Chapter 1151 – #275_A New Family (2)
#1145
1.
The Basic Science Research Building is bustling today as well.
This is because the number of curricula to refer to is rapidly increasing as the regular semester has officially begun.
“Hehehe, this is a piece of cake.”
“Compared to that time, which was akin to hell, this is just a bite-sized cracker.”
But who are the researchers of the Basic Science Department?
They are the driving force of research who have successfully led two large projects while keeping up with the absurd schedule set by the head of the academy.
“I’m starting to wish the head of the academy would give us another project.”
“Yeah, something… something feels missing….”
Even though they are already doing several times more work than in the past, the academy members do not look tired.
Rather, it’s to the point where they wonder, ‘Is it okay to work this little?’
“Alright, morning work is done! I’m going to report to the head of the academy!”
Daphne, a researcher who had previously deserted and returned with tears, held her documents and headed to the head of the academy’s office with a cheerful stride.
Her steps were quite light.
His praise, given with a calm smile when she successfully finished her work, always made her feel good.
Sometimes, they would have tea time as a reward and ask about various aspects of her individual research.
“Huh? Where are you going, Head of the Academy?”
However, when Daphne entered the head of the academy’s office, she found Siwoo getting ready to go out.
“Ah, I’m taking a half-day off today.”
Daphne blinked, wondering if her ears were playing tricks on her.
The head of the academy, Shin Siwoo, is basically a workaholic.
Even the researchers of the Basic Science Department, who have harsh work requirements compared to other research institutes, pale in comparison to his passion.
Yet, he was taking a half-day off when it wasn’t even lunchtime.
“Is something the matter?”
After a moment of hesitation, Siwoo answered, looking a bit embarrassed.
“I have a blessing ceremony scheduled for the afternoon.”
“……?”
A blessing ceremony is one of Gehenna’s long-standing traditions.
When a witch takes on a new apprentice witch, acquaintances visit to give gifts and blessings in a small party.
It can be seen as a characteristic of Gehenna, where they cherish even other people’s apprentice witches and share a sense of communal childcare.
Generally, it is held three days after taking on an apprentice witch, but this blessing ceremony was scheduled a week later, considering Amelia’s physical condition.
“It’s my child.”
“What?!”
Daphne jumped in surprise at Siwoo’s shocking declaration.
She had vaguely thought, ‘Well, the head of the academy has a wide network, so one of them must have taken on an apprentice witch,’ but it turned out to be his own child.
Siwoo explained the situation roughly.
He said that Amelia, one of his lovers, had conceived and recently given birth.
During the pregnancy, there were many things to worry about, such as prenatal care, and he didn’t want to make Amelia a spectacle or the subject of rumors, so he had kept it a secret. But now that the baby was born, there was no need to hide it any longer.
It wasn’t like he was going to hide the child in a closet and raise it.
“You’re saying that it’s not an apprentice witch, right?”
“That’s right. Oh, and I’ve already processed the expenses, so finish your work appropriately today and have a company dinner with the researchers. Then, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Daphne stood there, blinking for a long time, unable to believe what she had just heard, even after Siwoo had left.
2.
The weight of the newborn baby wrapped in a swaddle was 3.2 kg.
For Siwoo, who was a spirit body, it was a weight that he could hold in one hand and do dumbbell curls all day without getting tired.
But it felt so heavy.
A small and precious life that felt like it would crumble if he held it too tightly, and the fruit of love.
Was this the weight of a head of the family?
Even though it was still a bit wrinkled, its downy blonde hair and the way it changed expressions while its eyes were closed were so adorable.
“Oh, you little cutie.”
Siwoo quietly laid the sprout back on the baby bed.
It was something he had bought with Amelia in the mortal realm before.
“Its eyes look like Siwoo’s.”
Amelia gently hugged Siwoo’s waist and giggled.
Perhaps the first birth of a witch in history.
The days of worrying about what the prognosis would be were long gone.
After resting for a week, Amelia’s physical condition had improved greatly, thanks to her excellent spirit body’s recovery ability and Yebin’s treatment. She had almost returned to her previous state.
According to Yebin, if she rested well for about a month, she would be able to use magic as before.
It made him realize once again how amazing the spirit body was.
“Is that so? I think Amelia’s genes are super strong.”
“But its eyes are black.”
The only differences in Amelia from before were her slightly larger breasts and the overall atmosphere of her expression.
It was like a mix of strength and benevolence.
The way she looked was surprisingly similar to Amelia’s teacher, which was surprising.
A girl who had become a mother had changed so much in such a short period.
“……”
When he turned around because there was no answer, he saw Amelia pouting her lips.
For reference, that was Amelia’s way of saying, ‘I’m sulking!’
“Siwoo.”
“Yes?”
“Not ‘Amelia-nim,’ just Amelia.”
At the same time, it was also her way of being cute.
While she was talking, she rubbed her cheek against Siwoo’s body like a friendly fox.
“I only call you Siwoo, though.”
“Amelia… it feels a bit awkward.”
“And the informal speech too. Actually, I was jealous of how friendly you were with Sharon every day.”
He paused.
There was a reason why Siwoo’s default was formal speech.
It wasn’t that he disliked informal speech, and it wasn’t that age was particularly important to witches, but it was because he wasn’t used to it.
He had been using formal speech for over five years.
“Is it because I’m too old?”
“Of course not. It’s just… awkward. But why do you use formal speech with Amelia?”
“I’m comfortable with it. I’ve been using formal speech for over 150 years, you know?”
“……”
While Amelia’s shameless joke, which was unlike her, led to some sweet moments.
In his mind, he was still a little worried about the sprout.
It was a fact he knew from a prior examination, but the sprout’s body was a spirit body.
Usually, apprentice witches grow up with bodies identical to humans in their infancy, and only after they turn four or five do they receive a vessel from their teacher and become a semi-spirit body. They only become a complete spirit body after receiving a mark.
Both the mother and father were spirit bodies, so it could be seen as natural, but even so, it was a truly strange body structure that did not have a separate ‘vessel’ and ‘mark’ within it.
In short, it was a pure, first spirit body from birth.
Whether it could grow as a witch was still unknown.
He would know more details as time passed, but what did it matter?
There were no health issues, so he just hoped it would grow up healthy.
-Clang!
At that moment, the sound of a dish breaking came from the kitchen on the first floor.
It seemed like there had been an accident.
“Wait a moment. I’ll go check… Ah, I’ll go check.”
“Go ahead. Honey.”
After being seen off by Amelia’s fresh greeting, the stairwell was already bustling.
“You idiot! You’re a great witch, and you’re dropping dishes?”
“Are you going to eat telekinesis for dessert later?”
“Sharon said that you shouldn’t use magic when cooking.”
“You should pick up the dishes that fall!”
“You cheated by using magic when making songpyeon, and now you’re saying that!”
“Quiet, everyone! Amelia is upstairs!”
It was a truly domestic noise mixed with a fragrant and savory smell.
He went downstairs to lend a hand with a wry smile and saw Sharon and the triplets wearing aprons.
“I’ll help too.”
“Yeah, please save me….”
“Assistant, L’Riel broke a dish!”
“No, Odile broke it while playing around!”
“Alright, I’ll clean it up, so everyone go back to what you were doing.”
The kitchen seemed very complicated, considering they were only preparing a simple menu of sea urchin seaweed soup.
The Merrygold Cottage itself wasn’t that big, and the kitchen, in particular, was so small that four people would be shoulder to shoulder, so it couldn’t be helped.
When the rest of the people came later, it would be even more crowded than now, right?
Siwoo liked this kind of commotion very much.
It felt like they were all one family.
He had realized after losing it, but family was truly precious.
“Our teacher said she’ll be here around 4 PM.”
“We need to finish cooking quickly by then.”
“The luggage is all taken care of.”
“Wow, you did a really clean job?”
“Is this little sea urchin cleaning a big deal for the great Jim?”
L’Riel neatly prepared the sea urchin he had brought along with the seaweed and handed it over.
He had felt it before, but it seemed like he had become more mature since becoming a professor.
“We’ve washed all the rice too.”
“We washed it so cleanly that the water isn’t even cloudy.”
“Good job.”
Even the twins, who had terrible cooking skills, had completed their tasks thanks to Sharon’s excellent division of labor.
Judging by their expressions, they seemed quite proud.
“Sharon and I will finish up, so the three of you can rest.”
Just as the sea urchin seaweed soup, a collaboration between Sharon and Siwoo, was emitting a savory sesame oil smell.
The guests began to arrive one by one.
“Yo! Hisashiburi! My friend!”
“Long time no see, Count.”
Takasho and Count Adonai, who had been close friends since before.
“Oh, Head of the Academy. You look radiant?”
Sophia, a friend who had always been by Amelia’s side when she was clumsy.
“Darling~ I’m here! I brought lots of presents?”
“…I feel like I’m going to die.”
Dorothy, who was smiling brightly, and Periwinkle, who was half-dead from being dragged around shopping.
“I missed you, my love.”
“Rinne. Keep your dignity.”
Rinne, who immediately hugged Siwoo tightly, and Eloa, who flinched, almost hugging him unconsciously.
“Siwoo-kun, I’m here!”
“Deneb…. You’ve been so excited about getting dressed up since this morning…. Haa…. Are the twins inside?”
The big mother-in-law and the little mother-in-law.
“It’s been a while, Siwoo-ssi. Diana, you should say hello?”
“…Ah, hello….”
Diana, who seemed troubled by the large number of people, and Lucy, the mama who was a fool for her daughter.
“Oh? Is that seaweed soup? I like seaweed soup.”
Yebin, who had become Amelia’s attending physician.
“Oh my, thank you all for coming.”
Thanks to them, the small cottage had become much more bustling.
It was still a pleasant commotion.
