Mushoku Tensei: Sword, Magic Hats, and Romance!

After Paul rubbed his temples and solemnly assured Mrs. Eto that Allen hadn't bullied her son, she finally left—face flushed with satisfaction under Zenith's unblinking gaze.

Ah yes.

As expected of Buena Village's one and only champion of pure-hearted love, in every possible sense.

Not long after, thanks to Allen fanning the flames—and Roxy's general inability to refuse others—the group ended up seated in a circle in the courtyard. They began testing Sylphy's control over magic and measuring her mana capacity. The commotion drew both Zenith and Lilia out to spectate.

"Alright, Sylphy, let's try a basic [Water Ball]. Ah… careful not to hit the tree Zenith's been tending so lovingly."

"Okay! [Water Ball]!"

"Hey! Sylphy, you just dumped it on my head! Where were you even aiming?!"

"S-sorry, Rudeus!"

Sylphy apologized in a fluster, but her gaze kept drifting back to Roxy.

Roxy, scratching her cheek, looked at the two of them with a touch of exasperation.

By then, Lilia had already gone inside and come back with a dry towel, gently toweling off Rudeus' soaked hair.

Zenith stood nearby, watching the chaos unfold with a helpless yet indulgent smile.

The entire scene looked like a painting etched into Allen's eyes, and he couldn't help but grin.

Maybe ten years from now, when Rudeus settles down in Sharia of the Kingdom of Ranoa, he'll have moments like this too… Feels like I just caught a glimpse of the future.

He blinked slowly, then stepped back a few paces and took another look at the five of them.

Rudeus. Roxy. Sylphy. Lilia. Zenith.

The summer sunlight was sharp and dazzling, casting every one of their faces in clear relief.

But Allen's smile gradually faded.

Everyone who's supposed to be part of Rudeus' future household in Sharia… they're all here now.

And the one who shouldn't be…

At that thought, Allen turned his head.

Not far away, Paul was leaning against the trunk of a tree. The thick shade above him cast a cool, umbrella-like shadow, obscuring his figure from the sunlight that bathed the others.

He was part of the scene, and yet not within the same light.

The leaves rustled gently overhead. Allen could feel Paul's gaze lingering on his sunlit family—but he couldn't make out his expression from where he stood.

Narrowing his eyes, Allen stepped into the shadow beside him and turned to look at his face.

Paul leaned quietly against the trunk, arms crossed, a faint smile on his lips as he watched his wife and children. He didn't look at Allen when he approached, keeping his eyes fixed on the scene ahead as he spoke, voice casual.

"Oh? What brings you over here?"

Allen studied his profile for a long moment before finally speaking.

"Uncle… to be honest, I've never really had a concept of family. So I've always wondered—if I died, how would my family feel?"

Paul stiffened slightly, glancing toward Allen, then looked away. He hesitated for a long time before sighing.

"Well… I'd like to say something comforting, but sorry, Allen."

He glanced back toward Zenith and Rudeus, then looked at Allen again, an apologetic look in his eyes.

"To be frank, I don't think I can empathize with you. But I think…"

Allen cut him off.

"Then let me put it another way. Hypothetically, say that sometime in the future, you die unexpectedly. In your final moments… would you feel regret? Is there anything you'd want to say to your family?"

He met Paul's surprised gaze, voice soft but steady.

"Or… would you say nothing at all? Just watch them… and quietly accept death?"

Just like in the original timeline.

Paul had been about to get annoyed, but when he saw the sincerity in Allen's expression—and remembered that Allen had no one to call family—he let out another quiet sigh and let the impudent phrasing slide.

He fell silent, thinking for a long while before answering.

"If this were a few years ago, back in my adventuring days… I think I probably wouldn't have said anything. I'd have accepted it with open arms. Not gonna lie, I've always had this one regret—that I never got the chance to resolve things face-to-face with my father before he died. So in my eyes, death didn't seem like the end. And adventurers… we're always living on the edge. You get used to the idea that you might die any day."

Allen blinked, ready to speak again, but Paul lifted his gaze and looked at Zenith and Rudeus. His expression softened.

"But now… now I can't be so carefree. If I really were to die suddenly, and I had one last moment—"

"I'd want to see Zenith and Rudeus one last time."

Allen's gaze shifted to the mole under Paul's eye.

"Just see them?"

Paul's smile faded slowly.

"Yeah. Just… check if they're okay. If they're safe, maybe I could go with some peace of mind. But… there's still a selfish part of me. I'd probably wonder…"

"Would they cry for a worthless father and husband like me?"

Allen stopped looking at him, his gaze dropping to the scabbard by his side. Paul's voice continued.

"If Zenith… Rudeus… even Lilia… if they all cried for me…"

"That'd be enough."

The two of them fell silent for a moment.

"But if it were just a single glimpse… I think I'd still feel unsatisfied."

Allen didn't lift his head. His lashes cast faint shadows on his cheeks.

Paul chuckled self-deprecatingly.

"Anyone can say nice things. And maybe, if that day really came, I'd try to act cool—pretend I was ready to die. But deep down? I'd be screaming, 'I don't want to die!' I mean…"

"I still have so many things I want to do."

"I don't want to leave Zenith. Maybe we'll have a few more kids in the coming years. I don't want to leave Rudeus—I want to see him grow up, see the children grow up. Will they study hard? Will they be bullied? If things go well, I'd love to hear little grandchildren one day calling me Grandpa… That would be nice."

"So yeah… I don't want to die. Just thinking about it fills me with all these things I'd hate to leave behind."

Allen unconsciously ran a hand along the hilt at his waist.

"Then… if you and Rudeus were in a life-threatening situation, and only one of you could survive—if saving him meant your death… how would you feel about that, Uncle?"

Paul froze, Rudeus' small figure reflected in his eyes.

This time, there was no hesitation, no searching for the right words. He blinked once, then turned toward Allen with steady resolve.

"There's still a lot I want to do, sure. But if it's one or the other…"

He smiled.

"Then let it be me."