235: What Should we do with our Families?
As soon as Jill entered the room, she opened the window.
Even while Jill was away, her room in the imperial capital had been kept clean. Although the air in the room wasn’t bad, opening the window still felt good.
The breeze that blew in was cooler than before they left the imperial capital.
It isn’t damp in the slightest, she thought to herself.
The altitude might not be that different, but she once again realized how different everything was from her hometown.
It felt more nostalgic back there…
Although it was her first summer in the Rave Empire, she still didn’t feel nostalgic.
It felt somewhat strange to think that she was back in her room. Only a month had passed since she was given that room. She was much more accustomed to her room in her hometown.
Perhaps, it was because she was back that she could afford to think about such things.
Thinking about that, she looked out of the window and saw her husband walking quickly across the garden.
“Your Majes—”
“—Hades, wait, don’t run away!”
“No, it’s Brother Listeard and Brother Vissel’s fault! Just as soon as we got back, they went straight to arguing!”
Hades wasn’t alone. His two brothers were also there. Judging by the way he moved, he seemed to be escaping into the garden rather than strolling around.
“Be quiet, both of you. Older Sister will notice us.”
Leaning his back against the tree trunk, Vissel crossed his arms. Listeard fished for a pocket watch from his pocket.
“…It’s almost time for my sister to train. If we can somehow escape before that, we should be safe.”
“Okay, then let’s do this. We’ll run away. I’ll go to Jill’s place.”
“Wait, you’re just trying to skip work!”
Hades, who was grabbed by the scruff of his neck by Listeard, pouted.
“But my sister is so simple that if the situation changes, she’ll forget all about it. Jill can protect me. Brother Listeard can ask Frida to cover for him.”
“…I don’t think that’s something I should do as an older brother…”
“Eh, but it’s the surefire way. As for Brother Vissel…”
At that point, Hades’ smile and words stopped. In response, Vissel smiled gently.
“What’s wrong, Hades?”
“…Uhm…”
“Could it be that you can’t find anyone who can protect me from my sister?”
“—Brother Listeard was worried that would be the case!”
Hades hid behind Listeard as the latter’s expression twitched.
“Hades, you! …I-I said no such thing, but I think it’s your own fault.”
“Hoo.”
Just like that, the three of them started bickering again.
At that rate, it would only be a matter of time before Elynsia found them. Jill smiled wryly, then pursed her lips.
Those siblings look so close.
Huddling up, she buried her face between her knees.
…Even though we used to be close.
She justified that the timing was just bad.
As relieved as Jill was for being able to return safely from her hometown, she still didn’t feel nostalgic for the place she returned to. Perhaps because the sense of strangeness clashed with reality.
There were so many things in her hometown that she was prepared to never see again.
A father who supported her strength training no matter what. A mother who would cook a lot of food and wait for her to finish training. A pair of mischievous twin brothers that she’d chase around.
Once, she embarked on a grand adventure to find a dragon, only to get lost. Later, her eldest brother went to pick her up. At that time, her older sister, who was usually strict, took a bath with her without getting angry. The next day, her second sister taught her how to read directions in the mountain.
Right, we used to be really close, and I was happy—
—yes, past tense.
She bit her lips.
What do I do?
No matter she did, it was a path she had chosen for herself, so she had to keep her head up.
When she looked up, she spotted the Dragon God.
“R-Rave!?”
“Yo.”
As always, the Dragon God was floating around with a friendly smile on his face.
“…Are you okay being away from His Majesty?”
“Well, he’s right over there. There’s no need for me to be so clingy in this place anymore.”
For that place had become a safe haven for Hades, was his implication. That wasn’t the case a while ago.
Knowing that, she felt somewhat relieved.
What a relief, she thought. Her cheeks lit up.
“Are they still fighting?”
“No, their sister found them earlier and all three of them scattered.”
Jill laughed.
“In the end, His Majesty ran away.”
“That’s right, Little Miss, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”
When she looked up, the God of Reason spoke with a smile.
“In your case, this isn’t your hometown. So, feeling lonely is only natural. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“B-but… I’m the Dragon Empress. I mustn’t be spoiled…”
“You’re also a human. Humans make mistakes, and they’re easily swayed by what’s easier. That’s just the way it is.”
Seeing Jill’s serious gaze, Rave laughed.
“Is it that surprising? According to reason, humans will make mistakes. It’s a matter of what they do when they make those mistakes. Otherwise, they wouldn’t need any guidance.”
“R-right… If you put it that way…”
If humans didn’t make mistakes, there was nothing to guide.
“Right,” Rave nodded proudly.
“Hence why, Little Miss’ feelings aren’t against reason. What matters is what to do from there.”
“…Even if you ask me what to do…”
“First, tell Hades the truth.”
“If I do that, won’t he sulk!?”
Or, he might say something incomprehensible, like he wouldn’t get along with Listeard and the others anymore. But Rave laughed out loud.
“Perhaps. But unexpectedly, you might be able to rely on him. I’ve raised him to have a sense of responsibility.”
“Jill! Hide!”
In the next moment, Hades opened the door and stormed in. Involuntarily, Jill stood up and straightened her posture.
“Sister Elynsia wants to hit me even though I did nothing wrong! —…Rave. Huh, you’re here?”
“That I am.”
Rave winked at Jill, before slipping into Hades.
Hades noticed his foster parent’s meaningful behavior and tilted his head.
“What’s the matter? Did something happen?”
“…Ah, uhm… I thought Your Majesty and the others have become friends…”
“I’m not! I’m being chased!? My brothers won’t protect me!”
“…With my siblings and I…”
Hades, who was about to complain about his plight, fell silent. Just as she was thinking about that, he got down on his knees and matched Jill’s eye level.
“…Right.”
Yet his expression seemed extremely repulsed. That wasn’t what she wanted to hear. But she had to put up with it and listen. Jill couldn’t help but be taken aback by the look on his face, which eloquently spoke of his conflict.
“No, that’s not all…”
“—There’s no way that’s true. I took them from you. It’s my responsibility.”
Is he aware?
For a moment, the weight on her shoulders subsided.
“But it was my choice too.”
After saying that, she suddenly realized it.
It was his choice too, and not just my own.
When she looked up, he had become a different man entirely.
“Your mother told me to never bring you back. She said that it was naïve to think that you could return, and that a place remained for you anymore. That’s why I get it. You can no longer go back. At least not like before, and I have to take responsibility for that.”
She was so taken aback that she couldn’t speak.
Mother.
‘Don’t return.’ Jill wasn’t foolish enough as to not understand the feelings of a mother who pushed her daughter away.
I wonder why?
When she left her hometown, she didn’t feel lonely at all because her family sent her away.
Aah, it’s because I was desperately trying to protect this person.
Since it was more important than anything else, she was fine.
But now that I’ve returned…
Something was welling up.
Don’t cry.
I’m sure I’ll trouble Hades—or is that okay?
That’s what it means to take responsibility, right?
“I’ve thought long and hard about it—first, let’s start our own family!”
“What?”
Her tears, which threatened to overflow, vanished in an instant.
Hades clenched his fist and emphasized.
“Actually, there’s a good place in my hideout. A spacious and proper mansion. It’s a fair distance from town, and I think it originally belonged to a farmer. There are also meadows.”
“O-okay?”
“Let’s remodel that place together without telling my brothers!”
Even if you suddenly say that… No, it actually does sound fun, but it’s somehow different from what I expected. It’s far from the norm.
“I thought your parents’ home was quite nice. That’s why I wanted to remodel it like that.”
But with that one word, everything was blown away.
“Right now, a mansion might be too big for two people, but we’ll have ten children, right? It’s going to be lively soon. We’ll cultivate fields and raise livestock. It would be nice if we can keep some dragons. We’ll raise them—”
“—Huh!? Some dragons!? Really…!?”
“Of course. But, if possible, I would prefer a wild one. Dragons raised by hand from beginning don’t grow well. They tend to have a hard time learning how to fly.”
“All you have to do is set up a water hole so a dragon will come. There was a lake or a pond nearby, right? And a mountain—”
Rave suddenly spoke, popping his face out.
“—Besides, it’s impossible to raise livestock with a dragon. That’s why, rather than keeping a dragon, I recommend creating a nest for one. Then the dragon will also protect the mansion as its own. What do you think? Doesn’t that sound like the villa for the Dragon Emperor’s family?”
“I-it sounds awesome…!”
Her heart was beating rapidly. She nodded repeatedly in excitement, and Hades asked her back.
“What else should we do, Jill?”
Now, what should we do? Jill looked around again.
My room will be my home from now on.
“As for the imperial palace—or at least this palace—it will be our home, so let’s remodel it and make it a little nicer.”
“I-I-I-I want my own office!”
“Well, that’s unexpected. Why?”
“Of course, it’s for carrying the Dragon Empress’ duties!”
There’s a lot to do.
Smiling bitterly at Jill, who puffed out her chest, Hades rose.
“Then, let’s go take a look at the chairs and desk.”
“Yes!”
She stood up and held hands with Hades.
Naturally, their new relatives screamed at the Dragon Emperor and his wife, who began to renovate a section of the palace with their own hands.
The two ended up being lectured into the night.
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***T/N: These two are just children… UwU
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