"?"
The question mark currently hovering in the air wasn't just for me.
My wife and my mother both seemed to have phantom question marks manifesting above their heads as well.
Bronie, watching the adults, mimicked the gesture, tilting her head with a finger pressed to her cheek. It was so heart-stoppingly adorable that it almost distracted me from the chaos.
*Bronie is so cute! My daughter is truly the cutest in the world!
...Alright, enough escapism.
What did Seele just say? She's carrying my child?
There's no way. It's impossible for her to be saying she's actually pregnant—
"Here. I have the photo right here."
With those words, Seele presented what appeared to be an ultrasound image to us.
It was real. It was actually real.
No, wait! Hold on a second!
The last time Seele and I were... intimate... was well before Bronie was born. That means I haven't been with Seele in as many years as my daughter has been alive.
A hysterical pregnancy? Looking at the evidence and Seele's expression as she gently caressed her lower abdomen, it didn't look like a lie. She had the exact same look my wife had when she was pregnant with Bronie.
But no matter how I looked at it, no matter how much logic I applied, that child couldn't possibly be mine. Could I have made a mistake while black-out drunk? No, I've been careful never to let that happen since marrying the Bronya.
I've been extremely disciplined precisely to avoid a repeat of the incidents that led to Seele and others in the first place. And yet, she says it's my child?
"Seele, is this true?" my wife asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"Yes, Big Sis Bronya. I'm sorry... I'm sorry for keeping it a secret for so long."
"...When exactly did you and the Captain engage in these relations?"
"Before you two got married. That was the last time."
"...Pardon?"
The explanation made even less sense. Seele was implying that a seed planted years ago had only just begun to sprout now.
...Is that even biologically possible? Even for a Valkyrie?
"What kind of nonsense is this?"
My mother's interjection was perfectly valid. To any normal person, this sounded utterly insane. But for some reason, the Bronya remained silent.
Wait, is she actually believing this? Ah... somehow, it's starting to feel like it could be true. Common sense went out the window the moment my future self showed up and had a child with Bianca. Hell, logic died the day Kiana showed up in nothing but a naked apron.
My life... how did it even end up like this?
"Seele, since when did you...?"
"Captain... I'm so sorry for telling you so late. Truthfully, I only realized I was pregnant a short while ago."
"A short while ago? ...Wait, was that why you visited me then?"
"Yes. I didn't have the courage back then, and because Big Sis Bronya wasn't feeling well, I couldn't bring myself to say it."
Looking at Seele, who couldn't even lift her head as she spoke, I didn't know how to react. My wife seemed to be in the same predicament.
If it were anyone else, Bronya might have congratulated them. But the child is her husband's? Anyone else would have slapped her out of sheer betrayal. Especially since Seele is one of the few people truly precious to the Bronya.
"Seele."
"...Big Sis Bronya."
"The Bronya will be honest. I do not know whether to offer congratulations or vent my anger."
"...I'm sorry, Big Sis."
"However, one cannot say cruel words to a pregnant woman. It would have a negative effect on the child. The child is innocent, after all."
"...Thank you."
"But it is also true that the Bronya feels betrayed. I have monitored the Captain's every move and confirmed he has not been intimate with anyone but me. How is it possible for you to be pregnant?"
I wanted to know that, too. As my wife said, I haven't looked at another woman since our marriage, let alone slept with one. And Seele hadn't even visited us until recently.
...Wait. Did I just miss something very important in that sentence?
"Your doubt is only natural, Big Sis. I was shocked as well. The truth is—"
According to Seele, the story went like this:
She wasn't sure exactly when it started, but recently, Seele began experiencing extreme fatigue after work. She suffered from inexplicable exhaustion and, unlike before, felt intense hunger, headaches, and even vomiting if she worked on an empty stomach in the morning.
Furthermore, she experienced frequent urination and her heart would suddenly race, startling her. She thought she was just overworked, but as time passed, she became sensitive to minor stimuli. When she noticed her breasts growing so much that her bras no longer fit, she finally realized something was wrong with her body.
When she went to the hospital, the doctor's diagnosis was clear: she was pregnant.
Seele was in shock. She hadn't slept with a man in years, yet she was suddenly with child.
I believed her. Unless it was someone Seele explicitly allowed, no one could lay a hand on her. Because [Veliona] also resides within that body.
If Seele's body was in danger, [Veliona] wouldn't just stand by. Whoever tried would probably find out exactly how many bones they had in their body in real-time. [Veliona] cherishes Seele more than anyone.
That was why [Veliona]'s words were the ultimate shock to Seele.
'[It's probably the Captain's child, Seele.]'*
It was unbelievable. But the sincerity in those words—the shared emotions from sharing a single body—told her it wasn't a lie.
*'I'm... having a baby.'
Once the shock subsided, Seele felt a mixture of joy and sorrow. She had previously been told it would be difficult to conceive due to the clashing energies of Life and Death within her body. She had kept that sadness hidden for a long time.
But now, a life inside her was overcoming those Honkai energies and making its presence known. She couldn't help but be happy. Yet, the fact that the father was me made her weep.
The husband of her precious Big Sis.
In that bleak reality, it felt like no one would congratulate the child except herself and [Veliona].
'[Seele, let's go to the Captain and tell him the truth.]'*
*'But...'
'[It's not like we have a better option. Besides, the Captain told me once that he'd tell Big Sis Bronya the truth and suggested a polygamous marriage.]'*
*'...Still.'
'[Seele, think of the baby in your womb.]'*
Persuaded by [Veliona], Seele eventually decided to tell me. When she visited before and almost left without saying anything, [Veliona] had taken over and blurted out the demand for a polygamous marriage.
"It was a good opportunity. Seeing Bianca being allowed a polygamous marriage while carrying your child gave me the courage I needed," Seele finished.
"...I see," my wife replied.
Listening to them, I let out a long internal sigh. To think Bianca's actions would trigger this. Then again, knowing [Veliona]'s personality, this was an explosion waiting to happen regardless of what Bianca did.
But for some reason, my mother was deathly silent.
Sensing something was wrong, I looked at her. My mother was staring at Seele with trembling eyes, shaking her head in denial.
"No... that can't be... it's impossible..."
"Mother?"
"Miss Seele. You're joking. Please, tell me you're joking."
"...It's not a joke, Mother. This is the evidence."
Facing my mother's denial, Seele showed her the same ultrasound photo, her expression laced with sadness.
My mother took the photo with trembling hands. Her face went pale, and she nearly collapsed. I moved quickly to catch her.
"Mother!"
"Oh... oh no... how could this happen..."
"...Mother. You're hiding something from us, aren't you?" I asked firmly.
"Brother?"
"Captain?"
Both my wife and Seele looked at me in confusion, while my mother avoided my gaze. That reaction confirmed my intuition was correct.
"Mother, please tell us. Why did you say it couldn't be Seele? Why only Seele?"
My mother sighed deeply, realizing she couldn't escape the question. She slowly opened her mouth to speak.
"Do you remember what my maiden name was?"
"? It was... Vollerei, wasn't it?"
"Yes. And I had a sister who gave birth to you, and another much younger sibling."
"...Wait. Why are you bringing this up now?"
The topics seemed unrelated, but my heart began to thrum against my ribs. I had a sickening feeling that I was about to hear something I shouldn't.
"My youngest sibling was just about Bronie's age when our parents took her on a trip. There was a plane crash. Our parents passed away, and my sibling went missing. We never found a body, but since she couldn't be located, she was declared dead. My elder sister and I searched for years, but we never found a trace. It's been twenty years now."
"W-Wait a minute. You... you can't be serious, right? No, tell me it's not true!"
My eyes were wide and shaking. My mother closed her eyes tight and delivered the killing blow.
"But today, I met a girl who looks exactly like my mother did in her youth. Her personality, her face... everything. Did you know? My name, Vollerei, is sometimes phonetically similar to names like Valerie or Seele's own in different dialects."
"Mother!"
"In other words, Miss Seele is my long-lost younger sister... Son, that makes her your aunt."