Shinichi Azabu’s life was going relatively smoothly.
He was not bad in school, and pretty good at sports.
He met the person who would be his spouse in school, got into a serious relationship, and got married when he graduated university.
They planned on having children, and once they felt their lives were stable, before hitting thirty, they were blessed with a girl, followed by a boy two years later.
He worked for a major general trading company, so fears of it going out of business were minimal, and it could be said it was smooth sailing for him.
The only real setback in his life was when he was in university and became a seeker, and got two production skills, Sewing and Duplication on the tenth and twentieth floors. It was shocking, because he wanted to use magic, and this led to him quitting.
But even this turned into a laughing matter after a few years, and his Sewing skill became a hobby. But since his interest in magic never faded, he did independent research into magic circles.
The first turning point for Azabu was a sudden goodbye.
An accident. His wife was waiting for a signal to turn, when a speeding car rode onto the sidewalk.
She left behind a daughter that just joined kindergarten and a son who had just started to speak.
The sudden news left Azabu in a daze, and it was his children’s crying voices that snapped him out of it.
First, he changed jobs.
The company he worked for dealt in ore and resources extracted from the dungeon, and profits were stable. Employee benefits were also nice, and there was really no reason to complain.
Still, he wanted more time with his children, so he decided to change jobs.
He went with something with short work hours, to make sure his children did not have to be lonely. Azabu received money from his wife’s life insurance, compensation from the culprit, and a bank deposit from somewhere.
Thanks to having enough money to support himself without a problem for the rest of his life, he formed a plan that would work even on a low salary.
He took a job in a clothing manufacturer, a perfect occupation for someone with the Sewing skill. He was also working on a new project, a product for seekers. Something that called for a former seeker with the Sewing skill, that also had knowledge of magic circles.
At first, he made clothes along with the other employees, but he was moved to the seeker section, where his opinions were sought multiple times.
Eventually, he was made responsible for the manufacturing of this project, and got to work on developing tents and defensive equipment.
But development was not easy, and it was proposed that they rework pre-existing products from other companies, but it was rejected because it would all be over if they were sued.
It was a difficult situation, but Azabu still clocked out at five o’clock. The other employees and managers complained, but he prioritized his children, so to him it was nothing but noise.
What he produced in the meantime used his knowledge of magic circles, along with his Sewing skill, and it was not shabby even compared to the competition.
What he came up with in the space of around half a year sold pretty well, a good result for someone just starting.
It was good enough to have him moved to the product development department.
Then came the second turn.
In the product development department, he met a beautiful woman. She was serious and prioritized her work, and her dignified stance fit her strong character.
There was a head of this department, but everyone sought this woman’s opinion, making her the de facto center of this department.
“How old are your children, Azabu?”
“Ah, my girl is five and my boy is three.”
She sat next to him in the staff canteen, and spoke to him for the first time.
It was an innocent conversation, and Azabu responded without thinking too much of it.
She seemed unapproachable, and he never thought she would speak to an old man like him about anything besides work.
“I hate being looked down on for being a woman. That’s why I’ve always worked so hard, but lately I’ve been getting tired.”
At the company’s end of the year party, this woman with such a strong character showed a weaker side.
Azabu left his children with his parents, and was letting loose at a company drinking party for the first time in a while.
Maybe that was why people usually did not approach him, but as he drank alone, she sat down and talked to him.
They had only chatted a bit in the company, but she was strangely charming when she was complaining.
“I grew up without a father. My mother worked from morning to night, but collapsed due to overwork. At the time I thought, I wish I had a dad.”
She seemed drunk, with her red face and eyes that were close to shutting. And then she leaned on Azabu.
“Are you okay? Do you want me to call you a taxi?”
“…I don’t want to leave.”
She was a young, charming lady.
She had a nice figure, and her serious personality had a dignified beauty to it.
And Azabu was a man. He had two children, and was usually a good family man. Still, his wife had passed away, and he felt lonely.
So perhaps it was natural that it ended up that way.
◇ ◇ ◇
A year passed since that day, and Azabu began a relationship with her while looking after his children.
It was the impetus of alcohol that started it, but their relationship continued because they were compatible.
Maybe she was looking for a father, but Azabu was enamored with her enough to not care.
A year into dating, he thought about proposing.
His youngest child would start elementary school the next year, and while he was still at an age where he needed attention, he was smart, and Azabu worried about how he would take having a new member added to the family.
Also, his daughter was nearing her teenage years. Any unnecessary provocation could be a problem, so he hesitated.
But seeing his dead wife’s parents was the last push.
“Shinichi, you should marry her if you find a nice person. Children need a mother too.”
With the support of his father-in-law, he proposed the next weekend.
“I might be an unreliable man, but I still want to protect you and be with you for the rest of my life.”
It might have been cheesy, but it was full of his feelings. He looked straight at her, showed her a ring, and asked that she accept.
She was a little perplexed, but seemed to make up her mind, and happily took the ring.
“If your children accept it.”
Azabu was so happy that he hugged her, showing his bliss. She said his children had to accept it, but he was sure they would.
People watching around them congratulated them, but after remembering where they were, they bowed and left in a hurry.
◇ ◇ ◇
The next day, they met with his children, whose responses were positive. Azabu worried about his daughter being against it, but she was happy. It was his son who was more confused.
Things went well after that. He had a big ceremony before, but they decided they would have a small one with just family. They broke the news to people close to them, and received congratulatory messages.
His second married life began, and she proactively helped around the house while still working. Azabu was happy that his living environment was better compared to when he was taking care of his home alone.
They were both working, but six months into their marriage, she discovered she was pregnant. Other staff joined in at work, and while she was working the same as usual, when she decided it would not be a problem if she left, she decided to do so.
When she quit, people at work started treating Azabu coldly, but that could not be helped.
That was how essential she was in that workplace.
◇ ◇ ◇
Another half a year went by, and Azabu welcomed his second daughter.
His wife was very tired after giving birth to her first child, but both mother and child were healthy.
Both his children and his wife were happy about the new member of their family, and while Azabu was happy about a bright home environment being built, he felt a little guilty.
It was most likely towards his dead wife.
◇ ◇ ◇
After a while, she was discharged, and disappeared.
She left her daughter and disappeared suddenly.
Azabu had no idea what happened, and asked the police to investigate if she was involved in an accident or something. But after desperately contacting anyone who might know where she was, he was left without a single clue.
Some heartless people said she ran away with a younger man, or that she was a victim of domestic violence and could not take it anymore, but Azabu did not care.
He just prayed for her safety.
Then a large sum was withdrawn from his account.
A considerable sum was also taken from the account with his wife’s insurance payout, so he reported it to the police. Who then asked who could move money from his account.
“…I have a joint account with her. If she is involved…”
The policeman who heard Azabu began a criminal investigation. And it did not take long to discover who took the money.
The culprit was a man with a criminal record. A former seeker who quit without being blessed with a skill, and was affiliated with a small-time criminal group.
The police understood the situation and got to work right away.
The Seeker Surveillance Agency was contacted, and a suppression unit was quickly put together to execute the operation.
A monster of a seeker who passed the fortieth floor broke into the place that criminal group called a base, and mercilessly finished the job.
Seekers that were a part of a criminal organization or involved with them were ruthlessly eliminated.
It was necessary to preserve among seekers, and protect their morale. And it was a necessary example.
But only from the perspective of a third party.
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Small typo
“Ah, my girl is five and my body is three.”
Should be BOY. (in Kratos’ voice)
“Ah, my girl is five and my body is three.”
Boy*
I think his second wife died. Or maybe she is injured and our buddy the MC is gonna heal her.