Actually, I'm Your Husband

Elan Symphonia started out as an RPG Maker game made with tools. It was a modest little hobby project created by me and two close friends.

But after we released it, the response was explosive. People couldn't believe it was made by just three guys. I was working at a game company back then, and after going independent, I started my own studio. Our grand goal was to break Elan Symphonia free from the RPG Maker mold, and the business flourished day by day.

Eventually, we elevated the Elan Symphonia series into a full package game. Early reviews were great, but the trouble started when we expanded it online.

Yeah, I admit it. We'd lost our way. But in this capitalist world, money calls the shots—you can't fight it. That's the self-justification I clung to.

"Hoo..."

My head throbbed. The review comments kept pouring in today, too. Half were straight-up trashing the game, the other half demanding an adult-rated version. Staring at that comment section was exhausting.

"You try being in my shoes. Gotta keep the company afloat, run the servers—what would you do?"

Fine, whatever. But what the hell were these calls for an adult version? Sure, we'd ramped up the monetization, but there was one line I wouldn't cross. I couldn't waste characters I'd poured my soul into on H-scenes.

Of course, an adult patch would rake in more cash. But seeing my "kids" get defiled—or even just losing their virginity on screen? Nah, that felt wrong.

"I said from the start, all-ages ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠version is non-negotiable..."

That was my ironclad principle, nailed down since the RPG Maker days.

"Anyway, tomorrow's the balance patch day... Haa... No bugs or crashes this time, right?"

The balance patch included nerfing Ersha's insane dual-wield attack power, buffs to random gacha components, and fine-tuning various characters. Tomorrow was gonna be packed.

"Overtime confirmed."

I called it overtime, but truth be told, I hadn't been home in a week. My dark circles were hitting rock bottom. Our key dev buddy picked this time to get married and go on honeymoon, so I was leading the team, handling all the big fixes, surviving on caffeine IVs.

"Gotta catch a quick nap. Things ramp up tomorrow..."

I stood from my chair, heading for the cot, but the world spun the second I rose.

"Slept too little..."

Thud!

I tried to steady myself, but my body pitched forward. That was my last memory of the original world.

***

Splash!

"Guh! Blub! Ugh! What the—?!"

"Wh-what?!"

I remembered the dizziness and falling forward, but what now?

"Where am I?"

"A-a man?! Who are you?!"

Feels like a hot spring from the vibe... but why the hell am I here?

"A dream?"

"Hey! You deaf?!"

Dreaming but lucid? I figured. So I pinched my cheek hard.

"Ow!"

"Psycho?"

Even lucid dreams don't hurt like this. The pain was real.

"So this is reality?"

"Listen to me!"

Doesn't add up. Did someone kidnap me while I was out? But what lunatic dumps their hostage in a hot spring?

"And who's been yapping next to me this whole time..."

I couldn't finish. I'd been sizing up the situation when I noticed her yelling beside me—a woman.

But it wasn't just the towel-wrapped hot spring setup that shut me up. Sure, that alone would've stunned me, but the real kicker...

E-Eldina?!

The character I knew best.

Eldina Prosche—one of Elan Symphonia's romanceable heroines. The very first character I designed.

Why is Eldina here?

Hold up. Why was she right in front of me?

No way... this is...

A wild thought hit: isekai transfer? Nah. Then... game possession, like those novels?

Insane...

Frozen in disbelief, Eldina screamed at me.

"How the hell did you get in here!?"

Beats me. If I knew, would I be standing here?

If this was game possession, I was in deep shit. Because Eldina... she's what you'd call a raging misogynist—no, man-hater.

She's romanceable, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but the most polarizing heroine. Fiery temper aside, it's her vibe. Straight-up hates men. The affinity system lets the protagonist win her over eventually, but baseline? Total ice queen. Always dead last in popularity polls.

I'm screwed.

Not a dream meant I was truly fucked. Man-hater in a women's bath intruder scenario? My fate was sealed.

"Keeping your mouth shut, huh? Fine. Not worth hearing anyway."

Fireballs sparked around Eldina—her signature as a fire mage.

"W-wait! Calm down, let's talk this out slow?"

"Save it for your mom in hell! Shut that filthy mouth and die!"

My mom's alive and kicking—what's this hell talk?! No wonder she tanks polls with that attitude!

Point-blank, the heat was no joke. One hit, and I'd be ash.

Wh-what do I do?

Dodge? Nah, splash damage on that fireball. I'd die anyway. Grovel? Those eyes say she'd kill me ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠regardless.

No path led anywhere but death.

Damn it!

Die like this? Killed by my own creation? Most pathetic end ever.

Right as despair peaked...

Huh?

A translucent system window popped up.

Act unlocked?

Act is Elan Symphonia's unique trait system. Short for Action—personal powers triggered by specific behaviors. Abl is the ability derived from it.

And now the system was notifying me that my Act had unlocked, Abl usable.

This might be my lifeline.

Lie Act? Just lie, probably. Alteration Abl? Sounds like lying warps reality.

But what lie?

Fireball incoming any second. No time—blurted the first thing.

"A-actually, I'm your husband!"

Why say that? To a man-hater? Desperate guess.

A barrage of notifications.

Yandere disposition?!

Yandere in Elan Symphonia? Trouble. "Hard" ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in parentheses? That obsession level was no joke.

I'd escaped death, but stepped into hell.

"Husband... right, my husband. What was I about to do to him?"

The fireballs vanished. Would've been great if that ended it... but no.

I edged back slyly, but she pounced faster.

Thud!

She tackled me down, straddling on top.

"Trying to ditch me for another woman?"

"H-hey, calm down, let's talk it out?"

"Can't give my husband to anyone else. Gotta mark you completely mine."

Her eyes were crazed. Pure hard yandere—if I bolted, she'd kill and stuff me.

Slap—!

"Kyaa!"

Squealed involuntarily. She'd ripped my shirt like paper.

"Wh-what the hell?!"

"Haa... ♥ Haa... ♥ Husband's mine."

No reasoning with her. This is an all-ages game—why the H-scene buildup?!

Staying meant losing my virginity to my ex-man-hater, now yandere "wife" (?).

Despite the danger, my body reacted. Dick standing at attention... male instinct?

Eldina aligned her entrance with my tip.

"C-can we stop right there?"

"No. Way. ♥"

Fuck...

And so, in this all-ages game, I became the star of an H-scene—my own character threatening to take my purity.