Chapter 4: ③ The Five Handsome Eunuchs Make Their Entrance!!

◤The Fourth Eunuch—Chief Surveillance Eunuch: Rufus◢

“Hehe… Edgar-sama still seems quite fond of numbers.”

A man with black hair tied back slipped his voice into the conversation from beside Edgar, smoothly cutting through the tension in the air.

“Thanks to my father’s spectacular failure, my family name was stripped away, and now I’m just Rufus. As Chief Surveillance Eunuch, I offer my absolute devoted love to Lord Karou.”

(Whoa, the way he talks is weirdly smooth… but isn’t the content insanely heavy!?)

“Wait, Rufus is the son of the rebel prince who staged a coup, right? Why is someone like him a surveillance officer?”

“Yes. He received castration as punishment for attempted treason and became a eunuch… And precisely because no one trusts him, he’s been assigned the role of surveillance officer.”

(Eh, so he got assigned there with logic like “you’re suited for it”!?)

(Rather, isn’t “we don’t trust you, so you’re the watchman” a completely ironic personnel transfer!?)

“It’s not merely physical punishment. It’s a sentence that severs your family’s future and pride—a declaration of living hell that says ‘live on in disgrace.’ With his family, status, and future all stripped away, he has no remaining value except to serve Lord Karou.”

(When she puts it like that about “value of existence,” it makes my spine straighten too…!)

As if he could hear that conversation, Rufus narrowed his eyes and shrugged his shoulders.

“Lord Karou, please rest assured. I am your faithful hunting dog—defanged and collared.”

(…No, he says “faithful,” but isn’t calling yourself a “hunting dog” with that smile way too scary!?)

(Far from defanged, the vibe is like he’s about to bite out someone’s throat any second!?)

“There’s an explosive magical device implanted in his neck. So it can be activated if he commits betrayal… only Liese and I know about it.”

(…Eh… what did she just…?)

He’s smiling. Still smiling. Endlessly calm and collected.

(…Sorry, but out of all the character introductions so far, this is the most dangerous one…)

(The moment someone accepts “being in a position where they’re collared and can be blown up while smiling,” they’re already beyond what my values can measure!!)

His smile as he casually said such things was light and airy—bottomless.

(“A hunting dog with an explosive collar” is straight out of a B-grade thriller!?)

(Wait, isn’t this guy actually the scariest of the “looks friendly” types so far!?)

◤The Fifth Eunuch—Chief Medicine & Food Eunuch: Baldur◢

“Hey hey, Master! First, let’s eat! You can’t do a harem on an empty stomach!”

Racing over with a beaming smile was a boy with fluffy blond hair. His big, sparkling eyes and oddly energetic voice instantly lightened the atmosphere.

“Eat lots, sleep well, and when it’s time to get frisky, I’ll give you energy-boosting medicine!”

“Whoa whoa whoa!! Medicine for ‘getting frisky’—what!? That phrasing is already problematic!?”

“I’m Baldur! As Chief Medicine & Food Eunuch, I’m in charge of your meals, medicine, and overall health!”

(So cute… but since he’s a eunuch, that means he’s a guy, right…)

Feeling something off about that innocent smile, Yuuri quietly asked Celine.

“…This kid looks super pure, but… don’t tell me he has a brutal past?”

“Indeed. He’s the son of a cardinal from the Holy Theocracy.”

“What!? A cute boy who says ‘I’ ended up as a eunuch through what route!?”

“Deemed a heretic for forbidden research and castrated. After that, his leg bones were removed and he was exiled to a monster den.”

“Whaaaaat!?!?”

“But rest assured. He created prosthetic bones from monster bones and came back on his own. Amazing, isn’t it? With that same smile intact.”

(That’s not a matter of “amazing”…! Why did this kid get through that hell and come back with only his mood completely unscathed…!)

“Come on, come on, Master! First, tea and rice balls! Love can’t start if your stomach isn’t working!”

(This kid just totally said “love starts from the internal organs,” didn’t he!?)

(What is this smiling disaster. Also, this kid’s definitely the one carrying the biggest bomb…!)

“…Yes, with that, everyone’s introductions are complete. They’re all quite intense, so you must be exhausted?”

(Yeah, my mental HP bar is completely in the red, and I’m the only one…)

(Actually, I feel like every single one was a “final boss candidate” instead of a “side character”…)

At Celine’s words, the eunuchs each bowed quietly and parted to the left and right, opening a path. What lay ahead was a magnificent door with intricate gold and silver filigree.

The crystal embedded in the center glowed faintly. As if to announce, “Welcome to reality.”

Alexius stepped forward and bowed gracefully.

“The flowers of the harem have swollen their buds. Please… lay your hand upon them.”

(Wait… the metaphor is so elegant it’s actually scary!?)

(“Lay your hand upon them”—isn’t that the type that explodes when you pluck it!?)

Celine gently placed her hand on the confused Yuuri’s back. As if softly pushing him forward—yet her hand was warm.

“Beyond this door—everyone awaits your first step, Master. Please proceed at your own pace—slowly, if you wish.”

A little distance away, Lieselotte averted her gaze and muttered quietly.

“…If you’re hesitating, I’ll push your back a little. …Just for now, though.”

At her profile, Yuuri involuntarily looked back. She suddenly loosened her expression—then immediately turned her face away with a huff.

“…I-It’s not that I’m expecting anything. I just hope… it becomes a harem that suits you.”

“Really, Liese is never honest. Hehe… at this rate, the other consorts will get ahead of you, you know?”