An Engineer's second chance (Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation x OC)

An... Emergency Family Meeting?

[Orion/Alastor POV]

[timeskip to I don't fuckin know when]

Rudy - "Congratulations, Mother."

Orion, jokingly - "Not another one! hehe"

Orion - "Seriously though, congrats Mother"

Zenith - "Thank you, Rudy. Now you won't have to feel lonely anymore, with your brother staying cooped up in his workshop all day, every day."

Orion - "I'm right here you know."

Paul - "Way to go, Zenith!"

Zenith - "Dear!"

Zenith had been worrying that she couldn't have a third child after having so many failed attempts. So the Greyrat household was overjoyed at her pregnancy.

[another indeterminate timeskip]

Lilia - "My humble apologies. I am pregnant"

My eyes widen, immediately knowing the culprit I turn to Paul, disdain apparent on my face.

Paul - "S-Sorry! I-It's probably mine."

Orion - "No shit it's yours, she doesn't leave the house, and it sure as fuck wasn't me!"

Zenith - "Alastor! Language!"

Orion - "At least you were honest about it, Father. Although I don't know what good it'll do."

Zenith gets up and gives Paul a mighty slap across the back of the head.

[skip to night time]

I'm sat in a chair near the fireplace in the living area, reading a book, while Lilia and Zenith are sat at the dining table. Zenith seems distraught over what Paul had done, and I could not blame her one bit. Lilia also looked upset, but she was much better at hiding it.

Zenith - "So... what will you do?"

Lilia - "After assisting you with childbirth, My Lady, I plan to take my leave."

Zenith - "And the child?"

Lilia - "I hope to raise it in my hometown."

Zenith - "That's a month's ride south, isn't it?"

Lilia - "Yes."

My ears perk at that statement.

Orion - "Going that sort distance in this sort of weather after childbirth is simply suicide, there's no way she'll make it, even with an escort."

Zenith - "He's right, you'll be worn out from childbirth. The long journey will be too much for you.

Lilia - "Possibly, but I have nowhere else to turn."

Orion - "If that's the only option then I would be more than willing to escort you. But i feel there is another option."

Zenith - "And what would that be, Alastor?"

Orion - "It might hurt, but the best way to handle this would be to let Lilia stay, raising a child without their father is just asking for issues, the main one being that there is no male role model in their life. And my pride as a man prevents me from letting a weakened mother and new-born out into the wild to die."

I get up from my seat, having already put my book down, and go join the women at the dining table.

Orion - "And I fear that Lilia leaving might leave some long lasting emotional wounds on Rudy, he's been incredibly fond of her since birth and we have no idea how he'll handle it. And if my memory serves right, I remember I was reading a book late one night in the living area, and I heard something incredibly disturbing."