A Father's Duty

After the reunion, I let Irene play with the kids as I prepare some food for dinner and I need it to be a feast.

[Host, after completing the tutorial phase, you have unlocked new section of the system. Do check it out if you may]

The system said as I thought of system interface, aaaaand voila it showed me its interface.

I had question marks all over my head when I saw that the only options are shop, inventory, and private farming space. Since inventory and farming space is a given, I opened the shop and saw a bunch of recipes, cooking techniques, kitchenwares, ingredients, plant seeds, and tavern decors.

[As the system's level is just at level 1, only basic level items are provided. Host could gain points either by being seen as 'cool' in your family's eyes or serving a customer. Points earned from serving a customer is based on the money they pay and divide it by 1,000. For example, Gildarts Clive paid 10,000 jewels for his meal divide it by 1,000 and you earn 10 points. Host could also upgrade the system by using the points you earned.]

I saw that the prices are really cheap. I have 40 points that I can spend. I bought strawberry shortcake, an oven, a takoyaki grill, taiyaki recipe and pan, a blender, a refrigerator, and the ingredients needed to make them.

[All of the basic ingredients bought by Host is a lifetime supply so host needs not worry about buying ingredients every single time you prepare food for your customers, but when it comes to rare and above ingredients, host would have to buy them. For meats, host is advised to renovate an underground freezer and a storehouse, so that system could place the bought ingredients without suspicion. For now, system would put the ingredients and kitchenwares bought by host in the inventory]

I opened my eyes in shock when the system said that. It means I don't have to worry about suppliers not coming to this place. I will have to plant in my farm though, to show that I am not getting my ingredients magically.

I placed the oven and the takoyaki grill as I started whipping up 2 strawberry shortcake, taiyaki for Pitou, and Takoyaki. When I finished making everything, I went out to check Irene and the chipmunks to call them for dinner as the sky is turning dark. When I went out, I saw Erza sitting on Irene's l.a.p as Irene told them folk tales of her country. They are attentively listening to her stories especially Pitou who is seriously listening to sate her curiosity.

Noticing me, Irene turned her head towards me as the chipmunks also turned their heads and followed Irene. Seeing me, they know that dinner is ready.

"Come, dinner is ready." I smiled as I called them over.

When Irene saw the table full of weird foods, she is confused as well as curious as to what kind of foods are served. As a spriggan, she is served by the royal chef of the Empire so she ate the best foods but she haven't seen food like this before. The Erza and Kagura is already used to seeing weird foods in their table but they know that the foods I served are the best in their opinion.

We sat down and Erza and Kagura bowed their heads to thank the nature for the blessings they received. Irene and Pitou is both confused as to why they bowed their heads and when they hear me speak about thanking the Nature for the blessings we received, Irene immediately knows why.

I didn't pray to Gods because everyone had someone to place their faith into. So as to not offend anyone, I taught them to thank the nature who cultivated the food they are eating.

After that, they dig in as they picked up the piping hot takoyaki, while Pitou immediately sprang her hands onto the taiyaki as it is shaped as a fish.

When they bit into the food, their eyes lit up as they chewed on their food but immediately backfired as the food is still hot but that didn't stop their hands from eating. Irene was opened to a whole new world when she tasted the food. It is ten times better than the food served by the royal chef.

Seeing the sight of them eating with gusto, I smiled at their interaction. After 10 minutes of eating, I took the cakes from the refrigerator and placed them on the table. The mother and daughter duo, felt a connection when they saw the strawberry shortcake. I sliced the cake into pieces and served them as they immediately digged in, not wasting any more time.

When Irene and Erza took a bite of the cake, they were entranced by it and immediately placed it as the unshakeable top 1 of their favorite food list. Seeing their reaction, I immediately remembered that Erza's favorite food in the original, is strawberry shortcake. It surprised me to see that Irene is also the same.

'Like mother like daughter eh?' I thought

Kagura and Pitou took a bite of the cake as their eyes lit up but they didn't have the same reaction as the mother and daughter duo. In Pitou's eyes, Fish is the unshakeable top 1 food in her eyes while fish is the top 2 and 3. Basically fish is her all-time favorite food.

Kagura on the other hand is versatile. As long as the food is good, she don't mind eating anything.

The mother and daughter duo demolished the cake as they both burped at the same time and looked at each other before giggling. After eating, I cleaned up the table and proceeded to clean the dishes. Irene inched closer by my side as she hugged me from behind as she leaned her head on my back while I'm washing the dishes.

"Who would've thought that the formidable warrior can reach this height of cooking." She said.

"Of course. I need to serve the best for our daughter so I learned from everyone in Rosemary Village." I said as I continued

"I remembered the time you are taking care of me, your porridge turned into a black slurry jelly." I laughed as Irene pinched my sides.

"Ouch, sorry sorry. Its a memorable memory to me though." I said as Irene melted at my words.

"If not for that calamity, we would've lived in peace." She said sadly as I remembered the time Acnologia messed our peaceful life. Rage started bubbling and my killing intent unconsciously flow out of my body.

Sensing my rage, Irene hugged me tightly.

"Don't worry my love, with the help of his majesty, we will cull that creature down." She said.

I calmed down and finished washing the dishes. Irene tried to help me but she immediately broke one of the plates, so she just sat stood and waited for me to finish.

After finishing, I realized that the chipmunks already went upstairs so it is only me and Irene left downstairs. I felt like it is Erza's plan to drag the two upstairs so that I could spend some time with her mother in peace.

I went outside as Irene followed me as I sat on the swing and Irene sat on the other one.

Silence enveloped the area as Irene is the first one to speak up.

"I'm sorry." She said.

"For what?" I replied.

"For leaving you and our daughter." she said and continued.

"I tried finding you with the help of his majesty's resources when I became an important person but the village you were in was-"

"Does it matter? What matters now is you're back with us here right now." I retorted.

"But-"

"No buts, as long as you're fine and returned. Its all that matters." I said

"Thank you..." She said as she teared up as I stood up and hugged her as she broke down and melted in my arms.

Even if my feelings for her is vague, I still cannot deny that she is my wife and the mother of Erza, so I decided to treat her as a husband should with her wife. Sooner or later, nature would take its course.

After a few minutes of consoling Irene, we separated.

"Can you tell me... what happened after I left...? Did she... miss me? Tell me about it." She said.

I told her the stories of what happened when my predecessor took care of Erza and what happened after I took over my predecessor's body.

She giggled when she heard me and my nemesis, the cloth diapers, tired me to death and I told her that Erza is always asking for her mother and explained that her mother had to work far away to protect her. I also told her that Erza's maturity solidified when Kagura joined the family.

She seemed to be saddened when she heard about Erza being forced to m.a.t.u.r.e. When she was but a kid, she was a princess and did whatever she wanted. So hearing about Erza's childhood, she felt a prick in her heart. She decided to never leave her daughter's side ever again.

I also told her about Erza being bullied for being motherless as Irene raged which I calmed her down. I am proud because Erza fought back, though we were banished from the village and was forced to live outside the village, and because we lived outside the village, it gave us the time to escape the abductors as they ravaged the village while we escape far away not before saving Kagura from her pursuers.

Irene hated herself for not being with her daughter in her times of need as I consoled her that it has already happened.

"Speaking of children, are you really sure that Kagura is not your illegitimate daughter? Did you find another woman besides me?" She looked at me.

"Look here, I picked up Kagura after I saved her from the abductors pursuing her. She is not my illegitimate daughter and I didn't have any woman besides you. I have my hands full of taking care of Erza to even pursue others. Besides, I already have you. Why would I find others?" I said as Irene melted in my words.

"What about Pitou? I can see that she is a mixed race?" She asked.

"I picked up Pitou when I first traversed the WoD." I lied but kept my face straight so that she can tell that it is not a lie.

Satisfied with my answer, she turned her back to me and sat on my l.a.p and we continued talking.

"I don't mind you having other woman than me. As long I will still have a spot in your heart." She said.

"What are you talking about? I'm satisfied with the princess of Dragnof Kingdom in my heart." I said as she giggled sweetly.

"Former princess, mind you" She said.

"It doesn't matter, in my eyes you are a princess, no, you are the queen in my heart." I said as she turned to me and smiled which made my heart skip a beat.

"How about you? What happened with you?" I asked to hide the fact that i'm entranced at her smile.

"Seems like my charm still works on you, huh?" She giggled as she turned and mounted my l.a.p before giving my lips a smack with her own.

Seeing our interaction, Erza, who is watching from the third floor window of their room, smiled as she saw her mother and me spending time with each other as she deemed her plan as a resounding success.

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Will be posting the 2nd chapter later.