[Mintz] āChika-kun, you can do it the same way you did before. Just stay calm and take your time.ā
[Chika] āYes. Then, pleaseā¦ā
The heat that reappeared in my belly was slowly guided outward using the same process as before.
The flow of magic power was unstable, possibly because Douglas-san was still feeling overwhelmed.
However, once experienced, there was nothing difficult. Another child was born from me much more easily than before.
In place of Douglas-san, who was still agitated, Hector-sama picked up the other child in his arms.
The child, who was screaming and crying loudly, was a human baby.
He was a newborn, so it was hard to tell for sure, but it looked like he had a little bit of Douglas-sanās dusky blonde hair mixed in with his black hair.
āChica-kun, youāve worked hard. Theyāre cute lion and human children. I will go tell everyone in the next room, so please take your time with your family.ā
āThank you so much, Mintz-san.ā
Mintz-san waved his hand lightly and left the room.
āChika, you did a great job. Thank you so much for giving birth to Douglasā child. But Iām surprised that they are twins.ā
Gail-san stroked my head slowly and kissed me on the forehead.
ā Honestly, I was surprised too. But to have two at once is like a dream come true.ā
āDouglas, what are you dilly-dallying for? Itās pathetic considering that youāre my son. Chika-chan has given birth to such lovely children. However, a black lion and a black-haired human⦠Chika-chan! Chika-chan is really the best! Hey, hey, look! Itās your grandpa!ā
Holding one child in each hand, the āQuiet and Wise Kingā was spinning around in place.
Seeing that, Douglas-san finally came to his senses.
āHey, Dad! Itās dangerous! Give me my son!ā
āNo way! Thatās what Iād like to say, but Iām afraid I canāt do that. Here are your lovely children.ā
After receiving them from Hector-sama, Douglas-san brought them to my side.
āChika, these are our children, the three of us1, that you gave birth to.ā
Douglas-sanās voice trembled a little as he said that.
āThank you, Douglas-san. Such a sweet child⦠for me2. Really⦠Reallyā¦3ā
When I saw the children sleeping happily in Douglas-sanās hands, for some reason, I remembered the things that happened in my original world and the many things that happened in this world, and my tears started to flow.
āIām the one who should be thanking you. Chika, please donāt cry. I donāt know what to do when you cry.ā
āIām sorry, Iām so happy and joyfulā¦ā
He handed the children over to Gail-san. Then Douglas-san hugged me tightly as I continued to cry.
I nuzzled my face into his thick chest and continued to cry for a while.
Just like that, Douglas-san picked me up and placed me on his lap. We sat on the edge of the bed, and he hugged me tightly from behind.
āI was really happy just by being saved by the two of you and being by your side⦠And yet, the two of you love me so much, and even gave me such a wonderful treasureā¦ā
āYouāre more than that. For us, Chika is also an irreplaceable treasure.ā
āHeās right. If the mother cries so much, the children will be worried too. Come on, hold them in turn.ā
Before I knew it, Gail-san, who had come to my side, held out the human child from his hand.
I could feel the weight of life in my arms as I received the child while I was still in Douglas-sanās arms.
As if it was a lie that they had been crying so much, the child seemed to be smiling a little as it slept peacefully in my arms.
I realized that this child is really the one I gave birth to, and joy welled up again from the depths of my body.
āLook, itās a human child that looks just like Chika. Heās soooo cute.ā
āHeās got a little bit of Douglas-sanās color in his hair. I hope he doesnāt grow up to be like me but grows up to be a healthy child.ā
āYou worry too much. Itās my baby. Thereās no way heās going to be that weak. Even if he did, donāt worry, Gail and I will protect him well.ā
āThatās right. After all, heās Douglas-sanās child, isnāt he? Iām sure heāll grow up to be a strong boy.ā
As I savored the warmth of the child I held in my arms, Gail-san gave me a lion cub this timeā¦
āThis one is waiting for you next. But a black lion, huh⦠It wouldnāt be strange if it is Chika and Dougās child, butā¦ā
I entrusted the human child to Gail-san and received a small lion cub this time.
Unlike the human child, his facial expression was not very clear. But the lion cubās whole body was covered in soft black fur, and his little ears were twitching energetically.
The little lion did not seem to mind being held, and he was breathing comfortably while moving his little nose.
Human children are of course cute, but this oneās visual attractiveness is by far the most destructive.
Perhaps Douglas-san and Gail-san feel the opposite way about human children4.
āSure, heās got black fur, but whatās wrong with being a black lion?ā
[Gail] āNo, Iām sorry, I shouldnāt have said that⦠Thereās nothing wrong with it. The only thing is that there is a legend that the founder of the lion tribe, including Doug, was a black lion. Itās just as legendary as Chikaās black hair and eyes.ā
[Hector] āYes, there is a legend that our ancestor was a black lion⦠It is fortunate that Douglas has renounced his claim to the throne, lest someone wants to install the legendary Black Lion as king.ā
One of them was one of the few human race and the other one was the legendary Black Lionā¦
These kids might end up having a hard time.
I was a little anxious and that seemed to have gotten through to Douglas-san.
āGail and dad, you worry too much. Donāt worry, heās my son and heās a lion. Heāll live his life strong in his own way, no matter what color his hair is. Look at me, donāt you see?ā
āI didnāt mean it that way, but Iām sorry if I made you feel uneasy.ā
āYouāre right even though youāre just Douglas. Well, as long as Iām not blind, I wonāt let your children get into trouble. Because thatās what I promised Chika-chan.ā
āThank you so much, Hector-sama.ā
āYosh⦠yosh⦠It is I who should thank you. By the way, Chika-chan, have you decided on the childrenās names?ā
When they5Ā decided on Glanz-kunās name, I also had discussions with Gail-san and Douglas-san6. But Gail-san said that it would be better to leave it to both of us7, and Douglas-san said he would rather leave it to me.
I had thought of several candidates, but I didnāt think it would be twins, so my plans went awry.
However, there was one name that I came up with because of the twins.
āIām thinking of Hikaru for the human child and Licht for the lion child. Both have the same meaning in my world, but Hikaru is the language of the country where I was born and raised, and Licht is from the language of the country I studied medicine in. What do you think, Douglas-san?ā
āHikaru and Licht, huh? That sounds beautiful. So, what does it mean?ā
āIt means ālightā. Douglas-san and Gail-san are the very ālightā that I found in times of despair. I think these children will be the ālightā that shines on us even more in this happy and hopeful life we have now. I thought they could be a ālightā that shines on us even more in our happy and hopeful lives.ā
Gail-san patted my head with a bit of strength.
āItās a little embarrassing to say that weāre the light, but itās progress for you to be able to think of happiness in that way now. I think itās a very good name, too.ā
āLicht and Hikaru, huh? What good names. Alright then, to commemorate the birth of my grandchildren, Iām going to name the parks in the east and south districts Licht Park and Hikaru Parkāā
āPlease donāt do that!ā āStop it, you idiot father!ā
I yelled out unintentionally, but Douglas-san seemed to feel the same way as I did.
āWhy not? The park is too small, right? Okay, then, letās name the great forest that extends to the boundary of Ulfair the Hikaru Great Forestāā
āThatās not the point! Donāt you get itā¦?ā
Hector-sama puffed out his cheeks with a dissatisfied face even when Douglas-san warned him.
Really, where has the āQuiet and Wise Kingā gone?
āEven if you look like that, youāre not cute at all! How creepy.ā
āWhat a cold son you are. You canāt understand the heart of an old man who cares for his grandson. I donāt remember raising such a son.ā
āI think you should be glad that I grew up properly.ā
āUmm⦠Hector-sama, your affection is enough for us, so long as you take good care of them.ā
āOoh, even Chika-chan⦠Oh, fine, Iāll think of another gift for you to look forward to. You can rest assured that I will raise both Licht and Hikaru well.ā
āYouāre just a helper, dad. They will be raised by me, Chika, and Gail with enough love.ā
As usual, Douglas-san and Hector-san started a noisy argument that never seemed to end.
Gail-san who was unable to bear the sight of this opened his mouth.
āIād like to remind you that everyone is waiting next door to take a look at the children. Iām sure Sebastian, in particular, has been waiting anxiously for them for a long time now.ā
āYe-yes, Iām sure they are! Letās go! Letās go!ā
āAll right! Douglas, you take care of Hikaru and Licht. Iāll carry Chika.ā
Come to think of it, both Hikaru nor Licht didnāt woke up to the loud sounds around them, nor did they cry. Both of them were sleeping comfortably and soundly.
Perhaps, they were more wonderful children than I thought.
Douglas-san held Hikaru and Licht in his arms, and I was held by Gail-san.
āUm, Gail-san⦠itās really not inconvenient for me to walk by myself⦠but itās a pretty bad idea, isnāt it?ā
āYeah, it is. Anything can happen to your body. So, for now, youāre not allowed to walk for the rest of the day.ā
As expected, the overprotectiveness is not likely to change even after I gave birth.
After that, the two of them carried me and my children to the next room, where we received heartfelt congratulations from everyone waiting for us.
Perhaps it was because I was at the peak of my happiness that I remembered those painful days after I came to this world.
I donāt know how many times I have wanted to die or be killed, and even now, I still have nightmares about those days.
However, I never thought that a day would come when I would be so happy and content.
Aah, Iām so glad I couldnāt take my own life at that time⦠Iām sure Iām happier than anyone else right now.
1
The word āthreeā refers to Chika, Douglas, and Gail.
2
To gave me such a lovely child.
3
Really⦠really thank you.
4
Chika thinks that the lion child is cuter than the human child. But maybe Gail and Douglas feel that the human child is cuter than the lion child.