Side Story: Vision – 4
“Daddy… can’t you stay just a little longer? Huh? It’s your body anyway. So isn’t it okay?”
“I’m not okay with it.”
I had momentarily forgotten about everything amidst the shocking events. This was undeniably the process of experiencing the future through Yeji.
“Then can you give me a kiss on the lips before you go… Ubuuhuu— Hehehe…”
Frigia clung to me, whining to stay a little longer, but only stopped after I pulled her cheek. To be precise, she couldn’t help but giggle as I tugged her cheek.
“Goodbye, Daddy. You can’t forget me, okay? I don’t want to disappear…”
After realizing my determination was firm, she chose to part with tears, pleading for me not to forget her instead of clinging until the end.
I wondered why she was acting like this, but perhaps she thought if she made a strong impression on me, I would be born a bit sooner. She was a smart daughter all the way to the end.
It wasn’t like I would just let Eclipse disappear, regardless of what I did.
Of course, I didn’t mean it in a way that I would forget.
“The future isn’t as dangerous as I thought.”
“It wasn’t for me. If you were alone, you wouldn’t have been able to resist properly.”
“Maybe the goddess of the future saved me before it happened?”
“Perhaps… it was?”
“……Why are you unsure?”
In the end, the purpose of Yeji, which was to alter the future, fizzled out.
Frigia had not grown up dangerously enough to overwhelmingly suppress Eclipse, and it seemed clear that the future we were all aware of had been orchestrated.
Even though she caused a lot of trouble here and there, it was clear that Eclipse cared greatly for her future daughter, so there was really no reason to eliminate the possibility.
Moreover, a more serious dilemma had arisen.
“It might be hard to solve this as it wasn’t due to the blessing. If it were because of the blessing I gave, we could have just retracted it, but since it isn’t…”
“……”
Eclipse was cuddled up to me in the same posture as Frigia, seeking comfort after I subtly asked if the blessing might be the cause.
Seeing Eclipse bury her face into my chest while gently smiling made me immediately think of Frigia. The saying “like mother, like daughter” fit perfectly.
“Isn’t there a way to solve this, Goddess?”
“……I’m not sure either. I’m sorry.”
Returning to reality, Eclipse and I immediately began to foresight the other future first to prevent the unfortunate incident of me having over 70 wives made up solely of my daughters.
The result was devastating.
“It seems like it would be right for us to educate them ourselves, but if we did that, as Frigia said, everyone’s standards would obviously soar…”
In an effort to raise the children normally by even establishing an academy-like educational institution, there was a future where success rates were almost zero.
Being children born from me, who surpassed the limits of humans and was among the few capable in Eclipse’s world, they demonstrated unusual talents from a young age.
Magical professors from the Mage Tower, swordsmanship professors from the Dark Night Order and Silver Dawn Knights, and professors of divine power from the Inquisitor’s Office had children who mastered everything within a week.
Most of them applied for withdrawal after completing the entire educational process in less than a month.
The daughter of Iris and Aurora, however, didn’t drop out due to resembling her mother’s personality, but it was evident she was enduring her boredom. At this rate, it would only have a counterproductive effect.
Even though it was a place established directly by the Empress and Pope, filled with talents that could easily outshine others, this was the case.
‘It’s nice that they’re growing up without any major issues… but…’
In this case, it could be said that the problem was that they were growing up too well.
“……That’s how it is. I thought you should know.”
I gathered everyone in the apartment to briefly explain about my future daughters. It was Eclipse’s opinion that since they would all someday become mothers, they needed to be aware.
Everyone’s atmosphere grew complicated upon hearing that over 70 daughters were claiming they couldn’t find proper men and suggested sharing their dad.
The Knight Commanders kept glancing at Claudia. It felt like they were silently asking when she would make a move, considering this certain future had been established. Claudia deliberately avoided their gaze.
For some unknown reason, Aurora was touching her chest with a slightly dissatisfied expression. Objectively speaking, while she was within the average line of this world, subjectively it was a number that could be called normal.
Kaiquilia and Minerva were muttering something to each other. I considered eavesdropping but decided against it since if it were worth listening to, they wouldn’t be whispering.
Floretta and Luna, along with Stella and Selene, were busily guessing who had one child less. None of them mentioned the ridiculous family line of 43 among four.
Nix was grinning widely, apparently delighted by something. It was a genuine happy smile, not her usual gloomy one.
It seemed no one else was having complicated thoughts like mine.
“So, is there any good way? A method to keep my daughters from developing those kinds of feelings for their dad.”
“……”
No one seemed to easily open their mouths, but I didn’t expect anyone to have a plausible answer right now anyway.
If I suddenly asked if there was a solution to my daughters longing for their dad, I wouldn’t be able to answer either.
Since there was still plenty of time left, the best course was to think it over slowly. For now, I only needed to acknowledge that such a future exists.
“Um…”
Surprisingly, the first to speak up was Nix.
“But, do we really need to find a way? Hehe.”
“……What do you mean?”
Although it was far from what I expected.
Nix seemed to feel a bit guilty after bringing it up, her fingers fidgeting nervously in front of her chest as she glanced at me.
“Um, if it’s between us, we wouldn’t have to worry about hereditary diseases, and if there were no suitable men after traveling the whole world, it seems unlikely one will appear in the future, and we can’t just let our daughters live alone forever. I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing…”
I looked around. I had thought most reactions would be disgusted like mine, but that wasn’t the case at all. Most looked slightly ambiguous, neither affirmative nor negative.
“Nix.”
“Yes, yes, Delta. Hehe…”
“Go and reflect on this.”
“What?!”
I bound Nix with magic, placed her on her bed in her room, and closed the door. It seemed I needed to devote a bit more time to talking to Nix’s daughter. Especially concerning ethics.
“Hey! That was something my other personality did without my permission, can’t you let it slide just this once?!”
“After causing trouble, she went and hid. Hehehe. She won’t come out now, so it’s fine to open it.”
From inside, Nix’s other personalities claimed they had nothing to do with it and demanded to be freed. I told her to deal with it until the end of the meeting and locked the door.
Turning my gaze, everyone but Kaiquilia was avoiding my eyes. It seemed I had to start with the ethics education of the mothers, not the daughters.
In the end, the meeting disbanded in a vague manner, and I waited by the door for about 10 minutes before releasing Nix. Looking a little downcast, she apologized, as if scolded by Flore’s personality and the rude one.
“Did you say you wanted to meet your daughter?”
“Indeed.”
That night, Kaiquilia and Minerva visited me. They wanted to meet my future daughter.
I showed a reluctant expression.
“I’m not sure if that can happen. I didn’t view it by my own will. It was such an unpredictable event; I even received help from the goddess.”
“Just trying is enough. It’s a simple curiosity without any special reason.”
Curiosity was a very simple yet clear reason.
“Also, we came to help relieve your worries.”
“……My worries?”
“It’s all written on your face.”
Minerva smiled kindly after being given the words.
“First of all, Kaiquilia and I do not view what that child mentioned positively, but that doesn’t mean we’re entirely looking at it negatively either.”
“I wanted to say that’s precisely the problem, Minerva.”
“I know that. However, I think it’s something inevitable.”
“Inevitable? How so?”
What on earth was she trying to say?
“Do you remember the saying that the number of women surrounding a man symbolizes his abilities and achievements?”
“Of course I do.”
In Eclipse’s world, polygamy was officially allowed, but in order to avoid being buried, a man had to be recognized in society for having the capabilities and accomplishments to support that many women.
For me, thriving socially wasn’t an issue at all.
“Now let’s think in reverse. What kind of thoughts would a daughter have seeing a father with twelve mothers? Especially when every single one is a key figure of the Empire and Holy Kingdom? Naturally, her reference point would be her father, wouldn’t it? That’s why I said it was inevitable.”
“…….”
“Child, you tend to underestimate yourself too much. Remember that you are a superior man compared to anyone else in this world. And in another sense…”
Minerva licked her lips while staring intently at my groin. Her gaze was quite explicit.
The notion that I was underestimating myself was something Frigia had told me too. Frigia said I always regarded myself as a human rather than a god.
“I’m not quite sure how that’s meant to alleviate my worries, but I understand.”
For now, it seemed I would have to follow Minerva and Kaiquilia’s request and hear from my daughter directly.
