Chapter 205 - Cleansing of Life, Contamination of the Soul
When I brought Chloe back to the apartment, it caused a huge commotion, as expected.
Rio, who had come home earlier, was pointedly looking away, and Angelica and Ayako-chan looked like they were about to burst into tears at any moment.
Philia, after a brief moment of shock, let out a deliberately theatrical "Auu auu aa." That was definitely her in her right mind.
Could it be that this girl actually knows Chloe?
And as for Erin, she was on the bed, licking her front paws.
It was an action that seemed perfectly harmless, like a little kitty, but looking closely, she was flexing her claws in and out. Isn't that just weapon maintenance before she scratches someone?
...Is she mad at me, or at Chloe...?
"I never imagined Lord Father was keeping this many women. The stamina of a Summoned Hero really is incredible, huh. ...Wait? Isn't that the High Priest over there?"
I gently explained to the bewildered Chloe.
"Yeah. As you've guessed, the one regressing into infancy over there is Lord High Priest Philia."
And it has nothing to do with stamina. I still haven't had physical relations with anyone.
"...I had received reports that the High Priest was defeated, but I never thought she'd been ensnared by Lord Father. For a woman of such standing and faith to fall that far, Lord Father's holy sword must be truly incredible. ...I'd love to cross blades with it."
Saying that, Chloe began staring intently at my crotch.
That exchange just exposed that this girl is conscious of me as a man.
Needless to say, Angelica was so shaken it was pitiful.
"Ha... eh...? Who is she, Father, that relatively cute black-haired ponytail girl? And wait, it's black hair again? Do you really like black hair that much, Father?"
said Angelica, revealing her black hair complex. Her usual reaction.
"...That girl, she's half, isn't she...? I guess Nakamoto-san really does prefer Western girls over Japanese ones... I just... have a little business with a kitchen knife, so I'll go get it..."
said Ayako-chan, locking onto Chloe with eyes devoid of light. It was certain that a gruesome event would occur if this continued, so I frantically restrained her from behind.
"Calm down, you two! And Rio, you know the circumstances up to a point, don't you!? Say something from your side too, please!?"
"Why do I have to follow up on your flirting with other girls? Makes no sense. I mean, I kinda get that she's from another world, but I totally don't get why you two seem so close. ...How did you manage to seduce her in that short time? At this point, it's practically a talent."
"Guh...!"
Truly, surrounded by enemies on all sides.
In this situation with no allies, there was one thing I could do.
Reveal Chloe's true identity and appeal that, since we're blood relatives, nothing untoward could possibly happen.
"Listen up, you all! Chloe is... my daughter!"
What do you mean? Rio asked back.
"She really is my daughter. Literally, this girl is my biological daughter."
Waaaaaaah! Ayako-chan burst into tears. Kicking her legs frantically, her condition deteriorated into what could only be called a state of Confusion/Delirium.
Since she's normally such a quiet girl, this is incredibly terrifying.
"...A secret child... that's... that's just not fair... it's too cruel... for another woman's egg to be used for Nakamoto-san's first child, this is just too horrible...!"
"N-No... it's not like that! She wasn't born the way you're imagining, Ayako-chan! This girl is a Homunculus!"
"A Homun...?"
While still holding Ayako-chan down, I explained Chloe's origins.
"—In short, this girl was manufactured using my semen without permission. She's not a child I made by having relations with a woman."
"...Nakamoto-san's... semen...?"
"Y-Yeah. A Homunculus is made by boiling down semen in a flask, after all. In essence, Chloe is like my sperm taking human form and walking around. She's practically my clone, right? If you think of it that way, you can forgive a lot, can't you?"
"...Nakamoto-san's, sperm... walking sperm... Now that you mention it, she does start to look delicious..."
Delicious?
Why would that kind of thought come up?
I couldn't help but feel something unsettling, but since she seemed to have calmed down for the time being, I let go of Ayako-chan.
"Well, if they're real parent and child, it can't be helped. ...I know well enough the pain of being separated from your real father."
Given those circumstances, it's unavoidable, Rio seemed to accept as well. Kids from single-mother households are quick on the uptake, which is a lifesaver.
My relief was short-lived, as I then noticed the light had vanished from Angelica's eyes.
"That can't be... if they're real parent and child, then incestuous sex is possible, isn't it... isn't that the best kind... this is no good... Chloe-san is the girl who mustn't get closest to Father the most...!"
"Please, just come to your senses for one second. I have zero interest in incest."
"I'm interested, though."
"Why did you say something unnecessary!?"
I covered Chloe's mouth, and while she was making a fuss, the time reached eleven at night.
The digital display was back to normal, a blessing. I could also use the time as an excuse to escape.
Saying it was late and I was going to take a bath, I forcibly ended the conversation and headed to the changing room.
After all, I was covered in blood from being pierced by Chloe's Light Sword. I threw my tattered clothes in the trash and decided to clean my body quickly.
"Phew."
It seemed Angelica and the others had finished bathing earlier, as the bathtub was already filled with hot water.
A few strands of hair were floating in it. Which part of those girls did this hair come from?
Silently, I scooped up a golden curly hair and threw it into the drain.
The black curly hair tangled around my fingers excessively, and it was scary, as if Ayako-chan's tenacity was dwelling even in her shed hair.
Incidentally, you might ask, there are two black-haired girls in this house, so how could I identify it specifically as Ayako-chan's under hair? But there's a very simple reason.
I had completely shaved off Rio's pubic hair.
She had also started doing something like talent activities, so she begged me to take care of it, as there might be a swimsuit photoshoot someday.
Well, since she and I are currently engaged, it's legal to apply a razor to her delicate zones.
So that's a matter I can lightly gloss over... Hm, this long silver hair must be Philia's head hair.
"Damn it, how many strands are floating in here? Bathwater after several women have been in it is grotesque."
It looks like some weird broth is seeping out.
A guy with a fetish for this sort of thing might be happy, but unfortunately, women's shed hair is completely outside my area of interest, so I just felt like, "This is gross."
"...There's no end to this."
Enough. It's getting cold, so I'll just wash my body quickly.
If I use the water in the tub to splash and rinse my body, I'll probably scoop up a bunch of their shed hair too.
Repeating "Cold, cold," I squeezed out some body soap into my left hand.
Then, from behind, a voice called out, "Could you spare some of that for me?"
Over my shoulder, a girl's white hand reached out. I shared the body soap lather with those slender fingertips.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
...
The hand that smoothly retreated had bloodstains on it.
Meaning, it was the hand of the girl who had been fighting alongside me just moments ago.
It was Chloe.
"Y-You... what are you thinking?"
"Hm? In this country, it's normal for parent and child to bathe together, right?"
"I don't bathe with a daughter who's grown up to fifteen!? You... aren't Angelica and the others going berserk right about now!?"
"No, for some reason, they were convinced about that. They said it's practically a duty for a biological father to wash his daughter's body, so it can't be helped."
"What... did they...?"
"It's part of the duty of support, after all, that person called Ayako was also nodding along."
"What about Rio... what did Rio say?"
"She said thoughtfully, 'If a girl doesn't get her body washed by her real father regularly, she'll go bad. It can't be helped.'"
"What was Philia's reaction?"
"She was saying some nonsense like, 'Auu, Lord Father.'"
"What about Erin..."
"You named that cat Erin?"
The girl's soft hand touched my back.
"Lord Father... please forgive my many discourtesies. As atonement, however small, I, Chloe, intend to cleanse Lord Father using my own body."
"Stop it, I'll get dirtier instead! My body might become clean, but my heart and career will be tainted!"
"Is my body impure, Lord Father?"
"That's not what I meant, don't suddenly look like you're about to cry, you... wait, stop! Any more than this is really—"
And so.
I ended up going through the bizarre event of washing each other with the girl I had been crossing swords with just moments ago.