Mushoku Tensei — Chapter 199 - Birthday Preparations — The Conversation

In the week before Lara and Lucy's birthday, I had their five-year-old gifts more or less ready.

Their birthdays had always been celebrated together before. Three days apart — close enough to share.

But this time was their fifth birthday.

Turning five carries real weight in this world, so this time they would celebrate separately.

When Windsor turned five, she told me exactly what she wanted.

[A full-sized iron sword.]

An ordinary iron sword obviously wouldn't cut it, so I tracked down the finest blacksmiths in Asura Kingdom and Ranoa Kingdom and had them work together to forge one for Windsor.

Windsor was thrilled, even though she still couldn't actually wield it.

But the name she gave it........

Eris's demon sword is called Finger-Breaker. So Windsor named hers Finger-Severer.......

Simple and brutal. She really does take after her mother........

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At this moment, in the study.

I was still writing out magic theory for Lucy. Almost entirely new material this time.

I still remembered what Lucy said before. She couldn't follow what I'd written on her own.

Her mother had to walk her through it before she could barely keep up........

That was on me. Lucy was only a few years old. Written language isn't something you just pick up.......

Lucy mentioned that Lara understood it after one read, but Lara's literacy isn't particularly high yet, she'd made real progress, sure, but still.

So I don't think Lara actually understood my magic notes. It's just....... it's just that she can do it.

Simple as that........

"Mm....... that should about do it."

I set down my pen. At that moment, the study door was gently pushed open.

Sylphiette poked her head in.

"What is Rudeus up to?"

"Preparing Lucy's birthday gift."

"Oh? What is it?"

"Magic theory notes."

"Hm? Notes? Didn't Rudeus write one before?"

"That one........ Lucy had some trouble following it, so I wrote a new one. Would Sylphiette like to take a look?"

Sylphiette walked in and came around behind me.

She dropped her head onto my shoulder, soft and easy.

"Let me see~"

I opened the new notes and let her look through them.

Sylphiette read for a while, then smiled.

"Lucy will definitely love it."

With Sylphiette's approval, Lucy's gift was settled.

A small custom wand and this brand-new magic theory notebook.

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As for Lara's gift, I had that ready too.

Using the same principle behind Nanahoshi's Mana Storage Device, Nanahoshi and I made a small sapphire pendant together.

It stored both our mana inside, enough to release one Saint-level Magic spell.

It might not be of much practical use to Lara, but that wasn't really the point.

This was a joint gift from Nanahoshi and me.

"You better make sure you tell Lara that her big sister Nanahoshi had a hand in this."

"Why don't you just come over and celebrate with them yourself?"

"That won't do. I have to keep up my mysterious big sister persona. Oh, right — take this too. For Lucy."

Nanahoshi held out a bracelet.

"What's this?"

"A magic tool I made myself. Now that I can actually use mana, I figured I'd try something."

"What does it do?"

"Defends against magic attacks. Only up to Advanced-level for now, but I'll update it gradually."

"....... 'Update.' Haven't heard that word in a long time."

"Alright, that's that! Now get out of here!"

I still had no idea what went on in Nanahoshi's head........ But Lara's gift was the pendant.

There would be other things too, of course.

Lara didn't want a wand. She said she'd already claimed my Arrogant Water Dragon King for herself.

That made the wand idea a non-starter.

But I also didn't know what else Lara wanted.

When I asked her, she said she didn't need anything. Just wanted me to write her a book too.

The thing was....... I really didn't think Lara needed a magic theory text.

So the book I wrote for Lara was the story of my adventures.

She'd told me before that even if what I wrote was completely meaningless, it didn't matter. She just wanted something written by my own hand.

Not that my adventure story is anything remarkable.

The longest and most eventful stretch was the time on the Demon Continent. That part at least had some substance.

Mm....... I'd leave out the indiscriminate killing of demons. Even though I genuinely don't hate them anymore.

But, how to put it.

If I went back to the Demon Continent now, came face to face with those greedy races again,

I'd probably still want to blast them with magic.

That whole period was a genuinely dark stretch for me.......

"Rudeus~ write me in too~"

Roxy was sitting in my lap, watching me write, doing her best to wheedle her way onto the page.

I was in the middle of the Demon Continent section.

I only wrote about things I had actually lived through. I didn't want Lara thinking her father made things up.

"Can't do that. Where was Roxy at this point?"

"I did go to the Demon Continent to look for Rudeus around that time~ I just never ran into you."

"Hmm. So fate was saving our meeting for the labyrinth."

"Exactly! Then write about when you saved me in the labyrinth, Rudeus. That Rudeus was the most handsome version of you I've ever seen. I fell for him on the spot, you know~"

"Sounds like the current Roxy might not like me quite as much......."

Roxy heard that and gave me a look, somewhere between amused and exasperated.

"Honestly~ Rudeus is getting jealous of his past self?"

"Yeah, I'm jealous. I'm probably not as handsome now as I was back then. What am I going to do when I get old......."

Roxy laughed. She lifted her head from where it rested against me, reached up, and cradled my face in both hands.

"The Rudeus right now makes my heart flutter more than he ever did back then~"

"Is that so?"

"It is. That Rudeus was the most handsome — but this Rudeus makes my heart flutter more. I like him more too~"

"Hey....... you don't have to comfort me......."

"Honestly! Then I'll just prove it!"

Roxy shifted up slightly, lifting her lips to reach mine.

Her hands were already holding my face. She pressed down gently, pulling me toward her.

We kissed.

Several minutes passed before we finally broke apart, both of us catching our breath.

"Well......? Did you feel how much I like Rudeus? That's the first time we've kissed for that long......."

"I felt it........"

"Good! Now keep writing! Don't forget the part where you saved me in the labyrinth!"

"Alright."

➤ Next: Lara's Birthday — Tears Unshed