I Was Transported to Another World with a Male-to-Female Ratio of 1:3000 and Made into a Breeding Pet for the Demon Lord’s Army - 111

Chapter 111: The Second Exam… Devil’s Whisper Room

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

“So this is the site of the second exam… Another tent?”

I, Mary, was a beastkin of the cat tribe, working at the reception desk of the Demon Realm’s Arcane Library.

One day, as usual, I was spending my time with my best friend Gerbera, dosing ourselves daily with our beloved Ken-chan content. Then we heard about interviews for a chance to work under Luna-sama, and so we came to take part.

“Ow… as I thought, low-level healing magic has its limits.”

The first exam had truly been the epitome of brutality. I had barely managed to hold onto my sanity by sacrificing my arm, but honestly, the thought of being subjected to the same treatment again weighed heavily on me. Being able to resist those temptations was practically a miracle… I fear I might lose control and go half-mad if I were to get subjected to the same torture again. 

“But… I can’t give up. An arm or two can be healed with recovery magic! If it means being in the same space as Ken-chan, I’ll gladly pay that price!”

With that, I steeled myself and stepped into the tent I had been assigned earlier.

“Welcome to the site of the second exam. My name is Arz. You must be Mary-sama, correct?”

“Y-yes.”

Inside the tent stood a fluffy beastkin examiner, holding a binder. From the way her hand moved, the straightness of her back, and her posture, one could feel her dignity and refinement.

“Then, let us begin the exam. Within the time limit, please wash the laundry provided.”

Where the examiner pointed, there was a small tub, some frothy plant-based detergent, and neatly folded laundry.

“Um… All I have to do is wash this?”

“Yes, all you need to do is wash it. In fact, if it ends with just washing, you’ll have passed.”

The examiner gave a meaningful smile with those words, then quietly left as if nothing unusual had happened.

“Hmm… What should I do?”

I carefully examined the pile of laundry before me. This was the most grueling and merciless interview in the world—an entrance test to work in the castle where Ken-chan lived. Surely, such a task could not be as simple as ordinary housework. There had to be some sort of extreme hidden element…

“Could it be that knives are hidden in the laundry, or that the detergent is poison?”

Readying myself to cast magic, I cautiously spread the fabric apart.

Poke, poke…

But nothing lurked there. The detergent had no suspicious smell, and even when I touched it with my skin, there was no sign of irritation—it was all perfectly ordinary.

“Maybe the tolerance test for Ken-chan ended with the first exam, and from here on, it’s purely about household ability?”

That explanation made sense. After all, more than 80% of participants had already dropped out in the first test, meaning the initial screening was plenty effective. Then, what was demanded of the survivors could very well be steady, practical household skills.

“In that case… 【Water】.”

I proceeded with the same magic laundry technique I normally used at home. I wasn’t particularly gifted in housework or cooking, but having lived alone for many years, I was confident I could manage the basics. Besides, recently I had been putting in extra effort and study to make my newlywed life with Ken-chan more comfortable.

“This simple housework, I’ll finish it in no time!”

Pumping myself up, I plunged my hand into the water and infused wind magic through my fingertips.

Splash splash splash…

In the tub of detergent and laundry, a small whirlwind formed, making the clothes rub vigorously against one another. In this way, the dirt was scrubbed away quickly, more gently than by hand, and the garments came out clean—an efficient form of laundry possible only with magic.

I was glad I’d bought the book 【Ken-chan and Lovey-Dovey Newlywed Life♡ Become a Lovely New Bride with These Tips♡】. With this, the second exam seemed like an easy victory.

“Hehehe… Please wait for me, Ken-chan!”

Clack!

“Sorry to interrupt your concentration, but please wash one additional item.”

“O-oh, yes. Understood.”

Just as I was smiling with victory in sight, the examiner returned, holding something sealed carefully in a Ziploc bag.

“This is a precious item, so please wash it thoroughly… Well then.”

As I was prompted to open the bag, what emerged was a small sock. But as I tried to wash it with the rest of the laundry, my hand froze.

“…Ken-chan?”

I felt Ken-chan in this sock. There was no logical reason. My instincts alone screamed that this was his.

Sniff sniff…

“Ughhh!”

The scent filling my nostrils turned that instinct into unshakable certainty. There was no mistake… This belonged to Ken-chan. A sock he had recently worn!

“Why would such a first-class treasure be here… No, wait.”

Thinking calmly, it was obvious. To work where Ken-chan lived meant to touch the things he touched and used. Used socks like these would be commonplace here… In fact, this place itself was paradise!

“A-anyway! I’ll wash it.”

Checking the time remaining, I reached out to place the sock steeped in Ken-chan’s scent into the tub.

“U… ughhh…”

But just short of the water, my arm froze. Was what I was about to do really the right thing?

Even with Ken-chan goods widely available, clothing and used spoons still fetched high prices on the black market—practically premium items. And now, I was about to wash away such a precious relic.

“Haah… haah… haah…”

My heart pounded, sweat pouring from me. The first exam had only demanded endurance. It had been excruciatingly difficult, but with my devotion to Ken-chan, I had endured.

But this was different. Now I was about to desecrate an existing Ken-chan good—an act tantamount to erasure. Such an act was a grave sin.

“Am I…?”

Did I even have the right to destroy a Ken-chan good? Wasn’t preserving it reverently, treasuring it forever, the truer expression of love?

“Someone like me………!!!!!”

＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝

“Hmm… The laundry is properly washed. Since there was no inappropriate behavior such as licking or stealing the socks, you have safely passed the second exam. Congratulations.”

“…Thank you very much.”

“Um…Your eyes look dead. Are you all right?”

“Ugh… I’m dying…”

Stab!

“Hey! Someone! Call a healer right now! Another suicide attempt has happened!”

Incidentally, my friend Gerbera, who also took the second exam, failed after succumbing to the inappropriate act of licking Ken-chan’s used dishes.

＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝

【Reference】

【Second Exam: Devil’s Whisper Room】

Luna… Disqualified. She didn’t know how to do laundry in the first place and ended up scattering the clothes everywhere.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー