommending each other to rest.

After a while, Shuu and Sumire still continued to exchange dialogue that was really empty, but before long, after looking at the information board on the internet that was not only lacking in plausible information but filled with obviously fake information or inconsiderate writings instead, Shuu finally took off his gaze from the monitor screen.

And then, while sighing deeply, he put both his elbows on the table and his head hung down with both his hands covering his eyes.

「……Hajime. Just where is he right now……」

「Dear……」

Even though Shuu was still in the early half of his forties, right now he looked like a tired old man. Sumire who saw him like that also stopped her working hand and lifted her face.

「As expected, how about we rest a bit?」

「……You know that’s impossible, right? I won’t be able to sleep soundly anyway.」

「That might be true but……」

Sumire’s words were caught up in her throat. What Shuu was saying was wholly correct, she herself was also like that. No matter how exhausted their body and mind had become, but day by day the fire of uneasiness in their heart only kept broiling stronger. Such a thing stole their ability to have a quiet sleep.

「It will be fine. It’s still only a year. Even if it would take several years, we will find him without fail. No way am I going to collapse until then.」

「……You’re right. It’s just as you say.」

Her husband lifted his face with a wry smile, even so, there was a dark shadow that couldn’t be hidden there. Sumire smiled at him even while feeling concern, and then she stood up from her chair to nestle close to him.

But just before she could do that, suddenly *pin poo―n* there was a chime sounding from the entrance.

Naturally, at this time of day when the date had already changed, there was no way there would be anyone who would visit. If it was a relative then they should have contacted them beforehand, so the two of them faced each other suspiciously. That they were unable to reach ‘that possibility’ immediately, showed how exhausted the state of their heart was.

Shuu slowly raised his heavy waist and took the receiver off the intercom. When he did that, naturally the figure of the visitor was projected at the display……

『……Aa, that, what to say……this is, me, here.』

The state of the sudden visitor who was unable to smoothly decide what words to use while his gaze was wandering incessantly. If the people who knew of this person in this one year saw this attitude, they would surely stare in amazement reflexively.

Even from across the display, they knew.

This person’s air, look, and even height were different from the one in their memory.

Even so, they knew.

Shuu perfectly, and instantly knew. That person, who was looking awkward somehow with a frowning face that looked troubled was……the one who they had continued to search for, the one they believed would surely come home……

――it was their beloved son.

With a smacking sound, Shuu threw away the receiver phone and threw open the door of the living room with a force as though he was kicking it open. Without even hiding his impatience he roughly opened the lock of the front door, and then, he threw the door open.

And then,

「Aa……that…………I’m home, Tou-san.」

「「Hajime-」」

Shuu’s voice overlapped with Sumire who had chased after him unnoticed. They called the name of their son with a volume that might rip open their throat. At the same time, they tackled the son who was scratching his cheek awkwardly in front of the house’s gate.

「Hajime-, you, this stupid bastard! Where the hell have you been running around until now-」

「This stupid son-. Do you know how much you made us worry!」

Father and mother embraced their son altogether strongly, so strongly that it made it hard to breathe. Right now, in this moment, they were confirming that this son was really standing before their eyes. So that he wouldn’t disappear for a second time. They strongly, strongly embraced him.

The dim street light, the lighting leaking out from inside the house, and then the perfectly round moon in the sky were gently illuminating the family who became one once more. Amidst that Hajime was stiffening in a banzai posture while being hugged tightly by the two. (TN: Banzai posture, if you screamed banzai in celebration, usually you will also raise both your hands in cheers right?)

Hajime thought that his parents must be worrying about him. He was convinced that they were believing that he would return home.

But, even so, the figure and atmosphere of the current him, even though his hair color, his artificial eye, and his artificial hand were returned to his former appearance as much as possible, the him right now should be really different from how he once was.

That was why, he thought that they would surely feel confused. He even resolved himself in preparation for them to say doubting words like 「Are you really Hajime?」 in suspicion. Depending on the situation, there might even be a need to spend the time to reach an understanding, that was what Hajime was thinking in the corner of his heart.

It was just like how Hajime’s false image pointed out in one of the seven great labyrinths――at the 【Ice and Snow Cave of Shuune Snowfield】 before this, that in the depth of Hajime’s heart, he had the fear that the person who had been acknowledged by both himself and other people as a monster couldn’t be accepted by his parents, that was the cause of this emotion of Hajime’s that couldn’t be varnished over, which was both like himself but also unlike himself.

But, now that he had tried to open the lid, this was how it turned out. Shuu and also Sumire didn’t even give any attention to Hajime’s change, they gave him a tight hug that was overflowing with conviction and anger, and also a helplessly great relieve.

Inside Hajime’s body, a hot, yet silently strong emotion that was unfathomably deep was rising up. Every grand experience that he had experienced in the another world, were passing through his brain as though he was experiencing a revolving lantern.

And then, there was only one thing that he was thinking.

――Aa, finally, I came home.

Hajime’s two arms silently held the backs of his two parents. And then, with a trembling voice, he spoke it one more time in a small, but clear voice.

「Tou-san, Kaa-san――I’m home.」

Shuu and Sumire, with their eyes still overflowing with tears, separated themselves from Hajime slightly, and with a firm straight gaze, they gave him those words together with the escaping smile――surely for Hajime, these words were the mark that informed him of the end of his long and dangerous journey in the true meaning.

「「Welcome home, Hajime.」」

After that, Hajime and others who noticed that the neighbors were stealing peeks at the situation from the gaps between the curtains, excitedly returned inside the house.

It was a home that he left only for a year. Even so, Hajime narrowed his eyes in nostalgia, he couldn’t help himself to lightly caress his hand on the railing and the ornaments.

Entering the living room, Hajime saw a large amount of the leaflets scattered on the table. He took one of them into his hand and stared at it closely. After that, he also discovered the PC that was left opened displaying the site that asked for information on missing people.

「……This one year after you were gone, we tried everything we could to look for a clue. But, in the end, we couldn’t obtain even one clue. ……Hajime, you, no, all of you, just where in the world did you all go?」

「Also, Hajime. A year ago on that day, just what in the world happened?」

「……About that. Explaining it is simple, but also difficult. There are a lot of things that must be talked.」

The deep gaze of their son that already couldn’t be called as young at all, made Shuu and Sumire gulp. And then they guessed that Hajime had gone through a tremendous experience that they couldn’t even imagine.

「I see. Then, let me straighten up the table quickly, we are going to talk a lot after that. Wait a second. I’m going to brew a delicious milk tea now.」

「Yeah. Thank you, Kaa-san.」

「Fufu, somehow you completely feel like an adult.」

While drinking the sweet and warm milk tea that Sumire prepared, Hajime told the truth of the group’s disappearance to the two. Hajime’s experience was too dense to have everything said in one sitting. Therefore, he talked only about the summary of every important point, but even so, the summoning to another world, survival in the abyss, the separation with his classmates, the conquer of the great labyrinths, the legendary decisive battle……by the time Hajime finished talking about those, the sky was already starting to grow light.

Hajime, who had finished talking about the general event, emptied his cup that had been refilled several times, and then he sighed. Shuu and Sumire were also sighing tiredly. Shuu was rubbing on his eye with his finger while Sumire was dropping her gaze at the empty cup. They were silent from feeling lost as to how to respond.

「As I thought, is that hard to believe?」

Hajime asked while smiling wryly.

「That’s, obviously. Tou-san and also Kaa-san, due to our work we have plenty of knowledge about something like that but……thinking, that it happened for real……」

「That’s right. But, thinking about the extremely unnatural group disappearance, we cannot really reject that it might be true. There is also no reason for Hajime to lie in this situation. That’s why, our worry is, the possibility that someone is making Hajime believe such thing.」

「Haha, indeed, that way of thinking is way more realistic. Me too, if I were in the position of Tou-san and Kaa-san, surely I would also think that at first.」

Being kidnapped by unknown people, and then the group was then brainwashed and had the memory of fantastical nonsense inserted into their brain……indeed, rather than believing that he was going to another world and fought against monsters and gods there, that explanation sounded more plausible. Rather than they weren’t believing the words of their son, it was more that they were thinking realistically with worry that if such a thing was really done to their son then they would need to get him treatment quickly.

Hajime’s wry smile deepened to the two who were worrying about him, then he opened his mouth because there was something that he had to confirm no matter what.

「Tou-san, Kaa-san. Whether what I’m saying is the truth or not, there is a method to prove that. That’s why, assuming for now that what I’m saying is the truth, I want to ask something. ……Regarding the things that I had done, what do you two think? No, what do you think about the current me?」

That was the question that Hajime feared the most from the depths of his heart. If his parents held disappointment and fear, avoidance and disgust toward him then……as expected, that would be hard for him. Surely if that happened, Hajime would exit the house, and then he would leap into the chest of his beloved lover.

But, in contrast with the anxiety and nervousness inside Hajime’s heart, as though they had guessed the concern in Hajime’s heart, Shuu and Sumire showed a smile that looked troubled, or possibly exasperated.

「Now see here, Hajime. I and also Sumire, we aren’t saints you know?」

「Eh?」

Shuu and Sumire stood up from their seat and approached close to the side of Hajime who was perplexed.

「Rather than other people’s death, our son’s safety is far more important. Perhaps you think of that as cold-hearted, but that is what is called a parent. Good grief, for you to feel that nervous……I wonder if you are thinking of something like, perhaps I’m going to be chased out from home? Really, what a big idiot you are.」

「However……Kaa-san. Indeed, I killed because it was necessary, but I didn’t even hesitate in killing. That was how much I changed. A guy who is not even holding any avoidance or disgust for killing, can you accept someone like that?」

What a hopeless kid, Sumire who was brushing his head as though to say that was replied back by Hajime with an expression that was lost for words. Hearing that reply, Shuu opened his mouth in exasperation for real this time.

「It’s not about accepting or not, we are family you know? Something like stop being family doesn’t exist in the Nagumo family. Don’t you know? There is nothing that can make you stop being my son. The end result is, 『You cannot run away from Otou-sama!』」(TN: Might be a reference to something.)

「No, don’t make any quote at a time like this……」

「Hahaha, well, putting that aside. Hajime is my son, and I am a father. As long as that holds true, then me and also Sumire will be your ally anytime. There is no way anyone can worry about other people while their son’s survival is being threatened. Also, if you are feeling guilty, if you say that you want to atone to the family of the deceased then I’ll atone for it together with you, and even if you become a psychopath killer then I’ll stake my body and life to stop you.」

Most likely, if it was thought from the viewpoint of common sense then the way of Shuu and Sumire were doing things were mistaken. As a parent, no matter what kind of circumstance there was, they had to question the right and wrong of the killer. And if it was something unforgivable then they had to admonish the person. As a parent, they had to reprimand their child about their wrongdoing.

And surely Shuu and Sumire also understood that. But even with that understanding, they were still undoubtedly happy that their son returned home alive even by killing someone else. If Hajime had come to terms with it then that was fine, if for example, he wanted to atone for his sin then they as his parents would accompany him, and if he ended up as a fiend, then they would stake their lives to take him back to the right path. They declared that clearly to Hajime.

「Hajime, do you regret what you have done until now?」

「No, I have not even a bit of regret. I don’t even think that I’m mistaken. I decided to do what I did with the resolve against everything.」

「Yep. That’s how it has to be. But Hajime, that way of doing things won’t work in Japan you know?」

「I know. The journey that I started with the determination to kill all the guys antagonizing me is over already. That’s why I too have to change my way of living. Well, I might at least do something like planting trauma to those who stand in my way though.」

「I see, then that’s fine. Even if Hajime’s heart has grown to become unreluctant in killing people, reasoning and emotion still pro~perly exist inside Hajime. Then, that’s fine. It’s just as Shuu said, if Hajime actually steps on the wrong path, we are going to take you back even if we have to spank you, and take the responsibility together with you.」

「Kaa-san……」

Hajime thought, even when he had obtained the power to slaughter even god, but as expected, he was still no match against his father and mother. And then, he recalled his beloved daughter that he obtained in the other world, and he keenly felt how he was still lacking as a father.

Shuu and Sumire gently patted Hajime who was closing his eyes quietly. If they actually saw Hajime murdering someone with their own eyes, there was no way they wouldn’t be shaken. Perhaps it would become a trauma for them. Perhaps they wouldn’t be able to give him their words unhesitatingly like this.

Even so, one thing that they could say with certainty was, that them getting scared of Hajime, their son, and then distancing themselves with him due to that, was the only thing that they would never do.

That feeling was certainly conveyed to Hajime. Therefore, Hajime could only say one thing.

「……Thank you. Tou-san, Kaa-san.」

The eyes of Shuu and Sumire squinted gently.

While feeling the warmth of these parents, Hajime opened his eyes and showed a wide and mischievous grin to them. His heart was perfectly cleared. Hajime recovered his usual self due to the acceptance of his parents towards his changed self.

In that case, what was left was the report that in a sense was the most important report that he had to tell them. It would also become a proof about the other world that he told them about just now, so it would be two birds with one stone.

「Tou-san, Kaa-san. Do you remember, in the past……about the stupid talk of what am I going to do if I am summoned into another world?」

「Hm? Aa, I remember. If you are a man, then in a world of sword and magic you will surely want to defeat the demon king and build a harem, that was what I said, while Hajime, I think you said 『If it’s me, it doesn’t feel like I can defeat the demon king at all. What I can do, at best is to return home. And then if I find someone important for me there, then I’ll return together with them』, right?」

「Tou-san remember that well huh. Well, that’s how it is. I think I mentioned it a bit in my explanation before but……I found important people there. I want to introduce them to you, so is it fine right now?」

「Right now? It’s already dawn you know? Or rather, you made a girlfriend there!? Furthermore from another world? No, wait, I still don’t know whether the story of another world summoning is true or not……」

「Tha, that’s right, isn’t it? By any chance, that person might be the one who planted false memories in Hajime……. And then, that person will say something like 『If you want your son to return to normal, then please buy this holy vase. Don’t worry, if you buy it right now, I’ll give you a special fifty percent discount for this million yen vase you know?』!」(TN: In Japan there were cases of fraud where a salesman was selling a vase/pot, that they claimed was holy, possessing various effects, at a crazy price.)

Shuu who heard the full blown wild delusion of the frankly wary Sumire instantly went 「Sumire, are you a genius!?」 in agreement. While smiling wryly from witnessing his beloved being considered as a crooked salesman, Hajime’s gaze wandered at empty air.

「……Yue, can you hear me? It’s me.」

「Oi, Sumire! For some reason Hajime is talking to empty air see! Is this that? What is called as air girlfriend!? What should I do as a father like this!?」

「Calm down dear. We were careless……surely they had set up listening devices in our house! After this, the woman who will sell us the holy vase will arrive after getting called by Hajime you know!」

「What, the? Bastard, making my son as the stooge of your vase selling……don’t think that this is going to end up well for you. With my marvelous haggling technique, I’m going to beat down the price until below fifty thousand yen!」

Shuu and Sumire who couldn’t possibly understand that Hajime who was suddenly talking to empty air was using “telepathy” were greatly shaken up. Sumire was strangely speaking up a realistic assumption while Shuu became slightly panicked and hardened a slightly off determination. And then, before Hajime knew it, Yue had become a holy vase seller girl.

Hajime continued his telepathy while giving a sidelong glance at such parents.

「Yeah, it’s fine already. ……Yeah, I already talked about the gist of the events. I want to introduce all of you quickly. ……That’s right. You know the coordinates right? Yeah, then open a gate and come here directly. It’s at……let’s see, open it around a meter from my east.」

Actually, right now Yue was at the school building that Hajime attended before. When they returned to earth from Tortus, Hajime made the rooftop of the school building as the place where the gate was opened. From that place, it was easy for him to imagine his home’s position, and even if they arrived in the afternoon, normally that rooftop was locked and people were forbidden to enter there, the location was also outside of the public’s gaze. That spot was convenient to use.

And then, after the classmates returned to their own homes one after another, Yue and the others proposed to stay at the school. It was so they wouldn’t hinder Hajime’s reunion with his parents.

Naturally, Shuu and Sumire who didn’t know about that circumstances could only face each other in wonderment about their son who continued to talk towards empty air――they stiffened right after that.

With a distortion, the space right beside Hajime suddenly formed a vortex, and then it formed an ellipse shape right after that, and then a moment later a familiar scenery――a place that seemed to be a classroom of a school could be seen.

「A, Any**ere, Door?」(TN: Reference to anywhere door from Doraemon)

「E, eh? Wai-, this is just too fantasy so suddenly!」

While Shuu and Sumire were greatly flustered, Yue’s face peeked out with a plop from inside the gate. Those crimson eyes were wandering through the room with deep interest, and then those eyes narrowed joyfully when they captured Shuu and Sumire, at the end of which those eyes turned to Hajime and wordlessly inquired 「It’s fine to enter?」

「Welcome, to the Nagumo household. Come in without reservation.」

「……Nn」

With Hajime’s welcoming words, Yue slowly stepped into the Nagumo house. The space hole that suddenly opened inside the room and the beautiful girl who was like an awakened bisque doll that appeared from there caused Shuu and Sumire to open and close their mouths wordlessly in obvious turmoil.

Hajime stood beside Yue, and while grinning mischievously like a kid who succeeded in his prank, he introduced his beloved lover.

「Tou-san, Kaa-san. Her name is Yue. She is my special person. By the way, she is a person of another world, a vampire, and a former princess.」

「「-, Template attribute!?」」(TN: I think what they mean here is how Yue has so many clichéd character attributes.)

Shuu and Sumire splendidly returned a response that was impossible for run-of-the-mill people. Inside her heart Yue was feeling warm and fluffy thinking 「Aa, they are really Hajime’s parents」 while at the same time, feeling a bit nervous in this important event where she was greeting her lover’s parents, she pinched at the edge of her skirt, and showed a courtesy gesture that was overflowing with elegance and beauty.

「……How do you do, Hajime’s Otou-sama, Okaa-sama. Please call me Yue. Please take care of me for many years to come.」

「E, o, ou. No, I need to be polite here. Please take care of me too desu?」

「Ple, please take care of me, desuwa?」(TN: Both of the parents also used extremely polite language here)

The shock from witnessing the blond-haired crimson-eyed beautiful girl that looked like she came out from a picture book, and also this being the introduction to their son’s lover for the first time in their life, caused the end of their sentence to actually turn strange. The figures of his parents lowering their head repeatedly and incoherently deepened Hajime’s grin, however, as though to say that 「It won’t end with just this much yeah!」 he opened his mouth once more.

「Shia, it’s okay now!」

「Hai desuu! Tou-sama, Kaa-sama, I am called Shia! Please take care of me desuu!」(TN: The Kaa-sama and Tou-sama used by her is the kanji for in-law.)

「「Rabbit eaaar, it cameee―!?」」

Shia leaped out from the gate with a wide smile while her rabbit ears were flopping around. Shuu and Sumire showed a splendid harmonious reaction to the appearance of this second beautiful girl. Without even any composure to reply, their eyes became nailed to the rabbit ears that were moving around.

「Tio, come!」

「Uh huh. This art our first meeting, Chichiue-dono, Hahaue-dono. I am Tio Clarce of the dragon race, a mistress of Goshujin-sama, and also his sex slave. Please take care of me forever from here on.」

「「Sex slave!?」」

With twin hills that looked like they were going to spill out anytime, and dragon wings spread and flapped behind her in order to expose her true form, Tio made that greeting that was relatively no good. Hearing that caused Shuu and Sumire to spontaneously stagger. It appeared that the consecutive shocking developments made their feet unsteady.

「Remia, Myuu!」

「Yes dear. Nice to meet you, I am called Remia. Please take care of me, together with my daughter.」

「E, err, err……I, I am Papa’s daughter Myuu desu! Ojii-chan, Obaa-chan, please take care of me nano!」(TN: Ojii-chan=grandfather, obaa-chan=grandmother)

「O, Ojii-chan!?」

「Da, daughteeer!?」

The beauty who lowered her head politely with a graceful appearance, and the small Myuu who gave her all in greeting. Shuu and Sumire were finally paralyzed from the astonishing words of Myuu. And then, *gigigi* their gaze moved toward Hajime like a machine that had forgotten to be oiled.

Their eyes were speaking their feelings more eloquently than anything. That was to say, 「Explain what is the meaning of this!」

Therefore, Hajime answered concisely.

「Myuu is my daughter, and all of the others are my wives. Well, please take care of them okay.」

「「So casual!?」」

「Ah, by the way, there are four more wives, so I’ll have them give their greeting on another day.」

「「Real cheat hareeem!?」」

As expected, the two of them splendidly synchronized in a splendid reaction.

And then, the parental heart that was unshakeable even when their son confessed to being a killer went 「You, are you really my son!?(Shuu)」 and 「You, are you really that son of mine!?(Sumire)」 in great agitation and fluster, and then Shuu suddenly went ‘I revealed the trick!’ and yelled 「No, wait, Sumire! There is no way girls this cute are real! Everything is CG! Don’t get tricked!」, hearing that Sumire yelled 「Dear, you are a genius! Hajime, open your eyes! Even if 2D girls are converted into 3D, in the end, they are just false images. It will only end in vain!」 with a sorrowful expression……

Anyway, the room already descended into a grand pandemonium.

However, even that pandemonium didn’t continue for long.

It was because Myuu who sensed that they weren’t welcomed from the state of the two parents got depressed, then she asked 「Ojii-chan, Obaa-chan……is Myuu no good?」. The result from that went without saying.

「How do you do, I am Myuu’s Ojii-chan you know?」

「How do you do, I am Myuu-chan’s Obaa-chan you know?」

They splendidly got back on their feet within an instant. Their figure that was knocked out helplessly by Myuu’s sly loveliness was exactly the same as Hajime as expected.

Like that, after they managed to get back on their feet, seeing the fantasy phenomenon that happened in front of their eyes and the beautiful girls who were not human, the two people who right from the start had high resistance to this kind of thing due to their nature of work immediately confirmed the truth of Hajime’s words.

After that, there was a great commotion of ‘hip hip hurray’. The too real this and that which their son experienced, and the real harem of beautiful girls……their otaku soul ate it up energetically before they threw a barrage of questions at Hajime and the others with eyes shining brightly.

When Tio used regeneration magic to get out the image recording of Hajime’s battle that she recorded, strange voices resounded through the residential area in the morning. 「UoOOOOOO-, AWESOOOOMEE! Did you know, did you know huuuh!? That’s, that’s my son! Thank you very much!」or, 「KyaAAAA-, you heard that!? Just now, he said something amazing you know! This is bad! This child is seriously demon king-sama! And then, demon king-sama is my son desu! Thank you very much!」 and so on. Perhaps because the two were also staying up all night without sleeping, their tension kept raising and raising up, in the end, the two of them continued to make a commotion until Hajime who became unable to endure the shame made them go ‘abababa’ using Lightning Clad. (TN: That abababa expressed cartoonish electric shock, where the person that got shocked exposed their skeleton and ended up with only smoking body and curled up hair.)

「……Nn. As expected from Hajime’s Otou-sama and Okaa-sama. They are completely out of the ordinary.」

「Certainly, it feels like that they are really Hajime-san’s parent like this desu.」

「It can even be said, that this is only natural for Goshujin-sama’s Chichiue-dono and Hahaue-dono.」

「Ufufu, they resemble Haijme-san, what a unique personage.」

「Yep-, Papa, really resembled Ojii-chan and Obaa-chan nano!」

Yue and others spoke their impression while lukewarmly staring at Shuu and Sumire who fainted with great smiles.

To those impressions, Hajime said a sentence.

「What the hell do you guys mean by that?」

Hajime’s expression turned speechless.

Shuu and Sumire who returned from their reminiscence called with wide grins at their son’s family who were flirting and frolicking in a sense at the morning dining table.

「Which reminds me, Hajime. You are going to meet with Kaori-chan and the others today, right? You are not going to be late?」

「Aa~, it will be at past noon, so there is no problem.」

「Shizuku-chan will also come, right? What about Ai-chan?」

「It seems that Shizuku will come together with Kaori, but Aiko, I think she can come, but perhaps she will be late. She has her work and also her position after all.」

Hajime shrugged, while Sumire lowered her eyebrow in sympathy thinking 「Ai-chan also has it hard eh.」

Today Hajime had the plan of having dinner with everyone, including Kaori and the others too. The classmates would also participate so it would be something like the class reunion of the people who got summoned to the alternate world. Although currently all of them were still active students, so the nuance was a bit different.

「Oi, Hajime. Tell Kaori-chan and the others to show their faces here more often. About beautiful daughters in law, the more the better.」

「That’s right. Or rather, if the houses reconstruction is finished, it’s okay for them to live here instead you know? Isn’t it the best when the house is lively and merry?」

「……The girls themselves don’t really mind that……rather, they seem to want to come normally, but their families don’t seem to approve. Well, that’s the sensible decision.」

At the corner of his mind, Hajime recalled the time when he met the family of Kaori and Shizuku while shrugging.

「H~mm, there is that. Well, just tell them that Kaa-san will welcome them anytime. Also……fufu. I won’t mind if you are going to stay over tonight you know?」

「Debauchery party eh! What a terrifying child even as my son.」

「You are noisy. I told you already I’m going to come home normally. Really, Tou-san and Kaa-san are……」

Hajime’s expression turned somewhat tired right from the morning. The wives from another world watched over that exchange between parent and child smilingly.

What was unfolding before their eyes, was certainly a peaceful and gentle, normal every day of a family.

AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.

Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspellings and omitted words.

I think in the next chapter, I’ll try writing about going out around the city with the wives.

It seems that the heartwarming story without much development will continue, but I’m also wanting to write a long extra story before long so I will be happy if you all can read while feeling the heartwarming atmosphere.

……If Shirakome has more time……real life, you bastard……