What should we do in this situation...?
The blame rested solely on me. No excuses could justify tonight's events.
We had just returned from the mansion, unsuccessful in our quest to subdue the witch. Yet, we couldn't abandon the quest, not with this massive problem in our hands.
The witch's curse was cast upon Kazuma... and currently...
Kazuma was now reduced into a defenseless little infant baby.
"Sacred Spell Break!"
Aqua yelled out, casting her spell in the center of the living room where the infant Kazuma was sitting.
But it had no effect.
"I-It had no effect? Impossible. My powers... reduced to nothing... I can't even break a witch's curse...!"
The absurdity of the situation was undeniable.
Aqua's magic had even dispelled the curse of the Dullahan that foretold my impending death within a week.
Yet, it had no impact on the curse of an undead witch.
For a curse to be that strong... it could be the Demon King's wife! Or maybe one of his many wives? I've never known how many wives he has, and if one of them were human...
"M-Maybe it's not a curse at all? Or maybe it's the type of curse that slowly disappears like what happened to Darkness with her weakness curse. Such curses often pose no immediate threat or great peril to the victim; they don't cause instant death or any fatality..."
Megumin speculated, her chin resting on her fingers.
"This is bad! I can't have Kazuma reduced into an infant! I'll be in this world forever if he slowly grows up at the same rate as you guys do! I can't wait eighteen more years of this world! Wahhhhh!"
"Settle down, Aqua! You're gonna startle Kazuma and make him cry! I don't even know who is the real crybaby in this mansion!"
Ignoring the cries from the adult baby as Megumin attempted to calm her down, I slowly approached the still-awake Kazuma who stared at the two and their noisy quarrel.
"Judging by the size and how he can sit straight up without any assistance... I'd say that he is about six months old right now..."
The infant Kazuma extended his arms toward me, emitting a soft whimper, expressing his desire for me to pick him up the moment he caught sight of me.
I yielded to his desires, lifting him up by his armpits, and his whimpers instantly ceased.
"Perhaps he might experience accelerated growth if the curse gradually fades... Maybe he'll grow a month older each day? Or a year older each day until he reaches his original."
The infant Kazuma's smile beamed when he reached my eye level, observing both Megumin and Aqua who stopped their argument.
"Surprisingly... Kazuma is incredibly adorable as a baby! It's an entirely different experiment than having him being a pervert inside the mansion everyday!"
Megumin proclaimed.
"Of course, all babies whether human or not are designed to be cute to attract their caregivers. But... I'm not falling for it. No way a little version of Kazuma is going to make me call him cute. I don't even remember the year I was a baby."
Aqua huffed, crossing her arms, determined not to succumb to Kazuma's cuteness.
However, Kazuma seemed to have different intentions. He extended his arms toward Aqua, as if wanting to be held by her.
This unexpected gesture caught Aqua off guard, momentarily shattering her defiant expression.
"C-Could it be? Babies can sense my divine nature and seek comfort and affection from a goddess like me? I suppose I have no choice, this must truly be Kazuma's genuine feelings..."
Aqua extended her arms to lift him.
"Kazuma! Kazuma! Look over here!"
Megumin intervened, interrupting the tender moment between two individuals who had always bickered on a daily occasion.
For once, their interaction could turn into a wholesome one.
The infant Kazuma shifted his gaze toward Megumin and bestowed her with a smile, almost wriggling out of my grasp in an attempt to reach her.
"Aww... He likes me! Kazuma likes me more than Aqua! Haha!"
Megumin held Kazuma by his waist, beaming with satisfaction.
The defeated and heartbroken Aqua watched helplessly as Megumin begun spinning around with Kazuma in her arms.
"H-Hey, don't spin him too much! Kazuma might get dizzy and vomit all over you. He's still quite fragile no matter what. Babies aren't meant to be spun around or shaken too much, if not at all."
"I'm heading to bed..."
Aqua wiped her tears onto her sleeve and went into her room.
"What do we do now? Do we just wait for the curse to slowly disappear or should we find help?"
Megumin asks.
"We could ask Wiz, and maybe Vanir tomorrow morning to read his fortune just like he did with mine. Wiz is an undead lich after all so she should know every spell that a witch can do."
I suggested to head to Wiz's shop but Megumin's expression tell me she had a different idea otherwise.
"Hmm... how about we keep Kazuma as a baby for a few days. This is an unfortunate situation, no doubt, but I like it... I like this unfortunate situation I am in. Never would I have imagined that I would be taking care of Kazuma reduced into an infant baby!"
What was she thinking?
B-But I do too...
"M-Megumin... I too like the sight of Kazuma turned into an infant. But without him as an adult, there's going to be a lot of trouble that we have to solve. First of all, we don't have access to his money now that he's a baby. There's going to be a ton of bills coming in our way, he's the one who pays them all."
I never realize how much money this guy spends to keep all of us inside this mansion.
A while ago, before I confessed my feelings to him... when he was arguing with Aqua over some trivial issue once more, I looked on the table and picked up a piece of paper he was holding, the amount of money he spent solely for Aqua was surprising, and I never knew he had given money to Megumin to support her family.
I was quite sadden about the money he never gave me, but I had just realize he did spend two billion eris to... b-buy me back.
Enough of this deep thought, I need to hear what this girl wants to say.
"In that case, we can finally take on quests! We can go back into crippling debt once more and embark on quests just like the good ol days!"
This girl never breaks character, doesn't she?
Even as an infant, Kazuma seemed to agree, contentedly sucking his thumb while observing our conversation.
"I... I too want that. To take on a quest... and return to debt. I too miss that. But who will care for Kazuma if all three of us venture together?"
I inquired of her.
Surely it's be unwise to have Wiz and Vanir watch him. There was no way the Royal Capital would accept him, a commoner infant. And I'm not sure what the outcome would be if Yunyun or Chris watched him.
"We can simply take Kazuma with us! I'm sure his immense luck is still there even if he's a little cutie baby now!"
I couldn't believe what this girl was saying.
"A-Are you out of your mind?! There's no way he could go into the outside world without getting hurt! Look at us, Megumin, just like Kazuma point out! Do you think that it's even safe to bring him with us when you look at our history? How did you manage to take care of Komekko when she was a baby?"
My head was starting to hurt over something that a normal person with sensible logic would agree as well.
"I used to take her along when I went bug hunting. One time, a regular sized eagle nearly snatched Komekko with it's sharp talons while I was occupied fetching water from a river. Luckily, I threw a bunch of rocks at it, some of them hitting Komekko's head but she was fine after a few weeks."
This girl... I can't trust her with Kazuma at all!
"Give him back! You're too dangerous to be around him!"
My motherly instincts kicked in, prompting me to swiftly reclaim Kazuma from Megumin's grasp.
"H-Hey, return him! He's my baby!"
"No, he's mine! He is my baby! He belongs to me!"
Why does it sound like we're fighting custody over a child that surely belongs to Kazuma but only one of us held half of it's DNA.
"He saw me and wanted me to carry him almost instantly! Therefore he likes me more!"
"He prefers me, his girlfriend! Look, he's smiling at me!"
Kazuma was seeming to enjoy being fought over by two beautiful women like us, regardless if he were a baby or an adult.
An idea sprang to my mind.
"I-I have a plan!"
I exclaimed to Megumin.
"Hm? What is it?"
"Let's place Kazuma in the center of the living room. Whoever he crawls toward gets to take care of him and put him to sleep!"
I settled Kazuma in the middle of the room, where he sat upright, attentively observing us both.
Megumin and I stationed ourselves at opposite ends.
"Come on, Kazuma! Over here! Over here! Mommy Megumin needs you! I'll give you all the bugs and bread crust you can devour!"
"M-Mommy Megumin?!"
I underestimated this girl's resolve.
"What? Jealous? Come here, boy!"
As someone who had cared for two royal little girls in the past, this should be a breeze, hopefully. I don't know how to raise a young infant boy though so this is an entirely new experience to me actually.
I could never have envisioned myself looking after Kazuma as a baby.
Nor say what I'm about to say...
"Kazuma, this way! Mommy Lalatina will sing you a lullaby and put you to sleep in no time! I bet you're extremely tired right now."
Kazuma surveyed both of us, seemingly torn between deciding who to approach.
"Tch, using your real name like it'll jog his memory! He's a baby, he won't remember any of this! Watch this! Kazuma, look here! Mommy Megumin wields an awesome and powerful staff! Want to grow up to be the second strongest archwizard? Then come over here!"
"H-Hey, no fair, using an object that appeals to babies!"
This was bad. I am on the losing end now.
Just like any infant, Kazuma was drawn to the peculiar object that Megumin was displaying. He was currently giggling, seemingly about to crawl toward Megumin.
But it's a good thing I remember to pick up his belongings!
"Kazuma! Kazuma! Look, do you remember this? Your bow and your strangely named sword! You have not one, but two strange objects! Come towards Mommy Lalatina and you can become an adventurer just as you've always dreamed!"
"Hey, don't call that sword's name strange, it's a good name! And also, that's cheating! Use one object, not two!"
"You're the one using it in the first place!"
"You think you know more about Kazuma just because you've slept with him a few times and kissed him!"
"Perhaps I do! Got a problem? Jealous?"
In the midst of our squabble, we failed to realize that Kazuma had already made his choice.
But he didn't crawl toward either of us.
When we turned to our right, we saw Kazuma engrossed in play with Chomusuke and Emperor Zel on the floor, giggling innocently.
For a moment, we were frozen in shock.
Chomusuke was licking Kazuma's cheeks while Emperor Zel pecked the bottom of his foot, tickling him in the process.
Then, I snapped back to reality and scooped up Kazuma before Megumin could.
"Give him back! He's mine! He's my baby!"
"He doesn't belong to anyone! I think I have the right to care for him since I caused all of this. Plus, I have more experience than you over watching babies. You've only watched one, and I've watched two little babies before."
Megumin's expression turned into a pout, yet she knew deep down that I was right in all my assertions.
"He's also staring at your large breasts... No surprise about that. It is Kazuma, after all."
I glanced at Kazuma, who seemed utterly captivated by my chest.
"He is Kazuma after all, no doubt about that."
Feeling a bit flustered, I turned away and shifted his gaze towards the cat and chick again.
"I have lost in terms of size.."
In a defeated state just like Aqua, Megumin also thought it was a good idea to compare the size of our chest as a competition to see who gets to sleep with baby Kazuma?
I'm honestly confused and tired at this point.
"Can I at least say goodnight to him?"
I had forgotten about the feelings this girl also harbored for him. It must be even harder for her to see the person she loves turn into an infant once more.
"Of course."
Feeling guilty, I knelt down to Megumin's height, allowing her to wish Kazuma goodnight.
"Goodnight..."
She caresses his hair with her hand...
And then planted a kiss on his cheeks.
"Haha! I win!"
Then, she dashed off to lock herself in her room.
That girl!
Alone with Kazuma, both of us exchanged uncertain glances, wondering what to do next.
"First things first, we need a diaper for you. Unfortunately, all the stores are closed at this hour."
I realized that Kazuma was almost completely naked, with only his sizable briefs barely providing any coverage. I wasn't sure why Aqua had folded his clothes neatly and left them on the couch, but we would need them.
"Seems like we're going to have to use your own shirt as a makeshift diaper."
Gently placing him on the couch, I noticed his unwavering gaze fixed on me.
He had been looking at me intently for quite a while, even before we entered the mansion.
As I folded his shirt around his waist to serve as a diaper, I realized he would have to do without a shirt or pants for the time being.
"My, my, have you already fallen in love? Your observation skills are quite keen..."
Or perhaps he saw me as his mother.
"I'll wash your clothes tomorrow morning."
It was highly likely that Kazuma would wet his makeshift shirt diaper. Babies typically lacked bladder control, after all.
Considering we had already cooked dinner together and sorted out the rewards for the lottery event, I doubted he was hungry tonight.
"Now, where should we both sleep? Do you want to decide, or should Mommy Lalatina make the choice?"
Kazuma appeared a bit lost, glancing back at the living room and reaching his arms toward the couch, as if wanting to return there.
I suppose I'll have to make the decision.
Given that I had already spent a night in Kazuma's room...
"Let's go to my room. I'm sure you won't remember, but I will... And one day, I'll tell you all about it when you've grown up."
Kazuma's eyes roamed around my room, as if discovering an entirely new world.
As I gently laid him on my bed, I took the chance to change into my pink pajamas in the closet.
Kazuma began making sounds of distress, a sign he wanted someone to tend to him, struggling to lift himself.
"I'm here. Don't worry, Kazuma..."
Once I had finished changing, I carefully lifted Kazuma a bit above the mattress and settled him on his side of the bed.
Then, I positioned myself beside him, my arm draped over his tiny body to keep him from slipping off.
With all his might, he used his little arms to turn and face me. Extending his hands, he curiously touched my nose with his tiny fingers.
"What are you doing, Kazuma? Shouldn't you be sleepy by now?"
Why was I even talking to him? He couldn't possibly understand anything I was saying. It was highly unlikely that he was conscious at his current age.
Those clichéd plots of adults trapped in babies' bodies with mature minds were utterly far-fetched. I found them utterly ridiculous.
Funny how I was starting to think like him now. He often scoffed at clichéd plots involving tsundere girls hitting guys out of jealousy and that he wouldn't hesitate to unleash a devastating dropkick if the moment falls for it.
And now look at him, turned into a baby. Though I wasn't sure if this situation could be considered a cliché.
"Kazuma... nod if you're aware that you're a baby."
I murmured to him.
Yet he did not seem to understand me as expected, the only thing that seems to change were his hands, moving down to play with my lips.
"Worth a try. As if that would actually happen."
As the silence lingered, Kazuma seemed to grow tired of exploring my face and eventually fell asleep in my arms, serene and peaceful.
He looked so incredibly adorable that I couldn't resist.
So I leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead.
To think that this precious infant would grow up to be the man I would eventually fall in love with...
I wondered how things might have turned out if we had met as children. Would I have been interested in him at all? Would our circumstances be different now, or perhaps we'd even be married?
But a commoner and a noble like us getting married would be quite the challenge, especially for him.
Overthinking things, I too succumbed to slumber, holding him close, shielding him from any potential nightmares that might arise.
...
The morning sunlight filtered into the room, gently nudging me awake.
Despite being conscious, I was tempted to close my eyes and savor a few more minutes of sleep. I had stayed awake until midnight, and the exhaustion was catching up with me.
Suddenly, I felt a tiny hand on my lips, followed by a slight pressure against my face. Another set of tiny hands pressed against my nose, effectively sealing it and making it hard to breathe.
I sighed softly and used my own hands to gently push away the intruder.
"Let me sleep a little longer, Kazuma."
Turning away from the source of disturbance, I hoped to steal a few more minutes of rest.
However, Kazuma wasn't about to give up. He started making cute noises, clearly intent on waking me up.
With a mixture of amusement and resignation, I turned back to face him and opened my eyes.
"Alright, alright, you win."
As I sat up, I realized something wasn't right. Kazuma's side of the bed was damp, and his makeshift diaper was completely soaked.
"Oh dear... did you drink a lot?"
Just what did this guy drink? I was home with him yesterday that entire afternoon till night.
Kazuma beamed at me, as if proud of his accomplishment. He also seemed pleased that he had successfully coaxed me into waking up.
I lifted him from the bed and headed to the bathroom to clean him up. It was definitely time for a bath.
Speaking of which, maybe I should join him in the bath... No, no, I couldn't let my mind wander there. What would Megumin and Aqua say if they knew what I was thinking? I could already imagine the teasing. So, I resolved to wrap myself in a towel for now.
Shutting the door to the massive bathroom, I removed his wet clothing and placed it in a bucket of soapy water to soak. I carefully set him down in the smaller bath area, watching as he splashed around while I prepared the water for him.
But first, I needed to warm up the water for him. The poor little guy looked uncomfortable as soon as I placed him in the bath area.
The water must be cold.
Using some of the magical sparking rocks that we had never used before, I began to heat up the water. A few minutes later, I double-checked the temperature to ensure it was just right before gently setting him down in the bath.
He seemed to enjoy the sensation of water around him, and he started splashing and playing with his tiny hands.
Taking advantage of the distraction, I grabbed a towel and began cleaning myself up. However, I soon realized that Kazuma was staring at me again. His innocent curiosity made me smile.
"Need some help too?"
I used a fresh towel to gently wipe him down, making sure to clean every nook and cranny. Unfortunately, since he had wet himself.
S-Since his waist and below were drenched in his own urine... I-I-I have no choice but to wash his... thingy...
Hopefully he also doesn't remember this.
"Th-There, you're clean now. Don't ask for more from Mommy Lalatina."
He went back to playing in the water, content with his bath.
With Kazuma momentarily occupied, I finished cleaning myself up. Once done, I carefully picked up his soaked shirt and squeezed out as much water as possible before moving it to a basin of clean water to rinse, then repeating the process before drying it.
As I lifted the now-clean Kazuma from the bath, he made his protests known, clearly not wanting to leave the water just yet.
Leaving the bathroom, I was met with Aqua and Megumin, who were about to enter the bath area, still fully clothed.
"I knew it! I knew they'd both be in there together! Do you have anything to say for yourself, Darkness?"
Megumin's face was flushed with anger, but there was also a hint of embarrassment in her expression.
"I-I don't see anything wrong with giving him a bath. He peed all over my bed and himself, so I had no choice. Who else would have done it?"
"I could have!"
"Then I'll let you do it next time."
The moment I said that, Megumin's anger seemed to dissipate, replaced by a hopeful expression.
"Really?"
"Of course. Tonight, you can take a bath with him."
I never thought I'd find myself having a conversation with Megumin about taking a bath with baby Kazuma. The circumstances were certainly unusual, but it seemed to make her happy.
After finally drying myself and Kazuma, I had thought that taking care of him for a few days would be a piece of cake, and that he'd be a peaceful and quiet baby. He hadn't cried once last night or this morning, leading me to believe it would be an easy task. But oh, how wrong I was!
"Wahhhhhh! Wahhhhh!"
Kazuma was crying at the top of his lungs, his wails filling the room just as I finished dressing both him and myself, using his shirt as a makeshift diaper.
Aqua attempted to play peek-a-boo with him, hoping to distract him from his crying, but it only seemed to make things worse. His cries escalated every time Aqua revealed her face for some odd reason. Maybe because his instincts were telling him that she was dangerous?
Megumin, on the other hand, offered him her staff as a sort of toy, but he only seemed temporarily distracted by it, attempting to chew on it before pushing it away and crying even harder.
Both girls were defeated, sitting on the floor with bewildered expressions, not knowing how to calm him down.
"How could he not want to be an arch wizard... the strongest class..."
"Are you two completely clueless when it comes to raising a baby?"
I chided them as I stood up, gently swaying Kazuma from side to side in an attempt to soothe him.
"I should've known not to expect much from a woman who probably already has a secret child with a common thug!"
Megumin stood up, pointing an accusatory finger at me.
"N-No way! I've told you before, I've cared for Princess Iris and Sylphina from their infancy to their pre-elementary years! And how dare you suggest I'd cheat on my beloved Kazuma with some unknown worthless thug. How utterly rude!"
Her insult stung more than I'd care to admit.
"Clearly, Kazuma is hungry. He's crying because he needs milk. Babies of his age aren't able to properly digest food. Could you two please go to town and get some goat milk? And grab some diapers and milk bottles while you're at it."
I settled into a rocking chair, ordering both Aqua and Megumin to run errands to help soothe Kazuma.
Goat milk was the best source next to a mother's milk.
"Fine. C'mon, Aqua, let's go."
Megumin practically dragged a dejected Aqua by the collar of her shirt as they headed out.
"Why does he hate me...? Why did he cry even harder when he saw my face...?"
With the door closed, I finally had some alone time with Kazuma once more.
Unfortunately, the rocking chair alone wasn't enough to pacify him. He began to cry anew after the door closed behind the girls.
It was painful to see him like this. Though I wasn't an official mother, having cared for two crying infants in the past, his tears pierced my heart just the same. It hurt to watch him in this state, knowing there was so little I could do to comfort him.
He needed milk really badly...
There was a gnawing fear in my mind that he might need milk very soon, that his hunger might escalate into something more dangerous if not addressed promptly. Maybe the curse might kill him he reaches to a certain point of starvation.
That would be extremely bad to hear!
I stared at his tear-stained face, his cries tugging at my emotions. It was agonizing to witness him like this, unable to provide immediate relief.
But I couldn't just sit here and let him suffer.
He's in dire need of milk... and it falls on me to provide it.
I wasn't at the mature age to be doing this when I was raising both Princess Iris and Sylphina, so I'll have to at least try...
Gathering my determination, I realized what I had to do to stop this. I had to take the next step of motherhood...
Never would I have imagined that I would have to resort to doing this...
...
After half an hour, Aqua and Megumin finally returned, carrying bags of baby supplies.
"We're back. We got the goat milk you asked for, along with the diapers and milk bottles."
"Thank you, Megumin. Just place them next to me."
As Megumin set her bags next to me, Aqua then set down her bags of baby items on the other side.
"I realized you didn't mention baby clothes, so I got some just in case. Look, they're all green, just like Kazuma's eyes."
Aqua thrust green baby shirts, pants, socks and gloves in front of my face with a beaming smile.
"Oh goodness, I completely forgot about that. Thank you for thinking ahead and getting those for Kazuma and me, Aqua. I truly appreciate it. I'll have him wear it once he's awake."
"No problem! You can always count on me!"
The ecstatic Aqua proudly claims.
"That's a swift revival."
Megumin remarked.
"Hey... he's not crying anymore... Wasn't he hungry about half an hour ago?"
Megumin seemed to have noticed that Kazuma's cries had ceased, hovering her face over his.
How strange, indeed.
Currently, Kazuma was sound asleep with a faint smile crept on his face as if he never cried in the first place.
"Oh my... I didn't even realize. How strange. Perhaps he wanted something entirely different, and it was already fulfilled."
Definitely strange why he isn't crying anymore, even though he was telling us he was hungry.
"Yeah... almost as if he doesn't need milk anymore..."
Aqua was getting close a bit there into figuring out why.
I almost lost my composure.
But then Megumin said something absolutely fantastic.
"Maybe he was just seeking attention but grew tired of constant crying. Well, we can feed him the goat milk later."
"That must be it, indeed! A splendid speculation, Megumin!"
Before Megumin was about to proudly smirk with her splendid guess...
"Hey... There is no other source of milk besides the goat milk we just brought..."
Of all people to come close to the possibility, it was Aqua who might find out why...
An extreme intense heat creeps up on my face as I struggled to keep a cool face and not make an utter sound.
Megumin's eyes widened in shock as she took a step back, piecing together why Kazuma had stopped crying and now sported a content smile in his sleep.
"Y-You... You fed Kazuma with your own breast milk! You had him suck on your breasts!"
I was caught in the act.
"I-I had no other option! He looked so devastated while crying from starvation! As his mother figure, I couldn't just stand by! His cries were tearing me apart!"
"Save your explanations for later, you pervert! Your mind must be filled with such lust that you couldn't resist letting him suck off from you! Is that it?! And what do you mean you're his mother figure?! Are we playing family now? Am I gonna have to be the father that gets drunk and jealous all the time?! You'd like that sort of play, wouldn't you?!"
"I-I'm not a pervert! And we're not playing family! And besides, he's my boyfriend. It's only natural for us to share moments like that in the future!"
Taken aback by my unwavering resolve, Megumin retreated a few more steps, her astonishment evident.
"I-I have underestimated you... We were gone for only a half an hour and you've already done something to sexually harass Kazuma even when he's a baby!"
"I see nothing wrong with it."
A voice of hope finally made it's way.
"Aqua, I knew I could count on you."
"Darkness does have more experience in these matters, so we can't really judge her actions. And if a baby needs milk, he needs some milk."
I forgot that sometimes Aqua could actually say sensible things.
"...That being said, I'm so gonna tell everyone in town about this incident!"
I leaped out of the rocking chair, passing Kazuma to Megumin, and began to squeeze Aqua's forearms intensely.
"Ow! Ow! Ow! Darkness, what are you doing?!"
"I can't let anyone else know about this... If I catch wind of a single soul hearing about it because of you... I'll persuade Kazuma to decrease your monthly allowance once he's back to normal!"
"Wahhhh! You can't do that!"
"Hey, your loud arguing woke him up-"
Megumin tried to intervene, but my emotions were running high.
"And even worse... I'm going to use my powers to prevent all of you from accessing wine and alcohol if you attempt to escape my grasp and drop subtle hints to anyone other than Megumin!"
"Wahhhhhhhhh! Darkness, you can't do that! That's an abuse of your powers! You promised to never to misuse them for your own benefit!"
"This is an exception, to protect my modesty!"
"You guys are making him cry now..."
The sound of a distressed infant echoed once again, and I turned to see Megumin in the rocking chair with an awake Kazuma.
I eased my grip on Aqua and approached Kazuma, trying to calm him down.
"Let me try to get him back to sleep."
Megumin suddenly offered.
Observing how effective she was at soothing Kazuma, it became apparent that she had genuine experience, likely from taking care of her younger sister.
"You can go rest if you want. I want to take care of Kazuma for the rest of the afternoon if you're okay with that."
How could this girl smile at me when just a few seconds ago she was clobbering insults at me like crazy?
...
Several hours had passed, and the evening was setting in.
And of course, Kazuma was crying now as he was hungry again.
"Megumin, this time, give him the goat milk."
Aqua instructed, engrossed in the video games provided by the Crimson Demons.
On the other hand, I took it upon myself to tidy up the mansion, ensuring it was baby-proof and safe for Kazuma. As well as cleaning up the mess he made in my mattress.
The only threat to his safety would be our own actions if we happened to make a terrible mistake.
"I'm busy preparing dinner for tonight. Please feed him the goat milk."
I was in the kitchen preparing dinner so I couldn't have the time to feed him.
"Hang on a second, please."
Megumin said with a questionable tone in her voice.
She was still seated on the rocking chair with Kazuma, who was now dressed in baby clothes, and with a diaper this time.
Her back was turned, obscuring my view of her actions.
The goat milk bottles were on the counter, so Megumin would need to stand up to retrieve them. However, she seemed to be taking an unusually long time to do so.
Instead, she was gently rocking Kazuma back and forth.
That's when the realization had hit me just like what happened to her that same morning.
"Stop what you're doing, Megumin! It's entirely impossible!"
I rushed to the rocking chair and quickly took Kazuma away from Megumin, who was in the process of lifting her shirt, about to expose herself indecently to the infant.
"H-Hey! What are you doing?!"
"You're not at the mature age to even be able to produce it! Don't even try it!"
I grabbed the goat milk bottle and began to feed the crying Kazuma, my protective instincts in full gear. Megumin, however, continued to argue her point.
"You've already done it before! Therefore I also have the privilege to at least try!"
I had let my guard down with Megumin, trusting her experience in taking care of Kazuma. But it seemed she had attempted to exploit my kindness for her own advantage.
"Give him back, at least! I'll feed him the goat milk this time."
"No, I'll hold him for now. Luckily, I just finished preparing dinner, so I only need to set the plates and utensils. I'll hand him over to you tonight for bedtime. And don't think about attempting it again, because I'll know if you do."
"Hmph! Have it your way!"
I walked away from her to finish up my responsibilities.
That night, I slept alone in my room with Megumin taking her turn to sleep with Kazuma.
And I spent a good hour pondering about what she could be doing inside her own room. And I also slept as quiet as I could to see if I could hear anything going on in her room.
...
The familiar sunrise greeted me, signaling the start of a new day.
After a night of undisturbed sleep, I felt remarkably refreshed and full of energy.
I rose from my bed and headed to the living room, where I found Aqua engrossed in playing with Emperor Zel on the couch. Next to her was Megumin, her hair wet and a towel draped around her.
"Aw, what a little cutie! You really showed that water who's boss!"
Megumin was in the midst of drying Kazuma after his bath, with him flailing his arms around like a tiny bird.
"Oh, you're awake, Darkness. Good timing, I suppose it's your turn to take care of him. I've had my fair share of dealing with this little guy. He was climbing all over me this morning, almost suffocating me until I had woken up."
I heaved a sigh of relief. From the sound of her voice, it seemed that she hadn't done anything unusual while alone with Kazuma.
But I wasn't jumping to conclusions without any evidence.
Kazuma seemed to notice my presence immediately, extending his arms toward me, requesting to be picked up.
"Is it just me, or has he gotten a little bigger?" I asked Megumin as I lifted him by his waist.
"Yeah, he seems to have more hair than the last time... Do you think that with each passing day, he's growing a month older?"
Megumin mused, gently stroking Kazuma's hair.
"Maybe it's the goat milk that's helping? Even if that were true, it would still take quite a while. He'd need several months to reach his actual age. By the way, how old is he, anyway? I never asked him."
Suddenly, Megumin playfully bonked me on the head.
"You're such an idiot. You're his girlfriend, and you don't even know his age?"
"H-He never told me!"
"He's seventeen. His birthday was during the Aqua and Eris festival celebration. I think it was on June Seventh?"
"Probably. Thanks for letting me know."
Maybe if he ever returns to his normal state, I'll give him a present around that time.
"Hey, he's staring at your boobs again. Keep that man in check."
Megumin pointed out once more.
Kazuma was fixated on my chest, perhaps explaining why he had wanted me to pick him up the moment he noticed me.
"Well, I don't mind. Babies are naturally curious, after all. Kazuma is no different."
I smiled with a sense of pride, my eyes closed.
"Hey-!"
A knock echoed from the front door, prompting Megumin to go answer it.
"What do you need, Yunyun? Coming for another match?"
"Wh-What? No! You're the one who asked me to accompany you so you could let out your explosion since you couldn't do it yesterday. Speaking of yesterday, is it true that Kazuma was turned into a baby?"
I turn my head around to shoot a glare at Aqua, who felt the daggers behind her neck immediately.
"It wasn't me! I swear!"
From her expression, she appeared to be telling the truth...
"It was me, Darkness. Don't worry, I just told her about the baby part, nothing else. Anyway, I'll be back in a few hours. Yunyun and I are going somewhere. Hey, where are you going?"
Yunyun walked past Megumin to approach Kazuma, whom I was holding. She tentatively extended her finger to touch his cheek.
"H-Hey there, little guy-"
Kazuma reacted unexpectedly, slapping her finger away and abruptly seeking comfort by hugging my neck.
"Ah."
Her pupils shrunk at this sudden action.
Ouch...
She's even got it worse than Aqua...
I felt a pang of guilt.
"Let's go, Megumin..."
Yunyun looked to be even worse than Aqua as well, walking outside of the mansion with her head down.
Megumin, who looked proudly satisfied followed her from behind.
Once they were gone, I moved over to the couch and sat next to Aqua, who was still absorbed in her video games, unaware that Megumin had departed.
"Why are you bringing him near me?"
Aqua side-eyed me suspiciously, both in her expression and tone.
"No reason. I just noticed you haven't interacted with him much. Did you give up after he cried at you playing peek-a-boo with him?"
"I don't need affection from a baby, especially not from this guy who would grow up to nag me constantly."
I could only smile at her response.
Guiding my hands under Kazuma's armpits, I gently shifted him towards Aqua.
"Are you sure you don't want to hold him?"
I teased her.
"Gah! Uh..."
It seemed to be working, as Aqua lost focus on her video games due to my antics.
Kazuma, in his adorable green-eyed glory, stared into Aqua's eyes.
In my best baby voice, I cooed,
"Aqua~, I'm sorry for crying at you.. Please forgive me~."
"You win!"
Aqua took Kazuma from my arms and started bouncing him up and down excitedly.
Kazuma too was enjoying being bounced on Aqua's lap.
Seeing this wholesome interaction was heartwarming after all the chaos.
Sometimes it was good to see the two of them interacting normally, even if one of them was cursed to be an infant for time being...
Until I realized Aqua was practically dangerously throwing Kazuma up in the air, his head almost hitting the ceiling.
And we had a very tall ceiling...
"A-Aqua, I think that's enough! Don't toss him into the air anymore-"
As I spoke, Kazuma's expression turned troubled and nauseous.
Before I could react, he vomited milk all over Aqua's hair, face, and body while still in the air.
I leaped from the couch, catching Kazuma mid-air, and landed safely on my feet.
"Sorry about that... I was too late to warn you..."
I could only apologize to the now dripping Aqua.
She stormed off to the bathroom, sobbing once more.
Kazuma and I shared a look, but this time, he was signaling something with his hands that I wasn't keen on discussing.
He looked extremely desperate, though...
Oh dear, those pleading eyes again...
I suppose, since it's just the two of us now, it should be alright...
...
About three days had gone by, and Kazuma remained unchanged, as if the growth spurt he experienced earlier would never repeat itself.
Everyone seemed to have adjusted to the situation, spending the week indoors, indulging in a routine of lounging around, eating, and playing video games. I, too, had settled into this new way of life.
I had even acquired a baby carrier, one that could be worn on the front or back.
It was necessary whenever Megumin and Yunyun ventured outside, while Aqua remained inside the mansion, seemingly disinterested in caring for Kazuma due to what happened the other day.
I kept him close as I cleaned up the mansion, removing any potential hazards before allowing him to explore.
All seemed well...
However, today we faced a predicament we should have anticipated but managed to overlook.
Bills were due...
And I mean a hefty amount of bills and taxes.
Aqua had once again expended her money on her wine collection.
Megumin had sent her money to her family, leaving her with nothing to contribute.
As for me, borrowing from my father was my last resort.
All of this due to the fact that this little baby, who was a billionaire a week ago, remained an infant.
Presently, Kazuma was on the floor, chewing on an object that looked dangerously a choke hazard.
"Aqua, what did you give to this little guy?!"
I swiftly snatched the object from his grip, but he produced another from behind and began chewing on it.
"I gave him those failed prototype figurines. I thought I could make a bit of money again by selling figurines of you and Megumin without doing quests, but his drool ruined them, so I just let him eat them."
I administered a smack to the top of her head, mirroring how Kazuma would react when she did something utterly absurd.
"Ow, what was that for?!"
"You fool! What if he chokes on it?!"
"He won't. Besides, I've seen him bite off the heads and spit them out for some reason. You better watch out when he grows up."
Aqua gestured towards the two figurines that were now headless, with our heads lying on the floor, covered in Kazuma's saliva.
"Th-This kid is dangerous... Wait, what am I saying? He's a baby! He won't even grow up to be a formidable foe! What I meant to say was that Aqua is a dangerous babysitter, that's it!"
Megumin chimed in with a comment that added little to the conversation.
"We really need this guy to grow up faster. This is what happens when both of you get too carried away with him being an infant... I need to think..."
I settled into the rocking chair, Kazuma in my arms, while Megumin fixed her gaze on me.
"Hey... whatever happened to going to Wiz's shop?"
Megumin's question felt like a sudden stab in the back.
"U-Um... Oh my... I might have forgotten!"
But her keen intelligence quickly caught on.
"Aha! I knew it! You enjoy watching Kazuma as a baby as well! You pretended to forget about going to Wiz's shop as a solution so you could practice being a mother for a few extra days! We're going to her shop now!"
"Yes, ma'am."
I obliged with no protest.
The three of us made our way to Wiz's shop in search of a solution to cure Kazuma's curse.
Upon entering her shop, we were met with Wiz's presence.
Her red wine paint seems to already be wearing off, and also rotting out the wood from the inside...
"Hello there, Aqua-sama. What can I do for you? More tea and cookies, as usual, when you're bored and decide to grace us with your presence?"
"Enough from you, or I'll purify you!"
Aqua's flustered face was accompanied by a palm radiating a ball of blue energy.
"Y-Yes, ma'am!"
As Wiz bowed deeply to Aqua, she then noticed Megumin and me, and, of course, the person I was carrying.
"Oh my, who is this little guy? Did you and Kazuma already have a baby? Congratulations!"
Megumin seemed ready to cast an explosion spell right in the middle of the shop, while I was left completely caught off guard by Wiz's statement.
Why did she phrase it like that?
"I-It's not Kazuma and my baby! Not that I'm offended by the assumption... But the 'baby' is Kazuma himself. He was cursed by an undead witch, and we were hoping you could help us find a cure..."
I extended my arms so Wiz could see Kazuma, who was unabashedly eyeing her chest.
"Oh? The baby curse? That's quite a simple curse to cure. It's not particularly dangerous and tends to fade away over time without any harm to the afflicted person. When did this happen?"
"About five days ago."
I provided the answer.
"Five days ago? He should have aged at least five years by now."
"Then why hasn't he?! He looks exactly the same as he did five days ago! He hasn't changed at all, except he seems more fascinated by Darkness's chest and now yours!"
Megumin vented her frustration towards Wiz.
"W-Well, every baby curse might work differently. I-I apologize for not having all the details despite being a witch myself!"
"Megumin, you're not helping. If you truly want Kazuma to return back to normal, let me handle it."
I placed my hand on her shoulders to try and calm her.
"Will do."
She nodded and adjusted her hat in agreement.
"He's only grown a month older, that's it. Is there any reason why his growth was stunted?"
"It could be related to his diet. Since infants need milk, the most suitable option for him to drink would be goat milk. Any other type of milk might impede his growth."
What?!
"P-Please clarify. Are you suggesting that only goat milk can reverse his condition?"
I felt my nerves heightening.
"Wait... we've only given him goat milk... I'm certain of it."
Megumin's realization was dawning.
"Witch curses are very tricky. For instance, cow milk wouldn't have an effect. Nor would horse milk. Milk from any other animal could potentially support his normal growth like that of a regular infant. However..."
Megumin's brain had it's own mini-explosion, with her mouth slowly agape from realization.
"Human breast milk, especially with the curse still affecting him, would halt his growth entirely."
A heavy silence hung in the air...
"You fed him your own breast milk... again, didn't you..."
The intense scrutiny of the crimson archwizard bore down on me.
"I may have... More than once... or twice... What of it...?"
"Enough of this! I should've expected this from a pervert like you. I'm not even going to throw insults at you anymore; I've given up on trying to change you! I want Kazuma back to normal. How do we reverse this curse so he can stop eyeing on everyone's chest but mine!"
This time around, it's Megumin who was pulling Wiz's chest off.
"W-Well, you'll have to wait for a full moon when the undead witch returns to the forest! Luckily, that full moon is tomorrow!"
Megumin stopped her assault on the witch.
"Splendid! And what next?"
That seems surprisingly easy.
"You just have to hand over Kazuma to the undead witch!"
That was a dangerous plan!
"Absolutely not! Is there any alternative methods that might be safer? Maybe we can have Aqua purify it. Then the witch will cease to exist, and so will it's curse."
I immediately dismissed the plan due to concerns for the safety of the vulnerable infant.
"L-Like I said, witch cursed are very tricky! I'm uncertain if Aqua-sama's purification would effectively dispel the curse. It is worth a shot but it's still dangerous nonetheless. Please trust me at least this one time! The undead witch will not harm Kazuma at all. If she wanted to, she would have killed him already!"
"She does make a good point..."
"Still it's too dangerous, Megumin."
"It's worth a shot. It's a way better option than you feeding Kazuma anymore of your low nutrition breast milk so this is a better option."
"L-Low nutrition?! Why you-?!"
"Greetings, esteemed patrons of my establishment! What seems to be the source of your chaotic problem today? Oh dear... it appears that the boy from another world has regressed into a helpless infant, yet curiously, remains more useful than a certain displeased goddess who, it turns out, manipulated her way through the lottery event and is now harboring a grudge over two of her most formidable opponents!"
"Huh?"
"Greetings, spirited young lady with a tendency to always threaten to blow up my shop. I've noticed your ongoing quest to enhance your bust size, driven by an underlying insecurity with the size of your chest, leading you to experiment with an array of foods in hopes of an augmentation!"
"Hey!"
"And last but not least, I saved for the best for last. The meat head crusader who is still in sweaty constant heat, and has been secretly nursing the infant boy not only just to feed him, but to get a pleasured feeling of what the real deal would feel like whenever she crosses that path with him!"
"I-I'm not thinking about that! False accusations!"
"Muahahaha! You're even starting to sound like him! My, my, his influence is overwhelming you, indeed! That being said, you came here to read his fortune, correct?"
I swiftly regained my composure as soon as he mentioned Kazuma's fortune.
"Yes, that's why we're here."
"Very well, but first, there's a modest fee to be settled."
"I, uh, don't have any funds on me at the moment..."
"Very well, I'll just feed off the negative emotions out of you first as your replacement."
"Fine, fine. Just get on with it. We're eager to know if there's any hope for him to grow back."
He sat on a chair, setting his belongings on a table, and then I sat in the opposite side of him with Kazuma sitting on my lap.
Vanir hovered his hands over the mystical orb of his divination.
"Mmm... yes... the vision is becoming clear..."
"W-What do you see?"
I felt a nervous knot in my stomach, and Kazuma's gaze remained locked on the enigmatic sphere.
"At this moment... I perceive him as an adult..."
The words held a glimmer of hope, finally, some good news.
"Oh my... the boy you're currently holding right now is doing unspeakable things to you... in his very room. The two of you seem to have consent to this and planned ahead when both of your party members were out of the mansion! And you seem to be practically enjoying it immensely to the fullest! How does that thing even fit, it looks rather too big even for you..."
I felt my consciousness waver, my cheeks blazing crimson after hearing his foresight. I was almost sent reeling from the chair as I snatched the mysterious orb off the table and flung it against the wall.
"That's the wrong future! Hey, just how far are you looking! You shouldn't be looking into the future of our relationship!"
Unfazed by my actions, Vanir seemed to have picked up another magical orb of fortune and begun reading off of it once more.
"I'm looking even further... I see it now! Oh my... ten children? That's too many, even for us devils..."
"T-Ten?!"
I almost dropped Kazuma onto the floor in the process.
"Just kidding! Anyway, you've paid your fee. Now let's look into his future."
Wait, does that mean he was reading into my future?
"Hmmm... he'll indeed be okay. The curse holds a temporary grip. Just follow the hopeless shopkeeper's plan and all shall be well. Just don't let that tomfoolery goddess ruin the plan and everything should be okay."
"I see then. Thank you, Vanir."
"My pleasure doing business, as always. And as a token of goodwill, I shall offer this glimpse free of charge, given the fine work that young boy has done in increasing my earnings."
With that, Vanir resumed his insight into Kazuma's fate, peering ever deeper into the tapestry of events yet to unfold.
"The boy... No doubt, this is just the beginning of your problems as you and him journey your life together... He will reach to a point where he will be tested to his absolute limits... both physically and mentally. He will be in an incredible battle against his own mind... if he is strong enough.. he'll live to see you for another day."
My expression and demeanor grew serious...
"You're not joking just like before when you foretold the future of me and my father... are you?"
"I am afraid I am not. I can only give you very little information and give you a slight advantage. But if I tell you anymore, the future will be entirely changed, possibly having an even worse outcome. Make do with what you have. Now begone, your vomiting stench of a goddess is trying to cast a barrier outside the shop to trap me in this enclosure for eternity."
Agreeing with Wiz's plan, we returned to the mansion and patiently waited for the following night when the full moon would appear.
During that night, I chose to share Kazuma's room, where I nestled myself beside him. Gently running my fingers through his hair, I found myself lost in contemplation...
Tomorrow was the last day I would see this man like this... The man I cherish so much that every single word in the dictionary wasn't enough to express it...
The past five days have been nothing but tiring, but also heartwarming and enjoyable nonetheless.
I haven't realized how much I missed taking care of infants when I was younger. As time progressed, and I grew more older and mature, my attention shifted toward children around Princess Iris's age or younger.
Raising a young infant male, I feel like I've gained more experience to be able to be confident that I can go through motherhood without a problem.
The moon's gentle glow filtered through the window, casting its luminance upon Kazuma. This illumination allowed him to glimpse my upper body with no issue.
And so he grabbed my nose in curiosity with both of his tiny little hands in the process, interrupting my thoughts.
Aww... He looks so adorable... I would never let anyone harm this precious little boy no matter what.
"Mmh... Mmmph!"
Kazuma once again emitted a cute sound, lifting himself up by using my face as support to sit straight up to gaze at me more clearly.
"Kazuma... it's time to go to sleep. Why are you not tired?"
I asked him.
Over the past half-hour, he had been engaged in an energetic crawl around the bed, displaying no trace of tiredness.
I was about to fall asleep any minute, my eyes closing instinctively with only the thought of Kazuma possibly falling off the bed preventing me from fully falling into deep sleep.
As a precaution, I positioned him a safe distance away, ensuring my own weight would not inadvertently harm him should I shift in my sleep. An additional pillow was enlisted as a barricade, preventing Kazuma's further explorations.
It seems that he didn't like that one bit.
Once again, he dashed toward my face, nestling himself beside me and resuming his exploration, his tiny fingers delicately tracing my cheeks.
"Finally falling asleep now?"
I inquired to him in a hushed tone, all the while enfolding him gently within my arm, drawing him close to my chest.
He seemed a bit uncomfortable, making sounds of distress as he struggled to break free from my grasp.
"Maybe I'll finally sing a lullaby if you're having trouble sleeping."
Clearing my throat, and a bit of sadness in my tone, I sung a lullaby my mother sang to me once before I never saw her again.
Hush, little baby, don't say a word,
Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird.
And if that mockingbird won't sing, Mama's buy you a diamond ring.
And if that diamond ring turns brass,
Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass.
And if that looking glass gets broke,
Mama's gonna buy you a billy goat,
And if that billy goat won't pull,
Mama's gonna buy you a cart and bull.
And if that cart and bull turn over,
Mama's gonna buy you a dog named Rover.
And if that dog named Rover won't bark,
Mama's gonna buy you a horse and cart.
And if that horse and cart fall down,
Well you'll still be the sweetest baby in town.
I gently brushed away a tear that had left its mark on my cheeks.
Curiously, I peeked with one of my eyes to see if he was now asleep.
Yet, much to my disappointment, his eyes remained wide awake, his gaze only intensified with wondering what I had just sung to him.
"Kazuma... why won't you sleep? I'm-"
"Mama..."
My words were put to a halt immediately, my eyes opened wide with shock, and my arms quickly pulled away from him in sheer panic, picking up what I just heard from Kazuma himself.
My body began to quiver with this unknown feeling.
Was it happiness or sadness creeping inside me?
R-Right now, he just called me 'Mama'.
His first words... and he recognized me as his... his...!
My trembling hands embrace him once more.
The way he stared at me... felt like the stare I gave when I looked at my own...
"Mama..."
He uttered once more, his voice a melody of innocence and purity.
"Yes! I'm your Mama... Mama is here..."
I'm your Mamatina...!
Tears began to stream down my cheeks profusely as I embraced him more intently with my entire body.
Out of all the girls who lived in this mansion that he said it to, he said it to me...
And I was the only one to hear that...
Is this what it feels like?
To raise a child... with his...?
I could only imagine the fun and graceful adventures we could potentially be doing if we ever cross to that future...
What should I do? I feel so excited now... If this is what it feels like to be raising a child that is him.
Imagine what my life would be if I took care of our future child...
With happy thoughts surrounding me, comforting me, as I laid so my arms embracing my own son, I eventually flew into a deep slumber without any hindrance.
And so did my son... who slept soundly right next to me.
"I love you, Kazuma."
...
The morning awakened both of us; surprisingly, I was the first to wake up, rather than him climbing on me in an attempt to suffocate me with his small body frame.
I immediately noticed that he had grown slightly bigger than before, thanks to the goat milk we had fed him the previous night.
He seemed to be crawling faster than before, almost reaching his walking stage.
I took him for his daily morning bath to clean him up. After that, I dried him off and fed him as much goat milk as he was willing to drink, his hands reaching for my chest as he preferred a different type of milk...
For the time being, I decided to clean up the mansion again from the snacks that Aqua and Megumin had eaten during their video game shenanigans.
Megumin was there to distract Kazuma with her staff and her long, loud chants, so he couldn't walk into anything harmful while I cleaned up.
Aqua did her best to avoid Kazuma's wrath, hiding in different places around the mansion. Kazuma eventually found her as he crawled everywhere with his newfound crawling speed.
It was practically a game of hide-and-seek, with Aqua taking it extremely seriously, fearing for her life.
The hours passed swiftly.
Kazuma took a quick, brief nap, resting in my arms as I sat in the rocking chair.
When night finally came, we continued our quest to purify—no, to save Kazuma from the not-so-wicked curse, but a problematic curse, nonetheless.
"Are you both sure we should trust Wiz's words? Shouldn't you both trust a goddess like me and believe that we should just purify the undead witch and solve the problem?"
Aqua was still rebellious over the idea that we should hand over Kazuma to the undead witch.
"I trust Wiz and her words. If the undead witch attempts to harm Kazuma in any way, just be sure to cast your spell on it before he could get hurt."
I said to Aqua, formulating a quick plan that would work for all of us.
"Very well. I'm confident that I can resurrect a baby as long as he isn't disintegrated... Ow! Don't hit me! Why are you acting more like Kazuma now?" I smacked her on the head once more.
"Don't say things that could potentially occur just because you predict them."
Just as Aqua was about to say more words, we could hear the iconic sounds of the witch's footsteps and the creepy audible noise coming from its mouth.
"D-Darkness, hide! What are you doing? It's still very dark, I can't see a thing!" Megumin said to me, fearing for the safety of both me and Kazuma.
"There is no use in hiding. We don't have Lurk, nor would it work on an undead. Let's finish this once and for all..."
Even though I also couldn't see a thing in this haunted forest, I still marched toward the center point of the witch, determined to dispel the curse from Kazuma.
The witch instantly noticed my presence.
She was about to emit a horrifying screech the moment she saw me, preparing to curse me as well until she realized what I had in my hands.
I extended my arms to show her a vulnerable and sleeping Kazuma, wrapped in a warm blanket to prevent the cold from getting to him.
"Hey, I don't know the origins of your backstory... So I will tell you this... Please... bring this little guy back to normal."
I bowed my head, only slightly, to still get a glimpse of the witch in case she did something dangerous to me or Kazuma.
The witch hissed at the sight of me or rather my words.
Remembering what Wiz had said, that I had to give it to the witch, I had no choice but to set the sleeping Kazuma on the grassy ground.
Slowly, I backed away, but also in a stance where I could run forward immediately for precaution.
The undead witch slowly approached Kazuma, still sleeping on the ground with the blanket wrapped around him.
Aqua and Megumin quietly approached me from behind, also ready in case anything bad occurred.
We watched as the undead witch gently carried Kazuma in her arms, her gray hand with sharp black fingernails stroking his hair.
For some reason, we sensed no hostility at all, even though this was an undead witch that could put a curse on people.
Most shockingly, the witch began silently crying the more she stared at Kazuma's innocent sleepy face.
At that point, we all let our guard down for the moment to let her enjoy the moment.
A bright light surrounded the witch, but Aqua hadn't cast her purify spell at all.
"My little boy..." The undead witch spoke in a voice that sounded nothing like what she had been before, as if it was her real voice before she turned into what she was now.
Then she looked at the three of us.
"Long ago, I lost a little boy in this same forest that I traveled through... And I never saw him again..."
Slowly, the undead witch's true form was revealed to be that of a mother with brown hair and dark black eyes.
"He has his father's eyes as well..."
It must be the father who had the green eyes.
After feeling satisfied with holding Kazuma for a good minute, she softly placed him on the grass while he was still asleep.
She stood up once more and gazed at the three of us.
The undead witch had now transformed back into her past human form, happily smiling with tears in her eyes.
"Thank you..."
The moment she said those words, she ascended to the heavens, slowly disappearing from our sight.
The three of us stood speechless at what had occurred.
I had expected the witch to merely look at Kazuma and complete the task quickly, just so Aqua wouldn't threaten to purify her. But this... this was beyond our expectations...
"Did it work?" Aqua muttered.
I snapped back to reality and rushed to Kazuma to see if he had finally turned back to normal.
To my utter disappointment and desperation...
"No... it didn't work at all...!"
"What?! Are you kidding?! All those heartwarming sentences and then slowly levitating to god knows where?! I should've purified her right from the start! Now Kazuma is gonna be a baby forever!" Aqua screamed, shaking her head profusely, going absolutely ballistic.
"Aqua, calm down! Wiz didn't give us the entire process. Maybe it's something that happens at midnight, like one of those princess stories where she returns back to normal at midnight." Megumin attempted to calm her down once more.
I picked up the now awake Kazuma, who had woken up from Aqua's screaming, and brought him over to the two of them.
"Both are potential outcomes... But either way, Kazuma will eventually turn back to normal in about seventeen days. If I recall correctly, Wiz said that he should've been five years old by now."
I reminded them.
"That is true. Perhaps we should wait until midnight to see if Kazuma grows back to normal then? If not, then I can wait for seventeen more days. There's really no harm."
"And I'll just use the money from my father to pay the bills for this month... In reality, Kazuma won't be a baby forever or for an extremely long time, Aqua. So there is no need to panic..."
Kazuma was beginning to cry again, most certainly because he couldn't see a single thing.
"Hush, little baby..."
I said to him in a soft and soothing tone, calming him down more quickly than before.
He must've recognized and picked up on my voice after all the days I took care of him, and he stopped his wailing.
Aqua had finally calmed down after hearing what Megumin and I had to say about our situation.
"I guess those predictions could happen... Let's just go back home... I want to go to sleep."
She rubbed her eyes.
"Very well."
"Shall we?"
We headed back to our mansion, with our quest nearly completed.
All we had to do was wait for Kazuma to turn back to normal at midnight.
Unfortunately, all of us were tired as Aqua had fallen asleep twice before I had to wake her up.
"I have a plan. Let's get a huge blanket and lay it on the living room floor. And we'll all sleep together with Kazuma in the middle!" Megumin exclaimed.
"I'm up for it."
Aqua raised her hand in agreement, her eyes drooping the second she spoke.
"Alright, I'll get the pillows. Even if we wake up to a still-infant Kazuma, we can do it over and over until he gets older."
I grabbed four pillows for all of us, while Megumin gathered the blankets.
Aqua was already falling asleep on the couch, almost crushing Kazuma in the process.
I placed the sleeping Kazuma right in the middle, with me on his right side and Megumin on his left.
And for some reason, Aqua took the southern side of the blanket mattress, so she was resting underneath our feet.
With her and Kazuma deeply asleep, Megumin and I took the opportunity to talk...
"Darkness..."
"Yes?"
"Are you glad to have been in this situation? To have taken care of Kazuma as a baby?"
"I have no regrets... Taking care of him has given me new profound knowledge of how to care for a male infant. Of course, I learned some of it the hard way."
A couple of days ago, I was changing Kazuma's diaper and he suddenly... well, you can guess what happened.
"Same here... I'm going to cherish these moments even if he doesn't remember them."
"Do you still love him?"
I asked her suddenly.
"Of course. My feelings won't just disappear in a single day or even a single month. Remember that time on the balcony before the dramatic thunderstorm event? I told him that I would grow up to become a mature woman with a bustier body than yours... and then I'd steal him away from you."
I chuckled at her unwavering determination.
"I look forward to it, my love rival."
I was about to fall asleep, satisfied with the night...
"Also, I have one more thing to confess."
"What is it?"
"I may have fed Kazuma a bit of bread, but in a very... unique way."
That doesn't sound good; he shouldn't be eating solid food at his age.
"In what way?"
"I playfully fed him mouth to mouth, and my lips may have accidentally touched his... every time I fed him..."
I could see her eyes glowing crimson, as usual when her emotions peak.
I resisted clenching my hands, taking a deep breath to calm down.
"That's okay."
"Really? You're not mad or jealous?"
She said in surprise.
"I've also kissed him plenty of times. You've only done it once, and he won't remember it at all. How could it truly affect me to a level of anger?"
"That's surprising... But thank you for understanding... Now I can sleep peacefully, with a clear mind."
She shut her eyes, her arm around Kazuma.
"He also called me 'Mama.' Which I am happy with..."
My hand also wrapped around Kazuma, and I could feel Megumin's arm twitch in response to what she just heard.
Now I can sleep peacefully, with a clear mind...
What happened?
I decided to act like a hero again just like when I first died from saving that girl from a REAL truck.
In doing so, by saving Darkness from a deathly fate, I took the curse head on and lost consciousness, and everything went black.
But now I'm recovering...
I opened my eyes and the sun shined brightly through the windows, blinding me.
I wasn't in my room, no doubt about that...
Judging by how high the ceiling was, I seemed to be resting on the living room floor.
Just what happened?
I look at my surroundings...
To my shock, my eyes widened in bewilderment.
I looked to my right to see a sleeping Darkness in her pink pajamas, and then to my left to see a sleeping Megumin with her red pajamas.
Their arms wrapped around my waist and chest, trapping me in their grasp.
And then in front of me, was a sleeping Aqua, resting on my feet with her blue pajamas.
But most importantly...
I was naked!
With only a... diaper? A ripped diaper with only the front of it covering my.. little Kazuma thingy...
Just what on earth happened when I was in a coma?!
Did my body unconsciously make a harem for myself?!
Did I lose my first time with all these women?
Did I take their first time that very same night?
The thoughts overwhelmed me tremendously.
Did we all get drunk together?!
The two girls who were practically hugging me noticed that I was finally awake.
I awkwardly looked at them as they had to register what they were looking at.
"Kazuma!"
"Kazuma!"
They embraced me, their arms hugging my neck and my shoulders feeling their chests.
No doubt...
Aqua heard all the commotion, looking at me directly, and then noticed me being hugged by two beautiful women.
I smugly grinned at her while she had a look of shock plastered onto her face.
"Daddy's got a harem!"
I cheerfully shouted inside the mansion.
The two girls went silent and pulled away from me as if they knew what was coming for me and just decided to do nothing about it.
"God Blow!"
[ QUEST COMPLETED ]