Mushoku Tensei — Chapter 179 - Ariel's Invitation — The Conversation
[To Lord Rudeus Greyrat,
How have you been lately? Though I am far away here in the Asura Kingdom, I think of you every single day.
Not a moment passes without me wondering — when might you visit the Asura Kingdom?
Whether to settle or simply to see the sights, both I and my people wish to meet you.
I hear your fourth child has already been born?
As your former student, and now the Queen of Asura, I extend my most sincere invitation.
If you can find the time, I hope you will attend my child's third-birthday banquet.
Your eternal student, your eternal admirer, your eternal supporter,
Ariel Anemoi Asura]
------
And so, my daughters and I set off for the Asura Kingdom.
Teleportation circles exist, of course, but we still had to make a show of arriving by carriage. When the King of Ranoa heard we'd be traveling that way, he immediately sent one over, driver included.
Of my wives, only Sylphiette came along.
The moment she laid eyes on that letter, she frowned and announced she was coming.
Sylphiette really is the jealous type. Personally, I didn't see anything wrong with the letter's contents. I barely know this queen. She probably just wants me in the Asura Kingdom so she can show the nobles and her people that she can get me to show up.
If Orsted hadn't mentioned offhand that I should go help her out while I was at it, I definitely would have refused.
This trip to Asura was only going to last 2, maybe 3 days anyway.
So Roxy and Aisha stayed home to look after Eris, who had just given birth. Roxy had no particular interest in going, and Aisha said there was nothing worth seeing in Asura.
------
We arrived at the royal capital of Ars once more.
The largest city in the world.
A solemn royal capital perched atop the hills.
The Silver Palace.
The colossal mansions of the high-ranking nobles ringing the city.
Fortress-like walls encircling it all, with endlessly sprawling city streets stretching out beyond.
The enormous coliseum.
The lavish training grounds of the Knight Order.
The beautiful temple of the Milis Church.
Overpass bridges winding through the streets.
The headquarters of the world's largest trading company.
The dojo of the Water God Style's main house.
The opera street lined wall to wall with theaters.
The inn district, fragrant with the perfume of beautiful women.
The gate built to commemorate the Human-Demon Wars.
------
We had barely entered the royal capital when the grand welcoming party came into view.
Ariel, Queen of the Asura Kingdom, stood at the head.
Behind her, an entire Knight Order.
As our carriage drew near, she lowered her head and performed the highest royal salute.
"On behalf of all the people of the Asura Kingdom, I welcome your arrival, Lord Rudeus."
Inside the carriage, my daughters were getting restless.
Hmm... we'd skip getting out.
I pulled back the curtain and called out to Ariel.
"My daughters are a little shy around strangers. Would you lead the carriage ahead?"
"Of course."
Ariel clapped her hands and had someone who looked to be the Knight Order's captain come guide our carriage along. The coachman from Ranoa stepped down on his own initiative.
Lara scrambled excitedly onto my lap and pressed her face to the window.
All the way through the streets, the citizens shouted my name and threw flowers at us.
"Papa! That's you over there!"
"Hm?"
I followed Lara's pointing finger.
In the center of a plaza stood a statue.
A massive one.
5, maybe 6 meters tall.
There in the middle of a fountain was my likeness, cast in stone, wearing an adventurer's robes and holding the Arrogant Water Dragon King.
This...
"Very handsome, Rudy~"
"Sylphiette, don't tease me..."
Lara, still perched on my lap, stared up at it with shining eyes.
"I want one someday too! I'll have someone build a statue of me!"
Windsor and Lucy both nodded in quiet agreement.
Well... honestly, it didn't feel bad.
If my daughters could look up to me even more because of it, that was fine by me.
------
About 10 minutes later, the carriage stopped.
The noise of the crowd faded. We'd arrived.
We climbed out together.
The Silver Palace filled our eyes the moment we stepped down.
Ariel walked toward us, leading a child by the hand.
A boy, huh.
He performed an impeccably proper royal bow and spoke.
"Welcome. My name is Edward Anemoi Asura. I am the First Prince of the Asura Kingdom."
Lara and Lucy didn't even look at him.
Windsor furrowed her brow.
"How old are you?"
"Three."
"Oh."
A somewhat awkward silence settled in after that.
Well, Windsor had never been good at making small talk with kids her own age.
She'd wanted to bring Pursena along on this trip, but Pursena had refused, citing her maid training as the reason. And Windsor had just... nodded and left her behind.
Had Pursena figured out that Windsor liked her, and started taking advantage of it? She actually dared to refuse Windsor.
Just then, Sylphiette smiled and reached for a topic.
"Lady Ariel, with whom did you have Prince Edward? I hadn't heard anything about a marriage."
Ariel's answer, though.
That was... not what anyone expected.
Ariel pressed her lips together, the corner of her mouth twitching, and spoke, low enough that only Sylphiette and I could hear.
"There were quite a few people that night. I'm honestly not sure whose child he is."
Both Sylphiette and I froze.
Neither of us had any idea what to say.
Seeing my expression, Ariel continued.
"Come now, Lord Rudeus, there's no need to look like that. He is my only child, after all."
"Yes, I'm just a bit surprised. I don't know you very well."
"Then you can start getting to know me now. My child grew up listening to stories about you."
The moment Ariel finished, Sylphiette tensed and took my hand, fingers lacing tight through mine.
Honestly...
I smiled wryly.
"A three-year-old doesn't quite qualify as 'grew up'... Anyway, where is Norn? Isn't she in the Asura Kingdom?"
"Miss Norn and Ruijerd have gone out to gather material."
"Gather material?"
"Yes. Miss Norn is now the most popular fiction author in the Asura Kingdom. She came here looking for Ruijerd, so naturally I gave him some time off."
"I see..."
"Shall we head to the banquet hall?"
------
Ariel led the way.
Sylphiette and I walked in the middle, Lucy and Lara on either side of us. Windsor walked ahead of her two younger sisters, just a step or two behind Ariel.
At the back of the procession, an entire Knight Order.
Tsk.
That boy, Edward, stayed at Windsor's side the whole way, chattering away.
"Sister Windsor, what do you like?"
"Swords. Big fluffy dogs. My sisters. And Papa and Mama."
"Oh! You like swords too? I just started practicing recently... I can't do it well at all."
"You have to keep going. Mama and Aunt Eris both say the sword only responds to those who persist."
"I see... Alright! I'll keep going!"
Windsor nodded. Nothing more.
She only opened up when the topic was something she actually cared about.
"Sister Windsor, you like dogs too, right?"
"Yeah."
"We have a golden retriever. Would you want to see her, Sister Windsor?"
"A golden-haired dog?"
"Yes. Since you like them, I'll take you to pet her after the banquet. She's very well-behaved."
"Oh!"
This blond little brat.
How was he this smooth-talking at three years old?!
Ariel had to have taught him this. No question.
Her intentions were painfully obvious, and she was making her move right in front of me, his father.
I was just about to say something when Sylphiette squeezed my interlocked hand.
"Rudy~ It's nothing for the children to chat about things they like."
"B-but...!"
Ariel laughed lightly.
"Lord Rudeus~ Edward really does like swords and animals, you know."
"What a convenient coincidence... You put him up to this, didn't you?"
"How could I~ Please don't say that, Lord Rudeus. Even I have feelings."
"Your face is saying something very different."
"But Lord Rudeus, wouldn't you feel more at ease if Edward and Windsor were betrothed? You'd know exactly who she was marrying."
"What?!"
"Edward is still young. If he grows up alongside Windsor, knows her inside and out — wouldn't that actually put your mind at ease?"
Ha.
At ease.
This brat doesn't even know who his own father is. A child carrying blood like that would grow up to be a philanderer for certain.
How could I possibly be at ease?
I breathed in slowly and spoke.
"I don't want to discuss this. I won't interfere with my children's lives, and you shouldn't play these games to have your child cater to Windsor's preferences."
"Yes, Lord Rudeus. I am truly sorry for the displeasure... But what if the children came to like each other on their own? After all, Edward genuinely does like swords and animals."
"...How old are they, exactly?"
"There are those who fall for their other half from a very young age. Wouldn't you say, Lady Sylphiette?"
Sylphiette smiled and nodded.
"Indeed. I fell in love with Rudy when I was seven."
"You see? Your own wife loved you from childhood."
Somehow, despite the fact that Sylphiette had come along precisely because Ariel's letter made her jealous, the two of them seemed to be getting along perfectly well.
I gave up.
"If Windsor is the one who says so, I won't stand in the way."
"You are a very open-minded father, Lord Rudeus."
"Heh..."
Sylphiette smiled helplessly.
"Rudy, we have four daughters, you know~ You need to accept that they might get married someday."
"B-but... they're still so little..."
"I mean when they're grown up. Start preparing yourself now."
No matter how I looked at it, I couldn't accept it.
Not a single one of my daughters. I didn't want any of them to get married.
At the very least... couldn't they wait until ten years after I died?!
Something tugged at my pant leg.
I looked down. Lara.
"Papa."
"Yes...?"
"I'm not getting married! I'll stay with Papa forever!"
"Ohhhh!"
I let go of Sylphiette's hand and scooped Lara up.
Lara was clearly the most mischievous one of the bunch, yet she always knew exactly what to say to make me love her even more.
Having a daughter like this... was really something.
"Papa..."
Lucy's voice was small and quiet.
I picked her up without a second thought.
Lara patted my face.
"Papa is so selfish."
Lucy murmured softly.
"Mm... we'll always be with Papa..."
Both Lara and Lucy said so.
Just children's words, meant to comfort their father. But in that moment, I was genuinely, truly happy.
At my side, Sylphiette watched with a helpless smile.
Ariel's voice carried just a trace of amusement.
"Your daughters really do love you. And — we've arrived at the banquet hall."
➤ Next: Banquet, Request, Love [Incomplete Version]