Mushoku Tensei — Chapter 118 - One Day,

During the days when Zenith was still asleep, our family took turns watching over her.

Nights rotated between Paul and Lilia. Days belonged to my wives and younger sisters, each taking their shift.

I went in the afternoons to check on Zenith's condition.

......

"So? Has your mother been cured?"

Close to evening, I stopped by the laboratory to explain to Nanahoshi why I'd barely shown up these past few months.

Honestly, I didn't need to come anymore. According to Nanahoshi, having Aisha around was enough.

But I consider myself her close friend. Not coming to help at all would be hard to justify.

"Yes. You could say that."

"Hoh. Come to think of it, I've never actually met your mother."

"You say that like you've met my father."

"Haven't I?"

"No."

Nanahoshi closed her eyes, thinking, then spoke.

"At your wedding, I had a few drinks with him. Though we didn't really talk, that's true."

"Alright. I've said what I came to say. I'm heading back."

"Mm. When is Miss Eris due?"

"Very soon. Mm... this winter."

Nanahoshi spoke up as if something had just occurred to her.

"If it's a cute girl, you'll have to bring her over once she turns three. I need to become a familiar face."

Three years old?

Is there some significance to that?

Does it hold some symbolic meaning in her homeland?

Hmm. Out of curiosity, I asked.

"Why three years old?"

Nanahoshi set the blueprints down on the table.

She looked at me with a perfectly serious expression.

"Because children under three are annoying. Three to four is peak cute. After that, five to ten — annoying again, all of them."

"That's just bias. If my child is a girl, she'll be sweet and adorable all the way until her father puts her to rest."

Nanahoshi smiled, her tone edged with mockery.

"Heh. Let's hope so. By the way, you said you're heading back. Is something going on?"

"Nothing. I just want to spend time with my wives. Eris is pregnant, after all."

"Fair enough... When your mother wakes up, let's go out and celebrate."

"Sure. My mother should still remember you."

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"During treatment, memories get touched upon, don't they? I was able to catch glimpses of you — not often, but still."

"I only helped check her symptoms a few times. She'd actually remember me from that?"

"I don't know why, but my mother seems to have a photographic memory for beautiful girls."

Nanahoshi nodded.

"Mm. Your mother has excellent taste."

"Alright. I'm heading back."

"Go on, go on. Let me know when she wakes up."

"Got it."

......

Back home, my wives and Aisha had already returned. Norn had stayed at Paul's place.

With everyone occupied watching over Zenith, the maids had handled dinner.

Their cooking was as good as ever. The time off hadn't dulled them at all.

"Rudy, want to take a bath together?"

That was Roxy.

There was no way I could refuse.

I nodded, and Eris and Sylphie immediately asked to join as well.

"Then let's all go."

We ended up 5 in the bathroom.

Why 5? Because Aisha insisted loudly on joining, and my wives took her side.

Nothing to be done. I'm a weak man who can't say no to his wives.

So I sat through the whole bath just listening to the girls mess around.

"Don't go overboard. Eris is pregnant."

I said that out of concern. Sylphie shot back immediately.

"Rudy, you're playing favorites~ It's clearly Eris who's been bullying us."

"Exactly! Brother's playing favorites! Sister Eris is the one who won't stop groping!"

Roxy chimed in with a wry smile, trying to mediate.

"Eris. Haven't you groped enough in bed?"

"A change of scenery makes it exciting..."

I had nothing to say to any of that.

When we finished, changed, and stepped out of the bathroom, Aisha fixed me with a steady stare.

"What?"

"Brother. I've grown up, you know."

"You have... though I never quite feel it..."

"I feel like Brother has really grown up, though. Three wives and everything~"

"Was that sarcasm?"

I flicked her forehead. Aisha huffed and stormed off to complain to Roxy.

Heh. Complaining to someone who shares my bed. Oh, my foolish little sister.

"Rudy~ don't bully Aisha."

The girls' alliance carries real weight, it turns out.

After dinner, we listened to Roxy tell stories about the goings-on at the academy, then went out for a short walk.

When we got back, after a little deliberation, all 5 of us lay down together to sleep.

Why 5? Because Aisha climbed in too.

I'm not sure how it happened, but my wives said leaving Aisha to sleep alone would be too pitiful.

It was fine, though. There'd been no intimacy these past few days, so having Aisha there wasn't awkward.

I thought about it. Honestly... being the only one in the house sleeping alone was a little pitiful.

So somehow, without quite knowing how, I went along with it.

Roxy's soft voice drifted to my ear in the dark.

"Rudy."

"Mm?"

"Mother Zenith... she'll wake up in about 2 more days, won't she?"

"About that, yes."

Sylphie smiled.

"Mm~ She's definitely going to be upset when she finds out Rudy married three wives."

Eris said,

"It'll be fine! Mother Zenith is a very gentle person."

I reached over and ruffled Aisha's hair.

"What about you? What kind of person do you think Mother Zenith is?"

"I... I'm not really sure..."

"That makes sense. You were only four when you were moved away with me. You must not have many memories of her. Let me tell you some things about her..."

We lay there talking like that, sharing what each of us knew of Zenith, until sleep finally took us.

➤ Next: Zenith — Tears Unshed