12 — Chapter 12

When I stepped into the bath, a massive amount of water overflowed.

I see… I suppose I am quite large… From that perspective alone, it made sense that I would naturally be last in the bathing order. In a way, I was glad there was a reason I could actually wrap my head around.

Now, after finishing my bath, I stepped out of the changing area—not in just my underwear, but properly dressed in my pajamas.

I had a feeling that wandering around in just underwear was high on the list of things daughters hated. If I were in her shoes, I wouldn’t particularly want to see an old man walking around in his briefs either, so I understood. If anything, a daughter who actively wanted to see that would be the one with problems.

Addressing Angelica, who was relaxing in the dining room, I spoke up.

“Next time, let’s go to the mountains with your father!”

Going to the mountains with a child. By doing so, conversation between the two of us would become inevitable.

Depending on the location, there might even be spots where she’d need a parent’s hand to proceed. Our bond would surely deepen!

“Huh? The mountains? Why? I’m telling you right now, I hate that idea.”

I was rejected with painful naturalness.

“Won’t it be great? It’s the mountains! Beautiful scenery, refreshing air—it’ll cleanse the soul! It’ll surely become a wonderful memory!”

“But it’s already incredibly rural around here. The air isn’t stuffy, and the scenery isn’t that bad. Besides, I don’t want to make memories with the Demon King. Also, quit trying to sneakily call yourself ‘Father.’”

I believe the expression for this is “not a single island to dock at”. Or is this just how the youth are these days? A “disillusioned generation”?

No, no—it’s not good to use convenient categorizations like “the youth of today.” That’s proof of not seeing the other person as an individual. It’s because people do that that the other side hits back with categories like “old fossil” or “geezer.”

“The mountains are good for you. They’re perfect for an adventurer’s training. And… well… they’re effective for dieting, too.”

“You totally tacked that last part on just now. Obviously, anyone loses weight if they walk a lot. That has nothing to do with it being a mountain.”

She was perfectly logical, so I couldn’t talk back.

Just as I was thinking this operation was a failure…

“Oh my~ Are you going to the mountains? That sounds lovely~”

Lateia stepped into the dining room!

“A family of three going mountain climbing might be fun. I’m starting to get excited too.”

If Lateia was coming along, I wanted to say it was a total win, but that would make it harder to deepen my specific bond with my daughter, which was a bit of a drawback. I’d rather save that for a separate sightseeing trip to a different tourist spot.

“Lateia, I’m sorry, but mountains involve a certain amount of danger. While it’s nothing for a Demon King or a Hero, I cannot bring myself to take you when I consider your safety.”

“Oh, is that so? It’s a shame, but safety must come first, I suppose.”

Good, she understood. Of course, it meant nothing if Angelica wouldn’t come…

It couldn’t be helped.

I’d have to appeal to an adventurer’s speculative spirit.

“Actually, the mountain I plan to climb is called Mount Tenken. Legend has it that near the summit lies a sword brought down by an angel.”

Angelica’s ear twitched slightly.

“No one has ever found that sword, but for a Hero with a name connected to angels like ‘Angelica,’ it wouldn’t be surprising if you were the one to discover it. No, at this point, one might even call it destiny. Yes, destiny, purely destiny.”

“Demon King, is that story true?”

“It is but a legend, but in the old days, it was quite common for an extremely high-performance sword to be offered as a tribute to the mountain gods.”

“Fine. If there’s a legendary sword involved, I guess I can go with you.”

Perfect—hooked her with the sword!

The next day, I ordered my subordinates to go and place a high-quality sword on the mountain.

That should ensure it wasn’t a lie.

Finally, the day arrived for my mountain climbing trip with Angelica.

“Look, Angelica! That is Mount Tenken!”

“Whoa, it’s tall. And the air around here is so refresh—wait, as if, you idiot!”

I got called an idiot before we even started climbing. We were off to a rocky start.

“Now listen, your language is a bit rough overall. Even if you are an adventurer, you’re still a girl, so you should mind your speech a little more. Not that being a man makes it okay to be crude, mind you.”

“Forget that! What’s the deal with that mountain?!”

Angelica pointed at the mountain, shouting her complaints.

“It is a tall mountain, certainly, but it’s nothing a Demon King and a Hero can’t handle.”

“No, no, no! This is deep inside demon territory! You’d be lucky if a few human parties even set foot here in a single year!”

Since I only know the demon lands well, I had naturally chosen a mountain within our own borders.

“The sky has been gloomy and overcast since morning, and I keep hearing the cries of eerie birds at regular intervals… This place is beyond sketchy! The longer I stay here, the more I feel like my soul is getting corrupted!”

“Now, now, this is a majestic peak that was even selected for the ‘100 Famous Mountains of the Demon Race’.”

“I mean, would an angel really leave a sword on a creepy mountain like this? The choice of location is terrible.”

This was bad. If she kept digging, she’d see right through me.

“Even angels make mistakes. Besides, doesn’t that explain why the legendary sword is still there? If it’s a sword deeply connected to angels, the demon race might not be able to even touch it.”

“I see… That actually makes sense. And high-attack-power weapons usually tend to be in grim regions rather than peaceful areas with weak monsters.”

Oh, she was starting to believe it. It was worth a shot.

“Exactly. With that settled, let us begin the ascent. Follow your father!”

“Stop calling yourself ‘Father.’”

I had managed to get us started, at any least.

Good—if I show her the image of a respectable father today, Angelica is bound to accept me!