Side: Eris
Rustle...
The soft sound of a turning page echoed quietly in the inn's lounge area.
Looking around, most of the pregnant group has gathered here, reading books on pregnancy and childcare.
Of course, the contents were written in Japanese — books from Japan. The moment Yuki-san learned about our pregnancies, he rushed to gather them for us.
Since becoming pregnant, we had been ordered to rest in Weed, and for the past few months our days had been peaceful. Most afternoons were spent like this—either studying for the sake of our children or taking leisurely walks through the park.
Our bellies have already grown remarkably large. Realizing that a brand-new life actively resides right here—and that it is the child of myself and Yuki-san—fills my heart with a profound, overwhelming sense of emotion.
Yuki-san and the others are busy every day with investigations on the new continent, but they still take care of us every single day.
I think I was truly fortunate to meet such a wonderful man.
At first, I was afraid of Yuki-san's mysterious nature.
But after learning about the mission he carries, that fear vanished like mist, and what remained was affection.
"Really... we had such a strange meeting, didn't we?"
I chuckled softly as I remembered the first time I met Yuki-san.
After being purchased as slaves by Mobu-san and the others, we had been brought to a grassland inside a dungeon.
Standing there alone was a young man with black hair.
He had no air of authority whatsoever. Instead, he worried about us slaves and spoke to us as equals.
Meanwhile, we had been on edge, expecting to be handed over to someone even more important than Mobu-san and his group.
"Hm? Did you happen to stumble across an incredibly amusing article in that book, Eris?"
As I reminisced, Derieu noticed and looked my way.
"No, it's nothing like that. I was just remembering the first time I met Yuki-san."
The moment I said that, everyone looked up.
"Ahh~ It feels like we've been with Onii-san forever, but it really wasn't that long ago, was it?"
Ratz laughed while gently stroking her stomach.
Lately, Ratz had looked happier than ever.
She wanted Yuki-san's child the most, after all.
"Hoh. A story about meeting Yuki? I don't think I've heard that one before."
"Neither have I. I'm curious how Yuki treated all of you back when you were still slaves."
Derieu and Seraria closed their books, clearly interested.
"Everyone, the tea is ready."
"Eh? What's going on? Why's everyone putting their books away? Are we watching a movie or something?"
At that moment, Killue and Rurua, who had been preparing tea, returned.
"Perfect timing. Let's drink tea while we talk about when we first met Onii-san."
"I would love to hear that story too."
"Is it about before I arrived? I'd like to hear it."
Milly is away handling paperwork in our place, but we can give her some alcohol later.
In that atmosphere, we spent the afternoon sharing old stories.
"Heh, just as I thought. Yuki was already like that back then."
"That sounds exactly like Danna-sama."
Seraria and Rurua seemed delighted hearing stories from a time they hadn't experienced.
Derieu, however, looked thoughtful.
"My first meeting with him was rather intense."
"That's because you attacked us, Derieu. I nearly had a heart attack back then. Onii-san even told us to prepare to evacuate."
"It was a huge uproar that the Demon King was attacking."
At the time, Yuki-san had insisted on staying behind.
That had been terrible for my heart.
Though in the end, Slakichi-san had won so overwhelmingly that our worries seemed foolish.
"Even I never expected a rookie Dungeon Master to push me that far. Though now he's a wonderful husband."
Derieu patted her belly with a smile.
"Hey, Derieu! I've told you not to treat your belly like that."
"This much is fine. According to this book, a little stimulation is important—ah."
As she reached for a magazine, she accidentally dropped it.
"...What is this?"
Seraria looked at the magazine and picked it up.
"Hmm, let's see. 'For the one you love most?'"
"Chocolate?"
Ratz read one line aloud while I read the large headline.
"Chocolate... that confectionery, right?"
"Looks like it. Let's see... 'Valentine's Day is almost here! Show your love by giving handmade chocolates to that special someone.'"
"...Hmm. It seems like a custom from Yuki's homeland."
Everyone immediately became engrossed in the article.
Apparently it was a holiday where people made sweets using chocolate and gave them to someone they loved.
It even mentioned that it was a good opportunity for single people to confess their feelings.
"Sounds interesting. We have chocolate in Ratz's shop, right?"
"Yes, it's a popular product. We can process the chocolate and make original sweets to give him. Sounds good. Let's make something for Onii-san. I'll prepare the chocolate."
Ratz immediately contacted the shop to arrange for chocolate stock.
"But what kinds of sweets are there?"
"Let's see... it looks like there are things like cookies with chocolate mixed in."
"And this one puts chocolate inside pastries."
There seemed to be all kinds of chocolate sweets.
I wanted Yuki-san to eat delicious chocolate too, so I wondered what would be best.
"Come to think of it, does anyone here actually know how to make sweets?"
Seraria asked as if she had just thought of it.
I shook my head — I had never made sweets or any luxury food before.
Everyone else seemed the same, except for Killue.
"Hm. Making them separately without experience is a problem, Killue."
"Yes, I agree, Seraria-sama."
"Why is that?"
Ratz asks curiously.
"Desserts aren't the same as regular cooking. They require precise adjustments. If everyone tries individually, the chances of failure are pretty high."
"Indeed. In that case, why don't we all make chocolate cookies together? Everyone can choose their own shapes, and we can prepare the dough."
I see.
So making sweets was actually quite difficult.
If I messed up and made something unpleasant, I couldn't bear the thought of Yuki eating it.
"Shall we all make them together? Is that okay?"
Everyone nodded without objection.
"Creating something original is beyond me. I'd appreciate the help."
"Yeah. It'd be awful if we tried too hard and ended up giving Onii-san a failed experiment."
Everyone felt the same way.
And so we decided to make sweets together.
Let's make the most delicious chocolate treats we can and make Yuki-san happy.
* * *
And then, in the evening.
It was time for Yuki-san and the others to return.
"We're home~"
That voice echoes, and we head to the entrance with the chocolate sweets we made.
"""Welcome home!!"""
"Oh? Something smells sweet."
"It smells amazing!"
"Did you make sweets?"
"What's going on?"
The exploration team peered curiously at the sweets we were holding.
"Fufufu, today we tried to recreate a custom from Onii-san's homeland."
Ratz said happily.
"What kind of custom is it, Yuki-san?"
Ria asked Yuki-san curiously.
"Oh right... so it's Valentine's season already."
"Valentine's?"
Jessica also tilted her head.
"It's basically a day when people give chocolate to someone they like. Though honestly, I always thought it was just a candy company's marketing strategy."
"Heh~ I don't really understand the strategy part, but if that's the case, I want to give chocolate to Yuki-san too."
When Riel said that, the investigation group also wanted to give chocolate to Yuki-san.
"I thought you'd say that. There's still dough left. Yuki, wait a bit."
"Onii-sama, please wait!! I'll make something delicious!!"
"Anii-sama, wait a bit!!"
"...I'll go too."
"Killue, I'm coming too!! I'll fulfill my duty as Yuki-san's wife!!"
Everyone rushed toward the kitchen.
Even the pregnant wives followed to help.
"Looks like dinner's going to be delayed."
"...It certainly is."
Only Yuki-san, Jessica, and I remained behind.
"Here, Yuki-san. Have one."
"Mm. Ahh."
I held out a cookie, and he ate it directly from my hand.
"How is it?"
"It's good. Really good. Thanks, Eris."
"You're welcome. It's a wife's duty, after all."
Hearing him say it was delicious made me incredibly happy.
Valentine's really was a wonderful custom.
"...Should I have gone to make some too?"
Seeing our interaction, Jessica muttered that.
"I wonder. As an escort, you passed. But as a wife, you're a bit lacking."
"That's harsh."
"Don't worry. Someday you'll be so in love with Yuki-san that you won't be able to help yourself."
"Hmm. I do have some level of affection for him already."
"Pretty sure that's a different kind of affection."
"I think so too."
"Is that so?"
Jessica tilted her head in confusion.
The fact that she's pondering it at this point makes me think it's more like a sense of duty than love.
Since we made quite a lot of cookies, we should let the others have some too.
We already gave some to the person we most wanted to feed.
"Oissu. Boss, I heard you wanted something."
"Ah—"
"Ah, perfect timing."
Steve came in, so I gave him some cookies.
"What is it? Cookies? They look handmade-ssu."
"Yes. We imitated a Valentine's Day event where you give chocolate to someone you like. Yuki-san already had some, so these are leftovers."
"Ah... I... see..."
Beside me, Yuki covered his face with one hand.
Was something wrong?
"...You called me here just to show off...? Crunch crunch... They're delicious. These are so delicious I could cry-ssu!!"
"I'm glad."
When I said that, Steve turned his back and rushed outside.
"BOSS, YOU IDIOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTTT!!!"
"Eh?"
Why did he run out screaming?
"Ah, well. Leave him alone... He'll be back to normal by tomorrow."
"I see... if you say so."
* * *
Later, I realized I had done something that deeply wounded single men.
Indeed, for someone without a special person, this event is just a lonely, meaningless thing.
And giving out "leftovers" like I had probably just made it worse.
Sorry, Steve.
Please forgive me in the name of my love with Yuki-san.
* * *
The next day, Steve was reportedly found passed out drunk in the park.
