Slave Harem Volume 5, Extra

Extra Chapter: Lively and Ordinary Peace

　It has been two years since Mars and the others conquered the World Tree Dungeon.

　The forest they cleared is still not considered a town.

　That's because no one except Mars and the others lives there.

　There are only two houses, one of which was set up by the dwarf Lucille. Inside, it is filled with tools that Mars requested.

　Lucille still hasn't moved in because she has her role as Queen.

　She occasionally comes and spends time together, like a visiting wife.

　Nevertheless, the peaceful and enjoyable days they spend together are filled with various events.

　There is never a dull moment, and the days are exciting.

　On one such peaceful day, Mars felt a sense of unease about everyone's behavior.

「Lately, I feel like everyone is avoiding me a bit.」

　Mars murmured while holding the baby.

　The baby responded with incomprehensible babbling.

「I feel like they're doing something in the forest... with smoke coming out there. I don't think there's a fire because Sion-san is there, but...」

　The baby, with golden hair and slightly longer ears than humans, is Mars and Lilia's child.

　Mars felt a little relieved because the baby resembled Lilia.

　Mars hasn't had a child with the others, yet.

　That's because although they tried to have children in the World Tree Dungeon, Lilia was the only one who actually became pregnant.

　Respecting Lilia, who expressed the desire to be the first to give birth, the others continued using contraception as usual.

　In reality, taking care of multiple children all at once is difficult.

　The baby is about six months old.

　Lilia's pregnancy period was slightly longer than that of a human.

　However, after birth, everything was normal. If it were an elf child, the growth rate would be slower, but with Mars's blood mixed in, the growth rate is similar to that of a human.

　By the way, the baby is a girl.

　She receives the love of everyone and grows up happily.

　Everyone adores her as if she were their own child.

　Hazuki, for example, prepares new clothes for her every week.

　It seems that she got plenty of ideas for clothes that can only be worn during childhood.

「Is it a hint for me to help a little more with childcare, I guess...? Ruri, did your mother say anything?」

　Lilia is not here.

　They don't always take care of the baby together; there are times when Mars and Lilia are alone.

　Although they don't have a specific occupation, they lead a self-sufficient life, so there are many things to do.

　There is plenty of work such as cutting firewood, gathering fruits, building houses for newcomers, and shopping in town. There is no time to be idle.

　Moreover, it's too dangerous to enter the forest with an infant, so one of them always stays at home.

　Recently, the frequency of breastfeeding has decreased, so Lilia had some free time.

「Amu...」

　The baby―Ruri, squeezed Mars's index finger and pouted, looking unhappy.

　The name Ruri was chosen by taking one character each from Mars and Lilia. (TLN: Ru = from Marusu/マルス, Ri from Lilia/Riria/リリア)

　At first, Lilia wanted to give her a long and dignified name, but Mars persuaded her, and they settled on this name.

　The baby seemed sleepy, probably because she had just been fed milk before Lilia left.

　Mars wondered if he was being too loud by talking to her.

「I'm doing my best, but is it still not enough?」

　Even though he knew that the baby couldn't have a proper conversation, Mars continued to talk to her.

　Holding her small, vulnerable body in his arms, he felt a surge of emotion welling up within him.

　She was so cute, irresistibly adorable.

　Feeling that way, he wanted to talk to her even more.

　Subconsciously, he knew it would happen, but Mars was quite a doting parent.

　Mars was quite cooperative in childcare, happily taking care of meals, diaper changes, and even putting her to sleep and giving her baths.

　He also continued to do the household chores, such as cooking for everyone, which he had been doing before. It was partly a hobby for him.

　So, he didn't feel rejected or ignored.

　They still had their daily married life, and they didn't have any financial difficulties as they were wealthy.

　Still, the fact remained that he was being avoided, and Mars was trying to find the cause.

　Based on their previous interactions, he understood that Lilia was not the kind of person who would avoid others without reason, so there must be some underlying cause.

「When I think about it, Lilia and I haven't really had many arguments. In the beginning, it was just Lilia being a little cold, not that we fought. There are a lot of things that she would pay attention to, though. I guess it's normal for couples to go through various things... I'm looking forward to it, even the fights.」

　Mars smiled as he gently stroked the child's head.

　Both the positives and negatives are enjoyable.

　Sometimes, it's good to have arguments.

　He found joy in being able to build such a human relationship.

　However, it does hurt a bit to be avoided. Should I ask someone about it...?

　Sensing that the child was about to fuss, Mars picked her up and stood up.

　It was almost mealtime.

　Thinking of giving her some baby food, Mars carried her and headed toward the living room.

「Are you going to feed that mushy food again-nyaa?」

　Nemu was reading a book on the sofa.

　Nemu, who had reached the age of 18, had grown up completely.

　Although there were still some childish aspects to her, she had matured physically.

　She had grown to about 165 centimeters in height, even taller than Hazuki.

　Her limbs had lengthened, giving her an outstanding figure.

　However, her personality hadn't changed much.

　She still had a mischievous and childlike character.

　Mars decided to entrust the child to Nemu while he prepared the baby's food.

　As Mars began the task, Nemu peeked into his hands while holding the child and made a bitter face.

　To Nemu, the baby food was leftovers at best, or even something like vomit.

「It doesn't have much flavor-nyaa. You should feed her something tastier-nya... Does Mars-nyan dislike his own child-nyaa?」

「No, no, that's not the case at all! She has only just started growing teeth, and strong flavors aren't good for her. I've read quite a lot of parenting books, you know.」

　Mars said confidently.

　He had read most of the commercially available books.

　He had also copied notes from parenting manuals that various households had, incorporating the knowledge into their parenting environment.

　While comprehensive parenting considering education and other aspects was difficult in this world, there were no vaccinations or similar measures, so Mars wanted to ensure his child's health to the fullest extent possible.

　He had created a parenting environment that combined modern knowledge with the available resources.

「Sure it doesn't look good, but it has a perfect nutritional balance. We need to gradually get the baby used to it and wean her off breast milk.」

「Baby are tough-nya... I hope she grows up quickly-nyaa.」

　Nemu extended her tail in front of the baby, gently swaying it back and forth to comfort the baby while she wore a worried expression.

　Nemu's tail and ears were natural toys.

　There was no way the baby wouldn't be delighted.

　Does the baby food look that bad?... Mars decided to pay more attention to its appearance.

「By the way, Nemu-chan, have you been avoiding me lately? The others too.」

　While cooking, Mars casually asked while pretending not to make a big deal out of it.

「Nya, nyaaa~? Nemu is not hiding anything, she swears-nyaa?」

　Her ear twitched restlessly, and her tail swung around.

　Her eyes darted around.

　Seeing her obvious unease, Mars became convinced that asking Nemu was the right move.

　Nemu couldn't lie.

　Although Mars hadn't directly asked if she was hiding something, Nemu brought it up themselves.

「――Are you hiding something?」

｛N-No, not at all-nya? Lately, everyone has been... p-playing hide-and-seek in the forest-nyaa!」

　――That's a really poor lie, no matter how you look at it.

　Mars thought so, but everyone except Lilia seemed likely to join in happily.

　Sion, who had fully recovered and could move her legs at all times, enjoyed running around.

　Hazuki was simply easygoing.

　Only Lilia seemed unlikely to participate, though if Hazuki insisted strongly enough, she would probably join in, albeit reluctantly.

「Nemu-chan, you're not going today?」

「Ne-Nemu, you see-nyaa, her role is to quickly inform everyone if Mars-nyan is about to go somewhere-nyaa. She's not hiding anything-nya?!」

　Immediately after, "Ah" Nemu realized she had said something unnecessary.

「Isn't this surveillance!? Seriously, what the heck are you doing!?」

「E-Even though it's something Mars-nyan shouldn't see-nyaa! Wait for a little longer-nya!」

　It seems that Nemu is staying at home in a surveillance role.

　The reason is unknown, though it's certain that he is being deliberately and systematically excluded.

　However, it's questionable whether they have any intention of hiding seriously.

　If they genuinely wanted to hide something, they wouldn't assign Nemu to the surveillance role.

　Because it would easily be revealed if Nemu is questioned like this.

　Lilia wouldn't make such a stupid choice.

　In other words, it's okay for Mars to know that they are hiding something.

　And that makes it even more puzzling.

　A hidden secret that isn't meant to be completely concealed is mysterious and eerie.

　Though it's not like Lilia and the others are neglecting their housework or childcare.

　They're simply using their spare time to do something.

　So it might be inappropriate to push too hard for answers.

　There might be one or two things they don't want Mars to know.

　In such situations, one becomes acutely aware of their lack of life experience.

　I didn't know what to do.

「Phew! Cutting wood is tiring, isn't it!?」

　With a flutter, Hazuki entered the house, moving the collar of her shirt and letting the wind into her clothes.

　She glanced at her biceps, hoping to see some muscles, but there wasn't much bulge to speak of.

　Unlike Nemu, Hazuki didn't undergo much change in appearance even after turning twenty.

　It seemed that her appearance was already close to its final form when they first met.

「If it's such a laborious job, you should have told me.」

「Eh, I-I couldn't trouble you, Mars-san...」

「Is that the kind of character you are!? You're the type to say a lot of things, aren't you!?」

　Hazuki made a reserved remark, with her eyes wandering.

　She was definitely hiding something.

　Though judging from Hazuki's and Nemu's reactions, it didn't seem to be something malicious.

「B-By the way! Have you both had lunch!?」

　It was a forced change of topic, though Mars didn't point it out.

　――Everyone is really bad at lying, aren't they...?

「Not yet-nyaa. Nemu is going to eat with Ruri-nyaa.」

　"Nya~? " Nemu cooed at the baby.

　It was the face of an older sister with a significant age gap.

「If there's something you want to eat, let me know. I'm almost done here.」

　Nemu sat Ruri in a child's chair they prepared and put an apron on her, preparing for the meal.

　Although Mars and Lilia were the parents and the center of childcare, everyone cooperated for the future when they would have their own children.

「I want something oily!」

「You're energetic... Or rather, didn't you bring a bento before leaving in the morning?」

「Ah, I already ate it, you see... Lilia-san and Sion-san are eating now, though.」

　Unable to resist, Hazuki ate while walking and finished everything during a short break.

　Hazuki didn't intend to hold back and planned to return home for lunch from the beginning.

「So, what is everyone doing? Did you have any business that involved cutting wood?」

「O-Oh, that was, you see... um, it's just like cutting wood!?」

「Is it torture!?」

　Hazuki was in a panic. It turns out that she was even worse at lying than Mars thought.

　She seemed to be aware of it and quickly changed her attitude.

　She clasped her hands together and bowed as if pleading.

「Just two more days! Please don't ask anything until the day after tomorrow...! And if possible, it would be even more helpful if you could stay home and not go to the forest!」

「A two-day house arrest!? W-Well, I don't really get it, but if there's a reason, I'll do that. Either way, I can't take my eyes off Ruri, and it's dangerous to go to the forest with her.」

　Having a relationship where you know everything isn't bad, though Mars also liked having a relationship where they held small secrets together.

　Of course, he disliked secrets that had malicious intent.

　If he can find out within two days, Mars decided to go along with it.

　Lilia, Sion, and Hazuki, who had returned from outside, were slightly dirty with sweat, dirt, and such.

　What on earth were they doing... At the very least, it was clear that it wasn't a situation like cheating that Mars would worry about.

　It was more likely the type of secret that would make one anxious, thinking they were doing something dangerous.

「We're back, Ruri.」

　Lilia, with a very calm expression on her face, announces her return to her child, although she doesn't touch her, seemingly conscious of her dirty hands.

　Truly the face of a mother.

　Full of both maternal love and affection.

　Ruri is also delighted by her mother's return and happy giggles.

　Her awkward and slow movements seemed even cuter.

　Everyone's lips softened at such a peaceful scene.

「She's so cute... This plumpness is just unfair! It's obviously too cute, right!?」

「Like fluffy ham-nya?」

　Hazuki and Nemu playfully touch Ruri's chubby arms with a grin.

「Ha-Ham! Are you calling our child a ham!?」

「W-Well, don't get angry. I mean, I kinda get what Nemu-chan's saying.」

　Mars reproaches Lilia, whose face turns red.

「Even Mars! I-I get what Nemu is trying to say... but Ruri's all chubby. Uh, our child is too cute... Was the one I gave birth to an angel...?」

　Motherly instincts seemed to outweigh her anger.

　Blushing cheeks, a dreamy face, lightly waving her hand, enjoying the reaction.

　Lilia, too, was a doting parent.

「This, this child is definitely Lilia-san's, right? Look, those cold eyes looking at me! I remember them so well!」

　Kyaa! Hazuki happily squeals from the bottom of her heart.

　Ruri looks at Hazuki with a magnificent squint.

　It's probably just a coincidence, but it's scary how she seems to have already grasped Hazuki's position. Even though she's Mars and Lilia's child, it's both amazing and terrifying.

　Mars also thought that she's his child, yet it's also clear that she's more like Lilia.

「So lovely yet has thorns... Just like Lilia-sama, isn't she?」

　Sion nods in agreement, seemingly satisfied.

　Appearance and demeanor may be gentle, but Sion also has a sharpness to her words.

　Being honest and straightforward, the softness of the thorns brings little damage, which is fortunate.

「Well, everyone, let's go take a bath. I already prepared one for Ruri earlier.」

「Thank you as always. I've liked you before, but now I like you even more. You always take care of our child.」

「Because she's my child too. It's only natural.」

　It's obvious that it's better to be cooperative with household chores and childcare.

　Although there is some self-interest, Mars genuinely believed so.

　――And two days later, it arrived.

「Are we not there yet?」

「Yes, we're almost there.」

　Blindfolded, Mars was led by Lilia and taken into the forest.

　However, the footing wasn't too difficult.

　It seemed that Lilia and the others had been working on something recently, as they had prepared a makeshift path.

　Where on earth are they taking me?

　Feeling a bit anxious, Mars followed silently.

「Mars-sama, this way.」

　Next, Sion also took Mars' hand.

　In the distance, he could hear Nemu's laughter.

　It seemed that Mars' wobbly steps had struck a chord with Nemu.

　And Mars was made to sit on a chair.

　If it hadn't been for Lilia and the others who invited him, it would have been a situation where he might have expected some kind of torture.

「Now! The protagonist has arrived!」

　Swiftly, the blindfold was removed, and once Mars' eyes adjusted to the light, he finally grasped the situation.

「「「「Master!♡ Happy birthday!」」」」

「So that's what it was...!」

　Mars showed the most radiant smile at the scene before him.

　What was in the middle of the forest was a terrace made in a circular shape.

　Sunlight poured through the gaps in the trees, creating a fantastical atmosphere.

　Various decorations were placed in such a space.

　On the table were large cakes and a feast.

　Lilia and the others had prepared a surprise birthday party.

「Congratulations-nya!」

「Congratulations. We've been keeping secrets recently for this preparation. Last year, we were busy with the arrival of our child, so we couldn't do it, but this year, we wanted to celebrate it specially.」

　Everyone bowed their heads apologetically.

「We were all wondering if keeping it a secret was the right thing to do, but we thought that if it was revealed, Mars-san would end up helping us. We rely on you so much in our daily lives, so we wanted to do the birthday celebration preparation just among ourselves!」

「We made this cake together-nya. The Mars-nyan doll on top made by Nemu-nya? Don't you think it's well done-nyaa?」

　Nemu approached proudly, hoping to be praised.

　The Mars doll made of sugar was truly well-made.

　Mars stroked Nemu's head, which was twitching its ears.

「Amazing, amazing...」

「Did it move you?」

「Yes, of course...」

　He was on the verge of tears.

「It's also a token of appreciation for your daily efforts. Of course, it's also a celebration and a gesture of gratitude.」

　Sion smiled and spoke to Mars, who was taken aback.

「We also have presents prepared for you. We hope you like them...」

　Following Lilia's prompt, everyone brought out their respective presents.

　Only Nemu's present was a size that couldn't be completely hidden, so it was immediately obvious what she had brought.

「Let me go first. I was really unsure about what to give... I was thinking of something commemorative, but then I hesitated and thought it might be better to give something practical or perishable... And this is the result. Presents are really difficult, aren't they?」

　Lilia handed over a mug with a slightly uncertain expression.

　It was very much like Lilia to settle for something safe after contemplating various options, and along with joy, laughter welled up inside him.

「Did you make it yourself, by any chance?」

　The mug was slightly misshapen, and the pattern on it wasn't as well done as if a craftsman had done it.

　So Mars figured it must have been made by Lilia herself.

「Yes. we made a kiln, so we can bake other dishes too. The kiln itself is also a gift. We made this place with the hope that we can all spend time here in the future.」

　Trees were felled, and a serene space with small storage sheds and the like was set up.

　It seemed like a very pleasant place to sit and read a book while enjoying tea on a sunny day.

「Thank you! I'll make sure to use it! I've always been interested in pottery!」

「And the pattern is a prayer for good health. I only saw it once when I was young, so I'm not sure if it's correct... But I wanted to include it with the hope that we can celebrate the same way next year as well.」

　Lilia smiled with a hint of shyness.

　Just the fact that it was made by Lilia made him happy.

「Actually, you know, Lilia-san has been remaking it so many times, that cup! I tried it too, but making tableware is really difficult, you know.」

「Is that so?」

「W-Well, I haven't counted from ten onward...」

　Her hidden failures exposed, Lilia narrowed her eyes and glared at Hazuki while blushing.

「And this is from Nemu-nyaa!」

　Nemu happily pointed to a wooden statue of Mars.

「Wow! It looks amazing. It's, like, really similar.」

「Nemu actually wanted to make a bronze statue-nyaa, but.......she didn't have enough clay-nya. Why don't we make one for everyone and display them at the entrance of the town-nyaa?」

「It could be a symbolic piece... Sounds good. It might help me recall what I was like when I was younger. Thank you!」

　It was so intricately made that it had a slightly eerie feeling.

　If you saw it in this forest at night, you might involuntarily scream.

　But anyway, Mars was happy because Nemu made it.

　He felt like he would be moved by anything that came next.

「Now, it's my turn.」

　Sion handed Mars a sword holder.

　It was a belt to be wrapped around the waist.

「Even after our adventures are over, there are still plenty of opportunities for you to wield a sword. The one you were using before seemed to be nearing the end of its life.」

「Well, I did use it for quite a long time after all...」

　Mars has affection for it. However, he doesn't have any attachments to it.

　After all, it's a mass-produced item, and comparing it to what Sion made for him would be disrespectful.

「Oh, it feels good. It fits perfectly. And it's lightweight. Nice... thank you.」

「It is made of leather, but I heard that it can be made lighter if it is made by the method in Hazuki-senpai's hometown. I made it to fit around Mars-sama's waist, among other considerations.]

「...I can't get fat! I've been on the verge of gaining happy weight lately, so I'll have to be careful.」

　It feels as if he's not wearing anything at all.

　It doesn't hinder the movement of his waist.

　And upon closer inspection, it can hold not only the sword but also various other items.

「Here, please take these as well. With these pouches attached, they can be convenient for everyday use.」

「So, you can carry both a feeding bottle and spare diapers...! Or rather, is that the main purpose?」

「You'll probably use them more often than the sword, right?」

「Thank you. Ruri will definitely be happy.」

　While not as dangerous as dungeon monsters, there are still monsters in the forest.

　There are still opportunities for combat.

　It's useful not only in daily life but also for exploring the forest. Mars was genuinely pleased to receive such a practical gift.

「This is from me! It's a set of socks and handkerchiefs! Mars-san doesn't seem to have many preferences, always wearing whatever is available!」

　There are also summer and toe socks! Hazuki proudly announced.

　Come to think of it, while the female members would have their clothes made, Mars rarely had anything made for him.

　Mars wasn't interested in clothes; he usually bought ready-made ones.

　He naturally didn't pay attention to things like socks.

　After all, he recognized that they would tear apart after a single battle.

「I don't think they will become tattered from now on, so sometimes it's nice to have something like this.」

「Yeah, that's great! Thank you! Can I try them on now?」

「Of course!」

　When he put on the toe socks, they fit perfectly.

「Nemu ended up giving Mars-nyan something that he can't really use-nyaa! Nyaaa~ She needs to redo it,-nya! She'll make something else-nya!」

「No, no, I'm happy, you know?! Instead of a replacement, I want you to make statues for everyone.」

　Everyone was making practical gifts, and Nemu started making a fuss about not being able to understand the situation.

　Still, Mars was happy.

　Anything would have been fine.

　When everyone was making these gifts, they were considering Mars's preferences.

　That precious time was what Mars desired the most in life.

「Now, everyone! Let's enjoy the feast!」

　Before the dishes that everyone had prepared had a chance to get cold.

　Mars was busy and had never held a birthday party before.

　The same goes for the rest of them.

　Everyone was a little uncertain, but they still enjoyed themselves.

　The formalities and rules set by others didn't matter. As long as they were having fun, that was enough.

「From now on, let's also have everyone's birthday parties.」

　It seemed that it wasn't very common in this world.

　Ordinary people didn't have the time or resources for such things.

　The reason for Mars's birthday party this time was also largely because everyone wanted to try it.

　And Mars wanted to celebrate too.

　Even if it continued for a thousand years, they would celebrate properly every year.

「Once again, happy birthday!」

　Lilia took the lead, and everyone clinked their glasses together.

　The day was lively until the sunset.

END

---

TLN: Finally, with this chapter, I completed translating this series~!! (Well there's still a afterword, though)

First of all, thank you to all of you who give me donations, without you I won't be able to finish translating this series. And I say thank you to all readers who are still with me until the end.

Thank you very much~!!

Previous Chapter --- TOC --- Next Chapter