Chapter 132

“Wow, damn. They’re all women. And every single one of them is a beauty.”

“…Orabeoni. I’m the type who understands polygamy to some extent. Since our lifespans are so long, Elves tend to have a loose view of romance. Thanks to that, polygyny is common, and polyandry is too. Even group marriages are frequent. I’m also of the mind that as long as a person has the capability, one individual can take responsibility for multiple partners. To be honest, I even talked with Kelly once about the two of us becoming your joint lovers.”

“When did I ever!!”

“Not you, Doppelgänger Kelly.”

“Then say so from the start!”

“Forget it. Anyway, I’m a person without prejudices. I really am… but isn’t this humanly too many? Just how many are there? Ten? Fifteen? Is this some kind of noble hobby of Northern Continent aristocrats?”

“No, wait. Even if I concede that the five in the front might look like that, the rest are clearly household employees. What are you trying to imply?”

“Then why is the only man among over twenty employees an Elf in a tuxedo? The rest are all maids.”

“That’s… I don’t know either?”

No, I really didn’t. When I left for Kobs Village, the only employees in this house were that strange Elf Chamberlain Sodin introduced and the families of Selan and Scala brought over from Ferom.

But why are there nearly twenty maids I’ve never seen before? And all of them are beauties of various sub-races to boot.

“If you don’t know, Orabeoni, who does?”

“I’m telling you, it wasn’t like this a few months ago! I didn’t hire them!”

Chel and Elizabeth’s interrogation couldn’t continue any further.

Shia, who had come running out, threw herself into my arms with all her might.

“Sword God! I have been waiting for thee!!”

Ooh. Look at that energy. I should match it.

“Ooh! My cutie! Meeting in reality definitely feels different!”

“Heehee! This is good. Now, try doting on me properly and thoroughly!!”

I hugged her tight and ruffled her hair aggressively.

“I will! Of course I will! You little, you little, you little! I’ll pet you like crazy! I’ll rub your head until your hair falls out!”

“Heehee! Heehee! Heeheeheehee!!”

After rubbing her face against my chest and enjoying the head pats for a long time… she finally looked up with a bright smile, looking like an absolute mess (?).

“Satisfied!”

“Phew… I’m satisfied too.”

“So? How is thy body? Naught is amiss?”

“Mm. I am perfectly fine. I’ve been eating well, sleeping well, and playing well.”

“That’s a relief.”

“There is still a mountain of things I wish to say… but others are waiting besides me, so let us save the rest of the talk for later. Now, the spot is vacant; come forward in order and enjoy thy reunion.”

As soon as Shia’s permission was given, Sodin, who had been waiting her turn a few steps back, flew toward me and hugged me tight.

“Huh?”

“I was worried. I was really worried….”

“Uh, uhhh…?”

Flustered by the sudden skinship, I was startled to see tears streaming down her cheeks.

No, what’s this? Why is she suddenly crying? Were we close enough for this? She worried about me this much? I’m actually a bit touched.

Wait. If her favorability is this high even after I worked her pretty hard… maybe I can work her even more in the future? About 1.5 times more than now….

“I’m sorry….”

My impure thoughts were cut short by her sudden, tearful apology.

“I’m truly sorry….”

“Uh… why are you the one apologizing?”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t help…. I tried so many things… but there was nothing I could do. I’m sorry….”

I scratched my head and lightly patted her back.

“The fact that you worried is enough. In the first place, do I look like someone who needs help?”

“…You dummy. No one in this world can live alone.”

Sodin, who had been hugging me for a good while, suddenly pulled back and thrust something toward me with bloodshot eyes.

“Here, take it.”

“Hm? What’s this? A bracelet?”

“…A Blink artifact. It can be activated three times a day and allows you to move up to 50 meters at once. The mana consumption is a bit heavy, but since you seem to have mana to spare, it shouldn’t be much of a burden.”

“Not a one-time scroll, but an artifact? And I can use it three times a day? This must be incredibly expensive….”

This was likely one of Sodin’s trump cards. And she’s giving it to me?

“…I heard from Lady Shia. You were caught off guard and forcibly teleported by an Outer God (A malevolent transcendent being) Champion?”

“Ah, that….”

“Master rank (The fifth stage of Steel Body users) is impressive, but it doesn’t make you invincible. Unless you’re some kind of God, people are bound to die or get hurt. So, keep that with you always. With that, you’ll be able to pull yourself out of any situation.”

I knew well enough that I shouldn’t refuse this on the grounds of it being expensive.

“Okay. I’ll use it well. Thanks. I’ll treasure it.”

Only when I smiled and put the bracelet on my wrist did a faint smile finally grace Sodin’s face.

“Sodin-nim? We’d like to say hello now, too.”
“Are we not even people to you?”
“Th-that person doesn’t even live here, yet she stays here e-every day. Does the Magic Tower (A center of magical research) even pay her a salary?”

Just then, blunt voices drifted in from behind.

“…Tsk.”

Sodin clicked her tongue and pulled away from me with a reluctant expression.

And then….

“Alright! Rock-paper-scissors!”

“Heh. I’m first. Thank you, Mother Goddess.”

“Hey! You used a Bless (A minor priestly miracle), didn’t you!? The one that boosts luck! Is a priestess allowed to use blessings like that?”

“If you have a problem with it, you should have become a priestess too.”

“C-calm down, Scala. M-more importantly, I’m sorry.”

“Sorry? What are you sorry for?”

“Wh-what I’m sorry about is… Rock-paper-scissors!!”

“…Wh-what!?”

“Th-then I’m second, right? You’re rock, I’m paper.”

“Hey, that was a cowardly sneak attack!”

“If you have a p-problem, you should have used a s-sneak attack too.”

“…Th-those dirty girls.”

They’re the same as ever.

As I watched their bickering with a smile, Illeia, who had secured the first spot, came over and grabbed both my hands tight.

“I was really worried, Oppa. Do you know how shocked I was? You aren’t hurt anywhere, right?”

“Thanks.”

I patted the head of the girl who was genuinely rejoicing. Then, Illeia continued with a giggle.

“Well, I still believed in you, Oppa. I didn’t think the person who could take off a Twin-headed Ogre’s neck in one strike would suffer much just from being teleported to another continent.”

Well, to be honest… compared to the ones I met on the Western Continent, a Twin-headed Ogre was practically cute.

I gave a short laugh and changed the subject.

“Anyway, nothing happened at the manor, right?”

“Yes. With Lady Shia and even Sodin-nim here, what could happen? Even Lord Talos stopped by once in a while to look around.”

“I guess. Ah, but… why did the number of people in the manor suddenly increase so much?”

“Ah. Regarding that, the new Chamberlain said that to run a manor of this scale, you need at least that many… and said he’d hire more whenever he has the chance?”

“Well… it’s true the numbers were small compared to the scale. Considering Sodin’s lab and other things coming in, it’s right to hire more staff. But…. why are they all women?”

At my question, Illeia gave a bitter smile.

“It’s because of Lady Shia.”

“Huh? Why is Shia’s name coming up?”

“Well… when Lady Shia is at the manor, she often takes off her Concealment Artifact (A high-grade item that blurs recognition). But her beauty is just so overwhelming, you know? The Chamberlain (Chief steward) was worried that if he hired men as employees, there would inevitably be trouble….”

“Ah….”

“And you know how it is, Oppa. Lady Shia’s usual attire is… quite free-spirited….”

True, Shia isn’t exactly the type to care about what others think. I hadn’t consciously thought about it, but even back when it was just the two of us, her choice of clothes was honestly quite something.

“So that’s why the gender ratio is so skewed….”

“Because of that, the Chamberlain seemed to have a lot on his mind. He needed men for the heavy labor… but since men were a no-go, he ended up hiring only those with Spiritual Arts (Techniques utilizing soul essence).”

“…Wait. You’re saying those maids over there all possess Spiritual Arts?”

“Yes.”

“Good grief. Just how much are they getting paid… I mean, obviously, money isn’t an issue since I have plenty, but where on earth did he find such high-tier personnel?”

“Who knows? He mentioned they were people brought from a place he and Sodin-nim know well (?)… seeing as they call Sodin-nim ‘Princess’ or something, they probably came from her family’s house back home, just like the new Chamberlain.”

Her family’s house? Is Sodin trying to turn this place into a branch of her own home or something?

“…That explains why there are so many Elves.”

“Yes. But do you know what’s even more surprising?”

“…There’s something more surprising than this?”

At my question, Illeia gave a smile that looked somewhat enlightened.

“Those maids over there? If they were adventurers, they’d all be Gold rank (A high mid-rank) or higher.”

“…You’re joking, right?”

For context, a Gold rank means an Aura User (The third stage of Steel Body users) for physical combatants, and at least the tail end of the 4th Circle for mages. Simply put, they are a way~ higher rank than Selan or Scala.

“At that point, isn’t it less of a maid service and more of a Knightly Order? Why are you dressing knights in maid uniforms and making them do housework?”

“Do you think that’s all? Look at that blonde Elf over there.”

“Hm? Ah… the tall Elf lady on the far right?”

“Yes. She’s an Elf named ‘Hest’ whom the Chamberlain appointed as the Head Maid with Lady Shia’s permission… She’s a Blaster (The fourth stage of Steel Body users). A top-tier one at that.”

“…What?”

“A Blaster. A top-tier Blaster.”

“No, that’s insane. Doesn’t that mean she’s just one wall away from being a Master? Why would someone like that bother being a maid in someone else’s house?”

“Exactly. That’s what I’m saying.”

Seriously… what on earth has been happening while I was gone?

.
.
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“M-Master! I’m so, s-so glad you’re safe!!”

“…I told you not to call me that.”

As I was gently pushing away Selan, who was gripping my leg with enough force to break my arms as if she’d never let go again, Scala spoke up bluntly.

“She’s calling you that on purpose.”

“Huh?”

“She says she has to engrave the position of ‘Master’ into your mind so that you’ll feel a sense of responsibility and keep feeding her and her family… or something like that.”

“Ah! You p-promised not to say that!”

“Unfortunately, I’m ‘set up’ so that I can’t lie in front of Sword God-nim. Phew… I just can’t help it, can I?”

“You…!”

“In the first place, you don’t have the right to call him Master. A true master-servant relationship shouldn’t have profit and loss interfering. In that sense, I am the true servant of my Masters. Why? Because I don’t want anything from them.”

“If s-someone heard you, they’d think being b-brainwashed was some kind of m-medal of honor….”

“Heh. So move aside, you fake. It’s my turn.”

“Ugh….”

“Sword God-nim. I was very worried. Really. I was so worried I spent every night in tears, you know?”

Having pushed Selan aside, Scala looked up at me with sparkling eyes, looking like a puppy that had just brought back a thrown ball.

“Right, right. Thanks.”

“Ah! Aaaah! It’s been so long since I got a reward… Lady Shia doesn’t give many compliments…. Could you p-praise me just a little more?”

“You worked hard taking care of Shia while I was gone.”

“Aaaaah!! Happiness is just overflowing in my head…!!”

“Tone down the suspicious reaction… and you, your personality seems to have changed a bit? Weren’t you more ‘chic’ before?”

“Ah, my personality setting was changed. Lady Shia said she was already depressed because you were gone, and having me being all grumpy made it twice as gloomy… so she made me slightly ‘up (?)’ about two weeks ago. So my mood is always high!”

“Ah… I see.”

Anyway, having finished the rough reunion with everyone… I decided to make a move before the flood of questions started.

“There’s something I want to show you all. Follow me.”

“Sword God-nim. There’s something I want to ask… who are those new women….”

“Later.”

“Sword God. I also have questions….”

“Later as well.”

“I haven’t even asked yet.”

“Later, regardless.”

Ignoring everyone’s questions, I led them to a room deep within the manor. After stationing Hosik to ensure no employees approached, I pulled a fist-sized orb from my robes. It was a high-purity magic stone engraved with an incredibly complex Law Magic circle.

As I poured mana into it, a gate appeared, shimmering like the surface of a lake turned on its side.

While the group’s eyes went wide, Sodin asked.

“Is this… a gate? Where does it lead?”

“The Western Continent. Specifically, the Western Continent’s Demon Territory .”

“……!”

“……!!”

“……!!!”

“And as of today, I am the Demon King.”

An indescribable, bizarre silence filled the room.