At first, Serenaâs younger sisters were acting distant, but then they suddenly started flirting with me. However, they were quickly driven out of the salon by Serenaâs physical intervention. Watching her subjugate each of them one by one, like doing side missions, was actually kind of amusingâwait, is it really okay to find it amusing to see a beautiful girl in an elegant dress being bent over and screaming? Well, it was funny, so I guess I canât help it. Despite being noble princesses, including Serena, their interactions felt more like those of brothers rather than sisters.
ăYou didnât waver even a little, did you?ă
Once Serenaâs sisters had been chased away and the salon was quiet again, we returned to having tea with the three mothers-in-law. It was then that Hildegard, the second wife and Serenaâs mother, suddenly made this comment.
ăTheir antics were too ridiculous for me to even think about wavering.ă
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I replied with a wry smile, and she sighed with her eyes closed. Is she disappointed?
ăIndeed, with those antics, itâs a little difficult to consider them as romantic partners⊠But still, Hiro-dono, didnât you feel flattered at all being pursued by such young, beautiful women?ă
ăWell, normally I would, yes, but itâs a bit awkward when the ones doing the flattering are your fiancĂ©eâs sisters. Besides, there wasnât even a hint of romantic mood.ă
To start with, they blatantly sized me up when we first met. Then, they suddenly switched to being overly sweet. The change was so obvious that it only left me at a loss for how to respond. If the circumstances were entirely different, I may have felt different.
ăMoodâŠă
ăOh my, oh my⊠ufufu Serena, this one is quite cute, isnât he?ă
ăI see.ă
Hearing my response, Hildegard-san looked at me in surprise, Annelise-san, the first wife, chuckled elegantly, and Beatrix-san, the third wife, nodded as if she had come to some understanding. What? Whatâs with that reaction?
ăufu fufufu, yes⊠creating the right mood is important, isnât it? ufufufu.ă
For some reason, my response seemed to have hit Anneliseâs funny bone, and she started laughing. Why? What was so fun about it?
ăA scary battle-hardened mercenary who single-handedly dives into a swarm of crystalline lifeforms and cuts down nearly a hundred of the Ixamal Houseâs private soldiers without breaking a sweat, talking about âmoodââŠ?ă
ăfu fufu ufufu⊠oh, I canât⊠hahaha!ă
Hildegard-sanâs words seemed to be the final straw, as Annelise-san doubled over, clutching her stomach in laughter. Is it really that funny? I mean, come onâŠ
ăSerena-san, you were drawn to his character, werenât you?ă
ăIn the end, yes.ă
Serena replied, her face turning red as she looked away from Beatrix-san. âIn the endâ, she says. Initially, she was definitely more interested in using me for my combat abilities, but as we spent more time together, she gradually started having feelings for me. I wonder what the turning point was.
ăAs a noblewoman you should prioritize other qualities when searching for your partner, but youâve always been unconventional since you were a child.ă
Hildegard-san said this with an indescribable smile. It wasnât exactly a look of exasperation, but more like a troubled smileâyes, that would be the best way to describe it.
ăAhahaha! ufufu fufu Oh my⊠itâs been a while since Iâve laughed this much. Hilde, Serena has managed to find a partner who satisfies both our husband and herself, so isnât that good enough? As long as she ends up happy, thatâs all that matters, right?ă
ăThatâs true, but⊠Anne, itâs because you spoil her like this that⊠really.ă
Hildegard-san sighed after being chided by Annelise-san who had finally recovered from her fit of laughter. Her expression relaxed a little, and now she sported a slightly troubled smile on her face. It seems these two are quite close. As for Beatrix-san, the third wife, she was keeping a bit of distance⊠or rather, it felt like she was deliberately holding herself back. I guess even among these three, thereâs probably a lot going on, just like with the women in my crew. I really have to hand it to my girlsâthey manage to keep things harmonious and avoid any serious conflicts. Iâm truly grateful for that.
ââ â
After being thoroughly teased by the three ladies, who asked about every detail of how I met Serena and the other crew members, I was utterly exhausted. As soon as I returned to the Black Lotus in the airborne limousine provided by the Holz House, I headed straight to my room. I peeled off my formal clothes and collapsed onto the bed.
ăSighâŠă
Iâm so tired. Completely drained. Of course, Iâm physically exhausted from the fight with Leon and the noble youths, but what really wore me out was dealing with the three ladies. My mind is tiredâno, my heart is exhausted.
As I lay face down on the bed, utterly defeated, someone entered the room. Even without looking, I knew who it was. Mimi, huh? Ever since my psionic abilities had developed during training, Iâd become quite adept at adjusting the sensitivity of my telepathy. I could now recognize familiar presences without even needing to see them.
Sheâs getting closer, just a little moreâjust three steps, two steps, one step⊠now!
ăGotcha!ă
ăWhoa!?ă
I grabbed Mimi, who was trying to peek at me, and pulled her onto the bed. Ah, this is good. So much better. Wonderful. The warmth and softness are just perfect. It feels like all the fatigue in my body and mind is melting away.
ăGeez⊠Hiro-sama? Arenât you tired?ă
ăIâm recharging now. Iâm absorbing Mimiâs essence. sniff sniff.ă
ăUgh⊠itâs a bit embarrassing when you sniff me like that.ă
As I indulged in what could be called âMimi-snugglingââa much superior version of cuddling with a catâ my mental energy started to refill. What? Are you saying that my mental energy might be refilling, but my dignity and manliness are rapidly decreasing? Who cares about that? Flirting with Mimi is far more important.
ăFeeling better now?ă
ăA bit. Iâm really worn out from dealing with Serenaâs beautiful mothers, who could easily pass as her older sisters. They asked so many questions, it was mentally exhausting.ă freŃwebnoŃ”el.com
I sighed as I buried my face in Mimiâs stomach, and she started to gently stroke my head. I feel like Iâve become a baby, if she continues to spoil me this much, I might regress into full-on baby mode. I must stay strong. I canât let myself fall that far.
ăYou must be really tired⊠Are you okay?ă
ăIâm not really okay⊠but you came here because you needed something, right? Whatâs up?ă
ăYes, itâs about Chris-chan. She mentioned that if weâre going to the Dexer System, sheâd like to travel with us.ă
ăThatâs a reasonable request. Since weâre headed to the same place, itâs safer to go together.ă
How did Chris make it to the Imperial Capital again? Did I ask her about that? I canât remember if I did or if I just forgot. But well, itâs unlikely she came here on a commercial flight. If that were the case, sheâd probably ask to board the Black Lotus rather than just tag along. She most likely arrived on a ship belonging to the Dareinwald House.
ăHowever, we canât just do it for free.ă
ăOf course. Even if sheâs going to be family, that doesnât mean we can waive the cost.ă
ăIf weâre providing protection, weâll need to go through the Mercenary Guild properly.ă
At the very least, weâll need to ensure that the compensation we receive is seen as reasonable by both the Mercenary Guild and other mercenaries. It doesnât have to be in cash; payment in goods like local specialties or trade items would be fine, a special favor might be good too. I might be a Platinum Ranker, but if I were to undercut the price for a nobleâs request, the Guild would definitely be upset with me. After all, nobles are prime clients for high-ranking mercenaries like those in the Platinum or Gold ranks.
ăI guess itâs best to discuss those details directly with Chris. Alright, letâs go. Thanks to you, Mimi, Iâm feeling much better.ă
ăReallyâŠ? If youâd like, you could rest a bit more⊠you know?ă
ăâŠWhat time is it?ă
ăIf itâs just a little longer⊠just a little bit more, okay?ă
Alright then, letâs flirt just a little more with Mimi before heading out. Just a little!