4.

After overcoming my intense embarrassment, I decided to return to our ship. Adel, feeling just as embarrassed, flew behind me. On deck, the sea of Sentrag soldiers we’d saved were enjoying some warm soup Rohas had made. He was at the top of his game. Who else could whip something up so quickly in the midst of a battle?

Aran approached us as we landed. He’d gotten through the battle scot-free, probably thanks to the buffs I’d cast.

“Masaki, good work saving Sentrag. I never expected Leviathan to be mind controlled.”

“The Leviathan gave me the impression that this wouldn’t happen again. Lesson learned.”

“Excuse me?! You conversed with Leviathan?!”

“Yeah, Leviathan’s pretty friendly. I like ’im. Oh, and I also got this.” I showed him the bracelet Leviathan had given me. Since it didn’t overlap with any of my item slots, I could just slip it right on.

“How exquisite...”

“That bracelet is crazy powerful...” Youko muttered in pure amazement as she shimmied up to us.

“After gifting me this bracelet, Leviathan told me that we humans were responsible for the Empire. Leviathan is too powerful and would inevitably take many innocent lives if he went after them.” I wouldn’t want to destroy Leviathan’s mystique by revealing that the Lord of the Seas was a couch potato.

“I see... Okay, let’s make our way to the castle. His Majesty needs to hear about everything.”

“What about us?” I asked.

“I want you, Masaki, head of the pirates and summoned combatant from another world, and Adelheid to accompany me.”

Probably the best choice. I couldn’t imagine my crew parading themselves into the castle. With telepathy users back on the ship, ready to report if anything happened, this was the perfect opportunity to give my crew some free time. We could meet up later at an inn or something.

“Understood.” We gave our assent and headed into the battle-scared port.

“Admiral, we’ll do thome thitetheeing around the thity once we’re checked in,” Pedol informed me.

“All right. Reach out with telepathy if you need to.”

Adel and I got off at the naval port and sent the others down the waterways. They’d stop at Sentrag’s famous lake.

“The castle is just ahead,” Aran told us. “The town’s already buzzing with talk of your feats. ‘The Azure Hero and Crimson Princess Knight beat back the Leviathan!’”

“‘Azure Hero,’ huh? I wonder what’d happen if they learned I’m a pirate...”

“I’m not a princess...”

Like me, Adel didn’t really enjoy attention. I was a little salty that our battle with Leviathan had ended up being so dramatic, but there was nothing for it. Being sung as a hero put you on a podium. Everyone would want to come rushing up to express their gratitude or ask for something. We’d both rather blend into the crowd. Regardless, we followed Aran up the lamplit stairway leading to the castle grounds.

As we climbed the slope, stone houses were replaced with marble mansions. We’d clearly entered the noble quarter, nestled close to the castle. Soon enough, the twinkling road to the castle proper came into view. The road itself was garnished with decorations, and a series of reliefs were carved into the castle walls. The whole vibe was like a medieval castle you’d see on TV and in history books.

We proceeded down the spectacle of a street until a couple soldiers jogged up to Aran. They had a brief exchange and Aran handed over a bundle of papers. The soldiers gave him a deep bow and left. What was that about?

“It seems like His Majesty is expecting you both. He watched your battle through his telescope.”

Wait, hold up? Does that mean he saw my moment with Adel? Screw that! Screw that so hard! Even so, I couldn’t just bail on my meeting with the king. I had to man up and deal with it.

“An audience with the King, huh?” I said, with a worried frown. “Gotta be honest, I don’t really know how to act around royalty.”

“Follow my lead. Fortunately, His Majesty doesn’t care all that much for proper etiquette.” Adel came to my rescue.

“Thanks, that’s reassuring.” Mimicking her couldn’t be too complicated. Surely, I could pull it off.

“I wanted to introduce you to His Majesty myself, but he already had his eyes on you. Either way, please follow me.”

Aran had wanted us to wait in the antechamber while he explained the situation to His Majesty, but now we were going directly to him. As she slowed and took her surroundings in, I noticed a nostalgic glint in Adel’s eyes. She’d mentioned being friends with the king, so this probably wasn’t her first time here.

Before long, we’d arrived at the throne room. A long, crimson carpet ran down the center of the sparkling marble floor all the way up to the throne itself, where His Majesty sat in his thick scarlet mantle and a heavy golden crown. A row of guards lined the walls leading to the king’s seat, and more were stationed beside him. Clad in more impressive armor than even the count himself, they were likely the royal guard.

As I was finishing my scan of the room, I noticed Adel dropping to one knee, so I followed suit and bowed before the king.

“Raise your heads.”

I was way too nervous and concerned I’d come off weird if I stared at the king too much, so I only caught a glance as we raised our heads. His pure white hair and elderly features drew my notice. He must’ve been well into his sixties.

“Aran, you have done well to find such strong allies in this dire time of need. You have my utmost gratitude.”

“It’s an honor to serve you, my king.”

The elderly king watched as Aran bowed, then shifted his gaze to us. My nerves had me quaking all over. I wished Resist All Debuffs extended to psychological states too.

“I’m Rolan El Sentrag. You have done a great deed by ending the rampage of Leviathan, Lord of the Seas. I declared you dead when you disappeared into Leviathan’s mouth, so to see you emerge victorious was a true catharsis.”

Yep, he saw everything.

“You’re truly the hero our people sing you to be. Allow me to express the gratitude of our kingdom.”

“Your kind words flatter me, Your Majesty. I only did what seemed right at the time.”

“There’s no need for modesty. It’s not an exaggeration to say that you have saved our kingdom.”

“I agree with Father. Even in legends, no hero emerges from a confrontation with Leviathan unscathed,” added a knight next to the king. “You deserve to be proud. Your name will be immortalized in history.”

He must’ve been a prince. No wonder his armor was so pimped out. He had dark hair and great bone structure. Though he was thin, he gave the impression of great strength.

“Thank you. I’ll try and live up to the status you’ve bequeathed to me,” I said with a bow that delighted them both. I was learning!

“It’s good to see you again, Adelheid. I deeply regret being unable to come to your aid at the Battle of Valentine.”

“I appreciate your kind words, but please, expunge your guilt. The distance between Sentrag and Valentine makes rendering emergency aid a challenge. I shall take revenge for my fallen brethren.”

“How long has it been since I saw you last, Adelheid?” the king asked fondly. “I remember the day my youngest brother brought you before me. You were such an adorable little girl, full of smiles and energy. You dashed all over the palace, trying to explore its every nook and cranny.”

“P-Please, Your Majesty, don’t bring up tales from my childhood. So much time has passed since then; I’ve changed completely by now.” Adel’s face was flushing darker and darker beside me. She wanted to reject her old self, but she was still an adorable girl.

Anyway, the king had mentioned an interesting tidbit I just had to confirm.

“Is Adel the daughter of His Majesty’s brother?” I asked Aran in a hushed tone.

“Yes. You didn’t know?”

“She never told me.”

“Sounds just like her. She doesn’t like using her father’s status to get special treatment.”

Tossing a prince’s name out there would definitely affect her relationships. That’s probably why she never told me or my crew, either. I could respect that, and I had no intention of treating her like a princess anytime soon. To be fair, though, I didn’t actually know how to treat a vampire knight either.

“Oh, and how gracefully you have changed.” His Majesty was obviously delighted. “Your dramatic embrace in the air was worthy of the greatest stage.”

“I would advise commissioning our kingdom’s greatest playwright to create such a thing, Father.”

“Y-Your Majesty! Prince Leon! Nhhhhh!”

So the prince was called Leon. He and his father were having a ball, but remembering that moment only made me flush as deeply as Adel. I could only hope they wouldn’t actually go through with the whole play thing. If they did, I might as well dig myself a hole and go live in it forever. I glanced at Adel. She was still just as flustered as me.

“Now, I think it’s high time to address your reward,” the King said, finally getting serious. “First, Aran. For your key role in saving our kingdom, I shall grant you the county of Andora.”

“Thank you!”

Aran ended up with another territory under his belt. The additional taxes he could now collect were sure to line his pockets, and he might even be able to access larger building projects now. Not that it really mattered to me.

“Next, Masaki Toudou. I shall grant you a medal for your heroic display during the battle of Sentrag. From today onward, you shall bear the title of baronet and be known as Sir Masaki Toudou, the Azure Hero. Furthermore, you shall be rewarded a million Fran for weakening the Imperial navy.”

Whoo, I get a medal and a noble rank! Not to mention, I’m a certified hero! The only strange thing was my monetary reward. Specifically, the fact that the king knew about the Empire’s ships being scuttled in the harbor. It hadn’t been long enough for him to verify that.

“Excuse me, Your Majesty, but I haven’t been able to confirm Masaki’s report on the destroyed ships yet,” Aran interjected politely.

“Our spy verified it,” the King replied. “Incidentally, Masaki, I think you know him.”

“Huh? Khhhm, I mean, I’m sorry?”

“Enter!”

A man, clad in a knight’s armor, entered the throne room. I was supposed to know him, but nothing about him rang a bell. He just looked like your average Joe. Average height, average build, average features for a man in his fifties. I had a pretty good memory, but I couldn’t pinpoint ever meeting the guy. He’d left no strong impression on me, so I might as well never have met him, to be honest.

Something must’ve been up. My bafflement seemed to amuse the king thoroughly.

“Hahaha! You seem deeply confused, Masaki.”

“Your Majesty, you’ve given Masaki an impossible task,” the nondescript man said. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m the soldier who brought breakfast to you every morning you spent in that musty cell. I’m also a proud spy of Sentrag. Thank you for your advice on your second day in the Empire. I did manage to lose some weight.”

“Ah! That was you!”

We’d talked every morning. Our conversations were always rather short-lived, but they helped keep my spirits up.

“I’m Jirou Tanaka, the royal spy of Sentrag, formerly known as the head of ninjas in the historical MMO Sengoku Wars. I was summoned into this world, just like you.”

“Wait, what?!”

“Allow me to congratulate you on destroying the fleet. It was an incredible feat to witness. I planned to spring you before the execution, but your premature escape and the subsequent chaos you sowed gave me an opportunity to slip between the cracks and escape the Empire undetected. So, thank you.”

I’d never been clear on why the morning guard was so amiable with me, but I finally understood. Escaping had to be much easier with someone who liked you.

“I’m sure you have a lot to discuss, but please, leave it for later,” the King said. “Jirou. Bring the medal.”

“At once!”

Jirou disappeared for a split second before reappearing right in front of me, a small box in hand. I had no idea what proper etiquette for receiving a medal was, but fortunately, Adel came in clutch.

“Stand up and make sure His Majesty can easily reach the left side of your chest.” Her telepathic instructions saved me from some embarrassment.

I stood up and let him stick the medal on the front of my cloak.

“Historically, achievements of this scale would be deserving of territory as well, but...”

“Father, I believe that would only burden the Baronet. I would recommend granting him a mansion, instead. I believe we should have one suitable for our hero.”

That would be great. In my own world, a home in a convenient spot would wipe out even substantial savings—and then some! Not to mention, being granted territory would be problematic. I had no clue how to govern an area.

“Oh, I know the estate you have in mind. Very well. With Adelheid by his side, it only makes sense. He’ll be awarded his own territory if he continues to be a useful asset of our kingdom.”

“I’m sure the other nobles and knights will find it easier to accept this alternative,” the prince nodded.

So I’d get some land sooner or later, huh? I didn’t want land. It’s not like I was a reclusive bum like our resident Lord of the Seas, but hearing that made me want to just chill in my mansion and close my doors to the rest of the world.

“Last but not least, Adelheid Bernstein. Your display against the spawn of Leviathan was nothing short of awe-inspiring. I shall pronounce you my knight. I hoped you’d serve directly under me at the palace. However, I see you’ve already found yourself a lord already.”

“Yes! Lord Masaki has saved my life not once, but twice. As he has been pronounced a Baronet, I would like to pledge myself to his service.”

“Father, I’m sure you’re aware that a number of our nobles would love to use Adel to further their own goals. I think it would be for the best if we left her with Masaki.”

“Very well. I expect great things from you three.”

Apparently Adel wasn’t in the line of succession, but at least we both got noble titles in Sentrag. I wasn’t surprised to hear that nobles were after Adel. People directly connected to the royal family were valuable assets, so better to keep her sheltered from all that.

The king and I went on to discuss whether the Pirates of the Round Table could retain their autonomy, to which he agreed. Later, Leon told me his father had long wanted troops that were unbound by Sentrag military structure and code. He was a great guy, kind and open-hearted. I liked him a lot.

And now we were Sentrag nobles. I worried about the potential complications of being established nobility in the kingdom, but if we were gonna defeat the Empire, it was a necessary evil.

I also made a mental note to chat with Jirou in the near future. I hadn’t had the chance to talk to Shou, and I was eager to hear from someone who’d been summoned before me. Besides me, Jirou, and Shou, there had to be others who’d been transported here. If these were really the players who’d vanished between moments, then there was a good chance I could build a friendship of some kind with them. I knew one thing for sure: I didn’t want them as enemies. Some of them might pose a bigger threat than Leviathan. I left the throne room thinking about my future in this world.

The following couple days were pretty rough.

I arrived at our inn, which had a bar downstairs, to find my crew daydrinking like there was no tomorrow. Soldiers threw their arms around my boys, celebrating our victory at sea. I later learned that it was the soldiers who’d suggested the party, wanting to express their gratitude to the Pirates of the Round Table for saving them.

Once we told everyone about our new titles and the small fortune we’d received, the party got even livelier.

Then, to make matters worse, the moment the inn’s owner spotted me, he was all, “I had no idea the Azure Hero himself would pay us a visit! Close up shop! This is now a private feast for the Hero and his friends! Bring out our best booze and grub, you layabouts!”

As the day went on, the soldiers eventually learned that the “Azure Hero” was none other than the leader of a pirate group, but they didn’t seem to mind. Heck, they even approached, one by one, to shake hands and hug me.

“Huh, are you now? I thought pirates were all good-for-nothing wimps, but it seems there are some proper men among them. Gotta say, I’m happy to have you on my side!”

“Aye! Ne’er thought I’d see tha day a pirate’d become gentry, but it just goes t’ show nothin’ be impossible for our admiral! Brother, I’ll hope we be sailin’ tha high seas fer years t’ come!”

Barbarossa and a Sentrag military commander celebrated our great victory, each with one arm thrown around the other and mugs of grog in hand. They may have come from radically different walks of life, but the wolves of the sea were enjoying each other’s company.

The next day came, and so did the terrible hangover. For the better part of the day, we all nursed the alcohol’s bite.

Aran came by to show me to my new mansion. It was a breathtaking villa with a massive garden and beautiful fountain, all nestled in a corner of the noble district.

“Damn, it feels like I won the lottery.”

I’d expected it to be a bit more modest. Maybe a house with one floor and a little garden, similar to where I lived in Japan. This, however, was one of those unnecessarily gaudy mansions, where you’d feel inclined to welcome your guests with “I’m Masaki Toudou. Welcome to my crib.”

“This was once a mansion of His Majesty’s youngest brother... Adelheid’s father.”

“Th-This is Father’s—”

Aran told me he expected the chatter amongst the nobles to be that my etiquette was terrible for a newcomer to nobility, despite my living in a luxurious mansion, which is why he’d decided to gift me with a property once belonging to Adel’s father. With my accomplishments at sea, and Adel, the daughter of the mansion’s late owner in my care, the nobles would have nothing to complain about.

Aran also found a nice, big house near the sea for my crew, so I had them lodge there. My crew had a fantastic time, bonding with the friends they’d made in the Sentrag navy, drinking at the bars which dotted the shoreline, and training.

We all spent the next couple days moving in, cleaning the mansion and, frankly, just chilling. Me, Youko, and Adel could finally take a breather in my new mansion, the Toudou Estate. It did mean that I was, indeed, living under the same roof with two women, but I had a good reason for it: The very first day I arrived at the mansion, a bunch of people, including another noble from the area and a merchant boss, showed up offering up their sisters and daughters for marriage.

I wasn’t big on building a harem, but it was still awkward having to turn down multiple marriage proposals every day. Apparently everyone wanted a piece of the Masaki cake because I was a noble in my twenties. In this world, I was a late bloomer.

I asked Aran for advice, and he suggested I keep Adel and Youko around. When he made the proposal, I almost spit my coffee onto him. I managed to hold it back, but maybe a bit too well, because I did almost choke.

In this world, polygamy was commonplace, I learned. In fact, Aran himself had four wives.

For the first couple days, I went ahead and ignored the incoming marriage proposals, but that spawned some pretty unsavory rumors. People theorized that I was a cougar hunter, or was much more interested in the other end of the age spectrum. So they proceeded to send me everyone from women aged fifty plus to girls ten and below. It was bad.

The straw that broke the camel’s back was the rumor that I might swing the other way. At that point, I asked Youko and Adel to stay with me.

“I honestly don’t want to get married yet, but everyone’s pushing me into putting a ring on someone.”

“Should we take this as a marriage proposal?”

“Kind of but not really. I just need you guys to act like my wives.”

We’d only known each other for a couple weeks. It would be too soon to start dating, and marriage was way out of the picture.

They spent a couple moments in intense thought, then both raised their heads and looked at me.

“I, ummm... I wouldn’t mind...” Adel said.

“So, you’ll act like my wife?”

“No. I wouldn’t mind, ummm, becoming your wife.” Her face flushed as she confirmed her stance and gave a little nod.

I could marry Adel, huh?

“You were talking about being bullied into marriage, so why not? I wouldn’t mind being your second wife. Ah! On that note! My parents are nobles in Yamato, so you don’t have to worry about the rumors that marrying a commoner would stir up,” Youko chimed in.

“Even you, Brutus?” I groaned.

“Who’s ‘Brutus’?”

“Forget about it. You’re seriously a noble?”

“Yep,” Youko confirmed. “All the duties and obligations that come with my pedigree started to wear on me. I figured I could get some calluses in the outside world and return to my family when I was ready.”

“Huh...”

Yamato was an island nation and, until recently, it had been completely closed. I’d heard they were a naval power to be reckoned with.

Either way, they somehow both agreed to my proposal. Two gorgeous women were going to be bound to me in marriage, but for some reason, it felt faintly anticlimactic. Maybe it’d sink in with time. Since I’d started working back home, I hadn’t been interested in anyone. It was high time to fix that and secure a bright future for all three of us.

For a moment, I daydreamed about our delightful married life, but reality needed me.

“Khhhm, thank you. Sincerely. For now, let’s call you my fiancées until, you know, the war is over at least. Once peace is achieved, we can have a ceremony.”

“Hmmm... you’re right. I support that idea,” Adel said thoughtfully.

Youko’s response was flippant: “We get married either way, so sure. Works for me.”

Putting the wedding off until the end of the war felt like procrastination, but I needed the extra time to settle my thoughts. Not just for myself, but so I could provide both of them the best life possible.

The proposals would probably die down as soon as the engagement was announced, and I could just keep turning down the military’s recruitment attempts. I had a pirate crew on my hands. Ain’t nobody got time to command a squadron on top of that. With my title and overwhelming military might, I could live in luxury with Adel and Youko now, but the lives of gentry had their own rules.

Sailing the high seas and doing whatever the hell I wanted had been pretty great, but those days were behind us. I needed to understand that I could only achieve so much by myself. I had to rely on Sentrag if I was going to deal with another nation, whether through diplomacy or otherwise. I made sure to station Rohas on a navy ship. His cooking would deepen our relationship with the navy. An army marches on its stomach and the fastest way to a man’s heart is through there, too.

Those couple days had been relatively quiet and relaxing, but I couldn’t lose track of the big picture. We were at war. If an operation needed our unique abilities, we’d be off. The call to arms could come at any moment.

A lot of my crew was currently out patrolling the waters.

Though I was now technically nobility, I kept in touch with my roots. Every day, without fail, I communicated with my crew, and monitored their progress. I was there in the morning to see them off, and I was there in the evening to welcome them home.

I wasn’t going to abandon my duties as an admiral.

A couple days after our mutual agreement, I announced that I’d proposed to Adel and Youko. A couple other merchants and nobles tried their luck anyway, but flanking my front door with the crew solved that problem pretty quick. They were kitted out with the magic items I’d given them earlier, and I also went out of my way to give them black-and-white helmets to add an extra intimidation factor. They were later dubbed “The Black and White Gatekeepers.” If only those nobles knew my guardians were mere pirates.

The helmets themselves were surprisingly useful. Not only did they provide camouflage to mask overpowered magic items, but they were massively popular as fashion items. They inherited the armor class and value of your real helmet, rather than overwriting its stats.

My crew thought they were magic items. Technically incorrect, but close enough. When I showed the helmets to the magic item guild, they were all over it. They asked for a couple samples, hoping they could mass produce them. If the guild was successful, they’d give me a percentage of the profits as royalties. If people could actually look sick while throwing down, it seemed like they’d take the opportunity.

A couple days later, I decided to finally organize my item box. With the help of Rohas, Adel, and Youko, I went through the whole list, filling the Room with several hundred different costumes and varieties of equipment. I’d whaled about as hard as I could, so we had our work cut out for us.

When I pulled out a school swimsuit, however, I tried to stuff it back into the box immediately. Nobody needed to see that. Youko, however, jumped in and pulled the swimsuit right back out.

“You really have all sorts of things tucked in here, huh?”

“I won it in a kind of lottery. Not sure if you were looking forward to wearing it, but it’s not really my thing.”

“I figured you’d go for things you like, but anyway... it’s unbelievable you even have a swimsuit in there.”

Adel stared at the swimsuit curiously. I was closing in on thirty, but I was still a healthy, normal guy. To see someone as delicate and gorgeous in that thing might just make me lose control.

We dragged out every piece of clothing in the box. Ladies clothes, menswear, armor, suits, everything. The costumes came in all varieties, from modern fashion of the East and West, Chinese and European armor, all the way to the panda onesie. The Room started to look like the costume closet at a theater.

Youko picked an item off the ground and stood in front of the mirror, measuring it against her height. It was a pretty white sundress with dainty lace at the hem of its skirt. I’d never wear the thing, obviously, but it’d fetch a pretty penny if I decided to sell it.

“D’awww, I love this. Say, why don’t we dress up and go out for a walk? We’ve taken all the clothes out already anyway!” Youko suggested.

“Hmmm... I guess this would be the perfect time for a stroll.”

I’d visited the castle and a couple stores, but I hadn’t gotten the chance to take a relaxing, leisurely stroll around the city. The weather was fantastic. Might as well take the opportunity.

“Please, go ahead. I’ll take care of the rest,” Rohas offered. “I’m good at organizing things neatly, and I love looking through all the different clothes and armor you’ve stored up.”

“Oh... Sorry to dump all the work on you. Ummm, Adel?”

Adel hadn’t said a word for a while, so I glanced around only to discover her standing in front of a mirror, twirling merrily, a gothic dress in hand. As a knight, she’d probably have spent most of her time in the formal garb of her profession. I imagine she hadn’t had many chances to wear fancy dresses. The innocent, sweet smile on her face, and her adorable little twirls melted my heart.

“Adeeeel!”

“Eeeep! Wh-What?!”

Thank you, Adel, for that blessed squeal. She’d probably been too deep in her own mind to hear us, but I guess we knew what she was planning to wear.

“We’re going out. I know you’ll be wearing that, but what about you, Youko?”

“Huh? C-Can you explain what’s going on?” Adel asked in confusion.

“Hmmm... yeah, I’ll wear this.” Youko was more decisive.

“Good, then for myself... ah, this will be perfect.” I picked out a brown suit and pants, completed with a brown, striped necktie.

“C-Can someone please explain to me what’s happening?”

“Put that on because we’re going out for a walk,” I told Adel. “Choose any accessories you want from the box. Everything should be neatly organized in there. Let’s leave in an hour. I hope that’s enough to put your outfit together.”

“I-I-I’m sorry?! I’m wearing this and I have to choose accessories? I haven’t done that since I was a kid...”

“I only wear light make-up, so I’m more or less good to go,” Youko chirped. “Don’t worry about anything, Adel, I’ll pretty you up! Come, follow me!”

“Huh? What? Wait, You—!”

Youko ignored Adel’s pleas and dragged her into another room. She reached out to me for help, but the door closed with a thud before I could even react. Youko locked the door tight, closing me out. The Room was now reserved for girls only. No boys allowed. It seemed a little pointless because they were only defending against me and Rohas—and Rohas was way too nice to barge in on them. I thought I’d seen Youko excited before, but this was something else. She probably loved dressing other girls up.

“Ummm, I’ll continue organizing the items,” Rohas said.

“Thank you. Can you put all the recovery items into a separate box? You can use Spectacles to make your job easier. They’re a special pair of glasses enchanted with Appraise.”

“Of course.”

I was honestly looking forward to our little outing. I hadn’t had a chance yet to test my literacy, and I’d always loved going out for walks to do shopping or whatever. I hadn’t really touched my reward money at all, so I felt like boosting the city’s economy a little bit today.

Damn, it’d been a minute since I wore a suit. I’d wear them to work every day, but the one I’d arrived in had gotten pretty badly torn up in jail. It’d be good to find a tailor and get that sorted.

I peeked at my console for the time, confirming that just about forty minutes had passed. I went downstairs to the entrance and waited for the girls to arrive. Since I had my inventory, we wouldn’t need baskets or backpacks or anything. That was one less thing to worry about.

A couple minutes later, a door on the second floor opened, and the girls processed down to the entrance. First came Adel in her black gothic dress, completed by a gold necklace sporting a deep azure gem. Youko followed immediately behind in the white sundress she’d chosen earlier. She’d also put a cute ribbon in her hair. Both were extremely adorable.

“Ummm... p-please don’t stare... it’s embarrassing,” Adel said nervously.

“Yeah,” Youko agreed. “I didn’t expect to be ogled this much.”

Ah, shoot! I didn’t mean to stare.

They stopped in front of me, fidgeting with nerves as I felt my cheeks light up. I hadn’t done much dating back home. Having my first date in a very, very long time with not one, but two, gorgeous girls definitely wasn’t good for my heart.

“Ummm... do you have something in mind? Sentrag is too large to explore in a single day.”

“Hmmm...” I considered. “I haven’t been past the inn nearby, so I want to go on a walk and explore a little further. That work for you?”

“It works for me,” Adel nodded. “I would like to take a nice day off in the city.”

“I’m down too,” Youko said with her usual enthusiasm. “Ah, I’d love to visit a nice café or patisserie on the way.”

“I was planning to have lunch outside, so we can combine the two.”

Sentrag was absolutely breathtaking with its antique, but well-preserved buildings. The city was filled to the brim with restaurants and cafes. We didn’t need to worry about it until later, but finding a place to eat wasn’t going to be a problem. For now, it was still early, around 9 a.m.

We decided to start our walk on Main Street. Carriages were forbidden in this party of the city. Good call. I’d only seen the Empire from the little window in my cell, but I could recall a couple near-misses where someone almost got trampled by horses. Our pleasant and completely safe stroll began on this nice, clean, completely horse-free street.

“This is totally like a pedestrian zone,” I mused.

“What’s that?”

“A part of the city where cars—or I guess, that would be carts here—are forbidden to enter between set periods of time.”

“About that... When I was little, carts were very common on city streets and caused lots of accidents. Jirou was the first to propose that carts should be banned from the city during the day to reduce the number of accidents. His proposal was eventually cemented into law,” Adel explained.

Turning bustling streets into pedestrian zones was definitely something I could see Jirou championing. According to Adel, the nobility had been afraid that the change would affect their supply chains, delaying the arrival of important goods, and losing them money, so it hadn’t been easy to get the proposal into the books as a law. Because of this, the system was first implemented for a single month as a test. During that month, there were no street accidents, and zero delivery delays. The proposal had been a great success.

As I looked around, I noticed that commerce seemed to have switched to a system of hand-pushed trolleys for emergency daytime deliveries. Definitely way safer than having horses trampling up and down the streets. I asked about emergency protocols for natural disasters or wars. Apparently, a bell would alert the citizens to clear the streets to make way for the horses.

“So basically, this was all implemented once all of the nobles’ complaints were eliminated?”

“Yes. Before then, we had apprentice butlers and maids being badly hurt by horses or carriages during their errands on nearly a weekly basis. Once we’d proved the nobility’s concerns unfounded and demonstrated that the measure did, indeed, make the streets much safer, they even went so far as to fund it.”

I’d wager some of the nobles just wanted to brag that, “this street was funded by me and me alone!” Having said that, boosting some noble’s ego was a small price to pay for a safer city.

“I’m glad the streets here are so safe. It wouldn’t really matter if I got hit, but not everybody’s as sturdy as I am.”

“Two horses and a carriage would mess anybody up! You’re the only exception!” the girls yelled at me in unison. They were right. Invincibility would completely block any damage from a stray carriage, an ambush, or even a bullet, if that’s what it came to.

As we strolled, I started to feel more and more eyes on us. We weren’t dressed in our usual warlike attire, so I don’t think the stares were because of the whole Azure Hero thingy. Actually, most of the gazes were directed at Adel and Youko. The only looks I got were those of envy. I’d get the occasional stink eye from behind, which gave me the chills. I had to constantly worry that things would get ugly.

“Hm... I feel eyes on us,” I said.

“Really? That’s odd. I don’t feel I’m getting more looks than usual,” Adel said thoughtfully.

I think she was already used to being stared at, but the death glares I was getting pierced my heart. Luckily, they began to die down after a couple more minutes. I didn’t know why, but I sure wasn’t gonna argue.

“Ah, Adel! Do you know a tailor nearby? I need some clothes fixed.”

“I would recommend Dave’s Tailoring down this alleyway,” Adel replied. “He’s phenomenal with thread. Hopefully, he’s still working...”

I glanced down the alley and immediately spotted a weathered signboard bearing a dress and the legend “Dave’s Tailoring.” Numerous clothes were displayed in front of the store, so it seemed to be open.

“Ah, is that it? The signboard has seen better days, but it’s open.”

Hoping that Dave would be able to fix my suit, we entered the shop.

“I’m happy it’s still here,” Adel said. “The owner’s definitely gotten older, but he seems to be doing well.”

An old man welcomed us into his tidy, well-organized tailor’s shop. As soon as he spotted Adel, he smiled.

“Look at you, Heidi!” he said, looking her up and down. “You’ve grown to be such a fine, beautiful young lady!”

Heidi had apparently been a childhood nickname. Once she’d become a knight, she’d insisted on being called Adel, instead, finding Heidi too cutesy and childish.

“Can I call you ‘Heidi’ too?” I asked.

Adel went beet red. “P-Please, don’t... it’s embarrassing.”

I wasn’t really disappointed. I’d already gotten used to calling her “Adel,” so there wasn’t much need to change my ways. Still, there might come a time when calling her “Heidi” would be just right. Rest assured, I’d most definitely take that chance as soon as I saw it.

“I’m glad he agreed to repair your suit. It’s important to you, isn’t it?” Adel asked.

“Yeah, it’s a sentimental piece. I probably won’t get to wear it much here, but I still want it fixed up.”

The repair wouldn’t happen in a matter of minutes, so we decided to take lunch a little early. Suits from my world weren’t remotely common around here, so finding someone willing to work on it had been a real stroke of luck. Dave even asked if he could study the pattern and attempt to recreate it. I agreed. Adel had insisted that he was one of the best tailors in the city, so why not? Maybe after a couple years, suits would become popular in this world, especially with nobles. Everyone would end up wearing them... Hahhh, what a world that would be!

Strolling the streets of Sentrag with Adel and Youko at my sides, our noses began to pick up a mouthwatering aroma. Following the trail, we began to hear the sound of meat sizzling. Unbeknownst to me, we’d reached the outer cusp of the dining district. The first thing I noticed was that this district of the city was oddly reminiscent of Japan. There were stalls bursting with chicken and fries, and I even spotted one selling frankfurters.

Resisting my urge to lose myself in the street food of Sentrag, I wondered why this place so resembled my home. With two beauties in tow, I couldn’t justify eating—though I saw Youko eying the fried chicken, as well. In the end, I decided to find a sit-down restaurant nearby and settle there for lunch.

The restaurant we selected had surprisingly modern interior design. The clientele was a mixture of nobles and commoners, leading me to believe we’d found a restaurant that was both affordable and delicious. I ordered a Hamburg steak, Adel chose wine and white fish with meuniére sauce, and Youko went for the deep-fried platter. We decided to get some bread as well. Youko kept going on about getting some beer when our waiter returned, but I shot her down. This was no time to get smashed, especially for her.

After one bite, I understood why the place was so busy. I asked our waiter to tell me more about the area’s food culture. Once again, it turned out that Jirou had been giving Sentrag ideas behind the scenes. Jirou’d wanted some good food, so he used his personal funds to train a handful of chefs over a couple years, and then helped them settle into this district of the city. His standards spread quickly, and the rest was history.

Jirou, Jirou... I love you, man.

Apparently, I wasn’t alone in that sentiment. Merchants, chefs, livestock breeders, and even farmers, were all thankful for the innovative ideas he’d brought to help their businesses boom. It was apparently right around then that he’d fallen head-over-heels for a noble lady and married her.

“Phew... that was divine,” I said, once my stomach was full.

“Almost as good as what you make. We should visit here again sometime,” Adel added.

“Just don’t cut me off next time, okay?”

Don’t ruin this memory for us, Youko. I totally understood her affection for beer, but that was more appropriate for the stalls. Either way, I’d heard that ramen was available, so I was sure to revisit this district some evening. Ramen was one thing I’d been sure I wouldn’t find in Sentrag, but that crazy bastard Jirou made it happen. My heart was full of love for him.

“Thank you for your patronage!”

We found a crepe stall, so we munched them as we wandered the city aimlessly. The soldiers we frequently ran into on the street reminded us of the grueling war we were currently waging, but it didn’t stop us from enjoying our day to the fullest.

“Nmnhhh...” Youko groaned. “Eating while walking is considered rude where I come from, but...”

“It’s too good to resist, isn’t it? ♪” was Adel’s singsong reply.

“It’s not exactly the way I remember it, but yeah. It’s good.”

The fresh fruit and cream were a heavenly combo. I wasn’t familiar with the specific fruit they’d used, but I couldn’t care less about names as long as it was tasty. I’d heard about a park nearby, so we headed over there once we were done eating. Some clowns tried to start something with us on our way there, but I made quick work of them with some aikido moves I’d once seen on TV. Eventually, guards dragged them away.

My high stats in this world allowed me to clearly see each and every twitch of our assailants’ bodies during the fight. It might be a good idea to do some practice and add these moves to my repertoire.

After the fight, we arrived safely in the park. It was massive, and pristinely maintained. Some kids played in the shallow lake at the center of the park, while their parents enjoyed nice picnics in the sun. I even spotted a guard napping off to the side, in some shade. He may have been slacking, but he looked beat, so I left him to his slumber.

I took a blanket from my inventory and laid it out on the emerald green lawn so all three of us could take a nice little rest after lunch.

“Hmmm... I like lazing around at home, but nothing beats relaxing under the sky,” I mused. “The air is so nice and clean here, I could get used to it.”

“Was the air not as clean in your own world?”

“Well, let’s see, the exhaust fumes... no, never mind. Forget it. My world has no magic, so we developed a completely different culture. Doors open with the push of a button, we have boxes that heat up our meals, stuff like that. Appliances like the ones in my Room are everyday items where I come from.”

That wasn’t completely true, I supposed. I still had no idea how the coffee maker and beer tap refilled themselves endlessly, but that would all have taken way too much time to explain. Not to mention, I’d single-handedly destroy the coffee and beer markets if word of my boundless fonts got out. Better to keep quiet about it.

“All that convenience came with a price, though. We polluted nature to the point where simply breathing has a non-zero chance of causing serious conditions.”

“I suppose that’s not unlike the magic accidents we occasionally get here. When all’s said and done, all worlds are the same,” Youko said thoughtfully.

“I don’t know much about magic accidents, but you’re probably right,” I continued. “People eventually caught on to the destruction and set up a governing body that aimed to clean the waters and the air, and let nature reclaim some of its lost territory.”

Some countries didn’t care and continued to wreak havoc with their radical industrialization, but that wasn’t important enough to share with the girls.

“Masaki... do you want to go back to your own world?” Adel asked.

“Hmmm, I don’t know. I honestly don’t.”

“You don’t know?”

“I don’t. I do have friends and family back there, so it’s not like I have no desire to return, but I’ve already made some very dear and important friends here. I owe some of them a great deal. Plus, I don’t even know how to go back. I don’t think I’ll be able to make a decision unless a time comes when I can actually go back.”

“I see...” Adel said.

“And, y’know... we’re engaged now. It’d be fine if I could take you along, but leaving you two here would be irresponsible. Actually, I have a question now that we’re talking about this: Why did you accept my proposal?”

I’d wanted to ask that question for a while. This wasn’t an issue I could ignore forever, especially in context with what had happened to me back home. I’d dated this girl for years during school. I had been on the cusp of proposing to her when she’d called me out of nowhere, wanting to break up. She’d said she couldn’t see a future for us, telling me that she supported my dream of working in the game industry, but she couldn’t marry anyone who wouldn’t do anything besides play MMOs all day. She’d just dated me for the heck of it.

I could sorta see her perspective. At the time, I’d been hooked on MMOs to an unhealthy degree. I just wished we could have talked more about us. If we had, maybe that initial spark of love could have survived. I didn’t want to make that mistake again. I wanted to know why they agreed to become my fiancées.

“Hmmm, well...” Adel said. “You offered me your blood and looked out for me, even after my injuries healed. You, His Majesty, and Aran are the only ones who treat me like a normal person, even though I’m a vampire. I really appreciate that. Then, when we fought the Leviathan, I realized that... that I love you... nhhhhh!” By the time she was finished, her face was completely red. Listening, I found myself a little flushed, too. Still, I was glad each of us felt something for the other.

“O-Oh... thank you.” I muttered.

“Frankly, I don’t have a reason like Adel does,” Youko said, matter-of-factly. “I’ve never fallen in love before, so I’m not even sure what it’s supposed to feel like. But, I can tell you I love spending time with you. Your presence is so calming and fun, and I feel this squeezing sensation in my chest whenever you’re away. I can’t be sure, but maybe this is what love feels like? Sorry I can’t give you a straight answer.”

“No, you don’t need to apologize,” I told her quickly. “At the end of the day, I’m the one who proposed to you out of the blue. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find either of you attractive or pleasant to spend time with, but I feel terrible for asking both of you to marry me when I hadn’t fallen in love with either of you yet. These last couple days we’ve spent together as fiancées have really changed things, though, and... ummm... anyway, what I’m trying to say is that, ummm, I’d be happy if you stayed by my side.”

My face was probably burning, but I manned up and looked them straight in the eyes as I spoke. If I hadn’t, the confession wouldn’t have seemed sincere.

“I will,” Adel said.

“Yeah, of course,” Youko agreed. “If you’re uncertain, I think it’s best to stick together and just see where things go. At the very least, I don’t plan on running away.”

“M-Me neither!” Adel added.

They were so adorable. I swear, I didn’t even deserve them. On my back, I could feel the death stare of an incel, but I was too happy to care. We spent the rest of the day lying there under the blue sky until we eventually dozed off. By the time we woke up, the sun had disappeared behind the horizon. We might have wasted the day, but Adel’s lap pillow was too cozy, and the gorgeous, warm weather and gentle breeze soon lulled me to sleep. Youko drifted off leaning against me, but that wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. She often took naps during the day.

We tried to wake her up with no success, so I gave her a piggyback-ride back home. I wanted to buy something to commemorate the day, but Adel shot me down, telling me we were carrying enough today and should come back some other time. Wishing we could have another day like this after the war ended, I shifted Youko on my back. She’d been about to fall off, and my jostling prompted an adorable, sleepy little groan. Adel and I shared a smile as my gate guards with their black and white helmets came into view.