Hi, I’m the Hero’s Father ～I’m Sorry For All The Trouble My Foolish Son Has Caused You～ - Chapter 68

Chapter 68   The Hero’s Father Struggles with Differences in Ethics

The three of them were escorted to their guest room by a mermaid attendant. The room’s interior was lavishly decorated, clearly designed to impress the occasional guests from outside. There were two beds, but since Croix and Wiel shared one, the number was sufficient. Mion, eager to finally rest, dove straight into the bed.

“Oh… It’s been so long since I’ve lain down on something other than water…”

“Goodness, Mion-chan. You should take a bath first, or you’ll be all dirty. Let’s go together.”

“A bath!”

Mion’s excitement was palpable. It had been half a month since she last had the chance to bathe, merely relying on purification spells to stay clean. Her ears perked up, and her tail wagged in delight.

“Alright, dear. We’ll go ahead and bathe first,” Wiel said.

“Yeah, go ahead,” Croix replied, watching the two head to the bathroom attached to the guest room. He sat down on the sofa with a sigh. After walking on the ocean for half a month, even Croix’s muscles were feeling the strain.

In truth, his muscles were screaming for relief.

“Ever since Alka was born, I haven’t been able to train properly… My combat instincts may be back, but I’m far from my prime,” Croix murmured as he stretched, trying to ease the stiffness in his muscles.

Despite his efforts, the fatigue lingered. All he wanted was a long soak in the bath and some rest. Just then, there was a knock at the door. From the aura, Croix could tell it was Neptune.

“Croix, are you there?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Croix answered.

When Croix opened the door, Neptune squeezed through, looking quite cramped. In truth, only her upper body could fit as her waist got stuck in the doorway. The sight was overwhelming in many ways, but Croix kept his gaze steady, looking up at Neptune’s face.

“Is something the matter?” he asked.

“Indeed. I brought you some tea and sweets. The preparations for the banquet are taking a bit longer than expected, so I made the tea myself,” Neptune replied.

“Thank you. But couldn’t you have left this to the maids or butlers?” Croix suggested.

“I wanted you to drink the tea that I made,” Neptune insisted, her expression almost like that of a lovestruck maiden.

Though Croix thought this, the fact that the affection was directed at him left him feeling rather complicated. He accepted the tray from Neptune and sipped the tea. The rich flavor filled his mouth, and a refreshing, floral fragrance lingered as it passed through his nose. The temperature was just right, and the tea went down smoothly.

“This is delicious. I’ve never had anything like it before.”

“Isn’t it? Isn’t it!? I developed it myself! It’s made by drying seaweed and coral that only grow ten thousand meters below the sea!” Neptune exclaimed, clearly delighted by the praise, and eagerly began explaining the tea leaves.

Croix felt a warm, nostalgic feeling as he remembered how his son, Alka, used to happily talk about various things.

“And then, I added a drop of my blood.”

“WHAAA—?!”

Or so he thought—until that last part snapped him back to reality. What did this crazy woman just say?

“What, what’s wrong, Croix? Did it go down the wrong pipe? Should I rub your back?” Neptune asked, noticing his reaction.

Cough Cough “N-No, I’m fine. Um… What did you just say?”

“Huh? Are you angry, Croix? Your face looks scary,” Neptune said, concerned.

“I’m not angry.”

“You are! Your face looks angry! Why are you so mad?!” Neptune stammered, looking genuinely bewildered by Croix’s reaction. She started fidgeting with her fingers, clearly upset.

“It’s just tea I made for you, there’s no need to get so angry…”

“I’m not angry. So, how was this tea made?”

“…I dried and finely ground seaweed and coral that grow ten thousand meters below the sea, and then carefully filtered fresh water that also comes from ten thousand meters deep.”

“I see.”

“And then, I added a drop of my blood.”

“Guilty as charged.”

“Why!?”

Neptune seemed genuinely confused and put her head in her hands. However, she quickly seemed to understand and clapped her hands, blushing with embarrassment.

“Oh, I see. You’re saying you feel sorry that I cut my finger to let blood flow. Hee hee, Croix, you’re so kind.”

“No, that’s not it.”

“Don’t worry. As long as I’m in the sea, I gain the power of the ocean. A small cut on my fingertip heals instantly.”

“That’s not it either.”

It seemed Neptune misunderstood, thinking Croix was upset about her self-injury. While that was a minor part of his frustration, it wasn’t the main issue. The larger part was:

“No one likes to have their blood taken without their consent.”

“Why?”

“Ethics.”

The vast difference in ethical views caused Croix a headache.

“Was it really that bad? My blood has healing effects. It can heal even if minced into pieces, bringing you back to life. I thought you might be tired, so I added it…”

“I appreciate the thought, but I’d prefer something like nutritious food instead.”

“I see! I’ll get some food prepared right away!”

With that, Neptune hurried out the door, causing a rumbling noise as she went. A fish-man maid, who had been waiting behind, hurried after her.

“Hey! Your Majesty, you’re not supposed to run in the hallway!”

“Yes!”

It was hard to tell who was the master and who was the servant in this situation. Croix felt mentally exhausted and sank deeply into the sofa.