120 116 Theres definitely someone pushing my back (1/2)

Tanaka Jiro, 28 years old, with a spouse

Wife Suella Handelberg

Memory Tris

Occupation Dungeon Tester (full-time)

Magical aptitude nine (quasi-magical grade)

Post Warriors

I'm not interested. Fortunately, my husband makes more money than most people do. I'm very happy with my life. Don't you look so disappointed.

I was hoping you would say that.

The magic aptitude is ten. You're not going to be able to find out what you're looking for.

So I knew the answer to Suera's invitation to join the company.

It's just like my mother.

She refused without even showing any signs of distress.

I was not disappointed, including the disgruntled father standing next to me.

You can't help but laugh as you clap a disappointed Suela on the shoulder.

To begin with, I'm old enough to know better.　I'm not even physically fit anymore. I'll leave this kind of work to young Jiro.

My mother went back to drink.

You're headed to Mirrle and Smilasta, so you can't pursue the matter any further.

As soon as you return to your seat, you start laughing cheerfully, and you want to tell her to lie behind your back.

But I didn't.

Because the moment you say it, the glass in your right hand will fly at high speed from the cup you hold in your right hand, and the object that has been changed into a mug will fly at high speed.

But I know that my mother's body is still working.

Last New Year's Eve, she was laughing about how she had beaten up all the men in the village in a brawl with some jungle natives with a bottle of alcohol in her hand.

As proof, my dad showed me a picture of my mother laughing with the natives with special tattoos on their shoulders, and I remember seeing the men's faces beaten to a pulp without exception.

Of course my mom was unharmed.

And that's why I'm telling you this.

I can tell you that my mom would be one of the best at this company.

But I wanted to avoid working at the same place as my mom, so I kept my mouth shut.

Maybe a supervisor might say something later, but I'm sure Mom would just laugh and turn it down if the boss asked her to.

As it was, there was more of a surprise than trouble, but the party went on and most of the members got drunk.

As the clock strikes midnight, you appreciate the flexibility of your office and know that you have the day off tomorrow.

What can I say, I had a spur-of-the-moment meeting, but were Suela and Memoria good?

It will be tomorrow before I completely clean up, but I'll be putting away the dishes as soon as I can to get some things done.

With me is Suela, who has refrained from drinking alcohol due to being pregnant with her unborn child, and Memoria, who has saved her alcohol consumption.

The rest of the men are in the living room sleeping rough and tumble while the women are in the bedroom.

So we're alone now.

Yeah, well, I'm a little surprised.

Suela was more than a little flustered, but she didn't say it.

Kirika, no, your mother-in-law was a good person. I enjoyed it because she reminded me of Jiro-san in some way. And then she laughed and asked me to invite her to the wedding.

”I've been told, too,

”Even if I don't call them, they're definitely going to come to me on a hunch.

They're going to hit the wedding venue with no questions asked.

I can see that in my mind's eye.

I was in such a rush that I forgot to ask Muille.

”To your grandfather?

”Yeah, you know, that spirit contract you were talking about before.

That's true, I'm sure your grandfather knows the Presbyterian Church.

”As a human, I don't spend much time with Suela and her friends, so I'll have to deal with it while I'm still able to.

”But is that right, Jiro?

”What?　Memoria

”A covenant with a spirit, in and of itself, is fine, but what you're making is a covenant with a higher spirit. That is,

”Does that mean we stop being human?

”Yes.

Somehow I made a gesture of probing for a cigarette, but stopped as soon as I caught sight of Suela.

Instead, he scratches his head and collects his thoughts.

”It's not a big deal in and of itself. No, I'd think about it if my personality changed or my soul was painted over, but that's not going to change, is it?

Yeah, I don't hear about that.

”Well, if I'm going to be around you guys, I don't care about my body being human. My mother and father would understand if I told them.

How's that for a smart ass, my son?

My body reacted with a conditioned reflex.

Slowly, I looked behind me and saw my mother standing there with a grin and two beer cans.

I thought she had fallen asleep, but did her usual instincts keep her awake?

I just thought I'd have a glass of wine with my son before going to bed, don't be so alarmed. It's just what Jiro says.

He holds one out to me with a whimper while opening the pull-tab.

I take it and open it and drink it with them.

Suela and her friends are quietly excusing themselves from the table, covering their dads with blankets and putting the dishes away.

”They're good kids, aren't they?

Right?