Drifted Into a Reversed World ~ The One Method for Me, a Japanese Guy, to Survive in a World Where Men and Fertility Are Scarce ~ - 35

Chapter 35: Dawn in the Royal Capital

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…The next morning.

Sota sat up sluggishly from his bed. He woke up feeling terribly out of sorts this morning. The dull ache throbbing in his head felt remarkably like a hangover. His body also felt strangely heavy and lethargic.

“Ugh… I feel like crap…”

He had absolutely no memory of anything from the time he ate dinner with Elraine last night until now. It was easy to conclude that the alcohol must have hit him harder than expected, but he worried that he might have committed some kind of blunder in front of Elraine. He had a vague feeling that he’d been having an erotic dream about her, but even that memory was hazy.

He added “apologize to Elraine” to the mental checklist in his head.

Sota climbed out of bed wearily, quickly changed out of his sleepwear, and gulped down some water from a pitcher. He felt the design of the pajamas was slightly different from what he had been wearing last night, but to him, plagued by a headache, it was a trivial matter. Scratching his belly, he opened the glass doors to the balcony where the morning sun was pouring in with sleepy eyes. A cool, gentle breeze swept through the room, fluttering the high-quality curtains.

As he stepped out onto the balcony, squinting against the sunlight, Sota’s eyes gradually widened and his drowsiness faded away.

“Whoa…”

The view from the balcony, located near the very top floor of the massive castle, was breathtaking. He could see a garden blooming with colorful flowers far below at the castle’s feet, and beyond the main gate, the castle town flourished in a fan-like shape along the highway. The activities of the people starting their morning were visible even from a distance; he could already catch glimpses of a fantasy lifestyle unique to another world.

There was a show featuring a trained dragon and a group of mercenaries carrying swords and spears. In the narrow canals that ran through the city like veins—likely serving as transportation—strange sea creatures he had never seen before were towing small boats filled with people. Sota’s heart raced at the sight of this otherworldly landscape, something he could never see in modern-day Tokyo.

(This is it. An isekai has to be like this.)

He wanted to go down into that town. He wanted to walk around and see it all. With eyes like a child visiting a theme park from the countryside, Sota gazed at the scenery below. This was the first morning since coming to this world that his heart had pounded with such excitement.

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“E-excuse me. I have brought your meal.”

It was a restless morning time with no particular schedule. Since wandering around on his own seemed unwise, he spent some time relaxing in his room until there was a knock at the door. The high-pitched voice sounded nervous and didn’t belong to anyone Sota knew.

“Yes, who is it…?”

His eyes went wide. When Sota opened the door, he found a crowd of young maids standing there, accompanied by several wagons.

(Wow, real maids… or rather, authentic ones?)

He was slightly overwhelmed by the sheer number of them, wondering what was going on. There were thirteen of them in total. Their ages varied. The youngest looked to be in early elementary school, while the oldest was perhaps in her late teens at most. Either way, to a college student like Sota, they were all youthful and fresh.

They all had their hair cut short or tied back for ease of movement, and the silhouettes of their maid uniforms covered their skin thoroughly. There wasn’t a hint of the “moe” aesthetic one might find in Akihabara. They felt like functional uniforms tailored strictly for work. Seeing these original-style maids, unaffected by “Cool Japan,” gave Sota a genuine sense of being in another world.

…However, the moment the small squad of maids saw Sota’s face, they all froze simultaneously, eyes wide with shock.

“Um…?”

It was honestly a bit creepy to have this many people visit him only to receive no reaction whatsoever. When Sota gave a stiff smile, the maids’ faces all erupted into a bright crimson at once.

…The truth was, these maids had gathered here with ulterior motives. Word had spread that a man had entered the castle last night. A young, fertile man, at that. Having heard these rumors, they had crowded here out of a desperate desire to catch even a single glimpse of him. That was the reason the maids were swarming more than necessary, and the “man” who stepped out of the room was far more attractive than they had imagined.

“E-e-excuse me! I mean, I’m so sorry, excuse me! We are here to bring the food now!”

“I appreciate it, but surely all those wagons aren’t for me, right?”

“We made everything from scratch to make sure we found something you like!”

“Wait, what…?”

The young maids took turns responding eagerly, each desperate for Sota to notice them. There were one, two, three large wagons. And atop them were heaps of salads, bread, and even steaks. Looking at that much food this early in the morning already made him feel a bit nauseous. Besides, serving a meal didn’t require this many people.

Sota softened his tone, trying his best not to let his confusion show to the young maids.

“Thank you. But I can’t possibly eat all of this. Is it okay if I just take the portions I want?”

“…! O-of course!!”

The maids got excited at every single word Sota spoke. It felt exactly like the atmosphere of a prank show where an idol visits an all-girls school.

“Hey! What do you think you’re all doing!”

A thick, feminine voice thundered from the hallway. The maid squad’s shoulders all jumped in unison, their expressions changing as if they had been spotted by a demon. Some turned pale, some clicked their tongues, some panicked, and some looked ready to cry as a stout, middle-aged maid came stomping toward them with long strides.

The term “Head Maid” immediately came to Sota’s mind.

“Don’t go getting all flighty just because a man came to the castle! Bringing in this much food—do you intend to turn the Master into a cow or a pig?! Besides, I told you time and again that I would be the one to deliver his meals!!”

“W-we’re sorr—Gyah!”

The woman who appeared to be the Head Maid punctuated her words by dropping a massive fist onto the head of each maid in the squad. The dull thuds made the impact painfully clear. Even Sota, who hadn’t been hit, found himself rubbing the top of his own head in sympathy.

“I am terribly sorry for my maids’ behavior! Once these girls learned a gentleman was in the guest room, they couldn’t sit still since last night…! I warned them strictly again and again, but due to my lack of supervision, they have shown you such a pathetic display…!”

The large Head Maid turned to Sota and apologized profusely with all her heart. Unlike her fierce tone from a moment ago, the core of her voice was weak and tinged with despair. Well, in this kingdom where men were treated like apostles of God, this was a natural reaction. Considering her inner turmoil, he could only feel sympathy for her.

“No, I didn’t find it unpleasant at all, so please don’t worry about it.”

“Eh?”

“A man like me must be a rare sight, right? They’re still just children, so please forgive them for my sake.”

“Oh… thank you! Thank you so much! From now on, I will make sure these girls act with more moderation…! Come on, you all apologize too—wait, why are you all turning bright red?!”

Thanks to Sota’s kindhearted response, the girls—who had no immunity to men—were already completely smitten. Even factoring in the punishment from the Head Maid, Sota’s gentle words were more precious than anything to these maid girls who had conspired together just to exchange a single word or see a young man’s face.

“Ehehe, ehehe, ehehehe.”

Seeing them look at each other and giggle dopily was quite innocent, and Sota found it heartwarming. However, fists rained down mercilessly to punish them.

“Stop slacking off! Once the food is set, scatter! Don’t show the Master any more of your unsightly behavior!!”

It was a very noisy start to his first morning in the royal castle.

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