Chapter 458: Crossroads
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 458: Crossroads
“…Did I not just say that I would only permit acts born of necessity?”
“Yeah. You did.”
“…If you find it so painful to suppress your own emotions, then I shall acknowledge that, too, as an act of necessity.”
After a slight pause, Diana said this while glaring at me, her expression conveying that she truly didn’t want to, but had no other choice.
“…What?”
“Hah… It’s the same as Silvia’s case, is it not? For you to say such a thing even in a situation like this.”
“But… really?”
Diana’s answer was more than the most ideal response I could have hoped for.
But even so—no, precisely because of that, I had to ask again to be sure.
“Of course, we aren’t exactly happy about such a situation arising. But still, if that time comes… we’ve concluded that it would be better to allow it than to watch you suffer while suppressing your feelings.”
And Leia’s answer reminded me of something I had heard her say once before.
“You guys…”
Hearing that, I couldn’t help but realize all over again just how much they loved me.
Forget about who was dominant when; all I could think was that I had to spend the rest of my life cherishing these girls.
“So why are you the one crying? I’m the one who wants to cry, you idiot.”
Sara said, gently pulling my face into an embrace.
“Let me make this clear. Just because you have our permission, don’t think you can go around hitting on any woman you please, thinking ‘this one’s good, that one’s good too.’ I won’t forgive that. We’re only allowing this because we trust you aren’t that kind of person. You can’t betray our trust, okay?”
“Yeah. Of course. How could I ever do that?”
Ironically, now that I had their permission, the thought of developing such feelings for other women didn’t even cross my mind.
Would I be crazy enough to even think of it, with them by my side?
If they allowed this with this outcome in mind, then they’re truly brilliant strategists.
“And even if it comes to that, and you take in other women, as you said before, their position will be that of concubines. The position of main wife is mine. I will never concede that.”
Adding to that, Diana reconfirmed what I had said earlier.
That was a given. In the first place, I had no intention of creating a spot for a concubine for anyone other than Silvia anyway.
“Yeah. Of course…”
“Wait a minute, Diana! Did you just sneakily claim the main wife position as your own?!”
Just as I was about to nod and reply, Sara suddenly jumped on Diana’s words.
“D-Did I? I believe I said ‘ours’…”
“Don’t try to weasel your way out of it! You definitely said ‘mine’!”
Diana tried to bluff her way through, but naturally, it had no effect on Sara whatsoever.
“E-Egh! What’s wrong with that! Have you no respect for your elders!”
It seemed Diana had changed tactics, now choosing to assert her claim to the main wife position with a serious face.
Diana… you usually hate it when people bring up your age…
Well, I mean, I was grateful and happy that she was trying so desperately to become my main wife, but still.
“There’s a time and place for respecting elders! I will absolutely not yield on this!”
In the end, just like any other day, a verbal spat began between Sara and Diana.
Those two, even at a time like this… Thanks to them, though, the pathetic tears I was shedding just a moment ago had stopped.
“The two of them are really close, aren’t they?”
While Sara and Diana were arguing, Leia quietly approached me and murmured.
Come to think of it, Leia always said that whenever those two fought.
I couldn’t relate at all before, but now, I felt like I was starting to understand.
The more they fight, the closer they are.
No, were they even fighting for real in the first place?
Their words were fierce, but it didn’t seem like it would ever come to blows.
Could it be they were doing this on purpose to give me time to calm down after seeing me cry?
The thought even crossed my mind.
And in fact, my tears had stopped.
“Guwon. I’m really going to trust you.”
As I was watching the two argue with a somewhat fond feeling, Leia quietly murmured beside me, gently taking my hand in both of hers.
For her to say it again like this, so unlike her usual self, it seemed this decision had been a difficult one for Leia to make as well.
She must still have some lingering anxiety, which is why she was seeking reassurance like this.
“Yeah. I know it might not sound trustworthy coming from a guy who’s always going on about his harem, but please, believe me. I’ll never do anything to make you sad.”
“Not trustworthy…? No, that’s not it. I always believe in you, Guwon.”
Leia squeezed my hand tighter, then gently pulled it to her chest, as if burying it in her cleavage.
It was a frequent habit of hers, but I could feel my own heart pounding.
Was it because I had been so moved by their kindness that I’d even cried?
All of a sudden, Leia looked incredibly beautiful.
No, she was always incredibly beautiful, but still.
“Haha. For someone who says that, your reaction earlier was pretty intense. Asking if there were other women besides Silvia and Matilda.”
I deliberately spoke in a playful tone, as if to hide the loud thumping of my own heart.
I could laugh about it now, but back then, I was genuinely scared.
Leia with the life drained from her eyes. I’d never seen that expression before.
It was a sight I never wanted to see again.
No, that was my fault, too. I had to make sure a situation like that never happened again.
“Th-That’s… I couldn’t help it. There was someone I had in mind, you know…”
Leia’s face flushed slightly in embarrassment, but she shot me a sidelong glance as if to say I was also to blame.
“What? Who?”
“Well, there’s the princess you’ll be continuing your relationship with…”
“Felicia? No, no. No matter what, it’s not her. That will never happen.”
My own feelings aside, Felicia had no feelings for me either.
It might be possible with someone else, but there was no way I’d end up in that kind of relationship with Felicia.
“And then there’s Rachel…”
When I denied it with a laugh, Leia mentioned Rachel’s name.
…Huh? Rachel? Ah, I see. She must mean what happened at the restaurant. Right, only Leia knows about that.
But still, there’s no way Rachel and I would get into that kind of relationship either.
First of all, Rachel is furious with me right now… huh? Wait? Huh? No, hold on.
When exactly did Rachel start getting angry?
A fair amount of time had passed, so I wasn’t sure if my memory was accurate, but probably… no. Still, Rachel likes me? Even after I was rejected by her once?
I was starting to get confused.
Was my mind just drifting in that direction because we kept talking about relationships with other women, or was there really something to it with Rachel?
“…Guwon?”
“Oh, huh? Yeah? No, it’s nothing. Anyway, we should probably stop those two.”
I gave my head a little shake as if to clear away the possibility I’d just thought of, and walked over to Sara and Diana.
“Guys. You’re not kids. Why are you fighting over something like that? Why don’t you both just happily be my…”
“Stay out of this, Guwon. You’re the one who was just crying like a baby.”
I don’t think this was how it started, but it seemed they had gotten heated in the middle of their argument.
Sara, looking a little worked up, glanced at me and spat out the words.
Thanks to that, I, who had approached to mediate, was shot down before I could even start and had no choice but to shrink back.
Sara. Sometimes your words hit way too hard. Is that one of the Hero’s powers, too?
Was the Hero a job that excelled not only in physical combat but in verbal sparring as well?
I was suddenly impressed with Diana for being able to go toe-to-toe with a Sara like this.
I see. The great Archmage. She won’t lose with words, is that it?
“S-So, I also…! I also…!”
Ah, now that I look, she’s about to cry.
I guess even the great Archmage can’t win. Yep. I totally get it. No one can beat this Sara.
I’m pretty sure when they first met, Diana was always the one teasing Sara, leaving her frustrated.
But at some point, she’s grown so much… Did her verbal sparring skills actually get stronger as her Hero level went up?
Could it be that the time she exposed my exhibitionism was because she was cornered, just like now?
No, even so, isn’t she being a little too harsh today?
I’d seen them argue quite a lot, but I felt like this was the first time I’d seen Sara be this aggressive.
“I said, stop it. You’re both my main wives. I’m going to marry both of you… no, all three of you, at the same time.”
In any case, seeing Diana on the verge of tears, I couldn’t just stay quiet and shrink back.
I mustered my courage once more and stepped between them.
“M-M-Marr…!”
“Y-Yooooou…!”
The moment I mentioned marriage, Sara, who had been in full combat mode, instantly froze solid.
She had been so sharp-tongued just a moment ago, but in the end, the reason she was fighting with Diana was to secure a slightly larger place in my heart.
There was no way my words wouldn’t be effective.
“Yeah. So stop fighting.”
I said, patting the back of Diana, who had thrown herself into my arms and was rubbing her face against my clothes.
This girl, Diana, is pretending she’s hugging me because she’s moved by the talk of marriage, but that’s definitely not the only reason, is it?
The part of my clothes where her face was resting was getting a little damp.
“Ugh… D-Diana. I’m sorry. And you too, Guwon.”
Having completely cooled down, Sara apologized, as if she’d only just realized how sharp her words had been.
Seeing her like this, it seemed I was right that she had been a little more aggressive than usual today.
And if that was the case, the cause was undoubtedly me.
“No. You have nothing to apologize to me for. You got angry because of me in the first place, right? I get it.”
“I-I am fine as well. As the elder, I shall forgive you with a generous heart. H-Hmph! In that sense, the position of main wife truly suits me best after aaaaall!”
Diana finally lifted her face from my clothes and, despite her slightly reddened eyes, puffed out her chest and declared.
She just took a beating and she’s still trying not to lose. As expected of the great Archmage. I’ll give you points for persistence.
“I said, stop it.”
Well, that was that, and this was this.
Before another argument could break out, I placed a hand on Diana’s head and shook it vigorously from side to side.
“Aaaah! Stop, stooop! I’m getting diiiizzy!”
Watching Diana’s head wobble back and forth, I was filled with a sense of fond contentment.
In the end, things finished in this familiar atmosphere, but I would probably never forget the kindness they showed me today for the rest of my life. I couldn’t ever forget it.
I’ll really spend the rest of my life cherishing you all with the utmost care.
…Though I might tease you a little at night, but please see that as a sign of affection.
As for relationships with other women, just because I have permission, I will never carelessly develop feelings for anyone.
I conveyed these warm feelings to them in my heart, over and over again, along with my thanks.
I believe this feeling was surely conveyed to Sara and Leia, who met my gaze, and even to Diana, whose head was still in my grasp.
“Um… Guwon?”
Leia, who had been exchanging a warm gaze with me, quietly called my name.
That hesitant atmosphere. Was she about to tell me she loved me all over again?
If so, I couldn’t let her say it first.
“Yes, Leia. I truly love you.”
I told her with all the sincerity I could muster.
It was so frustrating that I could only convey this feeling with such short words.
“Yes… I truly love you, too. B-But, um, that’s not it…”
Leia’s face flushed slightly as she replied, but she immediately shook her head and looked at me again with hesitant eyes.
“Hm? What is it? Don’t hesitate, just tell me.”
I didn’t know what she was going to say, but if it was something Leia said… no, if it was something any of these three said, I was prepared to listen to anything.
They had accepted such an unreasonable request from me; what could they possibly say that I wouldn’t listen to?
“Um… if you don’t let go soon, won’t Diana be in danger?”
“……Ah.”
Sorry. I got carried away.