★
Last night, after dinner was cleared away, his wife and daughters had already finished bathing, and the family was just sitting together, sharing a moment before heading off to bed.
“Dad, I have something I want to talk to you about.” His oldest daughter Yuna, clad in pajamas, came over to sit on the sofa across from Shouzou, and straightened her back. “I want to work at your workplace.”
✦ ✦ ✦
“......Mm?” For the briefest of moments, Shouzou could not comprehend what he had just heard. He shot a look toward his wife, Silvia, who was almost done helping Hina brush her teeth. She met his gaze, then smiled. Clearly this was a matter that had already been discussed with her.
Shouzou then rotated his head toward Emalia, who was sipping a cup of tea at the dining table. She had apparently been keeping an eye on him, as his gaze immediately caused her to shrink in on herself. It seemed that she was in the know as well.
“I want to work at Elunheine Adventurer’s Guild.”
“Ah, hmm. All right. Wait no, my ‘all right’ just now was not permission, it was just me expressing that I understand what you’re saying...... So what brought this on out of the blue?” Shouzou was feeling bewildered at this unexpected situation.
In contrast, Yuna’s eyes were clear and earnest.
“I’ve held an interest toward your work for a while. In the future, I think I want to work in sales or something similar.”
Shouzou trembled with emotion. As a parent, learning that your own child was looking up to you and wanting to follow the path you had walked is one of the greatest joys ever. “But Yuna, right now is your time to learn many things that you will need in the future, so working is a bit......”
“That’s why I’m thinking I should learn those things firsthand. Jumping directly into sales might be impossible, but I think I can handle general admin work.”
“What I’m talking about is not practical learning, but schoolwork......” In the middle of his sentence, Shouzou came to a start.
He had indeed previously been consulted by Emalia in regards to Yuna’s educational situation. Namely, Emalia had said, “I no longer have anything left to teach her.” Yuna absorbed everything that she was taught in the blink of an eye. At the moment, even university-level questions were a breeze for her. She had been a smart girl even before, but it was Emalia’s hypothesis that her goddess blood had awakened upon coming to this world.
“No, but...... you’re still in middle school. You’re a first year in middle school, to be exact. Aren’t there ethics and social norms to consider?”
“Sofie-san is 15-years-old, isn’t she? I heard from her that she had also been around my age when she started helping out at the guild.”
“Even if you bring out the standards of this world......”
“In Japan too, there are child actors and idols who work from a young age, aren’t there?”
She had a point. In certain industries, such as in entertainment, let alone teenagers, there were even children under 10 who were already actively working. Shouzou remembered previously seeing some news about some elementary school kids who had started their own company based off of some idea they had.
“Also, it’s summer break right now. I’m fine with starting out with a probationary period. But of course, I will be trying my best to get accepted as an official employee.”
Shouzou was weak against his daughter’s persistent urging. He almost blurted out “All right,” but somehow managed to swallow it back down. “F-For what it’s worth, I’ll try asking our president then......”
“Really? Thanks, Dad! ♪”
In the end, his resistance was completely worn down.
“It’s not fair that it’s only Yuna-nee! I want to do it too! It’s summer break for me as well!” This time, it was Kana’s turn to cling to Shouzou.
“Don’t you have to work hard on your studies, Kana?”
“Eh—? It’s summer break, it’ll be fine!”
However, Kana’s attempt to breakthrough by insisting on it being the summer break was flatly denied by a blunt declaration from across the room. “I have plenty of homework prepared for Kana-san. It is a collection of questions that I have very carefully selected, all for the sake of making up for how much we’ve fallen behind. It is summer break after all.”
“Nooo?!” Kana hugged her father tightly and let out a cry of distress.
“Here, here~! Hina-sama’s job is to play~! So Hina-sama will work hard too~!” The last comment was taken by Hina, who had just finished brushing her teeth and thus was brandishing her pearly whites with a dazzling smile—
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★
Two days after being invited to the Goldas residence, Shouzou went to the guild to consult Elizabeth.
“Sure, why not? I don’t mind. Bring her along any time you want.” Sitting at her desk and fiddling with her blond ringlets, Elizabeth laughed loudly.
Shouzou, who was standing in front of her, dropped his shoulders. “President, please give it a little more thought.”
“Oh, I have already given it thought. I’ve only exchanged a few words with her before, but I remember her responses being clear and coherent, and she also seemed like she could think quickly on her feet. If you put her under Sofie, she’ll probably pick up how to do sales pretty quickly, don’t you think?”
“That’s exactly what Jilk said......” That night when he had been invited to the Goldas residence and asked for counsel, the marquis had given him a very similar evaluation.
“Don’t get too caught up about her age. I myself got involved with guild work at 10 years old, and I think it was similar for Sofie as well. It’s not only in businesses, you know. I think a large majority of people who make it big in their respective industries all started young.”
This, too, was something Marquis Goldas had said.
“But, as I’d mentioned previously, our family won’t be able to stay in this town for an extended period of time.”
“I’d have no complaints if she gets into shape and contributes properly by then. I think she’d be worth the effort to train.” Elizabeth continued with a serious face. “What about yourself, Shouzou?” She was referring to Marquis Goldas’s invitation for him to enter the service of the king and serve as a central pillar of the country. “Honestly speaking, losing you would be a huge blow to the guild. As guildmaster, I am strongly against it. Like, don’t screw with me, seriously.” However, Elizabeth then continued with a sigh. “For what it’s worth, I also am a noble of this kingdom. If you are to support our king, then there would be nothing more reassuring.”
“A pretty complicated standpoint, isn’t it?”
“Don’t talk like you’re not related to it. So then? What are you going to do? Go work for the country, or stay in our guild? I will support whichever you choose.”
Asking for her opinion was well and good, but in the end the question got thrown back into his court.
Shouzou crossed his arms, deep in thought. Being needed was, honestly speaking, an honor. Was there a choice that would allow him to do right by Marquis Goldas, by Elizabeth and those at the guild, and most of all, by himself and his family?
“Hm. I see. So this is the only viable option.” Shouzou looked like he had gotten over his indecision as he declared confidently, “I just have to do my best at both of them.”
Elizabeth’s jaw dropped for only a brief moment. “A-Ahh. So you’ll both be working at the guild and also supporting our king at the same time? Is that what you’re saying?”
“Though which one I focus on at any given time would depend on the circumstances. I do only have one body after all. I have my limits. But if it’s within my means, I will give it my all.”
“Well, I guess you’d be the very last person I’d ever need to worry about. I’ve already learned my lesson that our ideas of common sense do not apply to you.”
“......Common sense, huh.” Up till now, he had put into practice numerous measures while paying no mind to so-called common sense, and his current success was clear for all to see.
Despite that—
“I had been too fixated on common sense when it came to myself, and in so doing was eliminating my own possibilities.” Shouzou bowed toward Elizabeth with a cheerful look on his face. “President, can my daughter begin working here starting tomorrow?”
“I said ‘Bring her along any time you want’ just now, did I not?”
As a parent, there was no end to the worries in his mind. However, Yuna was trying to take the first step upon the path that she had chosen for herself. As her parent, he wanted to give her as much support as he could.
The next day, Yuna began working at Elunheine Adventurer’s Guild as an admin assistant.
At the same time, Shouzou went to meet Marquis Goldas and accepted his offer with conditions. Though Goldas raised both hands in joy at this, no one had ever served as an advisor to the king while holding another job concurrently.
Backlash came from the House of Lords as expected, but Shouzou seemed to enjoy this situation instead, heading toward the royal palace with lighthearted steps—