As various elements were gradually added, time passed.
Satisfied with the food and alcohol, when they transformed into the appearances of otherworldly races, the alcohol amplified the situation, leading to quite interesting reactions.
While combinations that exuded a lover-like atmosphere were born, the temperature difference within the party venue grew stark between those who were enjoying themselves and those who, like the spy group, only considered matters in terms of profit.
Although they wouldn’t be caught because they only engaged in superficial conversation, I understood that the hidden nuances suggested they were dangerously close to something unsavory.
The higher the temperature around them rose, the more the difference in atmosphere became apparent.
I hadn’t expected it to be this lively, but I accepted it as one achievement and finally reached a turning point.
“To everyone enjoying their conversation, I apologize for interrupting. You’ve had wonderful time getting to know each other through various discussions, but that time is now over.”
It was finally time to take off the masks.
This wasn’t a glamorous story like Cinderella’s, but it could still be considered the main event.
After getting to know their appearances, learning about their inner selves, and now finally facing each other having experienced both, the true encounter would take place.
Though some situations were becoming meaningless, I decided to deal with them later. I restored my presence, walked onto the stage, and picked up the microphone.
To gather attention, I deliberately raised my voice a little higher and began to speak, which naturally drew everyone’s focus.
“The tone of your voice, your atmosphere, the content of your conversation – I imagine some of you might have already guessed at the kind of person you were talking to, but it won’t be certain until we reveal the answers.”
A slight ripple of laughter escaped the participants in the venue who had guessed at the intended pairings. Those who sensed what was coming next quietly began to put down their drinks and food on the tables.
“Now, since everyone seems ready,”
Then, the hands that had been holding something naturally reached up to their eyes.
“Please remove your masks.”
No one hesitated; rather, they seemed eager to discover who the person they had been conversing with truly was. There were those who removed their masks with a sense of urgency, and in that moment, a second encounter took place.
To call it two people staring at each other would be an understatement, given the crowd, but without any chatter, countless pairs of people were simply gazing at each other in silence.
The space was eerily quiet for a party venue.
It had the kind of atmosphere where a caption like “The people who were meant to meet have met” might appear.
I wonder what it is. I suddenly felt an intense craving for black coffee.
And I felt like seeing Suella and the others.
Several individuals made gestures that seemed to say “Alright, alright,” waving their hands as if giving up, and some seemed to be saying “Thank you for the meal.” These actions were visible among both men and women.
They stared intently at each other, with an atmosphere that suggested they might kiss at any moment.
Realistically, that could lead to deep regret for both parties. To stop that, I had no choice but to clear my throat in front of the microphone, breaking the increasingly sweetening atmosphere for a moment.
“Yes, I apologize for ruining such a wonderful atmosphere, but from here, we will be opening up the private rooms on the second-floor terrace. Please feel free to use them if you wish. However, as I mentioned earlier, please maintain your decorum.”
It was time to leave things to the younger couples. Climbing the stairs installed on either side of the venue would lead them into another building, where they could find spaces for intimate two-person encounters.
There were no couples who immediately rushed off to the private rooms, but some exchanged glances, while others exuded an air of wanting to confess but being too shy to initiate, seemingly playing a waiting game.
As I observed the men, who seemed quite taken with the true appearances of those they had just spoken to while wearing masks, I turned my attention to my other task.
Hidden from the sight of couples who looked like they might be on the verge of finding happiness, I focused my attention on the spy group, sensing that something was about to happen.
It’s unlikely they would resort to military force or terrorism. If they dared to disrupt my event, that would be one thing, but it’s improbable they would do so if their goal is profit.
They might act out if they were pushed into a corner, but I had no intention of pushing them that far.
At most, I might subtly tamper with their drinks.
The private rooms weren’t just convenient for the couples themselves; it was likely they intended to use the blind spots for some discreet planning. However, I had complete control over this venue and its staff.
Muil-san, along with his squad and the staff he brought in, had swapped out with the regular staff to establish a surveillance system, ensuring that those who were trapped would be sleeping soundly until the event concluded.
Now, all that was left was to wait for them to get caught.
“Despite everything, some parts have gone well, and I can finally relax a little.”
The event was reaching its climax. I descended from the stage and rejoined Kirie-san, who was waiting below. She congratulated me on the apparent success, having kept a close watch on the men.
“It’s not over yet, so from here on, it’s overtime.”
The party was essentially over; there would be no further gatherings. The venue itself remained, and conversations continued among those who hadn’t yet paired up. However, they seemed to sense their incompatibility or lack of strong connection and were conversing with a reserved attitude, not progressing to a romantic stage.
I nodded once, assuring myself that everyone present would be alright, and then asked the staff to take care of them.
“The word ‘overtime’ never sounds pleasant, no matter the situation.”
“It’s better than not having ‘service’ attached to it.”
“Management doesn’t get overtime pay. Do you?”
“Unfortunately, as a General, I get paid quite handsomely, so no.”
“Then you understand how I feel, don’t you?”
“With my past work experience, I feel it acutely.”
And so, we began walking side by side, starting to ascend the stairs. As we climbed, I glanced around looking for Keiri, wondering what she would do. Our eyes met at the venue, and she signaled to me with a hand gesture, indicating that she had things under control.
“She’s a good person. Even with her own issues, she was always moving around for her friends.”
“Yes, she always helps me out with work.”
Although Keiri might not have seen the gesture, Kirie, who had perceived who I was interacting with and the nuance of our exchange, praised Keiri.
Without blushing, and with pride for Keiri being praised, just as I was about to move to a different venue,
“What about your private life?”
“Gulp!?”
Kirie threw a completely unexpected curveball, causing me to choke involuntarily. I hadn’t been drinking anything, yet my body reacted so suddenly.
Seeing me choke and cough, she asked,
“Is that not the case?”
“N-No. We’re not involved like that.”
“Is that so? The last time I met her, even though she was on duty, your distance was quite close, so I mistakenly thought you had infiltrated her into the venue solely to manage the women.”
“She honestly came to participate in the marriage hunting party.”
Kirie seemed to harbor a lingering doubt, as if not entirely convinced despite my denial.
“Even I hesitate to make a move on my wife’s best friend.”
I knew Keiri was a very good woman. But that didn’t mean I could be such an arrogant fool as to recognize every woman colleague as a potential romantic interest.
She was, to me, strictly a colleague. Although she was a woman, I didn’t see her as one in that sense.
It was only that day, when she asked if I would marry her, that I recognized her as a woman for the first time. I shouldn’t have consciously directed any affection towards her.
“There was a time she jokingly asked me if I would marry her, but Suella saw through it as a joke, and naturally, I wouldn’t harbor romantic feelings for a man who makes such jokes.”
I assumed Keiri felt the same. Using the topic of marriage as a joke and as a way to act shy was something that only happened in manga and anime.
I answered Kirie, regaining my composure, wondering if such people who use playful shyness actually existed in reality.
“Well, you know, women don’t necessarily understand each other’s hearts completely, even if they are of the same gender. Even with a best friend you’ve known for a long time, or perhaps *because* you are best friends, you might have a way or two to hide things well.”
Kirie began to smile with a certain knowing look, much like my mother would have when teasing me.
I thought, “I don’t need to show off my family traits here,” and wondered why she was speaking with such implication.
“I’m going to work.”
Sensing that delving any further might lead me into strange trouble, I cut off the conversation. It was a bit forceful, but there was no way I, who had never won an argument against my mother, could contend with Kirie, who shared that family trait and was clearly intent on teasing me with all her might.
Sometimes, strategic retreat is a military tactic.
“That’s regrettable. Then, let’s leave this conversation for later.”
“We won’t.”
The marriage hunting party was already filled with strange elements. If I were to mix my own romantic entanglements into it, it would only escalate into something more peculiar.
“You know, I can actually read fortunes?”
“Please give your fortune-telling to the couples who have just formed.”
“That’s true as well.”
I was perplexed by Kirie’s insistence on supporting Keiri. We arrived at the second-floor area, and I could sense that several couples were already using the private booths.
“Let’s start with palm reading.”
“There are some races that do not have palm lines.”
I wanted to tell Kirie, who was about to start palm reading as an assistant for the fate of love, that some couples included Harpies and beastkin with paw pads.
“Can it be measured with ordinary palmistry?”
“…If it’s astrology, then.”
“They were born under different stars in a different world.”
“Crystal ball reading then.”
“We don’t have the equipment.”
The most orthodox form of divination was inapplicable due to physiological structure, astrological readings were impossible because they were born under different stars, and the iconic crystal ball fortune-telling was also out due to the lack of materials.
“I give up I suppose.”
“That would be wise.”
I realized that supporting romance could be quite challenging across worlds. As Kirie and I walked around the second-floor area, I thought about this.
We could peer inside if we looked, but that would be a violation of etiquette.
Under the guise of dealing with any dangerous presences, I patrolled, paying particular attention to the area around the spy group.
Alas, it was quite difficult to patrol with a relative while surrounded by such a romantic atmosphere.
I wondered if it was some kind of torture, and despite my unease, I found myself hoping the spy group would cause some trouble.
“Jiro-kun.”
“Yes, what is it?”
Without betraying these thoughts, as we continued our patrol, Kirie sighed lightly.
“It’s hard to cheer on other people’s romance. It affects me deeply to witness such fledgling affections at my age.”
With a somewhat vacant gaze, she confessed a sentiment similar to my own.
“Um, about your husband…”
“My husband and I are both busy with work and last met about two months ago. Our child is already an adult and no longer lives at home.”
Unlike my own parents, I could only offer a wry smile at what seemed like a rather detached marital relationship.
However, what bothered me was my uncertainty about whether her earlier offer to divine had been purely well-intentioned.
While her work demanded she be supportive outwardly, her words left me unsure of her true thoughts hidden deep within.
Word of the Day:
Finding enjoyment in other people’s romance might be more relaxing.
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