CH 88

With Ko, we headed to the healing ground next to the barracks.

Perhaps because I and Artemia are there, even if there are people who show up, they’d soon go back.

And Ko didn’t care about such people.

……this trait might be similar to us.

He might look amiable, but he basically won’t let others cross his line.

It’s as if he’s building a wall with that smile.

Is that why people around them misunderstood Ko who used a different method from Rodokiaus’ way of blocking the surroundings using his aura?

I already know why we’re called here.

To protect Ko while Rodokiaus is away.

He just called us to be Ko’s escort.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t ask for our help.

──until the scent emitted by Ko is judged by others to be a “mate scent”.

It’s in our nature that we cannot resist the smell of a mate.

So it’s natural for us to think that “that mate is mine…”.

And we will do anything to get our mate.

If you are deprived of your mate, you will take them back with your life.

That’s what a person who found their mate will do.

Therefore, it’s quite natural for them to try and take away the mate-smelling Ko from Rodokiaus.

…I don’t think they can take him, but that’s how it is.

Even if you are married to someone when you find them, once you find out that you have a mate, you’ll file for divorce.

The other party will also move to divorce.

…but I don’t think Rodokiaus will do so, and they’d only be waiting for a future of being killed when they use force to steal Ko.

And, as far as I can see, Ko doesn’t seem to want to part with Rodokiaus.

He’s even fond of us and calls us “father-in-law” and “mother-in-law”.

We also don’t want to be robbed of our cute son.

That’s why I undertook this secret escort mission for Ko.

I don’t need money.

And we didn’t escort Ko for money.

For Ko, even if we’re retired, we will do our best to scatter the crowd.

It doesn’t matter how many people we kill to protect our cute son.

No one is suitable for Ko.

If they reached out to Ko, just splitting them into eight pieces is not enough.

I’ll cut them into such small pieces that you won’t even know their beast form.

“Father-in-law? What’s wrong? Rodo, face, like?” (You have a face like Rodo?)

“……Nothing.”

A worried face peeped in and stopped my dangerous thoughts.

(Even so, to have a face like Rodokiaus…)

Did I have such a murderous face?

I stroked my face unintentionally.

“Uhm, mother-in-law. Talk, want.”

“Oh? About what?”

At that time, Ko called out to Artemia.

He looked restless about it…

Is it difficult to say?

……is it something that makes you shy?

But what can you be shy about?

We don’t have many opportunities to feel that, so I’m not sure.

“Hn…uhm? Akinist, child, how long, born?” (Err, how long will an Akinist child be born?)

We lost words for a moment to those words said with a slightly red face.

“…Is there a child!?”

“We have to celebrate!”

“No!”

However, it seems that he did not have a child.

Ko, who hurriedly denied it, had a troubled face.

“…stomach, period, just want to hear.” (I just wanted to hear how long it will be in the stomach.)

Apparently, he just wanted to ask about the gestation period.

I was wondering if I could see my grandchildren while I’m still alive…

Akinists have such low fertility that they’re unlikely to be born even at the end of their lives.

This is because even with a mate, their fertility wouldn’t increase rapidly.

It’ll still go up, but it’s quite low compared to other races.

……if Ko and Rodokiaus are happy, I don’t mind if they don’t have children.

“Let’s see…is it about three months? …or maybe half a year?”

“I don’t remember in detail either.”

Neither Artemia nor I remember how long the gestation period was.

I don’t know much about what happened in such a short period.

It might be faster to ask His Majesty than us.

I think they were really looking forward to Rodokiaus’ birth.

“All countries have information about Akinists. I think His Majesty and the Chancellor will know more about it.”

“……I see.”

……do you not want to ask His Majesty?

He had a slightly troubled face.

“If you’re dissatisfied with Marihect, don’t hesitate to say it, okay?”

If Ko goes abroad, not to mention Rodokiaus, we will also move with Ko.

“Yes. ……but, now, no problem.”

But Ko just smiled.

Is he just enduring it?

Even if Ko is enduring it, I couldn’t guess it.

Rodokiaus would be the same.

A person who had never been interested in others can’t suddenly read another person.

“If there’s anything, you’ll say it, right?”

“Thank you.”

Ko said thank you with a smile.

── As usual, what a cute son.

“Father-in-law, mother-in-law, I love you.”

No, he’s cuter than anyone else.

The best in the world.

Cuter than my real son.

I don’t remember Rodokiaus smiling at us, his parents.

I’ve never even seen him smile at someone else.

It seems like he’d at least smile at his friends…

“…complaints, say, Rodo, “kill”, say. Every time, Ko, stop. Ko, complaints, want him to listen, only. Rodo, deny, want, only. …good, stop, tell for me?” (When someone complains, Rodo will say “kill”. I stop him every time. When I complain, I just want him to listen. I just want Rodo to deny it. So can you tell him to stop him for me?)

“I can’t.”

Involuntarily, I answered immediately.

I feel bad for Ko who looked up with a dissatisfied face, but only Ko can stop Rodokiaus.

Rodokiaus never stopped at our words.

If he won’t listen to Ko’s words, then it’s over.

It wouldn’t even be strange if he killed someone to protect Ko.

No one knew that it’s all thanks to Ko that I didn’t hear any rumors about that.

Considering Rodokiaus’ nature, he should have killed a few.

In fact, I heard that he tried to kill some people.

(But does Ko just want Rodokiaus to listen to his complaints…)

Somehow, he has no greed.

If Ko wants it, how to treat the other party can be decided easily.

Anyone, even if not Rodokiaus, will listen to Ko’s wishes.

Especially His Majesty.

I can imagine that if he could make Ko owe him a favor, he would raise his hand and rush over.

Wouldn’t it be better to get rid of the dissatisfaction?

“Ko, what are you dissatisfied with?”

What does Ko feel “dissatisfied” with?

──a “dissatisfaction” that you just have to listen to.

“… Ko, [God’s messenger], was said. Honorifics, used. Head, lowered. [Ko-sama], said. …… that, hate. ……lonely.” (I was called [God’s messenger]. They used honorifics. They lowered their heads. They called me [Ko-sama]. I hate that. It sounded lonely.)

In this way, I ended up seeing Ko smiling with a sad face…

“Who said that, Ko? Who made Ko look like that? Let’s erase all of them.”

*Cracks*……I found that my reason was running out.

To make my cute son sad, even death is a warm punishment.

“Better yet, let’s destroy them.”

Artemia is the same as me…no, it seems more than that.

When I got up with murderous intentions──

I couldn’t move forward.

── Me and Artemia.

“Hate! Stop it!! Please …”

There was Ko who turned his tearful eyes to us and grabbed our clothes to stop us.

Rodokiaus might have been stopped by Ko in this way.

No one can shake this hand.

“Father-in-law, mother-in-law, kill, don’t say. Destroy, don’t say…Ko, very sad. …..such a thing, I don’t want …” (Father-in-law, mother-in-law, don’t say kill. Also don’t say destroy, I will be very sad. I don’t want such a thing.)

Looking at the tearful and trembling Ko, I was in a panic.

(W-What should I do …)

I turned to Artemia, but she looked the same as me.

I was thinking of going to kill the one who made Ko sad, but now I have to commit suicide.

“I understand. I get it now so don’t cry. I won’t go to kill anymore.”

There is no choice but to do as he said.

I don’t even know how to stop others from crying.

Neither Artemia nor Rodokiaus have ever cried.

“……really?”

“It’s true. Right?”

“Yes, that’s right. We won’t go.”

Artemia nodded in a hurry to my words.

We are so vulnerable to Ko’s tears …

I can’t laugh at Rodokiaus anymore.

If he knew that we made Ko cry…

……won’t we be killed by Rodokiaus?

─ Sullivantos’ side end ─