1. Master, Please Marry Me.
1. Master, Please Marry Me.
I am spending a languid afternoon basking in the warmth of the office fireplace.
A peaceful daily life without monster rampages or being isolated by heavy snow and cold waves.
Ah, I wish every day could be filled with a peaceful life like this.
Right then, along with a knock-knock sound, Alice pops her head out.
"Master, may I come in?"
"Yeah, it's fine. I'm a bit free right now."
It probably wouldn't look good if I'm lounging around too much.
I straighten my posture from being half-sprawled out.
Alice carefully enters while carrying a tea tray topped with snacks, tea cups, and a teapot emanating a pleasant scent.
After setting the tray down in the corner of the desk, she sets up the slightly warmed cups and finger foods, then carefully begins pouring hot tea into the cup.
The scent of the tea leaves, slightly sweet with a subtle hint of nuttiness, fills the office.
"Master, please marry me."
"..."
To think I would receive a marriage proposal like it was a casual morning greeting like 'Did you sleep well?'.
I knew Alice was particularly severe, but I never thought she was this far gone.
To be honest, it would be a lie to say my heart has never fluttered for these girls who grew up so beautiful and attractive, but my feeling of regarding them as precious daughters is much stronger.
I slowly take a deep breath as if nothing happened and take a sip of the black tea to quench my parched throat.
"...Alice, today's tea is delicious. Are these newly imported tea leaves?"
As I try to naturally change the subject, Alice giggles softly and smoothly pulls out a sheet of parchment imbued with mana from inside her clothes.
When on earth did she buy that again? Judging by the amount of mana engraved on it, it seems to be quite a high-end item...
"I bought it from the Ruben Trading Company. They said it came by boat from a country far to the east, so I bought it to try. I'm glad it suits your taste."
Alice pulls out a pen with a small smile. She then scribbles something down on the parchment in an instant, and carefully hands the parchment over to me.
"Here you go, Master."
"Huh? What is this? ...A contract?"
[Contract]
Party A (hereinafter Alice Ascalon) and Party B (hereinafter Jerome Ascalon) enter into a contract.
Contract Period: Indefinite
Contract Details:
1. Party A and Party B must truly love each other forever.
1. Party B must enthusiastically comply with Party A's demands for physical affection.
1. Party B must not look at other women. Absolutely not. Seriously, no.
1. This contract cannot be canceled no matter what happens.
Imperial Year 135, February 11th.
Party A: Alice Ascalon Party B:
When did she learn about signing contracts on mana-imbued parchment...?
"Please read it slowly and sign it, Master."
Seeing Alice blush like a shy girl while fidgeting with her hair, my heart momentarily flutters.
...No, get a grip.
"Alice? When did you learn how to write a contract? Good job. But usually, the person of higher status is written as Party A. You need to study more. Ahaha."
As I let out a hollow laugh and carefully try to move the contract off the table, Alice's terrifying dagger instantly thuds into the blank space of the contract.
"Yes, that's right. I'm much stronger, aren't I? So... hurry up and sign, Master."
After carefully pulling out the dagger that pierced through the table and contract, she slightly lifts her skirt and slides the dagger back into its holster.
"Hurry up, Master. It's over once you simply write your name. As for the rest... all the complicated procedures, I'll take care of them all."
A thick, unyielding determination radiates from her gaze as she looks at me.
A strong determination to get a promise out of me today no matter what.
"Alice... well..."
I feel a chill down my spine as Alice approaches step by step with a beaming smile.
Ah, something bad is definitely going to happen at this rate.
Right before Alice comes right up to my nose, a servant knocks on the door and brings news.
"Viscount-nim. Vivian-nim has arrived to see you."
At those words, I leap up from my seat and shout in exaggerated joy.
"What? Vivian? It's been a while. I should hurry out before keeping her waiting any longer. Alice, let's go together. Vivian must miss you too."
I hurriedly rush out of the office and head to the reception room.
Tsking her tongue, Alice rolls up the contract and tucks it into her bosom as if showing she hasn't given up yet, then follows behind me.
As I step inside the reception room, a familiar face gently swaying eight fox tails welcomes me.
"Vivian, long time no see. You've been well all this time, right?"
"Yees, darling. Thanks to your concern... I safely completed my training and returned."
As I sit down across from Vivian, she carefully gets up and scoots over to sit right next to me.
"You've grown even more handsome while I didn't see you. This girl... with an anxious heart... has been... darling..."
"No, rather I think Vivian got even prettier. How was it in the East?"
"Ugh... honestly... a man like you...!"
Her eight fox tails quiver slightly, and soon sway slowly as they crawl along the sofa, trying to wrap around Jerome's waist and shoulders.
At that, Alice, who entered the reception room late, squeezes herself right into the gap between the two and sits down, then grabs the squirming fox tails with her hands and tosses them back over to Vivian.
"Vivian, Master has a fur allergy."
"My, did he develop such an allergy without me knowing? I wonder who does the cleaning... I'm so worried whether he doesn't have an allergy to rabbit fur~"
A fierce battle of nerves passes between the two, and whenever Vivian's tails try to slowly approach Jerome, Alice grabs them with her hands and blocks them.
Watching the two bicker, I crack a pleased smile.
Thinking about it suddenly, it seems the girls have been visiting frequently lately.
Thinking it couldn't be the case, but out of anxious affection... just in case, I call out to Vivian.
"Vivian. It goes for the other girls too... but none of you are slaves or anything anymore, so you don't need to force yourselves to visit. I'm always welcoming, of course... but I was worried you might be visiting by force when you're busy."
At that, the two who were bickering stop their argument all at once and turn to look at me.
"My... what hurtful words... This girl comes simply because she misses darling. Even in the East, all I thought about all day was wanting to return to darling's side."
"That's right, Master. Not a single one of us... carries such a sense of debt. It's truly because we sincerely want to follow Master."
At their heartfelt words, a corner of my chest resonates with emotion.
As expected, I really raised my daughters well.
Just when it seemed that heartwarming atmosphere would continue... Vivian pulls out a heavily folded piece of paper and shows it.
"And you don't have to worry too much. This girl has found a new job, you see."
[Looking for an instructor proficient in swordsmanship and physical training in the Ascalon Viscountcy. Working days: To be determined after consultation / Salary: To be determined after consultation / Working hours: To be determined after consultation]
Ah, it's the flyer I handed out a few days ago.
"Just a moment ago, after consulting on the salary, working days, and working hours as darling's personal instructor, I completed writing the contract. When I mentioned unpaid and available 24 hours a day, the official in charge was extremely delighted ♡"
Vivian smiling sensually while displaying the contract, and Alice looking back and forth between the contract and me as if she couldn't understand the situation.
Seeing her drooped rabbit ears and eyes brimming with tears, I feel a strange sense of guilt.
"Master... what is this... Vivian is lying, right...?"
"Well... I felt like my body has gotten a bit weak lately, so I put up an announcement to learn some swordsmanship... but no one applied..."
"Master! For such an important matter, you should have told me first...! No, more importantly, if it's training, I can!"
"My, Alice. Are you jealous? When it comes to swords... I am several times ahead of Alice, so isn't it inevitable? I will teach darling well. Just the two of us intimately ♡"
At Vivian's provocation, Alice springs up, pulls out a dagger from the holster on her thigh, and emanates an intense killing intent.
"You... you... thieving bitch... How dare you before me with Master...!"
"Kyaa, darling~ This girl is so scared~"
Vivian hops up, hides behind my back, and rubs her face against me.
"Hey... Alice? First, calm down a bit..."
"Master. Today, I must settle things with that fox-like bitch once and for all. Please forgive me."
"Puhuhu, do you really think you can beat me with just that tiny dagger? And I'm not a fox-like bitch, I'm a real fox, you know?"
"You... this bitch really...!"
As I let out a deep sigh at the worsening fight, Alice looks at me with a tearful expression, eventually puts her dagger away, and sits back down.
"I'm sorry... Master."
"Vivian, stop teasing Alice too."
"Yees~ darling. Now, please sit down first."
As soon as I sit in the vacant seat, Vivian sticks close to my side, and Alice, unwilling to be outdone, clings tightly to the other side.
Feeling the warm and soft sensations on both sides, I squeeze my eyes shut and barely pull myself together.
These girls are my daughters. They are my precious daughters....
"Alright. Vivian, can you promise not to do anything strange while training in swordsmanship?"
As I speak while holding out my pinky finger, Vivian hooks her pinky with mine, unable to hide her disappointment from her face.
"Yes, if it's a promise with darling... it can't be helped. Instead, you'll make it up to me in plenty of other areas, right?"
"Uh... yeah... I'll try."
At the part about making it up to her, I feel a stinging gaze on the back of my head, but I try my best to ignore it and hold out my pinky to Alice as well.
"Alice too. You can trust Vivian, right? And curb your short temper a bit."
"...Yes, I'm sorry. Master."
Alice glaring hard at Vivian while hooking pinkies and making a promise.
Now that the atmosphere has finally calmed down, I ask what I was curious about.
"Where do you plan to stay from now on? Have you looked for a place to stay?"
"I haven't found one yet... but I plan to settle in the inn closest to the mansion. Because when I wake up in the morning, I want to see darling as soon as possible ♡"
"Then how about using the room you used to use? Your things haven't been cleared away either. Alice cleans it occasionally, so you could move in and live there right away."
"My! Then... fufu, I won't refuse."
Alice glares at Vivian once, tsks her tongue, and stands up from her seat.
"Tsk. Let's go, Vivian."
"Then see you later, darling ♡"
Alice bows her head in greeting and leaves the reception room, while Vivian pretends to blow a hand kiss and follows behind Alice.
"They bicker... but they really get along well."