The season changed and spring came to the island for the umpteenth time. Clara, the first-born daughter, runs through the garden like a happy child. Her younger brothers, Knox and Kite, follow close behind.
Knox is Marianne’s son and Kite is Alyusha’s son. Clara is a very intelligent girl and is aware that she is the eldest sister. She has an exceptional memory and has also inherited her mother’s magical talent. We all, including myself, have great expectations for her future.
Her two younger brothers admire her and always imitate her, turning to her for advice and care. Clara adores her as well, and the three of them have become close siblings.
These days, my wife and I are busy taking care of the newborns. Frau gave birth to two girls, Nei had twin girls, Luna had a boy and a girl, Pione had a girl, and Monica had two boys. Although we don’t live together, Soara also gave birth to a boy and a girl.
Our house is filled with nine babies, which means noisy days.
“They finally fell asleep.
“We can finally rest. Dragon fell asleep quickly.”
My wife, Alyusha, and I sigh with relief. The babies are sleeping soundly, with a happy expression on their faces, as if nothing had happened after wreaking havoc among the adults.
I realize how calm the three of them were in comparison. Of course, it’s also because we have multiple cribs for them. We can’t fit all nine babies in one crib, so we take care of the ones that don’t fit.
The other women are waiting for us at a nearby table with freshly brewed tea.
“Could you play with Kite for a while?”
Alyusha, who’s gotten used to being a mother, seems a little annoyed when she says that. Marianne and Kaede join in, saying that Kite feels lonely.
Lately I’ve been busy with work and taking care of the babies, so I feel a little guilty.
“It’s okay. I’ll talk to them for a while.”
“Why don’t you go somewhere together? You should take the opportunity to make memories and relax.”
“That’s a good idea.”
Kaede and Marianne are unusually persistent.
So, where should we go? What do the kids like?
“There should be an unexplored archaeological site in the west of the island. How about we go there and look for treasures? At their age, they’re eager for adventure.”
“I understand. Maybe they can see how great their father is.”
It’s close to the beach, so if they get bored, they can go for a swim. Not a bad idea. But I’m worried about taking care of them alone, so I should bring someone from the group to protect them.
I immediately started to prepare.
****
“Dad, hurry, hurry.”
“Look, look, I found a rhinoceros beetle.”
“Hey, stay calm, don’t get too excited, okay, Dad?”
“Yeah…”
Leading the way are Knox and Kaito. Knox looks similar to me and was born as a hybrid. Kaito, on the other hand, looks more like his mother and is a very attractive pureblood elf. At first glance, their personalities are completely opposite.
Knox is carefree and does things without worrying about the details. Kaito, on the other hand, observes his surroundings carefully and moves skillfully so as not to miss anything. Although they do not seem to get along, they have a surprisingly strong mutual trust.
The eldest daughter, Clara, watches over them as she stays by my side. With white fox ears and tail inherited from her mother, and beautiful long white hair, her strong eyes show her awareness as the eldest daughter of the Eiban family.
I may be a proud father, but the three of them are so adorable that I can’t help it.
By the way, we are walking through the forest towards the west of the island. The three people accompanying us are Takigi, Kiaris, and Benale.
“Why me?”
“Don’t complain, it’s part of the job.”
“Takigi always seems to have free time, doesn’t he?”
“Hey, can’t you see I’m busy?”
The three guards are talking behind us. Although Takigi seems bored, he wanted to get a little closer to Kiaris and Benale. With Benale, they barely exchange greetings and have never had a real conversation. As the leader of the group, I can’t let this continue.
Something touches my hand. When I looked down, I saw that Clara was hesitantly withdrawing her hand.
“Do you want to hold my hand?”
“Yes.”
Shyly, Clara offered me her hand, lowering her head. I take it, and for a moment I see her smile.
“Oh, Knox, don’t climb the tree.”
“Kaito, stay calm.”
While I was distracted, Knox and Kaito had climbed the tree. Takigi and Kiaris were worried down below. For some reason, Benale had climbed the tree as well.
“I found a rhinoceros beetle bigger than the one you caught.”
“Damn, I lost.”
“Benale is amazing, big sister.”
It seems that they were competing to see who could catch the biggest rhinoceros beetle. Although she seems calm, her personality is surprisingly childlike. They both seem happy, so maybe it was a good idea to bring her along.
“Hey, Knox, there’s an ogre over there.”
“Yeah! Let’s go for it!”
“Hey, wait a minute.”
Both children disappear, jumping from branch to branch. Takigi and Kiaris quickly follow.
I have to go, too. They’re not strong enough to fight monsters yet. But Clara smiles as if there’s no problem.
“Don’t worry, Dad. There are no monsters on this island that they can’t handle.”
“What do you mean…?”
The ground trembled slightly.
In the direction they were heading, an ogre lies on the ground, the size of which even adults would have trouble defeating. Knox and Kaito high-five each other, smiling.
The adults, myself included, are stunned. How could the children do this without weapons? The answer came from Clara.
“I improved magic so that it could be used as a weapon. Only those with the ability can imbue objects with magic, but there are no restrictions on using magic itself as a weapon. When you learn to solidify it, watch.”
An ice knife appears in her small palm.
It’s easy to say, but it takes extraordinary effort and talent to create. To begin with, the very idea of turning magic into a physical weapon is unusual.
“Not as much as you, Father, but we can do it, too. Right, Kaito?”
“Most of the credit goes to Clara.”
Knox creates a fire sword in his right hand. Kaito makes a wind bow in his left hand.
Even though they are not perfect yet, parts of their weapons tremble unsteadily.
It seems as if they wanted to surprise me from the beginning. The three of them shine with excitement and ask for praise.
Yes, they surprised me a lot… These kids are incredible.
