“Huh? What is that?”
At my signal, the bodyguards simultaneously deactivated the Concealment Magic Tool’s function and revealed their true forms to her.
A wolf beastkin, a demon, a Dark Elf, and a Lizardman—a diverse array of species appeared all at once.
This was a reality too real to be called special makeup.
The Captain and Vice-Captain even had tails growing from their hips.
Seeing those tails move freely, even Meguri-san couldn’t help but believe it.
“How is it? Have you understood that we are not joking?”
“Ah, yes.”
It was worth gathering species with tails, ears, scales, and wings, parts that humans don’t have.
“Would you like to touch it?”
To the still visibly shaken her, I proposed touching the Lizardman’s tail to give her a bit more sense of reality.
She nodded silently, and I exchanged a knowing glance again. The Lizardman bodyguard gently lifted his tail for her to touch.
With a hesitant touch, Meguri-san’s hand reached out to the pale, scaled tail. At first, she touched it gently, but then her touch became more deliberate, as if trying to confirm it.
“I touched a snake once, and this is similar.”
“He is of dragon blood, making him a superior species to snakes and lizards. It’s no exaggeration to say that the scales you’re touching contain dragon genes.”
“This is… a dragon?”
The Lizardman bodyguard accompanying us this time is of the Water Dragon bloodline, possessing beautiful, pale blue scales.
Meguri-san, touching them, was momentarily surprised by the fact that she was touching the scales of a dragon kin. She then earnestly tried to discern the differences between the snake she had touched before and this dragon.
“Ah, sorry to interrupt your fascination, but we’d like to get back to business. May we proceed?”
“Wait, I’m almost figuring out the difference between a snake and a dragon now!”
“Mom, don’t prioritize the scales over my marriage talk.”
“The bodyguard is also getting concerned, so it’s probably time.”
However, the purpose of this visit was to prepare for a favorable meeting between Kaido’s parents and Amili-san.
It would be problematic if she got fixated on the Lizardman’s tail right now.
Reluctantly, Meguri-san let go of the tail.
It must have felt quite pleasant, as she kept glancing at it.
“Mom, you like reptiles, don’t you? Dad doesn’t like them, so we never kept any.”
“She’d probably get really excited if she saw a real dragon.”
It’s understandable to get excited when your favorite creature is right in front of you.
But I need her to focus on me now, so I cleared my throat to draw her attention.
“Um, have you understood? The fact that there are people from another world.”
“Yes, I still can’t quite believe it, but I do understand that they exist.”
She was still clearly shaken.
It’s natural, given that events that shake one’s common sense were happening right before her eyes.
“I’m sure you understand, but please keep this matter confidential. Preparations are underway, both by the Japanese Government and at a deeper level, for exchange with their world. If information leaks from you, you could face unwarranted suspicion or even detention. In the worst-case scenario, you could be targeted by those who want to know what happened here.”
“Don’t say scary things!”
“Unfortunately, the fact that we have bodyguards should give you some idea. We have taken the utmost care in our movements to get here.”
I feel bad about piling on more unsettling information when her common sense is already shaken, but I have to get this across clearly.
It’s not uncommon for a slip of the tongue, a moment of carelessness, to turn into a rumor.
It would be unacceptable for Meguri-san to face danger because of that.
I hardened my heart and made sure to emphasize this point.
We had confirmed that Kaido’s family home was not under surveillance and came here discreetly.
If we made a mistake here, I wouldn’t know what Evia would say.
“Do you understand?”
“I understand that my idiot son has gotten a job at a ridiculous company and I’ve been dragged into it.”
“That is most gratifying.”
“Don’t people tell you that you’re not good with sarcasm?”
“I haven’t had that experience much.”
“I’m sure you have.”
Meguri-san eyed me suspiciously, while I maintained my professional smile.
She seemed to have dropped the pretense and was now speaking to me directly.
“So? Compared to them, how unusual is the woman my idiot son is going to marry?”
“In appearance alone, she is a lovely woman. At first glance, she’s not much different from a normal human, but she is a member of a race called ‘Kijin.’ Their characteristic is the fusion of a living body and machinery. It would be easier to understand if you thought of them like the androids or cyborgs you see in Hollywood movies.”
“Oh, so there are people like that in your world too.”
Perhaps due to her straightforward personality, she accepted my explanation readily.
Kaido also blended into the company atmosphere quite easily; perhaps that personality is inherited from his mother.
I had expected to see more aversion or suspicion in her reaction, but she accepted it so casually.
“That’s surprising, you accepted it so easily.”
“My idiot son is, as you can see, an idiot. If a woman tries to be righteous like this, I have no reason to oppose it. And if someone like that appears, isn’t it about connecting through hearts rather than just appearances? If so, I have nothing to say.”
While not exactly blindsided, Meguri-san readily agreed to the marriage.
About sixty percent of the discussion was concluded, but there were still other matters to discuss.
“I see. Then, one more thing. We would like to arrange a meal for you and your husband. Could you have Kaido contact us with a date that is convenient for your husband?”
“That’s fine, but meeting you all is quite a dangerous undertaking, isn’t it?”
“Regarding that, we will arrange safe transportation. Not only Kaido’s movements but also our company is monitored by the Japanese Government. All personnel, from contractors to employees, are potential sources of information.”
“Well, as long as my safety is guaranteed and I can have a good meal paid for by my son’s money, I have no complaints.”
“If you’d like, shall we prepare a dress for you with his salary?”
“Wha—?! Senpai!”
“Please, don’t. Such stiff clothing doesn’t suit me.”
For now, it seemed like we could arrange the meal with Meguri-san by coordinating schedules through Kaido, though it would depend on Amili-san’s convenience.
“Oh, right. I forgot to confirm something important. Hey, you idiot son. Do you have a picture of the other party? I get nervous meeting someone I don’t even know the face of.”
“Mom, you’re nervous? Ouch!?”
“Are you going to hit me?”
“Don’t say that after hitting me!”
Ignoring the unreserved exchange between Kaido and Meguri-san, I rummaged through the bag I had brought and took out a package.
“Regarding that, I’ve recently taken on a certain project. I managed to take some photographs during a break from that work.”
“Oh, it’s an engagement photo. This is the first time I’ve seen something like this.”
Yes, this was a product of the marriage hunting party that Kairii-san and I were undertaking.
We had already taken engagement photos for participants, so we had learned the necessary know-how and had no trouble creating this one.
It was presented in a proper binding, entrusted to a professional photographer, and Amili-san herself had carefully chosen the makeup and attire for this one item.
Meguri-san accepted it with anticipation, but I was quite nervous.
After all…
“Let’s see…”
There was one impression about its contents that I couldn’t shake.
With anticipation, Meguri-san gently opened the engagement photo and froze for a moment.
She closed the photo, took a deep breath, and opened it again.
Then, as she faced reality once more…
“Hey, you idiot son!”
Meguri-san spoke to Kaido in her lowest tone yet.
Her voice exuded a presence that made my back straighten, even though she wasn’t speaking to me.
It was a voice so powerful, it felt like Fighting spirit would surge like Magic Power itself.
“What the hell do you mean getting involved with a minor, you idiot?!”
And I was truly grateful for having set up a soundproof barrier to maintain secrecy, as she let out a furious yell that could be heard from miles away.
Furthermore, even I, who had experienced countless battles, marveled at her skill as she grabbed Kaido by the collar and performed a perfect One-armed shoulder throw across the table.
This is strange. Kaido has considerable combat experience, yet she executed the technique so flawlessly.
The transition from the One-armed shoulder throw to an armbar after slamming him to the ground was truly masterful.
I couldn’t help but let out an impressed sigh.
“Misunderstanding! It’s a misunderstanding! Senpai, don’t just admire it, explain! Ouch! Mom, are you serious?! You’re really trying to break my arm?!”
“An arm that gets involved with young girls has no business existing! Even if it’s permissible in another world, I will never permit it!”
“That’s why it’s a misunderstanding! It’s a misunderstanding! Aaaah?! Are you going to break it for real?!”
If he had suitable Magic Power aptitude, I would definitely recruit him to our company. I marveled that Kaido’s combat sense was also inherited from his mother.
But at this rate, Kaido’s arm would be broken, and that wouldn’t do at all. So, I also stood up and made a move to rescue Kaido, who was caught in a pinning hold.
Even though my emergency Magic Power was protecting him and he was undergoing Body Reinforcement, the fact that his body was screaming meant she was genuinely trying to break it.
“Meguri-san, Kaido is right. It’s a misunderstanding. She’s actually older than us.”
As I crouched down and spoke clearly so she could hear, the sound of creaking bones abruptly stopped.
“Huh?”
“In Japan, there are sometimes women who look very young, right? In their world, even if they appear to be in their twenties, it’s common for them to be over a hundred years old. And the one over there is over three hundred.”
While she had accepted the information about Otherworlders, the concept of lifespan hadn’t quite registered yet. As I pointed to the Dark Elf bodyguard and explained, she looked at him in genuine surprise.
She looked at him with suspicion, thinking, “No way,” but he nodded and stated his age, causing Meguri-san to be even more amazed.
“In their world, lifespans vary by race. However, there are various circumstances, such as difficulty in leaving descendants or it being easier to reproduce.”
The circumstances of another world become easier to accept with a certain amount of knowledge, but conversely, they are difficult to accept without it.
Having interacted with people who accepted things so readily, Meguri-san’s reaction was refreshing.
And perhaps due to her lack of prior knowledge, as she continued to look at me with suspicion, I naturally made the following proposal:
“Ah, if you have time later, would you like to come visit our company for a tour?”
Today’s word:
Prior knowledge may create preconceptions, but it also serves as preparation for acceptance.
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