Stranger’s Handbook - Chapter 114

Chapter 114: Knowledge is Important

“It seems that you had fun last night, master.”

Suu grinned as she greeted me.

You know about it?

“Thanks to your brother, I had an enjoyable night.”

“I’m glad to hear this. Madam laughed when she heard about it, so I think it’s all right.”

……..Bea knows about this too?

That hell of a shop…….once you got used to it, it was rather fun.

For some reason, we ended up holding an arm wrestling competition with those ossans dressed as women. It’s a good memory indeed.

In the end, we stayed there all night and came home in the morning…….

“Did you manage to relax a bit? Sometimes it’s good to do so, Zest-sama.”

(Dad, do you like them hairy? Should Toto grow some hair too?)

Please stop……A hairy Toto is horror material.

“Morning, Bea, Toto. The hairy thing was unexpected.”

I didn’t want to argue about that any longer.

No doubt that I was tired.

“Master, the only thing in your schedule today is the meeting with those good-for-nothing nobles. You can take your time and relax.”

“Oh my, this is all right then.”

(Waaai! We can enjoy our time with Dad!)

That was a cruel way of calling them…….Poor nobles.

Well, it’s okay if I handle them casually.

If everyone says so, I’ll take my time and relax!

I sat on the sofa and made Bea sit next to me.

Toto took her usual spot on my shoulder.

“Your belly has grown quite big. Is it painful?”

“No. It’s true that my back is sore……and I’m feeling ill sometimes. But, it’s not painful. Mine and Zest-sama’s child will soon be born after all.”

“Bea……..”

“Zest-sama…..”

(Aaaaah!)

As we were about to enter a pink mood, Toto’s powerful telepathic message stopped us.

“Wh….what’s wrong, Toto?”

“Toto-chan, what’s the matter?”

(This is bad! Mom’s belly moved just now! Is there something inside it!!?)

Toto’s face turned ghastly pale and she started to tremble.

Hm? Did she not know about it?

“There is a baby inside Bea’s belly.”

“Weren’t you happy about becoming an older sister? What’s wrong now, Toto-chan?”

(But Suu told me about it! That a bird is going to carry the baby! And that magical power has gathered inside Mom’s belly!)

…….Right, it may be good to explain things to children up to that extent.

“Master, this is what I told Toto-sama. Because she’s still young, I thought……”

“You don’t need to worry. Someone already taught her about child making after all.”

“Toto-chan, that was Suu’s kindness, you know? I’ll teach you properly this time, okay?”

(Kindness? I don’t really get it but I understand!)

While Bea properly explained things to Toto, she caressed her mom’s belly.

As I gazed at this scene, Suu whispered into my ear.

“Master? Who is the fool who told the innocent Toto such a stupid story……”

“Your brother.”

Suu opened her eyes, and as she flew into a rage, she muttered with a conspicuously low voice.

“……Should I end him?”

“He already reflected upon it. I have great expectations from him, so I can’t let him die this easily.”

“Master……I will never forget……master’s feelings. Tonight, I’ll prepare a new handkerchief for you.”

“Forget about it……”

After this conversational exchange, the time to meet with the nobles arrived.

Guys who rubbed their hands together and got close to me, guys who desperately tried to suck up to me, guys who pressed the matter of accepting their daughters into my household in order to learn the good manners……

Every last one of them is rotten……..

I evaded these nobles’ talks as slippery as an eel.

‘I understand. I will consider it.’

That’s how I concluded, sending them away. It was an easy job.

Instead of refusing them, I replied in this manner in order to observe their reactions.

Depending on their responses, I’ll decide whether to win them over…….or erase them completely…….

I’m afraid to say but I’ve become a true noble myself.

When the last noble returned home, it was already dark.

Toto received a health and physical education lesson from Bea and she seemed to have clearly understood now.

(Amazing! Mom is creating a new life!)

Did Bea become some sort of a god?

I glanced at her and she turned away, her face bright red.

…….It appears that she couldn’t give Toto a concrete explanation.

“That’s right. That’s why Toto, you must protect Bea at any cost, all right?”

“Fufu, please take good care of me, Toto-chan!”

(Yes! Toto will definitely protect Mom!)

It’s better this way……There’s no need for her to understand the process in details.

After this, we finally enjoyed dinner as a family again, then entered the bath together.

The harmony of a family……The happiness I couldn’t find in Japan, I found in this place.

I’m grateful I came to this world.

I believed this from the bottom of my heart, as I got in my bed together with Bea and Toto.

I was falling in a doze, when the presence in front of my door awoke my senses.

“Suu? What happened?”

Suu opened the door quietly.

“Master, I’m sorry to disturb you at nighttime. Please come to this room…….”

Bea and Toto were in the bedroom too…..And since they were already asleep, she didn’t want to wake them.

I quietly moved to the next room.

“So, what happened?”

“Yes, there are two things. First, a notice that son-in-law-dono arrived. Second, a notice from his Majesty the Emperor.”

“From the Emperor?”

The one from the elf prince was already planned.

But the Emperor’s notice was unexpected.

‘Zest, I’m out of spirit drops. Please take care of it.’

……Such a demand in the middle of the night?

It’s strange……There must be something behind it. Think!

However, no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t come up with anything.

Am I missing something?

A secret message? Or something like a code?

After I received the letter, I worried about it for more than an hour.

When Suu prepared another round of tea, I finally realized it…..

Don’t tell me……!?

“Suu, spill some tea on this letter.”

“Eh? Ye…yes.”

Spilling tea on a letter from the Emperor usually meant sever punishment.

While trembling, Suu did as I told.

Having done so, other characters rose to the surface.

‘The elves’ country is about to break. The king is already gone.’

These bright red words became visible on the letter that absorbed the tea.

Suu ended up seeing this too……Her face turned ghastly pale.

The chaos in the elves’ country probably made her remembered that fairy-tale…….

“A sign for the devil king’s revival……Another great war……”

The story about the empire’s first generation Emperor, the stranger’s fight from long ago.

The devil king first aimed at the elves’ country, bringing chaos to the entire world.

Every race has a legend about the hero who defeated the devil king.

“I’m reading too much into this. It’s just a coincidence.”

I said this, but my voice trembled.

Coincidently, I am a stranger from a different world too, having a light attribute magical power.

Coincidently, I achieved spiritification.

Coincidently, the elves’ country is in a state of chaos.

………Three coincidences.

This might not be a coincidence anymore…….

I breathed a sigh as I looked outside the window.

I had the impression that the bright red full moon was telling me it wasn’t a coincidence.

“And, master.”

“…….Is there something else?”

“My brother……Could you finally forgive him?”

“…………..Ah.”

I forgot that I tied Albert to a tree in the palace’s inner courtyard.

……..He’s……still alive, right? It’s okay. It’s okay.