Thirty minutes earlier.
Under the warm, bright yellow lights.
Ikoma, Hozumi, and the fruit of their love—their four-year-old daughter, Cherry—were gathered around the dining table, enjoying a happy family dinner.
On the table were bowls of pearly white rice and steaming miso soup.
There was golden, crispy bonito flake fried tofu, soft and savory rolled omelets, and fragrant pepper-grilled fish.
Everything had been carefully prepared by Hozumi, and they were all dishes the family of three loved.
It was far from extravagant, but everyone ate happily.
"This is so nice!"
"Ever since the portal was set up, I can come home for dinner whenever I want!"
Ikoma took a sip of the warm barley tea in his cup, let out a long breath, and smiled at the wife he had loved for years.
Since Zunesha was always moving and had no Natural Portal, he previously had to take an Academy of Sciences spacecraft whenever he wanted to go home.
That delayed quite a few things, so he could only apply for leave in advance.
Hozumi now worked at the Magical Creature Association as well, and Little Maruko was still too young, so they could only keep her in the dormitory on Jaya Island.
Fortunately, she had not yet reached school age and did not need to be picked up and dropped off every day.
But a dormitory was not home, after all. They wanted to spend more time together.
Not until the technology-side portals appeared were they finally able to travel back and forth whenever they wanted.
Ikoma could now sleep at home and head to Punk Hazard for work the next morning.
"Daddy, Auntie Ayame called yesterday. She said we should find time to visit her and play."
Cherry, whose nickname was Little Maruko, suddenly raised her head and