“…Oh, Yuu and Mio are crying. One moment.”
Elsa stood up, followed a heartbeat later by Mine.
They were on Hourai Island.
Jin had recently returned, and the entire Jin Family had gathered to hear him recount his latest exploits.
“…Whew.”
Jin paused his story and took a sip of ramon squash.
In truth, he wanted to follow Elsa to see her nursing the twins, but she was still painfully bashful about showing her chest to anyone. It seemed he would have to wait until the two of them were alone for that.
“…Sorry to keep you waiting.”
Elsa and Mine soon returned. Elsa cradled Yuu in her arms, while Mine held Mio. The twins, who had been napping earlier, were now wide awake. Despite having just been fed, they were squealing and frolicking with energy.
“Oh, that’s right.”
Jin reached out and produced some toys he had prepared.
“Jin, what are those?” Beena asked, holding her own son, Reginald, just as Elsa held hers.
“They’re pellet drums.”
“Pellet drums?”
“Yeah. Here… look, Yuu, Mio.”
Jin placed one in each of their tiny hands, and the infants immediately began waving them about. Den-den, den-den, the little drums rattled.
The sound seemed to fascinate them, and they shook the toys even harder. Delighted by the rhythmic response, the twins were soon in the highest of spirits.
“Babies have surprisingly strong grips, don’t they?”
The pellet drums didn't slip from their hands once as the twins played with them tirelessly.
Technically, pellet drums were more often used by caregivers to soothe infants than as toys for the babies themselves, but Jin had designed these specifically for them to hold. He had likely confused them with simple rattles. Regardless, the children were happy, so there was no harm done.
“Those are wonderful,” Beena said, watching with interest while still holding Reginald.
“Do you want one too, Beena? I’ll give you one.” Jin produced another pellet drum from seemingly nowhere.
“Oh, thank you, Jin!”
“Jin, our thanks,” Louis added.
Jin shook his head with a modest smile. “I made them quite soft so the little ones won’t get hurt. I put together plenty of extras in case they get broken.”
He was truly in his element, displaying his dual nature as both a crafting fanatic and a doting father.
With Yuu and Mio awake, any serious conversation was put on hold for a while.
The group moved outside, where a clear sky stretched overhead and a cool September wind brushed against them. They settled down on the lawn in front of the laboratory.
“Yay! The babies are so cute!” Hanna chirped, busy poking the twins’ cheeks and entertaining them.
Nearby, Reinhard and Berche were letting Juliana, who had recently started toddling, walk to her heart’s content across the grass.
“Look, Juliana! Papa’s over here!”
“Yuri-chan, Mama’s this way!”
“You’re so good at walking!”
“Come here, this way!”
The couple was playfully competing to see which of them she would walk toward.
Jin took Mio from his mother-in-law, Mine, and began cradling her in his arms.
“Ah, she laughed! Look at that.”
“Jin-san, you’re quite a natural at this. You’re even better than Elsa,” Mine remarked.
“Haha, well, I looked after plenty of small children back during my time at the orphanage.”
“As expected of Father!” Reiko watched the scene with a bright, contented smile.
“Oh, it really is lovely,” Milowina murmured, her expression softening as she watched the happy gathering from a short distance away.
“It truly is. Jin is like a grandson to me, so I suppose Yuu-chan and Mio-chan are my great-grandchildren,” Martha said, her face completely melting with affection.
“Kufu. Seeing them like that makes me realize how wonderful children are,” Saki remarked.
“If you feel that way, you should hurry up and marry Goose-kun,” her father, Toa, teased.
“F-Father?!”
“Toa-san?!” Saki and Goose both turned bright red at the sudden suggestion.
“Oh, I’ve started wanting to hold a baby of my own now,” Stearena sighed dreamily.
“Well, you should talk to Toa-san about that,” Vivienne quipped.
“Vi—Vivienne?!”
“Geez, I really need to find someone good for myself soon too,” Vivienne added with a laugh.
“I want to see your baby soon, Sion-san,” Marikka added to the chorus of teasing.
“Wh-What are you talking about?!” Sion stammered, blushing furiously at being targeted for once.
“Being single is a bit lonely for both of us, isn't it?” Marcia noted.
“…I agree. Babies are just so precious,” Lishia replied.
“But that’s one thing you can’t manage alone.”
“Very true.”
Marcia and Lishia seemed to have found a deep sense of camaraderie lately, their friendship growing noticeably stronger. Rodrigo watched his daughter, Marcia, with a complicated, bittersweet expression.
『Everyone, the tea is ready.』
Following Laojun’s instructions, the Five-Colored Golem Maids arrived with refreshments. They set out tables, chairs, and low tables, and everyone began to enjoy their tea in the open air.
“Ah, this is delicious.”
The sky over Hourai Island was a deep, clear blue, and all was right with the world. The peaceful scenery Jin had always desired was right there before him.