I Was Told, “I Can’t Leave the Territory Management to You, Brother-in-law!!”, So I Restarted My Adventurer Life in My Mother’s Homeland – Chapter 38

Chapter 38: Eld’s Separate Actions
  After Eld sent his younger siblings home, he headed towards Tohlight’s place.
 
  “Bocchama. I don’t mind, but is that alright? I think you’ll still be involved with her.”
 
  Hearing that, Eld nodded.
 
  “Sigh…… After being treated like that, how can you be so…… I’d say you’re naive, or maybe a good-natured person.”
 
  “I think those mean the same thing.”
 
  Eld had asked Tohlight to check on the situation at the Faniaal House. Of course, he truly believed that whatever happened to Sandrea was her own responsibility, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t worried at all.
 
  “Understood. I’ll leave tomorrow and return in about a week. Depending on the situation, I’ll contact Sandrea-sama, but if there are no problems, I’ll return immediately.”
 
  “That’s fine. If there’s a problem now, I won’t let Millenia or Jaylot go back there. Even if they don’t agree.”
 
  Hearing that, Tohlight shook his head.
 
  “Oh dear. I thought you just got engaged, but it feels like you’ve already become a father of two. Millenia-sama and Jaylot-sama will run away if they’re in danger.”
 
  “Surely not a father of two. Do I look that old?”
 
  “No, Bocchama, you rather look young, but Millenia-sama and Jaylot-sama are even younger. And they’re short too.”
 
  Eld stroked his face, wondering if he really looked that young.
 
  “Well, the Faniaal family has a history of having baby faces, so it must be genetic.”
 
  Tohlight said with a sigh. Eld gave a wry smile and said goodbye to Tohlight, telling him to be careful not to get into danger.
 
  And the next place he visited was the cave where the magic sword was sealed. It was the place where he had met the Goddess of Protection, Aleamia. The chances of meeting her again were slim, but he wanted to talk to the Goddess he had contracted with.
 
  He went to the deepest part of the cave and looked around. Nothing had changed since before. He stepped onto the spot where he had fallen during his confrontation with the Goddess. And feeling the same floating sensation as that time, Eld fell into the hole.
 
  When he came to, he was in the same pale, empty space as before. And he found Aleamia floating and sleeping.
 
  “……So much for a Goddess’s dignity……”
 
  He was honestly surprised to see her, as he hadn’t expected to be able to meet her.
 
  “Goddess Aleamia, I need to talk to you. Could you wake up?”
 
  When he called out to her, Aleamia opened her eyes slightly.
 
  “Huh? You’re still here? You should be able to get out now that the contract is over…… yawn……”
 
  Aleamia said while yawning widely.
 
  “No, it’s been quite a while since I made the contract with you. I came back because I wanted to talk to you.”
 
  “Hmm…… Is that so……? You hate Goddesses, but you’re a strange one. So…… what do you want to ask?”
 
  Eld briefly explained what had happened so far. And he asked if the Goddess’s contract could be extended to Sandrea.
 
  “I see…… I never thought you’d have a stepsister who’s not related by blood.”
 
  Aleamia floated and put her hand on her chin, thinking.
 
  “But I’m sorry. A Goddess’s contract, once made, cannot be changed later.”
 
  Eld wasn’t discouraged even after hearing that. It was what he had expected. He had come to see her just to confirm.
 
  “I understand. Sorry for disturbing your nap. I won’t come again.”
 
  Eld turned on his heel to leave.
 
  “Ah, wait a minute.”
 
  Aleamia stopped Eld as he was about to leave.
 
  “What?”
 
  “I’ll investigate the curse in detail, even though we don’t have a contract. It was my mistake too.”
 
  “……Why would you do that for me?”
 
  “Hmm…… Maybe because I’m a Goddess.”
 
  Aleamia answered vaguely.
 
  “I won’t get my hopes up.”
 
  Eld said that and left. Aleamia floated there for a while, seeing him off. She seemed to be thinking about something.
 
  “Ah…… So it’s her child after all…… I didn’t check properly because I was half asleep……”
 
  She put her hand on her forehead and sighed.
 
  “I finally had a break and slept in, and this is what happens…… Maybe I should change jobs to the Goddess of Sleep.”
 
  Saying that, Aleamia flapped her wings and headed towards the sky.
 
 
 
  Eld returned home. Recalling his conversation with Goddess Aleamia, he opened the front door and was suddenly attacked by a fireball, being blown back to the garden.
 
  “Wh-what!?”
 
  “What what, you ask? Where have you been?”
 
  When he looked at the entrance, Marie was standing there with a smile. But he could tell from her smile that she was angry.
 
  “Where…… to the Goddess……”
 
  He stopped mid-sentence, remembering. It took a whole day to walk to the cave where the Goddess was. This time, he couldn’t catch a ride-sharing carriage either way, so he had to travel on foot. And above all, he had forgotten to tell them that he was going to the cave. That meant he had spent two days without any contact at all.
 
  “Uh…… I’m sorry! I completely forgot to tell you!!”
 
  Eld prostrated himself on the ground and apologized. He could feel the angry magic power that Marie had been emitting dissipate.
 
  “Honestly. You should apologize to them more than to me. They were almost in tears, thinking they might have missed a message from you.”
 
  When he looked up, Millenia and Jaylot were peeking out from behind Marie with worried expressions. Marie was exasperated, but the corners of her mouth were turning up. Eld often forgot to contact them when he was deep in thought. Marie wasn’t worried this time, thinking it was probably another one of those times. But she thought it was only natural for him to be angry since he had worried his younger siblings who didn’t know that.
 
  “Ugh…… uh…… I’m sorry.”
 
  He bowed his head again towards his younger siblings.