Mushoku Tensei — Chapter 114 - Good Tidings — Heartbreak

[What does it mean to be a qualified father?]

Lately, that question has been circling around in my head.

I'm not very confident I know the answer.

In my previous life, I had no father. In this life, my father is Paul.

So I have no real reference point for what a father figure is supposed to look like...

Can Paul even be called a qualified father?

At least from where I stand, he doesn't quite make the cut.

My idea of a father is nothing like Paul.

No...

That's not fair to him. In Norn's eyes, Paul is a wonderful father.

As for Aisha... I asked her once: [What kind of existence is Father to you?]

The conversation went like this:

"I don't know. Father loves me, that much is true. But if you're asking what kind of existence he is... I can't really explain it."

"Why not?"

"Hmm... in storybooks, a father is the family's protector. Strong, handsome, gentle."

"Sure. What's wrong with that?"

"I think... what storybooks describe isn't a father. It's a perfect man."

"Ho..."

"I think people need flaws to be lovable. Only someone with flaws can really be loved. What do you think, Brother?"

"I'm not sure either..."

"To me, Father... is probably more like a [friend]. The one who's always protected me is Brother. The one I admire is Brother. The one I want to surpass is also Brother..."

"......."

"Anyway~ I think the person who loves me most is Brother! And I love Brother most too. I love Father, sure, but Father's place in my heart has always been kind of strange! Brother asking me this question is completely pointless!"

Yeah... Right now, I'm walking with Aisha and Eris on the way to Paul's house.

Aisha is holding Eris's hand. Any time she spots something she likes along the road, she buys it on the spot. She also picked up a gift for the visit while she was at it.

Though there wasn't really any need for a gift. We see Paul often enough.

I stop by every 3 days to check on Zenith's condition.

Watching Eris, 3 months pregnant and still bouncing around like nothing's changed, I quietly let go of whatever fantasies I had left about fatherhood.

We arrived at Paul's door. I knocked.

The maid who'd been sweeping opened up. We exchanged greetings and went inside.

Paul heard the noise and stepped out of his room. When he saw us, he grinned.

"What brings you here all of a sudden?"

"Hello, Father."

Eris greeted him politely.

"Oh oh~ Hello, Eris! You're not here to tattle on Rudy, are you? Has this guy been giving you trouble?"

"No, no! We came because..."

Before we left, Eris had said she wanted to announce the pregnancy herself.

So Aisha and I kept quiet and let her handle it.

"What is it? Rudy hasn't actually done something to wrong you all, has he? Rudy!"

Seeing Eris hesitate, words starting and stopping, Paul immediately snapped my name with a sharp edge to it.

Seems he still has some confidence in his own bloodline...

"No, no! What I wanted to say is... you're going to be a grandfather!"

Just as Eris said it, Lilia walked out.

The fruit plate she'd been carrying hit the floor.

Paul froze, blank. A few seconds passed.

"It's... yours...?"

"Yes!"

While the two of them were still at a loss, Lilia broke the silence.

"Congratulations, Young Madam Eris. Young Master Rudy."

"Mm! Mama Lilia is going to be a grandmother too!"

Eris's smile was wide and bright. Lilia's was quiet and serene.

Only then did Paul explode into laughter.

"I'm going to be a grandpa?! Hahahahaha! Lilia, did you hear that? I'm going to be a grandpa!"

"Yes, yes..."

Lilia smiled despite herself and bent down to collect the scattered fruit.

"I thought you didn't want kids. Three wives and it took over 2 years of marriage to get any good news. Don't make me worry like that!"

"I had more important things to deal with before."

"Well, a child is great news regardless! Hahahaha!"

Paul walked over and clapped me on the back.

This is exactly why Paul doesn't feel like a father to me.

When we're together, we're completely equal. There's no weight, no distance, no expectation that I should act more respectful just because he's my father.

Honestly... that's not so bad. At least it's a reference of some kind...

"We'll have to properly celebrate tonight. Why didn't Roxy and Sylphie come along?"

"They're coming a bit later. Once Roxy's class lets out, they'll come together."

"Good! Then Lilia and I will go get ingredients. You... go tell Zenith the good news, alright?"

"I will."

I led Eris toward Zenith's room.

She was the same as always.

Though... if I wanted to, I could use magic to enter her mind and take a look. But it would only be a look.

The treatment still needs more experimentation, which is why I've never used that magic on Zenith.

I've already gathered several patients with the same symptoms, so there's no rush. I just need to run experiments on them first.

Eris sat down beside Zenith and spoke softly.

"Mother Zenith, you're going to be a grandmother."

Zenith reacted, slightly.

She reached out and placed her hand on Eris's stomach.

But at 3 months, there was probably nothing to feel yet.

I walked over too and crouched down beside her.

"You're going to be a grandmother. When the time comes, I hope you'll help think of a name for the first one."

"I really hope Mother Zenith wakes up before the baby is born."

"She will. The case files go back a long time now. I'm moving on to the final round of experiments. Eris, you're alright with that?"

"Of course! But... where would you be going...?"

"There's one case in the Asura Kingdom, and another in the Holy Country of Milis. Don't worry, I'll come home every day."

"Okay... do your best, Rudeus!"

......

That evening, the whole family gathered together for the first time in a long while.

With the throne succession settled, Ariel had returned to school. Norn had met Ariel's new guard, Ruijerd.

When she found out I was the one who placed him at Ariel's side, she was genuinely surprised and peppered me with questions.

Mm, mm! That's how it should be. A little sister should admire her older brother!

Though... Norn didn't seem particularly interested in me. Most of her questions were about Ruijerd.

Probably because she'd never encountered a member of the Superd race before.

According to Norn, plenty of people at the academy were afraid of him. But because of Ariel, most of that fear had gradually become respect.

After that, the conversation turned to the baby.

Names... Paul admitted he wasn't very good at that sort of thing. Even my name had been Zenith's idea.

Lilia said there was no rush. Somewhere during the pregnancy, on some ordinary day, something would happen and a name would just come to you.

Everyone agreed.

Finally, I told them the truth about Zenith's condition.

I left out the part about using patients for experiments, of course. I didn't tell Paul or Lilia that.

I just told them, in broad terms, that I would have Zenith cured before the baby arrived.

Paul didn't get emotional about it. He just smiled.

"Do your best. But don't push yourself too hard. If Zenith were awake, that's exactly what she'd say."

Yeah...

If she were awake.

➤ Next: The Girl, and God