Two weeks have passed since the succubus attacked, accompanied by Light Eaters.
Shiki-sama, I have ordered a wedding ring sample; what do you think of it?
You sure work fast.
Our days have passed peacefully since then. There were various matters that needed to be settled, but as far as problems that demanded urgency, my marriage to the saint cancelled most of them.
The fact that the crisis over the saint losing her position to the royal capital bishop went away was especially huge. The bishop immediately returned to the royal capital afterwards, and submitted a proposal that the saint be divested of her archbishop rank in light of her mismanagement.
But that will most likely end in failure. As long as she has a marriage relationship with me, the church cant cut ties with the saint.
Accordingly, were currently in a room of the lords mansion, making arrangements for said marriage.
Pretty, isnt it
How do I put it its refined, huhhh.
Master, thats a very pretty ring
Eris, Ruruka, and Yuel are looking at the ring held out by the saint and murmuring.
-That shocking engagement announcement from the saint. Eris and Ruruka both protested to the saint afterwards, but if my marriage to the saint falls through, the odds are high that shell lose her position, and Ill lose my supporter on the churchs side for the sake of ensuring my own safety.
Considering the future, now that weve allowed the succubus to escape, the saint and I need to get married at all costs. Once the saint explained that, Eris and Ruruka both understood the necessity of the marriage.
But Eris and Ruruka both felt that the saint had no right to snatch me away. What the saint proposed in regards to their lingering resentment was why dont the two of them marry me as well?
When the saint used her clever conversational arts to suggest that to them, it went in the direction that for the sake of getting along, Ill get married to all of them.
What made the two of them give in relatively easily to bigamy when they seem opposed to it was, most likely, the fact that it started with me getting married to the saint.
If Eris would be losing to Ruruka or vice versa, they might have given up, but the saint was a dark horse who wasnt even on their radar. Maybe they hated the idea of it ending in me being stolen out from under them.
I wasnt sure how to bring up the harem, but thanks to the saint, it seems like its going to happen now in this form. For the saint, who has slogged through the underbelly of the church, this too is most likely another one of her masterful strategies.
As a result, the scene I wished for is right here. Whod have thought that shed be this dependable as a wingman?
Will this be acceptable?
Yeah, looks good to me?
Very well, I shall have four of them prepared posthaste.
The saint says, once she confirms our reactions. Four rings. One for me, Eris, Ruruka, and the saint.
Four
Yuel bends one, two, three, four fingers as she looks at me, Eris, Ruruka, and the saint in turn. Shes making a terribly lonely expression.
Sorry, Yuel, but there isnt one for you. These are wedding rings. In the end, theres no way I can marry a girl as young as Yuel. The fact that Im the Sage notwithstanding, Im not immune to criticism, and I myself am opposed to marrying a young girl like Yuel.
No matter how much of a harem it is, thats still going too far.
I feel sorry about Yuels dejection, but even if we do end up getting married, it would at least have to wait a few years.
Four so it truly is bigamy.
Eris sighs.
Though Eris reluctantly accepted bigamy, she occasionally gives off a feeling like this, of finding it intolerable. Most likely, she was picturing some kind of ideal monogamous married life, with two kids, back at that hospital.
Yknow, Im kinda starting to feel like Im okay with it at this point.
!?
Ruruka replies like that to Eris mutterings. Eris must have thought that Ruruka shared her views; she makes a bit of a surprised expression. By some chance, is she going to lend support to my bigamy? Thats Ruruka for you.
I knew I could count on her.
I mean look, Ive been thinking lately. Could I get married to Shiki, just the two of us? If I did, I bet Shiki would definitely go off somewhere and cheat on me behind my back. And I mean, Shikis incredibly lewd.
And simple. And weak-minded enough to get tempted by the succubus. Plus whenever there are boobs in front of him, he never thinks of the consequences.
That may be true. But how does that!
Look, the point is, if its impossible alone then we can keep an eye on him with the two of us. Taking shifts, watching over Shiki so he doesnt cheat, right?
I thought a nice follow-up might be coming, but instead it was a rant. Im not particularly simple. I-Im just a little weak to boobs, thats all. Also, please dont say such things in front of Yuel.
Itll invite a misunderstanding.
And besides, if hes gonna get married to a single person, wont it be Saint-sama, who already announced it in front of a bunch of people? I was like, I cant stand it ending like that.
Once Eris hears Rurukas speech, she lowers her eyes. Most likely, as far as those two are concerned, the fact that the saint acknowledged bigamy must have been the number one point after all. Although speaking of the saint in question, shes watching the two of them and grinning. Shes too bold.
Eris sits with her face frozen in a contemplative expression.
I wonder if shes going to say that she cant accept anything but monogamy after all? But my marriage to the saint is going to be rather seriously necessary from here on out. Also, its convenient for getting married to both Eris and Ruruka as well.
Itll be a problem if Eris refuses to marry me unless shes my only wife.
Right?
My sure-fire charm. Once you grow up, okay?.
By reciting this, I can misdirect Yuel using her future expectations. Nevertheless, although Im saying something close to it, Im not actually declaring Lets get married. Its an ambiguous approach to deal with Yuels potential change of heart in the several years before she becomes an adult.
Ive managed to postpone the matter of my relationship with her before using this same method. Knowing Yuel, if this will get her to focus on the happy future of We can get married once Im an adult, I can get the fact that Im currently marrying Eris and the others to vanish from her head.
Or so I thought,
Uuu
but tears slowly and steadily gather in Yuels eyes. Her throat keeps making tiny noises like she cant bear it, and she begins to tremble.
This worked out before, though.
How come? Something is different now.
But what do I do? If this method is hopeless, what should I do?
And, as Im racking my brain, a knocking sound at the door shatters the awkward atmosphere.
Shiki-sama, may I spare a moment of your time?
Yeah.
Its the saints voice. And when the saint hears my reply, the door opens.
My apologies for disturbing you so late at night. However as I was able to put together a little available time, I thought that I ought to make amends to Shiki-sama for forcibly pressing you into the marriage.
Have I interrupted you?
The saint says as she enters the room. On the contrary, she saved me. I was already running out of ideas for how to comfort Yuel. Once you grow up worked last time, so I thought it would distract her this time too.
In any event, she can steer the conversation elsewhere.
I dont really mind. Whats up? By make amends, you mean youre giving me something?
Though it may be forward of me, I am thinking of providing you with night service.
Steering it there is not good. Really not good. I wanna turn back already.
Look, Yuel is here and shes still on the verge of tears. Ahh, ahh I can tell right away from looking at Yuel that the proposal from the saint just now hit her pretty hard.
The relationship between me and the saint, whos already about to initiate night service, and my purely master-and-slave relationship with Yuel. Did the saints proposal make Yuel see things in a new light? Her expression rapidly saddens.
I wonder if she thinks that even her presence here is a nuisance? Yuel starts to silently trudge out of the room. The usual Yuel would do something like ask May I help?, but it seems like shes already completely disheartened.
Past incidents aside, perhaps shes thinking that its unacceptable for a slave to intrude on the intimate relationship between a husband and wife. Were not particularly that intimate, though.
Ahh, Philine. Can we do this some other time? Now is sorta look, you understand, right?
I dont mind if Yuel-chan joins.
You should mind. I mind.
Wait, didnt this lady say something like its not good to put a child through something so outrageous? As insistent as she is that unreasonable treatment is no good, I wonder if that means its fine so long as theres consent?
And now that I think about it, she isnt questioning me at all about having Yuel as a slave.
Master, i-is it okay?
Look, Yuel reacted. No, I was going to hold Yuel back either way. Nor did I have any intention of throwing the mournful Yuel outside so the saint and I could get down to night service.
Rather, I was planning on sending the saint away and comforting Yuel by petting her head, all night long if thats what it took.
But what do I do about this situation? Yuel is looking at me like an abandoned puppy. If I tell her no here, itll end up looking like Im rejecting her. In her current insecure condition, I absolutely cant do that.
Even though I was trying not to make Yuel sad, why does she have to suffer so much?
-As Im anguishing over it like that.
Sage-sama! Saint-sama, is Saint-sama here!?
The second I think I hear someone noisily running down the hallway, a knights voice calls out from in front of the room. How unusual, this late at night. He seems pretty frantic.
Yes, I am indeed here, but can it wait? We are currently in the middle of something.
The saint dismisses the knight. However, the knight immediately retorts.
Its urgent business!!
His rough voice seems desperate. Perhaps feeling the serious atmosphere, the saint approaches the door.
What sort of business would that be?
Then she opens it. Over the saints shoulders, I can see the knights face. His expression is pallid. I can clearly tell that hes quivering, and greatly shaken.
Judging from the state this knight is in, its no doubt bad news.
-However, the knights report far exceeds my hypothesis.
The royal capital, there has been word that the royal capital has fallen! The succubus has resurrected the evil god!!!