Chapter 446: Welcome benefactor 1
As usual, Talc is a nice desert sentiment. The azure skies are more vivid as you go to the top and the horizon is smoky with dancing sand. Tall palm trees, pale yellow houses made of sun-dried bricks. The culture of Helicon is not so different, but it lacks the 「This is the desert」 feeling because it is half in a forested area.
“It’s a big mansion……it looks like an aristocrat”
When Neia said that while looking around the vast courtyard, for some reason Aurora explained with a bit of pride.
“In a sense, you could say they are nobles or even more than nobles. In this country, it is the wealthy merchants who control the economy and the country is founded on the assumption that their ability to control the economy is their political skill……”
Anzeros adds.
“Dianne’s father is also the country’s sixth minister. If it were Trot, I think it would be safe to call him a noble”
“Sixth Minister……does that mean that the position is high……ah, no, I don’t doubt it”
“Ah, the sixth is not a pecking order, but rather the name of a seat……and in Celesta there is a mixture of long-lived and short-lived species, so it is often complicated by the fact that there is often a substitution of authority when a minister’s position becomes vacant”
“?”
For example, if you are born an elf, the same person can govern for a hundred or two hundred years with the same insight. But the short-lived species are not so lucky. 20 years, 30 years, and if I were to be involved in politics, I wouldn’t be able to do it for tens of years considering my life expectancy”
“Haa”
“The most important thing to keep in mind is that the power of a minister as a politician is unstable due to generational changes or the decline and fall of the Chamber of Commerce itself. In order to prevent the loss of the nation’s ability to act as a nation, politicians of the long-lived species were trained as elders and the merchant kings, whose power rotated from decade to decade, coordinated their power to prevent tyranny. That’s why they don’t name ministers 『Minister of Foreign Affairs』, 『Minister of Finance』, and so on, as in other countries, in accordance with their actual duties. They are adjusted as needed. ……The sixth is just a symbol of convenience because it is”
“I see……”
“Well, the fact that he is a minister of a long-lived species means that Dianne’s father is in charge of the elder status, however……”
“……However?”
“……Yeah. Well, he must be a very important man”
Anzeros looks away. I guess she remembers the time when she was mistaken for being Dianne’s lover and suddenly attacked. Dianne’s men are all interesting people…….
“Is this the family home of Dianne, the god of war……I bet there are a lot of masters there”
“I, Its different Knight Chief. In a sense, there are many entertainers”
“E, Entertainers?”
While waiting while looking sideways at Sharon and Naris talking, Hilda-san finally came out of the carriage. As a man, I can go outside with my jacket on, but it takes a lot of time for a woman to get dressed properly. In Hilda’s case, she seems to be enjoying exposure, but she’s not usually sloppy.
“Hold on, everyone. Let’s go in”
“Which building should we go into? They are all big buildings”
“Huhuhu, you’ll get used to it in no time☆ Look at that, it’s like a warehouse or a guest room, except for that first-class room”
With Hilda leading the way, everyone follows along. ……No, it’s just for the time being, Dianne-san hasn’t come back and Carlos-san, who came to pick me up, has gone somewhere, so it’s a bit too much to walk around freely.
And at the main residence, Dianne and Nancy were chatting. ……I had already seen them, but it was strange to see Nancy standing there in a full-figured state.
“Yaa, little brother. And everyone else”
Nancy smiled at me with her slender, cool figure. She had always been a vibrant person, but now that her whole body was healed, she looked even younger and more vivacious. Her hair used to be a little longer. Dianne also looks back.
“I was just discussing with my sister-in-law, which room we should stay in. I think it would be better if we could all stay in the biggest room possible, is that okay?”
“Ah, yes. ……By the way, Carlos-san came by a while ago”
“Ah, ……did I mess something up?
“No, I was the one who did it……and Hilda-san”
“I see”
She seemed to have guessed it.
“Good grief Carlos. He doesn’t mean to be mean, but he loves his family too much and interferes with them more than he should”
“……Ah, no, it’s not interference, it’s just that he dashed me a bit by telling me to perish or something”
“It won’t feel good. I’m sorry. Please forgive me”
“No, I forgive you or something……”
“You are my benefactor. You granted me a wish that would never have come true”
“……Eh, no, well”
It wasn’t me, it was Breakcore, but persistently saying 「It wasn’t me」 won’t convince anyone or make sense, so I swallow my words on the verge. I learned my lesson with the cat beasts.
“Originally, it would be fine to spend half of the surplus money to entertain. ……If we went that far, it would be a festival that would surely overturn Talc”
“No, I don’t really need that much. I mean, it’s natural for Dianne-san and Hilda-san’s family”
Oops, I gave an answer that was a little too exemplary. The truth is, I had completely forgotten about it and only came to realize it when Hilda mentioned it. I don’t have the right to say that.
“Even if it’s family, obligations are obligations. Besides, all we have is money. The only thing you people are worth enough to have dragons is……and women. I’m afraid I can’t offer you my body”
“Please believe in my common sense before arriving at that idea. As expected of a married woman……”
“…………”
“And to Dianne’s family…….”
“…………”
I can’t do that. None of my remarks are persuasive because of Hilda’s existence.
“I, I don’t have a hobby of interfering with couples who are doing well!”
I stressed to Nancy, who was silently smiling warmly at me and Dianne and Hilda clapped their hands.
“Yes, that’s for sure”
“No matter how cute the girl is, you won’t lay a hand on her, Andy-kun. If you don’t have a partner☆”
“No need to add that last part, Hilda-san”
I’m trying to show Nancy-san that I’m harmless. I just want to say that we should be a proper family and associate with each other without any guilt. ……No, it sounds too good to be true because of Hilda’s presence. I’m not trying to be weird, I’m just trying to make it sound like I’m not guilty.
“No, I don’t mean that in a weird way, but I don’t blame you for what happened with Hilda”
Nancy looked at me with a smile as usual as she tried to figure out how to clear up the misunderstanding.
“You’re from Trot, aren’t you? I’m not sure if you understand, but in the unique culture of the Ogre people, love is a competition and the one who wins the other’s heart is the winner”
“Ah, yes, I know this because one of my colleagues in my unit is an ogre”
Fortunately, there have been no cases of cuckoldry among the members of the squad, but I’ve heard that it’s normal for ogres to do so.
“Dark elves and ogres are mixed in this Talc colony. The dark elves are not unaffected by it. Of course, they are not entirely ogres themselves, but they are more tolerant of predatory love in some ways than others. ……If you have won Hilda over, it is a little out of line, even according to the ethics here, to complain about it. Even Carlos knows what’s really going on”
“I wonder if that’s so……?”
“He’s just overprotective of his younger siblings, that’s all. In the first place……the life of a dark elf is too long to begin with. Not everyone can be satisfied with just one love. Love can cool off. And they are young for a long time, which makes it easier for them to fall in love again and start another family”
Nancy smiles at me and tries to affirm everything about Hilda. In human terms, it would be outrageous lewdness, but……well, race and culture are important factors.
“However, in spite of that, aren’t sister-in-law and brother-in-law single to each other?”
“I……I always thought that if Carlos gave up on me……because I was unable to bear children and had a body like that, it was no wonder. I never thought about my next love”
Nancy shrugged her shoulders.
“In a culture like this, it’s no surprise that wives are replaced. That’s why……I respect it. Carlos who loved me when there was no hope of improving anything, or my father-in-law who protected and maintained ten wives against all sorts of temptation”
“Haa……”
“Indeed. Because there is freedom, the will that is carried out is also precious……”
Tetes and Almeida each look impressed.
“Yeah, I’ve ended up picking up Carlos, but of course that doesn’t mean I’m looking down on Hilda.
“I know. Or rather, I’m used to being amazed. No matter what people say, I like what I like☆”
“But, sister-in-law. If you go back to being normal, isn’t there a lot of people who will use your eyes? It wouldn’t be strange if there were people who tried to outwit my brother and try to interfere with my sister-in-law”
“Ahaha, right. There are those who have no idea what they’re doing”
Nancy-san laughed again, this time in a more open and unabashed manner. I didn’t have to tell her what was going to happen next, but I knew what was going to happen to her when I said she was a daredevil. Just then, we heard footsteps coming from the pathway leading to the garden. It was Maia.
“I’ve got him”
She was carrying Carlos on her back with his eyes rolled back in his head.
“Well done. Do you want some candy?”
“Don’t treat me like a child. I’m over sixty”
“I’m ten times older than that”
“…………”
“You want some candy?”
“Yeah”
That’s great. She’s taming Maia. I guess she has a different style.
“U, Umm……”
“Wake up, Carlos. ……You’re a very caring husband”
After shaking him for a while, she rubbed his hair around his ears reluctantly and without hesitation, Nancy-san kissed Carlos-san’s cheek. Then, for some reason, Carlos-san awoke.
“Haa……!? N, Nancy!? I’m so glad you’re okay, I’ve just been attacked by someone……”
“I just sent Andy-kun´s dragon to pick you up. Most likely, you were running around in a delirium”
“Ugh”
“More importantly, you’re saying thank you to Andy-kun, aren’t you? You always said you had to do that sooner or later, so what are you doing?”
“……I, I hate this guy”
“Carlos. If you don’t have much sincerity, I have to be sincere to him. If I give him what he likes……”
“What the hell are you up to, human!? I’ll give you thanks or whatever you want, but I’m not giving you Nancy!”
“Both of you, please trust me a little more”
I had no choice but to wish so, knowing it was unreasonable.