An ordinary profession creates the world's strongest

The cute bunny-eared girl from another world said shyly, her distinctive bunny ears dancing with joy. Her expression also looked very happy.

"While everyone's lifestyle is different, I'm sure both of you have been having a hard time lately, both physically and mentally exhausted. You've lost quite a bit of weight. Please try to eat your three meals a day regularly for the time being."

The gentle and kind mermaid from another world spoke considerately. Her maternal charm made Shuu and Sumire want to call her "Mommy," even though they were the parents-in-law.

Hajime has been incredibly busy lately. Shia and Remia have been learning to cook Earth cuisine in order to quickly adapt to life in Japan and help Hajime and his parents with their work.

They are already good at cooking, so even though they are in different worlds, they have no problem cooking.

The two daughters-in-law not only can easily make delicious dishes, but also cook for the couple sincerely.

──If I don’t eat well, can I still be considered a shojo manga artist!?

──Of course we have to follow this big trend!

Of course, this had nothing to do with being a manga artist, nor was it a trend, but the couple were veteran otakus. They couldn't refuse the food made by their lovely wives from another world. They'd eat it even if it made them sick.

Just like that, about a week passed—

"Hajime, you've really found a good wife. You mustn't let them down. If you hurt their feelings, I'll publish your doujinshi, so be careful."

"You must not abandon them. If anything happens to them... Dad, I will use every possible means to avenge you."

"That's terrifying."

The couple's hearts and minds were completely taken over by their wives. They now ate their meals, each morning, lunch, and evening, prepared by Shia and Remia. They smiled as they ate, their cheeks puffed out like squirrels.

Being praised as good daughters-in-law by their parents-in-law, Xia and Remia were both happy and shy, and became coy.

"Grandpa! Grandma! What about Myuu!? Can Myuu also be a good daughter-in-law?"

"Well, the two elders' comments are indeed concerning. I'm not as skilled in cooking as Shia and the others, nor do I know how to make money. I'm a complete loser. What should I do?"

Myuu leaned forward on the dining table, while Tio tilted her head with a troubled look on her face.

For about two weeks after returning, Yue and the others had tried to avoid going out. The world was still abuzz with attention on the disappearance, and the media were everywhere, ambushing and following them.

Of course, using magic that interferes with cognition can deal with them. They can also move by means of invisibility or teleportation.

However, Yue and the others weren't really that eager to go out. Hajime toiled and bustled around for them every day, and they had no desire to enjoy themselves. Most importantly, they wanted to get to know Hajime's hometown under his guidance.

As a result, from a bad perspective, they became the situation that Tio described.

"I'm not some rice bug!"

However, Cho and Sumire shouted in unison. Tio and the others thought that when they first met them, they often felt that the couple had a really good relationship and were very similar.

"Tio! You're a great daughter-in-law too. I'm really touched to have such an interesting—I mean, such a beautiful—daughter-in-law like you!"

"Mother-in-law? You just said I—"

"Yes, Miss Tio! You really shouldn't be so self-deprecating! We're so happy to have gained a little dog who's beyond our reach—I mean, a good wife!"

"Are you hiding something, sir?!"

These comments didn't sound like they were talking about his wife, but rather like she was being treated as a comedian—Tio couldn't help but feel that way. Regardless, it was an indisputable fact that this foolish dragon, whose very existence was regrettable in every way, seemed to be quite popular with the Nanyun couple.

"..."

At this moment, Sumire's eyes turned to the side, looking at Yue. She drank her tea in strange silence, deliberately shielding her face with the cup, her eyes wavering timidly.

Sumire narrowed her eyes, her gaze full of care, as if she was looking at someone who was being lovable.

Yue noticed Sumire's gaze and when she met her eyes, her shoulders immediately twitched.

"Haha. Yue, you are of course the best daughter-in-law in our family."

"Ah... yes, thank you... Granny..."

Yue answered shyly, feeling embarrassed, her face flushed, her eyes wandering violently.

It's rare to see her like this, it's really rare. Because the most powerful vampire princess is always calm and confident.

"Yue? Why, are you still nervous when facing my parents?"

“…I, I’m not nervous.”

"Normally she's used to it, it's just..." Sumire said.

"Yue still gets nervous every time we talk about topics related to my wife's position. There's really no need to take it to heart," Chou continued.

"Ah, uh... S-sorry."

Yue, filled with shame, covered her face with her hands. This look of hers was truly rare, and Shia and the others couldn't help but smile warmly. Shia was even a little excited. Regardless, Yue's particularly endearing appearance brought a smile to their faces.

Yue considered herself Nanyun Hajime's wife, and she could always claim this to everyone, possessing unwavering confidence. However, because of this arrogance as the wife, she was more nervous than anyone else when facing her in-laws.

Because she said she couldn't let her in-laws dislike her no matter what she said, and she hoped that her in-laws would recognize from the bottom of their hearts that she was the most worthy life partner for their son.

This mentality was too strong, and Yue became somewhat confused.

"You should relax more, Yue. No matter what anyone says, you're the best daughter-in-law. We're really grateful to have you in our home."

"That's right. Every time we hear about your time in the other world, we are so grateful to you. You met the little dog and stayed with him all this time. It is a great favor to us."

Sumire and Chou spoke to Yue one after another, their true feelings. If it weren't for Yue, they couldn't imagine what would have happened to Hajime. Putting aside the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of his life, he would have surely collapsed long ago.

Nanyun and his wife had expressed such sincere gratitude to Yue many times. And Yue's reaction this time was the same, his eyes wandering like a small fish in a pond.

"Don't say that... I just did what I wanted to do..."

The more flustered Yue became, the more Hajime and the others, who were chuckling beside her, began to smile. "Ms. Yue is so cute~" Shia was the only one who seemed to be getting increasingly excited.

"The most important thing is that Xiaoquan can no longer live without you."

“From now on, Hajime will be counting on you. I’m really counting on you, Yue.”

“Uh, yes…! Of course…!”

Yue nodded vigorously in response, looking truly adorable. Her small nose gave her rapid breathing, and her fists clenched into fists looked even childish.

"Yue, you've been more shy than nervous lately, right?"

"Ah, I think so too! When facing her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Miss Yue always becomes a little like a child! And Miss Yue like this is so adorable!"

Xia, who admired Yue the most, said excitedly, as if she had found a like-minded person.

Is this really the case? Hajime and the others looked at Yue at the same time, asking with their eyes.

"...Because...my father-in-law and mother-in-law are really, really good to me. They love me like their own daughter...especially...even though I experienced 'fatherly love' when I was with Uncle Ting, 'motherly love' has never..."

That seems to be the case.

Coveted by the gods from birth, Yue's parents saw her as nothing more than an object of faith. While her experiences with her uncle allowed her to experience the love of her family, Yue experienced little true maternal love while growing up.

For Yue, even though she hadn't spent much time with Sumire, her kindness towards her was enough for her to experience motherly love firsthand.

The reason why she was still nervous when facing Jin and Shuu now was definitely because the experience of being loved by them as a daughter still made her confused and happy.

“Mmmmm~! That’s amazing!”

"Hmm!? Granny, Granny!?"

Regardless, the vampire princess's overpowering cuteness completely overwhelmed Sumire's mother. She pushed over a chair, stood up, and swiftly scurried around the table, forcing her lovely daughter-in-law into a hug. Her speed was so swift that one would have thought she had magically enhanced her physical strength.

"...B- ...

"It's okay~ It's okay~!"

“…Ah~ah~♪”

Yue let Sumire carry her to the sofa like a princess, her tone tinged with joy.

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu"

"Dad? Why are you crying?"

"Need I say more? Of course it's because this situation is truly unbelievable."

Seeing Sorrow pressing his eyes, Shi couldn't help but complain. But honestly, he completely understood how his father felt. In fact, his own expression had become like a bodhisattva's.

Xia and the others couldn't help but laugh out loud. Although they could understand the father and son's feelings, seeing them share the same expression was still hilarious.

"Come to think of it, when Yue and the others first came to our house, we were really shocked."

After sniffing, Chou recalled the past with deep emotion.

"I never thought that after you disappeared, you actually went to another world and experienced something similar to the game my father made. You actually used cheats and built a harem."

"Don't talk about a harem. But I was really concerned about your reaction, and I didn't expect it to be exactly what I expected."

Looking at Sumire and Yue happily chatting on the sofa, and Shia and the others taking a leisurely rest after breakfast, Hajime and Sou couldn't help but recall the events of that day.

Volume 14, Chapter 2: An Ordinary (?) Morning at the Nanyun Family, Part 2

"Dad, Mom, I'm back."

“Welcome back, Hajime.”

That night, I experienced an indescribable feeling of emotion.

The Nagumo family hugged each other at the door, confirming their presence. But a moment later, they hurried back inside. Hajime noticed the wife of the house across the street staring at them through a slit in the curtains, her eyes wide with surprise.

Her expression was like that of a housewife who accidentally witnessed a crucial scene in a TV drama. It wasn't like Hajime didn't recognize her, and he hesitated for a moment whether to smile or nod in response. But then he thought about it, thinking he was now a missing person. If he continued like this, it might cause a commotion, so Hajime decided to feign oblivion and retreat inside.

Of course, the main reason is...no need to elaborate.

It was so hard, so hard to finally reunite with his family. For Hajime, cherishing the time spent with his family was a priority over anything else. He also wanted to return to the home where he grew up as soon as possible.

Although it was only one year, it felt like eternity.

The furnishings in the entrance hall, every chip and stain on the wallpaper, made Hajime want to touch and inspect them. The further he walked into the corridor, the more the familiar smell of his home made him cry.

"Hajime, what's wrong? Did you forget where the living room is?"

"That's impossible, Dad."

Sho made a little joke and began to smile.

Sumire was still busy wiping her tears, speechless. But actually, Hajime's parents were originally the kind of otaku who were full of jokes and anime, as if they would die if they didn't say those things. They were very interesting people.

Although they look haggard and older, their essence remains unchanged.

After realizing this from my father's joke, I was filled with joy and couldn't help myself.

I walked through the open door into the nostalgic living room and looked around. Just by looking at it, I felt a surge of emotion. However—

“This…this is…!”

Seeing the dining table in the dining room piled with missing person flyers soliciting witness information, and the web page displayed on the laptop screen, Hajime couldn't help but hold his breath.

This scene proves that my parents never gave up looking for him. I can't imagine how much worry and pain they must have endured during this period.

“…We’ve tried everything over the past year. But we still haven’t found any clues. Even the police haven’t… Hajime, where have you… no, should I say, you all been all this time?”

Chou asked, closing his laptop. His tone revealed an indescribable mix of emotions and an unconcealable nervousness.

"And... Hajime, what exactly happened on that day a year ago?"

After wiping away her tears, Sumire stood in front of Hajime and asked while staring into his eyes.

A strange disappearance occurred in broad daylight. Why was only my son's class missing? How could this happen?

The mother's eyes revealed her unwavering determination to get to the bottom of things. Even if her son avoided the question, he would not miss a single thing. He never avoided his mother's gaze, staring directly into her eyes.

"Well... this can be explained very simply or very complicatedly. I have a lot to tell you."

Their son's tone and eyes were so deep that they didn't seem like a teenager at all. Chou and Jin couldn't help but gasp.

At the same time, they also realized that their son must have gone through tragic experiences during this period that they could not imagine.

"...Is that so? Then let's clean up the table quickly and sit down to have a good chat. Wait a moment, I'll make you a cup of delicious café au lait."

"Okay. Thanks, Mom."

"Haha, you seem to have become a complete adult."

“That’s right. Alright, Hajime, stop standing there and sit down. Right there. That’s the seat you usually sit in.”

Without hesitation, Hajime chose the seat closest to the living room door and sat down. Just seeing him like this, Sou, who was tidying up the table, beamed with joy.

Then──

Hajime savored the slightly bitter "Mother's Special Café Au Lait" attentively while explaining the truth behind the mass disappearances to his parents.

Hajime's experiences were too numerous to recount in one breath. Therefore, he kept many details brief. Even so, by the time he finished, the sun was already rising.

"That's pretty much it."