Blankon Announcement

509 Children's Daily Life, and the Magic Train.

"Dad, look, look!"

"Wait, Linne!"

In the afternoon, after finishing some work passed on by Kousaka-san, I was drinking tea on the balcony when Linne and Elna came running from inside the room.

Both of them were dressed not in their usual clothes but in maid outfits. What's going on?

"Ah, how cute! It suits you so well!"

"Indeed. They look adorable. It really suits them."

Yumina and Sue, who were with me, couldn't stop praising them. Cute? That word doesn't even begin to describe it! If I had to put this feeling into words...

"Dad, how is it? This?"

"Super cute."

Damn, that sounded like such a dumb response. Well, whatever. It's the truth. Ah, I mean they're cute, not that my response was dumb, okay?

Ahem. "So, what's with the outfits? Did Linze make them?"

"Yeah. When I said I wanted to help Rene-san with her work, Linze-okaasan made them for me. Just like that, papapa."

Elna answered my question. Papapa, huh... She probably made them in just a few minutes. Linze's sewing skills are on a godly level now. Well, she is practically a goddess, after all.

But helping Rene the maid? Well, they're close in age, so it's not strange for them to get along...

Rene is about ten or eleven now, right?

"It feels weird to work with Rene-san from when she was a kid."

"Yeah. It's like she's a completely different person."

"Eh, really?"

Ah, right. The Rene they know is from over a decade in the future. Of course, she'd look different before and after her growth spurt.

"Hmm, it's more like her personality...? The Rene-san we know is a perfect maid. She even teaches us manners."

"What!? That Rene!?"

Sue exclaimed in surprise. She couldn't believe that the future of her little sister, who used to call her "Sue-neechan" and act all tough, would turn out like that.

Well, I get how she feels. I also find it hard to believe that Rene who used to call me "Touya-niisan" would become such a perfect maid.

"Rene-san can do anything. She's top-notch at cooking, sewing, combat, and manners. Though she's a bit too strict with us."

"I see. That's why Rene is in charge of their education."

Yumina nodded in understanding.

"Linne often slacks off during etiquette lessons, so she gets scolded. Rene-san is kind, though."

"Muuh..."

Linne puffed out her cheeks at her older sister Elna's remark. As we were all smiling at this heartwarming scene, the door to the room opened, and Rene herself peeked in.

"Um, are Elna-chan and Linne-chan here?"

We had told Rene that the two were my relatives. Thanks to the 【Mirage】-enchanted badge (which is now a brooch), they appear as ordinary children to her. We also explained that they call us "Dad" and "Mom" as a sort of nickname from way back.

"The head maid is waiting for you two. Let's go?"

"Ah, we can't be late! Let's go, Elna-neechan!"

"Okay. Well then, Dad, Mom, and everyone, we're off!"

"Ah, wait a sec! Let me take a picture!"

I called out to Linne, who was about to run off. I can't miss this precious shot. I quickly pulled out my smartphone.

"Ah, right! Rene-san, you get in too!"

"Eh!?"

Ignoring Rene's surprise, I pulled her in and had her stand between Elna and Linne. Okay, hold still...

Click. I pressed the shutter. Yeah, that's a nice three-shot.

"Send that to me later!"

With those words, the three of them hurriedly rushed out of the room. It was like a whirlwind.

"That Rene, huh... Time really changes people..."

Sue took a sip of her tea, sounding deeply moved.

"Well, that might be part of it, but Rene was always a serious and hardworking person. I think she had the makings of a top-tier maid from the start."

They say "environment shapes a person," and our household is quite the environment. With maids, combat instructors, and even gods walking around, it's no wonder. Rene probably has some divine blessings too, maybe from Uncle Kousuke. I heard she often helps him with the fields.

"But it's so enviable... Sigh... When will our children come...?"

Yumina let out a deep sigh. While Yae's child, Yakumo, has been sighted a few times, Yumina and Sue's children—my first and second children—have yet to be seen.

"Well, Yumina-neesama, from the children's conversations, it seems they might already be here."

"Eh!? Then why haven't they come to see us!?"

"I wouldn't know... Maybe they have a reason for not wanting to come, or maybe they're caught up in something..."

A reason for not wanting to come...? Please don't tell me it's "I hate Dad."

"Touya-san, can't you use 【Recall】 to get the children's memories and find them?"

"Hmm, Grandma Tokie forbade me from doing that... She said all the children will gather here safely, so there's no need to worry."

【Recall】 is a magic that allows you to borrow someone else's memories. If I could just get a glimpse of their appearance, I could use 【Search】 to find them.

"One of my and Sue's children is a boy, right? Maybe he's so caught up in playing that he forgot to come home..."

"Hmm, that's possible. However, according to Alice, Kuon-kun is quite mature for his age. It's unlikely he'd be so absorbed in play that he'd forget."

"Then maybe he's caught up in some trouble?"

"He's Touya's son, after all. That's entirely possible."

"Hey, hey."

Don't say such things. Besides, his mother is one of you two.

"Well, there's no point in worrying about it. All we can do is wait."

"That's true. By the way, Touya-san, can you send me the photo from earlier too?"

"Ah, me too!"

"Sure, sure."

I sent the photo I took earlier to both of them. The number of photos has increased since the children arrived. I'll also send it to the shared photo app so everyone can see it.

"Where are the other kids today?"

"Frey is at the training ground with Hilde-san and Yae-san, as usual. Asia is in the kitchen with Luu-san preparing lunch. Yoshino and Kuhn should be in Babylon."

Kuhn makes sense, but Yoshino is in Babylon too? Did something come up?

I was a bit curious, so I decided to go check.

I thought Kuhn would be in the "Workshop," but surprisingly, Yoshino was there too.

She was next to Kuhn, who was assembling a work-type Armed Gear, using the tools in the "Workshop" to make something.

"Ah, Otousan."

"What are you making?"

"A musical instrument. Here."

What Yoshino handed me was a small box with several long, thin metal plates attached to it. This is a musical instrument?

There was a hole in the middle, like a guitar, and the metal plates were arranged in a neat V-shape. It looked familiar somehow...

I pressed one of the metal plates, but it was quite stiff, and no sound came out. How do you play this?

"Ah, you don't press it. You pluck it."

"Pluck it?"

I did as she said and flicked the plate with my fingernail. Ping. A clear, resonant sound rang out. Ah, so that's how it works.

"It's called a 'kalimba.' Don't you know it? You taught me about it, Dad."

"Eh, really?"

It wasn't me. It must have been future me who taught her. A 'kalimba,' huh? It sounds vaguely familiar.

I took out my smartphone and connected to Earth's internet to look it up. Ah, this.

A kalimba. An African instrument. Also called a thumb piano or hand organ... The way it produces sound is similar to a music box.

Ah, right. The vocalist of my grandpa's favorite band used this instrument. I've seen it in a few live videos.

"Yoshino, do you make instruments too?"

"Yeah. I can make simple ones myself. For the complicated ones, I ask Kuhn-neechan to make them using 【Modeling】. I like playing musical instruments."

Is that so?

Like her mother Sakura, she seems to enjoy singing, but Yoshino seems to prefer playing instruments. Hmm, is that the influence of Sousuke-niisan, the god of music?

"Can you play something?"

"Sure. How about this?"

At my request, Yoshino began playing a tune on the kalimba.

A slow, clear sound resonated, creating a beautiful melody. This song is... Pachelbel's "Canon," right?

Johann Pachelbel's "Canon." More accurately, it's the first movement of "Canon and Gigue for 3 Violins and Basso Continuo in D Major."

A "canon" is a musical form where the main melody is imitated and layered as the piece progresses.

Pachelbel's "Canon," also known as the "Golden Chord," was beautifully rendered by Yoshino's kalimba, creating a simple yet stunning melody that filled the air.

It was a masterful performance. To play so well with just two small thumbs... Wait, what?

Suddenly, the sound of a flute joined in. There's only one person who would do that.

I looked up from Yoshino and, as expected, Sousuke-niisan had appeared out of nowhere and joined the performance. This god really never changes...

I quietly listened to the duet between my daughter from the future and the god of music. This must be an incredibly luxurious moment.

Plink... As the final note faded, I applauded Yoshino and the others. That was truly impressive. A wonderful performance.

Not just me, but Kuhn and Rosetta, who had been listening in the "Workshop," also applauded. Well, Kuhn, maybe don't clap with the Armed Gear?

"Hehe. This is embarrassing."

"No, no, not at all. That was a fantastic performance."

Next time, I should join in too. A concert with my daughter... That sounds fun.

I looked up at Kuhn, who was still in her Armed Gear, and asked, "Kuhn, can you play any instruments?"

"A little. Mom likes listening to music too."

Among the children, some are more interested in music than others.

Yakumo, Frey, and Linne don't seem too interested.

"More importantly, Dad! What do you think of this? The heavy-type Armed Gear 'Beowulf'!"

Kuhn proudly showed off the Armed Gear she was wearing.

With its large arms and thick legs, it looked like a power-type model. The contrast between the bulky body and Kuon's small frame made for a strangely unbalanced sight.

"What are you planning to fight with that...?"

"Nothing specific yet. But it's always good to have more firepower."

Hmm, I guess she's thinking about the battle with the evil god's apostles. It's sad that a child has to worry about such things. I'm a terrible parent.

As I wallowed in self-pity, my smartphone rang.

Huh? It's a call from the King of Felzen.

"Hello?"

"Ah, Your Majesty the Duke King. The magic train we've completed is ready for delivery. Could you transport it to Belfast and Refreese?"

"Ah, right... Understood. I'll be there right away."

The world's first (though technically, it was built 5,000 years ago, and there are similar ones on the western continent) magic train, the first and second cars, were built in Felzen and are scheduled to run between Belfast and Refreese.

The tracks between the two countries were already completed by earth mages, and all that's left is to deliver the train from Felzen.

Naturally, since I can use teleportation magic, I was tasked with handling the delivery. Oops, I completely forgot about it with all the recent commotion.

After hanging up with the King of Felzen, I turned to Kuhn and the others.

"I need to go to Felzen to pick up the magic train. It shouldn't take long, so go ahead and have lunch without—"

Before I could finish, Kuhn's hand—or rather, the Armed Gear's hand—shot up straight in front of me.

"Me too! I want to go too, Otousama!"

"Eh, but I'm just delivering it to Belfast and Refreese. We won't be running it today."

"That's fine! I want to take pictures of the brand-new magic train!"

So, my daughter is a train enthusiast? Well, in her case, it's not just trains, but still.

Well, it's not like she'll be in the way, so it's fine.

"Yoshino, what about you?"

"I want to adjust the tuning a bit more, so I'll pass. Kuhn-neechan, you go ahead."

I see. Yoshino doesn't seem interested in the magic train. Well, that's normal for a girl her age.

"Alright, let's go. ...Leave the Armed Gear here, okay?"

"Eh... I wanted to show it off to the King of Felzen..."

Don't. It'll just cause trouble. The King might be fine, but Queen Elicia would definitely be interested. We have enough on our plates right now, so let's save it for another time.

After convincing a reluctant Kuhn, we used 【Gate】 to jump to the Felzen Magic Kingdom.

---

A week later, we were in Belfast's royal capital, Alephis. We were there to attend the opening ceremony of the magic train connecting Belfast and Refreese.

The test runs were already completed, and two new tracks stretched out from the newly built station.

Named after the capital, Alephis Station, the line runs from here to Bern Station in Refreese's imperial capital, Bern.

Along the way, it stops at four cities, taking a little over five hours to reach the final destination.

On the platform, the first magic train, the "Rheinbell," was waiting, its passenger cars connected, ready for departure.

The train's body was mostly silver with blue lines running along it. It had a slightly rounded shape, and unlike a steam locomotive, it had no smokestack. However, from the mist vents on both sides of the train, glittering ether residue was released, resembling steam.

The sturdy body of the train reminded me of a steam train straight out of a steampunk setting. In reality, it runs on a magic battery, so it's closer to an electric train. It's also much quieter.

"Anyway, haven't you taken enough pictures, Kuhn? How long are you going to keep at it?"

"Just a little more! This angle is perfect!"

I let out a deep sigh as Kuon continued snapping photos of the magic train emitting ether residue. She took a ton of pictures during the delivery too... What is she going to do with all of them?

For this opening ceremony, we were also scheduled to board the train.

Originally, it was just me and my wives, Yumina and the others, but I managed to get Kuon and the others on board as well. Alice too. Ende was also coming along as Alice's escort, but he was hired as a bodyguard for the passengers.

From Belfast, Duke Ortlinde's family—Sue's father—along with dozens of nobles and merchants from Belfast, were boarding with their families.

So, it wasn't just Kuhn; the other noble and merchant children were also excited to see the magic train for the first time.

"Ed-kun seems happy too."

On a bench on the platform, Ellen-san, Sue's mother and the Duchess of Ortlinde, was holding Sue's little brother, Ed (Edward), who was laughing and pointing at the magic train.

"Ah, Ed likes the magic train too. We're about to ride it."

Sue took Ed's small hand. Linne and Alice were peeking at Ed, watching him with interest.

"Wow, Ed-niichan is so cute~"

"Little Ed-san feels kinda weird, huh?"

At their words, Duke Ortlinde tilted his head.

"Ed-niichan?"

"Ah, Father! W-we should get on board soon, shouldn't we?"

Sue quickly changed the subject. Linne and Alice hurriedly moved away from the scene.

"Honestly... Be careful."

"Sorry, it just slipped out..."

"Ed-san used to play with us a lot, so seeing him as a kid feels kinda strange."

Though they were separated between Belfast and Brunhild, my children and the future Ed-kun apparently played together often.

Well, since he's Sue's little brother, he's their uncle, so it's not strange for them to have played together.

The people from Belfast were starting to board the train. It must be almost time to depart.

We also boarded the train in order. Our car was the first one.

The doors weren't automatic, so after I boarded last, a station attendant locked them from the outside. This meant they couldn't be opened from inside. Of course, in an emergency, there was a handle above the door that could be pulled to open it.

"Wow, it's so pretty!"

Elze exclaimed in surprise as she looked around the car. The first car was like a salon, with a spacious interior. The floor was covered in plush carpet, and luxurious sofas lined the sides. The ceiling had skylights and magic stone lights, and in the corner, there were drinks like wine and fruit water prepared.

This first car was essentially a VIP car for royalty and nobility. It was equipped with various features to ensure a comfortable journey, including air conditioning.

The children knelt on the soft sofas, looking out the windows at the platform outside.

Piririririri... A whistle sounded on the platform, and the magic train vibrated slightly. The magic battery activated, and the train's wheels began to turn.

"It's moving!"

As the "Rheinbell" began to move, releasing glittering ether residue, it slowly started its journey toward Refreese.

The scenery outside the window began to flow by. The ride was smooth, with little vibration or noise. It was a different experience from the trains I knew on Earth.

The tracks to Refreese were built several meters above the ground, like an elevated bridge. On Earth, this would take months, but with earth magic, it was done in no time. I helped out a bit too, like with the bridges over rivers and the final reinforcement magic.

So, the view was amazing. Shortly after leaving Alephis, a vast plain came into view. From here on, it would be nothing but forests and plains.

Even though the scenery was repetitive, the children were glued to the windows, fascinated by the passing view. I used to do that too when I was a kid.

"Touya-san, would you like something to drink?"

"Sure, I'll take something."

Yumina brought over a glass and some drinks.

Well, let's enjoy this short journey.