When Ralph got home, Emily's parents and Kana were drinking tea at the table.
"I'm back," said Elga, who was near the door, and jumped in, grabbing both of Ralph's shoulders. Elga had terrible dark circles under her eyes.
"Ralph, why did you just decide on a name for me?" he pleaded, crying. "I've thought of 32 names!"
Ralph had predicted this would happen, so he had taken action early.
"No, I'd already decided on it a while ago..." he boasted.
"But Elliot... I've repeated it many times and it seems to fit."
She quickly let go of Ralph, put her chin between her fingers, and nodded.
Kana started talking to Ralph, ignoring Elga, who had finally calmed down.
"The baby... Elliot seems to be calm. And there's one thing I want to say. The king's carriage should be coming in a couple of days. I want you to ride in it and have an audience with the king. I'm sure it will be physically difficult for Emily after giving birth."
Ralph was astounded.
"The king himself?"
Kana nodded.
"Of course, take Elliot."
"Does this have to do with the hero you mentioned yesterday?"
"I can't tell you yet. I'm just checking."
"I... I understand."
If it's the king's order, there's no way I won't go. It must have something to do with the word "hero" that Kana said last night. Would I be able to raise my child, who is said to be a hero, on the right path? Ralph was beginning to feel the weight on his back.
The carriage arrived at Suwari Village on the morning of the third day after Elliot was born.
Belhard, who had been seconded, would be on guard duty in Swali village for a while longer.
Ralph put Elliot and Emily in the carriage that had come from the royal capital. The carriage, which was mainly white, started off towards the royal capital. Kana was also in the carriage.
No one said a word. Ralph held Emily's hand, who looked anxious. To tell her that everything would be okay.
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As the carriage was carrying a woman who had just given birth and a baby, it took about six hours to reach the royal capital, with as little vibration as possible. As they passed through the gate, they spotted a familiar face, but the carriage didn't stop. They continued on into the royal castle. It had been a long time since Ralph had entered the royal castle. The carriage stopped in front of a door that was twice the height of a single-story building. The carriage door was opened by a royal guard, and the carriage entered.
Ralph got off when it stopped, took Emily's hand, who was holding Elliot, and the two of them looked up at the royal castle. Kana followed behind. The gate was opened, and he entered the castle, still holding Emily's hand.
The guards were led to the front, not to the audience hall, but to a room at the back of the first floor. When they were ushered into the room, King Kratos was standing near the entrance. Both the guards and Ralph knelt down without thinking. Seeing this, Emily and Kana prepared to kneel down as well.
"No, there's no need to be so timid. I'm sorry you had to come all the way here. I'm currently inspecting the machine, so please wait a moment. It will be done soon."
Kratos' baritone voice echoed throughout the room.
"A machine, you say?"
Ralph asked, standing up from his half-squat position.
"It's an ancient machine made hundreds of years ago."
The machine was placed in the center of a room about 10 tatami mats in size. It looked like a long, narrow metal table large enough for an adult man to lie down on. A man was lying on the machine, his body emitting a pale blue light. A thick cord-like thing was connected from underneath the machine to another machine at waist height. Another man was inspecting the waist-height case. The man inspecting it then turned his eyes to Kratos.
"King Kratos, operation check complete. Everything is normal."
Then the man sleeping on the metal table got up and moved to the side.
"Now Ralph, please place the baby on the table."
"Y-Yes!"
Ralph took Elliot from Emily and placed him on the table. He then returned to Kratos' side.
"Start the measurement."
Kratos ordered the two men.
One of the two men pressed a button on the case. Then Elliot began to glow pale as before, illuminating the room. The light reached the ceiling and shook the royal palace. The others looked on in shock. "What about the numbers?"
"It's over seven hundred. That's an impossible number for an ordinary person!"
"...It's finally here," Kratos muttered, closing his eyes. "A hero has finally been born."
Kena collapsed, and Ralph and Emily could only watch the two of them in shock.