Ch.121The Crescent Empire #1

Twenty years old.

That meant I had already lived here for twenty years, and I couldn’t help but think how quickly time had passed.

“Haah…”

Everything flashed through my mind like a panorama of memories—from impulsive decisions made in haste to matters I had approached with careful deliberation.

How ridiculous that this should happen when I was perfectly comfortable, not even remotely in a life-threatening situation.

Truly absurd.

“Mmm… are you awake?”

Many changes had occurred over the years.

The territory had become more prosperous, and Helena with her black hair, rubbing her eyes as she woke beside me, had changed as well.

She had always been beautiful, but lately she seemed to have reached the absolute peak of her beauty.

I glanced over at Ellen and Eve sleeping peacefully on the bed, then placed my hand on Helena’s cheek as I answered.

Helena opened her eyes drowsily and moved her face against my palm, nuzzling it like a cat.

“Yes. Did you sleep well?”

“Thanks to you, it was another sweet night as always.”

Eve developing a magic to prevent aging and consequently becoming a frequent visitor to this bedroom was another significant change.

When she first entered the bedroom, there had been a lingering awkwardness… but now she looked as comfortable as if it had always been this way.

I tried to cool my heated body as I recalled the faces of the three women panting like dogs last night.

Surely desires should naturally diminish with age, but there was no sign of that happening.

Thinking I should cool down completely by washing up, I carefully left the bed so as not to wake the two sleeping women and headed for the bathroom.

Helena followed right behind me as if she had been waiting for this moment.

Thanks to that, we ended up washing together in the same bathroom.

Furthermore, just as we were about to soak in the tub, Ellen and Eve also entered the bathroom, causing quite a commotion.

Not an argument, but light chatter.

“Ah…! Today too…”

After washing up and changing clothes, servants would enter the room to clean the soiled bedding.

Usually two women and one man would take the bedding away, all of them blushing and looking embarrassed.

That made me feel ashamed too, as if my private affairs had been exposed.

Perhaps I subconsciously considered it something to be embarrassed about.

.

“You’re already approaching your twentieth birthday.”

After breakfast and completing some simple tasks, I visited Ise Krauser for a brief conversation.

This too was one of the small but significant changes.

We usually saw each other at meals or passing through the mansion, but we didn’t normally set aside time in the morning like this.

“Yes. Although there are still a few months left… they’ll pass quickly.”

There’s no specific age when one is recognized as an adult in this world.

It’s a world where you become an adult without even realizing it once you’re of a suitable age and have the proper qualifications.

However, by convention, people are generally recognized as adults around the age of seventeen.

“My daughter is twenty-eight. Normally, she would have had children by now, and if not, one might suspect discord between you, but…”

“I’m sorry for making you wait so long.”

Helena and I still get along wonderfully.

So wonderfully that it could almost be considered problematic.

Ise seemed to know this, as he spoke with a hint of concern yet maintained an expression without a trace of shadow.

“Well. I’ve waited quite a while. I’m feeling anxious at the thought of finally seeing my grandchild’s face.”

“I’m sure a beautiful child resembling Helena will be born. As long as it doesn’t take after me…”

“Drop that false modesty. You might get stabbed for it.”

With Ise speaking so forcefully, I couldn’t possibly deny it.

So I quietly nodded, swallowing dryly.

I didn’t want to make things more awkward by dragging out excuses.

Ahem.

Ise cleared his throat as if trying to change the suddenly awkward atmosphere, then brought up something completely unexpected.

“Anyway, this year will be quite important… what do you think about receiving a blessing in advance? I know your strength well, but I’m suggesting this out of concern.”

“By blessing, do you mean visiting the Church State?”

“That’s right.”

In this world where gods observe and occasionally intervene, there are those who know and worship their existence.

That is the Church State.

Though small in size, it firmly maintains neutrality between the Bluenail Kingdom and the Empire, and neighboring countries naturally accept this.

If you were to ask whether the Church State strives to expand its political influence like modern or medieval religions… that’s not the case.

The Church State here simply maintains a modest territory with monasteries scattered throughout the continent, quietly going about its business.

I had thought religious organizations in such worlds were prone to corruption, but this was quite unexpected.

Moreover, they could actually use divine power.

“To suggest visiting the Church State for the child’s sake…”

“Why? Is it surprising? My wife also visited the Church State when she was carrying Helena… and that child. To pray for a healthy birth.”

Ise’s expression darkened slightly as he mentioned “that child,” Kane Krauser.

Though he lost his life due to ambition beyond his means, he was still Ise’s son.

It can’t be helped, I suppose.

I tried to brighten the gloomy atmosphere, putting on a cheerful face as I continued the conversation.

After doing this for several years, I’d become quite accustomed to it.

“I understand. I’ll adjust my schedule and go as soon as possible.”

“Good. While you’re at it, have those concubines who are always by your side receive blessings too. It wouldn’t hurt.”

“Kuhak!”

I choked on my tea when I heard his unexpected remark. It felt as if I’d swallowed poison, to exaggerate. The surprise attack caught me completely off guard.

“W-What’s with that all of a sudden…”

“Regardless of how it came to be, they are women you’ve taken in and Helena has permitted… shouldn’t you take care of them?”

“…You’re absolutely right. Thank you for your consideration.”

His words were absolutely correct, though they startled me.

Moreover, the few additional wise words he shared afterward made me feel reassured.

“Well then, I’ll take my leave.”

“Take care.”

I left the office with Ise’s brief farewell.

I felt twice as tired leaving as I had entering, but this was all my own doing.

So there was nothing to be done about it.

I had thought it would be enough to keep them by my side and occasionally satisfy their complaints, but I never imagined we would end up physically intimate.

Of course, I was satisfied with the outcome, but it still surprised me at times.

“Father told you to receive a blessing at the Church State?”

When I told Helena, who had been waiting in the office, about my conversation with Ise, she opened her eyes wide in surprise.

She seemed quite shocked, as if she hadn’t expected Ise to suggest visiting the Church State.

“Yes. So I think it would be good to adjust our schedule and go soon… what do you think, Helena?”

“I’ll do whatever Jion wants. But personally, it doesn’t seem like a bad idea. We’re not on bad terms with the Church State anyway.”

Helena nodded and suggested we leave as early as tomorrow.

It might seem like a hasty decision, but there was no harm in being quick.

Since Ise recommended it, it was something we would have to do eventually.

“It’s actually good timing since it’s winter and we don’t have much to do. The only issue is that we’ll have to travel on snow-covered roads…”

“It’ll be fine. But I think we should make some general plans before departing.”

Plans, huh.

While Helena quickly processed the remaining paperwork, I thought about what would be best.

Since Eve and Ellen would be coming along, there didn’t seem to be any major issues.

We could just push through with magic.

However, that didn’t mean we didn’t need any plan at all.

We needed to consider which territories to pass through, which routes to take, and what to do if unexpected events delayed us.

“Helena, what’s the best way to get to the Church State?”

“Hmm? The fastest way would be to take a ship from Baron Barkan’s territory. After disembarking at one of the Empire’s port cities, we could rent a carriage or something similar. It would be convenient.”

Sailing across the winter sea on a ship.

It sounded quite romantic, making my heart flutter.

Moreover, it would be my first time riding an old-fashioned ship.

It made me feel like a merchant from the Age of Exploration.

“A ship. That sounds great.”

“Right? And Baron Barkan’s territory would be a good place to leave our carriage and go, and we’d feel at ease there. I’m glad you like the idea.”

Helena sighed with relief and smiled brightly, as if she had overcome a hurdle.

She seemed concerned that I might not like her suggestion, despite it being a good one.

“We’re back.”

Just as our general plans were taking shape, Eve and Ellen, who had gone to the dark elf village, entered the office.

They were blowing into their cupped hands, indicating how cold it was outside.

I probably would have done the same if there hadn’t been a stove in the office.

“Welcome back. You must be tired. It’s cold, so sit by the stove and warm up first.”

“Yes. Excuse us for a moment.”

Eve and Ellen promptly sat down in front of the stove.

They seemed quite relieved to be there, judging by the crackling sound of burning wood.

Their shoulders, which had been trembling from the cold, gradually relaxed, and their expressions showed how relieved they were.

“By the way, after you two warm up, pack some luggage. We’re leaving for the Church State tomorrow.”

“What? We’re suddenly going to the Church State?”

Ellen, who had been warming herself, turned her head sharply and asked with a puzzled expression.

It was understandable, given the sudden announcement about visiting a country we rarely mentioned.

“Yes. Father suggested we receive a blessing in advance. When Jion’s birthday comes this year, we’ll be having a child, so it’s in preparation for that.”

“…Ah, that’s right. A child… It’s already that time. Time really flies.”

“Indeed. Time seems to pass both slowly and quickly. It’s sometimes startling when I look back.”

As Helena reminisced with a distant look in her eyes, Ellen’s lips formed a forced gentle curve.

In the past, I might have thought I was imagining things, but now it was different.

She was clearly feeling bitter at the mention of a child.

She often half-seriously asked me to give her a child in bed, and it seemed her lingering attachment was deeper than I had thought.

Despite knowing that conceiving a child between different races was extremely difficult, almost impossible.

“But… does receiving a blessing make it easier to protect the child?”

“Well, divine power will linger around the room where the child grows, so it increases stability. It also has the small effect of avoiding unfortunate events.”

Helena kindly answered Eve’s question, who had turned her head at some point.

Since stability and luck are important in many ways, I thought it was worth receiving the blessing.

In a way, it was like paving a shortcut to a safe delivery.

“By the way, how are you planning to get to the Church State? Going by ship would be convenient…”

Ellen asked with curiosity, as if she had never been melancholic.

Moreover, seeing her recommend sea travel as if it were obvious made me realize how much life experience she had.

“Yes, we’ll go by ship. Then we’ll travel by carriage.”

“I see… you’ve already made all the plans?”

“Since it’s winter and we don’t have much to do, I made some plans while we had the time.”

As I listened to the two women’s conversation flowing smoothly, I made eye contact with Eve, who was quietly standing by Ellen’s side.

Having nothing to say and no opportunity to join in, I felt a sense of kinship with her.

“A ship is good. And the weather has been calm lately, so it shouldn’t be too dangerous.”

“Yes. It might be a bit cold, but that’s not a big problem.”

“Couldn’t we handle the cold with some magic items? We could bring the ones used during knight training…”

From travel plans to heating solutions.

Everything gets resolved by those around me even if I just sit quietly.

I nodded with satisfaction, thinking that at times like this, I should just sit back and enjoy the benefits.

I don’t know why I find it so pleasant to have nothing to do.

Only Eve seemed restless, as if wondering if there was something she could contribute.