The addition of another oath-bound ship did not place any burden on Setsuna.
Belfast had always been his personal maid, ticulously taking care of his and the shipgirls' daily lives.
Richelieu, Taihou, and Yat Sen were already completely accustod to her presence—so much so that they didn't even bother avoiding anything around her anymore.
Thus, this was rely a natural progression—Belfast becoming one of them.
She continued to serve as the Royal Head Maid, overseeing the maid squad and tending to the Commander's daily needs.
The only difference was that her duties occasionally included so… overreaching gestures.
...
Early Morning.
As Setsuna and a few shipgirls slept sprawled out in various directions, Belfast had already dressed in her maid uniform.
She neatly folded their clothes beside the bed and laid out breakfast for five on the table.
Then, she walked over and knocked lightly on the bedside table.
"Commander, if you don't get up soon, we're going to be late again."
"Also, Lady Richelieu and Lady Taihou, your new clothes have been prepared."
"If possible, please refrain from going overboard… After all, if I have to clean your clothes every single day, it does cause so trouble."
She spoke calmly, while picking up scattered garnts from the floor.
"Uh…"
"…Eh? Belfast, what do you an by not going overboard? You were clearly involved too, weren't you?!"
"Tch, and now you're ganging up on with the Commander…"
Richelieu sat up, shaking her head as she ran her fingers through her flowing golden hair.
Her tone sounded like a complaint, but her expression carried a teasing smirk.
"That's because you always act so cool and aloof as the flagship of Iris Libre and a Cardinal—naturally, it makes people curious to see your other expressions."
"The Commander said he really likes seeing you blush—it's very cute."
Belfast gave a graceful curtsy, delivering the counterattack with poise.
"As expected… the Royal Navy and Iris Libre just can't get along… Even the maids are riding over my head now…"
Richelieu sighed, lanting the state of the world.
Back in the day, she only had to compete with Taihou, but now even the Royal Head Maid was teaming up with the Commander to bully her.
Clearly a public display of personal grudges.
A deliberate act of vengeance on behalf of the Royal Navy against Iris Libre.
"Among the Commander's oath-bound ships, there is no hierarchy."
"Even if Belfast is a maid, you mustn't try to bully her just because you're the flagship."
At the tea table, Yat Sen gently sipped her tea, her calm and gentle voice carrying a subtle elegance.
"Exactly. If only you all were as reasonable and cultured as Yat Sen, we'd have far fewer problems."
"That way, I'd have even more ti to spend with the Commander."
Belfast had a rather high opinion of the Dragon Empery's flagship.
She never engaged in these pointless power struggles—instead, she simply waited quietly, knowing the Commander would eventually co to her.
"Why don't we elect a leader?"
Taihou suddenly proposed.
The shipgirls exchanged glances, uncertain of how to proceed, since none of them wanted to yield.
"First co, first served!"
Taihou was the first to stake her claim.
"It should be determined by combat strength."
Richelieu cleared her throat, asserting herself boldly.
"Obviously, it should be based on who has spent the most ti by the Commander's side and who takes care of him best."
Belfast, though the newest addition, was equally unyielding.
"The Royal Maids are perfectly capable of managing the Commander's life—therefore, we can also manage his oath-bound ships."
"…"
Yat Sen didn't say anything—she simply chuckled lightly.
She had always been soone who received special treatnt from the Commander, and she was already quite satisfied with that.
anwhile, the other three shipgirls were still locked in a debate, each unwilling to concede to the other.
Richelieu gave Setsuna a gentle push as he lay half-asleep.
"Commander, what do you think? Who do you think should manage the oath-bound fleet?"
"Based on combat ability? Or so other standard…?"
"…"
Still half-dazed, Setsuna groggily turned over and squinted at the expectant faces of Richelieu and Taihou.
"Whoever's technique is best, we'll go with them."
"HAH???"
Richelieu's face turned bright red as she pinched his cheek and slowly enunciated every syllable:
"Com-man-der—!!!"
...
One hour later, after soothing his oath-bound shipgirls, Setsuna did what any fair Commander would—he made sure to treat everyone equally.
As for who should be in charge…
There weren't enough mbers yet. They'd revisit the discussion later—maybe even establish a dedicated Oath Fleet.
Just as he was working through so docunts in the office, Mio walked in, leading a group of Spirit girls behind her.
Her bare feet made soft tapping sounds as she approached Setsuna.
"Setsuna, my spiritual energy has almost fully recovered."
"Let's create new children together."
"???"
The entire room went silent.
The shipgirls and Heroic Spirits froze in place, their expressions stiffening.
Richelieu and Taihou spat out the water they had been drinking, and Belfast frantically grabbed a cloth to wipe the table.
"Eh? Here?"
"Setsuna, I know you're quite the perverted guy, but don't you think this is a bit inappropriate in broad daylight?"
Kurumi smirked, her voice dripping with amusent.
She gave a playful nudge to the Spirits beside her.
"Ara~, but I'd love to watch."
"That said, Origami, Kotori, and Yoshino, you three should probably leave the room, don't you think?"
"…"
Ignoring Kurumi, Setsuna pondered for a mont before realizing Mio's true intention.
"You an… you're ready to create the final special Spirit—the Princess, Tohka Yatogami?"
"Yes! She is our child too!"
Mio clapped her hands together, her face lighting up with pure, innocent joy.
"And she will be a true purebred Spirit, not one that was transford from a human."
"Just as I thought…"
Tohka Yatogami was the most unique of the ten Spirits that Mio had separated from herself.
She didn't require a human girl as a vessel—instead, she would be born solely from the self-consciousness within the Spirit Crystal.
To ensure her proper birth, Mio needed to expend a significant portion of her power.
Additionally, Setsuna would need to purify the Spirit Crystal, preventing the birth of an Inverse Form Spirit.
Fortunately, for Setsuna, this task wasn't difficult at all.
He took Mio's hand, and the two of them walked to an open space outside.
"Let's begin."
Swoosh—
A radiant halo of light appeared behind the Spirit of Origin, as she pressed her palms together and softly chanted an ancient incantation.
A purple Spirit Crystal slowly separated from her body and began to float mid-air.
Setsuna reached out, placing his hand on Mio's shoulder, channeling his magic infused with the Wisdom Cubes' energy to replenish her strength.
"Setsuna, this is, in the truest sense, our child."
Mio pouted slightly as she spoke.
"She was born purely from spiritual energy, just like . And a part of her power also cos from your magic."
"So she's undeniably, biologically ours—"
"…"
The expressions on the shipgirls' faces grew increasingly complex.
They couldn't understand why this Spirit of Origin was so fixated on having a child with the Commander.
Hopelessly love-struck won are terrifying.
BZZT—
The floating Spirit Crystal began absorbing an imnse amount of magic, before suddenly bursting out with an intense, blinding light.
A howling storm of raw spiritual energy instantly swept through the area, trees lining several streets snapped like twigs, and windows shattered in rapid succession.
The entire square was enveloped in a surging violet aura.
As the dust settled, and everyone reopened their eyes, a breathtakingly beautiful girl descended into the scene.
She was dressed in a majestic princess gown, layered with purple armor plates.
Her long purple hair was tied into a high ponytail, and her crystal headpiece shimred faintly.
Her dress, though armored at the waist and arms, was woven from radiant light at the hem, seams, and inner layers.
A soft ethereal glow radiated from her entire form.
She was, true to her na, a genuine princess.
"This is…"
"Where… am I?"
The girl slowly opened her eyes, looking around in confusion.
"Daughter!!"
Mio imdiately lunged forward, embracing her tightly.
"???"
The newly manifested Spirit was utterly baffled.
Her first instinct was to push the girl away, but she quickly hesitated, sensing a strange familiarity and comfort in Mio's presence.
"Who… are you?"
"I'm sorry, but I don't quite understand… I don't even know who I am…"
"You are a part of and Setsuna."
Mio looked up at the girl, who was slightly taller than herself, before gesturing towards Setsuna.
"From today onward, your na will be Tohka Yatogami."
"I am your mother, and he is your father."
"Eh? Is that… how it is?"
The newborn Spirit, now nad Tohka, looked incredulous.
She had just been born into this world and knew nothing about common sense. So, whatever Mio said, she simply believed.
"Also, they are your sisters. You must get along well with them from now on."
Mio gestured from Tobiichi Origami to Yuzuru Yamai and Kaguya, all the way to Yoshino and Miku Izayoi, including Gudako, who was watching the scene unfold with amusent.
"From now on, all of you must listen to Setsuna."
"…"
Tohka tilted her head in confusion but obediently nodded.
"Understood."
"???"
Kurumi hadn't even started teasing, but Gudako instantly lost it.
"Hold up, hold up, hold up! What does this have to do with ?! I ca from Chaldea! How did the Commander suddenly gain an entire generation over ?!"
"You accepted my Spirit Crystal and beca a Spirit yourself."
"That makes you my daughter."
"And since Setsuna is my husband, that makes him your father."
Mio walked up, gently patting Gudako's head, her expression dead serious.
"???"
Gudako wanted to argue, but then she noticed the imnse power radiating from Mio's hands.
"Be a good girl now, don't be naughty~"
The Spirit of Origin smiled with an expression of nuclear-level kindness.
"???"
Gudako was utterly shattered.
When she first t Setsuna, they had been equals. Now, after gaining a bit of power, she sohow ended up with a set of new parents.
She wasn't sure if she profited or got scamd.
But Setsuna definitely profited.
Not only did he gain a whole bunch of daughters, but in the future, he would probably have the chance to play all sorts of strange 'family role-play' gas.
Uh… so if I run into soone I can't beat, I can just 'call my parents' for backup?!
A random thought popped into Gudako's mind.
This… might actually be a good deal…?
Mio, anwhile, snuggled closer to Setsuna, linking arms with him, pulling all twelve Spirits together for a group photo.
The younger Spirits, like Yoshino, didn't think too much about it. Having a powerful Spirit like Mio as a mother didn't seem too bad.
anwhile, Kurumi and Gudako, with expressions full of reluctant acceptance, stood on either side of Setsuna, awkwardly acting like daughters, while he patted their heads like a proud father.
"Co on, everyone, smile!"
Mio excitedly squeezed up next to Setsuna, grinning like she had just achieved a lifelong dream.
"With this, Setsuna and I are officially blessed with many children."
"Wait, no—many daughters!"
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