TWEM Vol. 6 Chapter 17 Part 2
After the duel was over, we returned to the guest room with Oskar and the others.
Oskar asked Charlotte.
“Char, remember when you said you wanted to marry someone strong?”
“Yes.”
“Then would you be okay with Haruto as your partner?”
So, without my permission―
Just as I was about to speak up, Charlotte nodded.
“I have no objections, and I have no problem with Haruto. Besides—…”
I couldn’t hear what she said at the end.
“I see…then Haruto.”
But it seemed to have reached Oskar, and he turned to me.
This development. I was pretty familiar with it. Even though I knew…
But!
“Wait a minute.”
“What’s going on?”
“Just a minute.”
I said, turning to Finne and the others.
“First of all, I want to apologize. I’m sorry. So—”
It was Finne who cut me off.
“I have no objection…it’s too late now.”
“Me too. Char is most welcome♪”
Iris agreed with Finne’s words, and Suzuno and Ephyr nodded their heads.
It seemed that the opinions were unanimous.
“That’s how it is. So it’s been decided, right?”
“Yeah, but can I ask you about something?”
“What is it?”
“I intend to return to my original world. So, if I return, I might not be able to come back to this world. Is that okay?”
At my words, Oskar opened his mouth in a panic.
“Hey Haruto. Did you just say ‘original world’? What do you mean by that?”
I explained to Oskar everything that had happened to me since I came to this world, except about God.
“―And that’s what I mean. Finne and the others know this, but still said they would come with me. I must respond to their feelings, and I intend to make everyone happy.”
When I looked at Finne and the others, I saw them smiling and looking happy, even though their cheeks were red.
“…I see. Haruto, I understand that you are from another world. However, the decision is not mine to make, but Char’s. Also, thank you for telling me this.”
“Don’t worry about it. Besides, I plan on finding a way to move freely between this world and that one. So Charlotte doesn’t have to force herself to choose right now—”
Interrupting me, Charlotte exclaimed, “I’ve decided.”
“I felt that if I was with Haruto, we could become stronger together. That’s why I will follow you, no matter what world we are in. And——that is why.”
“Hmm? What did you say?”
I didn’t hear the last part.
Charlotte’s face was flushed.
“D-Don’t worry about it.”
“Ah, ah…?”
I realized that I shouldn’t ask any more questions.
She was probably embarrassed if she tried to say that I liked him or something like that.
“Well then, Haruto. Thank you for your continued support. Everyone, please call me Char.”
“Nice to meet you, Char. You can call me whatever you want.”
Finne and the others also said “Nice to meet you” to Char and were talking deeply while introducing themselves.
In the middle of all this, Oskar’s gaze pierced me.
“Take care of my daughter, will you?”
“Rest assured, I have no intention of making Char unhappy.”
“That’s very encouraging to hear. I’m counting on you.”
Thus, Charlotte von Galzio, the second princess of the Galzio Empire, joined me as my new fiancée.
My fiancées are now Finne, Iris, Suzuno, Ephyr, Ilmina, and Char, making six.
Looking at Charlotte, she had already made friends with Finne and the others and was chatting happily with them.
Meanwhile, Oskar asked me.
“Right. When will you go back to Perdis?”
“I’m thinking of departing from here tomorrow afternoon. On the way I’ll stop at the Holy State of Belifaire. I promised Ilmina that I’d meet up with her again.”
“That saintess…you seem to be quite popular, huh?”
“Please…”
When I was tired of Oskar grinning at me, Char offered me a helping hand.
“My father has eight concubines.”
“Hey, Char!?”
“Isn’t that fine? It’s an open secret. Besides, there are more out there, right? Father escapes from the castle every now and then.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because the soldiers, knights, and people in the castle say they’ve seen it.”
“……”
Oskar fell completely silent.
Char must be an exceptionally talented person to be able to silence this emperor.
Then Oskar forcibly changed the subject.
“Right, Haruto, it’s about the Four Heavenly Kings who appeared this time, the Dragon Knight Damnatio.”
It’s too sudden, but I wanted to talk about it as well.
Oskar continued.
“Aren’t you curious about what’s going on in the demon realm now?”
“Is that an indirect way of saying that I should go to the demon tribe’s territory? I am certainly concerned about the situation, but…”
The Four Heavenly Kings had been invading human territory one after the other.
It would be strange to not be worried about it.
“In other words, do you want me to do some reconnaissance and, if we can, go and defeat the Demon King?”
“Exactly.”
Oskar nodded at my words.
“But, defeating the Demon King is the role of the hero, right?”
“Having said that, you defeated two of the Four Heavenly Kings. It wouldn’t be surprising if they were keeping an eye on you. You can no longer say that you have nothing to do with it.”
I fell silent.
As Oskar said, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Demon King’s army considered me an enemy.
Considering that Finne and the others might be in danger, it would be better for me to make the first move.
“…I understand. But I will decide what to do with the heroes.”
“That’s fine. Once you have decided, please have the King of Perdis contact each country. When that happens, I’m sure he’ll send a request to Haruto.”
“Understood.”
“I’m counting on you.”
I shook Oskar’s hand firmly.
Well, it’s almost time.
It would be annoying if I stayed for too long, so let’s go back to the inn for today.
“Then it’s time for us to return to the inn.”
“Thank you for taking the time to talk to me.”
“No problem. I’ll stop by again when I get a chance.”
“Please do that. And Char.”
Oskar then turned to Char.
“What is it?”
“Do you want to go with Haruto?”
With these words, we also turned our eyes to Char.
Char seemed to be lost in thought.
“Don’t worry about the country, just do what Char wants.”
“Okay. Then I’ll go with Haruto.”
“Okay. Pack your things. You can go with me tomorrow.”
“Yes!”
Char turned to us, opened her mouth, and bowed her head.
“Well then, Haruto, please take care of me.”
“Likewise. And if you have any luggage, it will fit into my extra-dimensional storage, so you don’t have to worry about the amount.”
“Storage magic is another useful thing… I’ll pack up my things now.”
“Okay. See you tomorrow then.”
We left the Imperial Castle and returned to the inn.
～
After that, while we were having dinner at the inn, Finne muttered to herself.
“…womanizer.”
The other women nodded in agreement.
I tried to ask Zero for help, but he was reading a book he got as a prize and wasn’t interested in us.
When I looked at the book he was reading, it was a book on magic.
I gave up on getting help from Zero and objected.
“I’m not that kind of a prude.”
“““A little bit of self-restraint (please)!!!”””
When that didn’t work, I turned to Zero again to ask for help, but…
“It’s natural for females to flock to a strong male.”
It’s no good, this guy…
I apologized to the women and said, “I’m sorry.”