Chapter 378

Chapter 378

Reincarnated User Manual.

Episode 378: Not The End, But The Beginning (Main Story End)

Shiron was well aware that the egg was gradually growing.

Freed from the burden of having to kill the Demon God, Shiron had been living a somewhat laid-back life these days. However, he was devoting considerable effort to the children.

Siriel’s daughter, Elise.

Yuma’s daughter, Audrey.

Victor’s son, Ubix.

Louise’s daughter, Fiore.

Since they had different mothers and lived in different places, he couldn’t play with them every day. However, ever since the mansion was completed, he could at least watch them spend time together and play.

“My mom is the emperor!”

“My mom is strong!”

“No! My mom is stronger because I have two moms!”

“Waaaahhh!!”

“Audrey, don’t cry! If your mom has to face two opponents, we need to work together!”

“Waaaahhhh!!”

“Do kids at that age normally speak that well?”

“They do seem to be talking faster than other children…”

Yuma let out a quiet hum as she watched the children, who looked about two or three years old.

Even the Prient family, who were born with dragon power, only started forming sentences around the age of two. But Shiron’s children seemed to have an innate sharpness, reenacting arguments typical of five-year-olds.

“Is that something to worry about? It’s a good thing if they’re smart~”

Lucia grinned as she stroked her swollen belly.

Audrey was still just an infant who cried at all hours, so it was hard to tell, but seeing the other children display such intelligence made Lucia happy.

‘Even if they don’t look like me, at least let their intelligence not take after me…’

Lucia had graduated from the academy with mid-to-lower-tier grades. Her intelligence was above average for a human, but the problem was that her competition had been people like Siriel and Seira.

While she felt she had at least a fair balance with Seira, she had never once beaten Siriel in a verbal argument.

If it were just her, it wouldn’t matter, but thinking about her future child, Lucia couldn’t help but worry.

‘At least my child…!’

“It’s fine, Lucia. Being a little slow-witted can be cute too. If anything, overly smart children tend to struggle with receiving love.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes. After all, when you were younger, your cluelessness made you quite adorable.”

“…”

What the hell? Was that an insult?

Lucia stared at Yuma intently. Ever since Siriel had declared herself the official concubine, Yuma, who had always been infinitely kind, had started showing signs of ‘competition’…

“More importantly, Young Master, I heard you’ve chosen a name for Lady Yura’s child?”

Yuma skillfully changed the subject, brushing off Lucia’s accusing gaze.

“I’m not telling you.”

Shiron closed his eyes, having already caught on.

“Yura put you up to this, didn’t she?”

“Of course not. I’m simply curious about what kind of name you chose that has Lady Yura so anxious.”

“That’s right! I’m curious too!”

Lucia’s eyes sparkled as she leaned in.

Shiron always put a great deal of thought into names for future children. Lucia had experienced firsthand how much effort he put into it before her child was born.

Yet, for some reason, he still hadn’t told Yura the name he had chosen for their future child.

“You too…”

“Huh? I’m just really curious. Tell me! I promise I won’t tell Yura!”

“…Still not telling.”

At Shiron’s firm refusal, Lucia suddenly covered her face with both hands.

“Yura… Yura is the only one getting special treatment?”

Her voice was full of exaggerated sorrow. Shiron’s face twisted.

“Oh, come on. Now you’re even pretending to cry? Where the hell did you learn that?”

“…Sniffle. I’m so sad. Yura gets special treatment… I want to be special too. Sniff.”

“If you’re going to act, at least make it convincing.”

“Young Master… I want special treatment too.”

As if she had caught the mood, Yuma also dabbed at her eyes, feigning tears.

Damn it. Even Yuma was putting on a fake crying act now.

Shiron felt his mind spinning under the combined attack of the two women.

Lately, Lucia had been reading ridiculous books like 101 Spells to Bewitch Your Husband with Wisdom, and she had been using every trick she found to get what she wanted from Shiron.

Of course, it wasn’t that he disliked it. Her clumsy attempts at acting made him sigh, but he was ultimately soft-hearted toward the mother of his child.

However, even as a soon-to-be father, there were some things he refused to budge on.

Suddenly—

“Young Master?!”

“Shiron! Where are you going?!”

“Even if you follow me, I’m not telling you!”

Shiron quickly got up and fled the room.

“Shiron! We’re 98% done! Just tell me the name already!”

“I’ll tell you when the baby is born!”

Upon running into Yura in the hallway, he quickly turned the other way.

“I’m not telling you!”

“…I didn’t even say anything? More importantly, when are you going to find my kin? Our contract is still in effect—”

“After the baby is born! I’ll go after the baby is born!”

Brushing past the displeased Demodras, he climbed the stairs.

‘They’ll find out soon enough anyway, so why are they so curious?’

Back in his room, Shiron shut the door and slid down to the floor.

Skipping dinner tonight.

Mealtime was usually a family event in this house, but he was too exhausted from the constant onslaught of the women.

‘Maybe I should have just made something up.’

Shiron sighed deeply, staring blankly at the ceiling. The name that had been on his mind for a long time resurfaced.

Latera.

“…How am I supposed to say this?”

A deep sigh, heavy enough to sink the ground.

No matter how many times he thought about it, keeping it to himself had been the right decision.

Naming his future child after a long-lost ‘pet’… Even he thought it was a bit pathetic.

But was that really such a bad thing?

Latera.

Even when said backward, it was still Latera.

Though Yura was Latera, and Latera was Yura, Shiron still felt the absence of Latera.

It was strange.

It wasn’t that he wanted to fill Latera’s absence with his future daughter.

He simply thought, would it be so wrong to cherish a little memory of an old companion?

Shiron was certain that the child was Yura, whose memories had been sealed. Yet, he couldn’t help but feel the absence of Latera.

It was strange.

Yura was Latera, and Latera was Yura—so why did he still feel Latera’s absence?

That didn’t mean he intended to fill the void of Latera with his newborn daughter.

It was just a thought—perhaps, he could simply reminisce about an old companion he could no longer see.

“Hero!”

“Congratulations, Hero!”

“How could you?! How could you roll around with a filthy demon and abandon me?!”

Maybe he should make Yura talk like Latera…

Or perhaps, with a wish upon a star, he could make Yura just a little more fresh and lively…

“Were you looking at me with those eyes all along? You perverted bastard.”

Suddenly, Yura’s face popped into his mind—no, it was Latera’s face, giggling mischievously.

Yura as Latera…? Yeah, that’s a bit of a stretch…

If he had to put it into words, Yura had none of Latera’s vibrancy or purity.

Shiron let out a long sigh, cooling the heat in his face as he laid down on the bed.

—————

It had been a long time since he had a dream.

Lately, he had been too exhausted to dream at all, so it felt as if they had piled up, waiting for their turn.

But it wasn’t a pleasant dream. Shiron always felt disconnected from reality whenever he dreamt.

Unsettling.

The first dream he had upon arriving in this world was of meeting Yura as a child.

Perhaps because it had been right after getting beaten unconscious by Lucia, the experience had left a deep trauma in his heart.

“…This is…”

Shiron felt a strange sense of dissonance.

A white room.

He had been here before.

An empty, lifeless space that could drive a person insane just by existing within it.

“This is where I met Latera.”

Had he muttered Seira’s name in his sleep?

Maybe this was a bug. Ever since meeting Seira, he had never returned to this place, no matter how often he called her name.

Dreams were unpleasant.

Weird.

Not only did they drag out his memories of first meeting Yura,

Now, they were forcing him to recall his first encounter with Latera.

“You’re naked again?”

Goddammit.

Shiron groaned, scratching his head in frustration before sprawling onto the white floor.

For a moment, he entertained the thought—

What if he kept walking and actually found Latera?

But then, he realized if that happened, he might end up crying like an idiot.

‘My kid is about to be born. I can’t be breaking down in tears now.’

“Hey!”

Right, this was just like back then.

Back when he had given up on everything and pissed himself on the ground,

Latera had approached with a pout.

“Is that how you greet me after so long?”

…Huh?

Bang! Bang, bang!

“Hyun-jun! Wake up! This is bad!”

His eyes snapped open.

The sun was rising outside the window, and Yura was pounding frantically on the door.

“What’s wrong?”

Yawning, Shiron opened the door.

Tears welled up in Yura’s eyes as she looked up at him.

“It’s gone!”

“…What is?”

“The egg! The egg is gone!”

“Wait, what?! Are you serious?!”

What the hell?

The situation was so absurd that Shiron bit his tongue in shock.

“How did this even happen? Maybe it just fell somewhere—”

“I always sleep hugging it! I already checked under the bed, tore apart the sheets, and—huh?”

Suddenly, Yura’s eyes narrowed.

Her gaze shifted past Shiron, toward his bed.

Something was wriggling under the blankets.

Shiron was here, so… what the hell was inside the sheets?

“…A ghost? Who’s on exorcism duty today? Is it Ophilia?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

Yura’s face was stricken with terror.

Shiron frowned and approached the bed.

If this was some kind of joke, he would normally just laugh it off—but after that eerie dream, he felt an overwhelming urge to rip off the blanket and put an end to whatever this was.

“Who’s there? I’m not in the mood, so just come out and—”

“Ah, hello?”

Shiron blinked.

The face that peeked out from under the blankets was familiar.

Wait, what?

Was he still dreaming?

“I… um… I wanted to surprise you, but… sorry!”

Bright brown hair.

Purple eyes.

A ponytail tied to one side—or rather, this time, it was a fresh, short bob.

“Latera?”

Shiron’s eyes trembled. He reached up and pinched his cheek.

Was this a dream?

Or… had he gone back in time?

Back to when he first met Latera?

“Yes! Hero! It’s me!”

Latera leaped forward and clung to Shiron.

Yura, watching the absurd scene unfold, pointed at them with shaking hands.

“You… you piece of trash! Are you playing another trick—?!”

“What’s with all the commotion? A new child is born, perhaps?”

“…?”

At the sound of the voice, Yura turned her head.

Demodras stood there, holding a small figure by the wrist, gazing in their direction.

“That… thing… isn’t Latera?”

“Senior, you’re so mean! Calling your lovely junior ‘that thing’!”

Yura couldn’t comprehend what was happening.

She was not Latera?

That couldn’t be right.

She had received all of Latera’s memories, hadn’t she?

Ding—

[Latera]

[Pet]

[An angelic guardian who truly adores the Hero]

—————

Upon the off chance that he was mistaken, Shiron opened his status window—but, as always, it provided no answers.

“Senior! I missed you! Or should I call you Mom?”

Latera clung onto the still-stunned Yura like a cicada.

Yura, her face blank, simply stood there as Latera rubbed her cheeks affectionately against her.

“First of all, let me offer my congratulations.”

Demodras approached, smiling.

Then—clamp—she grabbed Shiron’s wrist without warning.

“But, Hero. You haven’t forgotten our promise, have you?”

“…Promise?”

“The journey to find my kin.”

“An adventure?”

Latera’s eyes sparkled as she gazed up at Demodras.

The dragon smiled and nodded at the angel he hadn’t seen in a long time.

“Spending too much time among humans must have weakened my patience. Now, fulfill your promise.”

“Wait—wait, what?!”

A massive pair of wings erupted outward.

Before Shiron could even process what was happening, Demodras leaped through the window—taking him along as if he were being kidnapped.

“Hero! I’m coming too!”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”

Shiron barely managed to catch the angel who had recklessly flung herself after them.

His sharp yell cut through the air—but strangely, the corners of his lips twitched.

He was dying to understand what the hell was going on.

But more than that, a powerful storm was raging in his heart.

The joy of reunion.

He could feel it—the warmth of familiarity from the girl in his arms.

“I’ll be back soon!”

He waved toward the ground, which was rapidly growing distant.

Shiron still had much to do.