A Father's Duty

"Uhh... where exactly am I?" I asked Aimaru.

"Looks like you really are lost. Come, sit down with me first. Want some?" he offered something to me.

"I'm fine, I think I can hold on for a long time." I said to Aimaru who looked at me in surprise.

"Are you fasting as well?!" He asked me in excitement.

"Not really fasting but I can hold on for a few months without eating." I said to Aimaru. My gourmet cells is different from this world. It was modified to fit me personally.

"I see..." Aimaru sat back down with a dejected look. He thought he found someone who's not a gourmet knight that pursues the simplicity in living as well.

"May I know where am I?" I asked Aimaru.

"You are in the forest of willowmallows." He said.

"Willowmallows?" I asked.

"Yes. The willow trees in this forest bears fruit which as you can guess, marshmallows." He explained to me.

"How can I get out of this place?" I asked once more.

"Hmmm usually leaving this place is tricky, let me call a friend. It will take a day for him to come here and help you. Is that fine?" He asked me as I nodded.

"I haven't introduced myself didn't I. My name is Aimaru, leader of the gourmet knights." He said proudly.

"Well, my name is Noctis, but I guess Noct would be better." I said as Aimaru motioned with his hand 'its fine, its fine'

"So Aimaru, what does gourmet knight do? If I remember correctly gourmet saiseiya revives ingredients, what about the gourmet knights?" I asked since I'm curious about it.

"Haha. Although we fall behind gourmet saiseiyas, we actually work together. Our members, to be more attuned to nature, explores the human world and if ever they found something strange, they would report it to the IGO and IGO would contact other organizations suitable to deal with such cases." He said as I understood. They were more like the scouts of the human world.

"I see. Actually, I dream of being a gourmet saiseiya but as you can see, I'm stuck in here." I said as Aimaru's interest seemed to be piqued.

"Why do you want to become one?" He asked me.

"Well, reviving ingredients that haven't been seen by humanity is an achievement already." I said. Its true that I want to learn saiseiya's reviving technique and maybe meet Yosaku and his disciple Teppei. I have been stuck in beginner's knocking and maybe watching Teppei in action might help me breakthrough.

"Well, I can't deny that. Maybe my friend who'll come tomorrow may know something about it." Aimaru said.

"And who's this friend?" I asked.

"Oh, its Toriko." He said plainly with his face.

"Heh~ The Heavenly King Toriko, huh. Looks like you're in good terms." I chuckled.

"That fat man is a gluttonous man! We gourmet knights seek simplicity in life and he's always against that. He even called our members 'Bean Stalks' because of how thin we are!" Aimaru lost his patience.

'Looks like Aimaru really loses his cool when it comes to his rival, huh?' I chuckled at the thought.

"Yeah, I can see that. But I can see that you don't really hate him. You even called him your friend. What is it? Rivalry?" I asked as Aimaru regained his calm expression and chuckled as well.

"Haha. Although I hate to admit it, yeah he's my rival. We are fighting who can get God first." He said but had a sad expression.

"But something is stopping you from competing?" I asked which surprised Aimaru as he stared at me.

"I guess you can say that." He said.

"Illness? Motivation? You're in no condition?" I asked.

"An illness." Aimaru sadly said.

"An illness you say?" I continued asking.

"Yes... I have a unique ability to eat diseases, namely virus and bacteria and produce cure to them. I could even eat gourmet world curses and sterile them but..." He trailed off.

"It takes toll on your body." I finished it and he nodded. I was about to continue asking but Aimaru's food finished heating up.

"Food's finished cooking. Do you want some?" He asked me but I just shook my head.

"Its fine, you can eat." I said as he gave a nod.

Aimaru then started performing a routine before he ate as I watched him while eating.

After he finished eating which consist of simple rice and soup, he started cleaning all of his utensils in a water bucket. He then started sitting in a meditating formation in front of me.

"What is that thing you did before you eat?" I asked although I know what it is.

"Oh that? Its just a simple routine." He said.

"Routine?" I asked.

"Its a technique normally used where one creates a mental image of success to increase concentration and accuracy." He explained.

"With routine, you can increase your own concentration to the point that you do not even flinch when stabbed in a vital organ." He continued.

"But I'm sure such kind of routine has a drawback." I said as Aimaru smiled.

"The drawback is that it contains several movements which take time to perform, leaving you vulnerable." He said.

"I see. So is there a way to do that routine without leaving you vulnerable?" I asked.

"There is." He paused.

"But it is only a theory." He said and that's when it all clicked together. It was never known when Aimaru has learned food immersion at Shokurin Temple but I think, Food Honor and Food Immersion is a pre-requisite to using the Ultimate Routine.

"A theory huh. It doesn't sound like that to me though." I said and chuckled making Aimaru confused.

"If it is a theory, then you have to find the right thing to prove it. It means you still lack something that's why you can't find the answer." I said as Aimaru fell into deep thoughts.

"I guess lets just wait for your friend to come over tomorrow." I said but Aimaru is still in deep thoughts so I left him be and took a nap under the shade of the tree.

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No 69 for y'all. How does it feel? 😏😏

I saw many comments last chapter about hating the modern life and I do understand that but it seems like y'all are forgetting something. Our MC is a father now, not some hotblooded teen who literally scream seeing anime characters in real life. He would prioritize his daughter's well being rather than be a fanboy of FT characters. He already realized it that he won't travel to other worlds unless necessary, and he would transfer to modern world with reasons.

1. His daughter's education. Some of you might say, why not just build a school for your kids? Because the school system is not perfected yet, it would take years for it to.be perfected, unlike the modern world who's education system has been polished for decades and more.

2. Modern problems has modern solutions. You worried about pollution? You're wife is the greatest enchanter can't she make a rune to circulate fresh air in your house and in an individual? Worried about citizenship? Your wife has an illusion rune she can use.

3. FT is the main world? That is not an excuse to provide the best things for your children. With the kids going to school, they would meet friends without prejudice. Bullying the kids? With Pitou in there? Really?

I know that my readers mostly consist of singles and in a relationship and I don't know if there are fathers reading my novel, but do imagine being in the MC's place, because if I'm a father as well, I would choose modern world as well.

If you're not a father, then staying in there is nothing because you don't have that RESPONSIBILITY but because you are now a father, you will have to force yourself m.a.t.u.r.e and fulfill the responsibilities you have as a father. You can't run from it but face it head on.

There's still lots of time. Maybe I'll change my mind, but modern world direction is what I have in mind.