— Leon Anemoi Greyrat —
Lightly stretching my back, I looked around the renovated basement space f the house after stepping off the teleportation circle, noting the various clothing that was out of season or no longer fit the kids, the few crates of preserved food, the pile of firewood, and the few tools and equipment that were stored down here.
Hmm… thinking about it now, I hadn't really tried fishing despite getting a rod… maybe that would be a fun activity for the kids one of these days?
Well, either way, I had just come back after a week-long stay after the fight in Millishion, and now that Cliff's position was secured and the nation stable, it was finally time to see my family again.
And luckily for me… someone decided to beat me to the punch.
"Dada! You're back!" Aria said as she rushed down the basement stairs, jumping over the railing and into the arms in one leap. "Guess what, guess what! I learned a new spell from Mama! Now I can make water and fire and make a big boom!"
My sweet daughter… who seemed to be getting more wonderful, and reckless, with each passing year.
"That's great, sweetie, but what did I say about jumping off of things when you can walk normally?" I asked, moving her to face me as I looked her in the eyes. "You know it can be dangerous, right?"
She pouted.
"But if I blow some wind under me right before I land, it doesn't hurt…" she sulked. "Besides, I knew you would catch me…"
Haa…
"Yes, but still, try not to do it. It scares me a little," I said, readjusting her in my arms. "Anyway, is everyone else upstairs?"
"Nope! Just Mama and Mama Sylphy, and also a weird girl!" she said excitedly.
A weird girl?
Ah, right… the Miko.
When they left, Eris said that she would let her sleep in her bed while Eris would take mine, so I guess that arrangement was still ongoing.
"I see… then let's say hello," I said as I began walking up, feeling Aria lightly kick my waist as she squished her cheek against mine.
What a little ball of sunshine.
Heading up to the door, I heard the muffled voices of three women talking as I soon walked into the living room, watching as Roxy and Sylphy sat next to each other, both conversing with the Miko of Memory before they simultaneously turned their heads towards me.
"Leon! You're back!" Sylphy said with a smile, remaining seated with her hands resting on her large belly.
"I am… I assume you've already heard everything from Eri and the Miko?" I asked, coming over to them as I leaned over to give her and Roxy a kiss while I set Aria onto the couch.
"Yes… and it seems that you've done wonderfully, from what they told me," Roxy replied, gently caressing me cheek before she turned over to the Miko. "And speaking of her, our guest has been quite pleasant. I would have never thought that tea could taste so fantastic."
Miko, in response, waved her hands in front of her in dismissal.
"N-No way, Roxy! I've really been relying on you, after all!" she said, shaking her hand before she looked over to me. "And Sir Leon, welcome back. I hope everything… went… well…"
Her voice trailed off as her eyes met my face, and a moment later, her cheeks exploded in a blush as she hastily averted her eyes.
Uh… what?
That embarrassment… she didn't like me or anything, did she?
I was perfectly content with four, thank you very much, and either way… it didn't seem like that, from what I could tell.
"What's wrong? Did something happen?" I asked, feeling Aria trying to crawl up onto my shoulders from behind.
"Ehm… well, you know of my powers, right?" she said hesitantly, her cheeks getting redder as she still made sure not to look at me.
"Yes… my grandmother said you can see the memories of people when you look into their eyes, right?" I said. "But why does that matter?"
Wait… did she somehow see my memories?
The memories of Kaito, that is?
I had already told my wives about it, and there really wasn't much to say, as I had restrained myself from delving into his memories to not change my sense of self, so I was the same person as always.
But if it was from an outside observer like her… I could see that it was confusing.
But why would it cause her to blush like that?
"Y-Yes, and while I try to not use it, sometimes it activates against my will, especially when I want to know more about people… and… well…" she said, her words trailing off once again as she looked over to Roxy and Sylphy, and with her cheeks flaring up even more, she then turned her head back down. "Y-You five… have a very loving relationship… is all…"
…Oh.
Well, there were certainly quite a few memories that could draw such a reaction, so I wouldn't ask further… but I wondered what exact scene did she see?
Anyway… best to ignore that for now. Especially since Roxy and Sylphy didn't seem to understand what was happening, and I would like to keep it that way.
Although… they did look awfully cute when they were embarrassed…
"Right. Now that I'm here, I think we can talk about your situation a bit more," I said, moving to sit down on Sylphy's right, feeling her close her eyes as she leaned against my shoulder while Aria was squished between the couch and my back, her muffled shouts being ignored by the room. "Have you enrolled in the university yet? I believe Roxy's recommendation should be enough to join part way through the year. And considering your status, you could likely get admitted to the special class."
She shook her head.
"N-No… I have been accepted, but I still haven't gone. I… did not want to make any rash decisions without your input, especially since I am staying at your house," she said, her voice demure.
I see…
"And what about your living situation? While I don't mind you staying as a guest, considering the new company we will soon have," I said, gently rubbing Sylphy's belly with a smile. "Well… I think we should figure something else out, and luckily, I have quite the easy solution."
She tilted her head in confusion.
"Do you mean in me joining the dormitory at the university?" she asked.
"No… I mean a house. Now that Cliff and Lina are living in Millishion, they have no use for it, so he offered for you to take it," I said. "He'll need to come back to take some of his stuff, of course, but that shouldn't take long… unless, would you prefer staying at the university?"
"Ah, whatever works best for you, Sir Leon," she said with a smile.
Hmm… her accommodating nature was helpful… but this was her life we were talking about, and as someone under my responsibility, I wasn't going to let her suffer for my sake.
"Miko… you can do what you want. I don't plan on controlling you," I said, watching as her eyes widened a bit.
"You… but there must be something you want me to do, right?" she asked.
Huh? Didn't I just…
Ah, right.
She had been a candidate for the pope, and a puppet candidate at that, so it was only obvious that every aspect of her life had been intricately controlled thus far.
Hmm… guess I'll have to balance it with her opinion and my advice.
"Well… I have promised to protect you, so I only ask that you tell me before you leave the city or something, but other than that, you can choose what you want to do," I said with a shrug. "Although, in my opinion, I would suggest staying at Cliff's house. Not only is it closer to us, but it is also quite comfortable if you ever wish to gain a family while living here."
"G-Gain a family… that does seem… quite lovely," she said, a warm smile gracing her face. "Past Eris… both Sylphy and Roxy, and Queen Ariel as well, have been very kind. So… thank you."
"There's no problem… and by the way, you can just call me Leon. No need for the 'Sir'," I said.
"Are you sure?" she asked, tilting her head.
"Yeah, I'm sure," I replied.
Especially when it was in my own home, it made me feel… weird.
"And speaking of names, do you have one? It feels odd calling you 'the Miko'," I said as Aria escaped from the couch, moving her focus to pull on my ear in revenge.
"Uhm… I don't have one," she said, tilting her head.
I looked over to my left at Roxy and Sylphy, seeing both of them shake their heads with an exasperated expression, as if they had already asked this before.
"I… see," I said, turning back to the woman. "But… would you want one?"
It would feel weird to call her by her title, and one that was quite… unoriginal.
"Hmm… thank you for the consideration, but there is no need for that," she said after a moment of deliberation. "I have been called Miko my entire life, so at this point, it simply feels natural."
"Oh… well, if you say so…" I muttered.
I guess the name 'Miko', while a bit odd considering the meaning in this world, wasn't a horrible name on its own.
"Anyway, Roxy, do you know where everyone else is?" I asked, turning to her. "I assumed that Ariel would be here at least, especially since she's only a month or so from her due date…"
She really shouldn't be moving around, as her size had likely grown from where it was when I left.
"Ah… well, Ars and Anna are in school, and Eris was asked by the university to spar with some up-and-coming swordsmen so they didn't get too cocky," Roxy explained, placing a finger on her chin in thought. "And as for Ariel, she took Emilia, Roana, and Alice to the playground with Sara and Shizuka… but I believe she should be back soon."
"I see…" I said, leaning back as I felt Aria move to pulling my hair as she released a giggle from being squished. "And why is this little troublemaker not with Anna and Ars?"
"Well… she wanted to greet her father when you came home," Roxy said with a warm smile. "And ignoring that, Sylphy and I have been teaching her some new magic, and we didn't want her practicing it at school without mastering it."
Ah… yeah, that made sense.
I would prefer that Aria not use any magic at all in that school, but my little magician was a bit too eager to show off her skills to her peers, so at the very least, we didn't want her to accidentally destroy the place in an accident.
But still… was Ariel alright with those three?
I had come to learn that despite all of Eris' worries about being 'too harsh' with the kids, it was Ariel that was the prime source of fear in our children, so I know that she was quite skilled in handling them… but she was still pregnant, and while Roana and Emilia were easy to deal with, Alice was a very… adventurous spirit.
My thoughts were then interrupted by a short set of knocks on the door, and not a moment later, the front door opened as a small, red-haired boy burst into the hall.
"Aria! You're still home, right?" my littlest brother, Alaric, said as he revealed a charming smile. "Oh! And welcome back, big brother! Mother said you would be returning sometime today!"
"Yes, and it's nice to see you too," I said, reaching behind me to grab Aria as I lifted her to sit on my lap. "And I'm guessing you came to see Aria?"
"Yep! School finished, and Ars, Anna, and Lana have already gone to the spot, so I came to pick her up!" he said, walking towards us after taking off his shoes. "Oh, and do you think we can get some snacks at the… stalls…"
His voice trailed off as he looked to the side, and following his gaze, I quickly noticed that he was staring right at Miko, who simply tilted her head in confusion.
"Umm… you're Rudeus and Leon's brother, right? Alaric, was it?" she said, showing a soft smile a moment later. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
Alaric, hearing this, snapped out of his momentary daze as he hastily bowed his head.
"I-I-It's a pleasure to m-meet you too! M-May I have your name p-please?" he asked, stuttering over his words.
…What?
"Oh? I… am Miko. Just Miko," she responded.
Alaric slowly lifted his head, his violet eyes widening as his expression tightened.
"B-Beautiful…" he muttered, his cheeks growing redder with each passing moment.
No, seriously… what?
The hell is up with him?
Sylphy and I exchanged a look, and as she lightly chucked into her hand with an amused expression, the answer quickly came to me.
My little brother… did he just have his first experience with love?
"M-Miko!" he said after a moment of silent deliberation, straightening his back as he walked over to her, stopping only once he found himself in front of the seated woman as he bowed his head. "Please! Marry me!"
Uhm… that was… quite bold, brother of mine.
Sylphy and I exchanged a glance, and with Roxy, clasping her mouth in surprise, the three of us made an unspoken agreement to let this play out without any interference for the moment.
"O-Oh!? Y-You… marry me? Why?" Miko asked, both confused and flustered.
"I… I have never seen someone so beautiful… and this feeling… it excites me to no end!" he said, looking up to her face. "I have fallen for you at first sight, and both Father and Mother always said to never let such a feeling go! Even if you need to use your body to show your seriousness! So take this as my confession!"
… Father… Lilia… what exactly are you teaching your six-year-old son?
Thankfully, Alaric was innocent, so his interpretation of 'using your body' seemed to be through bowing his head and not… the true meaning.
Miko's cheeks flared, but with a quick shake of her head, she then hesitantly reached out to pat the boy's head, giving him a kind smile.
"I… thank you, for those pleasant words, but unfortunately… I cannot accept your proposal," she said.
"Oh… I see…" Alaric responded, his head drooping in sadness.
Seeing this, Miko bit her lip as her eyebrows turned down as well.
"I'm sorry… but it is only because you are not an adult yet… so please don't look so down," she said.
And with those words… Alaric's attitude immediately switched once again.
"Not an adult… oh, I understand now," he said, slowly raising his head, an expression of determination on his face. "Then… even if you cannot accept me just yet… wait for me! I will try again when I'm an adult, and I will get stronger… so wait until then, please!"
He then turned around on his heel, eyes sharp as he headed for the front door.
"Aria… let's go. You guys can play around like children… but I will be training," he said seriously. "And I don't need any money for snacks, big brother… I will get that myself."
…Was that him trying to act like an adult?
Either way, it at least got Miko to chuckle in amusement, so perhaps it had worked at least a little.
"Huh? Okay! Let me get my wand first!" Aria replied, hopping off my lap as she ran up the stairs to her room.
I… guess that was settled then?
I did not expect for my brother to gain a love interest upon my return home, but I guess I would root for him.
Asking a grown woman to wait for them to grow up would be impossible for most, but for the Miko, there was a chance of it happening considering how sheltered from romance she seemed, so… there was a chance.
And besides, our father could probably help Alaric out… but then again, since it was Paul we were talking about… maybe that wouldn't be the best.
— Leon Anemoi Greyrat —
Today was the start of the seventh month of the year, and for the past month and a half, I had been spending the passing time comfortably with my family.
Helping Aria with her magic and Anna with her swordsmanship, getting Miko enrolled in the university and moved into her new place, spending some lovely nights with my four special ladies… the relaxed, laid-back days were just as pleasant as always, but today… well, things had gotten exciting again.
"One last push, Ariel! You've got this!" Sylphy said, holding her hand as Ariel's face scrunched in pain.
"Nnghh!" she groaned, sweat pouring down her face.
Keeping one hand on her stomach to relieve some pain with healing magic, while my other one was being crushed by Ariel's surprisingly strong grip, I looked down at Roxy who had a towel prepared between Ariel's legs.
"How is it, Roxy?" I asked.
"She's close, I can see- Ah! There we go," she said, eyes widening as I saw a small body fall into the towel, their skin wet with blood and amniotic fluid. "Well done, Ariel, it's… a girl."
A girl… another one, huh?
But contrary to calming down after the birth, Ariel's body instead clenched once more as I felt some movement beneath my hand.
Ah… so it wasn't over.
I had somewhat expected this, considering how Ariel was much bigger compared to when she was pregnant with Emilia, as well as how I could sense a bit more mana inside of her than I would have expected… and thus, the conclusion was natural.
"L-Leon… it's…"
"Twins," I said, finishing Roxy's sentence as I looked over to Eris. "Eri, get another towel. Quick. And Roxy, hand her off to Eri and prepare for another."
The two nodded before moving in perfect tandem, something that could be expected after having gone through this six times before.
And to think… the one time we didn't have Lilia and Mama, a complication like this arose.
The joy of having twins… I couldn't care about it right now. Instead, I was focused on making sure both of them were delivered safely, and that Ariel would be completely fine despite the somewhat expected surprise.
As Eris took the baby gently in her arms, she then brought it over to me as I quickly seared off the umbilical cord, watching as the other end fell to the bed, still connected to the inside of Ariel.
Normally, I would have the placenta drain for a while so my newest daughter could get some more nutrients, but with the possible complications of two babies at once, I didn't want to risk anything.
"Sorry, little one, this really is a mess," I said, wiping off the girl's face as she began to take her first breaths, and consequently, her first cries. "We'll get you a name in a second, okay? So just sit tight."
Of course, she didn't respond, but at the very least, her cries calmed down a bit as Eris took her away, with my red-haired wife gently wiping the fluid that had leaked out of her nose.
Heh, maybe I was getting a bit better at this?
In fact, we all were, and seeing Eris act so gentle with such a focused yet warm smile… yeah, no getting excited here, Leon.
Either way, with Eris holding my youngest little girl in her arms, I continued applying healing magic to Ariel as she continued with her contractions, and after but a few more pushes… the second twin was born.
And this time, thankfully, it was a boy.
Finally, I had gained another son… not that I cared about succession or anything like that, but I was glad that Ars would finally have a younger brother to help him out against all the girls in the house.
And so, with both babies cleaned up, I sat down next to Ariel, holding the twins in my arms as Ariel slowly calmed down from the extremely taxing activity.
"I can't believe it… two of them… as if one wasn't hard enough…" Ariel said, Sylphy having finished wiping her face of sweat as she leaned her head on my shoulder. "A girl and a boy… do you have any particular names in mind, Leon?"
Names… well, to be honest, I had a few, but considering that it was her that did all the work, I didn't want to one-sidedly name them.
"Leon, darling… I know what you're thinking, but it's fine," Ariel said, gently kissing my cheek as she looked back down at the two infants, the boy's cries finally winding down while the girl had already fallen asleep. "Just seeing them like this… that is enough of a gift, and in the future, the warmth I will feel in my heart when I call their names, knowing they also came from you… such fortune is something I wish to experience as much as possible."
Well… if she wanted it that much…
"Then… Arthur," I said, looking at the boy in my right arm before I looked to my left. "And… Athena."
Ariel hesitantly reached out to caress Arthur's head, and as I passed him off into her arms, I watched as her smile widened as her cheeks flushed.
"Arthur and Athena Anemoi Asura… what lovely names," she said, looking up at me. "Are they from your past world, perhaps?"
"Yes… the name of a goddess and a legendary hero, I'm pretty sure," I said, moving Athena so that Ariel could get closer to her.
"I see… and what about you three? Do you have any opinions?" Ariel asked the others, all three of them watching the two babies with interest.
"You know that isn't our place to say… and I think they sound wonderful, and it's nice that they match, considering they're twins," Roxy said, gently prodding Athena's cheek with her finger before she leaned back. "But with all of that done with, I'll get started on cleaning everything up. Eris? Do you mind getting the kids?"
"They're at Leon's parents, right? Sure, I can do that," she said, moving off from leaning on the wall. "But are you sure that's a good idea? They'll probably be pretty excited to see them, especially when they hear that there's two. Wouldn't you rather rest for now?"
Hmm… she was right about that… but I think they'll be alright.
"I can go with you, if you would like," I offered.
"Nah. I can handle them by myself just fine," Eris said with a shrug. "And Sylphy… oh. Never mind."
I briefly looked to the right, only to see that Sylphy was fast asleep, holding onto Ariel from the side as she began snoring.
I guess the combination of comforting Ariel and using up her healing magic, as well as the sudden shift from a stressful situation into a calm one, had made the exhaustion overwhelm her.
But she looked awfully adorable like that, so I would leave her be.
Looking back down at Athena, I gently pressed my finger against her hand, watching as her little fingers grasped around it as an instinctual reaction, while her head tilting to the side and into my chest.
Ah… now that I think about it… we would need to buy another crib, huh?
— Leon Anemoi Greyrat —
Sitting down in the chair, I gently rocked Athena in my arms as I pressed her bottle to her lips, watching as she eagerly took in the milk from the cloth while staring up at me with her inquisitive brown eyes.
The bottles of these world were not what I was used to in my memories, due to plastic not being invented or produced, but by using a cup with a small cloth at the end to act as a nipple, it worked out pretty well.
With the previous kids, we didn't have to worry about it as their mother was always available to breastfeed, but since Ariel had produced twins… well, there was a need for a secondary feeding source to not overwhelm her.
Even though preparing it was a bit more difficult than breastfeeding, I didn't really care, as it allowed me to feed my little Athena like this, and the method to extract the breast milk into the bottle… well, I had my share of fun with that process as well.
But there was a reason I only fed Athena, and that would be due to one simple fact that I had learned over these past two weeks…
Arthur, my second son, did not like me that much.
While Anna was also a bit dismissive in her youth, and was still a bit more reserved towards me than Aria and her other sisters, Arthur's dislike of me was a bit further than that, to the point where he would scream whenever I picked him up until I passed him over to his mother or my other wives.
I could only hope that he would eventually get over it, but even if he didn't, at least I had my daughter to heal me.
"Isn't that right, Athena?" I asked, my smile widening as she happily kicked her feet in response.
What a cutie.
"Whoa! Thanks, Mother Sylphy! This looks awesome!" Ars said, causing me to turn his way.
It seemed that Sylphy had decided to get him a red cape embroidered with our family crest on the back.
It would probably be too small for him once he reached his next birthday, but for now, he was extremely happy, as he had been wanting something like that for a while.
"Of course, Ars. Happy birthday," Sylphy replied with a smile. "And now… there's only one gift left from your father."
Ars looked over at me with hopeful eyes, and with a smile, I pulled out the book from beside me, passing it over to him as he looked down at the cover.
"It's a book about the story of a knight that your Aunt Norn found. I haven't read through all of it, but it looks quite fun. We can read it together later tonight with your sisters if you would like," I said.
"Whoa… thanks, Dad!" he said happily.
"Of course, son," I replied, watching as Eris walked over to rustle Ars' hair.
"Did you have a good birthday, kid?" she asked.
"Yeah! And thanks for the practice sword, Mother!" he said, looking up at her.
"No problem, but now that you're five, and you have your own sword… you know what that means, right?" she asked, a dangerous smirk forming on her face.
Ah… here it was.
Ars, while you had always wanted to get older, you were about to find out the consequences of aging in this house… or, at least, the consequences of being Eris' pride and joy.
"H-Huh? I… don't know?" Ars said, backing up on reflex.
Good instincts, but that wouldn't save you.
"Heh. It means I'll be training you seriously now, brat," she said, swiping back her hair. "Ahh… it's been a while since Julian left for that university, so now I finally get to give some lessons… we'll start tomorrow morning, got it?"
Ars' smile slowly faded as he looked towards me, his lower lip trembling slightly.
Ah… poor kid.
"Ars… with your mother training you, you can become super strong. Just like the knight in the story I gave you," I said.
"O-Oh… okay! That sounds awesome!" he replied, his smile reforming, yet it was still a bit stiff.
Sorry, son, for deceiving you… but at least Julian turned out alright, considering that he was already at the Intermediate rank in the Sword God style thanks to Eris' torture sessions, and that was despite the fact that he didn't really like swordsmanship.
So Ars, who had always been eager to catch up to his older sisters… he'll be fine… I think.