Chapter 73
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Marriage Consultation with Yuuki
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Walking to school with Yuuki.
Nothing special or new about it. It's a path I've walked hundreds, even thousands of times.
"Haa~."
But today, my heart felt heavier than usual.
I couldn't hide the vague, unsettled feeling weighing on me.
My sister gets married, Sana remarries, Hina ties the knot.
Thinking about all the women around me leaving one by one like that... it was enough to sap my energy completely.
"Haaa~."
The day of farewell would come eventually.
I knew it was just a natural part of life, but...
For some reason... I hated the idea.
"Naibusu, is something wrong?"
Yuuki peered into my face as I let out one sigh after another.
"Huh? No, not really..."
The moment our eyes met, I flinched involuntarily.
Yuuki was Yuuki.
But she was different from the usual Yuuki.
The subtle allure I'd sensed from her mother, Sana, was now faintly emanating from Yuuki as well.
Yuuki, you rascal. Suddenly going all out with makeup and everything.
I'm already a mess inside, and now this.
...Is Yuuki really committed to living as a woman?
Does that mean she'll eventually get married and leave my side too?
Ah~ I hate that~. Everyone's abandoning me~.
Then who'll be left by my side?
...Akane?
Ugh... So I'd end up marrying Akane and starting a family with her?
Akane as my bride? Talk about a trash couple—no one else comes close.
Well, but maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all.
Akane might have a rotten personality, but she has her cute side too, in her own way.
And there wouldn't be any other guy who'd take her. I'd have to step up. Of course.
"—Could it be because of Akane?"
"Ah, Akane? Why bring her up out of nowhere?"
I'd just been thinking about Akane, so Yuuki's question made me jerk unnaturally.
Yuuki, you definitely snuck some skill points into Mind Rune behind my back.
(※There are no skill points in this world.)
But...
Right on cue. Perfect timing.
Let's settle the Akane issue once and for all.
"—Yuuki. You got no feelings left for Akane at all?"
Yuuki tilted her head at my out-of-the-blue question.
Probably trying to figure out what I really meant.
"Feelings? Well, it's not like I have zero feelings, but honestly, I don't really care anymore."
Yuuki's feelings about Akane must be complicated. An irreparable rift had formed between them, but the time they'd spent together wasn't short by any means.
But the clear truth was that Yuuki had almost no affection left for Akane now.
That meant the biggest issue (NTR) was pretty much resolved.
"Then it's fine if I marry Akane, right?"
I cut straight to the chase.
"Mar...?!"
As expected, Yuuki was shocked.
Her eyes went wide like they might pop out, and her mouth dropped open like her jaw was unhinged.
...What? You're way too surprised.
Is it really that shocking?
"I mean, I'm not saying right this second. But if a guy's done something he needs to take responsibility for, he should own up to it, right?"
Yuuki knew I'd slept with Akane.
So it wasn't completely out of left field.
"So if you don't mind, that's the direction I'm leaning. Nothing's set in stone yet, though."
Talking marriage with a friend felt a bit embarrassing somehow.
The road ahead was still long.
But I wanted to give Yuuki a heads-up at least.
"Huh?"
Suddenly, I realized Yuuki, who'd been walking beside me, was gone.
I turned around to see her standing there, frozen with a dazed, soul-left-her-body expression.
"Yuuki. Isn't your reaction a bit much?"
Anyone would think the world was ending.
It was surprising, sure, but not that much.
Well, if Yuuki suddenly brought home some dark-skinned dude and announced they were getting married, I'd probably react the same. She was closer to me and Akane than anyone, so the shock might even be bigger.
Still, this wasn't NTR or BSS, right? Yuuki seemed pretty detached from Akane.
(※BSS: 'But I Liked You First'—a subgenre of NTR where you lose your crush to someone else.)
"...Naibusu, you're serious? Isn't this too rash?"
Yuuki, who'd been paused like a glitch, hurried back over with short steps.
Her voice sounded pretty desperate.
"Yeah. Serious enough."
If I weren't serious, I wouldn't say something like this.
"B-but Naibusu, you didn't like Akane much."
But Yuuki didn't seem thrilled with my decision.
She wasn't saying it outright, but the vibe was screaming she wanted me to back out.
Hmm. I wasn't expecting outright opposition. Did she still have lingering feelings for Akane after all?
"Yeah. Didn't like her much. Bad personality, two-faced, sneaky mean girl behind the scenes."
"...And you're still gonna marry her?"
"I did something I need to take responsibility for, so I will. What choice do I have?"
"Marrying someone you don't even like just because of responsibility?"
"It's not just responsibility. I might've hated her before, but now I kinda like her okay-ish. Spending time close up, she's got some surprisingly good sides."
Though those "good sides" were all on the lewd end of the spectrum.
Soft body, flexible, that hole feels amazing. Especially the sensation when holding her from behind. Mmm.
But I couldn't tell Yuuki that.
If Yuuki suddenly regretted it and tried to swoop in now, Akane would fall for it hook, line, and sinker.
At least until we'd had three kids, fairy-and-woodsman style.
"B-but with Akane's personality, it'd be tough for you, Naibusu. You'd fight a lot..."
"Yeah, probably. We'd fight every day, I bet. We already bicker whenever we get the chance. Haha."
"Then..."
"It's fine. I know exactly what Akane's like, and I'm going in with eyes open. She's reflecting on her behavior and changing a lot already. She'll keep changing. I'll make her change."
As the ancient sages said, something about a henpecked husband or whatever.
Biologically, women can't win against men. Akane would change bit by bit.
A perfectly obedient woman from the start is nice, but watching a rebellious one like Akane gradually submit? That's my taste.
"...Naibusu... you're serious..."
"Dead serious. Who'd joke about... this...?"
My words trailed off midway.
Because Yuuki had stopped dead in the middle of the road and started shedding big, fat tears like a child.
"Wh-what? Hey? Yuuki, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"
I couldn't help but panic.
Yuuki and I had been inseparable since childhood, but I'd never seen her cry like this.
Guess I misread Yuuki's feelings again.
She must still like Akane after all.
"H-ha, what's wrong with me? The tears just... came out..."
Yuuki sniffled and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
I could only fluster around beside her.
"Uh, well, I get it. Thinking about a close friend getting married makes you kinda down for no reason. Today, Naiad sis mentioned getting married too, so..."
"Huh? Naiad sis?"
Yuuki looked up with her reddened eyes.
Ah, I should've mentioned this sooner too.
"She didn't say it directly. I read it with Mind Rune. Something about it being time to find a marriage partner... Ah!"
In that instant, a bolt of inspiration struck my mind.
"Yuuki! You marry my sister!"
"...What?"
Oh my god.
Am I maybe a genius?
No, I am a genius. How did I not think of this sooner?
"Listen, if you become my sister's husband, no need to worry about her meeting some weird guy. We'd be in-laws, so I could butt into your family stuff too. Stop Sana from remarrying some creep, legally beat up and chase off any shady boyfriend Hina brings home."
A perfect scenario. One stone, three birds—no, four.
But Yuuki stared at me like I was an idiot. Her tears had even dried up from sheer disbelief.
"...Naibusu. Did you think before you spoke?"
"Huh? Isn't it a perfect plan...?"
As I said it, I realized the flaw in my plan.
"I-I'm a girl."
"Ah."
No way.
Yuuki being a girl.
My perfect scenario crumbled in an instant.
"Haaa~ What now."
I clutched my head with both hands.
Back to square one. Naiad, Sana, Hina—all exposed to weirdos again.
Was there really no perfect way to solve all this?
As I pondered, Yuuki cautiously spoke up.
"Um... then how about... you and me get married?"
"...Huh?"
Yuuki's words left my mind blank for a moment.
Yuuki and me, marriage.
Yuuki? Me? Married?
"C'mon, Yuuki, you're..."
Yuuki, you're a guy. How could two guys get married?
I almost said it but clamped my mouth shut.
Because Yuuki's eyes were more serious than I'd expected.
Yuuki launched into a long explanation, trying to convince my hesitant self.
"See, if we marry, our families become in-laws, so like you said, you could interfere with Mom or Hina's marriage choices. And if Naiad sis brings a boyfriend, our family could check him out together."
I got it—it'd yield similar results to her marrying Naiad.
But Yuuki's plan was missing a key player.
"What about Akane?"
"Ugh."
Yuuki was at a loss for words.
Akane had no place in her story. From her reaction, she'd excluded her from the start.
But I'd promised to take responsibility for Akane. I had no intention of leaving her out.
Still, Yuuki didn't give up easily.
"A-Akane's legally dead, right? So you can't officially marry her."
"Oh. Yeah, that's true. Akane's a dead woman on paper right now."
That was a blind spot I hadn't considered.
Mountains of problems to solve.
"So legally marry me... and live as a real couple with Akane? The three of us: you, me, and Akane."
"Haha. What? That's a harem."
Marry Yuuki on paper, live as husband and wife with Akane in reality?
It sounded decent at first glance. Akane probably wouldn't object—if anything, she'd welcome living with Yuuki too.
"But Yuuki, you can't marry either, same as Akane. Legally, you're still a guy."
"Ah..."
Yuuki finally remembered.
That she used to be a guy.
Japan basically allows same-sex marriage.
But that's for regular folks. For Rune Holders like us, same-sex marriage and gender reassignment surgery are legally banned.
The reason's simple: gays and trans people can't have kids.
In reincarnation terms, it's like draft dodging. Rune Holders are vital national defense assets. If they don't produce the next generation, the country's security weakens.
They don't force pregnancies like in ero manga, but banning same-sex marriages and transitions that deliberately prevent Rune Holder offspring makes sense.
Who cares about human rights? This world's trash like that.
"Anyway, thanks for thinking seriously about it. We're not marrying tomorrow, so let's figure out a way slowly."
Yuuki's shoulders slumped at my words.
"...Yeah..."
Her response, after a long pause, was utterly listless.