His chest, which had swollen greatly, deflated the moment he finished speaking.

It was as if the emotions that had been clumped up inside his heart were finally being vomited out along with his confession.

He squeezed his eyes shut tightly, then opened them and looked at me. He was clearly smiling, but there was a hint of sadness in his expression.

“What on earth have you done to me, Ayleth Rodeline?”

“......”

“What did you do that made me think like this?”

“......”

Still, he seeks the reason for his kindness in me. In truth, it’s just that nothing has changed.

Because he is Tesilid Argent.

But he would dislike hearing such words. Instead of words that cannot be conveyed, I decided to act.

“......A-are you okay?”

Impulsively, I stepped off the bench and stood up. Only then did my eye level roughly match his sitting beside me.

I immediately reached out both arms and hugged his head tightly.

Since this is a parenting genre, this is good. I could freely give a simple, heartfelt hug.

He flinched slightly, surprised, then smiled bitterly and said,

“It feels awkward.”

“You don’t like it?”

“I don’t dislike it. It’s just......”

“Just?”

“It’s the first time for something like this.”

I hugged him tighter.

Reid.

Tesilid Argent.

I wish your genre could be changed to a healing story, too.

✠

The parenting genre experience period passed very peacefully and uneventfully. Reid and I lightly traveled around dungeons as a sort of excursion.

We baked Reid’s birthday cake in the Gingerbread House dungeon, watched the demons’ astonishing acrobatics in the Circus Tent dungeon, and rode child-friendly rides like the carousel and Ferris wheel in the Amusement Park dungeon.

Of course, after enjoying ourselves to the fullest, we defeated the dungeon owners and gathered plenty of loot.

I was still treated as a princess in the Tower Mage. It was no exaggeration to say that I was currently the most famous figure in Gehenid.

People showed interest and curiosity about the little kid resembling the Sacred Scripture whom the Tower Mage Lord brought. The newspapers of Ragneif competed to pour out gossip articles.

The child’s mother is the Sacred Scripture, father is the Tower Mage Lord?

[Magic Tower Special] Child who looks exactly like the Sacred Scripture, possibility of virgin conception?

Looking for the father.

The newspapers’ schemes to boost sales were tremendous. The provocative headlines made my head spin, and I pressed my palm against my forehead.

“This is interesting.”

Reading the papers elegantly while sipping tea, Reid seemed to enjoy it.

I got annoyed by such a relaxing comment and snapped.

“If our parents knew this, it would be a huge problem.”

The whole continent was probably already paying attention to the Tower Mage Lord and the Sacred Scripture. Considering the information power of the Duke Grandfather, he must know the political situation of Ragneif well.

“Sigh, causing trouble before marriage is already a family tradition. They might even believe it literally......”

“That would be bad. We have to make a good impression.”

“Yes, this is not the time to have fun.”

“Let’s calm down the rumors soon.”

It was reliable when on the same side. But on the other hand......

<What. You could have done it but left it be until now?>

......Lately, I felt like I was focusing longer and more carefully on the newspapers.

At that moment, the system chimed.

[ Time remaining until ‘Genre Change Ticket Trial’ ends: 59 minutes.]

It notifies me an hour in advance. How considerate.

I decided to prepare a little. I changed into a loose but floor-length long dress.

Just in case I suddenly revert to my adult body and wouldn’t face trouble because of clothing.

“Good. This should be about a mini dress on my original body. Of course, unless something happens within an hour, I plan to stay here......”

Of course, plans always go astray.

Suddenly the door burst open and an uninvited guest intruded.

“Tower Mage Lord! Tower Mage Lord, are you there?! There’s a big problem outside right now!”

“Is there anything bigger than your return?”

Moriphis, wearing chimera pets on his head and shoulders, received cold looks from Reid and me.

It was a pity the effect of sending him to the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons lasted only half a month.

“No, really, it’s a big problem!”

Moriphis was impatient, but neither Reid nor I nor the maids standing a bit apart listened carefully.

Then a suspicious commotion came from outside the window.

“What’s all the fuss?”

Reid hugged me and approached the window. Seeing a crowd swarming at the Tower Mage entrance, it seemed some spectacle had arisen.

To precisely understand the situation, Reid adjusted his vision with a long-range magic.

Then what appeared was......

“Are you listening, Ire?! It’s dad! Dad’s here! Me and the Sacred Scripture’s daughter, our Ire!”

“......”

A tall, well-built young man was tearfully begging and calling me.

<......Who the hell is that?>

A spectacular situation broke out with only an hour left.

The parenting genre experience was apparently not over yet.

✠

I couldn’t leave the man loudly raising his voice like a public relations officer in front of the Tower Mage. Recently, the composed Reid willingly invited him to the audience chamber.

By the way, the audience chamber is on the 50th floor of the Tower Mage, and there are no elevators, designed strictly for mages.

Reid leaned on one armrest, holding me in his arms. His crooked posture seemed to reflect his twisted mental state.

In the hallway opposite, mages were crowded near the door, watching the audience chamber with keen interest.

Reid did not block the onlookers and left the chamber door wide open. Some even boldly entered inside and started talking.

“That bastard can’t be the father. It’s definitely an impostor.”

“Even a broken clock is right twice a day.”

Though his muttering tone was cold and dismissive, his unconscious hand gently stroked my head.

[‘The Scales Judging Souls’ likes that you look like a drawn tyrant dad.]

[‘The Sarcastic Balancer’ worries if your children will get proper home education.]

The parenting genre experience was nearing its end.

[ Time remaining until ‘Genre Change Ticket Trial’ ends: 10 minutes.]

At that time, the man who caused the problem crossed the threshold of the audience chamber. After climbing roughly a thousand stairs, he staggered, legs shaking.

It was more like dragging a burden than walking.

“Tower Mage Lord...... I-I-I have come to... see you......”

I sat down with a thud on the carpet and quietly looked down at him panting.

Naturally, it was a strange face I had no memory of.

“Excuse me, who are you exactly?”

“I-I’m your dad!”

As expected from an impostor, his answer was shameless.

“Name. Age. Origin. Occupation.”

Only after Reid asked with deadly intent did he produce information worth noting.

“Be-Beeric Oblon, 25 years old, from the Countship of Gilette, working delivering herbs to the alchemist at the Count’s castle!”

Countship of Gilette. Alchemist. Herbs.

Keywords with quite some connection to me appeared.

<Hmm, you did quite some background checking? Because you didn’t hide the Rodeline name?>

“Still, it’s not something I could discover alone. Besides, the important thing is something else.”

<Right, all lies.>

“Yes. Delivering herbs, my ass.”

I have been self-sufficient in herbs needed for alchemy for ten years. Thanks to demon friends like Epiden and Helberos of Dungeon Farm.

“Beeric.”

For the official interrogation, Reid summoned the impostor. His final villain smile without humor was especially fierce.

“Let’s hear your story. You say you’re this child’s father?”

“Yes! Ire is...! Guh, our Ire is my daughter! The Sacred Scripture’s and my daughter!”

His teary-eyed expression and choked voice were truly top-class acting.

Apparently, he even had a prepared script for this ridiculous farce. Beeric began smoothly reciting his story.

“You must be curious about my relationship with the Sacred Scripture. It’s a bit «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» long. The Sacred Scripture... my woman, was the daughter of an alchemist employed at the Countship of Gilette, but she was a very frail girl since childhood. I often met her while delivering herbs to the alchemist, and so we fell in love like fate.”

......Well, let’s hear more for now.

“We knew each other’s hearts but never became lovers. To me, she was the pure saint herself even before awakening her sacred power, so I couldn’t dare approach her recklessly. And she pushed me away because of her incurable illness.”

“......”

“One day!”

The impostor’s voice rose excitedly, like in a play.

“I learned about a legendary herb that could cure her disease. I would do anything for her. So I risked my life climbing to the top of Mt. Eltio and retrieved the herb trapped in eternal ice!”

“......”

“Moved by my love, she boiled the herb and drank it, and the moment she woke from bed, she confessed her love to me. Then she hugged me lovingly. Ah, how dare I resist my saint......! I tried my best to suppress my unholy urges, but since the place was a bed and I’m a man, well...... you know?”

“......”

Know what!

“But not long after, she awakened her sacred power and truly became a saint. She had to hide the fact she was carrying a baby in a saint’s body and distanced herself from me. The alchemist, no, the father-in-law told me to give up, but I kept searching for her since then. And now! I’ve found evidence of our love!”

This concluded a crude pregnancy scam story.

Now, let’s hear some impressions.