Ch.310Mom and Daughter

The next day.

We departed for Technopolis once again, accompanied by Mina’s mother, Melissa, who had arrived at our lodging at exactly 8:00 AM.

Perhaps because our first meeting had been so shocking, the atmosphere in the carriage after departure was absolutely dreadful.

No conversation passed between Jessica, Phyllis, and Melissa in the passenger compartment, while Seti and I, who was driving the carriage, communicated only the bare minimum in whispered voices as she kept watch of our surroundings.

After the awkward silence had continued for quite some time, it was Melissa who first attempted to change the mood.

“…Ahem.”

After clearing her throat, Melissa spoke calmly, loud enough for me to hear from the driver’s seat.

“I’m sorry. It seems I’ve completely ruined the atmosphere of your journey.”

“No, that’s not…”

“Young men and women in their prime, especially those intimate enough to share a bed, would normally whisper sweet nothings or at least engage in pleasant conversation to pass the time during travel. It’s entirely my fault for ruining that time, so I hope you don’t harbor any ill feelings toward Minaret.”

“Of course not. It’s only natural for a parent to be concerned about who their child is dating. Although there was a small commotion due to a misunderstanding, no one in this party thinks poorly of Mina because of it.”

Melissa seemed relieved by Phyllis’s sincere response; I thought I heard a sigh of relief amid the clattering of hooves and carriage wheels.

“It’s a bit late, but shall I introduce myself properly? I’m Melissa Belghand, Offen’s wife and Minaret’s mother, as I mentioned yesterday. Before marriage, I used the surname Rosenhauer.”

“I’m Jessica Walter, a mage. I’m the leader of this party.”

“Phyllis Eidra, Guardian of the Willow Sanctuary.”

“Elem Lu Seti. Cat-folk adventurer.”

“…William J. Kim. A drifter-turned-adventurer, and as you know, I’m dating four people… including your daughter.”

I decided not to mention that it might become five people.

Even if my relationships with Jessica, Seti, and Phyllis were somehow accepted, I figured all hell would break loose if it became known that I’d developed an ambiguous relationship with Phyllis’s older sister after I started dating Mina.

“How is Mina these days? Her letter only mentioned visiting Technopolis and dating you, Will, but nothing about how she herself is doing.”

“She’s always been a great help to us. Not only does she make our weapons, but this carriage is also her creation.”

“Oh my, I didn’t know that. I thought it looked unusual.”

As the conversation about Mina began, the atmosphere in the passenger compartment gradually became more cheerful.

Though Seti and I couldn’t actively participate in the conversation as we focused on watching our surroundings, I could tell from Melissa’s reactions alone how proud she was hearing about her daughter’s accomplishments from Jessica and Phyllis.

‘I’m glad they’re getting along.’

Seti whispered quietly enough that those in the passenger compartment couldn’t hear, giving a gentle smile.

Unlike Seti’s parents who had worried about differences between our races, this was the first time I’d faced such fierce opposition simply for dating multiple women, so Seti must have been concerned as well.

‘It would be nice if things continue to go well and I can get formal approval to date Mina.’

Though I still got chills thinking about our first encounter at the lodging, with the current atmosphere, perhaps we could calmly discuss things after meeting Mina and somehow persuade her mother.

With that vague hope in mind, I increased the carriage’s speed.

~ ~ ~ That afternoon, Technopolis Residential Area ~ ~ ~

“You foolish girl!”

*SMACK!*

“AAAAHH!?”

My expectation of having a calm discussion shattered the moment we arrived at Technopolis.

Melissa, who had maintained a dignified attitude until we met Mina after passing through the Grand Hall, delivered a devastating smack to Mina’s back as soon as we moved to a secluded room in the residential area.

“M-Mom? Why are you suddenly doing this?”

“You mindless girl! You leave home without even looking at your mother’s face, and then you write a letter saying you’ve been hooked by a man who already has three women?”

*SMACK! SMACK!!*

“Ow ow ow! It hurts! It hurts! My back is breaking!”

“Your back is breaking? My heart is breaking, you fool! Did you think you could turn your parents’ hearts inside out and be happy on your own? Huh?”

…Isn’t slapping someone’s back supposed to make a light slapping sound?

Mina tried desperately to escape Melissa’s back smacks, which resembled a volleyball player’s powerful spike, but there was nowhere to run in the cramped residential room.

*SMACK!*

“AAACK! Help me~ Will~ Jessica~”

“C-come now. Don’t be so angry… If you think about it, it’s my fault for being greedy, not Mina’s.”

“But I can’t lay hands on someone else’s precious child, can I? If I’m going to hit anyone, it should be my own insolent child!”

“You came to talk, not to scold, right? Please calm down a bit, Mina’s mother.”

Finally, after desperate intervention from Jessica and me, Melissa’s fierce attack ceased, and the mood for conversation was established when Iris timely brought in tea.

“Phew… Alright. Tell me exactly what happened. How did a girl who constantly talked about ‘muscle men~ muscle men~’ since childhood end up wanting to date a human man, and one with three girlfriends at that?”

“Umm~ That’s a bit of a long story…”

Under Melissa’s pressure to speak up regardless, Mina nervously began to tell the story from when we first met until now.

When we left together after resolving the incident at the Black Forge Mine, we were merely contractors with well-aligned interests, with absolutely no romantic interest in each other.

During our adventures together, we had many opportunities to exchange opinions about magical tool creation and gun modifications, and by sharing knowledge and finding common interests, we became like old friends.

As affection gradually built up, she had a chance to see me shirtless, and was somewhat stimulated by my balanced physique, different from that of dwarves.

When we were attacked by dark elves, she thought it was cool how I protected the people I cared about, whether lovers or comrades, with my life.

Before she knew it, she began to wish that I would see her as a woman.

In her impatience, she tried using an alchemical potion to enlarge her breasts and suffered for it, but when I comforted her without caring about her altered appearance, she completely fell for me.

Even so, she insisted on maintaining an ambiguous relationship of mutual attraction without dating, as she lacked confidence in having a lovey-dovey relationship like Jessica, Seti, or Phyllis…

“…I-in the end, I couldn’t hold back anymore and just went for it. Ehehe…”

“Oh, you silly thing! What are you ‘ehehe’-ing about like you’ve done something good!”

Melissa gave Mina, who was fidgeting with reddened cheeks, a light knock on the head before continuing.

“I doubt anything I say will get through to a girl who’s already completely smitten… but didn’t you ever think about dating a man who would look only at you? Did you absolutely have to become this man’s fourth wife?”

“…Mom.”

Mina looked at Melissa with a serious expression, all playfulness gone.

Even the formidable Melissa seemed overwhelmed by this unfamiliar side of her daughter and could only wait quietly for Mina’s next words.

“You know, I don’t just see Will as a man.”

“Then?”

“Will is my best sponsor who supports my dream of becoming a magical tool artisan, a fountain of knowledge who constantly provides ideas that transcend time, and a friend I can talk to better than any dwarf. Regardless of our romantic relationship, he’s someone I want to stay with forever.”

“……”

“It’s not just me. Jessica, Seti, Phyllis, Iris—all of us have either had our lives saved by Will or achieved our desperate dreams because of him. Right?”

The four women all nodded in unison, affirming Mina’s words.

“That’s right. If it weren’t for Will, we wouldn’t have made it past the Dungeon of Disease, let alone the Minotaur, and we’ve already made several discoveries as significant as the Great Sage’s legacy.”

“Without Will, Seti would still be a slave. Will is the one who made my dream of becoming an adventurer come true.”

“If I hadn’t met Will, I wouldn’t have had the courage to even leave the Willow Sanctuary, much less rescue my sister Iris.”

“And I, the one who was rescued, need not say anything more.”

After hearing the four responses, Mina proudly puffed out her chest and turned back to Melissa.

“See? What Will and I have isn’t just a simple relationship between a man and a woman. We’re adventure companions who trust each other with our lives, partners achieving dreams together. Even if we weren’t lovers, we’d still want to be together… like a community bound by fate.”

“Even if you say that, I don’t really understand. I’ve never been on an adventure, and Offen never had other women.”

Just when I thought Mina’s heartfelt persuasion hadn’t worked on Melissa… Melissa’s thick hand began to stroke Mina’s head.

It was a gentle, affectionate touch, completely different from when she had been mercilessly smacking Mina’s back.

“But you’re happy now, aren’t you, my daughter?”

“Yes!”

“…Then I won’t say anything more. I’ll explain everything to Offen, so when your current adventure is over, come visit with some souvenirs.”

“Mom…!”

“Mr. Will, and all you prospective brides. Please take good care of our Minaret.”

As Melissa bowed her head saying this, all we could do was bend at the waist at a 90-degree angle, filled with gratitude.