"It! Shih, there you go!

"Un!

　Iruna tosses the ball upwards and Shi literally shrugs and stretches out her arms to catch it.

Wow! That's awesome, Shhh!

"Ahehe, shino, Tokugi!

　I sat down on a nearby wooden bench that I had set up in the courtyard and watched them with a smile on my face.

　These two girls were close to each other to begin with, but since Shi has become able to speak, their friendship has grown even closer.
　I guess they are happy to be able to express what they want to say to each other in words. Is it beautiful to be good friends?

　You're going to be able to find out how she speaks, but thanks to Iruna's enthusiastic efforts to teach her, her words are gradually growing and are much less awkward now.
　I used to like her frantic manner of speaking because she was so cute, but that's just the way it is. I just have to be convinced that this is the loneliness of raising a child.

　--I'm taking a break from building the interior of the castle, by the way, why I'm here now is not just to watch little girls playing, of course.

　My Demon King's Castle is currently about a tenth of the way complete. I'm still adding interiors every day, but it's still far from complete. The only thing almost filled with interior decoration is the palace-like building in the middle of the building.
　Who built a castle on this stupid scale? Yes, that was me.

　...... Well, that's all right. There's still plenty of time. Let's add more slowly and slowly. Otherwise, we'll definitely get bored. 　
　Even now, in the middle of construction, our thoughts are going in a different direction, wasting time building more buildings and adding terrain in the prairie area.

　Then, as I watched them in the relaxed air and the warm sunshine, my eyelids grew heavier and heavier from the construction work, and eventually I let go of my consciousness.


　　　* * * *


　-- like floating from the water to the surface of the water, your consciousness climbs to the surface and you wake up from a pleasant slumber.

............ n

　As I opened my eyes, I saw a crimson ray of sunshine on the horizon coming from the front.

...... Oh, you've fallen asleep.

　The time in this meadow area is synchronized with the outside. The sunset here means that it is already evening.

　Alas, did you sleep a little too much?

　-- and I flinch, and then I realize that there are two weights on my body.

　I lower my gaze downward and there are two little girls with my knees as a pillow and my eyes closed.

　Perhaps they're tired of playing. They are both breathing comfortably and sleeping soundly.

............

　I sat down again, smiled, and gently put my hand on their heads to keep them awake and stroked them softly.

　I could feel the cool, comforting touch of Shi and the smooth, warm touch of Iruna through my fingertips and palm, respectively.

　--Since coming here, I've felt alive for sure.

　In a previous life, I lived just for the sake of living. I didn't have any hobbies or desire to do anything in particular. I thought I was going to live vaguely and die for nothing.

　Well, as it turns out, the previous life died easily ...... and by comparison, this life has not yet lived even a tenth or even a hundredth of the previous life, and yet it seems to have already been surpassed by the density of its content.

　Today is another fun day, and there is a certainty that tomorrow will be a fun one too, without any evidence.

　As Leffi said sometime ago, I also feel as if the days now are full of more and more colorful than before, and from there they become more and more vivid.

　Each one of those colors is so precious and important - and the solid weight I feel from these kids is one of those colors too.

　I gently stroke their heads as if I were touching a treasure and then lightly shake their shoulders.

Come on, get up, you two. You won't be able to sleep at night if you sleep too much. Just like some dragon.

"............ hmmm

"............, Alge, Ohayo.

　It was Shi who woke up first.

　She wiggled her eyes and sat up, and when her eyes met mine, she grinned at me. She's cute.

Good morning Shi. And it's time for good evening. Iruna, get up early or we'll eat your dinner!

　But when I call out to him, he just growls "......" and doesn't seem to wake up.

Well, let's just take her home.

　I gave a small chuckle, took her in my arms and said, "Here we go! And stood up.

"Come on, shhh, let's go home.

"Un!

　With Iruna in one arm, holding her hand with the other arm, we headed for the door to the True Throne Room, casting long shadows in the western sun.