The daughter's lips pouted like a duck's.
What is it? I'm sure I spoke gently, just like when I was raising Tamamo.
I looked back at Johanna. She seemed to have noticed why the daughter was acting like that.
“Could it be…”
Dad was Dad. A little less wrinkled, a little less smiley.
What did I expect? It's the same dad who used to laze around at home all day. I guess I thought something would be different 10 years ago.
I was a fool to expect anything.
“The Holy Grail is all fixed… and I guess my aunt will take care of the rest.”
It was my aunt who sent me to the past.
She said she was doing business abroad, and then one day she called and just dropped a bomb.
-Go to the past and help your father.
What is this, really. Would it kill her to be a little nicer?
No. If my aunt suddenly became all sweet, that would be even scarier.
“It‘s all over now. I should go back.”
Mom is the weirdest. Jeez. I was wondering why she said she would follow me. Was her plan to seduce my young dad?
She's a pervert. A pervert. At her age, she should stop.
I'm done packing.
“Mom…? Weren't you supposed to go first?”
“Sorry for being your dad?”
It's young dad. Why?
I already said goodbye earlier. It was a rushed one, but if I get attached, it will only create errors in my memory.
“Ahem. My daughter!”
“…Why?”
“I thought the farewell earlier was too rushed. So I came back.”
What is this. Awkward.
Is his tongue not oiled enough yet? It's not like him.
I thought he had seduced my moms with his brilliant way with words, as befitting a person who had survived as a stay-at-home bum for 10 years, but what is this.
He barely makes eye contact, and his voice is unsteady.
He made that harem with this?
I don't like it.
“I was planning on keeping the farewell brief too. I'm a person from the future, so the longer I stay in Dad's memory, the more of a void will be created when I leave.”
“Is it because you're a person who shouldn't have been here in the first place?”
“What do you need to know for? You wouldn't understand even if I explained.”
…That was a bit harsh. I didn't mean to say it like that.
“That's right. I don't understand. I've only used magic by borrowing the power of a beast, and if you ask me to write a formula, I can't even do Gandr.”
He's not very angry.
Is it because he's young dad? I feel like he wasn't angry in the first place.
“But wouldn't you be curious? I've lived for hundreds of years, wandering. Japan, Mesopotamia, the Fae Kingdom, even Singularities. I've never settled down in a normal place.”
“I've heard.”
“Then, by chance, you were born. I never dreamed that I would have a child, but you were born. It wasn't a blessed birth. People threw stones at Johanna, Johanna protected you, and I protected Johanna and you.”
“I didn't know that.”
I was stoned when I was born? Why? Strange.
“I thought I was going to die. I was hit so much that I couldn't even feel the pain. Johanna was also on the verge of death. And when I finally got to hold you for the first time, do you know how I felt?”
“You must have been happy. How boring. Is that why you held me back?”
“I thought I would be happy to die for you. I was able to firmly believe that the reason I was born was to protect you.”
…What. For a dad.
To say it with such a bright smile, with such innocent eyes, that's a foul.
“Has the future me ever told you this story?”
“…I don't know. He's always trying to kiss me, so I hate it. I really hate the stubble marks. Dad, shave a little.”
“I'll have to be more careful. Haha!”
This is the end. This is the last time I'll see young dad's face.
Since I'm the only one in any world, I can never meet this dad again. For sure.
The child who will be born here will be happy.
“…Lastly, I want to apologize. Because I was weak, you had to bear the burden of the beast instead. I really have no words for this. If you feel better by hitting me, you can do that.”
Ah.
“So that's why Dad was always grinning at me.”
“I didn't quite hear you, could you say that again?”
“It's nothing.”
The reason I didn't trust Dad at first was all because of this.
Now that I know, I feel a little sorry.
“This power is annoying, but I've never resented Dad. It's sometimes fun to travel to different eras and different worlds. So there's no need to apologize, and I don't understand it either.”
“Yes… thank you so much. I love you.”
“Ugh…!”
Get a grip, ■■■! That's young and more fragile and kind, but he's your dad…!
“I'm really going now! You go away too, Dad!”
“Johanna and your other mothers want to say goodbye to you too…”
“I don't want to!”
■ has left.
The Singularity has also been destroyed.
We landed on a deserted hill in Fuyuki City.
I could see the completely destroyed clinic up there. How much would the repair costs be? It was a ruin that made me think of such things.
The kids are all here too.
Johanna, Morgan, Tamamo, Gilgamesh, and even Draco.
“Is it all over…?”
Johanna asks, stretching. She looks so peaceful.
“Yeah. It's probably all over.”
“Probably? It is all over, right?”
A smile came to my face seeing the clinging Johanna.
“The Holy Grail War is over. Don't you see the Holy Grail over there, fanatic.”
“Ke… Lupus~. Morgan-san is calling me a fanatic!”
“Does it look like I'm teasing you?”
Morgan is the same as before, but her expressions have become a little more varied.
“Oh? If I make a wish to the Holy Grail, can't I monopolize Father's side?”
“Not a chance, fox. That thing has already lost its magical energy.”
As Draco said, the Holy Grail was just a slightly pretty bowl.
“Then why are we able to walk around normally? There‘s no mana supply, is there?”
“We‘ve successfully incarnated. It seems we‘ve changed like this because of the ambiguity of the wish.”
“Aha~ so this is the state of being incarnated? I didn‘t know because of my independent action.”
Having fun at an amusement park - the body of a Servant finds even roller coasters boring - therefore, incarnate as a human…?
What a tremendous leap in logic. But I can't help but be grateful for the Holy Grail's judgment.
“It's not the end… but a new beginning.”
I lay down on the grassy field in a starfish position.
Then, as if on cue, everyone lay down next to me.
“What should we do from now on?”
“First, we need to give Marduk a health checkup. I even changed your vessel because I was worried you‘d die soon even in your lifetime. Though you did betray me.”
“Betrayal, what are you talking about…”
As Gilgamesh joked, Draco also joined in.
“First, my claws need to be manicured. I haven't been able to groom them for a while, so their shine has died.”
“Shine. I'll admit they're sharp.”
“The fox should stay out of it!”
“Shouldn't it be the one who's just pretending to be a daughter?!”
Tamamo and Draco are fighting again. I don't know.
Gilgamesh ran around with short steps, saying she would stop them. In reality, it was a spectator sport.
I looked at Morgan, who had taken the left side, and asked.
“Morgan. What do you want to do?”
“…I want to return to the kingdom. If possible, I want to take everyone with me.”
“Everyone means…”
“Yes. It is as you think, Cael.”
Morgan smiled faintly. As if the events of the past were repeating, the corners of her eyes became moist.
While Morgan was composing herself, I turned my head to Johanna, who hadn't said a word.
“What about you, Johanna?”
“…Do you like a daughter or a son?”
What a do—… no, it's not.
It's time to really think seriously.
Morgan is also pricking up her ears and watching closely.
“The first one is… um.”
“I would like a son. It would be nice if he resembled Cael.”
“Should I say a son too? I want to see the young Lupus!”
A son. I was about to say that, but my mouth wouldn't open easily.
Everyone seems to want a son (of course, I can't decide), but my heart is drawn to a daughter.
“Sorry. I like a daughter.”
“…She would be a good friend for Baobhan Sith. An excellent choice.”
“Me too! I thought a daughter would be nice!”
A strange competition has started.
The three who had returned from their fight at some point also joined this competition.
“My daughter would resemble me and serve Father with all her heart. I am a proven genius, after all.”
“I think the eldest daughter should have charisma. If she‘s the daughter between the war god Marduk and me, the king, a real genius will be born, not a fake one, right?”
“Puhaha! To dare to speak of charisma in front of the Roman Emperor! My victory is certain!”
Everyone's enthusiasm is flowing in a strange direction. At the end of their hot gazes was me.
“Who will have the second one?”
“Hey, fanatic. Who were you thinking of for the first one?”
“Of course, it‘s me, Your Majesty Emperor Morgan.”
“Haha. What a funny joke. So funny.”
“I wasn't trying to be funny.”
Second war start.
Late at night. I looked up at the sky, which was full of sparkling moon and stars without a single cloud.
This is the end and a new beginning.
Realistic problems come to mind.
The hospital I built with all my savings is destroyed. The expensive machines are all broken. Can I take care of all of them?
Come to think of it, it's more likely that they'll take care of me, not the other way around.
There are three kings right now. The pope is also the head of a group, so it's worth counting her as four. They'll take care of everything.
Then what I have to do is… um. I should buy a good bed.
I've finished my thoughts. I checked to see if the fight was over, but it's not over yet.
“Everyone, attention.”
As soon as I clapped my hands, everyone stopped their actions and stared at me. They're so good at cooperating at times like this.
“…I‘ve thought of a lot of things to say, but they all seem like useless rhetoric, so I'll just skip it.”
It's a little embarrassing to say it all of a sudden.
“I love you.”
…No one is saying anything.
“Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever said I love you. Haha.”
Why are you exchanging glances, Johanna, Hanna?
“I was going to let you off until tomorrow, but you've dug your own grave, Father~♥”
“Wait a minute, this is a grassy field! I'll get scratched!”
“I can do it all day.”
The adventures of the Beast of Contradiction have ended here.