Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou

Machine World Arc He Would Do That if It Was Him

.

Magnificent cross counter exploded.

The two girls’ soft cheeks warped *munii*, however, Listy was the only one who stumbled.

「Fuhn」

「Tsk」

Now that five years had passed, Listy should be around ten years counting from her age at that time. She was even older than Myuu whose actual age was seven years old from training inside Hour Crystal.

The difference in body builds that formed from three years of childhood was big. It should be even more striking with girl who had fast growth but……

As expected, perhaps the malnutrition when she was small was effecting her. Listy’s height was around the same with Myuu, and her frame was far thinner than Myuu. Those factors seemed to create difference in strength that was hard to compensate.

「Although we both already knew that this moment was coming……Myuu will praise you for meeting Myuu’s fist that has been trained by Shia-oneechan nano.」

「Arrogant bragging? That’s a fucking nice personality you got there.」

Myuu folded her arms with an imposing pose. A fearless smile was tugging her lips. Listy roughly wiped her lips while talking back in annoyance.

Her very vulgar language that was unlike her in the past made Hajime’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.

That cross counter, her appearance. Listy right now looked very different from five years ago.

Did she cut her bob cut chestnut hair by herself? Her front bang was uneven with one of her eyes hidden behind the bang, however, the sharpness of her gaze was clear from a glance.

Even though Jasper and the others were wearing tidy attire with white base color, Listy alone was wearing tank top & cargo pants with oil stains visible here and there. Coupled with the small scratches that could be seen on her skin here and there, it made her looked completely like a punk girl from the slum.

Normally she should be a shy kid of few word, with limited expression that even her brothers and sisters called her 「robot face」 but……

When it was something that involved Hajime, it was like she lost her timidity, like she showed an excessively aggressive side of her to the open. But even taking that into account, this rough kid atmosphere of her, it was just dreadful.

In addition, her teeth were slightly jagged. Perhaps she had gotten the habit of grinding her teeth? It seemed that the inside of her mouth got cut because of that and she naturally spat out *peh*──

Just when she was on the verge of doing that, it seemed she remembered that they were indoor from looking at the clean floor and aborted it with much effort.

Her mouth mumbled squirmingly. Her gaze also moved to left and right.

Myuu was also restlessly glancing around. Her folded arms unfolded and started groping inside her pockets, searching for something that could be spat into……

Hajime & co and Jasper & co who were dumbfounded and speechless by the sudden violence of the two girls all came back to their senses. Their expressions unconsciously relaxed with relieve seeing the two exuding a somewhat “good girl” aura.

Meanwhile, Listy was looking a bit embarrassed like an elementary school boy who failed to act cool while swallowing the blood and saliva inside her mouth. Myuu who was about to take out her handkerchief quickly put it back inside her pocket again with the atmosphere like 「Ah, so you don’t need it huh I see」.

But right after that, a beat passed. It looked like the two of them pulled themselves together and the dangerous atmosphere returned.

To the adults they now only looked like cats hissing at each other so they didn’t get swallowed by the atmosphere, but for the time being they watched over the two.

Myuu and Listy were glaring at each other. It was truly a touch and go atmosphere that could explode anytime.

「Myuu nano.」

「Listy.」

Was giving name a type of war proclamation? Myuu unfolded her folded arms once more. Listy also clenched her fist.

Like that, a fight to the bitter end was going to begin once more──As expected this has to be stopped! Such gaze shot at Hajime from Aiko and Yuuka. Mindy and others were also giving similar gaze at Jasper.

Right after that.

「Than later.」

「Just wash your neck and wait.」

「「「「「EH!?」」」」」

Somehow Myuu normally turned herr back on Listy and returned. Listy also didn’t give chase. She was quietly seeing her off with a composed atmosphere.

「No, aren’t you two gonna fight!?」

「Eh? You two are stopping there!?」

It was too anticlimax that Ryuutarou and Jasper reflexively gave tsukkomi. Everyone must be feeling the same. Even Atsushi and co were nodding in agreement.

Myuu looked at such Ryuutarou with a puzzled expression. But after that, she was looking at him dubiously, like she was looking at someone troublesome.

Ryuutarou-kun felt extremely vexed. A girl who silently exchanged blow with someone who she had just met for the first time immediately after seeing each other, was looking at him like he was the person who lacked common sense here. He wanted to scream that there was no reason for him to be looked like that.

It was a very sound reasoning.

「Ryuutarou-oniisan, that might be the case if there’s only Myuu and Listy here, but we won’t ignore everyone else and fight when we haven’t even given greeting nano. That would be rude. There should be a limit even in not reading the mood nano.」

It was a completely sound reasoning.

「Don’t hit me with sound reasoning out of nowhere like that. That’s the thing that I’m the worst at.」

Ryuutarou’s expression turned heavily depressed from how much he was unable to accept it. Meanwhile Jasper also got stabbed by the exasperated face from his youngest sister.

「……Big bro, think logically.」

「I don’t want to be told that by you though!?」

It was just as Jasper-san said. He didn’t want to hear that especially from the two who had kicked away logic to the curb.

「Jasper-san and everyone and papa too must want to celebrate this reunion. Yue-oneechan and everyone also want to give greeting right?」

「Well, that’s true.」

「……Nn, well」

Hajime and Yue looked at each other. Their expressions were similar to Jasper. What these two said were right but, it felt like something was wrong……they had that kind of expression. Shia and others also looked the same.

「Ah, also Ryuutarou-oniisan」

「O-ou? What?」

「Don’t be mistaken nano. It’s not a fight. What we’re going to do is a duel nano.」

That seemed to be an important point. Myuu’s expression was extremely serious. She must want to emphasize that this wasn’t something that they were doing impulsively or with a casual feeling.

Or rather,

「No, so you two are fighting in the end huh.」

「It is our fate nano.」

「I don’t know anymore……」

Even my tsukkomi can’t keep up anymore……Ryuutarou felt in dejection. 「It’s fine. We also don’t get it」 Atsushi and Noboru spoke kindly to him like that. They even patted his back kindly.

Meanwhile, Listy too was adding to Myuu’s words as though she was talking common sense to her family who looked like they couldn’t find anything to say.

「A duel need a suitable preparation and place. Big bro, you get it right?」

「No, I don’t get it though?」

「Tsk」

「O-oi, Listy! How many times I’ve told you stop tsking like that……」

Even Mindy-san’s scolding felt like it didn’t enter her ear at all. Even though these two were only exchanging blow and giving self-introduction, furthermore even though it was their first meeting, just what in the world with this atmosphere of complete understanding that these two had?

「No wait, then why did you two punch each other?」

Suzu took the place of his boyfriend who was being struck dumb from what Myuu pointed out and asked her question hesitantly. If just now wasn’t a fight──or rather a duel, why did they punch each other? It was an appropriate question.

Next Remia-okaasan spoke with a slightly angry expression, followed by Kaori who looked troubled.

「Myuu, even if you felt reservation about the matter of papa, shouldn’t you first talk it out with her? Usually that’s what you would do right?」

「Isn’t this a little not like you Myuu-chan? There is a better way than this I think?」

At the other side, Listy too was getting scolded 「Even though you can finally reunite with demon king-niichan, you punched his daughter……just what the hell are you doing!」 by an older boy. A girl who was slightly older than Listy also yelled at her 「What’re you going to do if you get hated!」 tearfully.

Mindy too was admonishing her 「Come on, let’s apologize? Okay? Listy」.

In respond to them, Myuu made an exasperated pose as though she wanted to say 「Good grief, why can’t everyone understand something so obvious」, while Listy looked displeased as though she wanted to say 「Why do I even have to explain something this simple」. The two then declared.

「It’s just a greeting nano.」

「It’s just a greeting right.」

Apparently it was something like that.

H-humm~……The boys including Hajime smiled wryly looking like they could somewhat get it. Only Shia was nodding in understanding 「I see desu」, but Yue and the others looked very conflicted.

The difference between the two groups, perhaps it depended on whether they had understanding about greeting or communication by exchanging fist, which was to say, whether they had read that kind of manga or not.

Though apparently it was something that was outside the understanding of Jasper and the others. 「It’s getting harder to understand our youngest child each year……」 Jasper whispered with a faraway gaze. The other children were also whispering with low voices 「As I thought Listy is scaryyy」「She always snapped right away at anyone she doesn’t like……」「Now I get it why she’s called “Junk Mountain’s Mad Dog Listy” yeah……」.

「Myuu, don’t do that kind of greeting anymore, okay?」

「Listy, why did you think punching is greeting? You mustn’t do that anymore you know? Okay?」

Remia mama and big sis Mindy tried to admonish their respective daughter even while feeling at their wits’ end but……

Myuu and Listy’s reply harmonized beautifully again.

「Papa would do that if it was him.」

「Otou-san would do that if it was him.」

They’re perfectly in sync even though they’re at odd with each other huh!……everyone thought so but, putting that aside.

Those were words that felt like would be said ** years after a certain hero died. Even though these were also words that were said because the people saying it looked up to that person of the past, unlike with that hero it was hard to say that these were wise words in this case. That point really gave a complicated feeling.

But, when the demon king interacted with the hero of this world, both sides would immediately get violently at each other, to a degree that gave a certain abyss lord constant stomachache, so the two girls also weren’t necessarily mistaken.

Especially when bullets and slashes flew around as though acting as greeting, so it made everyone even more unable to say anything. With that thought everyone’s gaze wandered toward Hajime-otousan.

The gazes of Yue and co moved toward Hajime all at once. Those were lukewarm gazes, or gazes asking whether it was alright for the papa to be like that.

Jasper and co naturally also showered him with their gazes. 「As expected, whether it’s her way of speaking, or her usual way of acting, it’s boss’s influence that changed her」 The gazes seemed to say with conflicted feeling.

And so, Hajime papa,

「……Sorry for being a bad papa who can’t educate his children……」

Whispered like that while slowly pressing his hands on his face.

Myuu ignored such Hajime papa and her eyes glinted. It seemed that she had heard a statement that she couldn’t disregard.

「Who said that you’re allowed to use “Otou-san” nano? Myuu hasn’t allowed it though?」

「Fuhn, who cares about permission from someone like you.」

「Myuu thought that you had gotten a bit calmer at least but, is your blood rushing into you head again nano? Should Myuu give one more greeting? Nano」

「……Tsk」

Listy looked aside bitterly.

「Aa…… 」Understanding floated on the expressions of Yue and others. The “greeting with fist” must also be genuine. But, Myuu had one more objective in doing that.

It was to make Listy whose mental state wasn’t stable no matter how they looked at it to regain her calm.

Who knew what would slip out from her mouth due to her seething heart and boiling mind. So as to not waste this long-awaited reunion to devolve into something undesirable, so that Listy would be able to express her feeling correctly at the very least……

Thinking like that, Myuu cut in before Hajime could say anything. Surely.

Looking at how Listy was acting, they could see that apparently she too understood Myuu’s intention. They could also see that Myuu’s concern was right.

The gazes of Yue and co including Remia became exceptionally soft. As expected, Myuu was Myuu.

「My my, I’m sorry Myuu. So you did that because you were thinking of Listy didn’t you?」

「……It’s not wrong that Myuu can’t stomach her nano.」

「But, it’s also true that you did it so we can have proper talk right?」

Kaori chuckled. Myuu’s face slightly reddened and she looked aside. Her atmosphere and gesture were identical with Listy who was been looking aside this whole time.

It’s like they’re sisters……Yuuka and co thought with warming feeling.

「……Myuu……understand her feeling nano. Papa is too papa, so if she get papa-ed during difficult and painful time, of course she would want to call him papa nano.」

「Isn’t that too many papa words?」

Shia reflexively made a tsukkomi by the usage of papa like there was a big sale, but her eyes were squinted with nostalgia and gentleness. As someone who knew Myuu the closest from when they first ran into her, she was able to understand Myuu’s feeling very well.

Most likely Myuu was seeing herself from Listy.

They weren’t completely the same but, the encounter amidst hardship, the unconditional acceptance and warmth that were definitely conveyed despite the curtness on the surface, and the protection of overwhelming strength that granted complete relief 「This person’s side is the safest place in the world」. Those were the same.

Perhaps, ever since Myuu watched for the first time the recording video from Etemp and Netemp, it might be her who understood Listy’s feeling the best.

「I see. Certainly, mayhaps the circumstance of the two art similar.」

「In other words, this is mostly Hajime-san’s fault.」

「Isn’t that unfair?」

Hajime objected with a sign against Liliana’s teasing gaze. But, he immediately shook his head 「No」 with a bitter smile.

「Certainly I’m at fault here.」

He muttered like that self-depreciatingly and ran his gaze over Yue and others. In respond they shrugged, or smiled wryly. Either way, they showed understanding and fine with putting off their introduction for later.

When he next turned his gaze toward Jasper and co, they gave a nod back with grateful gaze as though to say that was what they wanted instead.

A second passed,

「Listy」

Hajime called her name. Listy who was keeping her gaze averted jerked. Her thin shoulders trembled.

Hajime quietly walked toward her.

「First let me apologize. Even though I said that I’ll come to meet you, that I’ll show you my family and world, I took a really long time until now. I’m really sorry.」

Hajime got on his knee beside Listy. However, Listy wouldn’t meet his eyes.

G10 had also told Jasper about the reason why Hajime was so late and in turn Jasper had told everyone. Listy understood that the situation was unexpected even for Hajime and it was something that couldn’t be helped.

Then, you should just say that──Listy thought.

If he talked to her like this, as though it would be fine even if she got angry at him unreasonably, that he would accept it……

The turbulent emotion that she had pushed down with much effort, would boil up again.

That was why, she bit her lip strongly.

This person was always calm to a degree that could even be described as cold-hearted. She didn’t want to show herself as a kid throwing tantrum to him. What she wanted to show to him was how she had grown up after all this time.

And yet,

「You’ve gotten bigger. G10 has told me a little. She said that you’re contributing a lot to Coltran’s development? Looks like you’re quite an inventor over here. That’s amazing.」

Because he said such thing, the words that she had been hoping for, as though it was nothing.

Aa, he’s still the same……she thought. For some reason she felt like crying uncontrollably.

「But……you’re going to say that you aren’t my father right?」

Hajime looked slightly surprised, but, his expression immediately turned calm. He gaze at Listy straightforwardly, gently, but seriously.

「If I’m going to call myself a father, I gotta put my children as my top priority. But, I prioritize Myuu over you. That’s why, I can’t be your father.」

Those were words without any sugarcoating. It could even be said as cruel for such words to be said to a child. Slight wrinkles formed between Jasper and Mindy’s eyebrows. The other children also looked like they wanted to say something.

While Yue and others were quietly watching over them, Listy finally turned her face toward Hajime.

「I know. Otou──you’re, that kind of person.」

She talked with a male manner of talking that she had naturally imitated before anyone knew it due to the respect and admiration that she harbored. But, her expression that was a mix of joy and sorrow was one that belonged to a small girl.

Aiko and Yuuka, also Nana and the others were unconsciously grasping their chest tightly from that smile that made them felt their chest tightened. Ryuutarou was about to take a step forward looking like he wanted to say something, but Suzu stopped him.

She slightly shook her head and glanced at Myuu at the side. Looking at Myuu who was quietly watching over the two, Ryuutarou nodded thinking that certainly this wasn’t the time and place for him to butt in. Atsushi and others who were similarly about to open their mouths also hurriedly shut up.

「I’m not the little me who didn’t know anything anymore. I can always remember my memory with you clearly. Whether it was you telling me that you aren’t my father, and also you looking really troubled when I still called you Otou-san after that, I remember……」(TN: Listy used “ore” when referring to herself)

The words trickled out bit by bit, resounding inside the tidy room that was different from that time.

「That was why, when I heard from G10 that she lost contact, and it continued for years……I doubted.」

「Doubted what?」

「That you already forgot someone like me because you have an actual daughter. That you already tossed away something like a promise with a brat that got attached to you on her own.」

「……Five years, is a long time that it can’t be helped even if you think like that. You even resented me weren’t you?」

「That’s right-」

Listy roughly wiped the tear that almost trickled down and glared at Hajime. But, that glare quickly crumbled powerlessly.

「It was infuriating-. I was resentful-. I though that if you’re going to abandon me anyway, then why did you act kind!」

「Yeah……I didn’t read the mood, should act firmer──」

「Wrong! That’s not what I wanna say! I told you! I remember, everything!」

Everything the girl felt reverberated electrifyingly. Inside the neat living room that was completely different from that time, the child who was said to be untalkative and really expressionless since the past even by her siblings, the child who was surely still like that even now was speaking her feeling emotionally.

「The feeling of relieve when seeing you for the first time, also your gentle gaze that didn’t change even when a dirty brat approached you, also your warm hand that patted my head without caring of the filth, all-, all of them……I remember them……」

That was why, no matter how sad, no matter how infuriating, no matter how resentful she was, it wouldn’t vanish no matter what. Her feeling that loved Hajime dearly as father.

「That’s why, that’s why-…………」

Finally the tear couldn’t be held back anymore and flooded out. Perhaps she didn’t want her face that twisted emotionally to be seen, because Listy covered her face with both her hands. Even so she said it. The thing that she wanted to convey the most.

「I’m happy we can meet again-. Dammit-, even though I want to yell at you for coming this late──I’m just so happyyy-」

Sobbing echoed inside the room. Tears were dripping down one after another from between the fingers that were covering her face.

The figure of the girl who was saturated by various emotions that overflowed out made the heart of everyone watching to be struck. Not only Yue and co, even Jasper and co were made to realize that she were still underestimating the length of the feeling of Listy who loved Hajime dearly as a father. How she looked right now was more enough to tell them that.

Of course, it was also the same for Hajime.

「Listy……」

「I get it. Even if, I win against your daughter I won’t be able to take her place. I know that.」

If he was the kind of person who would abandon his daughter like that, she wouldn’t look up to him as a father from the start. Most of all, despite yelling 「Hand over that seat」 to Myuu, actually she wasn’t even wishing for something like that.

「I don’t really want anything. Just, if I can say that there’s this amazing person who let me call him father in a world far away with my head held high, then that’s enough……surely, I can still get stronger. I’ll be able, to live strongly in this world……」

That was, the feeling that Listy arrived at in these five years. That was why, she couldn’t help but wish.

「Let me, call you Otou-san. ……please」

Polite word that sounded like it was attached as afterthought. Perhaps it was Listy’s own way to express her sincerity.

She put down her hands that were hiding her face and stared straight at Hajime. Both her hands were tightly grasping her trouser as though she was enduring something. She looked, really small.

Jasper and co moved their gazes to Hajime while holding their breath. Yue and others……they were looking at Hajime like they had somehow guessed the development after this, as though they were looking at a hopeless person.

Hajime who had been quietly listening to Listy’s wholehearted feeling stayed still for a beat before looking back at Yue and others over his shoulder. Seeing his expression, Look just as expected, smiles formed on the faces of Yue and others. The meaning of their smiles were clear.

Hajime’s expression also loosened, and then his gaze moved toward Myuu last──

「Foools. The answer is obviously No. Nano」

「「「「「!!!?」」」」」

Extremely scathing words flew like a blazing fastball! Hajime papa was unconsciously shaken up. 「M-Myuu?」 Even his voice shook.

Because, Myuu who was spitting out such scathing words were also wearing an absurdly scathing glare! Papa is shocked!!

Yue and others also moved their gazes toward Myuu all at once. They were showing shocked faces toward Myuu who was radiating an ill-bred atmosphere. Was that side of hers being drawn out from Listy’s presence?

「M-my my, Myuu? How can you say that to papa──ah, it’s not to papa isn’t it……」

Naturally Remia mama’s shock was even more horrible. She almost fainted seeing her beloved daughter not only ignoring the mood but actively smashing it apart, however she somehow held out.

And then, she noticed. From Myuu’s gaze, those words weren’t for Hajime,

「I’m not asking you bitch」

But were directed toward Listy.

Even Listy-chan’s tears instantly withdrew and she threw a rude word as vein pulsed angrily on her forehead. This one too was making a fiendish face that a girl must never make.

「Myuu already said it just now nano. Myuu still hasn’t allowed you to call him Otou-san. It doesn’t matter whether papa recognize you as daughter or not nano.」

「Eh, no, that’s what matter the most isn’t it?」

Yuuka reflexively made a tsukkomi, but Myuu sent her a sharp glare and Yuuka weakly apologized 「!? S-sorry……forgive me……」 while backing away in dejection.

Nana and others thought, You can’t say anything about Nagumo-chi like that. Yuuka-chi is also total weakling……. Though they also thought that it couldn’t be helped. After all that was just how much Myuu right now was overflowing with pressure.

「Doesn’t, matter?」

「Fuh, good of you to ask nano. Papa absolutely won’t do anything that’ll make Myuu sad! Not just about replacing Myuu, papa also won’t get more daughter if Myuu say that Myuu absolutely don’t want that nano!」

「That’s──that is so isn’t it.」

No, you two have understanding there? Atsushi and others thought, but it would be scary if Myuu-chan glared at them so they quietly shut their mouth.

Myuu stomped forward once more. Remia mama unconsciously reached her hand forward. Perhaps she was feeling that her daughter was going to somewhere unknown far away.

However, Myuu didn’t stop. The hand Remia mama held out didn’t reach her. Kaori gently smiled while wrapping her hands on Remia’s hand.

「In short」

「……」

The two girls faced each other once more. The daddy who was on his knee at the side looked extremely out of place being there.

He must have never even imagined that Myuu would reject Listy through this flow of event. Myuu was someone who was far more considerate with other people than Hajime. Just how many things he would have rejected and discarded away if Myuu wasn’t there with him?

It was unexpected for their positions to be reversed after coming here. He knitted his eyebrows and sent a gaze toward Yue and others 「What to do……」 asking for their help but……

Yue and others quietly averted their gazes. No, it’s impossible. It’s boorish to speak up in this battle……they seemed to have such atmosphere.

It was no wonder. There was no denying that Myuu’s feeling was important in this matter.

Even while that was going on, Myuu pushed her arm forward and made a thumb up. And then, she pointed that thumb on her own chest sharply, with an adroit movement.

「If you want to be recognized as papa’s daughter, step over Myuu’s corpse first!! Nano!!」

「No, no death is allowed here!」

Mindy-san also reflexively made a tsukkomi. But then Myuu courteously bowed to her while saying 「Ah, nice to meet you, Myuu’s name is Myuu」 normally. Mindy-san greeted back 「It feels like my mind will go mad from how the mood turn up and down like crazy-. But nice to meet you!」. It looked like she had quite the talent for tsukkomi.

「I see. So that’s you want from the duel. To make you accept it. That I’m worthy to be Otou-san’s daughter.」

「That is so nano.」

「So they get each other from that huh……」

Shizuku laughed dryly wondering if perhaps their understanding level with each other wasn’t too high. Then she turned her gaze to the side.

「Even though they’re like cats and dogs, they’re completely on the same wavelength aren’t they?」

「……Nn, mysterious.」

Kaori and Yue said those. Shizuku’s dry smile became even drier.

Then Yue who was one half of those duo with such faint self-awareness got hit by the sparks that spilled over. It caught her off guard.

「Myuu will wait until you finish your preparation nano. Anytime, anywhere, as many times as you like, this demon king’s beloved daughter Myuu will──no, this first daughter Myuu will take you on just like how the first wife would do it! Nano!」

「……Nn!? That line──」

「After all, papa’s first wife Yue-oneechan would do that if it was her!」

「Nnn-!?」

「I see……that pretty person there……is the one who might become my mother!」

「NNNN-!?!?」

The faces of the two girls rotated toward her. One was looking at her proudly with her head held high 「Myuu did it nano! Yue-oneechan!」 as though she wanted to be praised. The other one was saying 「I-I’m Listy. Desu. Nice to meet you……desu」 fidgetily while doing her best to give a greeting with polite tone that she wasn’t used to say.

First wife-sama couldn’t hide her turmoil! She felt like a batter who was suddenly faced with a curve ball that came flying in breakneck speed. I don’t know how to react in this kind of situation……her gaze moved left and right as though to say that.

「Certainly, Myuu might be standing in a similar position. In fact, Yue also hath said the same thing to us.」

「Right desuu. Hajime-san too absolutely won’t take more wife as long as Yue-san doesn’t accept it after all.」

「I-it’s really something that Myuu-chan has inherited in various meaning isn’t it. ……Remia-san, are you okay?」

「So my child has been rapidly progressing forward like this……ufufu……」

Aiko nonchalantly casted “Soul Repose” and it seemed that Remia-okaasan too had finally accepted the reality. She wondered whether she should feel happy or lonely by her daughter’s growth (?). No, she couldn’t push aside the feeling that something felt wrong here.

In any case, when it came to Yue who was now standing on the firing line,

「……M-Myuu, w-well said. There is nothing else that I can teach you. Follow your own path! And, Listy. Show me how you will overcome this trial magnificently!」

For some reason she was acting like an old master from too much turmoil. *Buho-* Laughter burst out from Kaori and she crouched while holding her stomach. It seemed that it really hit her spot. Shia and others were also looking aside while trembling.

Yue’s face was turning red so mu~~ch. It looked like even she herself was thinking 「That came out wrong」. The words 「If there’s a hole than I want to bury myself there」 was written on her face.

But, it seemed that those words she said were just the words that Myuu and Listy wanted.

「Yes! Nano」

「Ou-. Desu-」

Both of their expressions brightened like sun and replied energetically, just like sisters.

Listy turned back toward Hajime who was quietly watching over how things progressed. Her gaze was blazing.

「I want you to watch. I’ll definitely make this gal──Myuu accept. And then, if Myuu say that she’s okay with it after that……I want you to let me call you “Otou-san”. Desu」

This time Myuu also didn’t say anything. She folded her arms while quietly staring at Hajime.

She had said what she wanted to say. She must be leaving the rest of the decision to Hajime.

Hajime would take Myuu’s feeling into account to the greatest degree. That was exactly why, if it was a decision made by such Hajime, she could accept it even if that decision wasn’t in line with what she wanted. That must be Myuu’s stance.

Hajime smiled wryly even while he nodded back at Myuu before turning his gaze to Listy once more.

Nervousness and anxiety that couldn’t be fully hidden were radiating from her. Even so she stared still at him with eyes that were shining with fighting spirit. He silently opened his mouth while staring into those eyes.

「I told you just now right? I’ll prioritize Myuu no matter what.」

Listy tightened her lips strongly. Even so she nodded firmly.

「We have plan for Myuu’s little brother and sister to be born too before long.」

「! Is, that so……? Err, congrats?」

「Haha, thanks. It’s still a bit too early to say that though.」

As expected she was a good kid. The fact that children who would be prioritized higher than her were going to increase was pushed on her, even so she was able to immediately wished him luck. It was something that even adult couldn’t do easily.

「Even so, do you still want to think of me as father?」

「Yeah.」

It was an instant answer without any hesitation or wavering. Her gaze was also still straightforward. Hajime looked troubled, but he nodded 「I see……」 with an expression that contained determination somewhere in it as expected.

「Just to tell you, Myuu is strong you know? Just imagine that it’ll be as hard as defeating Mother to make her recognize you. Even so will you do it?」

「I want to be a daughter of someone who defeated that Mother. Rather, I won’t get fired up if it’s not at least that hard. Bring it on.」

「……Good grief, your belligerence still hasn’t changed at all.」

Was she imitating Hajime? Listy was sporting a fearless smile. So Hajime’s eyes crinkled in smile and he plopped his hand on her head.

Ah, Listy muttered. The nostalgic touch made her fearless smile crumbled instantly and her mouth started mumbling wordlessly.

The way she narrowed her eyes pleasantly when her head was gently patted resembled an affectionate stray cat that purred when being patted by someone it trusted when it was usually ferocious.

Hajime narrowed his eyes seeing Listy like that and said.

「Then, have a go at it.」

If you can make my prided daughter accept you, then I’ll also accept you. That unspokenly conveyed answer made Listy’s wavering and loose expression brightened sunnily.

「Yeah-」

Even though she was overflowing with punk girl aura, her smile was truly pure like an innocent girl.

Jasper and others who were watching over them while holding their breath relaxed with a relieved sigh and their expressions broke into smiles. There were even brothers and sisters who got moved to tears saying, Good for you.

「Fuh, don’t think that you’ll get easily accepted, nano. Even Shia-oneechan continued to do her best even with all the rough treatments that would make other watching it cry and finally got accepted when their journey reached the endgame nano. That was what Yue-oneechan did. That’s why, Myuu will also do so nano.」

「……U-umm, Myuu? How about lowering the hurdle a bit more?」

「Yue-san……those words, can I ask you say it to your past self?」

Seeing such exchange between Myuu and Yue & Shia made the atmosphere of Yuuka and co to also greatly relax. Kaori and others who knew about the hardship of getting accepted by Yue whispered 「Yeah reallyy~」 even while sending supportive gazes at Listy.

「I don’t really get it but, I won’t give up. I’ll absolutely make Otou──ah, err……how should I call you until I get accepted?」

It seemed that Listy would sincerely refrain from calling him Otou-san until she made Myuu accepted her. She stared at Hajime with an upward gaze and troubled expression.

「You can call me anything you like.」

「………Theeen…………something like Oyabun?」 (TN: Oyabun=crime syndicate boss)

「Not that.」

Listy must wished to call him like that in the nuance like big brother and little sister with no blood relationship, but if it was combined with Listy’s rough manner and Hajime’s absolutely not peaceful aura, the title would sound like it had negative connotation.

And so, Hajime-oyabun swiftly rejected it. Even though you said I can call you anything I like……Listy thought with a frown.

「What about chief?」

「No.」

「E-ee, then……Ojiki?」(TN: Uncle, but this way of calling also sometimes got used by yakuza)

「I’m not your uncle, and why’re you keep choosing that type of name……at the very least, can’t you call me Aniki or something?」

「Aniki(Jasper) is over there. That’ll get confusing. ……What about, Ani-san?」

「Aa, hm, well, that’s fine.」

The provisional Ani-san nodded with a complex expression.

Listy grinned a fearless smile that showed her jagged teeth while looking at Myuu. Her eyes were blazing with determination that declared she would return to call him “Otou-san” again soon. Muyu too was grinning fearlessly back.

In the end, the matter of calling Hajime father and Hajime accepting her as daughter got postponed, but now acceptance could be seen from Listy’s smile.

Whether it was Myuu or Listy, from the start they must have been perceiving each other as existence that was impossible to ignore no matter what. That it would be impossible to advance forward without acceptance from both sides.

(Her strength of heart amidst adversity is at Myuu’s level. I thought that they might become good friends but……with this won’t they really become something like rivals?)

He thought that it was fine if that happened. From the start he was considering to have family-wide association with Jasper family depending on Listy, but it seemed that this relationship would really become a long one.

The connection between Jasper family and Hajime and co would have to be kept secret in Coltran, but Hajime had prepared various artifacts in anticipation for that. It was great that the preparation wouldn’t be wasted.

「A duel to understand and accept each other. Surely, the two will clash many times from here on! Myuu-chan and also Listy-chan too, these two have quite the burning souls in them. This kind of development is my favorite desu-」

「Shia-oneechan would do that if it was her! Is that what goes through her mind? Looks like Shia-san’s influence also played a large part here isn’t it……」

Shia’s fist punched her palm while her eyes were blazing sharply. Liliana sent her a glance and guessed where the influence that affected Myuu’s way of acceptance came from.

「Eh? But Listy. You know, when that kid said “step over my corpse”, you made a face as though you only understood the reason for the duel at that moment didn’t you?」

Jasper who had been gauging the timing to speak up when it looked like the situation had reached a good stopping point, he spoke up the question that suddenly passed inside his mind.

Certainly, Listy said 「I see」 when Myuu told her that. In other words, she had the intention to get into duel, but it wasn’t to have Myuu accept her.

「Oi, don’t tell me, you weren’t planning anything strange right? If something happen to boss’s daughter──」

「Not really. There isn’t that much difference.」

Listy picked up the apron that she tossed away at the beginning. She also picked up Myuu’s cardigan and threw it at her while saying.

「After all it’s over when the other side look down on you.」

As expected isn’t her way of thinking too disturbing? The expression of Yuuka and others were twitching even more than Jasper and others.

It wasn’t about winning or losing. It was belligerence that practiced no retreat, no negotiation, and no regret for real. Even though she was still ten years old, should she be applaused “Bravo!” for it, or should she be scolded to be more prudent?

「Besides──」

Listy wore back her manufacturing work apron while glancing at Hajime. Her face that defaulted to surliness turned into bright smile as expected.

「Punch first if there’s anyone you can’t stomach! Otou──Ani-san would do that if it was him!」

That’s exactly what he did with mister hero! Listy-chan said confidently while looking like she had slightly returned to her childlike innocence.

That time was short but deep. Apparently what Listy had learned from Hajime during that time was also something she greatly treasured.

「Hajime-kun……where’s this so called figure of peace loving Japanese you kept mentioning?」

The reproachful gaze from Ai-chan-sensei stabbed into the heart.

「Say, Hajime. Your interaction with Kouki, I understand that you two’s own special way of communication but……have you ever considering improving it?」

The suggestion that Shizuku brought up with a gentle tone made his heart felt pained instead because it sounded like she was trying to persuade a little kid.

「Myu……certainly, it’s important to not get underestimated nano. It looks like you had watched papa’s back really closely huh? Nano」

Even Myuu-chan said something like that while nodding yep yep in agreement.

Yue and others, along with Jasper and others were staring at Hajime. They looked like they didn’t know what to say here. Facing such stares, Hajime

「Umm, what’s this. Can I ask everyone, to stop using me example please?」

Subconsciously responded with a way of talking like a certain debate king.

「……C-cough. Anyway, let’s make our introductions already. We won’t be able to relax if we keep standing while talking like this.」

As expected from first wife-sama.

She attempted to manage the place even while smiling wryly at the two girls who tilted their heads asking 「Why?」 with looks of puzzlement from the bottom of their heart, and Hajime papa who was explaining 「I’m always endeavoring to be mild-mannered but……my respond become sterner is only when there’s need for battle of when facing the hero」.

「A-aa, you’re right! I mean, you’re correct! Here, please sit down on the seats over here! We’ve also prepared tea! Mindy, can you bring it here?」

「Yes, of course! I’ll reheat it again for a bit!」

It looked like Jasper had gotten a bit more refined from becoming the governor. Jasper switched to polite language and also urging Mindy and the others to the kitchen. The children must also be helping out. They followed after Mindy in a hurry.

Seeing that,

「Mu, Otou──Ani-san’s tea is going to be made by me!」

Listy said that and also ran to follow.

But her arm was quickly grabbed by Myuu to hold her back.

Perhaps Listy-chan was just feeling suspicious, but her expression turned into something that felt completely like 「Aaaah? What, you wanna to have a go at me? Ooo?」.

As expected her delinquent aura, or her punk girl aura was terrific.

Hajime went 「No way……don’t tell me, I’m also making that face when there’s Amanogawa nearby?」 and his gaze looked around. Thoughts (facts) like 「You do you do. You’re usually like that」 or 「Amanogawa is usually smiling though. But, he’s the type whose smile doesn’t reach his eyes, scaryyy」 came back from Ryuutarou and co.

Meanwhile Yuuka and others, especially Remia were watching over Myuu and Listy in suspense.

「Before that」

「What do you want」

「Stop with that “Ore”. Speak more politely nano.」

Oo? The gazes of everyone gathered. Could it be, that this was Myuu trying in her own way to teach Listy to be more girly?

Listy too must be thinking so. Or rather, it was something that Mindy had been telling her every time. She snorted at Myuu who was seriously offering that candid advice.

「Are you too telling me to be more girly? Something like that──」

「Not that nano. Even if a girl act boyish or a boy act girly, that doesn’t really matter. Rather, it’s better like that in some cases nano.」

「Aa? Then why’re you telling me──」

It seemed that their expectation missed. Then, why was Myuu trying to make Listy change her way of referring herself and her way of talking?

Hajime and co were also paying attention to the two’s conversation while sitting on sofa. Meanwhile Myuu’s eyes snapped wide open.

「Talking like man and rough attitude, quick to fight, an engineer girl wearing suitable tanktop and calling herself with Ore!」

「O-ou?」

「Almond eyes coupled with suitable scornful gaze, the jagged teeth are also cool! The way you grin widely also really suit you!」

「Eh? W-what’s with you, suddenly……」

「And yet you also have loli attribute with that short height, and hairstyle that hide one eye. Perfect charm point! And most of allll! You turn meek in front of the one you idolize and mumble unintelligibly!」

「I, I never mumble! I speak normally!」

「Even though you got rowdy tone, you do your best to add desu or please at the end of your sentence. You’re definitely aiming for that nano! Sly, kaaaaah, so sly! Nano!!」

「That can’t be helped! I ain’t used to it! Or rather you’re the only one I don’t want to hear anything about adding extra word at the sentence end!」

At any rate, Myuu’s sudden list of praises (?) made Listy-chan to feel scared instead and she turned a gaze that was looking for help at Hajime.

Myuu put Listy’s face between her hands and forcefully turned her gaze to look at her and declared.

「That’s too many attribute nano! Restrain yourself a little! Suppose you manage to become daughter, something little sister with more conspicuous character than Myuu is unforgivable! There is no such thing like little sister that can win against big sister nano!」

「Who’s the little sister! I’m older than you! In the first place you’re speaking nonsense! What the hell is attribute! You’re acting scary! Let goo!」

The soul of the beloved daughter who had received gifted education from an elite otaku family was screaming.

Hajime and co looked at Listy once more. Yue and others who had watched the video recording also compared the girl to the little girl five years ago.

And then, a beat passed.

Hajime and co looked and nodded at each other. Certainly, she got a lot of attributes huh, they thought.

Apparently Listy-chan had grown very much in a different sense too during these five years.

「At least stop using Ore nano!」

「Annoyi~~ng. I’m gonna be cool like Otou──Ani-san no matter whattttt!」

The two girls continued to quarrel until the tea was brought.

Hajime and co didn’t stop them. Rather, they were watching the argument of the two girls with a bit of enjoyment.

Because the sight looked very heartwarming as though hinting at the future.

.

AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.

Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.

Apologies to those who were expecting Myuu VS Listy. The duel itself will happen, so I hope everyone can wait for a while more.

Also, I altered the way Listy refer to herself at the previous chapter. I had decided from the start to make the grown up Listy “an engineer girl of the slum with coarse attitude”, but while writing I suddenly thought 「……Eh? If it’s this character then won’t it be better to make her an Orekko? It’s good right?」 and I impulsively made her an Orekko……it’s good right? (TN: Orekko=a girl who called herself using Ore)

Just in case, I left some room for revision with that last exchange with Myuu, so if it got poor reception I’ll change it at the future.

Also, the seven children that Liliana alluded at [After Story II I Become the New World’s God? Last Part] is planned to be biological children. It meant that they would be “newly born children” so Myuu and Listy weren’t included among them. There were those who curious so just for confirmation.

※Material introduction

– ** would do that if it was him

From [Sousou no Frieren]. Himel would do that if it was him. By the way, Shirakome is Eisen’s fan.

– Fools!

From Excalibur of [Soul Eater].

– The person who might become mother

From Char of [Mobile Suit Gundam].