My Daughters Are Regressors

Brigitte plucked some fur from the raccoon dog and put it into a strange beaker.What was she doing?

"What are you doing?""To create an antidote, we need to know exactly what kind of poison it is. For example, the antidotes for eating poisonous mushrooms, being bitten by a venomous snake, or being stung by a hornet are all different."

It sounded quite obvious once she said it.It's easy to lump everything together as 'poison', but in reality there are many different types of poisons.After all, poison was simply used as an umbrella term, so it was easy to forget that there were many different types like toxins, venom and so on.Toxins refer to poisons synthesized by living organisms, while poisons are types that cause harm when touched or ingested.And venom, I knew, referred to poisons that enter directly through the bloodstream, like hornet stings or snake fangs.

Why did I know this?I wish I didn't.Anyway.

What kind of poison could be causing pain to this giant, fluffy, warm, and cute-looking raccoon dog?Soon, Brigitte said.

"It's a virus.""A virus... you mean like a disease?""Yes. This giant dog raccoon has contracted a disease. It's a disease that doesn't exist in raccoon dogs, but does in humans. Have you heard of Falkins disease?"

What could Falkins disease be?I know about Parkinson's disease, but...However, listening to Brigitte's explanation, the symptoms of the two diseases seemed similar.

"It's a disease named after the wizard Falkins. When you contract this disease, your hands shake and you can lose your memory. And in many cases, you lose your eyesight. It's very similar to this raccoon dog’s symptoms."

I see...With almost no medical or magical knowledge, I could only nod my head.

The only thing that came to mind was that my great-grandfather, who had been a decorated military officer, had suffered greatly from Parkinson's disease.He had been an incredibly impressive person, but after the illness, he became a completely different person.I heard there's no perfect cure for it.

"Falkins disease is a condition that only affects humans with magical power as they age. It occurs when the flow of magic to the brain becomes irregular due to a certain virus."

A raccoon dog contracting a human disease.Is such a thing possible?As I was feeling puzzled, Brigitte spoke.

"This is just one of the more radical hypotheses, but there's a saying in academic circles these days. They say that women's bodies change after being intimate with men.""Really?""There are a few cases where women who had no talent for magic suddenly manifest magical abilities after being intimate with men who have exceptional magical power, especially when they become pregnant."

It was a fascinating phenomenon.Could it be that the woman absorbs some of the child's qualities while carrying the child in their womb?

Soon, something flashed through my mind.It was the story of how Elle Cladeco fell ill after falling in love with a man from another world and conceiving Tywin.Also, I recalled what Naru said, about Brigitte suffering greatly from being pregnant with her.

"This..."

...Could this be related to the current situation?Perhaps the existence of 'me', a human from another world who had become a strange demiurge, could have a negative impact on the mothers of children.As this worry arose, I felt unnecessarily anxious.

"Can you cure this raccoon dog?""Well, Falkins disease itself isn't difficult to cure. It's been thoroughly researched by various wizards, so it's been completely conquered. Healing magic isn't my specialty, but the treatment method isn't difficult. It's just a bit tricky to meet all the requirements."

Whatever it was, it was a relief to hear it could be treated.

"The treatment method is to project powerful magic into the brain. This causes the virus to die off as it can't withstand the magical heat, and eventually everything returns to normal."

The treatment method was simpler than I expected.Fortunately, Brigitte was a magician with an enormous amount of magical power, so she was capable of treating this giant raccoon dog.

"But first, we need to remove the emperor hornet's venom circulating in its body. Although this venom is suppressing the activity of the magic virus, if we don't remove it first, the exposure of intense magic might cause an explosion in her body. Judas, do you have the medicinal ingredients we received from Ilgast?""Yes, I do."

Brigitte promptly took the ingredients and began preparing the antidote.I didn't know Brigitte had the skill to make medicine too.As I was thinking how impressive this was, Brigitte scratched the back of her head, as if she had read my thoughts.

"Well, you know. Making medicine on the spot is just common sense for adventurers to increase their survival rate. I can't make it as well as Ilgast though.""I see."

At that moment, Naru arrived.Naru had brought a child named Princess Makana, tightly bound with ropes. Despite being a hornet, she lived up to her self-proclaimed title of 'princess' with her high princess power.Her princess power was at least B+.If her personality hadn't been so aggressive, she could have easily achieved an A grade.Brigitte spoke to Princess Makana.

"I need the components of the emperor hornet's venom to make an antidote. Could we have some?"

"My venom is the same as my father's, so you can take mine. Bweh─."

The princess hornet opened her mouth and let a few drops of saliva fall into the beaker.To think that saliva could be venom.What a terrifying girl.Soon, Nari, who had been quietly observing this scene, shouted.

"...Hornets are bad! Hornets are the bad guys who steal our raccoon dogs’ homes! This forest was originally a raccoon dog forest!"

It was a deeply passionate cry.Is this what the sorrow of losing one's country feels like?Makana clicked her tongue in response.

"This forest wasn't originally a raccoon dog forest, it was a squirrel forest. Your mother drove out all the squirrels and made it a raccoon dog forest. Of course, that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's simply survival of the fittest. Just as raccoon dogs drove out the squirrels, now hornets are trying to drive out the raccoon dogs."

Survival of the fittest.It was the law of nature.The survivors are the stronger ones.And only the most suitable survive.Only being strong or weak matters. Evil or good, does that have much meaning in this process?

"Nari, you seem to have been too influenced by the human world. There's no good or bad in nature. There are only stories of survival."

Princess Makana clicked her tongue.I then asked her.

"But you seem exceptionally polite and refined for a forest dweller. Did you also study various things in the human world?""No. My father invited human teachers to the palace and had me learn various things. Thanks to that, I was able to score 97 points on the ARA test."

The ARA test was an exam that assessed intelligence and culture.Naru had taken it too.For reference, Naru scored 60 points, Cecily got 65 points, and Hina got 87 points, if I remember correctly.Therefore, this Princess Makana was a young lady with extraordinary culture.A little princess, indeed.

Anyway.Princess Makana added.

"Father has entrusted me with the conflict between the south and the north. Nari and Naru, if you want to become the masters of the forest, you must be able to persuade me as I want to advance into the northern forest and expand our territory as it is. Try to persuade me to stop the territorial expansion.""But Naru defeated you!"

Naru shouted.It seemed she was referring to how Naru had subdued Princess Makana and brought her here. However, Princess Makana slowly shook her head.

"Subduing me alone is meaningless. Even if I fall or die, the hornets won't stop conquering unless I order them to. And even if it costs me my life, I won't submit to force.""Ugh..."

Naru made a gloomy sound.This was because Naru's talent lay in destroying and breaking things.

Swish-.Naru looked at Brigitte.Was she seeking guidance from Brigitte?Then, Princess Makana opened her lips as if to give a hint.

"Tell me why I should coexist with you raccoon dog. If you can persuade me, I'll order the hornets I've sent to the north to retreat."

It was then that Naru seemed to grasp the situation a little.Naru raised her hand high and struggled to speak about the good points of the raccoon dog.

"Raccoon dogs go down to villages and rummage through trash cans!""...That's a reason to get rid of raccoon dogs.""Ugh...! Raccoon dog... what are the advantages of raccoon dogs...? The raccoon dogs did save Naru, but what else do raccoon dogs..."

Naru seemed to be trying hard in various ways to find reasons why raccoon dogs should exist in the world. But no matter how much she thought, she couldn't seem to come up with a reason.After pondering for a while, Naru finally spoke as if she had found an answer.

"Raccoon dogs are cute!"

Naru was confident in her answer and her expression was triumphant, as if she had delivered a decisive blow and was asking, 'How about that?'But Makana firmly shook her head.

"I'm sorry, but I prefer regular raccoons to raccoon dogs. I'm thinking of bringing some to the northern forest after driving you raccoon dogs out. I'll bring back the squirrels too. I like things with black stripes like hornets."

Indeed, both raccoons and squirrels do indeed have black stripes.In the end, Naru slumped down.That's when Nari opened her lips with a growl.

"We raccoon dogs... can bloom special flowers in this Muke-muke Forest. They're called 'Nari' flowers. The fragrance of these flowers is incredibly sweet! And I heard that you Bashkir emperor hornets can produce special honey from Nari flowers? Without us, you won't be able to make honey from Nari flowers!""Hmm-."

Makana made a long nasal sound for the first time, as if she had heard an interesting opinion.

"I like Nari flowers too. Our emperor hornets also have worker hornets collect honey directly from them. I have plenty of Nari flowers in my room too. Alright. I'll give you one hour. If you succeed in making Nari flowers bloom, I'll forget about this invasion."

It was a strange negotiation.

# # #

"Flower.... Seeds of Nari flower..."

Naru held the seeds of Nari flowers in her hand.They were tiny seeds, like grains.However, even though she held them in her hand or watered them, the flowers did not germinate.While Naru was talented in many ways, she was clearly not good at things she couldn't do.

"Naru, should have... studied science harder...! Molumolu did all my science homework for me!"━Meowww.

Naru was visibly dejected.Seeing this, Nari snorted.However, Nari also seemed to be struggling quite a bit with making the flowers bloom.

"Mom was the best at making Nari flowers bloom. I should be able to do it too. I'm her daughter after all! Even though I've never learned─hmm, I'm half raccoon dog too!"

Nari planted the seeds and circled around them.Her face was already grimy, with dirt and dust mixed with sweat. How messy!

━...

Naguri, Nari's mother, watched this scene silently with dim eyes. She seemed to want to say something as her mouth twitched and her front paws fidgeted, but she kept her mouth shut.Her daughter, Nari, was busily trying to make the seeds sprout on her own, digging into the ground, burying the seeds, then digging them up again.Then she spoke to her mother.

"Mom! I'm going to protect this forest too! Tell me how to make flowers bloom! I'm going to be a proper raccoon dog!"

━...

Naguri remained silent.Finally, unable to hold back, Nari looked down at the buried seeds and began to cry.

"I actually wanted to learn more from you, Mom! I wanted to spend more time with you, walk through the forest with you! Because, I love you, Mom! I love you, my raccoon dog Mom!"

A cry full of yearning.It reminded me of when Naru once said, 'I want to be a thief like Dad!'Becoming a thief.It was a foolish thing to say, but in a way, it made me feel a bit proud.

That's when it happened.Where Nari's tears had fallen, a small sprout emerged from between the wet soil.And then, beautiful pink petals gently poked out their heads, finally blooming brightly like a rose.

It was a truly magnificent sight.And it also meant that Naru had lost.

"Naru... lost..."