I'm in Tark today.

It's not Spirit Festival season, but since Diane and Cosmos are piled up with errands, I wanted to clear those off while also taking this opportunity to strengthen ties with the Onyx Maid Group and Cosmos Main Shop. During festival times, everyone's too busy to give proper attention. We have more time in peacetime.

Besides, on this trip, I'm also looking for Kei-chan's mother. Even when I ask the Head Maid, she refuses to tell me anything, so I have no choice but to dig directly from locals around here and beyond. There's no way the maternal relationship between them remains a complete secret even in Tark.

I want to express my recognition of their relationship anyway, and also discuss Kei-chan's education with her mother. It might be futile... But if I just completely ignore things, there's no telling how many more daughters will emerge infected with bizarre ideologies. I have to clearly state my intention to provide proper education for future considerations.

Anyway, resolved in my heart, as I walked through the Carlos family's garden, Janet—Diane's daughter—stopped me.

"Father, I have something I want to ask."

"H-hey? What is it?"

There's nothing improper on my part; rather, I've stepped forward intentionally to correct unhealthy matters with someone wholesome, so I should act bravely... but getting caught by my daughter while searching for maids makes me nervous.

Janet gazed steadily at her father's unreadable expression, then suddenly pointed decisively to the side.

At the tip of her finger stood a sand-colored tower about fifty meters away.

"I thought that tower had always been there, but I heard Father built it."

"Oh, I'm not a mason. I merely gave commands."

"Why build it? The Tower Emblem is supposed to be a one-horned organization. It doesn't make sense for someone loyal to Onyx like you to construct such things."

That tower was named "Horn of Tark," becoming both a new landmark in Tark and, substantially, the new symbol of the Tower Emblem. Their offices are even located inside it.

The reason it came to be... was simply because Minister Ashton told us to do so.

"If asked why, I don't really know myself either. It feels like some kind of deal was struck between Onyx and someone else."

"Doesn't that feel a bit too casual to build something like that?"

"I think it's probably also meant as a show of force anyway. Actually, for Lyra and her group, it wasn't much of a long-term job in the first place."

That's right.

They built it using dragons. More precisely, Lyra and the lizardmen in the surrounding areas who worship her.

Rough labor was done by Lyra riding on her dragon body, while detailed construction work was carried out efficiently by the lizardmen under Diane's instructions. Bringing together Elven and Dark Elf masonry techniques, they ended up creating something as sturdy—and unbreakable except for unprecedented earthquakes—as the once-destroyed "Tower Emblem" collapse tower that used to stand in Tark.

Diane mentioned that if an earthquake strong enough to destroy this ever occurred, the entire city's sun-dried brick buildings would likely be completely demolished before the tower itself could fall.

Given how rare such durable structures are here, this basically means the time when Tark itself falls will come.

...Above all, the act of making dragons build it carried an incredibly strong message.

In other words, Onyx is claiming superiority by showing that if they really wanted to, they could easily surpass Tower Emblem in construction capabilities.

By generously "loaning" such a structure to Tower Emblem while simultaneously providing full surface-level support, they were emphasizing their absolute dominance with the message "such a thing holds only this much value for us." Furthermore, by showcasing dragons, they issued an outright declaration: "If you defy us, we'll always show that we can destroy it whenever we choose."

...I think Minister Ashton was likely even more furious than Carlos about what Tower Emblem group members did previously.

While Carlos merely subtly demonstrated the "class" of a ruler, Minister Ashton chose to inflict far harsher terror.

Originally, this person established the family motto: "Protect allies, reward friends, entertain guests, and kill enemies." While he currently entrusts the backbone of the family to Carlos for national governance, his nature is undoubtedly still even more extreme than that.

I vaguely explained all this to Janet.

My explanation was scattered because the sources of my information are rather dubious.

Minister Ashton continues to snap at me in strange ways upon meeting, only to be appeased by his family and depart. The tower construction request was even passed down through Diane. Even Carlos is basically similar in attitude, so it's hard for me to gauge how serious they truly are about what matters.

"Anyway, the design was handled by Diane, and I didn't do any of the labor myself. After saying 'I'll leave it to you,' I just stayed inside drinking because it was too hot outside... and before I knew it, it was already built... So..." Is it really appropriate for me to say I built it?

"...As usual, Father is truly incredible."

"Incredible in what way? There's nothing incredible about it?"

"While fully aware that this massive plan serves as the centerpiece of intimidation over all of Tark, he speaks as if it were merely spare-time odd jobs. Shouldn't this be something he'd boast about for a lifetime?"

"Truthfully, I was just drinking alcohol and had no spare time either... Moreover, no matter how grandiose a task dragons undertake, the meaning behind it is given by Carlos or Minister Ashton. Only when that's established can great power truly make people happy. I'm not good with those kinds of things."

I still occasionally borrow the dragon's strength, but I'm all too aware that it rarely delivers results as promised on the surface.

Of course, if the task is merely to slaughter monsters, a single command—"Go get them!"—yields the expected outcome without fail. But in human society, things don't work quite like that.
"You need to figure out who this benefits," "Some problems can be handled through other means," "How do you convert the terror of a dragon's movement into something useful"... These require meticulous planning. Without knowledge and experience, unforeseen negatives tend to explode unexpectedly.

Fortunately, Diane and Irina usually serve as my brain trust, so I rarely make truly fatal blunders.
I simply admire their ability to orchestrate such intricate details from afar, while telling the dragons, "Leave it to us."
Honestly, it doesn't feel like much of a personal achievement of mine.

"He often gets credit for his father's great work wherever he goes. The mothers boast, 'Your father did it!' but my father tells me nothing about any of this."

"Huh? No, if you ask properly, I'll explain. I do that even now."

"Truthfully, when no one asks, I can't remember exactly which achievements I spoke of to whom."

"U-um... ahhh... n-no..."

Well, among hundreds of people, there's bound to be some forgetting I can't deny.

As she felt uneasy, Janet suddenly averted her gaze.

"...I'm sorry. That was a cruel question. Since I can only speak to my father like that, he must find it irksome."

"Huh?"

Wait, wait. Janet, that's a massive misunderstanding.

"I have never once thought you were annoying!?"

"It... It just seems like you're trying to minimize the time spent with me to an absolute minimum. You didn't even invite me to last week's camping festival."

"Ahhh, no, I guess I wasn't too interested... Besides, since it involves fire and sharp objects, the gist was that small children shouldn't be invited."

"But Floria and Lyra are the same age as me..."

"...No, honestly, if you wanted to go that bad, I'm sorry."

"...Honestly, my only complaint is that you didn't even ask. It wasn't that I had a special desire to camp."

"Oh, well... let's pull back on that comment a bit... it was wrong of me."

Seeing the tiny Janet standing so proudly and dignified, just like Diane, excelling in both studies and athletics, while throwing such an overly childish tantrum brings about a mix of frustration and overwhelming affection.
...I can't help but think that taking her along would have resulted in a total disaster.
Floria still feels somewhat distant after the shock of witnessing her father and sisters' actual sex; showing something so intimate to Janet, who usually keeps her distance from such things, might mean we wouldn't be able to talk properly until she's much older.

When I told Diane about this, she laughed.

"I don't think you need to worry that much. She isn't a daughter who can't read the air. It's already clear that Elenia and Frena are head-over-heels for their father."

"That doesn't mean they're having actual sex right now, so it's not the same thing."

"I never told her to stay away from the palace. She has insatiable curiosity. I'm sure she gets one good look at whatever you do there."

"...!?"

"There's only one thing I can say: Don't treat him harshly. To you, he might be just one person among hundreds, but to me, he is my only daughter. I don't want her to grieve because she wasn't loved by her parents."

"Is this the attitude of someone who already has several daughters crossing that line into 'loving'?"

"If that's what she wants, then I'm on her side."

It seems Diane, who appears so calm and collected, has been quite influenced by the Selen group.
While Ashington hates seeing his daughters bare-breasted, he complains bitterly about it, yet here we are, giving permission. It's somewhat incomprehensible from this perspective.

Later, while sneaking around the mansion grounds to gather information on Kay-chan's mother, I accidentally stumbled upon her talking with Janet.

"So, you want to get along better with my master as well?"

"And to you as well, since he is your father. Let's call him Father then."

"No, I'm a maid and a sex toy first before I am even his daughter."

By this point, I really wanted to object with full force, but since we were sneaking around quietly, I couldn't bring myself to do it.

"If I ask you this question, I will judge it as your wish to join our 'Virgin Dildo Collection.'" "Dildo? What is that?" "It is a tool designed to stimulate your master's genitals and cause ejaculation." I figured this was already too far gone. Trying to approach boldly after deciding to stop acting coyly, I suddenly found myself restrained by several maids and shoved into the servant's quarters. "W-what are you doing! As her father, I have a duty to protect Janet from ideological contamination!" "Young Lady Janet is intelligent; please do not worry. She will surely learn to distinguish between knowledge and ideology." "Besides, we are on Kay's side too." "I'd really appreciate it if you guys stood by me sometimes!" "Your words are touching, sir. But... given that Polka and Tark currently form your roots, wouldn't attempting to block all sexual knowledge be futile?" "No, I'm not trying to block them out per se... honestly, I just wanted her to grow up cherishing herself if possible..." I truly understand that once Elenia has pushed me aside, my own words lack any real persuasiveness. Even so, I want to be heard. All I really want is to be a father to her—that's all.

I’m in Tark today.

It’s not the time for the Spirit Festival, but Diane and Cosmos have been letting things pile up, so I’m here to sort through those pending matters. I’ll also take the opportunity to strengthen our ties with Cosmos Honpo and the Onyx Maid Corps.

During festival season, everyone is too busy to spare any time. Times of peace are better for giving things our full attention.

Also, this trip doubles as a search for Key-chan’s mother.

The Head Maid refuses to tell me anything, so I have no choice but to ask around myself, including the surrounding areas. Despite the circumstances, I doubt their strict secrecy regarding their parent-child relationship extends all the way to Tark.

I want to formally convey my recognition of her status, and we need to discuss her upbringing. It might be a wasted effort, though.

But if I act as if I’m completely ignoring the situation, there’s a risk that one after another more daughters warped by strange ideologies will emerge. For future sake, I must strongly demonstrate my intention to provide proper education.

With that resolve in mind, I was walking through the garden of Carlos’s house when I was stopped by Diane’s daughter, Janet.

“Father. I wish to ask you something.”

“W-What is it?”

I had nothing to hide. In fact, I was stepping forward to correct things into a healthier direction, so I should have been standing my ground, but finding myself caught up by my daughter while searching for a maid made me flustered.

Janet stared at her father with an unreadable expression, then slowly raised a finger to point sideways.

In the distance, about fifty meters away, stood a tower of sand-colored stone.

“I had always believed that tower was there long ago, but I heard you were the one who built it.”

“W-Well, I’m not a mason. I merely gave the orders.”

“Why was it built? The Tower Emblem should be an organization with a single horn. It defies logic for your father, bound to Onyx, to erect such a structure.”

The tower is named the “Horn of Tark.” While serving as Tark’s new landmark, it has effectively become the new symbol of the Tower Emblem, as their offices are housed within its walls.

And the reason it came to this was… simply because Minister Ashton told us to do it.

“It’s hard to say why even I am unsure. I suppose a deal was struck between Onyx and them.”

“…Do you build such things just like that?”

“I imagine it serves as a display of power as well, though. In reality, for Lyra and the others, it wasn’t really a long-term project.”

Right.

They used dragons to build it. Specifically, Lyra, a dragon herself, and the lizardmen from the surrounding regions who revere her.

Lyra in her dragon form handled the heavy, coarse labor, while the lizardmen executed the fine construction work efficiently under Diane’s direction. Combining architectural techniques from elves and dark elves, they produced a structure as sturdy as the collapsed tower of the former “Tower Emblem” that once stood in Tark, yet one that would not crumble unless struck by an unprecedented earthquake.

Diane mentioned that if such an earthquake were to occur, all the sun-dried brick buildings throughout the city would likely be wiped out before the tower did.

Given how rare sturdy structures are in this area, that day would essentially mark the destruction of Tark itself.

…Moreover, above all else, having a dragon build it carried a powerful message.

It was a flex: Onyx could easily produce architecture far surpassing the “Tower Emblem’s” capabilities if they so chose.

By graciously gifting this structure to the “Tower Emblem,” they demonstrated full support on the surface while emphasizing their absolute superiority—implying that such a thing held little value to them—and simultaneously declared through the display of dragons, “If you oppose us, we can destroy you whenever we please.”

…I probably know why Minister Ashton was angrier than Carlos when the Tower Emblem lot acted up previously.

While Carlos demonstrated the “class” of a ruler who controls things subtly and effectively, Minister Ashton chose to inflict more intense terror.

Originally, he was the one who established the family motto: “Protect allies, give to friends, entertain guests, kill enemies.” While he has entrusted the role of the clan’s pillar to support national politics to Carlos, he is fundamentally a man of an even more radical temperament.

…I explained this at length to Janet.
My explanation was somewhat vague because the sources of my information are inherently murky.
Minister Ashton still repeats his pattern of getting into bizarre rages when he sees me, only to be knocked out by family members and retreat from the scene. I received the commission for building that tower through Diane. Carlos is basically similar in this regard, so it’s hard for me to gauge how serious they are or what exactly they are reacting to.
“So, the design was Diane’s work, and I did no labor on the construction. They just said ‘build it,’ so I stayed indoors drinking alcohol because it was hot, and before I knew it, it was finished… So saying I built it is a stretch.”
“…As always, Father, you are truly astonishing.”
“I’m not doing anything astonishing here.”
“You speak of becoming the keystone in a grand plan that intimidates all of Tark as if it were a casual side gig. In reality, isn’t it work one would brag about for a lifetime?”
“That’s true; at the time, I was just drinking and it wasn’t a side gig… Anyway, no matter how massive a project a dragon performs, it is Carlos or Minister Ashton who gives it meaning. Only when that happens can great power truly bring happiness to people. I’m not good at that kind of thing.”

I still borrow the power of dragons frequently, but I’ve come to realize that it doesn’t always yield results commensurate with the cost.

Sure, if all you’re doing is slaughtering monsters, a simple "Go get them" usually gets the job done as expected. But when it comes to human society, it’s not that straightforward.

You need meticulous planning for things like “who actually needs this,” “couldn’t part of the problem be solved by other means,” or “how do we leverage the fear dragons instill?”……Without knowledge and experience, unexpected downsides are bound to erupt.

Normally, Diane and Irina act as my brains, so I don’t make any fatal blunders.

I usually just stand there amazed at the skill of those who can work out such details, while telling the dragons, “Count on us,” and leave it at that.

It’s hard to call it a personal feat of mine, honestly.

“I often hear about Father’s great deeds in my various travels. Mothers always brag, ‘Your father did that,’ but Father never tells me anything, does he?”

“Eh? No, I’ll explain things if you ask. I do that now.”

“In truth, if no one asked, you probably wouldn’t even remember to whom you revealed which achievements, would you?”

“Uhh, ah, not that……”

Well, I can’t deny that with hundreds of people around, I’d forget some details.

Seeing her falter, Janet looked away for a moment.

“…I’m sorry. That was a mean question. It’s the only way I can address Father, so it must make you uneasy.”

“What?”

Hold on, hold on. Janet, that’s a massive misunderstanding.

“I’ve never once thought of you as unwelcome!”

“…It seems obvious that you’re trying to keep the time you spend with me to an absolute minimum. I wasn’t invited to the recent camping tournament, either.”

“Ahh, no, it’s just that I might not be that interested in it……Besides, we use fire and sharp objects, so the policy was not to bring young children……”

“Floria and Leila are my age, though……”

“…Yeah, really. If you wanted to come, then I’m sorry.”

“To be honest, I’m just dissatisfied that no one invited me. It’s not like I particularly wanted to go camping.”

“I mean, try phrasing it a little less bluntly……I know I was wrong, though.”

Even though she is young, Janet resembles Diane in her dignified demeanor and excels in both studies and sports, yet right now she’s giving a pout that feels unusually childish. It’s troubling, yet simultaneously overwhelming with affection.

…On second thought, taking her along would have been a disaster.

Floria has felt a bit distant since the shock of seeing Father and her sisters having sex live. And Janet, who usually shows no sign of interest in such matters, might become unable to even converse with us properly if forced to witness it so suddenly.

When I mentioned this to Diane, she laughed.
“I don’t think you should worry that much. She’s not a naive girl. It’s already known that Elenia and Frena are smitten with their father.”
“But that’s totally different from having sex, isn’t it?”
“I haven’t told her to stay away from the palace. She’s curious by nature. I assume she has seen pretty much everything you do within its walls.”
“…!?”
“All I can tell you is one thing: Don’t be cruel to her. To you, she might just be one of hundreds, but to me, she is my only daughter. I don’t want to see her grieve at not being loved by her parent.”
“Are you really going to phrase it that way when there are several girls who have already crossed the line of ‘loving’?”
“If that’s what she wants, then I will stand on her side.”
He may seem calm and composed, but Diane has been pretty well influenced by Selen and the others.
The Minister Ashton hates seeing his daughters in a state of undress with sloppy expressions, yet giving permission here is somewhat baffling.

Afterward, while sneaking around the mansion to investigate Kay’s mother, I accidentally discovered Kay talking to Janet.
“So, you want to get closer to the Master.”
“He would be your father as well. Why don’t you call him that?”
“No, before anything else, I am a maid and a meat toilet.”
I wanted to interject with full force at that point, but since I was sneaking around, it wasn’t possible.

"I take your seeking an answer to mean you wish to join us, the 'Daughter Onahole Collection.'"

"Ona-ho...? What on earth is that?"

"It is a tool used to stimulate my master's genitalia, bringing him to ejaculation."

At this point, I figured there was no turning back. Thinking as much, I stopped my sneaky behavior and took large strides toward them, only to be restrained midway by several maids and shoved into the servants' quarters.

"W-What are you doing?! As Janet's father, it is my duty to protect her from ideological contamination!"

"Miss Janet is intelligent. There is no need to worry; she will surely be able to distinguish between knowledge and ideology on her own."

"And besides, we are on Kei's side."

"I'd like a little support from you guys too, at least once in a while!"

"With all due respect, my master... given that she currently possesses the roots of Polka and Tarku, is it not already impossible to shield her from sexual knowledge?"

"It's not that I want to shut it out from her... I just want her to grow up cherishing herself... that's all."

Honestly, knowing full well that my words hold no persuasive power at the point where I've already been overpowered by Elenia and the others.

I know that much, but please hear me out. I just want to be a normal father. That is all I want.

I've come to Tark today.

Though it's not the time of the Spirit Festival, Diane and Cosmos have accumulated some tasks that need handling. I'm here to help them out and also to foster relations with the Cosmos Main Branch and the Onyx Maid Corps.

During festival times we're both too busy, so this is a good opportunity to spend more quality time together.

Also, this time, I came partly because of Kay's mother search.

Even if I ask the maid captain, she won't tell me anything. So, there's no other choice but for me to directly inquire around town. It wouldn't be surprising if her relationship with Kay is kept a secret even here in Tark.

I want to express my willingness to acknowledge her and also discuss Kay's education. Even though it might not amount to much.

If I completely ignore the situation, there's no telling what kind of twisted ideas could influence my daughter. So, for future reference, I need to clearly show that I expect a proper education for her.

With this in mind, as I walked through Carlos' garden, Janet, Diane's daughter, stopped me.

"Father, I have something to ask."

"What is it?"

I had nothing to be ashamed of, and in fact I was trying to correct my son's misconceptions about me by looking for a maid. But when he caught me doing so, it threw me off balance.

Janet looked up at her father with an unreadable expression on her face and pointed casually to the side.

At the end of her finger stood a sand-colored tower some fifty meters tall.

"I always thought that tower had been there forever, but I heard you built it."

"Uh, I'm not a mason. I just gave orders."

"Why did you build it? The Tower Emblem is supposed to be an organization with one horn. It doesn't make sense for my father, who serves Onyx, to build it."

The tower was called the "Horn of Tark," and it had become both a new landmark in Tark and a new symbol of the Tower Emblem practically speaking, since their office was inside.

And the reason it happened... well, Ashton Minister told me to do it.

"If you ask why, I don't really know. Maybe some kind of deal went down with Onyx."

"...You just build something like that?"

"I think it was also a demonstration of power. In fact, for Rila and the others, this wasn’t such a long-term job."

That’s right.
They used dragons to build it. More precisely, Rila and her followers in the surrounding area—the lizardmen.
Rila did all the heavy lifting with her dragon body, while the lizardmen carried out the finer details under Diane’s direction. Elves and dark elves contributed their architectural skills, resulting in a structure as sturdy as the collapsed Tower Emblem of Tark—but one that wouldn’t be destroyed even by an unprecedented earthquake.
If this tower were to collapse due to an earthquake, Diane said, it would probably mean that all the sun-dried brick buildings in the city would crumble first. Since there aren’t many non-sun-dried-brick buildings here, practically speaking, Tark’s destruction would follow.
…Anyway, having a dragon build this was a powerful message in itself.
It meant that Onyx could easily surpass the Tower Emblem’s construction work if it wanted to.
And by generously offering this to the Tower Emblem, they showed their full support on the surface while also emphasizing their absolute superiority—“This is something we consider of such little value”—and even declaring, “We’ll destroy you whenever we want” by showing off a dragon.
…Probably because Minister Ashton knew about what happened when the Tower Emblem people had been mischievous before, he was even more furious than Carlos.

Carlos had merely hinted at his position as the ruler, while Minister Ashton chose a more brutal approach to instill fear.
He was originally the one who laid down the family motto: "protect your allies, give to friends, entertain guests, and kill enemies." Even though he has entrusted Carlos with running the family business in support of national politics, his true nature is likely even more radical.

...That's what I explained to Janet rather vaguely.

The vagueness comes from my uncertain sources of information. Minister Ashton still acts out whenever he meets me by getting angry over trivial matters and then leaves after being scolded by the family. The request for construction of that tower was also passed through Diane, and even Carlos is basically similar in behavior. Thus, it's hard to gauge how seriously they take things.

"So the design was done by Diane, and I didn't do any labor on the building work. All I did was ask them to build it, then stayed inside drinking because of the heat... So, can I really say that I built it?"

"...As always, Father is truly incredible."

"Is there anything about him that isn't incredible?"

"He's aware that he's a key part in an ambitious plan to awe all of Tark, yet talks about it as if it were just some side job. Shouldn't something like this be the kind of thing you'd boast about for life?"

"At the time, I was really just drinking and not doing any side work... Besides, no matter what big construction project a dragon does, it's only meaningful when Carlos or Minister Ashton give it purpose. And that's why true power can make people happy. But I'm terrible at that kind of thing."

Even now, I often borrow the power of dragons, but it's clear that they don't always deliver as much effect as advertised. Of course, if all you want is to kill monsters, a simple "go do it" will get you exactly what you expect. But in human society, things aren’t so straightforward.

You need meticulous planning for aspects like who really needs this done, whether other methods could handle part of the problem, and how to deal with the terror that comes from having dragons move around. Without knowledge and experience, unexpected negative consequences tend to pop up.

Thankfully, Diane-san and Irina usually take care of the brainwork, so I don’t make any fatal mistakes.

I’m always impressed by people who can work out such details, but all I do is tell the dragons "please" and leave it at that. It doesn't really feel like my doing.

"I often hear about your great works wherever I go. My mother likes to boast ‘my dad did this,’ but he never tells me anything."

"Huh? No, if you ask, I’ll explain for sure, even now."

"Do you actually forget who you told what to unless asked?"

"U-ah, no…"

Well, it's hard not to forget someone when you have a hundred people around. Janet flinched and then looked away.

"...I'm sorry. That was an unfair question. I can only talk to my father this way, so he probably thinks I’m annoying."

"Huh?"

Wait, wait. Janet, that’s a huge misunderstanding!

"I’ve never thought of you as annoying!"

"…It looks like you’re trying to spend the least amount of time possible with me. You weren’t even invited to last week's camping trip."

"Oh, well...I wasn't really interested in it...and besides, they didn't call kids who might get hurt from fire or knives..."

"Floire and Ryle are my age, though..."

"...If you wanted to go, I’m sorry."

"...Honestly, I'm just disappointed that you didn't invite me. I don't particularly want to camp out."

"Um, let's put it a bit more delicately... Sorry about that..."

Janet, who is young but looks strikingly like Diane and excels in both studies and sports, pouts childishly. It’s somehow endearing yet frustrating at the same time.

…If I had taken her along, things would have gotten really messy, I think now.
Floria was shocked after seeing my father having sex with her sisters, and since then she's been a bit distant. If I’d shown Janet something like that out of nowhere, she might not talk to me until she grows up.

When I told Diane about this, she laughed.
"I don't think you need to worry too much. She’s not an oblivious girl. She already knows how Elenia and Frena are head over heels for their father."

"And the fact that they’ve actually had sex is a completely different matter," I said.

"I never told her not to get close to Palas. She's very curious, so she probably saw what you were up to there."

"There's one thing I want to say. Please don't treat me coldly. You may be just one of hundreds to you, but she is my only daughter. I don't want her to suffer because she doesn't feel loved by her parents."

"Is it okay for you to say that when some kids have already crossed the line of being 'loved'?"

"If that's what she wants, then I'll be on her side."

Despite appearing calm and collected, Diane has been quite influenced by Selen and the others. It doesn't make much sense why she allows this while disapproving of Minister Ashton looking at his daughters naked.

After trying to gather information about Kay's mother within the mansion, I ended up finding Kay talking with Janet.

"So you want to be closer to your master."

"You could call him father if it means something to you."

"No, as a maid and meat hole first."

At this point, I really wanted to interject, but since I was sneaking around, I couldn't.

"I assume that by asking me this, you are hoping to join our 'Doll Dildo Collection.'"

"Dildo...? What is it?"

"It's a tool used to stimulate your master’s genitals and make him ejaculate."

I thought I was done for.

When I tried to stop sneaking around and walk boldly over there, several maids restrained me and pushed me into the servants' quarters.

"W-What are you doing?! As her father, it is my duty to protect Janet from ideological corruption!"

"Miss Janet is intelligent. She can distinguish between knowledge and ideology."

"And we're on Kay’s side."

"I wish someone would be on my side for a change!"

"In all honesty, Master... isn’t it impossible to block sexual knowledge at this point given Polka and Talc's backgrounds?"

“No, I’m not trying to cut her off… I just want her to grow up while taking care of herself…”
I know that my words have no power now since they’ve pushed me this far.
But I still want them to listen. All I want is to be a normal father. That’s all.

I am in Talc today.
It isn’t the season for the Spirit Festival, but I have a backlog of errands involving Diane-san, Cosmos-san, and the others to settle, and I figured I’d use the opportunity to interact with Cosmos Trading and the Onyx Maid Corps.
During festival season, everyone is too busy to focus on anything else. It is much easier to give them my full attention during peacetime.
Additionally, this trip doubles as a search for Kei-chan's mother.
The Head Maid won't tell me anything, so I have no choice but to investigate the surrounding area and interrogate people directly. At the end of the day, it's unlikely that a mother-child relationship would be kept a total secret even in a place like Talc.
I want to officially declare my intent to recognize her, and I also want to discuss Kei-chan's education. Though, it might be a waste of time.
If I take a completely hands-off approach, I might end up producing another string of biological daughters who have been indoctrinated by strange ideologies. For the sake of the future, I need to make my intention—that I desire a proper education—known firmly.

With that resolve in my heart, I was walking through Carlos-san’s garden when I was stopped by Diane-san's daughter, Janet.

"Father. There is something I wish to ask."

"Wh-what is it?"

I have nothing to hide; in fact, I am taking steps to correct questionable stories into wholesome ones, so I should be able to stand tall. Yet, being cornered by his daughter while searching for a maid caused me to lose my composure.

Janet stared up at her father with an unreadable expression, then slowly pointed to the side.

At the tip of her finger stood a sandy-colored tower, about fifty meters tall.

"I thought that tower had been there for a long time, but I heard you built it, Father."

"I—I'm no stonemason. I merely gave the order."

"Why did you build it? The Tower Emblem is supposed to be a single-horned organization. It is illogical for you, an ally of Onyx, to build such a thing."

That tower is named the "Horn of Talc." It serves as a new landmark for Talc and has effectively become the new symbol of the Tower Emblem; their offices are even located within it.

As for the reason it happened... it was simply because Minister Ashton told me to do so.

"If you ask me why, even I don't quite understand. I suppose... a deal was struck. With Onyx."

"...Is that how you build things like that? Just by chance?"

"I think it was also intended as a show of force. For Lyra and the others, it wasn't actually a long-term project."

That’s right.

It was built using a dragon. More accurately, it was built by Lyra and the surrounding lizardmen who follow her.

Lyra, in her dragon form, handled the heavy lifting, while the lizardmen performed the detailed construction under Diane-san's precise instructions. By pooling the architectural and processing skills of elves and dark elves, they produced something as sturdy as the "Tower Emblem's" collapsed tower that once stood in Talc—a structure so robust it wouldn't break even in an unprecedented earthquake.

Diane-san remarked that if an earthquake strong enough to break this occurred, the sun-dried brick buildings throughout the entire city would likely be annihilated long before the tower.

Since buildings of any other sort are rare around here, that would effectively mean the end of Talting.

...But above all, having a dragon build this sent an incredibly powerful message.

In short, it was a way of asserting dominance—showing that Onyx can easily execute construction projects that surpass the capabilities of the "Tower Emblem."

By generously "gifting" it to the Tower Emblem, we demonstrated full support on the surface, while simultaneously emphasizing absolute superiority by saying, "This is merely the level of value we possess." Furthermore, by parading the dragon, we issued a declaration: "If you defy us, we can destroy everything at any time."

...I suspect Minister Ashton was even more incensed than Carlos-san, knowing how the Tower Emblem members had acted out previously.

While Carlos-san merely demonstrated the "stature" of a hidden ruler, Minister Ashton chose to instill a more intense sense of terror.

He is, after all, the man who instilled the family creed of "protect allies, provide to friends, host guests, and kill enemies." Though he currently leaves the pillar of the family to Carlos-san so he can support the national administration, his true nature is likely much more radical.

...This is the scattered explanation I gave to Janet.

It was scattered because the sources of my information are somewhat vague.

Minister Ashton continues his pattern of getting angry over strange things when he meets me, only to be talked down by his family and exit the scene. I received the request for the tower's construction through Diane-san. Since Carlos-san is basically the same way, it is difficult for me to gauge how serious they are or to what extent.

"So, Diane-san did the design, and I didn't do any of the actual labor. I just said, 'Please do it,' and then, because it was hot, I stayed inside drinking alcohol... and before I knew it, it was just there. I'm not even sure if 'I built it' is the right way to put it."

"...It is typical of you, but you truly are formidable, Father."

"How is any of this formidable?"

"You speak of being the linchpin of a grand plan that intimidates all of Talc as if it were nothing more than a side job. This is the kind of work one should boast about for a lifetime."

"Truly, at the time, I was just drinking alcohol; it wasn't even a side job... Besides, no matter how much massive construction a dragon does, it is people like Carlos-san or Minister Ashton who give it meaning. Only when that is achieved can great power be used to make people happy. I'm not very good at that kind of thing."

I still frequently borrow the power of the dragons, but I am keenly aware that it doesn't always yield the results one might expect from the sheer scale of it.
Of course, if the goal is merely to slaughter monsters, a single command of "Go" will achieve the intended result. However, that is not how things work in the human world.
One must meticulously consider things like, "Who exactly does this benefit?" or "Couldn't part of the problem be managed through other means?" or "How will the terror caused by the dragon's movement be redirected?" Without deep knowledge and experience, unexpected negative consequences tend to erupt.
Fortunately, since Diane-san and Irina handle the heavy lifting for me, I rarely make any fatal blunders.
While I stand there in awe of the skill of those capable of such intricate planning, I simply tell the dragons, "I'm counting on you."
I can't really bring myself to consider it my own achievement.

"I often hear of your great deeds in many places during my travels. My mothers often boast, 'It was Father who did it,' but you never tell me anything yourself."

"Eh? No, I'll explain properly if you ask me—just like I'm doing now."

"In truth, if I do not ask, do you not simply fail to remember to whom you attributed which achievement?"

"Ugh, ah, well, no..."

Well, I can't deny that when there are a hundred people involved, some details inevitably slip my mind.

As I faltered, Janet looked away with a huff.

"...Forgive me. That was a spiteful question. Since this is the only way I can approach you, I suppose you find me burdensome."

"Wait, what?"

Hold on, hold on. Janet, that is a massive misunderstanding.

"I have never once thought of you as a burden!?"

"...It is clearly apparent that you try to keep your interactions with me to a minimum. I was not even invited to the recent camping trip."

"Ah, well, I thought you might not be interested... and the purpose was to avoid bringing small children since we'll be using fire and blades..."

"Floria and Lyle are the same age as I am..."

"...No, really, if you wanted to go, I'm sorry."

"...To be honest, I am simply dissatisfied that I wasn't called. It is not that I particularly desired to go camping."

"Hey, you could phrase that a bit more delicately... I'm sorry, okay?"

Even at a young age, Janet is as dignified as Diane-san, and though she excels in both studies and athletics, seeing her pout so much like a typical child is, how should I put it, both troubling and utterly adorable.

...Though, part of me thinks it would have been a disaster if I had taken her.

Floria has been a bit distant ever since the shock of witnessing her father and sisters' intimate encounter; if I had suddenly exposed Janet—who shows no sign of seeking out such things—to that, we might not have been able to speak to each other until she was grown.

When I spoke to Diane-san about this, she simply laughed.

"I don't believe there is cause for such concern. She is not a girl lacking in intuition. She already knows that Elenia and Frena are head-over-heels for their father."

"I don't think 'being head-over-heels' is the same thing as watching them having sex."

"I have never told that child to stay away from the Palace. She is a curious child. I suspect she has seen just about everything you do there."

"...!?"

"I have only one thing to say. Please do not treat her harshly. To you, she may be just one among hundreds, but to me, she is my only daughter. I do not wish to see her suffer because she feels unloved by her parent."

"How can you say that when several of those children have already crossed the line of 'loving'?"

"If that is what she desires, then I am on her side."

Despite her calm and collected appearance, Diane-san has been quite influenced by Selene and the others.

I don't quite understand why she allows things on our end, given how much she dislikes Minister Ashton making lewd faces at her daughters' naked bodies.

Later, while I was prowling stealthily through the estate to gather information regarding Kei-chan's mother, I happened to discover Kei-chan talking to Janet.

"I see. You wish to become closer to your Master."

"He is your father as well. Why not call him 'Father'?"

"No, before I am a daughter, I am a maid and a human toilet."

At that point, I desperately wanted to jump in with a retort, but since I was trying to remain stealthy, I couldn't.

"Demanding that answer from me leads me to conclude that you wish to join our 'Daughter Onaho Collection'."

"Onaho...? What, exactly, is that?"

"It is a tool used to stimulate your Master's genitals and induce ejaculation."

This is surely the end.

Thinking that, I tried to stop acting so suspicious and approach them with a confident stride, but halfway there, I was restrained by several maids and shoved into the servants' quarters.

"Wha—What are you doing?! As her father, I have a duty to protect Janet from ideological corruption!"

"Lady Janet is brilliant. There is no need to worry; she will be able to distinguish between knowledge and ideology."

"And besides, we are on Kay's side."

"I wish you'd take my side once in a while!"

"With all due respect, Master... Given that Polka and Talc already share her roots, isn't it already impossible to block off sexual knowledge?"

"No, it's not that I want to block it off... I just want her to grow up while being able to take care of herself..."

I know that the fact I'm being steamrolled by Ele and the others proves my words lack any real persuasive power.

I know that, but I still want you to listen. I just want to be a normal father. That's all.

I’m here in Taruk today. It’s not exactly the Spirit Festival season, but Dianne and Cosmos have a backlog of things to take care of, so I’m handling that and also taking the opportunity to interact with Cosmos Headquarters and the Onyx Maidens. During the festival, we’re both too busy to really focus on each other. It’s easier to get things done in peacetime.

Plus, this time I’m also trying to find Kei-chan’s mother. The head maid won’t tell me anything, so I have no choice but to go around and ask directly myself. Honestly, it’s probably not that hard to find out in Taruk.

I want to at least convey my intention to acknowledge Kei-chan as my daughter, and discuss her upbringing. Might be pointless, though.

But if I completely ignore the situation, I might end up with another daughter indoctrinated with some weird ideology. I need to strongly show that I want a proper education for her, for the future’s sake.

So, with that resolve in mind, I was walking through Carlos-san’s garden when Janet, Dianne’s daughter, called out to me.

"Father. I have something I want to ask you."

"W-what is it?"

I don’t have anything to hide—I’m actually here to correct some shady dealings into something more wholesome—but being caught by my daughter while looking for a maid throws me off balance.

Janet stared up at me with an unreadable expression, then pointed sideways without a word.

At the end of her finger was a sand-colored tower about fifty meters tall.

"I thought that tower had been there forever, but I heard you built it."

"N-no, I’m not a stonemason. I just gave the orders."

"Why did you build it? The Tower Emblem is supposed to be a one-horned organization. It doesn’t make sense for Father, who sides with Onyx, to build something like that."

That tower’s called the "Horn of Taruk," and it’s become a new landmark in Taruk—effectively a new symbol for the Tower Emblem. Their office is even inside it.

And the reason it happened…? Ashton Minister just told me to do it.

"Why?" I asked. "I don’t really know myself. Something must have been negotiated with Onyx."

"…Is that really how you’d build something like that?"

"Probably as a show of force, too. For Lila and the others, it wasn’t even that long of a job."

That’s right. We built it using dragons. Specifically, Lila and the lizardmen from the surrounding area who worship her.

Lila did the heavy lifting with her dragon body, while the lizardmen handled the finer details under Dianne’s direction. And with the Elven and Dark Elven architectural skills brought in, we built something as sturdy as the Tower Emblem tower that used to be here in Taruk—something that wouldn’t crumble even in an unprecedented earthquake.

Dianne said if an earthquake did happen, the sun-dried brick buildings throughout the city would probably collapse before the tower did.

Since buildings like that are rare around here, it’d practically mean Taruk’s destruction.

…But more than anything, having dragons build it sent a powerful message.

Namely: Onyx could easily surpass the Tower Emblem in construction if they wanted to—basically, a power play. And by generously "giving" it to the Tower Emblem, we were outwardly showing full support while simultaneously emphasizing our absolute superiority—"This is all you’re worth to us." Plus, showing off the dragons was like saying, "We could destroy this anytime if you cross us."

…Probably Ashton Minister was even angrier than Carlos-san because he knew what the Tower Emblem guys had done before.

Carlos-san just showed his subtle dominance as a hidden ruler, while Ashton Minister chose to instill more brutal fear.

He’s the one who originally showed that family motto—"Protect allies, give to friends, entertain guests, kill enemies"—to the clan. He’s entrusted Carlos-san with supporting the nation now, but he’s probably even more extreme by nature.

…And I’m explaining all this vaguely to Janet.

The reason it’s vague is because my sources are a little shaky.

Ashton Minister still gets weirdly angry when he sees me and storms off after yelling at his family. And I got the request to build that tower through Dianne. Carlos-san is basically the same way, so it’s hard for me to gauge how serious they are about anything.

"So, Dianne designed it, and I didn’t lift a finger during construction. I just kept telling her to drink sake instead of going outside in the heat, and before I knew it, it was built… I’m not even sure if I can really say I built it."

"…As always, Father is truly remarkable."

"Isn’t he?"

"He’s talking about being the linchpin of a grand plan that overwhelms all of Tark like it’s some side job. Normally, you’d brag about something like that for the rest of your life."

"I was just drinking sake at the time… barely even considered it a side job. Besides, no matter how much a dragon does in construction, Carlos and Minister Ashton are the ones who give it meaning. Only then can great power truly bring happiness to people. I’m just not good at that kind of thing."

Even now, I occasionally borrow Dragon’s power, but I often realize it doesn’t always have the full effect one would expect.

Of course, if it’s just slaughtering monsters, a simple "Go get 'em" gets the expected results. But in the human world, it’s not that simple.

You need meticulous planning for things like who needs this, whether parts of the problem can be solved by other means, or how to turn the fear of a dragon into something productive… Without knowledge and experience, unexpected drawbacks tend to pop up.

Thankfully, Dianne and Irene usually handle the brainwork, so I don’t make too many fatal mistakes.

I’m always impressed by how those who can weave such details together do it, while all I say to the dragons is, "Thanks."

It doesn’t really feel like my accomplishment at all.

"I often hear about Father’s grand projects wherever we go. My mother and sisters are always bragging, 'Our father did it!' but Father never tells me anything."

"Huh? Well, if you ask nicely, I’ll explain—just like I am now."

"Maybe he really can’t remember who he told what achievement to unless he’s asked?"

"U-ah, well—"

Well, with a hundred people or so, there are bound to be things I forget.

Janet looked away with a faint sigh.

"…Sorry. That was a mean question. It must seem like I only talk to Father that way, making you feel unwanted."

"Huh?"

Wait, wait. Janet, that’s a huge misunderstanding.

"I’ve never thought of you as unwanted!"

"…It just looks like you’re trying to keep our interactions to the bare minimum. You didn’t even invite me to the camping trip last time."

"Ah, well, I figured you might not be interested… Besides, it involved fire and knives, so we weren’t inviting the little kids…"

"Florea and Ryle are the same age as me…"

"…Look, if you wanted to go, I’m sorry."

"…To be honest, I’m just annoyed that you didn’t invite me. It’s not like I wanted to go camping or anything."

"W-why say it like that? Just… sorry, okay?"

Janet, who is as dignified as Dianne despite her young age and excels in both academics and sports, was sulking in a way that was oddly childish—both frustrating and endearingly precious.

…If I took her along, it would have been a disaster, I thought.

Florea has been a bit distant since witnessing my parents’ live sex session, and if I suddenly showed something like that to Janet, who normally avoids such things, she might never speak to me again until she’s fully grown.

When I told Dianne about it, she laughed.

"I don’t think you need to worry so much. She’s not the type to be easily shocked. She already knows Elenia and Frena are head-over-heels for their father."

"And that’s completely different from them having actual sex."

"I’ve never told her to stay away from the Palace. She’s a curious child. I think she’s seen you doing everything there at least once."

"…!?"

"I can tell you one thing. Don’t treat her poorly. She may be just one of hundreds to you, but she’s my only daughter. I don’t want to see her suffer from a lack of love."

"Are you really saying that when there are already several girls who’ve crossed the line into… ‘love’?"

"If she wants it, then I’m on her side."

Even Diane-sama seems to have been influenced by Selen and the others.

Minister Ashton clearly hates seeing his daughters naked, but here he is giving permission like it’s nothing—makes no sense.

After that, I was sneaking around the estate trying to gather information about Kei-chan’s mother when I stumbled upon her talking with Janet.

"…So, you want to get closer to your master?"

"To me, you’re still my father. Why don’t you call me that?"

"No, before I’m a daughter, I’m a maid and… well, a sex toy."

I wanted to jump in at this point, but I was being sneaky, so I couldn’t.

"By asking me for an answer, I’ll assume you wish to join our ‘Daughter Fleshlight Collection.’"

"Fleshlight…? What’s that?"

"It’s a tool for stimulating your master’s genitals until he ejaculates."

This is definitely going too far.

I stopped sneaking and started walking briskly toward them, but halfway there, several maids restrained me and dragged me into the servants’ quarters.

"W-what are you doing?! As her father, I have a duty to protect Janet from ideological corruption!"

"Lady Janet is intelligent. She can distinguish between knowledge and ideology without worry."

"Besides, we’re on Kei’s side."

"I wish you’d be on my side sometimes!"

"Your wish is my command, Master… But given that Polka and Tark already have roots in this situation, isn’t it impossible to completely block her from sexual knowledge?"

"No, it’s not that I want to block it—I just… I want her to grow up cherishing herself… if possible."

I know, deep down, that my words lack conviction because Ele and the others are steamrolling me.

But still, I want you to hear me out. I just want to be a normal father. That’s all.

I've come to Tark today.
It's not the time of the Spirit Festival, but Diane-san and Cosmos-san have a backlog of tasks to clear, so I'm here to help with that. On top of that, I want to strengthen ties with Cosmos Tenpo and the Onyx Maid Group. After all, during festival seasons everyone is too busy; in peacetime, we can give each other our full attention.
Also, this trip includes searching for Kei-chan's mother. Even though I asked the Head Maid, she wouldn't tell me anything, so I have no choice but to investigate directly, including around the area. There's no way a mother-child relationship remains completely secret all the way in Tark.
I want to express my intention to recognize her and discuss Kei-chan's education. It might be futile, but... If we simply leave things as they are, more and more strange-minded daughters could emerge, so I must clearly convey my desire for proper upbringing for the future.

With that resolve in mind, as I walked through Carlos-san's garden, Janet, Diane-san's daughter, stopped me.

"Father, I have something I'd like to ask."

"What is it?"

I had nothing to hide; in fact, I was stepping forward to correct unhealthy thoughts into healthy ones, so I should have remained composed. Yet, being caught by my daughter while searching for a maid made me flustered.

Janet stared up at her father with an unreadable expression, then slowly pointed sideways.

At the tip of her finger stood a sand-colored tower about fifty meters away.

"I thought that tower had been there for a long time, but I heard you built it."

"Oh, I'm not a stonemason. I just gave the orders."

"Why did you build it? The Tower Emblem is supposed to be a single-corner organization. It doesn't make sense for your father, who serves Onyx, to construct such a thing."

That tower was named "Horn of Tark," becoming not only a new landmark in Tark but also, in essence, the new symbol of the Tower Emblem. Their offices are located inside it.

As for why it came to be... simply because Minister Ashton told us to do so.

"If you ask me why, I don't really know either. It feels like some kind of deal was struck with Onyx."

"...Is that how such a thing gets built?"

"I think it was also meant as a demonstration. For Laila and her people, it wasn't even a long-term job."

That's right.

It was built using dragons. More precisely, by Laila and the lizardmen from the surrounding areas who worship her.

Laila, whose body is that of a dragon, handled the rough labor, while the lizardmen worked efficiently under Diane-san's instructions for the detailed construction. Bringing together architectural techniques from elves and dark elves, they created something as sturdy as the collapsed tower once known in Tark—the "Tower Emblem"—yet so strong that it wouldn't be destroyed even by an unprecedented earthquake.

Diane-san said that if an earthquake capable of destroying this tower ever occurred, all the sun-dried brick buildings throughout the city would likely collapse before the tower itself did.

Since such durable structures are rare in this region, this effectively means Tark would fall when it does.

...But above all, having dragons build this carried a powerful message.

In other words, Onyx can easily surpass the work of the "Tower Emblem" whenever they choose—a clear display of superiority.

And by generously offering it to the "Tower Emblem," they outwardly showed full support while simultaneously emphasizing their absolute dominance: "This is all we consider its worth." Furthermore, by showcasing dragons, they issued a declaration: "If you defy us, we can destroy anything at any time."

...I suspect Minister Ashton was even more furious than Carlos-san after the Tower Emblem members caused trouble in the past.

Carlos-san merely subtly demonstrated the status of a ruler, whereas Minister Ashton chose to instill far greater fear.

Originally, he was the one who established the family motto: "Protect allies, reward friends, entertain guests, and kill enemies." While he has entrusted Carlos-san as the main pillar of the family to support national affairs, he is inherently someone with an even more extreme temperament.

...I explained these things vaguely to Janet.
The vagueness stems from the questionable reliability of my sources.
Minister Ashton continues to act erratically whenever he meets me—losing his temper over strange matters before being scolded by his family and leaving. The request to build that tower was also passed down through Diane-san. Even Carlos-san generally behaves similarly, making it difficult for me to gauge how serious they truly are or what exactly they're reacting against.

"Since the design was all Diane's and I didn't do any of the construction labor, and after I begged her to stop drinking in the heat instead of working outside, she somehow ended up building it anyway... so, is it really accurate to say that I built it?"

"...As usual, Father is truly formidable."

"He isn't formidable at all, is he?"

"While fully aware that he became the driving force behind a grand plan that intimidates the entire Tark, he speaks as if it were just some casual odd-job. Surely this should be something he boasts about for the rest of his life."

"Truthfully, I was only drinking alcohol at the time and wasn't even doing any side work... Besides, no matter how much construction a dragon undertakes, it's people like Mr. Carlos or Minister Ashton who give that work meaning. Only then can great power truly bring happiness to others. I'm not good at things like that."

Even now, I occasionally borrow the power of dragons, but I vividly realize that it doesn't always yield results proportional to its stated value.

Of course, if the goal is simply to slaughter monsters, a single command—"Go do it!"—can produce the expected outcome. But in human society, things don't work that way.

Careful consideration is needed regarding questions like "Who needs this?", "Can't some aspects of the problem be handled through other means?", and "How can we transform the fear instilled by the dragon's actions into something constructive?"... Without knowledge and experience, unexpected negative consequences are likely to arise.

Fortunately, Diane and Ielina usually serve as my brain trust, so I rarely make fatal mistakes.

I always marvel at those capable of such meticulous planning while simply telling the dragons, "Leave it to us," feeling that these achievements hardly seem like my own accomplishments.

"I hear about Father's great works everywhere we go. The mothers often boast, 'Your father did this,' yet he never shares anything with them."

"Eh? No, if you ask properly, I'll explain—just like I'm doing now."

"Truthfully, when no one asks, I can't even remember which accomplishments I've told whom about."

"U-uh, a-ah, no..."

Well, with hundreds of people around, it's undeniable that some details slip my mind.

As she hesitated, Janet suddenly looked away.

"...I'm sorry. That was a mean question. Since this is the only way I can speak to Father, I suppose he finds it bothersome."

"Eh?"

Wait, wait. Janet, that's a huge misunderstanding.

"I've never once thought you were bothersome!?"

"...It seems like you're trying to minimize the time you spend with me. You didn't even invite me to last week's camping event."

"Oh, no, I guess I wasn't very interested... Besides, since it involves fire and sharp objects, the idea was not to call younger children..."

"But Floria and Lyrel are my age..."

"...No, honestly, if you really wanted to go, I'm sorry."

"...To be honest, I'm just upset that you didn't ask me. I don't particularly want to go camping or anything."

"W-well, let's not push it too far... I was wrong about that."

Young though she is, Janet resembles Diane with her dignified demeanor and exceptional aptitude for both studies and athletics; yet here she is, pouting in an unusually childish manner. It's simultaneously troubling and endearing.

...I wonder if taking her along would have led to a disaster.

Floria still feels somewhat distant after the shock of witnessing Father and her sisters' first sexual encounter, and suddenly exposing Janet—who usually avoids such topics—to it might mean we'll never be able to talk openly again until she grows up.

When I mentioned this to Diane, she laughed.

"I don't think there's anything to worry about. She's not a girl who lacks intuition. It's already clear that Elenia and Frena are utterly infatuated with their father."

"But isn't having actual sex completely different from just talking about it?"

"I never told her to stay away from the palace. She's naturally curious. I'm sure she's seen at least one thing you're doing in the palace."

"...!?"

"There is only one thing I can say: do not treat me harshly. You may be just one among hundreds to you, but to me, you are my only daughter. I cannot bear to see her grieve for lacking parental love."

"Is that the kind of thing you'd say when there are already several girls who've crossed the line into loving you?"

"If she wishes it, then I will stand by her side."

She appears calm and composed, yet Diane seems quite influenced by Selen's words.
Ashton Minister clearly dislikes seeing his daughters in such a state of undress, so allowing this here feels somewhat contradictory to me.

Later, while quietly patrolling the estate to gather information about Kay's mother, I stumbled upon Kay talking with Janet.

"I see. You wish to get along better with your master as well?"

"He is also your father. Why not call him 'father'?"

"No. Before being a daughter, I am a maid and a sex toy."

At this point, I desperately wanted to interject, but since I was sneaking around, I couldn't make a move.

"If you seek an answer from me, we'll take that as your application to join our 'Daughter Dildo Collection'."

"D-dildo? What's that?"

"It's a device designed to stimulate your master's genitals and induce ejaculation."

This is definitely beyond the point of no return.

Just as I decided to stop sneaking and approach boldly, several maids restrained me and shoved me into the servants' quarters.

"W-what are you doing! As her father, I have a duty to protect Janet from ideological contamination!"

"Miss Janet is wise; don't worry, she can distinguish between knowledge and ideology."

"And we are on Kay's side."

"I'd really like some allies once in a while!"

"That's kind of you, Master... but given your current roots in Polka and Tark, cutting off sexual knowledge is no longer feasible?"

"No, I'm not trying to cut it off... I just hope you can grow up cherishing yourself..."

Honestly, I know that once I've been pushed aside by Eleri and the others, my words lack persuasiveness.
I understand that, yet I still want to be heard. All I really want is to be a normal father. That's all there is to it.

[Translator's Note: This is a translation of the Japanese text provided by the client. It has not been reviewed or edited for grammar, spelling, or style.]

Today, I’m in Tark.

It’s not exactly during the festival season, but there are things to take care of for Diane-san and Cosmos-san, so I’m here to wrap up those tasks while also exchanging with Cosmo Shop and the Onyx Maid Corps.

During the festival, we’re all too busy to handle things properly. It’s better to do it in quieter times when we can focus more thoroughly.

Plus, this time, I’m also looking for Kay-chan’s mother.

Even if I ask the head maid, she won’t tell me anything, so I’ll have to dig around directly. It’s unlikely that even here in Tark, a mother and child relationship would be kept completely secret.

I want to convey my intent to acknowledge her, and I also want to discuss Kay-chan’s education. It might be pointless, but…

If I leave it entirely up to her, there’s a risk of more of her daughters being influenced by strange ideologies. For the sake of the future, I need to make it clear that I want proper education.

So, with that resolve in mind, I was walking through Carlos-san’s garden when I was stopped by Diane-san’s daughter, Janet.

“Father. There’s something I want to ask you.”

“What is it?”

I’m not hiding anything—I’ve actually taken the initiative to steer things in a healthy direction, so I should be confident—but being caught while looking for a maid has left me flustered.

Janet looked up at her father with an unreadable expression and then casually pointed to the side.

At the end of her finger was a sand-colored tower about 50 meters tall.

“I always thought that tower had been there for a long time, but I heard it was built by you.”

“I’m not a stonemason. I just gave the orders.”

“Why did you build it? The Tower Emblem is supposed to have one horn, right? It doesn’t make sense for you, who sides with Onyx, to build something like this.”

That tower is named the “Horn of Tark” and has become a new landmark for Tark, practically serving as the new symbol of the Tower Emblem. Their office is even inside it.

As for why that happened… it was simply because Ashton, the minister, told me to do it.

“When you ask me why, I’m not really sure either. It was probably just some kind of deal with Onyx.”

“Are you really going to build something like that with such a vague reason?”

“Yes.”

That was built using dragons. Well, technically, by Lyra and the lizardmen who follow her in the surrounding area.

Lyra, with her dragon body, handled the rough physical labor, while the lizardmen worked efficiently under Diane-san’s guidance. They also brought in elf and dark elf construction techniques, and together they created something sturdy—equal to the collapsing tower of the “Tower Emblem” that once stood in Tark, yet strong enough to withstand even an unprecedented earthquake.

If such an earthquake did happen, Diane-san said it would likely destroy not just the tower but all the sun-dried brick buildings in the city first.

In these parts, buildings like that are actually the exception rather than the rule. If Tark were to fall, it would probably be from something like that.

…Well, more than anything, having a dragon build it was a powerful message.

It was a way of showing that Onyx could easily surpass even the “Tower Emblem” in terms of construction if they wanted to.

By generously handing over such a project to the “Tower Emblem,” they appeared to fully support them while at the same time emphasizing their absolute superiority by saying, “This is nothing compared to what we can do.”

Furthermore, by showing off the dragon, they effectively declared, “If you defy us, we’ll crush it in an instant.”

…Probably because Ashton, the minister, was more furious than Carlos-san had been when the “Tower Emblem” people caused trouble before.

Carlos-san simply showed his status as a ruler behind the scenes, but Ashton chose to instill fear much more intensely.

After all, he’s the one who originally taught his clan the motto, “Protect allies, reward friends, entertain guests, and kill enemies.”

He may have entrusted Carlos-san with leading the family for the sake of national politics, but he’s likely someone with an even more aggressive temperament.

…And that’s what I explained to Janet in a rather scattered manner.
It was scattered because the source of my information is somewhat vague.
Ashton, the minister, still gets worked up about strange things whenever he meets me and then gets scolded by his family and leaves. Even Carlos-san is basically the same, so it’s hard for me to gauge just how serious they are about what they do.

[Translate the following Japanese text to English. Paragraphs are separated by "

". Output each translated paragraph with the same delimiter in between, preserving the exact number of paragraphs. Do not add explanations. Do not merge or split paragraphs.]

"So, the design is handled by Diane-san, and I didn’t do any of the construction work. She just told me to leave it to her, and then she was drinking beer because it was too hot outside, and before I knew it, it was built… So, whether it’s really something I can call my own accomplishment…"

"...As usual, Father is truly incredible."

"What part isn’t incredible?"

"He’s fully aware that his grand project dominates the entire Tark, yet he talks about it as if it were just a casual side job. It’s the kind of work you’d want to brag about for a lifetime."

"I was just drinking beer at the time, so it wasn’t even a side job… Besides, no matter how big the construction is, Carlos-san or Minister Ashton is the one who gives it meaning. Only when they do can that massive power truly bring happiness to people. I’m not really good at that kind of thing."

I still occasionally borrow the Dragon’s power, and I’ve come to fully understand that it doesn’t always live up to its potential.

Of course, if it’s just about slaughtering monsters, all you need is a single command, and you get the expected results. But in the world of humans, it’s not that simple.

"Questions like 'Who needs this?' or 'Isn’t there another way to deal with part of the problem?' or 'What does the fear of the Dragon moving even turn into…'—those are the parts that require meticulous planning, and without knowledge and experience, unexpected downsides tend to crop up."

Normally, Diane-san and Irina handle the brainwork for me, so I don’t make fatal mistakes.

I’m always impressed by how they manage to prepare all that while also saying, "Take care of it," to the Dragons.

It’s not like I can take much credit for it.

"Besides, I often hear about Father’s big projects wherever we go. The mothers are always boasting, 'Father did this,' but he never tells us anything about it."

"I-I mean, if you ask me, I’ll explain. I do that now too."

"Truthfully, if no one asks, I probably can’t even remember which achievements I’ve told whom about."

"Huh? W-well…"

I can’t deny that sometimes it’s hard to keep track of hundreds of things.

As I hesitated, Janet suddenly looked away.

"...Sorry. That was a mean question. It’s just that I don’t know how to talk to Father without coming off like this."

"Wait, what?"

Hold on, hold on. Janet, that’s a pretty big misunderstanding.

"I’ve never thought of you as annoying, ever!"

"...It definitely seems like he’s trying to keep his interaction with me to a minimum. He didn’t even invite me to the recent camping event."

"Oh, uh… maybe he just wasn’t that interested… and it was about fire and blades, so he didn’t want little kids there…"

"Floria and Ryle are the same age as me, but…"

"...Honestly, I’m just frustrated he didn’t invite me. It’s not like I’m desperate to go camping or anything."

"Well, you could’ve been a bit more diplomatic about it… My bad, but yeah…"

Janet, who’s both young and proud like Diane-san, excels in both studies and sports, was pouting childishly, and it was both frustrating and endearing at the same time.

...I kind of think bringing her along would’ve been a disaster.

Floria, too, has been a bit distant since she saw Father and the sisters having sex. And if I suddenly showed Janet something like that, she might not be able to talk to me for years.

When I told Diane-san about it, she laughed.
"I don’t think you need to worry that much. She’s not the type to miss the point. She already knows how much her sisters and Father adore each other."
"That’s completely different from seeing them actually having sex!"
"She’s never told me not to get close to the Palace. She’s a curious kid. I’m sure she’s seen pretty much everything you’re doing in the Palace."
"...!?"

Here’s what I can tell you. Don’t be harsh with me. To you, I might just be one of hundreds, but to me, I’m your only daughter. I don’t want to see you suffer because you weren’t loved by your parents.
“Do you really say that when there are kids who’ve already crossed the line into 'love'?”
“If that’s what she wants, then I’ll stand by her.”
Even though he seems calm and collected, Mr. Diane has been heavily influenced by Selen and the others, hasn’t he?
Mr. Ashton doesn’t want to see his daughters making careless faces while disrobing, so it’s a bit confusing that he’s allowed this here.

After that, I was sneaking around the mansion trying to gather information about Kay’s mother when I accidentally overheard Kay talking with Janet.

“So, you want to get closer to your master?”

“To you, he’s still your father. Why not call him 'father'?”

“No, I’m a maid and a meat puppet before anything else.”

I wanted to call her out on that right then and there, but since she was sneaking around, I couldn’t.

“By asking me that, I assume you’re hoping to join our 'Daughter Onahole Collection.'”

"Onahole...? What’s that?”

“It’s a tool for stimulating your master’s genitals and helping him ejaculate.”

This is definitely going too far now.

Thinking that, I stopped sneaking around and tried to walk over with big strides, but on the way, several maids grabbed me and dragged me into the servants’ quarters.

“What are you doing?! As a father, it’s my duty to protect Janet from ideological contamination!”

“Lady Janet is a sensible person. You don’t need to worry—she can distinguish between knowledge and ideology.”

“And we’re on Kay’s side.”

“I’d like it if you were on my side sometimes too!”

“Well, sir... At this point, with your roots in Polka and Talc, it’s already impossible to block her from sexual knowledge, isn’t it?”

“No, I’m not trying to block anything... I just want her to grow up while taking care of herself.”

I know my words don’t carry much weight when I’m being pushed around by Elen and the others.

I know, but I still want you to listen. I really just want to be a father to her. That’s all.