༺ Responsibility without Pleasure!? (2) ༻
So let’s get this straight.
This little girl, Naru, is claiming that I’m her father.
And she’s also asking me to find her mom with her.
What the hell is this all about?
A prank?
A trap of some sort?
No, the girl would need to be otherworldly at acting to pull something like that off.
And she doesn’t seem to be lying either.
What the hell?
Let’s get some sleep first. I can just drop off this kid at the guard’s office and leave the task of figuring out this girl’s identity to them.
Just as I settled on that decision.
“Arghhh?”
Stagger—
Naru began staggering on her toes.
Soon, she just fell on the floor— hard.
“Ughh…”
“Your body is burning hot?!”
This kid had a fever.
Was it because of this condition of hers that her story felt so nonsensical?
What now?
How should I deal with this?
I don’t know what to do when kids are sick!
This wouldn’t have been an issue if our party’s cleric had been here right now. He would have skillfully handled this situation.
The last time I had a cold was back when I was still a kid. I don’t even remember what to do!
While I was becoming increasingly flustered with such thoughts…
I gently placed her on the bed. Immediately after, I poured water from a nearby vase into a towel and placed it on top of her head.
Slide—
Then, as if she had gotten better because of that, the expression on Naru’s face finally relaxed.
Breathe— Breathe—
She must have fallen asleep.
Only after seeing that could I finally let out a sigh of relief. I also finally had a chance to get a better look at her disheveled clothes.
To think that not only was she walking with those ragged clothes on, but she had also been barefoot at night. Of course, she’d get sick in such a scenario.
How scary it must have been for her.
I would have soiled myself in her place.
“… Children were still crying even after the war ended, huh?”
It was kind of upsetting.
Even though I knew I couldn’t do much about it.
I had also experienced what it was like to be separated from one’s parents and family, so I could somehow relate to this kid…
No, what am I even thinking?!
I bear no responsibility for taking care of this kid.
“What’s that?”
Just as I resolved myself to not get too attached to her.
I could see a strange mark on the left shoulder of the girl who identified herself as Naru, precisely near her neck.
At first glance, it looked similar to the shape of a clover.
Well, it would be more appropriate to describe that mark as a white spot.
But most importantly, I felt my vision darken the moment I saw the mark.
Did I catch her cold or something?
I staggered toward the mirror.
After struggling in this world for two years, my face looked pretty beat up.
I was honestly wondering if my parents would even recognize me if they saw me in this state.
But I knew that they’d eventually figure out that it was me. Why?
– Tae Ho, the people of our family have a way to recognize each other even after they’ve been separated for a long time. You know the story of how your great-grandfather and your grandfather separated during the Korean War and still reunited, right?
“Yes, I know it well.”
It was a story I had heard over and over again, after all.
This was one of the stories that would be repeatedly told when our family gathered together on New Year’s Day and Chuseok.
That story once again played in my mind.
It was because I had just seen something that I couldn’t explain.
There was a small and cute clover-shaped white spot on Naru’s left shoulder.
I had the exact same spot on my left shoulder.
It was a secret that only my family knew about.
It was also something I had never told anyone about.
So how could it be on the shoulder of this little girl, Naru?
“Really now!?”
It was the first time I had become this flustered since the day I transmigrated to this other world.
I wasn’t this flustered even when I heard of the crazy plan to forcefully break through the Demon King’s castle.
“What the hell?”
Is she really my daughter?
No, no, it simply can’t be.
I’ve never even held a woman’s hand, let alone get married!
Did I have this kind of relationship with a woman without even knowing about it?
Was I drunk or on some sort of drug at some point?
“No, I never was.”
I have never been drunk, let alone get high or something like that.
It’s because my body is so strong that it detoxifies anything I ingest.
Because of that, I couldn’t even employ the famous ‘Get drunk and fearlessly approach a girl’ technique.
What the hell?
What the…?
I think I’m going to lose my mental.
Is there anyone I could talk to in this situation?
A few faces come to mind but I had no choice but to shake my head in disappointment.
They were all outside the country, so I couldn’t reach them, at the moment.
There was no internet, and no cell phones either, in this god-damned world.
“There’s nothing I can do.”
For now, let’s just wait.
My face is burning up.
I really need to get some fresh air.
Just as I was going to open the door with these complicated thoughts in mind, someone tugged on my collar.
“D-Daaad…”
It was Naru.
Wobbling as she stood on her legs, still looking quite feverish, she pulled me toward her with the weak movements of her hand.
“Dad, don’t abandon this Naru…!”
Did she think that I was running away from her?
I couldn’t help but let out a sigh at that realization.
I look like quite the asshole here.
“I won’t abandon you, so sleep first.”
I put Naru back in bed.
But she didn’t seem to fall asleep and kept stealing glances at me.
How could I put her to sleep?
Should I sing her a lullaby?
No, I’m too bad at singing for that.
Well, I should at least pat her on the head, right?
I raised my hand and put it on the child’s head.
Her head felt smaller and softer than I expected.
“I thought I wasn’t cut out for this sudden parent thing, but don’t I look like quite the baby-daddy right now?”
* * * * * * * * * *
The next morning.
I took Naru to the clinic.
A good-looking woman, wearing a benevolent smile, examined Naru and then said.
“I can feel a large amount of magic power in her. She was probably exposed to a large-scale magic. Her partial memory loss and her fever are probably symptoms of that phenomenon, fortunately, she should get better soon.”
Magic power?
What is she talking about?
Honestly, I wasn’t really familiar at all with magic.
To me, it was just like calculating some sort of complicated and complex formulas.
It was within the field of science, so it couldn’t be any more of a mystery to a Liberal arts person like me.
Anyway.
Long story short, she was healthy?
What a relief!
Sigh—
Naru suddenly began clinging onto the cleric sister’s clothes.
“…Mooom? Mom!”
Mom?
Did she call her Mom?
This cleric sister?
This aloof, yet incredibly kind-looking, sister wearing a nun outfit was the one who she called Mom?
This blonde and blue-eyed beauty!?
Did that mean… this person was my wife!?
I then nervously directed my gaze toward the cleric sister with a pounding heart.
She looked about 28 years old.
Since she was a cleric, then it goes without saying that she had a good heart. Most people who attended churches in this world were generally good-hearted.
The cleric sister, however, gently pushed Naru away.
She then gently stroked her forehead and spoke in a kind tone.
“It seems your memory is still cloudy. Can you still remember your mother?”
“Ah, after taking another look, you don’t look like Mom…”
“Well, your memories will gradually come back, so don’t worry too much. You should relax too, sir, your daughter will be fine. She’s so cute though, she reminds me of my daughter, fufu—”
Did she have a daughter?
She was actually married?
So she wasn’t really my wife?
And what did she mean by calling her my daughter? I’m not married.
“I’m not the father of this child.”
“Ah, really? You two really look similar, are you maybe siblings then? Now that I think about it, you look rather familiar, don’t you? Maybe not? All barbarians look the same…”
“Dad is Dad! He’s a great man!”
“A great man? Speaking of famous Barbarois…”
This.
It seems some people recognized me even in this clinic which was on the outskirts of the capital.
Not wanting to get into any unnecessary trouble, I quickly escaped the crowded clinic.
And so we ended up at a park.
Naru calmly followed me behind without making a fuss or causing a scene.
Did she think that I’d abandon her if she made too much noise?
Anyway.
She must have calmed down by now, so let’s ask her some things again.
“So, Naru, you say that I am your father?”
“Judas…! Dad’s name…! I didn’t forget it…!”
“Yes, yes. You didn’t. What about your Mom’s name? How did you get separated from your mom before coming to meet me?”
“Hmm, hmmmmm, hmmmm, hmm…”
Naru put a finger on her lips and then pondered for a while.
She then opened her small lips.
“I-I don’t remember…”
She finally answered with a slight giggle.
Was she trying to laugh it off?
I’m completely flabbergasted.
“Think a little bit more, okay? Don’t you remember anything else? Anything. Hair color. Eye color. Job. Where she lives. Anything like that?”
“Mom… has a big chest!”
A big chest.
Oh, so that’s why she reacted to the sister cleric at the clinic back then.
I pondered over what she said for a while until she added.
“… This Naru is back 6 years in the past. Before Dad and Mom met. And, Dad and Mom need to meet again! Otherwise, the world will be in danger!”
Naru stretched out her hands in a claw shape, as though trying to scare me.
The world was in danger?
What a sinister thing to say for a child.
But there was a huge hint in what she had just said.
Naru said that she went back in time— 6 years in the past, to be exact.
Was it like going back to the past?
“No matter how much of a fantastical world this Penagea continent was, going back in time is still a bit too much, no? Did such a convenient magic really exist?”
Everything would be so much easier if it did.
Anyway, if Naru’s words are true…
“Ha, really?”
“Why are you laughing?”
Naru asked.
The innocent expression on her face made it hard for me to say, “Because I’m foolishly believing a child’s probably made-up story.”
“Aaaaaaaaaah…!”
Naru got up from her seat.
She then looked at a father and daughter pair walking in the park.
– My good daughter, do you like it when dad gives you a ride?
– Higher! Higher!
It was a nice scene.
I guess the world was truly at peace now.
Naru was staring at them.
Was she jealous?
That’s what a dad and his daughter were supposed to be like.
It was hard for me to truly consider her my daughter, but…
I can’t help it.
“Naru, do you want me to give you a ride?”
“No!”
“…”
I’m fine.
I’m already used to being rejected by women.
Naru then said.
“Wait a second! Look at what she’s wearing!”
Naru hissed and pointed to something.
It was the girl riding her father’s neck.
She looked to be around five or six years old, dressed in an elegant combination of white and navy blue accented clothes.
Are those buttons made of actual gold?
They look so expensive.
“Those clothes, I recognize them…! Mom had them too…! I saw them in a closet…!”
“Oh, really?”
Would tracing the origin of that outfit lead to a clue about Naru’s mother?
So, I stood up and approached the girl and her father.
“Excuse me.”
“Hiiiik! A Barbarian!”
“I-I won’t give you my daughter!”
No…
No… Well, that’s understandable.
Let’s ask first.
“It’s nothing serious. I’m interested in the clothes that the little girl is wearing. Can you tell me where you purchased that outfit? We don’t mean any harm, so please be at ease.”
The girl’s father suspiciously looked at me.
After some time, he quietly spoke.
“Ahem, this is Grayham Academy’s uniform. It’s the most prestigious educational institution on the Pangaea continent, where only the wealthy and capable can enter…! Our daughter is attending there…! Quite impressive, isn’t it…!?”
School uniform?
Graham Academy?
Did such a place exist?
I think I’ve heard of it before.
Who was it again?
Nevermind…
So Naru’s mother was related to this Graham Academy. Was she a former student? A graduate? An expelled student? Maybe something completely different…
Still, this was a great hint.
After learning that, I wandered the streets and got a rough idea of what this Graham Academy seemed to be.
From what I heard, it was a great school that offered elite education for those between the ages of 6 and 24, from kindergarten to university level.
Do nobles, royals, imperials, and children of extraordinary figures from all around the world really enroll in such large numbers in this school?
I also heard that they didn’t just accept anyone.
And that the selection process was extremely rigorous and exclusive.
“Well, I can’t help it.”
I’m 25 years old.
And way past the age to attend school.
But.
How in the hell did I manage to get married to a woman from an academy that seemed to have nothing to do with me?
If Naru’s mom was indeed there, then I’m curious about how it even happened.
“Where and how did we meet?”
I’d love to know.
How did we meet, and how did we get to know each other?
How the hell did we get married…
…Having a kid means that, well, we did that every night, right?
S— I mean?
I was honestly curious.
Of course, I’d be curious!
Of course, that’s assuming Naru’s words were indeed real!
“Well, we have a lot of time on our hands…”
Shall we go?
To where this Graham Academy or whatever is.
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