72) Good Morning, Father

...

{3rd Pov}

Upon his return to Roswaal Mathers' grand and labyrinthine mansion, Subaru found himself quickly overwhelmed by the multitude of responsibilities awaiting him.

Having recently accepted the esteemed title of Marquis, he now possessed a territory of his own that required governance and administration. While it was a relatively modest stretch of land compared to some of the other nobles' domains, it still demanded oversight and active management—things that Subaru was now beginning to realize he may not have been fully prepared for.

He sighed, mentally cursing his earlier decision to accept the land with open arms. The title, which had once seemed like a reward or even a status boost, now weighed on him like a gilded yoke.

"Damn it. With great power comes great responsibility," he muttered to himself, echoing a phrase that had long been etched into his mind.

Uncle Ben was damn right.

Still, he chose to look on the bright side—if only to keep himself sane.

'At least this will help me build my company,' Subaru thought, trying to find a silver lining. Despite the administrative headaches, there was opportunity here—opportunity to implement the kinds of changes he'd always dreamt of, changes that could transform this medieval-like society into something better, more advanced, and more humane.

Luckily, his new domain wasn't located far from Roswaal's mansion, meaning he could effectively govern from there without needing to establish a new residence. The proximity alone made managing the territory somewhat bearable. In fact, it was this convenience that sparked the first of many ambitious ideas he intended to introduce into this world—starting with agriculture.

Subaru had always believed that no matter the time, world, or civilization, agriculture served as the backbone of any functioning society. After studying the rudimentary farming methods of this world, he was convinced he could do better. Much better.

His first proposal: the implementation of the four-crop rotation system—a revolutionary agricultural method from his previous life. By alternating crops seasonally—such as wheat, turnips, barley, and clover—he hoped to significantly boost yield and restore soil fertility. This would begin with his own lands and extend into the broader territories under both his and Roswaal's influence.

But Subaru's vision didn't end with agriculture. He also had plans to reform taxation.

Currently, the common folk were being bled dry under a harsh 50% tax rate. Subaru, seeing the injustice and inefficiency in such a high burden, proposed reducing the rate to a far more humane 30%. Even with the imperial tax of 25% still being enforced, this meant that Subaru himself would only receive a slim 5% margin of profit.

'That doesn't matter,' he thought confidently. 'If the people have more money in their pockets, they'll be more inclined to buy the goods and services my company produces. It's a win-win in the long run.'

Just as Subaru was buried in a flurry of notes, plans, and economic models—doing his best to juggle his psychic abilities, noble duties, and entrepreneurial ambitions—the large, ornate door to his study creaked open.

In came Reina, her eyes filled with concern, followed closely by Echidna, who wore her usual mischievous grin and carried an air of irreverent amusement.

"My Liege, you're working far too hard… I believe it's time you took a rest," Reina said gently, her voice lined with worry.

Echidna, meanwhile, was clearly trying not to burst into laughter.

Working too hard? Subaru scoffed inwardly. He'd barely been at it for five hours. Back in his previous life, this would have been considered light work. He used to sit through seven hours of grueling lectures followed by three more hours of self-study. By comparison, this was practically a vacation.

Honestly, it was Reina who worked harder than anyone else. She shadowed him almost constantly—like a loyal yet overprotective assistant.

"Anyway, it's dinner time," Echidna chimed in, her voice suddenly turning saccharine. "Let's go, darling~"

Reina didn't respond. She had long since realized that Echidna was one of those people who delighted in provoking reactions purely for her own amusement. So, Reina had decided to adopt the most infuriating counter-strategy—complete indifference.

After all, in terms of status, Reina held the upper hand. She was Subaru's official lover, while Echidna was merely a self-proclaimed wife—more bark than bite, at least in this context.

The trio made their way toward the lavish dining hall, where the mansion's cooks had likely prepared another feast. What Subaru didn't know, however, was that a rather unexpected surprise was waiting for him—not that night, but the very next morning.

…

'Why do I feel something heavy pressing down on my chest?' Subaru wondered groggily as his consciousness drifted back into reality.

His eyelids fluttered open, only to be met with a rather peculiar sight: a figure was lying on top of him. A noticeable amount of warm drool had leaked onto his chest, soaking into his shirt.

To be honest, waking up like this wasn't exactly a rare occurrence.

Almost every day, Subaru awoke to someone clinging to him in their sleep. Sometimes it was Echidna, who would rest her head gently against his chest with a smug little smile. Other times, it was Reina, who had a habit of curling up beside his arm like a protective child seeking warmth.

Beatrice was the only one who consistently slept beside him without fail, and even she occasionally allowed herself moments of closeness. As for Echidna—well, she was more of an unpredictable intruder than a permanent fixture. One never knew when or how she'd sneak into his bed.

But this morning was different. This wasn't any of the usual suspects.

Subaru's vision adjusted, and as he looked down at the mysterious figure sprawled over him, he was taken aback. The woman resting on his chest was breathtakingly beautiful, with flowing golden hair that shimmered like sunlight and seemed to radiate warmth—almost unnaturally so.

Thanks to his enhanced memory and psychic abilities, Subaru could recall every single person he had ever rescued, met, or even glimpsed in passing.

But this woman?

She didn't match anyone in his memory.

'Who the hell is this woman…?' Subaru thought, now wide awake and thoroughly confused.

Suddenly, the golden-haired woman's eyes fluttered open. She blinked slowly, adjusting to the light, and then her gaze settled on Subaru. A soft, almost ethereal smile curved her lips.

Before Subaru could react, she leaned in closer, her face now inches from his. Then, to his utter bewilderment, she spoke in a voice laced with warmth and adoration.

"Good morning, Father," she said sweetly—and then kissed him square on the lips.

Subaru froze.

Beatrice, who had just stirred awake beside him, gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief as she saw the woman's shameless act.

"Wait?! Who is this woman on top of Betty's contractor?!" Beatrice cried out, too shocked to process what she was witnessing.

But the mysterious woman paid her no attention. She seemed to exist solely in her own world, a world where only she and Subaru mattered. Her golden hair shimmered as she smiled again, seemingly proud of her morning greeting.

Subaru, meanwhile, was in full mental breakdown mode. A woman had just called him Father… and then kissed him. On the lips.

What sort of twisted, incomprehensible, morally ambiguous debauchery was this?!

Before anyone could offer clarity, or perhaps a fire-and-brimstone explanation, all hell broke loose.

"EL MINYAAAAAAA!!"

Beatrice's outraged voice echoed through the mansion like a war cry. A moment later, multiple crystallized stakes of condensed mana burst through the air, piercing the walls and nearly reducing the room to rubble.

The scene quickly transitioned to a chaos of shouting, crashing, and magical backlash.

…

Later that day, in one of the surviving halls of the mansion, everyone stared at Gloria—the golden-haired woman who had caused the ruckus—with expressions of shock, confusion, and a tinge of awe.

Everyone except Echidna and Reina.

They stood calmly at the edge of the room, their expressions unreadable, perhaps unsurprised by what had occurred.

The rest, however, were still struggling to comprehend the absurdity they had just learned: Subaru's Yang Spirit, Gloria, had ascended to the rank of Great Spirit.

"Fufufu, it pleases me greatly to see you mongrels gawk at this concubine's divine presence," Gloria said, flipping her hair with the elegance of a self-crowned empress. "If you wish, I may grant you the honor of kissing the sole of my sandal."

Her words snapped everyone from their stupor.

"To think Gloria would rise to the level of a Great Spirit so quickly…" Geuse murmured with a deep sigh, his eyes distant. He remembered the grueling years it had taken for him to reach the same level, and here was Gloria—barely a few months old—already surpassing expectations.

Indeed, it had been only two weeks since Subaru's victory over the White Whale, meaning Gloria herself was scarcely older than a few moons.

A few months of existence and already a Great Spirit?

Even Roswaal, who was rarely caught off guard, found himself questioning the logic of the universe.

"Umu! I am truly envious to see Gloria rise so swiftly," said Agni with a firm nod, acknowledging her overwhelming spiritual growth.

Gloria simply scoffed.

"Do you now grasp the difference between this divine self and you mere mongrels?" she sneered, her voice dripping with condescension.

Gloria had manifested into the form of an overwhelmingly beautiful woman. Her body alone could drive men to madness—her curves and assets rivalled, the famed Sword Saint herself. Her golden eyes sparkled with a celestial glow, and her long golden hair caught the light in a way that made her look like a being not of this world.

"Who are you calling mongrel, huh?!" Aqua snapped, her temper flaring.

Gloria, unsurprisingly, ignored her and looked away, clearly deeming her unworthy of acknowledgment.

Instead, she boldly stepped forward and pressed Subaru's arm between her generous chest, claiming him before the entire room.

"I shall become Father's wife," she declared, her voice resounding like a royal decree, "and together, we shall rule this pathetic world beneath our divine feet."

Subaru's brain flatlined.

Emilia, still trying to process the madness, stepped forward hesitantly. She decided someone had to instill some reality into the situation.

"Umm… Gloria, children don't marry their parents," she said gently, attempting to educate rather than scold.

"Indeed, such a relationship would be… unethical," Rem added, choosing her words with deliberate care.

"Yes, if you truly consider him your father, then marriage is not a path you can pursue," Geuse nodded in agreement, frowning as he tried to align her logic with reality.

The idea itself was borderline blasphemous.

However, in a twist no one expected, Ram chimed in with a neutral expression.

"Still, you're not his child by blood. If you simply stop calling him 'Father,' then technically… you could make it work."

A stunned silence followed her surprisingly pragmatic suggestion.

Gloria scoffed, her golden eyes flashing.

"Truly the naive musings of lowborn minds. This divine self requires no permission to claim what is already hers. He is both my Father and my Husband. I shall not diminish his exalted status just to appease your flawed morality."

Reina, who had remained unusually silent, suddenly found herself spiraling into an internal crisis.

If Subaru were my father… would I…?

The thought made her blush furiously.

'Daddy?' the word echoed in her mind involuntarily, and she quickly shook her head, her face glowing a soft shade of red. For reasons unknown, the title felt oddly… alluring.

"T-this isn't the point! I suppose" Beatrice finally snapped, her frustration overflowing. "The issue is that she's trying to steal Betty's contractor right from under her nose!"

Beatrice had no patience for Gloria's antics. She could tolerate other spirits, even those who flirted with Subaru to some extent. But Gloria? Gloria was beyond intolerable.

Unlike the others who sought affection, Gloria demanded total possession. She didn't want to share Subaru's love—she wanted to own it entirely.

To her, everyone else was a background character.

Even other spirits were dismissed as mere servants to her and Subaru's divine union.

"Ughh… whatever," Subaru muttered, rubbing his temples. "I doubt Gloria will listen to reason, and I'm not going to force her to change. Just… don't be so overbearing, alright?"

He looked at her directly, trying to reach some kind of compromise.

Gloria responded by giving a solemn nod—well, as solemn as she could manage before promptly kissing Subaru on the cheek.

"Fufufu, worry not, Father. This concubine shall satisfy your every need—emotional, physical, and divine—in ways these inferior women could never dream of," she whispered, grinning with smug confidence.

Everyone's face froze.

The room fell silent, as if reality itself had just crashed.

And no one—absolutely no one—knew what to say next.

To be continued...

(A/N: Didn't expect that?

Well you can see her image in discord, and yup she is a beauty.

You can imagine it as genderswapped Gilgamesh with genderswapped Hakuno Kishinami kind of situation.

In Fate CCC route Gilgamesh falls in love with Hakuno Kishinami, calling her as 'My Master' fondly.

Yes Gilgamesh did that out of all people, he acknowledges her as someone equal and even sacrifices his Gate of Babylon to save her.

He literally gave away what made him Gilgamesh other than his powerful will and arrogant attitude to save the woman he loves.

He says along the line "A king's treasury means nothing if it cannot protect what is most precious"

So that's the situation is here, and Gloria is here more disconnected from people here than Gilgamesh though.

She had no Enkidu and never went through her growth phase as Gilgamesh did.

Actually than her fellow spirits whom she considers servants(Kinda of), and perhaps Reina as her father's concubine, she gives no fuck about others.

If Subaru were to order her to slaughter and Kingdom she will do in a heartbeat.

She is not human in the end after all.

So yeah, I am not too good in explaining things, but I hope you find her an enjoyable character.

SO YEAH GIVE ME THE POWERSTONES!)