Isekai Nonbiri Nouka
Chapter 944: Supporting Rather Than Worrying

I talked to everyone in the village about Alfred.

They all agreed that sending Hakuren to show off the village’s strength would solve everything.

……

Ehto… I finally understand the struggles of fathers and mothers out there.

And just how valuable experienced grandparents are.

It’s really important to have people you can talk to.

Yeah.

Ah, Ria and the others.

Just because I’m not planning to send Hakuren doesn’t mean I’ll send you instead.

That goes for you angels, too.

Don’t start warming up just because it’s been a while since you last let loose.

Kuudel, put those horns back where you took them.

Yoru.

There’s no role here for Daedalus or Siegfried.

First off, Siegfried doesn’t even move, right?

And Daedalus, how do you even plan to transport it?

The universal ship is off-limits.

It’s too far.

Now go back to guarding the gate.

-0-

Once more, for the record.

I’m not sending Hakuren.

Seriously, what do you all think Hakuren is?

Still, I get it. My idea of common sense doesn’t always line up with everyone else’s.

Isn’t it bad to assume that showing power will always solve problems?

Loo seemed a bit resistant to the idea.

Even for our son’s sake, she said starting a full-scale war wouldn’t work since we know too many people on the other side.

Fair enough.

…….

Wait. If we show off our strength, won’t that actually start a full-scale war?

That’s no good!

And yet, that’s why they suggest using Hakuren, so the first strike establishes dominance?

The first strike is everything, huh.

…….

Am I being corrupted for thinking that might not be such a bad idea?

No, no. Definitely not good.

If I do that, Hakuren’s reputation will suffer.

Still, I find myself thinking…

If it’s not just Hakuren, maybe it’s fine?

Like, if Dors or Girar went with her?

Huh?

No, I’m not trying to conquer the human kingdoms or destroy humanity itself.

It’s just… they said the first strike matters…

Are Dors and Girar really that violent?

All I ever see is them arm wrestling together.

Oh, right, they did go wild in the martial arts tournaments.

I see.

Ah, Raimeiren, don’t offer up Dors like that.

Guronde and orthros Oru, you don’t need to offer up Girar either.

Look, Girar’s clearly troubled.

I appreciate the thought, but I was joking.

Really, thank you all for your support.

-0-

Alfred isn’t avoiding going back over there.

He’s just been coming home more often lately.

I spent the next few days quietly worrying about it… and then Alfred came back again.

This time, he said he was just here to restock on seasonings and would be heading right back.

Still, I decided to take the opportunity to talk with Ancestor-san, who always gives Alfred a ride, and asked for his thoughts.

-0-

「Ah… well… I’m sorry.」

No, no, I wasn’t trying to get an apology…

「Well, you see… I had noticed he was having a harder time going back, but I didn’t think it was really a problem.」

Ancestor-san explained why he hadn’t considered it a problem.

「It all started when I tried to give Alfred a proper status to live there.」

Yeah, I heard about that.

They said without some kind of status or position, even renting a home would be difficult.

「He’s staying with Fushu, so he doesn’t need to rent a house. But you still need status to do anything official. So at first, I thought I’d make him my great-grandson.」

Right, that makes sense.

But Ancestor-san isn’t involved in the public-facing leadership of the Korin Religion anymore.

His work is more on the “behind the scenes” side.

So calling Alfred his great-grandson doesn’t exactly hold much sway on paper.

And every time Alfred introduces himself that way, the church’s headquarters gets flooded with inquiries.

And by the time those inquiries make it to Ancestor-san, several days have already passed.

Yeah… that’s definitely a problem.

「Then I thought about registering him as Fushu’s son, but Fushu’s family background is pretty well known. I couldn’t suddenly claim he had a son.」

Fushu holds a significant position in the Korin Religion, and apparently, her family situation is well-known.

If she suddenly had a “son,” it would be a huge red flag, and her political enemies would immediately come after her.

「So in the end, I tried to assign Alfred the identity of a random noble’s child…」

But Alfred refused that.

He said he was fine being known as my son.

……

Oof. Just got something in my eye. Definitely not tears.

「But that caused another issue. Nobody would believe he’s the son of the village chief from the middle of the Forest of Death in the Demon King’s Kingdom. Oh, and the same goes for Village Five. If you can’t verify where someone’s from in the Demon King’s Kingdom, it doesn’t mean much.」

R-right…

「But I couldn’t ignore Alfred’s wish to be known as the village chief’s son. So, I decided to have the kings of the relevant kingdoms formally vouch for his status.」

Huh?

「To put it simply, it’s like getting the highest authority in a country to officially endorse him.」

I-I see.

「If a king acknowledges Alfred as the son of the village chief from the middle of the Forest of Death in the Demon King’s Kingdom, then no one in that country can argue with it.」

That’s… definitely true.

Getting a king’s backing is a big deal.

「But the situation’s a little complicated since the Korin Religion’s headquarters is in a region that involves three different kingdoms. If I had only gotten one king’s endorsement, the other two might have started asking questions. So, I had all three kings recognize Alfred’s status.」

Uhh… sorry for all the trouble.

「No, no, it’s fine. Except, just when I thought everything was settled, people started to envy Alfred for being recognized by all three kings…」

Envy? From who?

Some dangerous person?

「Each of the three kingdoms’ crown princes. They’re all around Alfred’s age, some a bit older, some a bit younger.」

Why would they envy Alfred?

He was just granted a formal identity, right? It’s not like he was praised or rewarded…

「That’s what I thought too. But according to one of my subordinates, if someone gets endorsed by all three kings at the request of the Korin Religion’s upper ranks, then they’re going to be treated like a very important person.」

And if someone that close in age to the crown princes is suddenly given that kind of status, it’s hard for them to stay calm about it.

「Some even joked that he was aiming to become the next king. Of course, that’s absurd, he’s still just a kid.」

Yeah… Alfred’s still got a long way to go.

「Then came the introduction party for Alfred. During a Q&A with one of the kings, Alfred apparently said his goal was to become a village chief.」

Whoa… Alfred…

「The princes reportedly burst out laughing when they heard that. Said something like, ‘What a lowly ambition’. Naturally, Fushu snapped and shut them up. By strangling.」

Eh?

Fushu’s the type to throw hands?!

That’s not the impression I had of her at all…

「Fushu has a deep sense of gratitude toward Lulushi. So when the son of Lulushi, Alfred, was mocked, she couldn’t let it go. She even told the kings, ‘If you’re going to defend your sons, be prepared to abdicate the throne’. Of course, my subordinates, Fushu’s subordinates, and even her son stepped in and de-escalated things. And yes, the princes all properly apologized to Alfred afterward.」

I-I see…

「Because of all that commotion, Alfred, who was already being treated like someone important, ended up drawing even more attention. The kings and their retainers started pushing their daughters and sisters toward him, hoping to form ties with him. It would’ve been fine if Alfred had enjoyed that kind of attention, but… he didn’t.」

Ahh…

「There was the whole fallout with the princes. Then came the endless stream of unfamiliar noble girls hosting tea parties. I figured that Alfred was only just having a hard time since he has to go everywhere. That’s why I didn’t think it was a real problem. I’m sorry.」

I see.

Yeah, in that case, it wouldn’t seem like a problem at all.

From the outside, it just looks like Alfred is being a little reserved.

Wait, is Fushu okay though?

I mean… she choked a prince, didn’t she?

「No worries there. The Korin Religion holds authority above the royal families.」

Wait, seriously?

「Yup. Not that we can do just anything we want, of course. It’s kind of like the relationship the angels had with the old Garret Kingdom. The Korin Religion is… well, guiding the three royal families and their kingdoms.」

“Guiding,” huh?

Aren’t you the top guy there?

「It all happened while I was asleep. None of that was by my choice.」

Ah… well, I guess that kind of thing does happen.

「Anyway, let’s leave the topic of Fushu and the Korin Religion for another time. Right now, we’re talking about Alfred.」

R-Right.

「On top of everything I mentioned earlier, I think Alfred’s also weighed down by the fact that he’s the village chief’s son. Or rather, he’s overly concerned about not bringing shame to your name through his actions.」

…….

「Being in an unfamiliar place, constantly on guard like that…There’s no way he could feel at ease. That’s probably another reason he’s been avoiding going back.」

Yeah… that makes sense.

「So, with all that in mind…There’s actually something I’ve been meaning to ask you to say to Alfred.」

Me?

What should I say?

「It’s nothing too difficult. And I think, even if it doesn’t solve everything, it’ll help things move in the right direction.」

-0-

The next day, around noon.

In front of my mansion.

It was the usual scene of seeing Alfred off on his departure.

There, I stood face to face with him.

Alfred.

Before you leave, there’s something I want to say.

「What is it?」

I heard from Ancestor-san about how things have been on the other side.

Sounds like… you’ve been holding yourself back.

「Th-That’s not true…」

Alfred!

You mustn’t suppress who you are.

If you do that, there’s no point in you even going.

「B-But…」

It’s fine if you cause a little trouble for those around you!

What matters most is being yourself!

「…Are you sure?」

Absolutely!

「Really?」

Don’t be so persistent!

「Ooh…」

Alfred’s appearance shifted slightly, he looked a little more grown up.

Like a university student… or maybe a high schooler?

「This form! Is it really okay for me to go in this form? You tell me to be myself, yet I cloak myself in this false appearance…」

I don’t see a problem.

Being yourself doesn’t mean your appearance.

It’s about your heart!

「Th-Then… would it be okay if I laughed boldly in this form?」

As long as you know when it’s appropriate.

Laughing loudly anywhere isn’t great.

You’ll startle people.

「Can I strike a dramatic pose?」

Again, if the time and place are right.

Suddenly standing or making exaggerated gestures takes up space and surprises people.

So be mindful of your surroundings.

「Would it be all right to call someone out, even if it’s a bit of a breach of manners?」

Go for it!

But if you’re pointing out a breach of manners, do it somewhere private and subtle.

If you do it in front of others, they might feel humiliated.

「If someone really pisses me off, can I punch them?」

Let’s hold off on violence.

Start with a conversation.

Talking things out is important.

Also, responding to rudeness with violence is straightforward, but rude people tend to hold grudges.

They won’t think they were in the wrong, because they’re rude, after all.

「In other words, if I do throw a punch, I must make sure it’s a finishing blow.」

Well, yes, but not punching is best!

That said, if your life’s in danger, don’t hesitate.

Hit them with everything you’ve got.

According to Loo and the others, the first strike is everything.

「…Father. I thank you. This Alfred shall not return to this land until I’ve completed my learning!」

Ah, that makes me a bit lonely.

If possible, try to come back once every six months.

Or at least once a year.

Look, even Loo is nodding firmly over there.

Come back regularly.

「But… Ursa and Tiselle haven’t returned. So why should I alone…」

Alfred is Alfred.

Don’t worry about what others do.

「…Understood! Then I shall return… moderately!」

Do your best.

Ah, no, wait.

You don’t have to do your best.

Just be yourself.

Nodding firmly at my words, Alfred departed for Ancestor-san’s nation via Ancestor-san’s teleportation magic.

…………………………

Was that… really the right thing to say?

The thing Ancestor-san asked me to tell Alfred,

It was simply not to suppress himself.

So that ended up being the kind of encouragement I gave but…

Now, suddenly, I’m feeling incredibly anxious.

N-No.

I’ll believe in my son.

I’ll believe in Alfred.

He’ll be fine.

-0-

The next day.

Alfred returned via Ancestor-san’s teleportation magic.

…Huh?

What’s going on?

Did something happen?

「I’ve decided, I want to open a restaurant over there! So please sell me some ingredients!」

Uh… if this is going to be a formal deal, speak with the civil servant girls.

But I’ll give you the family discount.

Also, if you’re opening a restaurant, are you sure you’ve got enough help?

It’s not just about having a cook, you know.

「I’m all set! I’ve secured personnel!」

……

Who exactly did you “secure”?

Surely not those princes you had a falling out with… right?

I was a little scared to ask.

But still, I was glad to see Alfred looking so lively.

-0-

Village Chief: 「Every time we rely on Ancestor-san to send Alfred, I feel kind of bad about it…」

Loo: 「Then shall we install a teleportation gate?」

Ancestor-san: 「P-please don’t! If its existence gets exposed, it could cause major chaos…」

-0-

Alfred: 「Fuhahahahahahaha!」

Fushu: 「So… that’s the persona you’re going with now?」

Alfred: 「Exactly so!」

Fushu: 「And that honor-student act you were doing until recently?」

Alfred: 「A mere facade! With my father’s permission, I shall now proceed at full power!」

Fushu: 「…Understood. Then I shall accompany you in this madness.」

Fushu’s Son: 「M-mom is striking a weird pose!!」