Chapter 177 - Selection and Rejection
As I stood frozen by an overflowing sense of dread, Rio repeatedly tugged on my sleeve.
"Just because there are lots of young girls around, don't go getting all starry-eyed."
"W-what are you talking about? I love married women in their late twenties, you know?"
"Saying something like that when you're the one engaged to me doesn't have any persuasive power at all."
And that was the truth.
I am a dangerous middle-aged man attempting to obtain a legal JC wife using state power and the people's blood taxes.
Since there was absolutely no room for excuses, I bowed my head and muttered, "Yes, sorry," as I headed toward the dressing room.
"Good morn—whoa, it's nothing but girls."
"Good morning, Nakamoto-san!"
As for what happened next, it was the usual development.
I ended up spending a criminal-like waiting period in a space filled with sweet scents, surrounded by teenage girls, being heavily touched, and ultimately forced to exchange contact information.
Now, my smartphone has the addresses of nearly forty junior high and high school girls registered.
Isn't this basically like carrying a girls' school around with me?
Moreover, every single one of them is a beautiful girl at a level where they could hold a position in the entertainment industry, and some of them even go as far as to throw direct demands at me, like, "I'll let you have sex with me, so please give me work"...
"...Ugh... ngh..."
I am a man, after all.
No matter how much I like women of my own generation, being fawned over by young members of the opposite sex doesn't feel bad.
On top of that, if I feel like it, I can even have a JC/JK buffet. I might even be able to feast on idols who have declared a ban on romance.
"...Does Gondo spend every day feeling like this?"
Calm down, me.
What am I doing, getting bloodshot eyes before a battle?
I steady my breathing and sharpen my nerves.
Right now, I only need to think about defeating Erin.
Victory takes precedence over everything.
For the sake of peace. For the sake of everyone. Using this body as a shield.
"...I'll do it... I'll blast right through that cute face..."
High-pitched voices rose from the surroundings, saying, "Nakamoto is having some kind of intense fantasy!", but I ignored them.
"All performers, please come to the studio!"
The voice of a staff member.
It's finally time.
We formed a line and headed toward the studio. Given the number of people, the sight was close to a grand procession.
...Leading people behind me like this reminds me of the other world era.
I went on many expeditions accompanied by the soldiers of The Kingdom.
Kill the orcs.
Kill the goblins.
Kill the dark elves.
Subdue the bandit groups.
Destroy the enemy nation.
It becomes funny when I think about how I was given such outrageous demands every single time.
I wonder how I even managed to survive.
It was partly because I was strong, but it was also largely because my Party Members supported me.
Erin would use area magic to burn away swarms of enemy soldiers time and time again.
Whenever I told her, "I feel at ease being able to entrust my back to you," it was her habit to look away bashfully.
The Erin in my memories is always that lovely mage. That look suits her well.
That's why, before she becomes an evil witch committing massacres in modern Japan, I will finish her.
That is the atonement I can offer.
"Shall we?"
In the back, the girls were still making a fuss over trivial things.
However, my own feelings had completely shifted.
Rio, walking beside me, raised an eyebrow.
"The atmosphere changed somehow."
"Atmosphere?"
"The atmosphere surrounding Nakamoto-san."
"Heh. You can sense that kind of thing? You might actually make a good warrior if you train."
"I'm simply sensitive to the atmosphere a man has right before he exerts violence."
"...You do love that kind of thing."
"That's part of it, but sometimes the men Mother brought home were DV bastards. If I'm slow to notice, it's a matter of life and death."
"Aren't DV bastards exactly your type?"
"I normally hate being hit by a man I don't even like. It's just painful and scary. They don't seem to know how to hold back, either."
"It's a world I don't understand well."
"In that regard, Nakamoto-san seems like the type who would adjust his strength while hitting with a proper sense of guilt, so I think you'd make a good DV husband."
"You shouldn't use the expression 'good' for a DV husband..."
"Men who hit people because they want to are no good, you see. What hits the spot is a man who truly loves the woman he's with, yet lays hands on her reluctantly, and after raging around quite a bit, apologizes saying, 'I actually love you.' And then, things get heated during the gentle make-up sex. Nakamoto-san should shine in a situation like this."
"Stop it, that's sinister."
I feel exhausted, wondering why we're having such deep DV talk before the start of a war.
Just how far does this girl intend to erode my fighting spirit?
"...Nakamoto-san."
"Hmm?"
"You're planning to kill her, aren't you? This person named Erin."
"You can tell that much?"
Since the content became dangerous, we both lowered our voices.
That said, in this peace-addled Japan, I feel like I could probably bluff it away by saying we're just talking about a game.
"Is that really okay? For you, Nakamoto-san."
Rio was looking into my eyes, as if searching for something.
As for my answer,
"Of course it is."
It was.
"Erin is dangerous. To protect you all, I cannot let her live. Everything is to make you all happy."
"..."
To tell the truth, I don't want to kill Erin.
But that doesn't matter.
My true feelings or desires are the things that matter least of all.
Right now, I am fine being nothing more than a machine that makes the girls close to me happy.
I will love everyone, spoil them, and protect them to the end.
For that purpose, I have decided I will do anything and discard anything.
The first thing I will discard is myself.
"Don't worry. I won't fail again. I will definitely win."