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Volume 3 Chapter 13.1

Translator: Kureha
Editor: Weasalopes

The regulations fixed in Igreos Temple’s inner sanctuary, it was the day before the queen’s procession departed.

「Alvan! You bastard!」

「Dentlis-kun, it is quite honestly disgusting to know that you had a grin on your face while you gazed at something like this.」

　Dentlis’ second residence was in an uproar in the middle of the day.

「Why did you bring that over of all things！？」

「Because this is the most suspicious？」

　The reasoning was very simple. Alvan had boldly crashed his way in in broad daylight and carried out an unpleasant-looking black figure. At first glance, this strange-shaped thing appeared to be that of a dark god which practically screamed “On the window! On the window!”, and to quote Alvan, anyone grinning happily at something like this was truly a disgusting person.

　Honestly, Alvan himself also probably hated carrying this thing around, but it was even worse to leave such an object in the home of a man who was likely to cause a nationwide scandal at any moment. Continuing to have mental fortitude and hoping he would not be mistakenly taken captive, Alvan pulled out of the estate and went outside.

「Wait, Alvan！」

「Why would I do that? No reason to.」

　Alvan leaped onto the roof of the building that Hiroshi had undercoated（measuring more than 10 meters in height）in an elegant fashion that any average human would struggle to not lose sight of, let alone chase. He then traveled along it to disappear off to the low-lying part of the city.

「Damn it! Find Alvan! That’s the one thing I cannot afford to have stolen from me！！」

　Hearing Dentlis’ shriek, the occupants dashed over to the lower town. Honestly, they were extremely in agreement with Alvan’s opinion about that dubious figure and really welcomed him stealing and disposing of it, but they could not disobey their master’s orders.

　They searched all around town as hard as they could until the day grew dim, but due to interference from a mysterious girl, they were unable to obtain even a shred of information about Alvan, and ended up returning dejectedly to get scolded by their master.

「Seriously, that was one tough job in difficulty level……」

「There must have been an alternative to go so far as to steal from Her Majesty herself……」

　That evening. Skillfully eluding the gazes of Dentlis’ followers, the queen muttered to herself as she let herself be healed by the massage chair she received from Hiroshi. Makoto had accepted the unidentified dark god statue wrapped and sealed in spirit cloth, making an exasperated comment. Hiroshi and the others had returned to the workshop for various preparations, and Tatsuya was called over by Primula, unable to help with anything. Therefore Makoto had come over here as the representative.

「It’s because I knew that the other people would not be able to manage. Otherwise I would most certainly not steal this item of bad taste.」

　Still relaxing in the massage chair, the queen declared in a melting voice.

「Unable to manage what? The security measures?？」

「That too, but if anything, carrying the statue around has incredible risk in and of itself.」

「That much？」

「Indeed. Even I would have been taken in had I been careless. If humans with low resistance to this type of item touch it without a way to deal with it, bang. Two Dentlises.」

　The queen listlessly thrust the harsh truth at her. In actuality, that feeling of having something drained more and more out of you just by waiting wasn’t something most people could bear.

「All things considered, this chair is truly fabulous. At first I underestimated it, but the rubbing and pushing is at the perfect rhythm.」

「Annnd now there’s another victim of the massage chair……」

「Come to think of it, Farlane’s king’s three daughters…I hear they took quite the liking to this chair.」

「Yeah, they apparently had quite a bit of stiffness here and there, so whenever they have free time they generally just nap in the massage chair.」

　Makoto unveiled the everyday life of the royal family she had heard from Aearis.

「I have also heard that. This chair is truly not to be underestimated. I simply cannot resist this……」

　At a glance, she appeared to be quite free, but this queen, even with all of her twists, was the still the leader of a country. She seemed to be tired enough to have to be healed by a massage chair.

「I truly understand now just how dangerous it would be to have you all as my enemies……」

「You exaggerate.」

「Not in the slightest. Humans can endure quite a bit of pain, but once they taste a life of pleasure, it’s nearly impossible to let go. It’s just like narcotics.」

「……Well, I guess I can see that？」

　What the queen said was one thing even Makoto could not entirely deny. To Makoto and the others, if Hiroshi were to somehow drop out, it was doubtful they would even have felt like continuing their trip. Heck, they may have even had impediments in their everyday life without him. A certain amount they could manage with Mio’s help, but she didn’t have Hiroshi’s insane crafting power. There were several things, including furniture, that were simply no good without him.

「To put it bluntly, if we were to force everyone around us to surrender with this method, I do not think even one such as royalty would be able to resist such advances. I am truly grateful to have the workshop master himself on our side.」

「Right, you don’t normally see those types of things as a threat after all…」

「Indeed. If it were any respectable craftsman, then we could normally force them to succumb to our authority, but you lads and lasses just aren’t that type……」

「No no no. Even we would never dare to revolt against the state’s authority.」

「What are you saying. If you wanted you, could you not escape from this current situation and run off in the night？」

　Although her voice was quite relaxed due to her massage she was receiving, the queen’s thoughts and quips had not lost their edge in the slightest. Although the queen did not know what it involved, she had certainly anticipated that Hiroshi’s group would constantly have escape items on hand. She truly couldn’t be underestimated.

「Besides, even with all our material resources, it wouldn’t be all that easy to overcome opposition from you all. Perhaps eventually, barely, but thinking of all the casualties it would take to get to that point, using violence would be one of the most silly ideas I could ever think of.」

「If you’re that cautious of us, that almost makes me feel like it’s possible for us to try a few things here and there.」

「As long as you keep it on the downlow, I would be grateful.」

「We’ll do our best in that regard.」

　Makoto could only grimace at the queen’s rather direct remark. Even though she said they’d do their best, the one who really needed to take responsibility was Hiroshi, not Makoto. However, there had not been even one instance of any of them being able to stop Hiroshi from his rampages. The most they could do was to object to what he was doing and attempt to steer him on the right course, but once Hiroshi was in his own little world, it was truly impossible to get him to hold back.

「Yes, please do. And I take it that it is fine to leave the disposal of that statue to the workshop master?」

「I think it will be fine. If he can’t do it then no one can.」

「Very true. Then please take care in doing so.」

「Understood. Please excuse me.」

　Finishing her chat with the queen, Makoto carried out the troublesome object. Left alone in the room, the queen continued to enjoy the relaxing massage chair to her delight.

　Meanwhile, in a corner of the palace. That particular area was known for being a dating spot, and Tatsuya gazed down at Primula with a strange poker face.

「So what did you want？」

「I think you of all people would have guessed, Tatsuya-dono.」

「I see, so it is what I thought……」

　Tatsuya’s face had a visible frown on it. His demeanor answered for him.

「So it is true. I’m no good for you……」

「Sorry, I’m not interested in any woman who isn’t my wife.」

　Tatsuya put it as clearly as possible to as to reduce the damage incurred. He had only given her the minimum amount of care while they were living together to make sure she had no hard feelings about it, but that ended up not being enough.

「She must be such an amazing person to have you so infatuated…」

「Dunno. To me she’s the best wife I could ask for, but it isn’t like she’s the ideal woman or anything.」

　Primula had already begun to devalue herself from this one rejection, while Tatsuya attempted to convey that it wasn’t because she necessarily had no appeal. It was just that him and Hiroshi were a little special, and if Primula or Judith had confessed to any other guy, things might very well have been different. She certainly had enough appeal.

「See, my wife can be somewhat aloof. There’s many a time when I’ve marveled at how she manages to keep her job despite risking so much, and sometimes it’s ridiculous how clumsy she is. She can cook and all that, but sometimes it does feel like she lacks life skills.」

　The way Tatsuya talked about his bride made it clear that she was the polar opposite of Primula.

「Still, despite being like that, just like you, she’s an independent woman. She does love me from the bottom of her heart, but I’m sure that even if I weren’t there, she could make it on her own. If anything, I’m probably the one who wouldn’t be able to make it without her.」

　Primula did her best to listen to Tatsuya as he spoke fondly of his wife without changing her expression. It would be have been one thing if she had only been rejected, because some would still have wrongly assumed there was still a chance.

　Unfortunately, Primula was still a female who had normal sensitivity. Consequently, despite her calm facial expression, she was gripping her knuckles to where it felt they would break.

「So I have to go back, no matter what. Not for the sake of my wife. It’s so that I don’t become broken.」

　Tatsuya confessed in a matter-of-fact tone, but that made his words have a strong impact. This ensured that there would be no misunderstanding, and something burst within Primula.

「So that’s how it is. It isn’t that you’re unappealing. I just cannot accept any other woman, not even a goddess. Sorry.」

「Please do not apologize. Despite knowing that you had a spouse and still holding some sort of hope, I am the one who should be ashamed.」

　When Tatsuya had bowed his head in apology, Primula found herself unable to do anything but answer with a teary-eyed smile. This had in fact not been anything Tatsuya should have apologized for. Primula had one-sided, illicit love for him and had been firmly rejected as a result. Besides, Tatsuya had always proven through his words and his actions that he was not interested in anyone but his wife. Primula simply hadn’t found the will to give up on him.