Ch.611″Child, when you were born, the entire base……” (1)

A few days after the event ended and I had time to observe the users’ reactions.

While hosting a tea party(?) with Fierant and Austria, the newly acquired mercenary commanders, something caught my eye, and I casually voiced the thought that had been lingering in my mind.

“Come to think of it, Fierant has somehow managed to avoid getting TS’d all this time.”

“…Commander, have you been looking at me that way?”

“Commander, talking like that might shake Fierant’s mental stability.”

Of course, Fierant, the subject of my comment, gave me an uneasy look while breaking into a cold sweat.

Meanwhile, Jessica, who was beside me, lightly smacked my head with her rabbit ears as if scolding me.

But from my perspective, it was genuinely puzzling.

“Honestly, don’t you think so? Bendaloff transformed after taking a TS potion within a week… no, within a day of arriving.”

As I pointed at the female version of Bendaloff, who was receiving various snacks from her subordinates, Jessica’s expression twisted into something quite peculiar.

It was probably because Bendaloff, who had initially been a handsome Casanova type, was now surrounded by gloomy male subordinates, accepting treats like a baby bird.

But that didn’t last long.

Eventually, Jessica placed her hands on her hips as if stating the obvious, nodded once, and began to speak.

“Well, Bendaloff started hitting on other superhumans as soon as he arrived, and unfortunately got caught by Griyanar.”

“Hmm.”

“But Fierant, far from flirting, actually keeps a slight distance from most superhumans.”

“I see.”

That’s right.

Bendaloff, with his Casanova character, frequently flirted with other superhumans until he angered Griyanar, who captured him.

After going through the process of “ungh, hngg,” the once 180cm handsome man was transformed into a 130cm petite girl…

Unlike the former Casanova, Fierant maintained a slight distance in all non-official matters, completely preventing such problems from occurring in the first place.

“Please don’t say it like that. You make it sound like I’m being ostracized.”

“Ah, that’s true. Just to clarify, Commander, Fierant actually gets along quite well with us.”

“Hmm.”

“Besides, I hate to say this, but honestly, I don’t want to end up like that by getting too close.”

Finally, as Fierant said this while pointing somewhere, I followed his gesture.

At the end of it was Bendaloff (130cm), surrounded by subordinates offering sweet desserts, wearing the expression of a contented female.

Looking at Fierant pointing at Bendaloff, who had completely succumbed to a different kind of female corruption, I nodded in acknowledgment.

But while we were having this random conversation, enjoying snacks and coffee, having some man-talk among the only males in the base…

-Beep beep beep!

“Huh? Oh my.”

“What is it, Jessica?”

“Commander, Leonard from the Pirate Alliance is asking if he can come to the base right now.”

“Is Leonard coming alone?”

“He didn’t give details, but… I think he’s probably coming with Marian.”

“Hmm.”

Hearing that Leonard (Marian’s subordinate #1) had suddenly contacted us asking if he could visit, I shrugged and replied nonchalantly.

“Tell him to come anytime. They don’t really need our permission to come and go anyway.”

“That’s true. I’ll let him know.”

“But when is he planning to arrive?”

“He says they’ve already departed and it won’t take long.”

“…Hmm.”

===========

When I said that, common sense dictated that given the distance between the Pirate Alliance headquarters and here, even using a portal, it would take at least a week…

But surprisingly, just 30 minutes after our conversation…

“Oppayaaa! I’m heeeere!”

“Whoa.”

Our pregnant Marian THE waifu burst into the command center with a noticeably enlarged belly and a cheerful expression.

With Leonard appearing behind Marian after a long time, I welcomed them both while unable to hide my bewilderment.

“How did you get here so quickly?”

“Of course, we only notified you right before arriving, Commander Icarus.”

“…”

“It’s only natural to prevent information leaks when a faction leader is on the move.”

Seeing Leonard nod matter-of-factly while giving such a calm response, I felt my common sense slowly slipping away.

But that didn’t last long, as I noticed Marian with her mountain-sized belly fidgeting awkwardly beside me.

“Oh sorry, now that you’re here, I should give you a hug, right?”

“Of course!”

I opened my arms wide to Marian, giving her a belated but warm welcome hug.

After that moment, I decided to introduce the mercenary commanders to Marian and company, as they were meeting for the first time.

“You’re all seeing each other for the first time, right? These are Fierant and Austria, the newly hired mercenary commanders.”

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Fierant, in charge of the Spiraena Security Force of Barracuda.”

“I’m Austria, commander of the Alcazar Defense Fleet hired from Daedalus.”

After my introduction, the two gave slight nods as greetings, and then it was Marian’s turn.

“And this is Marian, the Pirate Empress, and Leonard, her royal guard captain.”

“So these are Oppaya’s new subordinates. I’m Marian, Oppaya’s wife.”

“…Leonard.”

As soon as the introductions were over, the two showed momentary confusion in their eyes…

“Wait, Commander? Wife? The Pirate Empress?”

“Could it be that the Pirate Empress’s swollen belly is…”

“That’s right, inside here is the fruit of Oppaya’s and my love…♡”

“Oh…”

“And it was conceived on our first night together…hehehe.”

“Oh…”

“Congratulations, that’s truly remarkable news.”

When Marian, the universally acknowledged ruler and empress of the Pirate Alliance, personally confirmed that the baby in her belly was mine,

Fierant gave me a thumbs up.

Austria nodded, saying it was impressive, while his eyes betrayed a hint of envy toward Marian.

But that wasn’t the important part.

“By the way, Marian, you came much earlier than usual. Is there a reason?”

That’s right.

Normally, due to internal affairs of the Pirate Alliance and various other reasons, it would take at least one to two more weeks before she could visit.

Yet somehow, she returned much faster this time, which naturally raised many questions from my perspective.

In response to my question, Marian hesitated for a moment.

As if contemplating ‘how should I explain this’… and then, after a moment.

Having apparently made up her mind, she took a deep breath and dropped shocking news on me.

“Oppaya, please don’t be surprised.”

“Huh?”

“Actually… after getting checked, it seems the baby will be born in a day or two at most.”

“Wait, so the reason you came unusually early this time… was because of the baby?”

“Hehehe.”

Looking at Marian’s beaming face, I felt an indescribably strange sensation wash over me.

And along with that, the “don’t be surprised” news was that I was about to have a baby—something I never had in real life.

‘I’m going to have a baby? Here of all places?’

Faced with the truly astonishing news of “Icarus the Second’s” birth, my first reaction was…

“…Bwuh?”

“Oppaya?”

“Oh dear, it seems the Commander’s brain has short-circuited from processing too much information at once.”

And just like that, my brain short-circuited, leaving me completely dumbfounded.