Konbini Ossan Volume 17 Chapter 3 — The People Thereafter… Further
Nishina Yuki.
She had a strange fixation on Saori, and even now she drops by from time to time to see her.
She works as an adventurer in the Great Forest Autonomous Region, and every member of her party is female.
Shōzō Mayama.
Saying he was setting out on a journey to help people, he headed for the Demon King’s Territory.
Recently, he apparently declared himself a disciple of Ichiro Suzuki, whom he happened to meet in the Human Province, and has been imitating the way he speaks.
He is gradually becoming known in the Human Province as an entertaining adventurer.
Ayumi Suzuhara.
The deaths and injuries caused by the Douki Incident weighed heavily on her heart, and since then she has devoted herself at Otogi Trading to researching the analysis and replication of the «Complete Recovery» skill.
She has succeeded in partially reproducing its effects, and production has begun on high-quality medicines using those applications.
Now that she has achieved her goal to some extent, she grew worried about Shōzō Mayama, who had gone off on a reckless adventure, and headed for the Human Province.
After successfully reuniting with him, she began working there as a healer making use of her skill, and apparently some locals have started calling her the “Saintess”.
Tomoe Kinoshita.
She has now stepped away from fighting and works as a teacher at the newly established school in the Great Forest Autonomous Region.
Because she treats demi-humans and humans alike without discrimination, she is extremely well regarded.
Perhaps because of that, many of the men in the Great Forest Autonomous Region have developed feelings for her.
However, a certain rejection line she once let slip, “Because my first love still hasn’t ended”, sent shockwaves through the unmarried men of the Great Forest Autonomous Region.
The meaning of those words remains a mystery to this day.
Kōichi Nomura, Tatsuya Kanzaki, Junya Katō.
The three idiots beloved by the goblins.
They said they were setting out on a journey of atonement together and departed toward the Kingdom of Runegard.
But apparently they are having a surprisingly good time, and occasional reports suggest each is doing as he pleases.
Since it cannot quite be said they are causing trouble, observation continues for now.
Misa Suzuno.
Now thoroughly reformed, she energetically works as a member of Otogi Trading, traveling back and forth between the Waynesvale branch and the Great Forest Autonomous Region.
She has changed so completely that her former gyaru self is almost unrecognizable, dyeing her hair black with magic and properly wearing business suits.
Those who joined Otogi Trading only recently often assume she has always been an inherently rigid, serious person.
The fact that she wears fake glasses purely to create the right atmosphere is a secret known only to those close to her.
Saori.
In exchange for preferential treatment over the next ten years in the volume of pharmaceutical trade involving medicines developed by Otogi Trading, all issues concerning Saori’s status as the Saintess were permanently resolved.
To be fair, we had already intended to send a larger supply of medicine to the Kingdom of Runegard from the beginning.
Being a major nation, I figured a lot would disappear into the shadows, so I prioritized making sure it reached ordinary citizens.
Now completely freed from expectations placed on her as the Saintess, she works as the school nurse at the Great Forest Autonomous Region’s school.
Yairo.
Making use of her stalking, or rather covert surveillance experience, she now trains the Great Forest Autonomous Region’s intelligence division and Public Security Committee.
Her ability to avoid drawing attention from others, a technique that could be described as the reverse of directing attention, is entirely her own invention and highly valued.
Yes. She should certainly be busy.
And yet, because she frequently appears at times when she absolutely should not be able to, time around her is probably flowing strangely.
Marceline.
With no aftereffects from the Douki’s corruption, she quickly returned to her original duties.
Recently, she was assigned to the newly established Great Forest Autonomous Region Self-Defense Force, where she handles all manner of command and instruction.
New recruits first call her the Demon Drill Instructor, but once they learn she is actually someone of outrageously high status, they start calling her the Demon General instead.
Apparently dissatisfied with that treatment, she comes to our house to complain while acting spoiled.
Shirley.
Alongside being an executive at Otogi Trading, she now also serves as the Secretary-General of the Great Forest Autonomous Region.
For Otogi Trading, which continues its furious growth and transformation, her talents are indispensable, not only in administration but also in negotiation.
The complex she once had about her Spirit Eyes disappeared long ago, and she now makes full use of them day and night to navigate the world skillfully.
I do occasionally see her seemingly talking to something spiritual, which worries me a little, but if it’s her, she will never lose sight of what truly matters.
I’m sure she’ll be fine.
Maria.
Lately, her stamina has begun to decline, so aside from honorary positions, she handed all her work over to the next generation and retired from Otogi Trading.
She is always there to welcome me and the rest of the family home.
She teaches my wives all the household work, helps cover what they cannot manage, and plays a major role in educating the children as well.
She has supported all my worst qualities ever since the very beginning, so I cannot hold my head up around her at all.
The wrinkles added to her smiling “Welcome home” feel precious to me, proof of the time she spent alongside me.
(E/N: Man, I feels so sad…)
Joan.
The body she obtained through gender transformation magic is biologically completely female, and she lives without any issue as my wife.
Currently, as Otogi Trading’s strongest combat specialist, she is deeply respected across every department related to battle.
Combined with the heroic feel of her fire attribute, some even treat her as a true hero.
In fact, when skirmishes broke out between the Demon King’s Territory and the Kingdom of Runegard, she deployed immediately and suppressed them without casualties, so it is not exactly an exaggeration.
Vladgaria.
After the Demon King’s army was disbanded, she chose not to join the provincial forces and instead married into our family.
She is a full-time housewife, but because she is catastrophically bad at nearly every domestic skill, she trains under Maria every day.
Lately, she has improved enough at cooking that, by appearance alone, her dishes can no longer be distinguished from Maria’s, and she has gotten carried away and started making too much.
Not that having prepared food on hand is ever a problem, so nothing goes to waste.
She is a demon from the Oni Province.
Demons are a long-lived race comparable to pure-blood elves, and she will likely outlive all of us.
It is not exactly a cheerful topic, but even so, we discuss the future from time to time.
Most likely, both Otogi Trading and the Great Forest Autonomous Region will eventually be inherited by her.
So that even in some far distant future, when both may have changed names entirely, her sadness and loneliness can still be filled.
I believe I must make it the warmest nation of all.
“I’m home!”
Just as I was lost in thought, several loud footsteps came rushing over together with an energetic voice.
I turned toward the sound to find the four little invaders responsible.
My children launched themselves at me all at once.
“Hahaha, what’s this? School’s over already?”
When I asked, the children all opened their mouths at once.
“Hey Papa, at Gova Gova’s village they’ll teach us ‘shikāchi’!”
“Can we go?”
“Hey, Gova Gova said zunikū is the tastiest!”
“Papa, have you ever eaten zunikū?”
Shikāchi is probably their way of saying deer hunting.
Apparently Gova Gova is teaching them something strange again.
Well, it’s not anything bad. No need to forbid it.
“Ohh, sure, sure. Will you bring Papa a huge deer too?”
“Yeah, we’ll do our best!”
“Think I can do it right?”
“Put eyes on the back of your head too, got it?”
“I shall make it rust upon my sword!”
Each of the four expressed their enthusiasm for deer hunting in their own unique way.
As I patted their heads, I turned to Arisa.
“Then Arisa, I’ll go with them.”
“Mm. Have a good trip.”
With that brief exchange, mutual understanding was complete.
“Alright, let’s go! Race to see who gets there first!”
“Kyaa!”
“Papa, that’s cheating!”
“Stop! Ei! Ei!”
“Everyone, don’t trip!”
The five of us, me and the children, ran off in noisy excitement.
After having children, several things became clear.
One of them concerned my wives’ pregnancies.
Apparently, between summoned people, either children cannot be conceived at all, or it is extraordinarily difficult.
Between a summoned person and a non-summoned person, the chances are not much different from normal.
This conclusion comes not only from my own case, but also from investigating what became of the other summoned individuals.
In fact, no couples composed of two summoned people besides us have had children.
Lately, Shuri has continued researching ways to solve this problem.
Fortunately, research results are beginning to show that magical intervention may be able to improve the odds.
However, it cannot be applied to Arisa and me.
Arisa and I carved magic circles into each other’s bodies and share skills.
Because of that, it seems the two of us exist in a magically unusual state.
If the same treatment used for other summoned people were applied to us, it is impossible to predict what side effects might occur.
Apparently testing is impossible as well, and for safety reasons, it was decided Arisa could not undergo the procedure.
Since the treatment works as long as it can be applied to the woman, Saori and Yashiki said they would receive it.
But Arisa does not even have that option.
Unless some technological breakthrough happens in the future, having children with Arisa will be difficult.
When I looked back, Arisa was watching the goblin children play with a smile that somehow looked both happy and lonely.
How does the existence of the young goblin living within me appear in Arisa’s heart, I wonder?
Before too long, we will need to talk about it.
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E/N:
I feel so much for Arisa… One of my aunts was the same, infertile and always looking somber. Being traditional people, they never went for IVF and others.
Stay tuned…
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