"What do you think about enrolling Rosaria soon?"
At Dolores' question, Reed raised his head.
After having a quiet lunch with her and drinking coffee for dessert, she suddenly asked such a question.
"By enrollment, you mean Escolleia, right?"
"Yes. I think Rosaria is ready to be enrolled now. Of course, I'll be with her, but I thought her horizons might broaden if she learns from other professors as well, so I'm asking."
Rosaria is 11 years old now.
It's the time when prodigies who stand out consider enrolling.
Reed didn't want to enroll her right away.
It was hard to bear the thought of the innocent girl who would come to show off the things she made being somewhere else.
"I think it's a good idea, but I still think it's a bit early."
Reed cautiously spoke.
Considering the time when Rosaria began to speak and learn magic in earnest, it hasn't been many years.
It was strange that Dolores, who knew this fact, was asking such a question.
"Is something going on?"
"It's not really a big issue, but Yuria is a bit problematic..."
Yuria.
A genius who grew up showered with love from her father as the eldest daughter of the Frenda family.
If she had one rival, it was Rosaria, and she was working hard to beat her.
"Yuria is 13 years old now. She meets the early enrollment conditions, and I plan to enroll her as my student and live together at the academy, but..."
"So, she declared that she wouldn't go unless Rosaria went with her."
"Yes."
Yuria has a strange stubbornness.
She believes she has to be on equal terms with Rosaria, so she always takes the same homework and magic classes.
Thanks to that, Yuria's skills have improved, and there was no reason to stop her stubbornness.
Reed chuckled and spoke to Dolores.
"What should a teacher do if they can't control their student?"
"She's a tough one to handle. I can scold her when she's wrong during class, but it's difficult to control her in this aspect."
Who would imagine that this woman was once the owner of the Wallin Tower?
"Should I go and give her a piece of my mind?"
"Ah, you're going to go up against a 13-year-old for your fiancée?"
"What's wrong with a man who does his best even against a child?"
"You're funny."
Dolores looked at Reed as if he was cute.
'Since Dolores is there, it's not like I'm sending her alone...'
Am I being too overprotective of Rosaria?
He guarded his thoughts.
"I'll ask Rosaria. If she doesn't like it, we won't send her, and if she's okay with it, we'll send her."
"Alright."
Dolores turned her head, kissed Reed, and leaned on his shoulder.
Her face was filled with a smile, as if she was happy just being still.
***
* * *
Dream big tl dot com
***
Reed walked the streets of Cohen with Rosaria.
It was partly to discuss the conversation he had had with Dolores and partly to make up for not paying enough attention to her by going on an outing together.
He held her hand tightly and walked along the busy streets.
Rosaria's ruby eyes sparkled.
"Wow, I don't think it was like this when I came here before?"
"It has changed a lot, hasn't it?"
"Yes, it's changed so much!"
The capital of the Hupper Kingdom, a city that is currently at its peak and prospering.
Even just walking the streets, the technological advancements were evident.
The streets of Cohen were getting cleaner, the cultural level was gradually rising, and the signs of the busy streets were changing one by one.
The once-exclusive performing arts for the wealthy were being recorded as visual media and gradually approached the public in the form of theaters, and magic tool shops began to display magic engineering products in front of glass windows.
Reed had never seen this scenery before, but he knew what the situation was.
'The path to a happy ending.'
After saving the continent, peace comes to the empire and the continent with its prosperity.
The source of the disaster is removed, and as magic engineering is recognized, the quality of life improves, and the scene ends.
Reed could feel the ending approaching.
'This time, it won't be a repeat like in the game.'
The world will continue to exist after the ending, and he will live in that world.
Since he became a part of this world, he will live in this world until he dies.
"Dad!"
"Huh?"
"You were lost in thought again!"
Rosaria puffed her cheeks with her hands on her hips.
She looked like a hamster, and Reed almost inadvertently pinched her cheeks.
She didn't seem angry, though, and soon deflated her cheeks before pointing at something.
"Can I buy that?"
It was a cart selling a snack commonly known as ice cream.
With the utilization of magic stones, items with a similar function to a freezer had been developed.
There were merchants who used them to produce and sell ice cream.
"Sure, go ahead and buy one."
Since it only cost 10 UP each, Reed handed Rosaria the money.
Waving her wide-brimmed hat, she ran and paid for it.
"Wow, it's ice cream..."
"It's amazing."
Little kids drooling at the sight of the colorful ice on wooden sticks.
"Get away from here, you brats!"
The children, who had been lingering around the ice cream cart, were startled by the scolding and fled.
They peeked out of his sight, carefully observing the cart merchant.
Rosaria watched them as she sucked on her red ice cream.
"They must want to eat it too."
"Seems like it."
"But why don't they eat it?"
"They can't afford it. 10 UP is a lot of money for commoners."
"I see."
Then, Rosaria glanced at the children as she looked down at her ice cream.
Reed knew she wanted to give that ice cream to those children.
"You eat that one."
While stroking Rosaria's head, Reed stood in front of the merchant.
"Excuse me, but how many ice creams do you have left?"
"Huh? Oh, wait a moment... I have 382 left. Why do you ask, sir?"
"I'd like to buy all the ice creams you have here."
"What? Are you sure?"
The owner's eyes widened.
It would take a whopping 3,820 UP to buy them all.
For some, it's a month's income, and for most, it's a large sum that could easily last six months.
However, for Reed, it was a trivial amount, like a drop of blood from a fresh wound.
He paid 3,900 UP with a tip and said.
"Since I can't carry them all myself, I'd like you to give one to each child who comes to see the ice cream. Make sure to give one to everyone without discrimination."
"Ah, if you wish so, I'll gladly do it."
The 10 UP high-end snack, ice cream, instantly became free.
As soon as the conversation between Reed and the merchant ended, the children who had been hiding and watching rushed to the ice cream cart.
"Okay, okay! One each per person! If you take two, you'll be in trouble! Take one each and say thank you to the gentleman over there!"
The merchant quickly handed out ice cream.
The children, who had been busy swallowing their saliva, stood in front of Reed and thanked him.
"Thank you, mister!"
"Thank you, sir!"
"Thank you, magician!"
All the children smiled brightly as they expressed their gratitude.
Receiving the children's thanks, Reed looked down at Rosaria.
She was smiling happily.
'That's right, you like to give like this.'
Rosaria, who only smiles when everyone is happy.
Watching her, Reed felt a sense of warmth and involuntarily smiled.
A fountain with clear water gushing out was placed in the center of the village square.
Just a few years ago, there was a well in that spot.
It was an object like a monument built to show the advancement of magic engineering.
Unable to withstand the midsummer heat, innocent children threw off their clothes and jumped into the fountain to swim.
Seeing her peers having fun, Rosaria's eyes sparkled.
"I want to swim too, Rosaria."
"Do you know how to swim?"
"I don't know!"
"Then you're going to sink."
"Sinking..."
Rosaria looked shocked.
Reed chuckled and spoke to her.
"I'll teach you later."
"Do you know how to swim?"
"Of course. When Dad is not busy, let's go swimming. A quiet lake is good, as well as the beach... We'll eat there, sleep for a night, and relax."
"Hmm... Can Yuria come too?"
"If her parents allow it, she can join us. Let's go with close friends."
"With all the brothers and sisters in the tower?"
"... It's difficult to take everyone, so let's go with the closer ones."
At Reed's words, Rosaria began to count on her fingers.
"Then, we'll take the Meowmeow, Orphe, Dolores unni, and... Phoebe unni too!"
"Right, we should invite Phoebe too."
Phoebe's words suddenly came to mind, weighing on him.
Since he hadn't found a proper answer, he didn't know what to say to her.
'I wonder if Phoebe is okay?'
As always, she was working with a nonchalant expression.
However, the slightly sticky atmosphere had disappeared, and she was keeping her distance.
Although it was to protect Reed from potential variables, it was different when dealing with Rosaria, so he could quickly tell that it wasn't because of that reason.
That was a matter for later.
For now, he focused on the outing with Rosaria.
***
After having lunch together, they began eating the sliced fruit for dessert.
Having finished a large sandwich and now munching on fruit, a gentle smile naturally appeared on their faces.
He started to ask the question he had promised Dolores.
"Rosaria."
"Hmm?"
"What do you think about the Academy?"
"The Academy? Where Dolores unni is?"
Having heard Dolores talk about it, she quickly figured out where it was.
"It seems like a nice place!"
"Really? Then how about Rosaria going there?"
Her expression changed subtly at that.
"I heard that if I go to the Academy, I have to stay there."
Rosaria looked up at Reed with a worried expression.
"Then I feel like I won't see Dad for a while... and I might be lonely."
Reed answered honestly.
"It's true that we might not see each other properly during the four years of enrollment. Maybe just a few times a week at most."
"I see..."
Rosaria fell silent.
It felt like his heart was sinking to the floor when the child, who always sparkled her eyes at new things and agreed first, had nothing to say.
Clatter.
She moved her fork but failed to pick up the fruit.
Reed picked up the fruit for her and brought it to her mouth.
"You don't have to do it if you don't want to."
"But everyone said I should listen to Dad."
"You don't always have to be a good daughter. What you think matters too. If Rosaria wants to stay with Dad a little longer, Dad will follow your decision."
"Okay."
"So, cheer up. Dad is not going anywhere."
"Hehe."
Rosaria took Reed's fruit and ate it.
Her face brightened again as she munched.
'I'm still needed, huh.'
He felt both worried and relieved that she was still like a baby bird that couldn't fly on her own yet.
Being a father seems to involve such selfish and wicked thoughts.
