Chapter 365 – Magic City
I acted like Tikia’s father, buying her the toy she wanted.
Tikia’s eyes sparkled as she pressed the button, watching the toy light up.
“Ooh!”
She shook it around and struck a few poses with it.
“How is it!”
“It’s cute, just like Marine.”
“Hehehe!”
About ten minutes passed as she enjoyed herself.
The expression on Tikia’s face, which had been clinging to me even after the purchase, gradually returned to normal.
Then, Tikia put the toy in her inventory.
“Aaaah…!”
She covered her face, letting out a small cry of regret.
“What… what have I done?! Even if I wanted it, to do that to Rent…!”
It seemed the excitement from the impulse buy had worn off, and she had regained her composure.
Alright, let’s tease her a bit.
“What’s wrong, Tikia? Does Papa need to buy you something else?”
“D-don’t! I’m so embarrassed!”
“I think it’s too late, Tikia, considering you even made the expression and begged me.”
“Ugh…!”
“But your round face was really cute, Tikia.”
“I’m happy, but please don’t say that right now… More importantly, put me down, I’ll walk.”
“No.”
“What!?”
“Today is a date with Papa, Tikia~.”
I rubbed my face against Tikia’s.
“Ugh… this is my karma…”
Tikia was embarrassed but didn’t refuse.
After that, I walked around the magic city with Tikia in my arms.
Tikia seemed to have gotten used to being held by me, and she even guided me with her hand, hugging me close and pressing her cheek against mine.
When it was lunchtime, Tikia said she would cook for me, so we bought groceries at the market and returned to her house.
As soon as she entered, Tikia put on an apron that was in the house and laid out the ingredients on the counter.
“Rent, please sit and wait. I’ll make it soon.”
“Yes, Tikia.”
Tikia stood on a stool and started cooking on the counter.
The sound of her chopping ingredients echoed in the room as I quietly watched her back.
“Hehehe~.”
Tikia started humming as she cooked.
The cheerful humming made me feel excited, thinking it was because she was cooking for me.
Creak…
“Hahaha! The Wolf Fang Race is a jackpot today!”
The door opened, and an old man’s excited voice came from behind.
“Today, I’ll have two elf ladies for a hot night… Hmm?”
I turned around and saw a thin old man with a long beard, wearing a robe.
That must be Tikia’s master.
“Who are you? No, how did you get in… and what’s with the state of the house…?”
“You were gambling at the Wolf Fang Race again, you damn old geezer.”
“Huh? That voice of scathing criticism…”
Tikia came down from the stool and stood next to me. Tikia’s master’s eyes widened in surprise.
“No! That meager chest and short stature! And those half-open, uncharming eyes! Isn’t that my disciple Tikia, who went to Peldan!”
“Don’t use unnecessary modifiers! More importantly, it hasn’t even been a month since I left, and what’s with the state of the house! It’s a complete mess!”
“Hahaha, isn’t it clean enough for a man living alone?”
“Clean my foot! Hire a housekeeper right now!”
“Hoh hoh hoh, I’d like to, but no matter how much I touch chests and butts, I can’t find a kind and pretty housekeeper who will forgive me.”
“Would there be such a housekeeper, you perverted old man! Sigh…”
Tikia sighed and then said to her master.
“You haven’t had lunch yet, right? Sit and wait.”
“Hahaha, I’ll get to eat Tikia’s cooking after a long time. But Tikia, who is this big man here?”
“We’ll talk about it while we eat, so just wait quietly. It’ll be ready soon.”
There was a square table, but only two chairs.
I got up from my seat and said to Tikia’s master.
“Please sit here.”
“Ah, thank you. But then there won’t be a seat for you…”
“I’m fine.”
I immediately created a chair with my mana weapon and sat down.
“It’s fine like this.”
“Eeeh!?”
Tikia’s master rubbed his eyes and looked at me.
“N-no, what was that just now…?”
“I made it with a skill.”
“No, a skill? What kind of skill creates a chair out of thin air… Looking closely, there’s a strong magical aura here…”
“The food is ready!”
Tikia placed the dishes on the table with a thud.
The dish Tikia made was a meat stew.
She took off her apron and sat down at the table.
“Let’s eat.”
“No, Tikia. Who is this man…”
“Just eat first, Master. I’ll tell you everything.”
We decided to eat first.
The meat stew Tikia made had a home-cooked taste.
It tasted a bit different from the meat stew my mother made, but it was still delicious.
While eating, Tikia opened her mouth.
“First, let me introduce my master. Rent, this is my magic master, who is like a parent to me, the perverted old mage. His name is Chainber.”
Then, she started to introduce me.
“Master, this is Rent. He’s a man I’m in a party with in Peldan… and my lover.”
I bowed to Chainber.
“Hello, my name is Rent.”
“W-what did you say!?”
Chainber was even more surprised than when I created a chair with my mana weapon.
“Our short Tikia has a lover!? That can’t be! Are you perhaps a pervert with a special fetish for small girls!?”
“Shut up! You damn old geezer! Rent is not a pervert!”
That’s right.
I never see children as sexual objects.
It’s just that my beloved Tikia is a legal loli.
“Chainber, I’m not that kind of pervert.”
I am a pervert, though.
“I sincerely love Tikia, and I’m even thinking about marrying her in the future. Today, I came to greet Chainber, who is like Tikia’s parent, and also to have a date with Tikia.”
I politely explained to Chainber the reason I came to the magic city.
“Hoo… even marriage… *munch munch*.”
Chainber took a few spoonfuls of the meat stew and then asked me.
“Even if Tikia arrived in Peldan, it hasn’t even been a month… Did you meet and think about marriage in such a short time?”
“I don’t think time is important when falling in love.”
Of course, love deepens with time, but time is not a problem for love itself.
There’s a reason why the saying “love at first sight” exists.
“That’s… true. But how old are you?”
“I’m 20 years old.”
“20!? You’ve just become an adult! Is this the decisiveness of a vigorous young man… You used honorifics with Tikia because you’re young.”
Chainber stroked his beard and then looked at me with a scrutinizing gaze.
“Rent, you said? Rent… hmm? Rent? I feel like I’ve heard that name somewhere… No, more than that, there’s something I really want to ask you. Do you truly… love Tikia?”
“Yes. I love her. My heart is full of the desire to live happily with her.”
I answered without hesitation.
“Hmm…”
Chainber stroked his beard again, looked at me, and then put his hand down and started eating again.
“Munch munch… Well, if that’s the case, then I have no business interfering. I have an eye for people. If you were suspicious or a bad guy, I would have shot you with magic… but you seem okay.”
“Thank you.”
“If Master shoots Rent with magic, I’ll attack Master.”
“Oh~ no, how can you say such harsh things, Tikia? To attack me, who is like a parent to you. *sniff sniff* I raised you wrong.”
“Raised me? What are you talking about? I taught you magic, but I took care of all the housework. I raised you instead.”
Chainber and Tikia bickered back and forth like a comedy duo as they continued their meal.
After finishing the meal, Tikia cleared the table and did the dishes.
After doing the dishes, Tikia tugged on my pants and said.
“Rent, let’s go now.”
“Already?”
“No, is it already time?”
“I already greeted Master, right? And the reason I came home was to feed Rent my cooking. So, the business is over.”
As Tikia was about to leave with me, Chainber said.
“Wait a minute, Tikia. Even so, isn’t it too short to just say that and leave? I also want to talk more with your lover, Rent.”
“You said you wouldn’t interfere?”
“I won’t interfere, but I’m curious about what kind of man he is. Besides, I’m very curious as a mage about how he created a chair out of thin air.”
Tikia puffed out her cheeks slightly, looking like she wanted to leave quickly, but I also wanted to talk more with Chainber.
Specifically, I wanted to talk to Chainber and hear what Tikia was like in the past.
“Tikia, let’s stay a little longer.”
“…Okay.”
Tikia sat back down.
Chainber turned to me and asked.
“Thank you for stopping Tikia. Alright, Rent. May I ask you a few questions?”
“Yes, Chainber. Anything.”
“Hmm, thank you. Actually, I’m curious about your skill, but more than that…”
Chainber said with a sly smile.
“What do you like about Tikia?”
“Hey!”
Tikia slammed the table and leaned forward.
“What, Tikia? As a parent, can’t I ask the person who will be my future son-in-law what he likes about Tikia?”
“You’re definitely going to tease me after asking!”
“That’s right!”
“How shameless!?”
Hmm, Tikia and Chainber seemed to have a very good relationship.
No, I know it’s a relationship that stresses Tikia… but it didn’t seem hostile.
“Then, I’ll start with what comes to mind first.”
“Rent!?”
“First of all, if I say I love Tikia, I can’t leave out her appearance. Tikia might feel it’s a complex, but honestly, she’s cute, right?”
“Well, she’s small, but she’s good-looking. Is that all you like about her?”
“Of course not. Tikia has a wealth of knowledge about magic, and more than anything, she even created original magic. The trigger was the influence of the novel ‘Magical Girl Marine’… but I respect her for being so dedicated to what she’s passionate about and trying to recreate it.
And when I say she’s amazing, the look on Tikia’s face when she’s happy is truly lovely. I’m sorry to Tikia, but her embarrassed or shy face is also really cute and lovely.”
“Oh ho ho~?”
“U-u-ugh…”
Chainber listened to my story with great interest, and Tikia lowered her head, squeezing her pigtails.
“There’s more, but… no matter what, Tikia is lovely in every way.”
“Hahaha, you’re completely smitten with our Tikia.”
“Yes, because I love her.”
Although there are seven other women I’m smitten with.
“Hehehe, Tikia. You must be really happy to have met such a good man~?”
Chainber smiled and spoke to Tikia in a slightly teasing tone.
“T-that’s why I wanted to leave quickly…”
“Ah, come to think of it, you said you were 20 years old?”
“Yes.”
“Haha, well… if you’re 20, you haven’t been an adventurer for long.”
“Yes, it’s been almost two months.”
“It’s heartwarming to see a couple of newbie adventurers. Hahaha. So, when are you planning to marry Tikia?”
“Hey, Master!”
“What? You said you were thinking about marriage, so you must have a plan.”
“Of course, I have a plan. It’s not concrete, but I’m thinking of having a wedding when I’ve earned enough money as an adventurer and can live a stable life.”
“Hahaha, yes, that’s better than getting married without a plan.”
“Yes, because there are 7… no, 8 people I’m going to marry.”
“Yes, yes, eight… eight? …Hey, Rent. Are you perhaps… dating someone other than Tikia?”
“Hey, R-Rent! Th-that’s not something you should say yet…”
“Yes, I’m currently dating seven women, including Tikia. I expect that number to increase to eight. But please rest assured. I love them all, and I’m determined to make everyone happy, including Tikia.”
Eventually, when the wedding takes place, Chainber will have to be invited to the ceremony.
I thought it was better to tell him everything now before it was revealed later and the trust was broken.
*Swoosh*
Chainber, who had been laughing, froze with a smile on his face, got up from his seat, pointed his thumb at the door behind him, and said.
“Follow me, you womanizing bastard who seduced my precious daughter. I’ll teach you a lesson.”
