Chapter 55 - I Hate Father
When I opened the door, I was greeted by Angelica and Ayako-chan.
"Huh? Are you alone? What happened to the other Fathers?"
How should I answer? It's obvious.
I should give an answer that doesn't place a mental burden on these two young girls.
"Those guys went on a journey."
"...What do you mean by that?"
"It seems B is heading to the northern lands, and C is heading to the southern lands."
"Eeeeh!"
"I wasn't told about this!" Angelica pouted.
"I thought it would be fun because there would be so many Fathers—!"
"They have their own things to do, things I want to do but can't. I think they're relatively happy, you know?"
"...Is it Father's dream to just leave me behind and go somewhere?"
"No, it's not that... they have desires like farming or being fishermen in the countryside. Besides, look, it would be unpleasant if three of me were all fighting over one Ange, right?"
"Actually, that is what I was hoping for."
"You're honest."
While patting Angelica's head, I stepped into the room.
I locked the door, feeling relieved to have finally reclaimed my daily life.
"I'm going to sleep now, but what about you, Ange?"
"...To tell you the truth, I've also reached my limit."
"What, were you waiting for me to come home even though you were sleepy?"
She replied with a bright smile, as if to say, "Isn't it obvious?"
Ayako-chan was also nodding beside her.
It really has to be like this.
When children look happy, it brightens my mood.
I finished changing clothes while humming a tune, then spread a blanket on the floor. I'll wrap myself in this to sleep again today.
The bed, as expected, remained offered to the two girls.
"Father, you can come over here, you know."
"I'm not going, I'm not."
Perhaps because I've been moving around all day, my eyelids feel heavy.
I feel like I could fall asleep immediately.
"Goodnight."
After uttering those words, I turned off the living room lights.
Until my consciousness faded, I reflected on my actions to check for any mistakes.
Did I miss anything?
Did I fail?
It's fine.
I made it through this time as well.
As long as Angelica doesn't cry, that is enough.
I've had my fill of things like saving the world in the other world to the point of exhaustion.
Right now, as long as the safety of my family is guaranteed, I am content.
I can feel my head becoming fuzzy as I drift into slumber.
Am I dreaming, or is this still reality?
Just as I was becoming unsure, I heard the sound of fabric sliding.
Someone was getting off the bed and crawling toward me.
When I opened my eyes in the darkness, the girl had pressed her face tightly against my chest.
"Ange?"
I wonder what she's thinking.
A sixteen-year-old daughter seeking to sleep beside her father is extremely unhealthy.
"Did you want to be spoiled? You're old enough to sleep alone."
"It's not that," Angelica whispered.
She leaned her face close to my ear and spoke in a hushed voice.
"You eliminated the other Fathers, didn't you?"
"...What?"
I could feel my body stiffen.
Why? How did she know?
What kind of blunder did I make?
As I frantically recalled my actions, Angelica spoke again.
"...Just now, a new way to use my skill popped into my head. My level went up in the middle of the night. It's strange, isn't it? Even though we haven't been fighting."
"Ah."
Damn it, I thought, clenching my fists.
"There is only one possibility. One of the Party Members defeated an incredibly powerful existence at a distance not far from me. If that's the case, it counts as fighting together, so experience points are distributed, right?"
"...Shit. I messed up."
If that's the case, there's a risk that not only Angelica but also Ayako-chan has acquired superhuman abilities.
I should have eliminated Keisuke and the others from a further distance. No, that's wrong; I should have made them commit suicide.
If I had done that, they wouldn't have gained any experience points.
"...I really am an idiot. I guess it's because I haven't received proper education."
"Please stop calling yourself an idiot."
"You can't be in a good mood when the man you like is being spoken ill of, can you?" Angelica admonished me.
"Is it also wrong to disparage myself?"
"It is."
Angelica's soft hands enveloped my clenched fists.
"Why did you kill yourself...? Why...!? There were other options, like living peacefully with the other Fathers, weren't there?"
"You shouldn't stir up society needlessly. Besides, they were in agreement. I intended to do this from the start."
"...I don't understand what you're saying...!"
"You might not understand, but that's just how a Hero is. Not just a human, but a public figure. No, a public commodity. Defeat the enemy. Protect your allies. They'll do anything for that."
"It's creepy, isn't it?" I said, acting unapologetic.
"My view on life and death is already different from yours. You don't have to understand. If you think it's disgusting, just go away and sleep."
Even in the veil of night, Angelica's eyes were sparkling.
A green light, as if seeing through everything.
"...Do you also think, Ayako-san, that one of them should have been eliminated?"
"I don't. It would be a pity for Ayako-chan to vanish. It's the same for the others who were multiplied."
"But, isn't Father a pity?"
"I don't care how I'm treated."
She's being quite confrontational, I thought as I stroked her hair.
"What's bothering you? I won, and there was no loss other than myself. And that 'myself' was an existence that wasn't in this world to begin with, so the actual damage is zero. It's a victory without complaint, isn't it?"
Tears were welling up in Angelica's eyes.
"...I finally understand. Back when I was at the temple, every time I learned about Father through books or hearsay, I thought you were selfless and devoted. That there was no other wonderful Hero like you. ...But I was wrong. Father, you simply thought that you had no value from the bottom of your heart."
"What? You finally realized?"
My life existed for Elsa from a certain point on, and since that Elsa has died, it no longer belongs to anyone.
But since Angelica is here now, I live for her.
My priority is always the precious woman close to me.
I must be too uninterested in myself.
"Just go to sleep. I don't want to talk about heavy things when I'm sleepy."
I yawned ostentatiously, trying to signal that I wanted to end the conversation.
But it had no effect at all.
Angelica snorted, and eventually, she burst into tears.
"...Please, just don't do that... I'm sorry, my way of speaking was a bit too blunt."
Angelica shook her head silently. It looked as if she was saying no.
"What am I supposed to do? What about that talk was so disagreeable to you? Look, I do truly cherish you, Ange. I won't discard you like Keisuke and the others today. I might be a rationalist regarding myself, but I'm incredibly soft on girls. I'm serious. Okay? So please, rest easy."
"...Father, you're the worst."
"...Eh?"
Dense, dense, super dense! While saying such things, Angelica used both hands to give my cheeks an Eagle Grip and pressed her lips against mine.
It was a soft, and slightly moist sensation.
"I hate Father, for treating himself so poorly."
While saying "hate, hate," she pressed her lips against mine repeatedly.
Her words and actions were completely mismatched.
"...What do you want to do?"
"Forget it. It seems even if I say it, you won't understand."
Angelica wrapped her arms around my body and hugged me with tremendous strength.
"I will definitely bear Father's child. If I don't prepare a home and tie you down, it feels like you might just vanish one day."
"...You don't mean you want to make one right now, do you?"
"Dense!"
[The Party Member, Holy Maiden Angelica's, desire to protect Keisuke Nakamoto has increased by 2000]
Desire to protect... Desire to protect?
Is she feeling such an emotion toward me right now?
"It's truly impossible... I wonder why I fell in love with such a person."
Though she said that, she had a gentle smile on her face.
Her statement and expression were inconsistent, but it seemed she had cheered up.
"...We'll start making babies right away from tomorrow... I'm reaching my limit, so I'm going to sleep..."
"Hey, are you planning to sleep here? I don't know what Ayako-chan will say."
Ange, Ange, I said, patting her cheeks.
However, whether her facial defense power had increased due to a level up, or she had truly fallen asleep, there was no response.
"...I don't get it."
Giving up, I decided to sleep clinging to Angelica today.
Her body temperature, which was high for a girl, her sweet scent, and the ferocious elasticity being crushed against my chest.
I fell into sleep while gritting my teeth against a body that was clearly intent on disrupting a man's slumber.
Moreover, she even muttered "I love Father" in her sleep.
"For an ordinary man, this is the point where his reason would fly out the window."
While I was playing with Angelica's hair, thinking, Please make it clear whether you love me or hate me, I too was invited into a dream.