Surviving a Harsh Fantasy with Cheat Items (WN)

As I was organizing the paperwork in my office, the door suddenly swung open with a loud bang.

Sherry, dressed in official attire, strode up to my desk, her footsteps echoing sharply.

「What’s wrong, Sherry? You didn’t even knock.」

「I want a ring too!」

She slammed the documents she was holding onto my desk as if to emphasize her demand.

I was taken aback; it seemed urgent, but I was at a loss to understand why.

「What’s going on all of a sudden…」

「I want a ring too!」

Ignoring my question, Sherry repeated herself like a broken record, her speech oddly stilted. No matter how many times I asked why she wanted a ring, she insisted, ‘Just give me a ring right now!’

Usually, Sherry was selfless, dedicating herself to work even at the expense of sleep and meals. But sometimes, she would act whimsically without reason. This was clearly one of those situations where not giving her what she wanted would lead to further trouble.

Reluctantly, I began searching for the dwindling stock of amber accessories… but found nothing.

While I had bracelets and necklaces available, there were simply no rings left. It was unfortunate, especially since this was Sherry’s rare request, but there was nothing I could do.

「Ehto… I’m sorry, Sherry, but there are no rings left.」

「What?! It doesn’t have to be anything special; I just want a ring! Are you sure there aren’t any?」

She rummaged through the large jewelry box, peering in as if trying to squeeze her small head inside. When she confirmed there were none, her shoulders slumped in disappointment.

Why was she so fixated on rings?

「I had some just the other day, but they disappeared as I gave them to various people. Look, I still have other accessories in stock…」

「Ugh, it doesn’t mean anything if it’s not a ring!」

I had already given Sherry an amber hairpin as a souvenir from the Rastore Kingdom, conveying the message that she should always keep up her appearance, even when I wasn’t around. I thought at the time that a ring might interfere with her writing duties, which is why I had chosen the hairpin instead.

「If you wanted a ring so badly, you should have told me sooner. I’ll remember this, and next time, I’ll make sure to get you one.」

Eventually, I would set sail again, and I could create a ring from a different gem as a souvenir for her. I needed to make a note of that.

「Well then, I’ll look forward to it! After all, the atmosphere is important. It’s generally not proper for a girl to ask for something like that.」

「Is that so?」

「Yes, please temporarily forget that I asked you for a ring, oniisama. Oh, but you really mustn’t forget!」

「Which is it…?」

「I want you to present me with a ring as a surprise, with your own strong will, while maintaining an innocent demeanor. The mood is essential, too. It should be a moment where we’re alone, enjoying each other’s company with a bit of unfamiliar wine. At the right moment, when our feelings are heightened, you should present it along with a romantic line. Ah, but then again, a sudden surprise could be just as delightful. Either way is fine, as long as it’s something you like! Anyway, I’ll pretend to forget about it for now!」

Her speech was long.

As always, when it came to scenarios, Sherry had a long list of demands.

I couldn’t quite grasp her particular preferences. Was simply handing over a souvenir not enough?

「Well, if that’s what you want, I’ll consider it positively…」

「By the way, oniisama, while we’re on the subject, I received the report from the city of Nant. The harbor improvements are also on schedule. The black cedar fleet’s outfitting for the open sea is complete, so we can set sail whenever we’re ready.」

「That’s more like the main topic of discussion, isn’t it? Let’s see…」

I began reviewing the report on Nant and its surrounding territories that Sherry had neatly prepared. The former Nant Marquisate, now a royal domain, was being governed by an appointed official dispatched from the capital.

Regarding municipal affairs, the elder Geoffrey, the former magistrate, continued to oversee things, while Sherry and the bureaucrats from the capital managed the economic aspects. It seemed that, even after the change in rulers, there had been no significant turmoil.

On the contrary, things are going quite well.

From the documents, I could see that the cities and villages in the southern region of Silesie were experiencing an unprecedented boom, even more so than the capital.

「The good economy in the southern region is likely due to the year of no taxes. The markets are overflowing with food, and the port of Nant is buzzing with increased trade.」

「I anticipated this would happen, but seeing it come to fruition is truly delightful.」

This year’s harvest in the south would be tax-free, allowing all of it to flood the markets.

Thanks to the development of an international port in Nant, the massive surplus of food was flowing into global markets, bringing significant wealth to Silesie.

While the former Nant Marquisate, now a royal domain, was functioning well, the attached reference materials revealed that the territory of Count Agene, now under Sarah-chan’s control, was developing remarkably.

Sarah-chan was creatively managing finances, even issuing local bonds to raise funds. She initiated a policy of three years of tax-free harvests for newly cultivated land in the wilderness, aiming to expand arable land.

Having realized that agricultural products could fetch high prices overseas due to the international port, the people of the south, now financially comfortable, were investing capital into developing barren land. It seemed this agricultural policy was likely to succeed.

So far, the transition from an agrarian economy focused solely on local trade to a mercantilist system that could engage with global markets was progressing smoothly. The economy of the Kingdom of Silesie was rapidly advancing into a new era after two hundred and forty years of stagnation.

「If the arable land continues to expand gradually and food production increases, I don’t think we’ll have to worry about a bubble lasting just one year, oniisama.」

「True, just be careful about that. If the real economy can’t keep up, we could face a significant backlash.」

On clear days, one must prepare for the rainy ones. If I laid a solid foundation, I could embark on my journeys to the open sea with peace of mind.

※※※

As I’ve mentioned before, I don’t have a clear birthday since I lost track of time when I transmigrated to this world. It seems that recently, Silhouette turned eighteen, so I’m left feeling like I might be around twenty-one.

When we celebrated Silhouette’s birthday, it was suggested that we also celebrate mine since it was a special occasion. I held a surprise party for Silhouette without her knowledge, but it appears there won’t be anything similar for my birthday.

I’ve been informed that all my wives are preparing something for me. They said it would take several days, and during that time, I should rest and conserve my strength.

Being told to conserve my energy for a celebration leaves me perplexed; I have no idea what the details of the celebration are.

Additionally, since all my wives will be gathering, I heard that the palace meeting, which is held whenever I take on a new wife, will also take place.

In fact, it seems the meeting about my birthday celebration might just be a secondary issue compared to the discussions at the palace. This time, since I’ve involved not just Celestina but also Neneka, I feel a bit concerned.

I have a strict policy against infidelity, so I feel bad that Silhouette and the others are only finding out after the fact. However, I have requested that both Celestina and Neneka join me as my eleventh and twelfth wives in the palace.

Since Neneka is already handling security in the palace, I thought things wouldn’t change much, but that’s not the main point. I need proper approval in the palace meeting to take responsibility for these decisions.

I can’t help but worry that the palace meeting might turn into an interrogation about my tendency to keep taking on more wives. While I have those concerns, my own celebration is on the agenda, so it wouldn’t be appropriate for me, as the one being celebrated, to attend the wives’ meeting.

Reflecting on my past, it’s absurd to think that I started with six wives, then it became seven, then ten, and now I’m about to add two more. It’s no wonder I might face some complaints. I can’t even imagine what the palace meeting will be like.

「Well, worrying about it now won’t change anything. This time, they said it’s also for my celebration, so I doubt there will be any major issues.」

For this palace meeting, Princess Caroline, who had returned to the Duchy of Transylvania, and Celestina, who was in the Kingdom of Aragon, are both temporarily here. Thanks to Kaara’s ability to use teleportation magic once a day, everyone can gather in just a few days.

I hope Celestina and Neneka can smoothly join the palace as well. That’s up to the palace meeting to decide. Sigh, the position of husbands in the Kingdom of Silesie is surprisingly weak.

「Well, it seems that wives are actually stronger in every country. Worrying about it won’t help.」

With the palace meeting on my mind and nothing else to do, I wandered anxiously through the palace until I spotted Suzanne and Claudia on the terrace.

It was unusual for the two, who worked in the royal guard, to be here at the palace. As I approached to greet them, I noticed a baby crib set up between them.

「Suzanne, Claudia! It’s been a while. What brings you here today?」

「Oh! Master!」 「It’s been a while!」

I peeked into the crib between them and saw a baby lying on his back. It was my child, Orakeru. Why was he here with them?

With her short red hair, Suzanne stood beside Claudia, who had long, light brown hair. Despite their appearance, both of them were fifteen and served as captains in the royal guard, even holding the title of knight baroness.

Perhaps that’s why they usually wore full armor or active riding attire while rushing around on duty. Although they each had a sword at their waist, it was rare to see them in casual clothing. I wondered if they had the day off from their duties in the guard.

These kids are already fifteen.

During the time I hadn’t seen them, they’ve grown up and become reliable knights serving the royal family.

「Are you two taking care of Orakeru?」

「Yes, with Ria-sama and Oracle-sama busy with the palace meeting, we’re watching over him.」「Protecting royalty is part of our job.」

Well, keeping the prince safe counts as protection too. With such lovely oneesans watching over him, Orakeru seemed to be in good spirits. Dressed in a clean white outfit, he eagerly sucked on Claudia’s offered white finger.

「Orakeru-sama must be hungry.」「But we can’t provide him with milk…」

「Hmm, it seems like Orakeru is always drinking milk when I see him. Is he drinking too much?」

「Master, babies need to drink milk frequently. Right, Claudia?」「I wish I could breastfeed him myself.」

「I see, so that’s how a baby’s meals work.」

As a father, I realized I knew so little. Even though they were still girls, they seemed to know more about this than I did.

「Da— Daddy!」

「Whoa… Did Orakeru just call me ‘Daddy’? I’m pretty sure he did!」

「He’s just expressing that he’s hungry, Master. Orakeru can’t speak yet.」 「Yeah, it’s too early for him to talk.」

「I could’ve sworn I heard him say it, though…」

When I asked him if he had said I was his father, Orakeru just laughed and repeated ‘Da—’. Perhaps this ‘da—’ meant ‘Daddy’ after all.

He seems intelligent, so I can’t help but feel he understands adult speech and could talk if he wanted to. But if I dwell on it too much, the two might think I’m being a doting father and roll their eyes at me.

「Oh, Master, it seems the palace meeting has ended.」

When Louise arrived, Suzanne and Claudia quickly knelt down. Now that I think about it, they didn’t kneel for me.

For them, Louise, who had retired and entered the palace, might still hold more authority than me, the supreme commander who wields military power. I couldn’t help but chuckle at that. It didn’t feel bad, though.

「You two can stay as you are. Thank you for watching over Orakeru-sama. And Takeru is here too.」

「Louise, how did the palace meeting go?」

「Celestina and Neneka’s entry into the palace has been approved. Saintess-sama was a little upset about the palace hierarchy…」

「Well, that’s just the usual. I’m glad everything went smoothly.」

It was no surprise that Ria always made a fuss, so I felt relieved to hear it had gone well.

「By the way, Takeru, go take a bath now.」

「Eh, a bath?」

「Originally, you were supposed to have done this earlier, but it seems there was a mix-up. The water is just at the right temperature now.」

「Is that so? Then I’ll go in first.」

「No, we’ve already bathed.」

「Really? You all took a bath before the palace meeting?」

「No, we had the meeting in the public bath instead. Everyone has already gone in.」

What’s going on with this palace meeting?

I had thought it was happening in a meeting room, but the real events took place in the bath?

Imagining Silhouette and the others holding a meeting while soaking in the tub made me chuckle. Perhaps the discussion was more relaxed than I had expected.

「If the meeting was in the bath, I wouldn’t have minded joining in, but I suppose there are some discussions meant for women only. Well, I’ll go take my bath.」

「Take your time.」

With Louise seeing me off, I headed to bathe alone.

Even when I shouted that I was going into the changing room, no one came, so I decided to catch Roll, who had been heating the bath outside.

「Being alone isn’t much fun, so it’s just like Roll to show up in times like this. I’d let my guard down since this kind of scenario hasn’t happened in a while.」

Roll was easily caught off guard.

「No, no bath!」

「Roll, when was the last time you took a bath? Come on, you’re coming with me!」

It was her own fault for being careless.

I stripped the bath-hating Roll down and prepared to soak her in the tub, but something felt off.

Oddly enough, there were no interruptions. Not a single wife had come in.

Usually, I’d expect someone to barge in without fail, so I had braced myself for a full-on invasion.

…But the complete lack of sound was, in a way, a bit unsettling.

In the tub, Roll, who was already being washed, pouted her cheeks in frustration. I guess she was upset about being forced into a bath she didn’t want.

「Hey, Roll, haven’t you heard anything about the palace meeting outside the bath? You were listening in, right?」

「I don’t know. But, Master, while I can’t help but show up, it’s rude to just drop in like this.」

「Oh, my apologies for being rude. So that’s why you’re sulking. I’ll make sure to wash you properly.」

「Okay.」

It seemed I had been lackadaisical about thoroughly washing Roll. Even she could tell when I wasn’t putting my heart into it. If I half-heartedly washed her, it was only natural for her to get upset.

While it was good that the palace discussions went smoothly, I was still curious about what everyone was planning for the celebration.

For now, though, I should focus on Roll in front of me. I carefully washed her coppery hair and meticulously combed it out.

Once polished, her shiny copper hair accentuated her smooth, brown skin.

With her round face still bearing traces of childhood and her long ears as a dark fairy dwarf, Roll, cleaned up properly, exuded an enchanting beauty that could rival any elf.

「If you bathe properly, you’ll be a beautiful girl, so you need to take a bath even if I’m not there.」

「If I’m clean, can I become a bride too?」

Roll suddenly brightened her copper-colored eyes and said something unexpected.

I had heard similar conversations going around—was there a trend for marriage among these girls?

Thinking about it, Roll was around fifteen now, which meant she had reached adulthood. According to the laws of the Silesie Kingdom, fifteen was a perfectly acceptable age to marry. In other words, she was of the right age.

But with Roll being a dwarf, she still looked quite childlike compared to the other early slave girls who had matured significantly.

It felt odd to think of her getting married when she still seemed so young. But I didn’t want to say that—after all, Roll was a girl too.

「Well, if you’re this beautiful, you could definitely become a bride.」

「Really～? So maybe one day, I can be Master’s bride?」

No, that’s not going to happen.

I knew she was joking, but even if it was a lighthearted comment, it still made me uneasy. Dealing with twelve wives was already a challenge!

I wanted to avoid the implication that it was natural for slave girls to become wives. How many were there now? Thirteen at first, then another thirteen, and then twenty-six…

If, by any chance, I were to take one as a wife, it felt like it could lead to a slippery slope where many more would follow. That was something I absolutely didn’t want to happen. As cute as Roll was, it was a definite no.

「Well, if you take a bath every day and keep yourself clean, maybe you could be a bride someday.」

「Ugh, that’s tough…」

Roll, who disliked baths, seemed to be in turmoil at the thought. Asking her to bathe every day was an unreasonable demand.

I figured saying that would keep her hopes in check.

In reality, I doubted Roll genuinely wanted to get married. She was probably just influenced by the recent talks among the other slave girls about marriage.

Roll was still a child; there was no need to rush into marriage when she didn’t even have a chosen partner. Eventually, every girl would find someone special and start a family.

However, since Roll and the others were like daughters I had raised with care, I might end up in tears when the time came to let them go. Thinking about that made me appreciate this moment all the more.

So, despite her protests, I made her soak in the bath until she could count to one hundred. It must have been quite a bother for her.

「Phew, that was tough.」

「Yeah, you did well today. Here, I have a drink for you. Choose whatever you like.」

「Alcohol!」

「Skip the booze after a bath. You’re getting coffee milk.」

After finishing our bath, I lightly patted the steam rising from Roll’s head and handed her the chilled coffee milk.

It struck me that this was the first time I had bathed with Roll alone without anyone interrupting us until the end.

Was this a moment of triumph? What was this, a heartwarming finale?

As I sat next to Roll in the empty changing room, wrapped in a towel while she enjoyed her coffee milk, I felt a strange sense of accomplishment.

※※※

When we stepped out of the bath, we found Neneka and Celestina waiting for us, both dressed in pure white wedding dresses. Neneka, usually sporting her long purple hair in a messy bun, had let it down, allowing it to flow in waves.

「We’ve been waiting for you… husband.」

Neneka, wearing a delicate silver tiara atop her head, spoke shyly, her cheeks slightly flushed. Just that alone made her look like a different person, breathtakingly beautiful.

「Wow… Neneka, you look stunning. And Celestina, you’re back to your black hair today.」

「Yes, since Neneka has purple hair, I thought we might clash, so I decided to remove the dye I usually use.」

Celestina’s natural hair color was a glossy brunette. Typically, she dyed her hair using dye made from purple flowers.

That might have been to hide her origins as a member of the minority Dandorians in the Kingdom of Castilia. But now that she had become the queen of the Kingdom of Aragon, there was no need to dye her hair anymore.

Still, it might have been nice for both of them to have long purple hair, making them look like twins. As a man, it felt somewhat proud to have two beautiful brides flanking me.

「Oh, aren’t you going to compliment me?」

「Haha, of course, Celestina, you look beautiful too. A wedding dress really suits you.」

Both Neneka and Celestina, with their naturally alluring figures, were enveloped in elegant wedding dresses. They exuded a bewitching yet refined beauty, reminiscent of a fragrant bouquet of roses.

「Yes, we have been officially recognized as Takeru-sama’s wives by everyone in the harem, so we’ve decided to hold a wedding ceremony.」

「Oh, I see. So that’s what the celebration was about.」

They had come to carry out the wedding ceremony between me, Neneka, and Celestina. I wouldn’t mind at all if this celebration was seen as a wedding ceremony. Being blessed and united with both of them was something to be truly happy about.

「Yes, everything is ready, so please follow us…」

Neneka quickly took my arm. The beautiful dress, while elegant, left her shoulders boldly exposed and had a deep neckline. I couldn’t shake the feeling that the sewing seemed a bit loose.

I briefly thought that it might come off easily.

I needed to brace myself; if the important parts of the dress were to suddenly come undone, and the two of them ended up naked, I would be in for quite the shock.

Hand in hand with my two lovely brides, we made our way into the depths of the harem.

「Areh, aren’t we going to the church?」

For some reason, our destination was the bedroom of the harem. Although the harem’s bedroom was just a place for sleeping, it was quite a large room.

The hall was magnificent, made of white marble with gold-trimmed columns. The shimmering chandeliers, adorned with gold leaf, cast a warm light on us.

There stood all my wives—Silhouette, Caroline, Eleonora, Are, Lyle-sensei, Sharon, Oracle, Louise, and Kaara—waiting for us, with a large wedding cake displayed prominently in the center.

「Oh, you made a cake! It’s impressively tall!」

The cake made for Silhouette’s birthday a while back had been a meter high, but today’s cake was at least a meter and fifty centimeters tall. It was a towering seven-tiered cake, breaking records once again.

As I observed how such a tall cake was supported without collapsing under its own weight, I realized the base of the cake was a fake one. I see, they must have inserted a sturdy core pole through the center to stabilize it.

「Silhouette, it looks like the cake is arranged around a hard core to maintain its height, right? That way, it won’t collapse under its weight, and the solid core keeps it stable even at that height.」

「Exactly, Takeru-sama! You understand it well. This towering cake was indeed made that way.」

Ah, so that was why it took so long to prepare.

While most of it was likely crafted by Chef Colette and her team, Silhouette knowing the structure meant they had all contributed to making it.

「Did you all help with the cake making?」

「Most of it was done by Colette, but we helped with things we could manage, like making whipped cream.」

Silhouette looked a bit proud as she spoke. It was indeed impressive for everyone to work together on such a grand project.

「Thank you, everyone. This is a wonderful celebration.」

「When it was my turn to celebrate, Takeru-sama made something special for me, so this is my way of returning the favor. I’m glad you’re pleased.」

The cake was adorned with the candied chestnuts I hadn’t had time to prepare last time, neatly placed at the bottom. A chestnut cake—delicious! Indeed, it’s best to use seasonal ingredients for cakes.

The middle layers were chocolate cake, while the top layers were strawberry cake. At this point, it resembled a castle of sweets.

I hadn’t even given any instructions, yet Colette and her team managed to design such a large cake based on previous experiences. They’ve certainly grown; after all, they’re entrusted with the title of royal chef at such a young age.

「I heard that in your homeland, Takeru-sama, this is called a wedding cake and is used for weddings, right?」

「Yep, that’s right. There’s a ceremony where the couple cuts the cake together.」

It symbolizes the first joint task of the newlyweds.

「In that case, how about you, Neneka-san and Celestina-san, do that here? We could consider this as part of your wedding ceremony.」

「Well, that seems a bit off…」

Cutting the cake is typically a ritual held at the reception, not during the wedding itself. But saying that, having two wives in wedding dresses at once is already a rather unusual situation.

「Come on, let’s not be too formal. Please go ahead and cut the cake.」

Encouraged by Silhouette, I joined hands with Neneka and Celestina and swiftly cut through the cake with a knife. The moment we did, everyone erupted into enthusiastic applause.

「This isn’t so bad.」

It felt a bit embarrassing, but being celebrated was genuinely nice. Although the cake cutting usually happens after the wedding ceremony, I decided not to nitpick. This celebration also served as a dual-purpose event for my birthday. I could consider it a combined birthday cake and wedding cake.

As I thought about sharing the cake with everyone, I suddenly heard a rustling sound. The imitation cake base cracked open, and out tumbled Ria, who was inexplicably wearing a saint’s robe and had silver wings sprouting from her back.

By the way, I was thinking that everyone should be gathered, but it turns out someone is missing—it’s Ria.

Still, what kind of entrance is this…?

「Ria, what are you doing?」

「Ta-da!」

As Ria stood up and spread her arms wide, a resounding applause erupted.

What is going on here…? Ria stood proudly and declared,

「It’s ta-da by all means! This is how the ceremony from Takeru’s homeland is done, right?」

「No, there’s no such ceremony in my hometown!」

Ria, having absorbed modern knowledge through light novels, was completely misunderstanding things in various ways.

What kind of manga influenced this idea of a winged woman emerging from a wedding cake?

「Well then, as the officiant, I shall now preside over the wedding vows!」

「No, if it’s a wedding, we should just do it at a church. The wedding cake is meant for the reception!」

I understood that Ria was determined to have her moment of emerging from the cake. It was my fault for stopping her.

Now that she’s done it and is satisfied, can’t we just keep the antics to a minimum?

「What are you talking about? Can you not see these silver wings? We’re already in the presence of Asama by all means!」

「Why are you speaking like it’s a period drama? Asama, please stop descending into the inner palace and peeking from above…」

As Ria flapped her silver wings, a brilliant light cascaded down from a grand chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

She really went through with it. This is getting ridiculous!

From the heavens, a solemn voice echoed, ‘I’m on a tight schedule, so let’s wrap this up!’

That’s not just my imagination; was that really Asama’s voice?

「Yes, Takeru. Please don’t keep Asama waiting. It’s definitely a tight schedule!」

「Got it, so we can just have the wedding here, right?」

So, I’ll refrain from commenting on why Asama is using industry jargon.

It really seems to be a ‘tight schedule’ so if Asama is busy, he doesn’t need to indulge Ria’s requests every time.

「Well then, with the current time, this place will be an impromptu church. We will begin the wedding vows in the style of Takeru’s homeland.」

「I keep telling you, there’s no such custom in my hometown! Asama, you’re being really careless again…」

Despite my protests, the wedding ceremony abruptly began.

‘In times of health and in times of sickness…’ Ria intoned solemnly. She was serious during moments like this.

「Do you vow to take Sawatari Takeru as your husband and devote your heart to him for as long as you both shall live?」

「「Yes.」」

The vows were recited in unison by Neneka and Celestina, who held hands. It almost felt like they were the ones getting married.

「Takeru, do you also vow to take Neneka and Celestina as your wives?」

「Yes, I do.」

「Very well. I now recognize the union of Sawatari Takeru with Neneka and Celestina Aragon Siren. You are now, husband and wives by all means!」

From the heavens, the sound of sacred bells rang out, echoing through the air.

That was the end of the performance, and the light vanished with a snap. It seemed Asama truly was busy and quickly took her leave.

Ria’s silver wings, which had been flapping around unnecessarily, folded back neatly into her back.

As the silver feathers drifted around, I wondered if I could collect a few later and sell them for a good price…

Lost in thought as I picked up a feather, Ria spoke up.

「Takeru, hurry up and give her the vow kiss!」

「Oh, right!」

I quickly embraced Neneka and kissed her. At this point, there was no reason to be shy, and I needed to do it to wrap things up.

Let’s finish this quickly and get to the cake.

Just as I was about to approach Celestina, she suddenly jumped into my chest.

「Hmm…?」

As Celestina kissed me, something flowed from her glossy rose-colored lips.

I felt a sweet, syrupy liquid slide down my throat like a rich liquor.

「Celestina, what did you make me drink?」

「It’s a magical aphrodisiac passed down in my homeland. It’s a kind of vitality booster. It’s fast-acting, so it should be taking effect by now.」

I certainly felt a stirring within me.

What on earth did she just make me drink?

「Tonight is our wedding night… Though we’ve already been together once, the last time was our first, and it wasn’t very thorough. This time, I’ll show you the full power of my magic and alias known as ‘fascination’.」

Saying this, she pushed me back onto the large bed of the inner palace.

As I had expected, the dress that enveloped Celestina’s voluptuous figure was easily swept aside.

「W-Wait, Celestina… We haven’t even eaten the cake yet!」

As I gathered my reason to stop her, Neneka suddenly wrapped herself around me from behind.

A soft weight pressed against my back, and I felt Neneka’s limbs entwining around me.

「Hero-sama, we can eat the cake later. Since it’s our wedding night, I believe we have the priority!」

「Even so, everyone is watching…」

Realizing this, I regained some clarity. Did she just say ‘priority’?

It wasn’t just Neneka and Celestina who were leaping onto the bed.

Twelve of my wives were eagerly joining in, making the inner palace bed, which could comfortably hold ten, completely full.

Feeling a sense of danger, I distanced myself from Neneka and Celestina while I still had some rationality left.

I swam through the sea of my wives surrounding me and reached the bedside.

There, reclining with an air of elegance, was my legal wife, the Half-Elf, Queen Silhouette.

「Hey, Silhouette. Does this celebration mean we’re all…」

The inner palace council is presided over by Silhouette.

I suspected this was her intention all along.

「Yes, it seems we were discussing what would be fitting to celebrate Takeru-sama, and it was decided that we should all try to spend the night together at once.」

「That’s absurd!」

What on earth is Silhouette thinking? No, I probably should blame Ria for this idea, but someone please stop them!

Beside them was Caroline, who had come specifically for this day.

Though Caroline was the last to become pregnant, her belly was already quite prominent. That’s right; Caroline was the sensible one.

「Caroline, can’t you say something to stop this?」

「We can’t do it directly since we’re pregnant, but I think we can help out in… various ways.」

Caroline emphasized ‘various’ with a dreamy smile, revealing her mischievous side.

I see; it’s been a while… As I saw the familiar sight of Caroline gently removing her glasses, I felt it was dangerous to stay and tried to make my escape.

As I tried to flee downstairs, I was caught by Eleonora.

Louise, who seemed to be on good terms with her, was right beside her.

「Takeru, can I report something to you?」

「What is it at a time like this?」

「Actually, it seems I’m pregnant with your child!」

「Wait, really? Congratulations! Is that true?」

Eleonora wore a radiant smile.

Sure, we’ve been quite active lately, but does that really mean pregnancy can happen so quickly? Looking up at the sky, I saw Oracle-chan floating above, saying, ‘Indeed, that is correct’ so it must be true.

Well, that’s good. If this calms Eleonora, who tends to get a little wild, it’ll be a relief for me.

「So, I just wanted to let you know.」

「That’s great news! We’ll need to celebrate for Eleonora, but right now, it seems a bit too hectic for that.」

「Hey, Takeru, now that I have a reason to celebrate, you should take care of Louise next. I’ll do my best to help out!」

「No, I don’t need any help with that kind of thing!」

Louise blushed and said, ‘Please…’

I also sensed the danger and tried to move away. Who can I ask to put a stop to this? Oh, right.

「Lyle-sensei, please intervene!」

「Well, even if you ask me… Let’s see. After Princess Eleonora, it might be politically beneficial for you to become close with Her Majesty Queen Celestina and have children quickly. If you need help, just let me know.」

Ah, this is the part where I don’t get any help…

I turned to Sharon, hoping she could assist me.

「Sharon, you’re the castle lady, right? Can’t you say something?」

「I’m sorry, Master. There’s nothing I can do…」

Sharon lowered her ears in defeat. I guess that makes sense. With queens like them lounging around, what could Sharon possibly say to stop this?

「Come on, Hero. You’re being quite persistent. Just hand over your seed already!」

Just as I tried to flee, I was caught by Are.

Even though the bed was packed, she could easily fly over with her dragon wings, leaving me with no escape.

「No, but, that’s impossible with this many people in a single day! It’s physically unfeasible!」

「That’s not a problem, you see, um… what was it again?」

Still holding me, she flapped her dragon wings and lifted me into the air, seemingly deep in thought.

Kaara, floating above with demonic magic, added to her words.

「Nation’s Father, it’s not that I’m asking you to do it all in one day. We don’t even know when your birthday is, after all. We could stretch the celebration over three days instead.」

「I see, that makes sense… Wait, why should I accept that!」

I was hoisted high into the air by her and Kaara, and looking down at the bed, it was truly a sight to behold.

On that enormous bed, which was overflowing, lay twelve young and beautiful wives, all waiting for me.

It was a sea of beautiful maidens.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that I might have just done something outrageous.

「Takeru, you’re still being quite stubborn, aren’t you?」

「Oracle, help me out here!」

「Don’t worry; six of them are already pregnant, so in reality, you only have to satisfy the remaining six. Easy peasy!」

「It’s not easy!」

「Nothing to fret about! If it comes down to it, you can always recover with my milk.」

「Ugh… Well, I might have to rely on that, but that’s not the issue… Wait, Oracle, you just said six. Are you included in that count?」

「What? You were the one who said you wanted a second child. Even I can’t have a child without doing the deed!」

Seriously? I did say that back then when I couldn’t be there when Orakeru was born, but it was said in the heat of the moment! There’s no need to join in at this timing!

Over at the far end of the bed, Ria waved her hand and shouted, ‘If you get tired, we have the divine milk Amrita for you!’ but I ignored her.

The one holding me in the air, Are, whispered in my ear, ‘It’s all good, there are still a lot of demon dragon king’s liver!’ but I brushed that off too.

However, Kaara was also in the air.

When she locked her violet eyes onto mine and said, I found it hard to ignore.

「Nation’s Father, if the age gap between Orakeru-sama and my child gets too wide, it will be troublesome, so please do your best today. I hope my turn comes soon.」

As she said this, she glanced at Neneka and Celestina, who held priority.

Ah, this was all my responsibility… I brought this on myself.

I started to get a sense of what was happening. Silhouette and the others were saying I could have as many wives as I wanted, but it felt like they were testing whether I could truly take responsibility for all the women in the inner palace.

Then it was time to stop running away.

It was time to show my resolve as a man.

「Alright, I understand. I’ll take care of all of you!」

「As expected, hero is quite the man!」

「Are, quickly lower me down to Neneka and Celestina. Let’s stick to the order!」

With my determination set, I dove into the center of the bed where my twelve wives awaited.

Embraced by Neneka and Celestina… Ah, let’s leave the details there.

To jump to the conclusion, thanks to the holy magic supplements and the Demon Dragon King’s liver, I somehow survived the three-day and three-night struggle.

I can say that I made it through alive.

Surrounded by twelve beautiful maidens and enjoying delicious cake, I experienced a sweet celebration that was truly a privilege for any man.

This is my reality—my real fantasy.

-0-

And as you can see, my story as a transmigrated hero, which is not just all sweet, is reaching its grand finale.

But I’ve managed to get through this far, and I plan to keep things going smoothly from here on out.

There’s the administration of the growing kingdom to handle, and I have to maintain peace in the world, not to mention all the children that will surely come.

The responsibilities on my shoulders as the world’s hero are immense.

Still, no matter what happens, I will continue to love my twelve wives and the children we bring into the world.

I’ll give it my all, fighting with all my might to protect them.

Therefore, not just for myself but for my descendants as well, I will create a world where everyone can live happily for generations to come.

So that this harsh fantasy—this real fantasy—never ends.