Even Though I'M not from this World, My Step-Daughters Are Too Cute And Working As An Househusband Isn't Too Much Of A Hassle 3 - or 'MotoBukha' (MotoMusu SI)

"A Virus?"

The news was a bit of a surprise, but it was not that uncommon for sickness to spread around due to how rudimentary the sewage system worked. I wouldn't say I had neglected it as a concern, but planning a sufficient system to replace the new one and then earnestly get it fixed was taking a while for me to conjure.

It was something that went beyond mere Skills and that required genuine planning, tools and resources to guarantee a proper replacement. That and permission from the local administration.

Still, my presence here at the local pharmacy was to drop off some of the weed that could be turned into antidotes for common poisons. While this potion was easy to conjure, the lack of quests meant to provide this sort of herb to the pharmacy was easily causing a decline in the available stocks for those.

So, when the owner mentioned this, I was there and caught slightly off-guard.

The cat-eared pharmacist that spoke up nodded at my curt response.

"Yes. We have received reports that there is a virus that is currently spreading in town. We don't have many potions in supply to heal this sort of ailment so…"

"You want me to take care of it."

A slow nod ensued. "I would ask as much, yes, but the Guild has a… bit of a concerning attitude towards you in the specific, Mr. Bukharin. I thought your wife-"

"Considering their effort to put her in a party, I think it's best I do this. It is, after all, the kind of mission that would normally require a party."

The pharmacist frowned. "But you-"

"I have my ways. After all, there's a funny reason why they 'hate' me."

Shirley was an 'annoyance' due to her dislike of cooperating with others in a party since these groups were not that 'good' in terms of trust and friendliness. That and they were strangers to her- in the line of self-preservation the woman had something of a hate bone when it comes to trusting unknowns to keep her rear covered from attacks.

Still, knowing the guild, they would press it on her to join a party due to how 'railroaded' her mind can get. In that situation, Shirley would just not think outside the box so… it was best I took care of this.

I was 'hated' by the guild 'master' as he knew he couldn't get shit on me no matter how many times he used poor Yumina, the Guild Clerk, to get me to raise my rank or do more quests. If Shirley was difficult due to her stubbornness, I was worse in his eyes because I was the one individual he couldn't coax into doing shit.

In fact, I would say this was mostly due to my cordial connection with Lady Canary, the Witch in charge of the Guild but that tended to be wandering around rather than sit down and waste her existence behind paperwork. But before I could get to the Guild, I made it back home to get a few things settled.

"No school?" "For three days?"

Tio and Sophia looked a bit surprised by this decision, while Shirley, albeit puzzled by the option, seemed to realize I wasn't doing this out of 'giving them free days to laze about'.

"There's a virus in town that is currently targeting children your age," I explained calmly. "I want you two to keep away from school, from other children for this time. Just for as long as I am gone as I am making a trip to find the ingredients for the cure."

"The pharmacy doesn't have any?"

I shook my head at Shirley's question. "Not enough to fit with the current rate of the virus' spread. I will be out by commissioning a quest for myself to go there."

"I could go," Shirley offered, sounding nervous. "I can do it-"

"I know you can, but I am not planning to just do it for our daughters. Which I am sure would be your sole priority."

It wasn't a harsh comment, but to many it may sound as such. Shirley had a tendency to put absolute priority on the twins, but the virus was attacking all children in town.

I know she would focus on getting just enough for the girls, but not enough for the rest. And this virus, oddly so, targeted kids with severe fevers that could easily be deadly if not treated accordingly.

"...Fine."

I gave her a chaste kiss by the lips. "I love you, dear, but I want you to be around Tio and Sophia because you can guarantee their safety even better than me."

This was the ultimate 'morale-booster' as no one would disagree with this. Out of us two, Shirley was still the one that would die endlessly to keep our girls safe, so she was the best option to keep them sheltered from trouble.

After giving them a 'goodbye' for the time being, I walked off to the Guild and went on to speak with Yumina. Her jovial mood faltered as she saw me. I wouldn't say she hated me, but the young woman had long accustomed me to someone that her boss would bitch and whine about, always thinking she was at fault for 'not convincing John and Shirley on being ranked higher or being in parties'.

I really didn't blame the girl, and, despite these issues, we held a rather good understanding of each other. So, these reactions were more of a 'I am going to be chewed up for nothing today' than a genuine displeasure of talking with me.

"John, long time no see."

"Yumina, I am sorry for having missed in a while, but I would like to commission a quest."

"Oh? That's- do you want me to fill out the forms while you give me the details?" She looked hopeful. Maybe she would have a reason to dodge punishment.

But as I picked up my 'book-map' with the interactive map of the whole continent with a few landmarks signed down, she slowly realized through a few of those locations that I was up to no good with this 'herb-gathering quest'.

"Those are not places meant for a normal D-Rank Adventurer to explore. John, don't you dare-"

"I would like to take a quest, Yumina~!"

She screamed against her palms as I said that lovely sentence, but I made sure to tip her two bags of gold. Poor girl needed to be coaxed into being forgiving. She truly deserved a hubby and an early retirement as far as I was concerned- a feeling that was mutual with Shirley in this regard. Still, with all the paperwork needed being dealt with, it was time for me to go for a very 'long' walk to get large stocks of Dragon Horns!

I wasn't expecting it to also result in two unusual gifts for my baby girls but… profit is profit!