Chapter 4: Sleepover
This took place after the briefing that gathered the heroes.
In King Francois's reception room.
"By the way, Princess Christina and Princess Liliana are coming over to the mansion to hang out. Hiroaki-niichan, you should come too. Bring Rei-niichan and Kouta-niichan along. That's okay, right, Haruto-niichan?"
Masato invited Hiroaki.
"Of course."
Rio smiled and agreed.
"Ah, why me…?"
Hiroaki reacted as if he wasn't enthusiastic about it. However, he seemed happy to be invited. His embarrassment made him unable to express it fully, but he didn't look completely unwilling.
"I hear there will be lots of delicious food tonight! If you go and ask now, maybe Haruto-niichan can whip up some Earth dishes you want."
"What...? Well, I suppose that's fine. They'd probably want to eat too, so I'll invite them."
"Hehe, it's settled then."
Masato lured Hiroaki with the promise of food, and Hiroaki easily relented.
"Is that alright, Lord Amakawa?"
Christina asked cautiously.
"Yes. Since they're coming, please invite Roana-san as well. Celia will be happy about that too."
"Well then, I'll take you up on that. Sorry, Haruto."
Hiroaki thanked Rio, looking somewhat bashful.
"If there's anything you'd like to eat, please don't hesitate to let me know."
"Is that so? Then I'd like to have sukiyaki. It would be nice to have udon as a finale."
Thinking it might be too much to ask, Hiroaki requested it shyly.
"Sukiyaki and udon, understood."
"Can you really prepare that!? I thought udon was a long shot..."
Rio agreed readily, and Hiroaki's eyes widened in surprise and joy.
"The udon is pre-prepared and frozen for storage."
"Is anything possible…? But I guess it's worth asking."
"I'll also prepare miso soup, pickles, and fresh eggs."
"You know your stuff."
Hiroaki smiled in satisfaction. And then—
"Today, Liselotte-chan will also be staying over. Since we have this opportunity, why not let everyone stay the night?"
Satsuki invited Christina and Liliana, confirming that a sleepover would take place.
◇ ◇ ◇
And so, that evening, a large number of guests visited Rio's mansion. First, Liselotte, followed by Aria, and then Liliana arrived. Finally, Christina, Flora, Roana, Hiroaki, Rei, and Kouta came in a group of six.
As they were welcomed by Rio at the mansion's entrance—
"I apologize for coming in such numbers, Lord Amakawa," Christina said, representing the group.
"I also apologize for casually inviting everyone; if it's caused any trouble, I'm truly sorry."
"No, not at all. Flora is very happy as well."
"Yes!" Flora nodded with a smile.
"Then I'm glad."
As Rio smiled in relief—
"Welcome, Christina-sama, Flora-sama."
Celia, who was standing next to Rio, stepped forward to greet the two princesses.
"Good evening, Professor." "Thank you for having us today."
Christina and Flora continued with their greetings.
"Roana-san, please come too."
"Yes. I'm glad to see you looking well."
Roana bowed politely. Then—
"Thank you for inviting me, Lord Amakawa."
She bowed slightly while gauging Rio's expression.
"Excuse me."
Hiroaki raised his right hand lightly to greet Rio.
"Yes, welcome. Rei-san and Kouta-san as well."
Rio smiled at Roana and Hiroaki, then looked at the two he had just named.
"We're happy you remember us."
"We're here to intrude."
Rei and Kouta, the senior-junior duo, responded to Rio with happy expressions.
"Well then, please come inside."
Rio invited the group into the mansion.
"I'll show you to your rooms."
Kayoko, Gouki's wife, took on the role of guide.
"I'll carry your bags."
Sayo, Aoi, and the other attendants who had come from the Yagumo region with Gouki took charge of Christina's group's luggage.
And so, the group headed to their respective guest rooms for the time being.
◇ ◇ ◇
Later, in the mansion's large bathhouse.
There were girls enjoying the first bath of the day. They were princesses and daughters of high-ranking nobles visiting the mansion as guests. As hosts, Charlotte and Celia were also bathing.
"Ahh…"
Christina let out a happy sigh while soaking in the spacious tub.
"It feels so good…"
Flora sat down next to her sister, her face melting in bliss.
"I never realized how happy it would make me to soak in such a wide bath… Now I understand why Hiroaki-sama insists on having a good bath."
Roana, also soaking in the water, looked enchanted.
"Is this your first time enjoying Lord Haruto-sama's bath?"
"Yes. I might want to take a bath every day now."
"I understand. Once you know this happiness…"
As Flora and Roana spoke with relaxed expressions—
"Hehe, please don't hold back; you can come to bathe every day if you want," Charlotte called out from the side.
"N-no, I can't possibly do that..."
Roana immediately declined, but—
"Lord Haruto-sama, the host, wouldn't refuse you. Right, Celia-sama?"
Charlotte said this while turning to Celia, who was soaking nearby.
"That's right."
Celia chuckled and agreed.
"Liliana-sama, how is the temperature of the water?"
Charlotte asked Liliana, who was also bathing with them.
"Yes, it feels like it's cleansing my heart; it's wonderful. This is a culture I'd love to promote in Centostella."
Liliana also enjoyed the mansion's bath, letting out a sigh of contentment.
"In that case, please don't hesitate to come and bathe while you're staying in our country. Masato-sama would be delighted as well."
Without mentioning why Masato would be delighted, Charlotte spoke with a smile.
"Thank you for your kindness."
Liliana blushed slightly, feeling a bit awkward as she expressed her gratitude. And then—
"...He is quite an amazing person, Lord Amakawa."
After a moment, Liliana murmured. As everyone soaking in the bath turned their attention to her—
"Of course."
Charlotte was the first to agree.
"Yes, Haruto-sama is indeed amazing."
Flora nodded without hesitation. Christina let out a slight smile at her sister's idolization of Rio. Roana quietly observed Christina's profile.
"I expressed my gratitude to Lord Amakawa for causing various troubles, starting with the incident involving Takahisa. However, he just tilted his head in confusion. Moreover, he even bowed his head to Masato-sama and Aki-sama, providing important information in return..."
Liliana confessed with a mix of confusion and apology on her face.
"Don't you understand Lord Haruto-sama's intentions?"
Charlotte smiled and asked playfully.
"Honestly, I can't grasp his true intentions. I thought he could rightfully ignore me for not being able to share information with me..."
Liliana candidly expressed her feelings. During the banquet, Takahisa attempted to abduct Miharu, and most recently, he caused a stir by going missing. Liliana couldn't stop the rampaging Takahisa, making her equally guilty. Therefore, there should be sufficient grounds for Rio to harbor distrust toward the Centostella Kingdom.
Despite this, Rio trusted Liliana and shared the complex situation he was in, as well as secrets regarding the heroes.
"The true intention is simple. Haruto trusts you because Masato trusts you, Liliana-sama."
Charlotte answered proudly. Flora nodded along, while Christina and Celia wore ambiguous smiles. Meanwhile—
"…"
Still unfamiliar with Rio, Liliana was taken aback and gasped. Then—
"...Why can you trust me?"
"...Roana?"
Roana quietly opened her mouth. It seemed quite unexpected, as Christina stared at Roana in surprise.
"I'm sorry. I understand the reasoning, but I feel like it's easier said than done… It might be related to Liliana-sama's question, but I'm also struggling to grasp what kind of person Lord Amakawa is."
"…I see."
Roana bowed her head slightly and explained the reason for her sudden question. This made Christina refrain from pursuing the matter further.
"I'm also curious. Could you please tell us what kind of person Lord Amakawa is?"
Liliana jumped on Roana's bandwagon. In fact, she probably wanted to know that all along and had brought up the topic about Rio.
"Very well. Since the princesses of the three nations are gathered here together, it would be rude not to share some stories as the host country's princess."
Charlotte, showing her hospitality, nodded generously and—
"It seems we're in for a long bath. If you soak for too long, you might get lightheaded, so please feel free to switch to a foot bath if it becomes uncomfortable while I share my thoughts."
She took the initiative to stand up and sit on the edge of the bath.
"However, first, I'd like to hear from the less acquainted Liliana-sama and Roana-san about their honest impressions of how Sir Haruto appears to them. If there are any misunderstandings, I'm ready to correct them."
Charlotte's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she called out to Liliana and Roana. Then—
"...He's a mysterious person. Even with such power, he seems so gentle and quiet, almost as if he's unconnected to any conflict. In fact, I think he's a very kind person. Yet at the same time, I feel he's elusive. It's hard to read his thoughts..."
Liliana shared her impression of Rio.
"He's not very talkative, after all."
Charlotte chimed in happily.
"That's why it's hard to see what he truly thinks and feels. Normally, people express their desires and thoughts through their actions, but with him, it feels thin and transparent..."
"You have sharp insight. Next, I'd like to hear Roana-san's thoughts as well."
Charlotte clapped in satisfaction and turned to Roana.
"…"
Roana hesitated slightly, looking at Christina for confirmation.
"Go ahead and speak. I want to hear it too."
Christina nodded, stood up, and sat on the edge of the bath. This was an indication that she was ready to have a long conversation. Flora and Celia also stood up and sat on the edge, showing their willingness to join the discussion.
"Well, while you say that, Liliana-sama has articulated the vague impression I held quite accurately… I think it's precisely true that we can't see his true feelings. If I were to add anything, I think it's likely that, due to his considerable influence, he might often be misunderstood or regarded with suspicion."
Roana also stood up and sat on the edge of the bath, sharing her impression of Rio. Then—
"Indeed. If I were to speak without fear of misunderstanding, I would say he might be regarded with caution. Sir Amakawa currently seems to hold an influence equal to or greater than high-ranking nobles in important positions within the Galarc Kingdom. Depending on his intentions, it could become difficult for our country to maintain its relationship with Masato-sama and Aki-sama..."
Liliana seemed to feel the need to share her honest thoughts since she had initiated the topic, and she delved into it significantly.
"I see. If someone like that is providing information for free and treating us with hospitality, it's no wonder we can't grasp their intentions."
Charlotte smiled knowingly.
"Honestly, if he had clearly asked for something in return for providing information, it would have been easier for us to understand what he wanted from us, and it would have eased our minds..."
"That child never asks for anything in return when he does something for others…"
Celia said with a sympathetic smile.
"There's no such thing as a free lunch. I remember Lady Suzune saying something like that before; this situation truly seems to exemplify it."
As she watched the troubled Liliana, Charlotte smiled mischievously. Meanwhile—
(This is definitely not someone else's problem.)
Christina sighed and tightened her expression, thinking this was a situation that resonated with them as well.
"...Why doesn't he ask for anything in return? It seems different from noblesse oblige..."
While glancing at Christina's profile, Roana voiced her question—
"It's simple. He just has no desire for anything in return, no wish for us to act in a certain way. If there were something, I suppose he would ask for it, but that's all there is to it."
Charlotte answered candidly.
"...But isn't it a bit wasteful for nobles to interact without creating any debts? Depending on the person, it could lead to being seen as inferior..."
Roana asked again.
"Such a rude person is simply someone with whom we've established that level of relationship. But that's also what makes Sir Haruto interesting. He doesn't like conflict, and he's a very kind person, so there are those who misunderstand and look down on him. They don't realize they are trying to make an enemy of someone who should never be made an enemy."
A sense of delight seeped into Charlotte's words as she spoke.
"I-I see..."
Feeling a chill, Roana submerged herself back into the bath.
"Although he doesn't have that intention, he actually possesses enough power and influence to manipulate others as he wishes. Teaching manners to foolish people who don't understand that, on behalf of the kind Sir Haruto, is my hobby... or rather, my role, I suppose."
Charlotte spoke cheerfully, her face glowing perhaps due to the warmth of the bath. Then—
"Since we have the opportunity, I'd also like to hear Lady Celia's opinion, who has been close to Sir Haruto for a long time."
Charlotte directed her attention to Celia as well.
"I think Liliana-sama and Roana are right. He is certainly a person whose true feelings are hard to discern," Celia said, speaking with a wry smile about Rio's temperament.
"But that's also part of Sir Haruto’s charm, isn't it?"
"Yes."
When Charlotte gushed, Celia nodded without hesitation.
"However, Haruto has his own desires too. If he thinks it's necessary, he will try to communicate that. But it's a bit different from wanting the other person to act in a certain way..."
Celia paused, searching for the right words—
"He respects others' wills more than his own. If someone is heading in a dangerous direction, he will warn them. If there's something that isn't visible, even if it's inconvenient for Haruto, he will let us know. He provides necessary information without holding back, ensuring we don't make the wrong judgment. That's his true intention. Well, otherwise, he rarely reveals his true feelings..."
Celia pouted slightly, indicating that was a troubling aspect.
"Oh, is Lady Celia dissatisfied with that?"
Charlotte teased her.
"Not exactly dissatisfied, but... that child always puts himself last. He doesn't care about his own needs and goes out of his way for others. I wish he would take care of himself a bit more..."
Celia replied, revealing a slightly lonely expression at the end.
"That's how all of Sir Haruto’s actions are. He would probably deny it, though."
Imagining Rio shaking his head, Charlotte laughed amusingly.
"That might be why we want to support him. His abilities are so high that there's no need to support him, which is another dilemma..."
"It feels like we've turned this into Lady Celia’s gushing story halfway through. How do you feel about that? Do you have a better understanding of Sir Haruto?"
Charlotte mischievously wrapped up the conversation and asked Liliana—
"I-I'm not gushing or anything!?"
Celia protested in a flustered manner.
"Hehe."
As Christina and Flora chuckled, they thought how cute it was.
"…It seems like Liliana-sama is worried that she has caused trouble, but I don't think that's the case at all. I believe she's just acting out of necessity for Masato."
Celia called out to Liliana, trying to mask her embarrassment.
"Thank you. I feel like I've gained a deeper understanding of him," Liliana said, offering a soft smile in gratitude.
(...That's why Sir Takahisa cannot compare.)
Takahisa is a self-centered man who values himself. He tries to manipulate others to suit his needs, and if things don't go his way, he can become volatile. On the other hand, Rio is a man who values others, even at the cost of his own well-being. When comparing the two, it's not hard to imagine which one is more beloved by others.
Liliana thought this, a shadow of sadness creeping into her eyes.
◇ ◇ ◇
Just as Christina and the others finished their bath, two girls headed toward the bathroom: Latifa and Liselotte.
"Lady Aki is avoiding Sir Haruto?"
Liselotte's voice echoed in the bathroom.
"Yeah. I tried to invite him to have breakfast and lunch with Onii-chan, but she brushed me off. I don't think she hates him or anything, though..."
Latifa rested her chin on her arms, leaning against the edge of the tub, letting out a languid sigh. Then—
"I'm sorry. I thought Liselotte-oneechan might have some good ideas about Onii-chan and Aki-chan," she explained, hesitantly sharing her reason for seeking advice.
"What are you talking about? Suzune-chan... no, I'm happy that you came to me, Latifa-chan. Feel free to consult me anytime."
Liselotte purposely called her Latifa, her face breaking into a gentle smile.
"Thank you, Liselotte-oneechan."
Latifa blushed happily and hugged Liselotte, who was soaking in the tub nearby.
"Th-That tickles, Latifa-chan!"
Liselotte giggled, her dimples appearing.
"Hehe."
"Can you tell me? I know that Sir Haruto... I mean, Amakawa-senpai and Lady Aki are siblings, but I don't know the details."
Liselotte sat on the edge of the bath and patted the space beside her.
"Okay!"
Latifa beamed and sat next to Liselotte. She then began to recount the relationship between Amakawa Haruto and Sendou Aki.
When Amakawa Haruto was seven and Aki was about to turn four, their parents divorced, and the two were separated. Young Aki had begun to resent her father and brother after witnessing her mother's suffering. So—
"That's why I think Aki-chan feels conflicted about the now-reborn Onii-chan. Onii-chan knows that Amakawa Haruto was disliked, so he's holding back... I haven't really heard both of their feelings, though."
Latifa concluded her explanation.
"What does Latifa-chan want to do?"
"I don't want them to stay like this. Even though I wasn't Amakawa Haruto's sister, I feel like Aki-chan is like a sister to me..."
"So, you want to create an opportunity for the two of them to get closer and talk?"
"Exactly! I want them to have a proper conversation! But all I can do is invite them to a meal..."
"I see. But then, it would be better if there were fewer people around, right? It might turn into a delicate conversation..."
"Yeah. But I also feel like it wouldn't be right for me to invite them to such a talk, and I think Aki-chan is already on guard about not being with Onii-chan during meals. So, I'm wondering if we could arrange another opportunity for that..."
Living in a large household makes it quite difficult to have private conversations. It becomes even more so if one party is trying to avoid the other.
"Then it would be nice if you could invite Aki-chan out with a natural excuse."
"Yeah, I wonder if there's a good way to do that?"
Latifa quietly observed Liselotte's profile. Liselotte noticed that she was being watched and turned her gaze toward Latifa.
"Well then, how about I invite her?"
Liselotte responded to the expectations of the girl who looked up to and relied on her.
"What!?"
"I'm not sure if it will work, but I thought of a good excuse. We'll need to do some groundwork first, at the very least."
"Really!? Thank you, Liselotte-oneechan!"
Overwhelmed with emotion, Latifa hugged Liselotte again.
"Whoa, don't get too excited yet. It's not like I've figured out how to invite her. You haven't even heard my idea yet."
Perhaps it was embarrassing to be hugged so tightly, as Liselotte fidgeted a little.
"No, it's great that Liselotte-oneechan is cooperating. I'm sure it will work out!"
"I hope so… But I think others could help too. Miharu-san probably knows more about Sir Haruto and Lady Aki, and I'm sure everyone else would be happy to help."
Liselotte spoke shyly.
"That might be true, but I wanted to consult Liselotte-oneechan first."
"Why is that?"
Liselotte tilted her head curiously.
"Why? Um… because Liselotte-oneechan is special to me..."
Latifa herself seemed unsure of the reason, tilting her head in confusion.
"In what way is she special?"
"I see you as a real Onee-chan. Hmm, but that's the same for other Onee-chans too. Maybe it's because of my connection with Rikka Onee-chan? We weren't particularly close just because we took the same bus, but for me, it feels special..."
Latifa spoke with a carefree smile.
Perhaps those words resonated with Liselotte.
"...Ah, you're so cute."
This time, Liselotte hugged Latifa tightly in return.
"Eh?"
Latifa's eyes widened in surprise, not expecting to be hugged back.
"I think of you as a real little sister, Latifa-chan, so you can rely on me without holding back anytime."
Liselotte spoke gently while still holding her close.
"Yeah, Onee-chan!"
Latifa responded, her cheeks blooming with happiness.
◇ ◇ ◇
Dinner time arrived. The group of five boys—Hiroaki, Rei, Kouta, Masato, and Rio—who had taken their baths later entered the dining room of the mansion.
"All right, it's sukiyaki!"
"I can really smell sukiyaki!"
"When I smell this in another world, my brain gets confused."
"I'm starving!"
The room buzzed with excitement.
"You came out at the perfect time. Hiroaki-san and the others, please take a seat at that table. You'll be across from Christina-sama and the others."
Satsuki, who was helping with the serving, directed Hiroaki and the others.
"Okay. Now, how should we sit…"
Hiroaki stroked his chin, pondering the seating arrangement at the table where Christina and the others were already seated. The table was rectangular, with Roana, Flora, Christina, Liliana, and Charlotte sitting in order on one side.
Additionally, Satsuki sat next to Charlotte. Naturally, Hiroaki and the others would then line up across from them.
"It feels like a group date, Kouta."
"Let's be quiet, senpai."
Rei was fidgeting, while the younger Kouta seemed embarrassed.
"Then, let's have our heroes sit in the middle."
To finalize the seating arrangement, Rio urged Hiroaki and Masato to take their places.
"Well, I guess that's how it'll be. I'll sit down, Masato."
"Yeah."
Hiroaki sat in front of Christina, while Masato sat in front of Liliana.
"Now, the two guests can take their seats here. Sir Haruto please sit across from Princess Flora."
Charlotte invited Rei and Kouta to sit in front of her and Satsuki and urged Rio to sit across from Flora.
"Yes!"
"I-I'll take my seat now."
Rei raised his hand and nodded enthusiastically, causing Kouta to turn red and hurriedly take his seat.
"Hehe, what a cheerful bunch."
Charlotte chuckled softly.
"You don't have to be so nervous."
Satsuki laughed lightly as well.
"Well then, I'll sit in this seat."
After confirming that the guests had taken their seats, Rio sat in front of Flora. Roana was seated to his right, and Christina was to his left.
"Nice to meet you, Sir Haruto."
"I'm looking forward to it as well, Lord Amakawa."
Flora seemed cheerful, likely because she could have a meal with Rio. Meanwhile, Roana bowed her head while observing Rio's face closely.
"Likewise."
Rio smiled gently and returned the bow. Then—
"I'll sit next to Haruto."
Celia arrived and sat down to Rio's right, directly in front of Roana. Although the gender balance was now skewed, they faced each other in a 6:6 arrangement.
"Yay, I get to eat with teacher. It feels like a reunion, doesn't it, Roana?"
Flora clasped her hands together, looking adorably happy.
"...Yes, it does."
Roana nodded cheerfully as she compared the faces of Rio and Celia sitting side by side.
And then—
"Thank you for your patience."
Sayo and Aoi arrived, carrying trays of food.
"Oh...!"
Hiroaki exclaimed in delight. The trays held an empty iron pot resting on a trivet and a separate plate piled with ingredients for sukiyaki. The sukiyaki ingredients included the main beef, tofu, mushrooms, mitsuba, shirataki noodles, green onions, and onions—a classic setup.
"Wow. This is Kanto-style sukiyaki that uses a dipping sauce. They even pre-cooked the green onions and onions. They know what they're doing."
Hiroaki looked down at the empty iron pot and the ingredients, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.
"It smells so good."
As Christina smelled the aroma in the air—
"It's the smell of grilled green onions using beef tallow. By grilling them first, the flavor of the tallow and the green onions seeps into the pot, enhancing the taste."
Hiroaki explained proudly.
"I see."
"By the way, onions also take a long time to cook, so it's a rule of thumb to heat them beforehand. After that, you just simmer them in the dipping sauce to let the flavors soak in."
Hiroaki continued, displaying his knowledge with a smug expression. Since he had requested sukiyaki, it seemed he had some strong opinions about how it should be made.
"You're quite talkative. Not like you did the preparation yourself, Hiroaki-san”
"Haha, well, it is Hiroaki-san after all."
Satsuki sighed, and Rei laughed in agreement. Meanwhile, the trays were distributed to everyone.
"Come on, let's eat already. Can we pour in the sauce now?"
Masato, perhaps reaching his limit of hunger, picked up the jar containing the dipping sauce. However—
"Don't be stupid, wait, Masato! Listen, there's a right way to eat sukiyaki. First, you grill a small amount of meat to let its fat blend into the pot…!"
"Isn't it fine to just throw everything in and boil it?"
Hiroaki, acting as the self-appointed sukiyaki master, stopped Masato. Meanwhile, ignoring the two—
"Hiraoki-san, I've prepared sukiyaki so that you can make it yourself. But really, it's just about putting the ingredients in the pot one at a time and warming them up. If you're worried, I can do it for you. What would you like to do?"
Satsuki asked the group, many of whom had never had sukiyaki before.
"Well then, since we're at it, let's try making it ourselves."
Christina called out to Flora and Roana. Flora nodded energetically with a "Yes." Roana had no objections.
"What an interesting idea. I'd love to try making it myself."
Liliana also chose to make her own sukiyaki. And so, they finally began to add ingredients to the pot.
"Then, let me teach you the best way to eat sukiyaki. First, it's all about the meat. You grill the meat alone. By doing this, the fat from the meat will seep out, and you can savor the flavor of the meat itself."
Hiroaki picked up a slice of beef with chopsticks and placed it into the iron pot. Thanks to the magic item that allowed the trivet to heat up, a delightful sizzling sound erupted the moment the meat touched the pot. Smoke began to rise—
"Wow…"
Flora's eyes sparkled.
"It smells amazing."
Roana also relaxed her cheeks.
"Some people start by simmering the ingredients in the dipping sauce along with the meat, but if you ask me, that's the wrong way. First, you grill the meat and add the dipping sauce when it's still a bit red. But don't add too much, or the meat's flavor will dilute. The proper way is to grill the meat in small batches and add the dipping sauce gradually each time. For other ingredients, you should first grill the meat, enjoy its taste to a certain extent, and then add the rest."
"Look, the color of the meat is looking good. I think it's about time, isn't it?"
As Hiroaki explained the intricacies of making sukiyaki, the redness of the meat diminished. Satsuki, seeming somewhat annoyed, interjected.
"You're so noisy. I know what I'm doing. Who do you think I am?"
Hiroaki, looking slightly irritated, poured the dipping sauce over the still-red meat. The sizzling sound of the liquid evaporating filled the air, and the sweet aroma of the sauce spread throughout the area. After melding the meat with the dipping sauce, Hiroaki finally brought the carefully nurtured meat to his mouth.
"Ah, delicious…!"
The flavor of the meat coated in the sauce exploded in his mouth, and Hiroaki exclaimed in delight. Then—
"This is when you scoop in some white rice."
Hiroaki brought a bowl of rice to his mouth. Masato, sitting right next to him, swallowed hard while watching Hiroaki eat the meat and rice. Reaching his limit of restraint—
"...I can't take it anymore! I'm grilling some too!"
Masato began to grill meat of his own, while Hiroaki immediately started on a second piece.
"Shall we start grilling too?"
Satsuki suggested—
"Yeah." "I've reached my limit."
Kouta and Rei also began to add meat to the pot.
"Then we will too. If you have any questions, feel free to ask."
Rio addressed Flora and the others sitting across from him, starting to grill the meat.
"Well, you can take Hiroaki-san's advice with a grain of salt. You can just throw in the ingredients and simmer them in the dipping sauce, and they'll taste good."
Satsuki casually called out to the princesses.
"Hey, Satsuki. Who are you calling a stickler?"
Hiroaki snapped back.
"I didn't say who, did I?"
"Hmph. Well, fine. I don't have time to deal with you today. I need to tend to this meat."
Hiroaki's gaze was fixed on the meat he had put in the pot. It seemed to be grilling nicely, so he added more dipping sauce and let it meld before placing it over the bowl of rice. Then, he took a big bite of both meat and rice.
"Ah, it's infinite. It's an infinite loop. It melts in my mouth."
Hiroaki's face lit up in satisfaction.
"Everyone's meat is looking good and cooked through now. I think it's time to add the dipping sauce."
Rio called out to Flora and the others.
"Yes. We pour this sauce on it, right?"
Flora cautiously drizzled the dipping sauce over the beef in the iron pot.
As the sound and smoke rose—
"W-Wow, this is amazing."
Flora's eyes widened, and she smiled. Unable to use chopsticks, she elegantly cut the meat with a knife and fork before bringing it to her mouth—
"Mmm!"
Flora closed her eyes happily.
"It's delicious… The meat melts in my mouth…"
Christina and Liliana were also enjoying the meat next to her, savoring its taste.
"This sauce has a hint of sweetness to it."
Roana exclaimed, her eyes sparkling.
"That's because it has sugar in it."
"Isn't it different from soy sauce?"
Rio explained, as Flora asked. Having eaten dishes made with soy sauce during several meals at the mansion, she must have thought it was like the color of the dipping sauce used for sukiyaki.
"Soy sauce is used, but there's also cooking sake, a liquid called mirin, and, as I mentioned earlier, sugar."
Upon hearing Rio's explanation—
"So that's why we can taste various flavors."
"The depth of flavor is truly wonderful."
Flora and Roana were impressed and nodded in agreement.
"It's interesting, isn't it? When you think of sugar, you usually associate it with sweets, but it can also be used as a seasoning to enhance savory dishes."
Celia watched her former students enjoying their meal together, smiling as she spoke.
◇ ◇ ◇
After dinner, it was still too early to go to bed.
Rio, Masato, Hiroaki, Rei, and Kouta moved to the mansion's reception room and held a boys' night. They set snacks and drinks on the table and faced each other, all five seated around the table.
"Wow, it really feels like a school trip, doesn't it?"
Rei said, munching on snacks.
"Sure, it feels refreshing to be face-to-face with this group."
Kouta nodded in agreement and took a sip of his cold tea.
"Isn't Haruto the same age as you, Kouta?"
"No, I'm a year younger," Hiroaki asked while grabbing some snacks, and Rio replied.
"Haruto doesn't feel younger, though," Kouta remarked.
"I can relate. Our first meeting was quite the occasion. When I left the Beltrum Kingdom and joined the Restoration, I was in a position to be protected by Lord Amakawa."
"It's already been several months since I first met Haruto at Celia's house, hasn't it?" Rei and Kouta reminisced, gazing off into the distance.
"I've mentioned it before, but I'm younger, so it's fine to call me without honorifics."
"Well, I am a viscount in the Restoration, after all. I can't just call someone like Lord Amakawa, who holds the honor of a count, by their first name."
As Rio scratched his cheek awkwardly, Rei also shyly rubbed his face.
"It's not a big deal. It's not like anyone's watching us. You talk casually to Masato, who's become a hero, right?"
Hiroaki chimed in from the side.
"Well, that's true…"
"It feels a bit embarrassing to change things up now, though…"
Rei and Kouta exchanged shy glances before saying,
"Then we'll go with Haruto-kun."
Rio nodded happily.
"By the way, isn't Rei a baron now?"
He asked, surprised at how Rei had become a viscount without him noticing.
"Oh, I was promoted to Hiroaki's aide a little while ago. So, you know…"
"They said to treat him accordingly since he's attached to a hero," Hiroaki chuckled.
"Kouta has also become Hiroaki's aide now. There was even talk about giving him a title, but Kouta decided to hold off on that, right?"
Rei put his arm around Kouta's shoulder.
"I was originally thinking of becoming an adventurer. But somehow, I ended up helping with the light novel Hiroaki-san is writing…"
Kouta recounted how he found himself in the position of aide.
"This guy is really good at drawing."
"I saw his work, and it was amazing," Rei and Masato praised Kouta.
"I'd love to see it sometime, too."
"Sure, next time."
Kouta nodded, feeling a bit shy. Then—
"Speaking of which, listen up, Haruto-kun. This guy finally got himself a girlfriend."
Rei grinned as he spilled Kouta's news.
"Wait, Senpai…!"
Kouta's face turned bright red. Hiroaki watched him with a smirk.
"Is that so?"
Rio's eyes widened in surprise.
"I guess Haruto-kun hasn't met her yet. Her name is Mikaela Belmond. You've met my fiancée Rosa, right? She's friends with Mikaela. They took Celia's lectures together in Rodania."
"Really? You should've invited those two as well."
"Well, gathering people at Haruto-kun's mansion would be a bit intimidating since they're all-important figures. Even today, we had princesses and daughters from duke families here."
Rei, still snacking, tilted his head thoughtfully.
"True, both are daughters of baron families, but the royal family feels like a whole different level."
Kouta chuckled awkwardly as he spoke.
"They've been saying they want to meet me at some point. I've met Rosa, but I haven't met Mikaela yet. Hurry up and make it happen."
Hiroaki urged Kouta.
"Yes, I'd also like to hear from Mikaela-chan about how this shy Kouta ended up in a romantic relationship."
Rei nodded in agreement.
"I want to meet her too!"
Masato exclaimed, his eyes sparkling.
"Do you two not know how Kouta and Mikaela started dating, Hiroaki-san and Rei-san?"
Rio asked the two.
"That's right. I've only heard bits and pieces through Rosa."
"So, in the end, you confessed to Mikaela, right?"
Hiroaki grinned, looking at Kouta.
"Come on, just forget about me," Kouta said, blushing as he tried to change the subject.
"No way, school trips are all about love stories!"
"Yeah, we won't let you sleep until you talk about it."
Kouta and Hiroaki insisted, reaching for the plate of snacks.
"More importantly, aren't you two, Hiroaki-san and Senpai, eating too many snacks? Didn't you just say earlier that you couldn't eat anything else today?"
Kouta tried to steer the conversation away.
"Sweets are always a separate stomach, right? Right, Hiroaki-san?"
"Yeah, they're delicious. This world has a lot of sweet treats, but this one really suits the Japanese palate. It goes great with milk."
Hiroaki downed his glass of milk and stared intently at the new snacks he had picked up.
"Well, it is Miharu-neechan's homemade treats," Masato casually pointed out that it was only natural they were flavored to suit Japanese tastes.
"What, these are homemade by Miharu-chan? You should've mentioned that sooner!"
Rei picked up the pace at which he was snacking.
"Senpai, even though you have a fiancée…"
Kouta shot a cold look at Rei.
"Idiot. That's exactly a separate stomach. Miharu-chan is super cute. If she were at our high school, she'd be the number one… No, she's cuter than any idol."
Rei passionately proclaimed.
"…"
Kouta sighed in exasperation.
"Kouta thinks Akane, his childhood friend, is cuter," Hiroaki teased.
"If he's fixated on Akane, then he's not dating anyone else. Miharu-chan is cuter," Kouta pouted in response.
"Wow, well said."
Hiroaki grinned and put his arm around Kouta's shoulder.
"Please don't put your arm around my shoulder."
"I really admire that you got together with Mikaela. I never sought out heroines from Earth in otherworldly settings."
Hiroaki said, still with his arm around Kouta, happily discussing.
"I'm fine with having heroines from my hometown even in another world."
"I wasn't asking you," Rei interjected, raising his hand for self-declaration, but Hiroaki brushed him off.
"Still, Haruto-kun and Masato, it's unfair. You get to eat Miharu-chan's meals and snacks every day."
Rei pointed at Rio and Masato.
"Unfair? This is Haruto-kun's mansion, after all."
"Then just come back again! Miharu-neechan might not be the one cooking, though. Right, Haruto-niichan?"
Kouta exclaimed in disbelief, while Masato said it lightly.
"Yeah."
Rio chuckled and nodded.
"Before that, isn't Miharu into Haruto?"
Hiroaki glanced at Rio's face.
"…"
Rio was taken aback by the sudden topic and looked troubled, neither denying nor affirming it.
"Oh, Hiroaki-san, are you really going there?"
Rei smirked and leaned forward.
"Well, when you see a passionate kiss right in front of you, you can't help but ask."
Hiroaki was now fully engaged in the conversation.
"So, what happened next? You've changed how you address each other, so no more holding back."
Rei pressed Rio, his curiosity clear.
"Well, it was an accident that went against her will, so I don't think there's much to say about it…"
Rio responded with a wry smile.
"No, no, you're aware of it and her being aware of you, right?"
"Well, it did feel a bit awkward…"
"What about the reactions from the other girls? It didn't seem like there was any tension."
"I think it was pretty normal."
Rio answered Rei's questions.
"Really? Is that true, Masato?"
Hiroaki asked suspiciously.
"Hmm, it didn't feel any different to me. We went to the castle today, so I wasn't with the girls all that much."
Masato echoed Rio's sentiment.
"They might be getting all lovey-dovey while you're not around."
"That's absolutely impossible."
Rio denied it with a wry smile.
"I've never seen them argue," Masato agreed.
"Could it be that the world of yuri anime actually exists…"
Rei sighed in awe, while Kouta made a face of disbelief.
"It's more like harem anime," Hiroaki interjected.
"That's true. I mean, living under the same roof with young girls, isn't there some lucky accident happening?"
Rei asked Rio with great interest.
"There isn't."
"None at all!? Like seeing them change in the bath, or bumping into them in the restroom because the door wasn't locked, or mistakenly crawling into your bed in the middle of the night?"
Rei leaned forward, disheartened by the lack of dreams or hopes.
"...There isn't."
Rio took a moment to think before denying it. The times when Aishia would sleepily crawl into his bed flashed in his mind. Just last night, Lina possessed Miharu and sneaked into his bedroom.
"Hey, wait a second. What was that pause just now!?"
Hiroaki didn't let it slide.
"N-Nothing at all."
Rio's voice trembled as he shook his head. He told himself he wasn't lying since neither of them had accidentally entered each other's rooms.
"What? So there really is something!"
"I swear there isn't."
As Rei leaned in again, Rio flinched and denied it.
"So, what's the real deal, Masato?"
Hiroaki turned to Masato.
"Well, Aishia-neechan sometimes sleepwalks to Haruto-niichan's room."
Masato touched his chin thoughtfully.
"See, there is something!"
"Uh, haha..."
With Hiroaki pressing him, Rio forced a wry smile.
"But you, Haruto-kun and Masato, are so lucky. Living every day surrounded by such cute girls under one roof."
Rei expressed his envy.
"While we're at the mansion, we spend a lot of time with Gouki-san and Shin, too."
"Is that so?"
"Being in a space with so many women can be a bit uncomfortable sometimes, especially for a guy alone."
Rio shared the reality with a hint of a wry smile.
"Forget about Boss Gouki, but who is Shin again?" Hiroaki asked.
"He's someone who came from the Yagumo region with Gouki-san. I think he used to live in the same village as Haruto-niichan along with Sayo-san. He's the same age as Kouta-niichan."
"Oh, I see."
Kouta became interested in Shin as Masato explained.
"Now that you mention it, there was a guy who seemed close to our age. In that case, we should call him here. I'd like to hear some candid talk about Haruto."
Hiroaki casually suggested.
"...Then, should I go call him?"
Thinking that the conversation might veer into his relationship with Sayo, but also that there was no reason to refuse if it meant expanding their circle of friends, Rio shyly smiled and headed off to call Shin.
◇ ◇ ◇
While Rio and the others held a boys' meeting in the reception room, a large girls' gathering was taking place in the mansion's dining room.
Participants from the mansion included Miharu, Aki, Satsuki, Celia, Monica (Celia's mother), Latifa, Charlotte, Aishia, Sora, Sara, Orphia, Alma, Komomo, and Sayo, as they entertained guests Christina, Flora, Roana, Liliana, Liselotte, and Aria.
Although they could all sit around the same table, they decided to split into four groups to facilitate more intimate communication.
As a result, five-member groups were formed as follows:
Group One: Celia, Sara, Alma, Christina, Aria.
Group Two: Aishia, Sora, Orphia, Monica, Komomo.
Group Three: Latifa, Sayo, Flora, Roana, Liselotte.
Group Four: Satsuki, Miharu, Aki, Charlotte, Liliana.
Using two long rectangular tables, Groups One and Two sat together at one table, while Groups Three and Four gathered at the other table.
First, at Group One—
"I see, even you had your youthful days, huh?"
"Yes. I may seem mature now, but when I was in the lower grades of elementary school, I was quite the klutz. I often almost fell over and would lose track of time reading, making me late to class."
Aria was sharing stories about Celia from her time as a student at the academy with Christina. Learning about her teacher's surprising past made Christina chuckle.
"Celia-san still has her clumsy moments, doesn't she? Like when you think she's looking for something, but it turns out she's holding it in her hand."
"Yes, just the other day when we took a bath together, she mixed up the shampoo and body soap," Sara and Alma chimed in, sharing tales of Celia's everyday mishaps.
"Oh, come on..."
Celia shrank back, her face turning red. Meanwhile, in Group Two, where Aishia, Orphia, Sora, Komomo, and Liselotte were gathered—
"Hehe, she's so cute. When Celia was about this age, I sent her off to the Royal Academy and we lived apart," Monica said, lifting Sora onto her lap and gently stroking her head. Sora looked like a lower elementary school student, and it seemed Monica was reminiscing about the time she couldn't dote on Celia.
"Mmm..."
Sora resembled a borrowed cat. She pouted slightly, appearing shy but made no complaints as she nestled comfortably.
"Sora-chan has a surprising side to her."
"She won't let us pet her, but she's fine with you," Komomo said, surprised as she and Orphia observed Sora.
"Don't get the wrong idea. Haruto-sama told me to get along with you, so I'm being friendly."
"Such a good girl for following orders. Here, have some snacks."
"Nom."
Sora took the treat that Monica pinched between her fingers and popped it into her small mouth. Watching her chew, Aishia speculated, "She might be happy because she has a mother now."
"Ah, Aishia!"
Sora's face turned bright red as she shouted. Meanwhile, in Group Three, where Latifa, Sayo, Flora, Roana, and Liselotte were huddled together—
"I'm so glad we can talk again, Lady Sayo," Flora said with a bright smile.
Yes, Flora and Sayo had a slight acquaintance. When Sayo first moved into the mansion, Flora visited and was introduced as Rio's friend. However, they hadn't had a proper conversation since then.
"Y-Yes. It's been a while, Flora-sama. I'm surprised you remember me."
"Of course! We talked about becoming friends before, didn't we?"
Flora's face turned sad as she wondered if Sayo had forgotten.
"N-No, I remember, but it feels overwhelming to talk to a princess like you… I'm not sure why I'm allowed to sit here…"
Although Sayo lived in the mansion as Rio's friend, she typically took a backseat when guests were present. As a servant in relation to outsiders and someone who grew up in a village, she seemed to shrink back when speaking to the princess.
"I asked you to do so. As I've said before, you can forget that I'm a princess."
It was usually unimaginable for a servant to act as a reception for a princess, but if that princess made a request, could it be different?
"Is that really okay…?"
Sayo's eyes darted around, seeking help from Latifa.
"What do you think…?"
Latifa also seemed unsure. Even if Flora was okay with it, Roana, who was accompanying her as an attendant, might not take it lightly. While the residents, including Rio and Satsuki, kept the distinction of status to a minimum in daily life, having guests meant different rules applied unless the relationships were very close.
"Is it fine, Roana?"
Flora noticed Roana's gaze and checked with her.
"...Yes. There might be issues if it were outside the mansion, but within Amakawa-sama's residence, it should be fine."
Roana nodded with a slightly troubled expression.
"She says it's fine! Tonight is a sleepover and a girls' gathering to deepen our bonds, so let's all get to know each other better. I also wanted to talk with Suzune-sama and Liselotte-sama. We were at different tables for dinner."
Flora clasped her hands together and smiled brightly like the sun.
"I feel the same way. Oh, I haven't properly introduced myself to Roana-sama yet. I am Haruto Amakawa's younger sister, Suzune Amakawa."
Latifa introduced herself to Roana, who was seated diagonally across from her. She seemed shy and happy to use the Amakawa surname, her face breaking into a bashful smile.
"Nice to meet you, I am Roana Fontaine," Roana said with a polite bow.
"I'm Sayo. It's a pleasure to meet you. And you too, Liselotte-sama," Sayo realized she hadn't properly greeted Roana and Liselotte either, hurriedly bowing her head.
"Yes, nice to meet you!" Liselotte responded with a cheerful smile.
"I see. Sayo-oneechan hasn't properly talked to Roana-sama or Liselotte-oneechan yet. Please take care of her," Latifa added.
"Speaking of Lady Sayo… Is it true that you are also Sir Amakawa’s sister and thus related to Lady Suzune as well?" Roana asked, comparing the faces of Latifa and Sayo.
"N-No, there's no way I'm Sir Haruto’s sister" Sayo flailed her hands in denial, flustered.
"Sayo-oneechan is my… brother's friend," Latifa corrected herself with a blush, struggling to drop her habit of calling him "onii-chan."
"Calling me a friend feels a bit much… We met when Sir Haruto was traveling before…"
"I see… It seems there are many people here with black hair like Lady Sayo including Gouki-sama and Kayoko-sama. Are they also related?"
"Yes, we're all serving Sir Haruto.
"Is that so…?"
Roana appeared to understand, but she also seemed to be pondering something.
"Onii-chan says he's a friend, not a vassal."
"That's not the case. We live in the mansion, so we need to maintain decorum in front of guests."
"If you put it that way, I should be the one… If anything goes wrong here, please let me know, Liselotte-oneechan," Latifa whispered to Liselotte, who was seated to her right.
"Hehe, I think Suzune-chan will be just fine," Liselotte replied, giving her a thumbs-up.
"Lady Suzune and Lady Liselotte seem very close," Roana noted, showing interest in their relationship.
"Yes, we were just talking about how we get along like real sisters today. Right, Liselotte-oneechan?"
"Yes. I clicked with Suzune-chan right away when we met."
Latifa intertwined her arm with Liselotte's, who naturally accepted it. Their exchange clearly showcased their closeness. Then—
"That's nice…" Flora remarked enviously.
"What do you mean?" Latifa tilted her head, puzzled.
"I have an Older Sister, but I don't have a younger sister, so I can't help but admire it… S-Lady Suzune, if you don't mind, could you please call me Onee-chan?"
Flora asked Latifa earnestly.
"Huh? Um…"
"Why not call her that? It's a sleepover after all," Liselotte encouraged Latifa with a warm smile.
So—
"...Flora-oneechan?"
Latifa tentatively called out to Flora, who was sitting across from her.
"F-Flora-oneechan, Flora-oneechan… Yes, yes…!"
What a sweet sound it was. Flora replied, savoring her happiness.
"Flora-oneechan."
Latifa called out again, this time in a much more relaxed tone.
"Thank you so much, Lady Suzune!"
Flora expressed her heartfelt gratitude, overwhelmed with joy. From a different table, Christina watched her with a gentle expression. Then—
"Lady Suzune, could you please call Roana Onee-chan as well?"
Flora continued her request.
"W-Wait, me too?"
Suddenly put on the spot, Roana was taken aback.
"Yes, Roana doesn't have a younger sister, right?"
It seems Flora believes that since Roana doesn't have a younger sister, she must want to be called Onee-chan. Given the recommendation from someone of royal standing, there's no reason to refuse.
"Um, well, can I ask you for that?"
Roana shyly made her request. And so—
"Okay, then… Roana-oneechan?"
"U-uh…"
"What do you think, Roana?"
Flora asked with an excited expression, eager for Roana's reaction.
"I see. This is indeed… a nice thing."
It seems Roana had a desire to be an older sister that she hadn't realize. Her cheeks turned red as she appeared to be tickled by the idea.
"Right?!"
Flora grinned, sharing in the joy of becoming a sister.
"If that's the case, I would also be happy if you didn't call me Lady Suzune. It feels a bit ticklish, ehehe."
Now it was Latifa's turn to make a request for a form of address.
"W-Well, what should I call you…?"
"How about calling me something like Liselotte-oneechan, or if Flora-sama had a younger sister, what would you want to call her? You can even drop the honorifics."
"Th-That's an ultimate question…! Onee-sama calls me by my name without an honorific, but calling you with one… what should I do, Roana?"
"Um, well…"
Flora was stunned by the unexpected question. Roana was also taken aback. After some deliberation—
"Suzune…-chan?"
Flora called out to Latifa using a more affectionate form.
"Yes, Flora-oneechan," Latifa replied with a cheerful smile. Meanwhile, at the other table, where Satsuki, Miharu, Aki, Charlotte, and Liliana were gathered—
"I have something I'm curious about," Charlotte began with a cheerful tone.
"What are you curious about…?"
"What about Sir Masato and Lady Liliana? Are they aware of each other's feelings?" she asked, looking at Liliana seated across from her.
"Wow Char, you're really going there…"
Satsuki's tone was one of surprise, though it was clear she was also curious. Aki's mouth curled into a smirk of intrigue.
"You said before that a girls' gathering should involve love stories, didn't you, Lady Satsuki? And Lady Aki, as an older sister, you must be interested in your brother's love life too, right?"
"Uh? Well…"
Aki couldn't deny she was somewhat interested, glancing at Liliana's profile. Miharu seemed intrigued as well, directing her gaze toward her.
"Um…"
As Liliana hesitated—
"What's this? A love story?!"
Latifa perked up, catching onto the conversation.
"Please tell us too!" Flora chimed in, equally eager to join the discussion. Just like that, the groups of Satsuki and Latifa were about to merge in an instant.
But that wasn't all. Everyone was hungry for love stories. Even Monica, Celia's mother, seemed to sense the romantic atmosphere and leaned in from another table. Before they knew it, Celia's group joined in, creating a tight-knit circle focused on the romantic affair between Liliana and Masato.
"Why not just bring Masato along?"
"W-Wait, Lady Suzune?!"
With a sudden burst of inspiration, Latifa didn't wait for Liliana to stop her as she exited the dining room.
◇ ◇ ◇
Meanwhile, at the boys' gathering.
Shin, who had joined midway and was already drinking, saw that the other members, except for Masato, had started drinking as well.
"So, this guy gave Sayo a hairpin, then just left the village without a second thought," Shin said, pointing at Rio as he recounted an incident from the Yagumo region.
"No way. That's terrible, Haruto-kun," one of the boys exclaimed.
"Yeah, he's quite the troublemaker," another chimed in.
"Sayo still treasures that hairpin, you know," Rei, Hiroaki, and Shin all chided Rio, their faces flushed.
"Still, Sayo-chan has guts. Even after being rejected, she followed Haruto-kun all the way to the Strahl region," another added.
"I guess there's no choice but to take responsibility and get married."
"That's right, take responsibility! Take responsibility!"
"Hey, you three, aren't you a bit too drunk…?"
Rio was completely overwhelmed.
"Haha, looks like you're all hitting it off."
"Being a popular guy is tough, huh?"
Kouta and Masato watched Rio with a sympathetic look, but they seemed to be enjoying the situation.
"By the way, Haruto-kun, who's your true love? You're living with such cute girls and being adored by them, yet you're not dating anyone. What's up with that?"
Rei held his glass and directly threw the question at him.
"Well, even if you ask me about a true love, I can't really think about that right now…"
"What!? You're still a man! Show some spirit and marry them all!"
"Yeah, show us you'll marry Sayo!"
As Rio got tangled up with the drunkards, a knock sounded at the door. The door opened immediately—
"Masato, are you there?"
Latifa popped her head in.
"What's up, Suzune-neechan?"
"I wanted to talk to you for a bit. Is that okay?"
"...Huh, me?"
Masato pointed at himself, puzzled.
"Yeah, is that alright?"
Latifa was smiling, but there was an undeniable intensity about her.
"Uh, sure. That's fine…"
With no reason to refuse, Masato nodded hesitantly.
"Alright, let's go."
With that, Masato was led by Latifa toward the girls' gathering.
◇ ◇ ◇
"I brought Masato!"
Latifa pulled Masato's hand and returned to the dining room. Naturally, all the girls participating in the gathering were there.
The overwhelming presence of girls made Masato feel like he had stumbled into an all-girls school.
"Uh, w-what…?"
Masato braced himself, feeling pressured.
"Alright, Masato, you sit over there."
Latifa guided him to sit across from Liliana. In that moment—
(Oh no, I have a bad feeling about this.)
Masato sensed something ominous.
"U-uh, but over there, it's super lively too. Shin-niichan came, and they're talking about Haruto-niichan's love life. If you want, I could go get everyone."
Sorry, Haruto-niichan—Masato tried to deflect the topic by using Rio's love life as bait and stood up hurriedly. Just then—
"Onii-chan's love life…?"
Latifa and many of the girls had their expressions change.
(Yes!)
Masato felt a surge of victory.
However, that vision quickly crumbled like a mirage.
"That can wait for later. I told you; I want to hear about Masato."
Latifa grabbed Masato by both shoulders and fixed him in his chair with a smile.
"Oh, uh, yes. What do you want to talk about…?"
Oh no, there's no escaping now—Masato realized instantly. And so, he came to learn the terror of harems, presumably.
◇ ◇ ◇
No matter how enjoyable the time, an end eventually comes.
After Masato faced a barrage of questions, the other members of the boys' gathering joined the girls' gathering. They were grilled about what the boys had been discussing, and a few of them turned red, while Shin got scolded by Sayo…
The gathering was in full swing, but soon it was time to wrap up. Everyone felt a bit disappointed, but it was already past their usual bedtime.
As participants began to leave the dining room—
"Lady Miharu, Lady Aki."
Liselotte called out to Miharu and Aki.
"Yes?"
"Sorry to interrupt before you sleep. I have a small favor to ask of you two."
"What is it?"
"Actually, we're trying to create a new product at Rikka Company, and I was hoping to get your help."
"For us?"
Miharu tilted her head in confusion. While she had shared some snack recipes with Rikka Company, she seemed unsure why Aki was involved.
"Yes. This time, it's not about making snacks, but about fashion. I'd like to hear your opinions as Japanese individuals."
Liselotte revealed the nature of her request.
"I'd be happy to help if I can be of any assistance…"
"Are you not inviting Satsuki-san?"
Aki voiced her obvious question.
"I'm hoping that, since the quantity is quite large, you could actually make the trip to the store. Satsuki-san, given your position, it might be difficult for you to go out."
"I see."
"If it's not too much trouble, I would really appreciate your help. Of course, I will provide compensation."
Liselotte bowed her head respectfully. And indeed—
"If that's the case, I'm not very confident, but…"
Miharu was the first to agree.
"I'm fine with it too. Just like Miharu-oneechan, though…"
Aki nodded with a wry smile.
"Thank you very much, this is a great help. I'll need to consult Charlotte-sama as well, but I'm hoping to get this done in the near future."
It would be helpful if you could keep that in mind—Liselotte made her request, and with that, the meeting came to an end.
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