Hi, I’m the Hero’s Father ～I’m Sorry For All The Trouble My Foolish Son Has Caused You～ - Chapter 69

Chapter 69   The Demi-Human Girl is Shock by the Idea of Hygiene

After Weil and Mion finished their bath, Croix quickly took a shower in their place. He decided to enjoy a proper bath later—right now, he just wanted to get something to eat. Thanks to the small amount of Neptune’s blood he had inadvertently consumed, his muscle fatigue and overall energy had noticeably recovered. For that, he was grateful, but still, drinking blood? That was a step too far.

“Croix-sama, you seem a bit down,” Mion observed.

“Just a little overwhelmed by the difference in ethics,” Croix replied.

“???”

The three of them, now clean, were led through the palace by a fish-maid. Everything in the palace was oversized, presumably to accommodate Neptune’s massive frame. Mion, who was visiting for the first time, looked around with her mouth agape.

“Wow… the ceiling is so high!”

“It is. Honestly, it feels like I’ve walked into a dollhouse I used to play with as a child,” Weil commented.

“Weil-sama, you used to play with dollhouses?” Mion asked, surprised.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Oh, nothing in particular,” Mion quickly responded, not wanting to offend.

It was unexpected, but somehow fitting. Weil’s past was even more mysterious than Croix’s, but the idea of her playing with dollhouses was surprising. According to the maid guiding them, while the guest rooms were human-sized, most of the palace was built on Neptune’s scale. The other fish people also varied in size, so the palace was constructed to accommodate beings of all dimensions. Croix and Weil, being familiar with the place, moved forward without much reaction.

After a while, they arrived at a massive door, and as it opened, the aroma of roasted food wafted through the air. It seemed they had reached the banquet hall. A human-sized table had been prepared, and across from it, Neptune was sitting cross-legged. Croix couldn’t help but think that such a revealing posture in that outfit was a bit too much.

“I’ve been waiting! Croix, Weil, Mion! Come, let’s start the feast!” Neptune enthusiastically called out.

Neptune seemed to be incredibly excited, practically bouncing with joy. Reluctantly, Croix and the others took their seats at the table prepared for them.

“Wow…! There are so many dishes I’ve never seen before!” Mion exclaimed, her eyes shining at the sight of the freshly prepared food.

Indeed, there was a colorful array of dishes: stewed, grilled, and steamed fish in various hues, a medley of seaweeds, and even meat, seemingly prepared specially for Croix and the others.

Neptune, pleased with Mion’s reaction, nodded contentedly.

“See? See? The cuisine of my kingdom is the best in the world! Because—”

“It’s because there’s not much entertainment at the bottom of the sea, so cooking has developed,” Weil interjected.

“Hey, Weil! That’s true, but couldn’t you be a bit more diplomatic about it, you fool!”

It seemed Neptune had a bit of pride in this area, as her face flushed red. Considering Croix’s previous encounters, it wasn’t just a figment of imagination that Weil’s remarks were particularly sharp towards Neptune.

“Really… Weil, you should learn to be more considerate. It hurts my feelings,” Neptune said, clearly affected.

“Ah, my apologies, Neptune-sama,” Weil responded with a smile.

Despite this, Neptune seemed to enjoy the exchange. To Mion, it appeared that Weil and Neptune had a friendly rapport—one of those relationships where arguing was a sign of closeness.

At that moment, a loud rumbling noise emanated from Croix’s stomach, echoing like an earthquake.

“Your Majesty, I’m hungry,” Croix said.

“Ah, yes. Then let’s start the feast!” Neptune declared.

At Neptune’s command, fishwomen dressed in what looked like traditional costumes entered the banquet hall. They danced and sang to the rhythm of the music, their appearance enchanting.

Mion was so captivated by the performance that she paid more attention to it than to the food.

“Wow, they’re beautiful…! You two, it’s incredible!” Mion said.

“Yes, indeed. Munch, munch,” Weil responded, still eating.

“They’re really beautiful, munch, munch,” Mion added.

“Are you not watching!?”

It was clear that Croix was extremely hungry. He was so fixated on the food in front of him that he barely noticed the dance and music.

“F-Forgive me, Neptune-sama…”

“Ha ha ha ha! Don’t worry about it! Think of these as entertainment for the feast, Mion. If you don’t eat, those gluttons over there will finish everything before you get a chance.”

“Eh? Oh!”

By the time Mion realized it, the food on the table had vanished in the blink of an eye. Even though more dishes were being brought out, at this rate, it seemed like Mion might not get to eat anything before it was all gone.

Mion hurriedly started grabbing food.

And then—

“—Delicious! This is the first time I’ve had such delicious fish dishes…!”

“Ha ha ha! What a great reaction, Mion!”

Neptune, satisfied after drinking from a large barrel of sake, seemed to be enjoying the moment. Though Neptune lived for eternity, she was always pleased when someone enjoyed the dishes she had developed.

“This time, there’s no blood in the food, so you can eat with peace of mind. If I put it in, Croix would get mad at me.”

Suddenly—

Mion’s hand stopped.

“…Blood? Blood, you say…?”

“My blood is special; even a drop can revive the dead.”

“Usually, I mix my blood in. It’s the ultimate touch for entertaining guests.”

“Hygiene concerns.”

Mion, facing such a stark difference in ethics, found herself overwhelmed.