#995 Maternity Rhapsody 4: Bitter Enemies in the Same Boat

I quit being Prime Minister!

Or, to put it another way, “Zoth Syra quits being Prime Minister!”

I mean, there’s no way I can juggle both raising a kid and being Prime Minister!

Being Prime Minister alone is tough enough! It’s a no-brainer!

And raising a child is just as demanding!

I’ve seen Platy and Puffer wrestling with their little ones up close!

So, I’ve got to choose one or the other, and if I have to pick, of course, I’m choosing my kid!

Got a problem with that?

My family is more important to me than anyone else!!!

That’s why I’m handing over my job to someone else!

The Mermaid Kingdom isn’t exactly short on talent, and there are at least a couple of people who can handle the job just fine!

I’m leaving it to them!

Anyone can be Prime Minister, but there’s only one mother for the baby in my belly!

But quitting won’t be that easy.

First and foremost, there’s Queen Puffer.

There’s another layer to our relationship: I personally drilled the basics of pharmacological magic into her.

Beyond just being Prime Minister and Queen, or vassal and ruler.

Having your teacher in a top government position is a strong support.

Despite being a commoner, Puffer stands beside the King at the nation’s pinnacle.

Normally, people secure high positions through noble birth or connections, but Puffer, lacking such connections, relied on her own abilities.

Her skills, earning her the title “Witch of the Bitter Cold,” are unmatched and truly awe-inspiring.

And that’s thanks to my thorough training, of course.

For Puffer, having me, her fierce mentor, in the key position of Prime Minister is another solid support.

A personal connection to the Prime Minister is invaluable for a Queen.

As such, Puffer will definitely resist me stepping down.

Won’t she let me go out of concern for my happiness?

My disciple wouldn’t be my disciple if she were that soft!!!

Just like me, she values herself above all! No matter how much Puffer complains, I’m definitely quitting my job!

“I’ll help too! Let’s unite and win our freedom! Aim for the life of a full-time homemaker!!!”

For once, Carp’s being really reliable!

Thinking about it, I’ve known her for decades. Back when I was still a tender young girl, we were fierce rivals, fighting for dominance in the slums.

She was a tough delinquent back then, but now she’s turned into this strict, education-focused mom-to-be.

Time sure is strange.

But now, even she is a dependable ally.

The determination and eloquence she honed as a teacher, enough to discipline the naughtiest students, will be invaluable as we push for my resignation.

Our destination is the Mermaid Imperial Palace, the audience chamber.

Since this is about resigning as Prime Minister, it makes sense to bring it up with my direct superior, the Mermaid King.

Current Mermaid King Arowana, Puffer’s husband, is almost like a son to me, but that’s not all that connects us.

He’s also the son of the person I fear the most...!

But that’s not important now!

We’ll confront each other purely as ruler and subject!

With a loud bang, Carp and I burst into the audience chamber.

But instead of the Mermaid King, a refined woman stands before us.

“Zossy, Carpy, welcome.”

“SIS MAHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!”

It’s Mahi Kanne, the former Mermaid Queen!!!

She is the one person Carp and I fear the most in the world!!

Sis Mahi alone embodies the sum of all fears!

“Wh-Wh-Wh-What brings you here, Sis Mahi?!”

“Well, Puffer is pregnant with her second child, right? Arowana was so worried he wanted to stay close to his wife, so I took over the audience for him. Overprotectiveness must run in the family.”

Sis Mahi, Arowana’s mother, is the wife of the previous Mermaid King, Nagus!

Even though she’s retired, her influence still lingers in the palace, and it’s not unheard of for her to step in for an audience...!

“Ugh, my body feels so heavy since it’s been a while for me too... But at least Darling is always by my side, so I guess it’s fine for today, right?”

“Ah, congratulations on your pregnancy...!”

“And you two as well. This is your first child, unlike my numerous ones. Truly a joyous occasion!”

“Th-Thank you very much...!”

Oh no, oh no! This is bad!

If Sis Mahi is already ahead of us, she must have seen through all of our plans!!!

I’ll never forget the time in my rebellious youth when we were fighting for supremacy in the slums. Sis Mahi crushed us in less than a second and made us her underlings.

Back then, she was like a terrifying fusion of demon and devil. We couldn’t defy her at all.

I’m still convinced she’d have killed us if we tried.

These days, she’s softened a lot after going through pregnancy and child-rearing.

But the trauma from those days will never go away!

The same goes for Carp; she’s been trembling from head to toe.

I’m no different, though!

“...So, Zossy, what brings you here with such an urgent request for an audience?”

“Sis, well, you see...!”

“You know, you’ll have to balance your duties as a Prime Minister with parenting, so you can’t afford to slack off.”

I knew itttttttttttttttttt!!!

This woman has no intention of letting me resign!

It was her decision to make me Prime Minister in the first place. If it were just Queen Puffer and King Arowana begging me, I still could have barely escaped. But Sis Mahi’s demands are impossible to resist!!!

“S-Sis Mahi, I mean, former Mermaid Queen Mahi, I have a request.”

“Oh, don’t be so formal. Talk to me like we did in the old days when we were close.”

“Guhah!!!”

Darn it! The pressure is too much.

I feel like I’m going to spit blood! But I have to stand firm! For the sake of my child and my happy home with Orkubo, I must resist Sis Mahi!!!

“Um, you see, it’s practically impossible to handle the duties of a Prime Minister along with childbirth and childcare. Please allow me to resign to focus on my family.”

“Oh, it’ll be fine. You just need to work five times harder than usual, Zossy.”

“That’s a toxic work environment!!!”

It’s hopeless. Sis Mahi’s motto has always been, “Impossible is just a lie.”

Especially when it comes to me.

How many times have I been pushed to my limits by her?

But this time, I can’t back down.

I didn’t come here unprepared. The ace up my sleeve will finally be usefullllllllllllll!!!

“All right, all right. Mom and Zoth, you two are being immature.”

“Oh, Platy dear. Are you back home?”

“I’m just here to tag along. The main star is him.”

Platy gently sets down the child she’s carrying.

And that child is...!

“Oh goodness, me! Little Junior came to visit?! You’re as cute as everrrrrrrrr!!!”

Junior, the saint’s child, is Sis Mahi’s first grandchild!!!

She dotes on him to the point of melting!

I’ve never seen Sis Mahi so soft and tender! It’s actually terrifying!

“...”

“Oh? What’s wrong, Junior?”

“I hate mean Grandma.”

“Guwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!”

How about that?!

Can even the mighty Sis Mahi, who once took on the entire world, withstand an “I hate you” attack from her beloved grandchild?!

“Ugh. You’ve got me there, Zossy. I didn’t expect you to pull such a move. This might be the first time you’ve outmaneuvered me.”

“I just wanted to show how important my family and home are to me...”

“I never thought the once-ruthless Zossy would become so devoted to family. It’s a commendable growth. As your former big sister, I feel like cheering you on.”

Cheering?! Does that mean...!!!

“But I still can’t allow you to resign. To be honest, we can’t afford to lose such a competent official like you, even without considering Puffer’s backing. Arowana is still young, and without your support, things would be shaky.”

“Noooooooooooo!!!”

“Just like the Demon King can’t lose Lord Lucife Focale. I’ll grant you three months of maternity leave. Arowana can manage on his own for that long.”

Ugh...!

Well, I guess I should be grateful for the leave...!

“And Carpy.”

“Y-Yes?!”

“I have a message from Mermaid Witch Academia. They say you can take either maternity leave or retire.”

“That easily?!

Hey, it seems they don’t care much about losing a competent teacher.

“Besides, you haven’t taught a class in years. It’s like you’re not even there. To regain trust, you need to go back and teach for a while.”

“B-But I want maternity leave too...!”

“Work until the very last moment. How can you set a good example for your child if you don’t act responsibly?”

Ahahaha, she’s getting scolded!