24.

Though Irene is mad, she still went back to our room because the chipmunks' bed is fit for only three people, so she either had to go back to our room or sleep in the guest rooms.

I was kind of surprised she chose to go back to our room. She lied down as she turned her back to me. Seeing her still sulking, I closed in to her and wrapped her in my arms. She seemed to struggle a little to shake me off, but she eventually melted in my embrace.

"Are you still mad?" I asked her.

"Meanie. You're bullying me again." She said

"But I find the pouting Irene cute?" I said

"W-what are you saying?! C-cute? Me?" She said as I replied.

"Of course you are. You are one of the most beautiful people I know." I said

"Hmmp. So you still find others attractive than me? Who are the other most beautiful in your eyes?" She asked. Though she doesn't mind me having another woman, it still doesn't sit right in her heart. You can say its a consolation for leaving me and her daughter that she somehow allowed the notion.

"Well... they call me father." Hearing my words Irene eyes finally softened and finally turned towards me.

"Okay, I forgive you." She said as she hugged me and we slept.

The next day, I woke up in Irene's embrace as I slowly removed her hands and slowly got up to make some breakfast. There's still a few pretzel dough in there so I made those for breakfast. While waiting for the pretzel to cook, I asked the system.

'System, does my food provide medical help or increase my strength a little bit?' Since I'm a little curious about the effects of my cooking.

[Host's food can only provide stamina replenishment and slow physical regeneration that would only take effect once the consumer sleep. The effects of increasing strength a little require mystical ingredients that host would acquire when you level up the system]

'I see. So if the kids ate my food after training then they will feel no more pain huh?' I thought

[Yes, but I would suggest you provide them food full of protein to repair their muscles faster and gain more benefits from training.]

The system said as I nodded.

I took out the baked pretzels and covered it before heading out to practice as usual. After an hour of practice I returned home and saw Irene heading to the backyard as I took a bath. After freshening up, I woke the chipmunks up and I went to the backyard to see Irene looking at the hops. I stared at the hops before making a mental note to harvest some to make some ale or beer whatever I like.

'Looks like I will take the kids out, and follow Irene to Alvares and shop with the kids and buy myself some grape seeds for the wine.' I thought.

I then called out to Irene for breakfast. When we finished, I told Irene the plan today and she was elated. Even the chipmunks are happy because we're going to see where their mother works, well... Pitou is more like curious.

They quickly demolished breakfast as they immediately dressed up and prepare to leave as I bought a container to make boxed lunches for everyone. Irene enchanted us with flying spell. Since it is our first time flying, she taught us how to maneuver into the air. I got it first followed by Pitou then Erza and finally Kagura.

When we arrived at Alvares Kingdom, I found the place really big, bigger than Fiore and prosperous as well. I must commend Zeref and his shields for having a good circulating economy.

When we arrived at the walls, the guards were about to shoot us because flying above the kingdom is a serious crime but when they saw that it is Irene, they let us through immediately and returned to their post.

We landed on a training ground and was surprised to see the soldiers practicing in their free time.

When they saw Irene, they immediately stopped practicing and lined up before saluting to Irene.

"At ease! Continue your training." Irene said as she motioned us to follow inside. The chipmunks are curious about everything they saw because its new to their eyes.

When we entered a room, 2 girls were waiting for us already as Irene introduced the two to me.

"The air-head is Juliet Sun, while the serious one is Heine Lunasea." She said.

"Nice to meet you." Heine said

"Why am I an air-head?! Anyway, are they the ones you wanted us to protect, mistress Irene?" Julia said.

"This is my husband and my daughters. You don't have to protect my husband, only my daughters. My husband is pretty strong after all."

"EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!?" Juliet and Heine exclaimed at the same time.

"Y-you mean, you have a husband?!" Juliet said before Heine continued.

"And daughters as well?!"

It is a huge burden in the mind of the two most loyal followers of Irene. To hear that their Goddess in their eyes have a daughter and a husband they immediately sent a glare towards me which I just shrugged off. Its the main reason as to why I didn't want to come with Irene but she insisted to come with her.

"I challenge you to a duel!" they both said at the same time and Irene was about to reprimand the two for shaming her husband but she saw that instead of being angry, she saw his husband with a calm face as he answered.

"Sure" I said without hesitation. I could at least erase the bad reputation that Irene would get for being married with a no-name person like me.

Irene was about to stop me when I spoke to her.

"You seemed to forget that I am unmatched when it comes to swordsmanship?" I said as Irene widened her eyes

We went back to the training ground as Juliet and Heine cleared the training ground. The soldiers training are confused but followed the orders. August was walking while facilitating the training of soldiers when he saw the commotion in Irene's training ground.

He saw a middle-aged man standing opposite Juliet and Heine and looks like they are fighting, August felt like he is an interesting man so he decided to watch over the match.

Juliet and Heine stood at the opposite side of the me as I spoke.

"Oi, oi, isn't this bullying." I complained a little but they shamelessly stood guard.

I looked at the weapon rack and picked up a wooden katana.

"Hm, this seems to be about right." I said as I took out the Bladeform legacy from the adventurer bag that I brought to avoid suspicion about my inventory.

I wore the mask as an ancient feeling washed over the entire arena. An orange eastern dragon can be seen swimming in the air before being absorbed by my chest. Violent aura spread out as Irene enchanted a barrier to protect the chipmunks from the pressure.

Feeling the changes in my body, I clenched my fist and felt the power I have in my body. I wanted to finish this quickly so that we can have a lot more time in shopping and exploring.

August was shocked because he felt the pressure first hand as he didn't put up a barrier at all.

He felt like being surrounded by thousands of weapon masters and were prepared to strike him down. Although he devised a way to fight against those who can rush towards him, he felt hopeless in front of these weapon masters.

"Kaminari no Kokyu, Ichi no Kata" I said in a low voice as I zoomed past the arena as I used knocking with thunderclap and flash as I struck down their neck with my sword as they fell down unconscious but I caught then before they fell on the floor.

They haven't been able to do anything. The soldiers watching have wide eyes as the same thoughts ran through their head.

'If he uses a real sword, we're dead.'

Irene wore a proud expression but still decided to punish the two for their transgressions against her husband.

August's eyes widen in shock. He didn't manage to see my movement at all but he can be sure that he felt the lightning as it surrounded my body before I suddenly dashed and struck Juliet and Heine. He is curious as to who that man is and decided to ask him after they cleaned up.

I called a soldier as he reluctantly come towards me as I gave him the two unconscious woman and told him to bring him to an empty room to rest.

[Gained 100 Cool Father points]

'Looks like points from the chipmunks are better than the tavern prices.' I thought before chuckling.

I walked towards Irene and the chipmunks as Kagura jumped all over the place asking me to teach her that move. I told her that she's too young to perform that move, for now I told her to master the basics so that she can perform it in the future.

Kagura looked down for a second before promising herself to put more effort in training. She's not a genius like Pitou nor a monster like Erza. All she had was her unwavering will to chase after them by putting in more effort than anyone.

Seeing their faces I smiled as Irene spoke.

"It seems like, you got a strange artifact that you got from doing odd jobs" She asked as I nodded.

Irene felt like I am keeping a big secret to her but she trusted me unconditionally, so she didn't dwell on it.

When we went out of the training hall only to be blocked by August.

"A really good fight out there. May I know your name?" He asked me with his arm branching out to me.

I looked at August who seems to be in his mid 40s before introducing myself.

"Noctis. A husband and father of 3 chipmunks." I said as August laughed at my introduction.

"I am August. How about I recommend you to the King? He would be glad to have you in our ranks as a strong weapon master." He seemed to be signalling Irene with his gaze but Irene just shook her head.

"Although the offer is good, I'm just your average husband with 3 daughters and wanting only a simple and carefree life." I said as August just stood there frozen when he heard my words.

Irene was the first to move as she motioned us to follow her out of the place as August's genuine laughter could be heard even outside of the training hall.