Diane also has a daughter.
Her name is Janet, and of course, she’s a pretty girl who bears her mother’s resemblance. For some reason, she’s adopted the style of her long hair woven only at the ear-tips.
She truly appears to be a gentle and refined child… yet, she’s become quite difficult.
“Daddy?”
“What is it, Janet? Are you here to play with Papa today?”
“No, please don’t bother arranging anything else for that. I just want to resolve a simple question.”
”…”
Could a seven-year-old really talk to her father in such a tone?
“Papa appears to be a seasoned veteran soldier who fought with considerable frequency according to various documents, yet why isn’t he utilizing those skills now?”
“It’s hard to say, but those documents exaggerate quite a bit… You’re talking about the kind of guy who supposedly defeated dragons and demon lords, right?”
“She also wiped out holy beasts, pirates, and ogre mafia syndicates.”
“Don’t you find that sounds a little too unbelievable by that point?”
“A lie, then?”
Janet looks up with pure, innocent eyes.
Teaching a child who views her father as a great hero the harsh reality of things hurts my heart, but there’s no point in putting on airs. In truth, even if I’m asked to fight something or other, I can only rely on others for help. I haven’t even touched a crossbow in years.
“It’s not entirely false, but the truth is often a draw or I was just present at the scene.”
“Hmm. Why are those descriptions written that way?”
“Probably because if we say it’s all my doing, everyone would be satisfied.”
“I don’t understand. Why? Was Papa really as fierce as an ogre back in his youth?”
“Well, sometimes I got lucky and defeated opponents who didn’t seem winnable… Well, dragons and Mom were involved a lot too, but everyone just insisted that they were only helping out on my behalf. Because of that, everyone started calling Papa that kind of person behind the scenes.”
“So that’s how the story of Papa being a hero began?”
“Well, something like that. Mom is far more remarkable than that, isn’t it? You should see for yourself, Janet.”
“I have no objection to saying Mom is monstrous.”
“Don’t talk about Mom like that…”
That said, Janet herself possesses considerable martial talent.
At this age, she can wield impact waves with bare hands and her physical capabilities exceed that of an adult, clearly demonstrating the nature of her lineage as Diane’s daughter through sheer talent.
That’s likely why she truly feels the boundless strength of Diane too.
However, she’s not a violent brute at all; in fact, she’s such a bookworm that she often retreats to hide away in the study of the baron’s residence or the library of Polka Academy whenever she gets the chance.
The fact that she can read so many books at this age is undoubtedly an inheritance of Diane’s intelligence too, I think. I was still a silly brat up to ten years old who would prank and peek everywhere without restraint.
…Where has my blood gone?
“If such remarkable feats were accomplished, surely you’d be in a position commanding the army like your grandfather did. That must be true for Siegfried Becker as well.”
“Becker-san is a genuine great hero, you see…”
After retiring from the front lines, Becker-san still cultivates successors and operates in the shadows as a staff officer for the Intelligence Corps.
“I’ve lived in this rough world since childhood,” he once said. “Slacking off doesn’t suit me.”
Occasionally, through connections via Onyx, he comes to Polka to serve the ladies or participate in peeping parties where he gets chased around.
He must be well past fifty by now, yet perhaps because of his occasional visits to Polka or simply his inherent talent, his impression on people hasn’t changed much since I first met him.
“However, dragons unanimously claim that Papa is a great hero destined to remain in history. Yet the fact that he’s nothing more than a rural blacksmith is difficult for me, as a daughter, to accept.”
“Papa wanted to be a blacksmith here rather than become some general or noble. His own father did the same.”
“Why? Was your grandfather so extraordinary?”
“…yeah. He was kind, cheerful… a wonderful old man.”
With a slightly somber air, I nod, recalling my father whose face has now faded into the mists of memory.
But.
“While everyone from your grandmother and the neighbors only hears about how crude and pathetic he was…”
“I… I guess there was some truth to that as well.”
“Quite the opposite of his own father, then. His true self seems vastly different from his reputation.”
“No, Dad’s work was undeniably splendid. Even the other craftsmen in the capital city and Mr. Jacky have always praised that aspect of him without a doubt.”
“People are truly difficult to understand,”
Janet turns her back while tilting her head. Seeing only her silhouette confirms she’s still just seven years old, yet after all this conversation, she hardly feels like a child. Still, there’s something endearing about how her clever speech pattern is occasionally undermined by her poor perception, her overriding desires, and the pureness that shines through every fiber of her being.
“She’s no bad child, though…”
As I murmur these words and watch her retreating back, Diane appears from nowhere beside me with a wry smile.
“Now is just a fun time for you to learn everything new. Let me be your friend and let you do as you please. Dealing with Elenia or Frena might seem insufficient for someone in your line of work, but they don’t think badly of you.”
“No, I have no complaints.”
“Don’t you feel lonely because I’m not clinging to you?”
“Well, maybe a little… No, that’s not it. I certainly don’t want you to become like them at all.”
“Heheh. Well, if you suddenly grow interested in Daddy’s lower regions, just don’t be surprised.”
“No, let’s draw the line there, Diane. A father should never grant his daughter permission for that kind of thing.”
“I want to be a fair mother. If Elenia and Frena are allowed it, and Janet decides she has similar feelings, I’ll have no words left to say.”
“Then I must be careful not to develop such feelings…”
“But what if Janet brings back a boyfriend? Would you get angry?”
“Don’t even ask that! It’s cheap and dirty!”
How many fathers, who’ve cherished their daughter since she was a baby, can just laugh it off when that girl shows up with a stranger saying, “I’m going to have sex with this man.”
No, no—that’s too crude.
But that’s basically what’s happening, isn’t it?
There comes a time when one must honestly face the pain of rejection. But since emotions aren’t allowed, there’s nothing else I can do about it.
“I’m just… I’m only a father who dotes on my daughters so openly… That doesn’t mean I’m completely insane to the point where I’d rather be their sexual partner than let them date someone…”
“I see, I see. Anyway, talking about that girl is premature at this stage.”
“Tsk, tsk, I really want her to stay in this premature state forever…”
“Don’t worry, she has a long lifespan.”
“That’s not what I meant… Well, actually it is…”
Ideally, I’d like her to find a boyfriend and become happy after I die; that way the damage will be minimal.
No, that’s rather a pathetic wish too. One should want to fall in love when young.
…By the way, Janet basically lives outside the palace anyway. While Diane isn’t particularly known for having an excessively clean or strict educational philosophy, Janet has lived at the Smythson residence outside the palace since she was very young. She doesn’t want to play with other children and relies entirely on Diane for companionship, so she’s been spending all her time reading books in the barony mansion or at school. Thus, there’s currently little need for her to enter the palace deliberately.
I do have some worries that she might become a child who struggles to make friends, but… well, perhaps I can take care of her when she grows up a bit more.
However, things with my daughter have been going poorly lately. With only my son remaining, I feel slightly at ease.
“Just listening to me laugh about it, that’s all,”
“No! You wouldn’t want Beatrice’s father to be aroused by his own daughter either, would you!?”
“You don’t have a daughter yet, so you won’t know,” I said.
“I’ll guess as best I can.”
Beatrix grinned and leaned her elbow on the counter.
She’d set up shop along Polka’s main road. A sign hung above reading “Treasure General Store.” At first, she sold only crafts like plushies and tote bags. But as Beatrix kept finding things she was interested in and adding them to inventory—exotic spices, soap, art supplies, books, perfumes, then weapons, household goods, and more—the assortment became so disorganized that the store eventually became a “general store” by default.
By the way, she also has her own sourcing channels for erotic scrolls. Sometimes she stocks up on stuff I’ve never even heard of, which is a real lifesaver. Sure, we could ask Onyx or others to supply them, and plenty would be available, but checking inventory consistently is a pain in the neck. Most often, when you go to make contact, you end up in a big orgy with members of the maid corps or courtesans from the main houses.
“I’m going to have three sons in a row,” Beatrix laughed. “Well, no complaints about having guys, but maybe it’s time I gave birth to a girl too.”
”…I’m not opposed to getting pregnant, but you might have another boy this time.”
“Then I’ll just look forward to the next one.”
Beatrix smiled, revealing her bare shoulders in a seductive outfit. That’s her merchant spirit at work—using her looks to attract customers.
Over the years, while laying down blades for manual labor and doing business, Beatrix had grown considerably as a woman. Her physique wasn’t just that either (or rather, she was too lanky back when we first met); mentally, too, she’d become more stable. Now, as the store owner, she can handle negotiations with Cosmos-sama, Lady Swallow, and others with plenty of confidence.
“By the way, what about the kids?”
“Not around yet, are they? Sharon said she’s heading off to the bathhouse around this time, so all the youngsters will be there too.”
”…Sharon, going to the men’s bath again on purpose…”
“It’s semi-official since the children actually take their baths willingly. Although it’s not just for the kids.”
“True, I suppose. Still, you’re never gonna be safe…”
Sharon often helps out at the church temple. During high season, she fights monsters in Rhenfan gas; otherwise, she stays put in Polka. Surprisingly, many of the children there hate baths, and if left unchecked, they skip bathing for days. That’s why after their lessons at the church, Sharon and Lulie give them a push.
Of course, Sharon doesn’t provide excessive services to the boys; she simply takes them to bathe and washes them herself. But since it’s impossible for her to hide anything while doing so—and she’s the type of woman who won’t conceal anything—the result is a bottleneck of numerous young boys and some older men crowding into the bathing area just to catch glimpses of her.
That’s also one of her problematic quirks. Even though she can be seductive with everyone, when she sings something like, “This body that captivates the whole town… only you can feel my little member…♪,” the situation escalates because she treats exposing herself helplessly to others as part of her game too.
By the way, Lulie doesn’t really have those kind of hobbies and seems to wrap herself in cloth while bathing. Still, having her blatantly make faces saying, “This is so disappointing…” irritates me greatly, so I’ve been grumbling nonstop about it.
“In Polka, just stepping into a bath can heal injuries or ailments, which is a huge help, you know! The middle child broke his arm playing with an Anneth hammer on the roof yesterday, but now he’s back to being top-notch.”
”…Do modern kids even know what ‘Anneth hammer’ is?”
“Somehow, they do. Maybe someone copied it and passed it down through generations? It’s dangerous, so I wish this tradition would disappear.”
Lord Anneth the Grand Knight has long since retired, hasn’t he? Is everyone now treating him like some fictional hero or something?
Returning to the palace, I took off my shoes at the entrance and handed them over to the fully naked maid wearing an apron named Onyx.
Walking along, I removed the top first, then the bottom, handing both pieces to another pair of maids by now. By the time I reached the large bathing pool, I was completely nude. “Tired again today,” I sighed, looking around for a spot where I could lie flat in the water to soak my entire body.
But there were so many girls already in the bath that I couldn’t find any place to spread out and rest comfortably.
“Why are all these people taking baths today…?”
“Since your Honorable Lord Master hasn’t been having sex this morning, everyone thinks you’re coming home for a big orgy party!♪”
One nearby maid said so enthusiastically, causing the sea of fully naked beautiful women and young beauties all around to shout “Yay!” while raising their fists in excitement.
”…In that case, I’ll leave it up to you. Now yours, then.”
“Ahhh~! Gonna get pregnant!♪”
The maid reported this, tore her apron in half, threw it away, and grabbed my waist before engaging me.
I noticed Elenia and Frena were watching closely from just a bit away and hesitated for a moment. ”…Are you trying to act nonchalant?”
“Anyway, aren’t we going to get penetrated?”
“We’re completely at ease with each other…”
They murmured these words together, smiling as their naked shoulders touched.
“All that’s left is just the collar, right♪”
“I’d like the black one♪”
Ah, but they haven’t issued any new ones in black.
Actually, nothing besides black is allowed either. Putting a collar on a child and then sticking your dick inside it… that would be absolutely the worst thing imaginable.