Chapter 16

“So, my Lord, did the mountain climb with your daughter go well?”

I was questioned by my secretary, Torualina, at my workplace.

“It lacked the finishing touch.”

“Please speak more clearly and specifically, as if you were answering a question in a council meeting.”

Left with no choice, I explained what had happened point by point.

“I see. In short, your daughter descended the mountain believing she had no choice but to rely on her own strength, only for you to mention spatial teleportation magic at the very end, causing her to snap. Well, she is at that rebellious age. Heroes tend to be hot-blooded anyway, don’t they?”

“It is not right to make such occupational prejudices. Besides, this is a personal matter regarding my daughter; I cannot simply brush it off with generalizations.”

“Well, while it was partially your daughter’s own fault, if you’re going on a climb, you should inform everyone about the escape plan beforehand. You are at fault there, my Lord.”

“Yes, I know… I suppose I have no delicacy anyway. I never had children of my own, after all.”

Having lived my entire life within an organization, I was accustomed to systemic thinking, but acting as a parent was proving difficult.

I wanted to believe I wasn’t a total failure, but I felt out of sync.

“Regardless, there is so much work. The number of documents requiring approval has increased by forty percent compared to last year.”

I continued signing the paperwork.

“That is to be expected. Since we abruptly stopped fighting humans, we need work for the soldiers and others who are now idle. We’re rushing through public works projects one after another. This is also your fault, my Lord, since you decided to sign a non-aggression pact so suddenly.”

Torualina worked briskly, though her words carried a bit of a sting.

“It couldn’t be helped. Love is something that starts abruptly. You cannot plan for it.”

“Even if love is abrupt, aren’t things like greeting the other party’s relatives, the ceremony, and the marriage registration supposed to be done according to a plan? If it’s a wedding, you should hold it on an anniversary or something similar.”

I dropped my pen onto the table.

“Come to think of it, I have to hold a ceremony. I completely forgot…”

I had to make sure this was done properly.

However, there was an obstacle before that.

“I wonder if Lateia’s parents are still alive…?”

“If you don’t know, my Lord, there is no way I would.”

I suspected her former husband’s parents were either deceased or they weren’t very close. After all, she said yes the moment I proposed.

Lateia hadn’t said anything about her own parents either, so at the very least, they weren’t the type to still keep her on a short leash.

Even so, if they were alive, I would have to go and pay my respects…

I had completely forgotten…

“My Lord, please save your shock for your break time. The work is piling up.”

“Something much bigger than this work might have just landed on me.”

“Since you are currently on official duty, please prioritize this over family matters.”

Torualina spoke coldly, but then—

“I suppose it can’t be helped; I shall work forty percent harder myself,” she said, moving efficiently.

She truly was a dependable secretary. I’ll be counting on her in the future.

That evening, I asked Lateia about her relatives.

“Yes, both of my parents are alive. They moved to a house on a hill in a port town and are enjoying a healthy second life.”

So they were alive after all. No, it would be rude to frame it as if I regretted their survival.

“Have you informed them that you remarried me?”

“Yes, by letter. But anyway, I think the news of our marriage—yours and mine, Garto—has reached every corner of the country by now.”

That made sense; since it was the reason the war ended, it was only natural for the news to spread.

“Um, I would like to pay my respects whenever your parents are available. When would be a good time?”

“Let me see~ Any time should be fine, shouldn’t it? I don’t think they’ll be away on a trip for days or anything like that~”

In that case, I should go as soon as possible. I had a feeling that the longer I delayed, the worse it would be.

However, if they were easygoing people like Lateia, surely it would work out—

“Demon King, just so you know, Grandpa is stubborn.”

Angelica chimed in with a low murmur.

“I-Is that so…? But in cases like that, the mother is usually gentle and balances things out—”

“Grandma is strict. Good luck with the remarriage report.”

Am I facing a major crisis here?!

Dammit! What a blunder I’ve made… I was so preoccupied with my relationship with my stepdaughter that I neglected the matter of my parents-in-law!

However, I must gain their approval as a suitable spouse, no matter what it takes.

If I don’t, Lateia will be the one who suffers!

I must avoid that at all costs! I will protect Lateia’s smile!

“Lateia, I will head there to give my greetings this coming day off.”

“Understood~ Angelica, you come too. I’m sure Grandpa and Grandma want to see you.”

“Got it, Mama.”

So Angelica was coming too. It would be a huge help if my daughter acted like she accepted me as her father, but I shouldn’t hold my breath.

If I were to carelessly ask for her help, it might backfire. She might start saying it’s embarrassing for a Hero to have the Demon King as a father, so I couldn’t ask for her cooperation.

At the very least, I just hoped she wouldn’t get in the way. If Angelica started attacking me there, I wouldn’t stand a chance.

“Um, Lateia, do you know what kind of sweets your parents like?”

“Let’s see~ I think bringing an assortment of cookies would be fine, wouldn’t it?”

Right. I would buy some good cookies from a long-standing local shop.

Since there were only two of them, I would choose something elegant and not too large in size.

“Angelica, would you mind helping me pick out the cookies later?”

“You’re surprisingly diligent about those kinds of things, aren’t you, Demon King…?”

“One must never cut corners, even on the small things. A slight lapse in attention can lead to a major catastrophe.”

“I think what you’re saying is right, but you seem like a small-time crook, Demon King.”

My daughter was saying some harsh things, but at this point, I didn’t care about looking like a “big shot.”

As long as I could get her parents’ approval, that was all that mattered!