Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou (WN)
chapter-96

“Papa-! It’s morning-! Wake up-!”

At a corner of the maritime town Erisen, an infant’s voice resounded in the second floor of a certain house. The time, passing through the early morning slowly, was around when one started to feel the warmth of the day. From the window, like forecasting that it will become good weather today as well, the morning sun streamed in brilliantly.

Dosun!

“Aa~?”

It was Hajime who was fast asleep in bed that was being shined on by such a morning sun. And, calling such a Hajime Papa was Myuu who came to wake him up with an energetic voice.

Myuu, when determining the magnificent leap that does not make the weight felt just before the bed, the landing of a ten point perfect score was determined on the belly of Hajime who was her Papa as it was. Of course, it was not from her feet. It was a form that became her straddling him.

Although she was still a four year old child, the body weight was already around 15-6 kilograms. If such a weight jumps on the abdomen with added force, a normal person should even let out a groan, but naturally Hajime does not feel any kind of pain. Nevertheless, a sleepy groan did come out because of the forced way he was woken up.

“Papa, get up. It’s morning. Good morning.”

“……Aah, Myuu? Morning. Please stop *pechipechi*-ing since I’m up.”

Was she happy that Hajime had woken up? While showing a bright smile, Myuu drummed on Hajime’s face with *pechipechi* sounds with hands like tiny red leaves. Hajime, when holding Myuu as he raised his upper body while doing a morning greeting, he combed her emerald green hair gently. At Myuu who narrowed her eyes like it felt good, Hajime’s cheeks also loosened.

“……N……au……Hajime? Myuu?”

Inside such a heartwarming atmosphere, all of a sudden, a voice that made one feel seductiveness somewhere resounded. Hajime, when turning the sheets a little as he shifted his attention that way, the sleepy figure of a beautiful girl rubbing her eyes with the back of her curled up hand like a cat was there.

Long blonde hair hung down in waves that was not bed hair at all even though she had been lying down, and it sparkled because of the morning sun pouring in from the window, causing her to blink her crimson eyes that were the same as red spinel. Because she was not wearing clothes the same as Hajime, with her pure white skin without a single blemish, the pair of hills that could be seen from the gaps of her hair that hung down the front made one feel seductiveness together with loveliness coupled with the sound of her voice.

“How come Papa and Yue-oneechan are always naked?”

Myuu’s innocent question meant “the time they got up in the morning” to the utmost. By no means did it mean that the pair were nudists.

And, seeming to wonder, “Maybe they don’t have pajamas?”, Myuu looked alternately at Hajime and Yue with eyes that were possibly seeing someone a little pitiable. To the childishly pure question, with the likes of “That is, you, because clothes are obstructive?”, Hajime, who must not have even been able to do a response that was mistaken for sexual harassment, requested Yue to help him with a slightly troubled expression.

In her consciousness that cleared up gradually, Yue who guessed Hajime’s distress returned an adult’s template to the child’s innocent question.

“……Myuu will also come to understand it if you become even bigger.”

“You understand when you become bigger?”

“……N, you understand.”

To Myuu who tilts her head, Yue avoided clearly answering by force. Myuu’s sex education was left to Remia who was her mother. However, Myuu who tilted her head to the side with an expression like she was not quite able to agree with an “U~n”, when looking back slowly, she let out an innocent question again while staring at a certain spot, and cornered mainly Hajime.

“Papa also, do you know why this place became big? But, Myuu doesn’t have this. Myuu doesn’t understand?”

Saying so, at a certain place where the characteristic morning physiological phenomenon was caused, Myuu started to drum on it with her hands going *peshipeshi*. Although it was not with a significant power, Hajime, who shook at the impact on his delicate place, fixed how he held Myuu in a hurry to separate her as much as possible from “that”.

“Myuu, don’t touch that. Listen. It’s natural for Myuu who is a girl to not have it. It’s fine if you don’t worry about it. Another ten years, no, twenty years, better yet your whole life, it’s something you don’t have to be concerned with no matter what.”

Hajime said something foolish with an extremely serious face. Myuu nodded her head with a *kokuri* because it was something said by her beloved Papa even while floating “?” in her mind. Making a somehow satisfied expression at that, Hajime again untangled Myuu’s hair by combing it with his hand. Myuu also, like her questions from just now were forgotten, started to concentrate on being satisfied by that gentle feeling.

To such a Hajime, a gaze was turned towards him like feeling amused somewhere from Yue who was next to him. In those eyes, “Overprotective”, “Energetic because of the morning”, and “One advantage because of the morning?”, such feelings of this or that seemed to be contained in them.

Hajime faced the other way at that. Inside the warmth that increased a little at a time because of the light of day, that heartwarming scene continued until Remia and Kaori and the others, who fretted at the situation where Myuu did not come to wake them up, came crowding into it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hajime and the others, capturing Merujine Undersea Ruins, had returned to Erisen by getting on the back of Tio who used Dragonification because they had lost the submarine, and again six days had passed since they had supplied topics to the town. Since the day they had returned, Hajime and the others had been indebted to the house of Remia and Myuu throughout.

The town called Erisen was a floating island of intertwined wood with a huge population. Since the vast sea itself becomes an infinite plot of land, the whole town became an appearance where there is basically space made in the architecture and in the streets. Remia’s and Myuu’s house also, the largeness of it was more than enough for a house with two people living in it, and it was a comfortable living space to the extent that even with the five people of Hajime and the others staying there they did not even feel any inconvenience.

Thereupon they set aside time to replenish their equipment and master the Age of Gods magic that they had obtained. Though half of it was a vacation mood because Erisen had perfected seafood cooking, the wind and waves were also pleasant, and the location was very comfortable.

But, nevertheless, they felt that the rest was over a little on staying the sixth day. The reason, it goes without saying, was Myuu. It was not possible to take Myuu along on the journey beyond this point. A four year old girl without even any sort of power, it was absurd to take her along to the Great Labyrinth of the far east.

Not to mention that the two Great Labyrinths excluding Hartsina Sea of Trees were in even more troublesome locations. One was in the Majin tribe’s territory, the Freezing Cave of Schnee Snow Field. And the other one was surely that whatever Kamiyama. For either of them, they would need to go into the heart of a great power. To such a location, they were absolutely unable to take Myuu along.

Because of that, though they should bid farewell to this town, was it guessed somehow? When Hajime and the others tried to start that conversation, Myuu always went into ultra spoiled child mode, and they could not easily start talking because she invoked “Certain kill! Little Girl, Petition of Silence!” Eventually, dragging on the Age of Gods magic’s training and the new equipment’s completion, they stayed even the sixth day even though it was a made up excuse.

“Even so, if I don’t make reasonable departure……haa, what should I say to Myuu……will she cry, I wonder? Her crying……haa, it’s depressing.”

Hajime, while preparing some equipment with Rensei as he sat on the pier, muttered a soliloquy in seeming melancholy. The time when he had just exited from hell, although he thought that all of this world was inconsequential, now he was racking his brains at one farewell with a small child. At such a present state, in his mind, Hajime held complex feelings.

“I blame you, Sensei……”

To discard everything of this world, the thinking that did not dislike all of the sacrifices for the sake of just his objective had completely vanished, and Hajime used abusive language remembering his former teacher who was the impetus that led him to carrying such thoughts. However, Yue, Shia, Kaori, and Tio in front of his eyes, and seeing the smiling face of Myuu who was playing a game of underwater tag with the girls, the smile he floated on his face was the opposite of his words.

When it was unrelated to him, at that time, if he had abandoned Myuu, or if he had left Ankaji as it was, then if he left Remia alone, and if he quickly separated from Myuu…… surely, the girls might not have those first rate smiling faces.

Even if he discarded them for example, though it was separate from Yue and the others feeling unhappiness and it might not be a cause for their smiles to disappear, but could they possibly compare to those being shown now? That was surely because there was no doubt that the way it was for Hajime until this place was not “the lonely way of life”.

While watching Myuu who was enjoying the irregular game of tag splendidly running from place to place from the incarnations of cheats with all of her power(everyone excluding Myuu was “it”) as she perfectly showed the traits of the Sea-person tribe, again, Hajime let out a sigh. From between both legs of such a Hajime that were stretched out from the pier, suddenly a person’s figure appeared making a splashing sound. Having appeared dripping water from in the sea, it was Remia who was Myuu’s mother.

Remia, who had her long, emerald green hair in one loose braid on her back, was wearing a splendidly suggestive, light green bikini. At first when she reunited with Myuu she was considerably haggard, but now, having perfectly regained her previous healthy body because of the recovery effects of the foul play class Reproduction magic, you would not think that she was the mother of a child, no, it was so but she was clad in her former seductiveness.

The man company of the town, all of them aimed at being her second marriage partner, as she was a gentle system beauty, to the extent that one could nod even if there was a strange fan club of the mother and child set. She boasted a splendid figure almost equal with Tio, and the drops of water that ran off the surface of her body were absolutely bewitching.

Such a Remia, who was charming even under normal circumstances, appeared between his thighs suddenly. Hajime, who was racking his brains about Myuu, was inadvertently taken by surprise. Remia, as she supported her body setting her hands on Hajime’s lap, she looked up at Hajime from a place that was a considerably dangerous position.

However, in her face was the opposite of the position and the body that emitted seductiveness, and in Remia’s kind expression, instead it carried a color like she was worrying about Hajime.

“Thank you very much. Hajime-san.”

“What is it all of a sudden? Something like saying thanks……”

Hajime made an expression like he was doubtful at Remia who stated her gratitude suddenly.

“Ufufu, the person who also worries so much for the sake of the daughter……as her mother I also came to want to say one expression of gratitude.”

“That……was it found out? For the time being, though I was intending to hide it.”

“Ara ara, there wasn’t a person who didn’t know? Yue-san and the others also all seem to be thinking about it…… Myuu was able to meet with really wonderful people.”

As Remia looked back over her shoulder, though Shia had been stripped of her swimsuit by Myuu’s prank, even though they saw her figure chasing Myuu frantically while making a hand bra, she was showing a smile. And, again when turning her gaze to Hajime, this time she opened her mouth with an expression that was a little serious.

“Hajime-san. It’s already enough. Everyone has done more than enough. Therefore, please don’t be worried, and go forward for the sake of the things that you must do.”

“Remia……”

“Meeting with everyone, that child has grown up greatly. Although she only behaved like a spoiled child, she has come to be able to worry about someone other than herself…… That girl understands. That Hajime-san and the others have to go…… although she completely acted like a spoiled child unintentionally because she is still immature, even so, ‘Don’t go,’ was never said, right? That child also knows that it is wrong to detain you all more than this. Therefore……”

“……Is that so? ……If I’m being worried about by a child, it’s not taking care of her……I got it. Tonight, I’ve decided to tell her clearly. Tomorrow, we’ll depart.”

Myuu’s silent appeal, though she didn’t want them to go, he noticed that it was a manifestation of her fear about not wanting to trouble Hajime and the others by saying it, and Hajime, who looked up at the sky as he covered his eyes with one hand, became determined to say farewell. To such a Hajime, Remia again turned a gentle gaze towards him.

“Then, tonight let’s have a feast. Because it’s Hajime-san’s and the others’ farewell party.”

“That’s right…… I’m looking forward to it.”

“Ufufu, yes, please look forward to it, D*e*a*r?”

“No, that way of calling is……”

To Remia who was floating a mischievous smile somewhere, though Hajime started to insert a tsukkomi, because of a voice that contained a chill like a blizzard, it was interrupted like always.

“……Remia……good courage.”

“Remia-san, since when…… There was neither negligence nor a chance.”

“Fumu, by the angle seen, she even seems to be servicing Goshujin-sama…… Exposure play…… nice!”

“Um, Myuu-chan? Onee-chan’s swimsuit, can’t you return it soon? The public gaze from some time ago is……”

Yue and the others who returned to Hajime’s location unnoticed glared at Remia with half closed eyes. “It can’t be, is she aiming at Hajime for a second marriage partner for real?” seemed to be what was making them vigilant. These last few days, it was a sight seen often. The pervert was ignored. The swimsuit stolen by the four year old girl and the half crying rabbit ears were also ignored.

On the other hand, if one were to speak of Remia, who was in a state of being glared at, the appearance of her pulling back was not especially seen because she merely smiled with, “Ara ara, ufufu.” That easy breezy smile, because it hid Remia’s true feelings, the approach that was shown sometimes towards Hajime was difficult to distinguish whether she was being serious or joking. This, is it said to be a widow’s dignity or something……?

If speaking of the Hajime in question, he was captivated by the swimsuit appearance of Yue who was glaring at Remia in a state of crawling on all fours as she raised herself onto the pier. Though he saw her every day, his gaze was attracted at an unconscious level already.

It was a black bikini type. It was splendidly suggestive because it was the type that was tied by a string. The contrast coupled with Yue’s skin’s whiteness was exceedingly lovely. Doing up her hair in a rare twintail, although it made her feel more childish than normal, the gap one felt with the adult-like swimsuit was unbearable for Hajime.

Yue who was hurling sparks with Remia, when she noticed Hajime’s gaze, she spilled a smile seemingly in good humor with a “……Fufu,” because it seemed like she guessed that his heart had been stolen by her, and she approached Hajime as she was on all fours.

However, when she was absolutely not permitted to be far ahead forever, Kaori took Hajime’s arm from the other side. She pressed Hajime’s arm into the cleavage that peeked out from the white bikini with a *munyu*, although she was dyed red up to her ears from embarrassment. Her glance that looked at Hajime with upturned eyes was appealing in silence with “Look at me too?”

Furthermore, Shia from behind leaned on him while pressing her prided pair of hills onto Hajime’s back. Because her swimsuit was still taken by Myuu, she seemed to have the intention to hide her body too. But, for Hajime, besides the first-rate softness, the characteristic feeling of the two that were touching him was a place where he was extremely troubled.

Incidentally, though Tio also displayed a very charming swimsuit appearance, because the feeling was very bad as she started “Haa Haa”-ing in her delusion, Hajime made her cool off her head by force as he attacked with the piece of metal he was holding. That being the case, currently she had become a drowned body.

Like that, to the location of Hajime who was surrounded by by beautiful women and girls, Myuu came rising to the surface from in the sea. Myuu, who appeared like she was cutting in between Hajime and Remia, she jumped at Hajime as she was from the front. To Hajime who caught her in his arms in an instant, Myuu, with “Taken booty!” just hoisted Shia’s swimsuit and placed it on Hajime’s head. Apparently, it seemed to be a gift from his daughter.

“Mi-Myuu-chan!? Why, such a thing……is!? It can’t be…… was it requested by Hajime-san? Re-really! Hajime-san, if my swimsuit was on your mind, if you said so…… as much as you liked……”

“……Hajime, I’ll give mine too.”

“M-me too! If Hajime-kun wants it…… but because it’s embarrassing undressing here…… in the room later, alright?”

“Ara ara, then, me too…… Top or bottom, which one is better? Or else, both of them?”

Placing a woman’s swimsuit on his head, a man to whom girls from all sides were presenting swimsuits, Nagumo Hajime.

The water that dripped from Shia’s swimsuit with a *potapota* was quite surreal coupled together with Hajime’s expression that had stiffened his face. The man company who witnessed that scene were made to drop tears of blood. And, to what extent did rumors spread in the area that day? With a story of, “Be careful of the white haired eye-patch boy. That guy’s favorite dish is stripped off swimsuits. He is a pervert that finds supreme delight in wearing them from his head.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The evening of that day, Hajime and the others informed Myuu of their farewell before dinner. Myuu who heard it grasped the hem of the one piece she wore tightly with both hands with a *gyu*, and earnestly resisted crying. The short silence continued for awhile, and it was Myuu who broke it.

“……We can’t meet anymore?”

“……”

It was a question that he was hard pressed to answer. Hajime’s goal was to return to Japan which was his birthplace. However, the concrete method was not yet known, and he did not know in what timing or in the shape of how he would return.

Before, Miledi Raisen said to collect all of the Age of Gods magics if he wanted to fulfill his wish. Perhaps it might become a thing where he immediately returned in that timing. Because it seemed that there was no need to come back to Erisen until the end of the journey, possibly, he could not deny the possibility that this would become the final farewell.

“……Papa, will you always stay Myuu’s Papa?”

To Hajime who was troubled over how he should answer, Myuu piled up words before listening to the reply. Hajime met her gaze directly and firmly grasped both of Myuu’s shoulders.

“……Myuu, if that is your wish.”

When replying so, Myuu made a smile with a *ni* as she loosened her mouth that had been clenched to resist tears. It was Yue and the others who made a *ha* in their expressions. In some respects it resembled Hajime’s expression at a time when he was challenging a difficult fight, and, for an instant, they appeared like a true parent and child.

“Then, take care. And, next time, Myuu is going to go meet Papa.”

“Going to meet……Myuu. I’m planning to go very far away. Therefore……”

“But, if Papa can go, then Myuu can go too. After all…… because Myuu is Papa’s daughter.”

For she who was worthy of being Hajime’s daughter nothing was impossible. Sticking out her chest as she seemed to be self-confident, if Hajime could not come to meet her, Myuu made a declaration to go to meet him herself. Of course, it did not mean that Myuu accurately understood that Hajime was going to be returning to his birthplace by crossing over worlds. Not to mention, the likes of Myuu obtaining all of the Age of Gods magics capturing the Labyrinths or crossing over worlds was impossible.

And so, it was an impossible objective to realize that came out from the child’s poor conception.

However, who in the world would laugh at that powerful declaration? Who in the world would foolishly discard her will? It was impossible to do. It should not be done. The words Remia said about Myuu having grown was well understood. Myuu, though it was a short time, nevertheless she came to grow watching the reliable backs of Hajime and the others. Can such a beloved daughter be parted with now? Was it fine to part with her? No, there was no way such a thing could be done. There was no way that doing it was fine.

Because of this, Hajime decided. Now, as he made one more vow here.

“Myuu, please wait.”

“Papa?”

Myuu, who sensed that Hajime’s atmosphere changed, tilted her head as she made a face that seemed curious. Until just now, there was not at all an expression that was worried anywhere, and the straightforward gaze that was always powerful pierced Myuu’s eyes. It was the eye that Myuu had always watched.

“When everything is over. I will come back to Myuu’s place without fail. Taking everyone, we will come to meet Myuu.”

“……Really?”

“Yeah, really. Have I ever told a lie to Myuu?”

At Hajime’s words, Myuu shook her head with a *furufuru*. Hajime gently stroked such a Myuu’s hair.

“When I come back, next time I’ll take Myuu along too. And, my home town, I’ll show you the place I was born. You’ll surely be surprised. Because my home town is a place like a surprise box.”

“! The place Papa was born? I want to see!”

“Are you looking forward to it?”

“A lot!”

Myuu made a delighted expression while jumping up and down with a *pyonpyon*. At such a Myuu, Hajime gently narrowed his eyes. Myuu, who smiled with her whole face had blown away the anxiety over the matter of meeting with Hajime again, and without changing the force of hopping up and down, she jumped at Hajime. Hajime, who caught her firmly, held Myuu in his arms as it was.

“Than, can you be a good girl waiting with Mama? Don’t do something dangerous. Listening well to what Mama says, can you do your best to help?”

“Yes!”

Hajime made an apology with his gaze to Remia who was staring at the exchange of the two such people while smiling. With, “Sorry, I decided it selfishly.”

In contrast with that, when Remia slowly shook her head, she nodded as she matched gazes with Hajime firmly. With, “Please don’t worry about it.” That warm gaze, there was not even a bit of the color of condemnation, instead it contained feelings of gratitude.

Was the eye contact of such a Papa and Mama noticed? While Myuu watched Hajime and Remia alternatively, she pulled Hajime’s clothes with a *kuikui*.

“Papa, Mama too? Is Mama also the same?”

“Aah, that’s……Remia?”

“Yes, what is it, dear? You’re not saying that only I am left out, right?”

“No, that is so, but…… seriously, this place is ‘another world’?”

“Ara ara, to the place that the daughter and husband go, is there any way that I won’t follow? Ufufu.”

With Hajime holding the daughter, the figure of Remia nestled close to there. It was a normal married couple. Kaori and the others cut in as if to say, “Like we’ll let you-!” and the tumult spread. Where did the serious mood that was done in the beginning go? With Kaori and the others and Remia unfolding a war of smiles, to Hajime who was left out of it before anyone noticed, Yue stepped up with a *tokotoko*.

“……You’re taking them along?”

“Are you against it?”

When Hajime responded so to Yue’s question, Yue shook her head, staring at Hajime with a gentle look somewhere, and replied.

“……If it is something that Hajime decided.”

“Is that so?”

“……But, what about if you can’t choose the timing?”

It was the same question as Hajime’s concern. Obtaining the Age of Gods magics, assuming that he even obtained the means to return to his home town somehow, it was not necessarily so that he could cross over worlds at a time whenever he liked. Or, there was fully the possibility too of it becoming a situation that was different from what he promised with Myuu. If it became such a thing, Myuu’s heart would surely be deeply wounded.

However, when Hajime shrugged his shoulders, he turned a strong look that carried determination towards Yue while floating a smile on his mouth. Yue also, because she just tried to ask tentatively, her mouth loosened like the reply was said that it was understood.

“I’ll do it one way or another. No matter what I’ll return to the place of Myuu, and show her Japan too. If we crossed over worlds leaving Myuu, then by all means, it’s fine if we come back to this world again. It’s fine if we cross over worlds any number of times. Is that the only difference?”

“……N. Only that.”

Floating smiles that they were understanding each other, Hajime and Yue matched their gazes closely. Yue thought she was feeling happy that Hajime was able to value something to the extent that he made a vow. Hajime also, appreciating that sort of her, again filled his heart loving Yue who was smiling at him. As always, Hajime’s and Yue’s combination ability “Pink Space” was invoked.

Neglecting the others’ tumult, to Hajime and Yue who were making a world of just two people, already Kaori and the others made amazed expressions. However, to Myuu who was the daughter, such an ability seemed not to apply, and when she forced her way between them magnificently, she demanded to be held again to Hajime-papa. Although they made a promise to meet again, it did not change that they were separating for awhile. The last night seemed to become a situation where she acted spoiled with all her might.

The next day, Hajime and the others, seen off by Myuu and Remia, began a trip from the marine town Erisen.