Mushoku Tensei — Chapter 178 - Christina — Heartbreak
In the month after Pursena joined our household as a maid, things were a bit unsettled.
Well, just a bit. The two senior maids would clean up her messes the moment they happened.
How she ever managed to work as a waitress at a place like that, clumsy as she is, I honestly couldn't figure out.
My working theory was that Eris had been going there so often, spending so much money and asking for Pursena by name, that the restaurant simply couldn't afford to fire her.
Anyway, I decided to give the two senior maids a raise.
They'd earned it.
Both of them were pushing sixty now. Piling more work onto their plates at this age really wasn't right.
"Master, we don't need it."
"Why not?"
"You may not realize this, but simply being your maids is already an honor for the two of us. Now that our parents have passed, we wish only to devote the rest of our lives wholeheartedly to serving you and your descendants."
"...That doesn't really have anything to do with a raise, does it?"
Milia smiled.
"The salary you already give us, Master, is the highest any maid in the world receives. We can't possibly spend it all. Since we've decided to devote our remaining years to you and your descendants, there's no real need for the extra money."
"Is that so... But you're both getting on in years... Should we bring on a few more maids? You two could serve as head maids, order the younger ones around."
Milia shook her head.
"Before we die, we do hope to train a few more maids to serve you and your descendants. We have no children of our own, after all. But for now, we can still work."
"Alright... So what do you think of Pursena?"
Milia paused.
Then smiled wryly.
"She has a great deal of room to grow. Most importantly, she is deeply adored by young miss Windsor."
Diplomatic as ever.
"Mm... Here's what I'll do: if the day comes when you two feel like it's too much, use my name to recruit however many maids you need. Once the staffing is sorted, you're free to retire whenever you want. And your later years are my responsibility. That's a promise."
"Thank you, Master. Being able to work for you in the second half of our lives has been the greatest fortune we could ask for."
CRASH!
The sound of a plate shattering came through from the other room.
The two maids exchanged a glance.
"Mm... Anyway, go handle that first, would you? Pursena really is something else."
"Yes, Master."
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Another month passed.
Eris gave birth.
Amidst the cries, a red-haired girl came into the world.
A girl.
For a girl, the name was Christina.
It was a beautiful name. Nanahoshi and I had worked it out together, and my wives and parents all agreed it sounded lovely.
Of the children, the most excited was Windsor.
She was the first through the delivery room door, eyes fixed on the tiny bundle in Eris's arms.
"It's a little sister."
I said it out loud to confirm.
Windsor murmured softly.
"Little sister..."
Lara and Lucy came in after her, both peering curiously at their new sister.
Lara started to reach out, then seemed to catch herself. She pulled her hand back and asked instead.
"What's little sister's name?"
"Christina."
"Ohh! Sister Tina!"
Lucy stood quietly, just looking at her.
As the third sister in the family, she'd always been the youngest. Now, finally, she wasn't.
She was an older sister.
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Once the children and my wives had all met Christina, Eris and I had a moment alone.
"Rudeus."
"Yeah?"
"It's a girl after all."
"Eris... did you want a boy?"
Eris shook her head.
She reached up and stroked Tina's cheek.
"A girl is just fine. She's the crystallization of the love between me and Rudeus, after all."
"Since when did you start saying things like that?"
"Sylphie taught me. She said it would make Rudeus love me even more."
"My love meter was already maxed out."
"Oh, Rudeus..."
I kissed her. Her hair was a little disheveled, her cheeks still flushed.
Tina started to fuss.
The crying pulled us apart.
"Rudeus..."
"Yeah?"
"Let me rest for a bit, okay? I've heard from my three sisters that you've been getting a little full of yourself lately."
"Something to look forward to."
I kissed Eris's cheek one last time, then took Tina from her arms.
Technically, the moment she'd finished giving birth, I'd already used the healing scroll I got from Orsted. Eris shouldn't have been in any real discomfort.
But no healing scroll fixes tired.
"Eris, rest. I've got Tina."
"Mm... Rudeus, sit next to me."
"I'm not going anywhere."
"Then I'll sleep... It hurts a little. And I'm tired..."
"I know. Sleep well. Sweet dreams."
➤ Next: Ariel's Invitation — The Conversation