“Beautiful,” I said.
After a few minutes of waiting.
Normally, that time would pass in the blink of an eye, but when you’re the one receiving them, you truly understand how slowly time can pass.
The first words I spoke after being guided by the maid and dressed in their respective dresses were to Suella, Memoria, Himik, and Evia, who had been relieved of their duties as the president’s bodyguard.
The special attire, so different from their usual clothes, made them look so beautiful that I could have mistaken them for the stars of tonight’s stage.
I wondered if even the witch who dressed Cinderella could have made them this beautiful. Was that too much of a bias from someone close to them?
Suella, clad in a light green mermaid dress, was adorned with silver accessories here and there, making her look like a forest fairy. Her perfectly balanced proportions, considering she had a child, were nothing short of astounding.
Beside her, Memoria, despite her small stature, exuded an unexpected adult sensuality in a purple dress that boldly bared her shoulders. While the overall color scheme leaned towards cool tones, it didn’t feel somber, likely because her fair skin stood out.
Himik’s dress was primarily a soft, light blue. Though her attire was modest, it still hinted at her allure. It was her innocent, beaming smile that truly brought out the brightness of her outfit.
Finally, there was Evia, who, among them all, undeniably wore her dress with the most flair. The crimson dress could be considered her trademark, yet the words “tired of seeing it” or “used to it” felt utterly inapplicable to her. Her posture, blooming like a beautiful rose, remained as breathtaking as ever.
“Oh dear, Father seems captivated by Mother and the others,” said a voice.
“It’s fine, isn’t it? He’s completely smitten with his daughters,” another replied.
Smilasta, my stepmother, and Miruru, holding the twins in their arms, brought me back to reality as I gazed at them, narrating my expression.
Casually, my own mother was there too, holding up her smartphone.
“Did you… take a picture?”
“I got a perfect shot of your idiotic face. It’ll be a permanent keepsake, and I’ll print it out for you later.”
“Don’t!”
Unlike the fathers who stood by in each other’s company, the mothers were fully prepared to tease me. I suppressed a sigh, took a deep breath to cool my slightly flushed cheeks, and turned back to Suella and the others.
“You’ve become a General, yet you haven’t changed at all,” Evia said, looking at me with a disappointed expression that she didn’t bother to hide, accompanied by a heavy sigh.
“That’s just like you, Jiro-san, and that’s a good thing,” Suella chimed in.
While I appreciated the support, even I knew that attitude was problematic, Suella.
“We’re here in case anything happens, but Suella, you seem a bit too optimistic. Considering where we’re going, you should be a little more on guard.” Memoria’s words were spot-on; just because the parade was over didn’t mean it was time to let our guard down.
“Hmm, indeed. When I attended the party with the Hero, the atmosphere wasn’t particularly pleasant. Those called nobles all seemed to harbor dark intentions and act solely based on profit and loss. I suppose where we’re going will be much the same?” Himik, who seemed to have more experience than me, was right. The place we were headed was a noble reception, attended by the country’s influential figures.
While there were allies, faltering now would make my dream of being a successful General a distant one.
“Well, if I don’t handle this properly, Instructor Kio and the President will laugh at me later, and it’ll become a black mark on my history. I can’t afford to be careless.”
That was the publicly stated reason, but the real one was that there were individuals in that venue, eagerly anticipating my awkwardness from afar, waiting with bated breath.
Both Instructor Kio and the President were, by nature, hedonistic and believed that as long as they were having fun, that was all that mattered. Instructor Kio, in particular, would likely tease me endlessly if I showed even a hint of panic, using it as a topic of conversation for the rest of my life.
Thinking that a battle I absolutely couldn’t afford to fail was about to begin, I felt my resolve harden.
Suella and Himik nodded in agreement with my words. Evia smiled faintly, not disagreeing.
“We feel the same way, surely. Jiro-san is undoubtedly the most successful of this generation. They’ll be sending women your way to forge connections.” Memorias words, spoken as I was steeling myself for the impending negotiations with the nobles, ignited a fighting spirit in Suella and the others.
“You have four fiancés, so two or three more should be acceptable. Jiro, you know what you’re doing, but be careful not to give them any grounds for complaint.” Evia, who was accustomed to noble society, reiterated her previous advice. While it was easy to impatiently say I understood, her experience was something I lacked. It was only proper to listen gratefully.
“Ah, noble tea parties are essentially arranged marriages, and if you attend, it’s an engagement, right?”
It was a ridiculously convoluted theory, but apparently, even a single date could lead to an unacknowledged child. The higher one ascended in noble society, the more such post-hoc logic was employed. It was difficult to refute, as showing any opening was considered a mistake, making it impossible to resolve easily.
Seeing Gray-san, Memoria’s father and the head of the large Toris Trading Company, nod repeatedly confirmed that this wasn’t mere fiction but a harsh reality. Sehas, standing quietly, also gave a small, deliberate nod.
“Indeed, they’ll generally try to send their daughters or sisters, but never be alone with them. They are terrifyingly quick at arranging such situations.” Evia continued to offer advice on what to do upon entering the party venue, grumbling that she wished she could say the same about her work.
“It’s like a honey trap, basically. They’re out for their own gain, so you should demand a return on your investment too.”
“It’s difficult, but I’ll try.”
“Yes, that’s the attitude.”
Saying it’s impossible was easy. Giving up was always an option.
But this social gathering with nobles, where failure meant my defeat, was already upon me. I worried about developing an ulcer from the stress. Would I even be okay?
Just as I’d joke to myself, I maintained a moderate sense of tension.
“As long as you’re smiling like that, I can rest easy.”
“Oops, I slipped up.”
I quickly corrected my expression, realizing I’d let out a grin that was unnervingly like the instructor’s.
“You’ve really grown, Jiro-san. You were so surprised by so many things when we first met.”
“Yes, the handyman who helped clean up the store back then is now a General.”
Suella and Memoria smiled nostalgically at me.
“Ah, I remember you panting to catch your breath after fighting Orcs and being completely worn out at the end of training.”
“Hmph, I don’t have any such memories.”
While I was aware that I’d risen rapidly since joining the company, I wondered if it warranted such fond reminiscence. Himik, jealous of my having no memories to share, stared intently at me, wanting some too. However, even with a contract with the Spirit of Time and Space, I couldn’t alter the past.
“We’ll make new memories from now on, okay?”
“Hmm, it’s a promise!”
I proposed that we do things together for the future, and Himik readily agreed. However…
“Naturally, with Suella and the others too.”
When it comes to such things, it should be equitable. As they pondered what we could do, I felt it was almost time, when suddenly…
“It’s time, Human King,” Sehas announced, taking out a pocket watch.
“Is that so?”
My demeanor immediately shifted, and my “work” expression settled onto my face.
“D-Don’t worry, Jiro. Look, it says ‘human’,” my father said, attempting to cheer me up with a touching but somewhat flustered effort, to which I smiled.
“Be calm, and stay close to Mother. If you stray too far, you might get kidnapped.”
“Yes, Ichiro. You just focus on the food and drinks at the party.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll be with you, so it should be fine.”
“Mmm.”
“Please take care of my parents.”
I entrusted my parents to Mait-san and Gray-san.
“Smilasta-san, Miruru-san, please look after Sachiera and Yukiera.”
I asked my stepmother to care for the children while I was at the party.
“Yes, have fun. Hey, Sachie-chan, will you be okay with Grandma?”
“Mufufu, I’ll make Grandma love me even more, so you’d better come back early!”
While one was a mature woman and the other looked young enough to be mistaken for a middle schooler, making the “Grandma” title feel odd, my children, unalarmed, tilted their heads curiously as they were held by the two women.
“Sehas, I’m entrusting their protection to you.”
“Y-Yes, leave it to me.”
Sehas, the head butler of our mansion, would lead the protection of these two women. With that, I had no lingering worries.
Now, the only question was whether the negotiation skills honed during my days as a corporate slave would translate to this otherworld. I had crammed in enough knowledge to avoid it being a makeshift measure, but I felt unprepared, wishing I had more time.
However, I couldn’t falter now.
“Shall we go?”
As I gently offered my arm, Evia took it.
My relationships with women here were generally egalitarian. There were no fixed rules for who was the primary wife or who were the concubines.
Their family backgrounds were all different, and each possessed her own unique qualities. Because I respected that, they lived freely and spoke their minds within the household.
However, for external appearances, Evia had to be at the top of our female circle due to her noble status.
Suella was the granddaughter of Muil-san, known as a hero, but among Dark Elves, she was considered a commoner. Memoria was called the heir to the Toris Trading Company, but she was a merchant. Himik, while a revered symbol among Seraphim and Isal, was merely a Fallen Angel here.
But Evia alone held a noble title, and an exceptionally high one at that. Therefore, externally, Evia would be considered the primary wife, with Suella and the others in the position of concubines.
It wasn’t discrimination, but the sight of me walking with only Evia, with Suella and the others trailing behind her, left me feeling a little dissatisfied.
“Foolish commoner, don’t look so displeased. Am I not enough to satisfy you?”
“No, it’s not that…”
I tried to explain that my dissatisfaction wasn’t about holding hands with Evia, but…
“I know. But if you display such an atmosphere at our destination, they might think we’re unhappy with our relationship. Be mindful. It’s not that we feel neglected by you.”
I was pointed out before we even arrived at the venue, which somewhat dampened the mood.
“Understood.”
“That’s the spirit.”
We regrouped. I led the way, with Suella and the others following behind me. As Sehas opened the door, knights waiting for our escort stood there.
This was where my first battle as a General would commence…
I had no idea how far I could probe the hidden intentions of others.
Today’s word: Never forget your spirit of challenge.
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Pandora Pandemic Panic: Pandora’s Box Has Been Opened Again, But We’re Fighting Back with Secret Bases and Other Things!!
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