The citizens were abuzz with excitement over the birth of Selene-chan’s child.
But even as we rejoiced in the complete conclusion of the Zork War, we were waiting for one more report.
Would Selene-chan’s child be a Zork, or a human?
Or would she be a hybrid?
This was a matter of grave political importance.
Why?
Because this would determine the true victor of the Zork War.
It didn't really matter to most citizens. Nothing would change during our lifetimes.
However, the possibility remained that thousands of years from now, old humanity would go extinct and the Zork would become the new humanity.
It was just like the Neanderthals—they had interbred with Homo sapiens and were eventually swallowed up.
Though, calling the people of the Galactic Empire "Homo sapiens" was a bit of a stretch.
Homo sapiens weren't supposed to be able to use ESP. It was more reasonable to think we had evolved from them.
In other words, a future where we humans were absorbed by the Zork, and the new humanity became Zork, was being decided right now.
I mean, even if we called it a baby boom, our birthrate had been declining for hundreds of years. It wasn't logical to think that bastard Amada simply had a high "hit rate."
It was just that Selene-chan, who possessed a female-type Zork body, had a high pregnancy rate.
That was why it was so important to see which side this Child of Destiny took.
What if female-type Zork could only give birth to other female-type Zork?
Female-type Zork were all beauties, even if they had originally been men. In just a few years, their numbers would probably double or triple. Hahaha!
If that happened, it would be a total loss for humanity.
But no one could stop it.
This was a conversation shared only among us.
In that scenario, we wouldn't be heroes who saved the world; we would be the Demon Kings who destroyed humanity.
It would be a gentle extinction, so no one would even notice.
The problem was that if the males were wiped out, the Zork would eventually go extinct, too. What then?
We'd just have to let the geneticists do their best.
One hour after the announcement of Selene-chan’s delivery.
The shopping centers were operating twenty-four hours a day. Beer gardens were open on rooftops and at various event venues.
A crowd had gathered in front of the Palace where Wifey was currently staying.
None of them knew about this grave reality.
Only our group, after a brief moment of celebration, had fallen into a heavy silence.
Finally, a report arrived from the Imperial Court Physician.
"I have a report for Her Imperial Majesty! Selene-sama’s child is a hybrid. She carries Zork genes, but she is human!"
In short, the result was that Zork were also human after all.
We all let out a simultaneous sigh.
For the time being, the extinction of humanity had been averted. A hybrid with the Zork—a new humanity—was within the range of tolerance.
"What about the possibility of birthing males?"
"The child is not a pure Zork. It is estimated that male-types can also be born."
"Then it is fine."
Yes, definitely within the range of tolerance.
It wasn't much different from the acquisition of ESP.
Besides, children were already being born between people from Chronos, Latania, the Taikyoku Nation, and the Kishinkoku People.
I knew the truth. There were soldiers, civil servants, and scholars. There were even those already living together.
If Zork were mixed into that, it would only increase genetic diversity.
Whatever happens, happens.
To that end, Fairy-san’s face looked like it was about to melt from joy.
"Well, she’s my niece, after all! She’s so cute! She’s this tiny, and..."
It seemed she had already gone to see the baby. She was relaying the details with manic excitement.
"Is there anything different from a human?"
"So far, there are no particular signs of anything."
Hmm... then what was that?
"Eh?"
Inside the Dining Hall, a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes was floating in the air.
She was translucent. Most likely, it wasn't a physical manifestation but a mental projection.
Zashiki-warashi, who had appeared out of nowhere, was waving her hand beside the child.
"Is this Selene-chan’s baby?"
"Aii!"
A voice spoke directly into my mind.
"Now, everyone, give your greetings."
While the others stared with shocked expressions, those who could drink raised their beer mugs, and those who didn't—myself included—raised their juice cups.
"On three... 'Congratulations!'"
"Aii!"
"Now, go back to your Papa and Mama. They’re worried about you."
"Aii! Bye-bye Uncle, Big Sis... and Mother, and Groom!"
The baby waved her hand at Wifey and Claire, then vanished.
Everyone present let out a massive sigh.
Even One-O-One looked exhausted.
Even Shi-yun was in a state of shock, looking like she did when her favorite baseball team suffered a soul-crushing defeat.
Wifey was just as stunned, her mouth agape.
After a moment of frozen silence, Wifey rebooted.
"T-This is a disaster... You! Call the doctors!"
She immediately connected to the Imperial Court Physician.
"Y-Your Imperial Majesty! Has something happened!?"
"Selene’s child is a powerful ESP user! She just projected her consciousness here!"
"W-What!?"
I was slightly more composed. After all, Selene-chan was a copy of Fairy-san. That meant she was a powerful ESP user by design. It wouldn't be strange for her child to be the same.
...Well, it was strange, though.
"Isn't her ESP a bit too powerful? And isn't she way too smart?"
A child greeting Wifey and me immediately after being born? That meant she recognized that Wifey and I were her family.
...Seriously, isn't she way too smart?
The Imperial Court Physician’s face was twitching.
"W-We will begin an investigation immediately."
"Cease! Do nothing unnecessary. Limit yourselves to medical backup! More importantly, the wet nurse! Move up the schedule for the wet nurse immediately!"
"Understood!"
Silence fell once more. Figures.
"Wifey. I just realized something."
"Stop! I was trying to pretend I had not noticed!"
The child had come to greet either Claire’s or Wifey’s child. Both were expecting boys. And most likely, she was looking at Claire’s child.
Claire stood there dazed, her own "reboot" taking quite some time.
"Um, Claire? Are you okay?"
"Ah, yeah... My brain can't quite keep up, but I’m managing somehow."
Figures.
Now then, what was going to happen to humanity from here on?
I looked at Isono. He abruptly averted his eyes.
I looked at Eddy. He likewise looked away.
Nakajima went so far as to blatantly turn her back on me.
Saijo-kun was holding his head in his hands.
Rikochi and Melissa were still frozen solid.
Kevin was slumped on the floor right where she stood.
Then, Tatiana spoke up.
"Well, I guess it just means things'll go the way they're gonna go."
Man, my people were so reliable!
And so, we were forced to recognize the arrival of a new era and the extinction flag of old humanity, whether we liked it or not.
Hahaha!
Well, it didn't really matter. It didn't change the fact that they were our descendants.