Drifted Into a Reversed World ~ The One Method for Me, a Japanese Guy, to Survive in a World Where Men and Fertility Are Scarce ~ - 36

Chapter 36: To Live in This World

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“I ate a bit too much…”

In his previous life, Sota had often skipped breakfast. However, this morning, he had felt hesitant to refuse the food since the young maids had worked so hard to make it, and he had ended up piling his plate high in a fit of enthusiasm. It was his first time ever having steak for breakfast.

“Are you alright? You may cancel your plans and rest in your room, or I could go fetch some pills from the apothecary…”

The Head Maid, who was leading the way down the hallway, looked back with a worried expression. Sota shook his head in response.

Incidentally, his “plans” consisted of heading to Queen Mamula’s private chambers, which wasn’t such a grand affair. He wanted to ask about a wide range of issues: the idea of working that he had considered last night, how he should behave and spend his time in the kingdom from now on, housing, and Firis’s childbirth.

While he felt a bit hesitant to casually ask someone in the position of a Queen about personal matters, he had a meeting scheduled today anyway, so he wanted to take the opportunity to ask various things.

“I’m perfectly fine. I didn’t eat so much that I’d feel ill. When I think about how it was made specifically for me, I just end up overeating.”

“Such consideration is truly more than those girls deserve. Oh, how kind you are…”

The Head Maid seemed deeply moved, with small tears even appearing at the corners of her eyes. Sota thought that while she was strict, she was fundamentally a kind person. Remembering his mother’s face back in Tokyo, he felt a significant pang of nostalgia.

However, the women of the Kingdom of Vedna had no immunity to kindness from men. Every time he interacted with women who showed him such exaggerated gratitude and respect, Sota felt like he might mistakenly start believing he had become someone important.

(If I stay in this world, I feel like I’m going to turn into a useless person…)

Sota firmly resolved once again to keep his wits about him.

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“Your Majesty. I have brought Sota Akitsuki-sama.”

After passing through a long corridor, the Head Maid stopped in front of a certain room and knocked respectfully. It seemed they had reached Mamula’s room. Her voice replied from within with a “Come in.” The Head Maid bowed, said “Excuse me,” opened the door, and urged Sota to enter.

“Thank you.”

Sota offered a brief word of thanks to the Head Maid, then stepped through the doorway and inside.

“Good morning, Sota-sama.”

“Good morning, Your Majesty.”

It was a vast, large room. The room Sota had stayed in since last night was quite spacious, but this one was slightly larger.

…And yet, he couldn’t help but feel it was a bit cramped. This was because all the furniture in the room was custom-made to fit Mamula’s size, which easily exceeded two meters, and every piece was massive to Sota. For instance, the single-seat sofa was so large and wide that a small adult woman could probably use it as a bed.

A peculiar sensation welled up inside Sota, as if he had stepped into a hands-on exhibit in Alice in Wonderland.

“Were you able to sleep last night?”

Mamula sat in a chair at the far end of the room and smiled. In front of her on the desk lay parchments covered in writings regarding affairs of state. Perhaps she needed them for reading, as Mamula wore an elegant monocle over her left eye.

Sota gave a bright smile and said, “Yes, thanks to you. I have no words to express my gratitude for the warm meals and for letting me use such a spacious private room.”

“I am glad to hear that it met your approval.”

Mamula returned the smile. She removed her monocle, stood up slowly, and led him to a long table set up for conversation, saying, “Please, this way.” As always, the sight of the giant Mamula rising from her chair was a spectacle. Sota felt a chill of anxiety, wondering if her head might hit the chandelier above.

Following her lead, Sota sat down in a regular-sized chair. Mamula sat down with a heavy thud on the opposite side, and a maid appeared out of nowhere to place cups filled with black tea in front of them.

“Do you take sugar?”

At Mamula’s question, Sota shook his head. He preferred to drink his tea straight.

“Your Majesty. What should I do from now on? I came here today to consult you about that.”

He didn’t mince words. Sota immediately cut to the main point.

“What do you mean by ‘what should you do’?”

“I have no family here, and I have no memories. I don’t know what someone like me, who isn’t even from this country, should do to live here.”

“Sota-sama, you are carrying a great deal of anxiety, aren’t you?”

“Yes… Since I met Firis-san, I’ve done nothing but receive protection…”

“First, please reveal the anxieties you are harboring to me.”

Mamula’s tone was overflowing with kindness. Sota nodded like a child and began to reveal his questions and worries one by one.

First, things concerning Firis. Child-rearing after birth and matters regarding marriage with her. Along with that, his desire to do some kind of work. His wish to earn money for himself. While he was being allowed to use a room in the castle now, he asked about the time limit for its use and housing issues once he moved out. Whether registration for a family census was necessary, and what kind of lives the men of this country led… and so on.

Sota threw various questions, both large and small, at Mamula. Mamula dropped one, two, three… a total of eight sugar cubes into her cup, then poured in plenty of milk and honey. While stirring it vigorously with a spoon, she listened intently to Sota’s story, nodding along. She made an effort to be the listener, not interrupting so that Sota could vent all his anxieties.

…About ten minutes passed. By the time Mamula’s tea cup was empty and the maid began pouring a second cup, Sota had finished venting all his worries and questions.

After a brief pause, as if swallowing his words, Mamula smiled and gave a firm nod.

“Sota-sama, I understand your anxieties well.”

“…Yes.”

“The questions you’ve shared are very unique and full of compassion. I was moved, as they all stem from your wonderful character.”

“Eh…”

“Sota-sama, to speak plainly, you ‘don’t have to do anything.'”

“Nothing…?”

“Yes.”

Mamula smiled warmly.

“Everything for a male will be guaranteed by this country. This includes everything related to food, clothing, and shelter. You will never be conscripted, and regarding medical care, you will receive the highest priority and the most advanced treatment.”

“Everything…”

“There is not a single male working in this country. All the suffering that must be borne as a human is undertaken by women. For that is the mission of every woman living in this kingdom.”

“But, a child was conceived between me and Firis-san, so, um, I have to get married.”

“I am sorry. I simply… do not know of this ‘marriage’ you speak of.”

“Does the system of marriage not exist in this country…?”

“I have never heard of a system by that name in any country…”

Mamula said, her brow furrowing in a troubled manner. Marriage did not exist in this world. There was no system in this country to make a loving couple a family.

This was perfectly natural given the background of this world. In the face of the imperative to leave descendants, a system like marriage, which created barriers between men and women, was nothing but an extra burden. With a male birth rate of one in a thousand, it was only natural to avoid any system where a specific woman could monopolize a man. This was likely also due to the fact that, up until about three hundred years ago when the kingdom flourished, male-exploitative ideologies like those of the Empire were common.

In the first place, cases where a woman steeped in carnal desire and a man who loathed women truly loved each other were few and far between in this world.

“Naturally, women also undertake everything from childbirth to child-rearing. To ask a male to bear such a burden would be an unthinkable impertinence.”

“B-but then…”

“Please rest assured, Sota-sama. There is only one thing we ask of a male in this country.”

Mamula said this and brought her tea cup to her lips.

“Periodically plant your seed in the wombs of women we select here. If you can guarantee only this, we will provide for your every need.”

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