"Ruuuukaaa! How long are you going to keep sleeping?!"
Mom's voice echoed through the hallway, followed by the sliding door to my room being thrown open without ceremony.
"Huh?! You're still in your pajamas?! Hurry up and eat breakfast! The food's going to get cold!!"
"Shut up! It's my day off, I can do what I want!"
"What nonsense are you spouting now? Oh for—look at this mess!"
Mom immediately started picking up the clothes and books scattered across the floor the moment she entered.
"Stop it! Don't touch my stuff!!"
"You're the one who left everything lying around!!"
"It's not lying around! I put them where I can reach them easily!!"
Ignoring my protests, Mom began tidying up the room in earnest. Well, I suppose I'm at fault too for just lying on my bed without moving...
I'm Uchiba Ruka. Two months ago, I became a Genius Gene Recipient and received insemination from Kido Chifumi-san. That was the turning point where I cut ties with my ex-boyfriend Nagata Toru—our relationship had long since soured—and began walking a new path in life. Unfortunately, I didn't conceive during the first insemination, but the second one is coming up soon. Chifumi-san is kind and skilled in bed, teaching me the joys of being a woman. Right now, I can't wait to see him again.
"What's this?! You bought another stupid manga? 'Jewel Knight'? Isn't this something kids read?!"
"What are you talking about, Mom?! 'Jewel Knight' is a masterpiece! People call it the Rose of Versailles of the Reiwa era!"
"Fine, fine. Just hurry up and come downstairs. Grandpa's coming over soon."
Right now, my current obsession is the manga 'Jewel Knight.'
Set in a world ruled by swords and magic, it follows the story of the young Queen Eleanor Dragonheart and her knight, Raymond Stonewall, who protects her. The strong, beautiful, and brave Raymond is actually a woman named Ramona in truth—Eleanor's half-sister. To protect her younger sister from a scheming minister plotting to usurp the throne, she disguises herself as a male knight. However, Eleanor doesn't know Raymond is a woman, much less her sister. Eventually, despite being married, Eleanor finds herself drawn to Raymond, who continues to protect her with unwavering devotion...
The forbidden love that consumes Eleanor and the pure-hearted devotion Raymond shows in protecting her sister are so heartrendingly beautiful that every new chapter release trends massively on X. There are even rumors of an anime adaptation lately, with heated online debates about who should voice Eleanor and Raymond.
Of course, I'm a Raymond fan. Or rather, I'm completely smitten. The so-called "real-life crush" phenomenon. Her being a woman doesn't matter to me. Ahh, I wish there was someone like Raymond out there somewhere...
"Mom, seconds!"
I held out my empty rice bowl. Right now, I was having a late breakfast-slash-lunch.
"You sure eat a lot~. Haven't you put on a little weight?"
"Who cares~. I need to get my nutrients for the baby, after all. w"
"What baby? You're not even pregnant yet."
"That's why I'm preparing my body for when it happens~. w"
While Mom and I were chatting about nothing important, the doorbell rang, and the front door opened. It was Mom's father—my grandpa.
"Hey there, Ruka-chan! Long time no see. You doing alright?"
"Grandpa! Welcome! I'm doing great every day!"
I work as an office clerk at Uchiba Manufacturing Co., Ltd., a small company my father runs. It had been running smoothly for over 50 years until a few years ago when a business partner went bankrupt, throwing the company into crisis. That was when Grandpa stepped in to save it. He's a wealthy man who owns several apartment buildings in Tokyo, and ever since then, Mom and Dad have been indebted to him.
And when he bailed out the company, Grandpa had one condition: that I become a Recipient. Since the inseminations started, he's been visiting every two to three weeks to check on me.
"So, the next insemination's coming up, right? Think it'll work this time?"
"Think it'll work? w How should I know? w"
"Dad, you're getting ahead of yourself~. These things are up to fate, so asking Ruka won't help."
"But still~, if she doesn't have a kid soon, I might not live to see a Meijin~"
Grandpa said with a sad voice.
"But Grandpa, who's to say my kid will even want to be a shogi player?"
"Ehh~, don't say that~"
Grandpa is an avid shogi fan with an amateur dan ranking. He's tried his hardest to teach shogi to his children and grandchildren, but none of them ever became anything more than mediocre players. I can't even properly set up a Yagura formation.
Grandpa's dream is to have a professional shogi player—preferably a Meijin—in the family. That's why he set his sights on a Genius Gene Child. Looking back, it was insane, but to save the company from ruin, I agreed to it.
"Alright, alright, I'll make sure the kid learns shogi, just like you want. But if they don't like it, you have to let it go, okay?"
"Don't worry. My great-grandchild will absolutely fall in love with shogi!! The first elementary school shogi pro isn't just a dream!!"
I was born when Grandpa was 38; now he's 61. If my child becomes a shogi player, it's not impossible for them to reach Meijin while he's still alive. He's betting everything on that dream.
"Honestly, Mom thinks it'd be better if the grandkid became an actor. They could stay active their whole life, and it's more promising than shogi~"
After Grandpa left, Mom started pushing her own wishes on me.
"Dad thinks a golfer would be great. Golf is something girls can excel at too, and making billions a year isn't just a dream!"
Everyone's being way too selfish about my kid. And it's not even conceived yet...
"Ahaha w, typical Recipient problems, huh~"
During my pre-insemination consultation, when I complained to Ohno-san, she laughed.
"Is that so? Are other Recipients like that too?"
"Yeah~, a lot of people get pressured by parents or relatives. But hey, what about you, Ruka-chan? Any hopes for your kid?"
"Me? I just... want them to choose their own path... that's all I think about."
"Well, I think that's the best way. Kids never turn out how parents expect anyway. But raising them is what being a parent's all about... though I guess it doesn't mean much coming from someone without kids. w"
Ohno-san laughed dryly. It's true—kids rarely grow up exactly how their parents envision. Everyone knows that, yet Recipients and the people around them still try to impose their wishes on Genius Gene Children. To her, it must seem ridiculous.
"Not at all. Hearing that makes me feel better. Dreaming about what your child might become is one thing, but deciding their path from the start feels... warped, doesn't it?"
"Can't exactly say 'yep' out loud since this is how we make our living~ w"
As we shared a lighthearted laugh, there was a knock on the consultation room door. When Ohno-san said, "Come in," the door opened.
"Long time no see. Hachisu from the Metropolitan Police. Uchiba-san, has there been any change in your situation?"
Entering the room was Inspector Hachisu Claire. She's been overseeing my security detail due to stalking concerns from Toru. She's also a Recipient like me, currently five months pregnant. Despite her noticeably large belly, she still looks sharp in her uniform—so cool.
"Thanks to you, everything's fine. I haven't gotten any emails from Toru lately either."
"Is that so? Still, we'll keep up the vigilance, so don't worry."
"Okay. Thank you."
Ohno-san watched our exchange with a displeased expression. Come to think of it, she always looks like that when Hachisu-san is around.
"Hachisu, enough with the greetings. You brought her, right?"
"Of course. I came to introduce her to Uchiba-san today."
"Um, introduce...?"
"Ah, I brought the officer who'll be handling Uchiba-san's security starting next week. Hey, get in here!"
At Hachisu-san's command, the door opened with a firm "Pardon me," and a woman in a suit stepped inside.
"Hongo Rin, from the Metropolitan Police Security Department Protection Division. Pleased to meet you."
As Rin-san saluted, I was left speechless.
Ra... Raymond...
Her beautiful yet gallant features and dignified, noble bearing were the spitting image of the Raymond I adored. No—she looked exactly like the real thing!
"Uh... I-I'm... Uchiba... Ruka..."
"Are you alright, Uchiba-san? Are you feeling unwell?"
Ahhh... no way... Raymond! Kneeling before me, peering into my face like this...!
"I-I'm... fine..."
"Glad to hear it. From now on, I'll be protecting you properly, so please rest assured."
How can she say things like that?! My heart's been pierced!! Ahh, her voice is amazing too! No! I can't look at her directly...!
"What's wrong, Ruka-chan~? Your face is all red—don't tell me you've fallen for Hongo-chan?"
Ohno-san was laughing... Could she hear my inner thoughts?!
"Ah... no... it's just, she's so amazing, my heart's racing..."
"She is cool~. Hongo-chan's an Aikido master, you know? She even wiped the floor with Hachisu at the police martial arts tournament~. I'm a huge fan too. w"
"Ohno, keep running your mouth and I'll really put you down! Don't think being pregnant will save you!"
Ahh... Ohno-san and Hachisu-san were arguing... But that didn't matter... I couldn't take my eyes off Rin-san... What do I do with these feelings... Could this be...?
I was completely smitten by my new security officer, Hongo Rin-san. My very own Raymond from 'Jewel Knight,' appearing out of nowhere. Who would've thought things would turn out like this between us...?