Shiki and Fujino, My Child, Mash Is Born

By the time Shiki and I returned to the Genji Estate, it was already evening. To my surprise, only Fujino came out to greet us.

Fujino was the same age as Shiki, fifteen. By the months, Shiki was a few months older.

Fujino spoke first. "Hello, Sister. I am Fujino Asagami, the adopted younger sister Master Zhang took in ten years ago. I have lived with Brother since childhood. We ate together, bathed together, slept together... Oh my, I seem to have said too much. Come in quickly."

Is this my little angel Fujino? My Fujino can't possibly be this mean to her brother.

"So you're Fujino. I've heard Shi Kai mention you many times. I finally get to meet you today. I'm just a little older than you, so I'll call you little sister Fujino."

"It looks like life in Tokyo definitely won't be boring with little sister Fujino around." After saying that, she shot me a glare.

I was innocent! Who had corrupted my Fujino? If I found out, I'd make him pay. At that moment, everyone in the Elder Council sneezed, all discussing how the weather had turned cold and they ought to put on more clothes.

January 1st through January 3rd was Japan's New Year holiday. Today was the final day, and I brought Shiki, Fujino, and Aoi to the shrine to offer New Year prayers. Though Shiki and Fujino were merciless with their words, that was all it was. Both had accepted Aoi and the baby in her belly.

There were no other visitors at the shrine. It was not because the shrine was small, nor because I had booked the place out. It was simply the Genji Clan's private shrine. Dōjigiri Yasutsuna was still enshrined within.

The clash between Shiki and Fujino grew ever more intense. Caught between them, I was wrong no matter what I did. From something as small as picking food at the table to something as major as bathing and sleeping, neither was willing to give an inch. Even a barrier set up by Araya Souren could be easily broken through by the two of them.

Life was hard. They could only coexist peacefully when Aoi was nearby. To avoid them, I could only go on business trips often.

The days passed one by one. I watched Aoi's belly grow larger each day, struggled to survive between Shiki and Fujino, flew to the Clock Tower to show my face and check on the lives of the three little ones, then flew to Chaldea to see how Mash was doing.

It all seemed easy and wonderful, but I spent half my time on planes. Japan—Clock Tower—Chaldea—Japan—Clock Tower—Chaldea. I felt as though my time was caught in a loop that I could not escape.

In the blink of an eye, Aoi was about to give birth. The entire estate mobilized. The family's private doctors and midwives were all called in. Go to the hospital? No, no, they had practically moved the hospital into the house. Though the child was illegitimate, it was still the first child of the current Genji Clan head. It had to be taken seriously.

Though I said I was not worried, I was still a little flustered inside. Less than an hour later, I heard the baby's cries and immediately rushed into the room.

The midwife held the child and said, "Mother and son are safe. It's a healthy little boy."

I picked up the child and looked at his crying face. For the first time, I felt what it was like to be a father. That feeling grounded me. The child looked a lot like me.

Shiki and Fujino both wanted to hold him too. I handed the child to them, then went to see Aoi. Looking at her weakened state, I said, "You've worked hard."

At that moment, silence said more than words ever could.

I had no talent for naming children, but you had always hoped that the child would be safe and sound. Let's call him Gen Heian. If we have another child, we'll call her Happiness. The one after that can be Joy. Then we'll have peace, happiness, and joy.

Aoi laughed at me and said, "Do you take me for a pig? Heian? I hope he can live safely and peacefully."

Though he was an illegitimate child and could not be openly announced to the world, everyone within the Genji Clan came to offer their congratulations.

The child had inherited his father's aptitude for magecraft. If the clan head's future children were all girls or lacked talent, this child might still be needed. Mage families were simply this pragmatic.

After taking care of Aoi during her confinement and spending another two months with mother and son, I flew to Chaldea. There was another child about to be born. Whether it was Mash or not, I would judge with my own eyes.

What, you say she was my child too? Don't joke around. She did not have my genes, did not bear the Gen surname, and had nothing to do with me. Once she was born, she would have to call me Big Brother.

This was my Nth visit to Chaldea that year. During the first few visits, people still came to receive me. Now, unless I got close, I could not even hear a greeting. That was the common failing of people who researched technology—they immersed themselves in their work.

I arrived at the Personnel Administration Department I had established. Everything was normal. I found Marisbury, who was also observing Mash's growth.

Compared with the process, he cared more about the result. That made him more like a magus. I had never felt that I was much like a magus, because compared with results, I cared more about the process.

After greeting him, he continued observing the experimental data. I had little interest in data, so after briefly understanding the situation, I returned to my office. Once I confirmed it was a girl, I was completely satisfied.

All that remained was to wait patiently.

Experimental records:

1995.8.13: Mash Kyrielight was normal in all respects.

1995.9.26: Mash Kyrielight was normal in all respects. Estimated date of birth: mid-October.

1995.10.3: Mash Kyrielight showed signs of birth, approximately ten days earlier than expected.

1995.10.4: Mash Kyrielight was born in good condition. The demi-Servant fusion experiment through genetic means was successful. She successfully fused with Heroic Spirit Galahad.

1995.10.5: Mash Kyrielight's fusion with the Heroic Spirit did not suppress the aging of her cells.

In other words, Mash could die at any time—her bodily functions could cease. Though it was said that designer test-tube babies generally stopped living at around thirty years old, Mash's life would be even shorter.

The experiment of fusing her with a Servant had made her physical lifespan even shorter. Her expected lifespan was eighteen years.

Knowing everything, I did not panic. As long as things followed the plot, there would always be more solutions than difficulties. Although Mash had been born five years early, it would be fine as long as Fou arrived.

At the same time, someone said, "Come on, go, Cath Palug. I'll stay here. You should go freely touch the things that are truly beautiful." With that, he threw it from a building around twenty stories high.