In This World That Favors Men, I... ~Starting a Sweet School Life in a World With a 1:8 Gender Ratio~ - 62

Chapter 62: Meanwhile, the Girls…

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In a certain someone’s house living room. A young girl stood in front of a full-length mirror, wearing a serious expression as she practiced introducing herself.

“My name is Yuuko Kobayakawa. My special skills are cooking and baking. I was a member of the cooking club throughout middle and high school, and last year, I even served as club president. I will continue to hone my skills and strive to improve my cooking so that I can provide delicious meals for Yuusei-san.”

“You messed up your line.”

“Shut up. I’m taking this seriously. Don’t make fun of me.”

“Sorryyy. But seriously, how many times is this now? No, how many dozens of times? Try being on the receiving end of the same speech over and over.”

“Don’t complain! You said you’d help me so that I can find happiness!”

“Yeah, I said that because this is something that my future self a few years from now will go through. But come on. Onee-chan, you’re still stuck on the introduction part? Shouldn’t you move on to the next step already?”

“But first impressions are crucial! I don’t have the kind of big boobs Kyoko has. I don’t have the kind of brains Shizu has. I have no choice but to emphasize my cooking skills.”

“Boobs aside, brains? C’mon, Onee-chan, you’re in Eika Academy’s elite A-class. That’s impressive enough if you ask me.”

“…By sacrificing my sleep and cramming like crazy, yeah. I might not lose when it comes to perseverance, but Shizu is on another level. She entered at the top of the class and has kept that rank effortlessly. She even turned down a special scholarship from Raitei Girls Academy to come here.”

“Whoa, that’s insane. You mean that Raitei Girls? The super-elite medical prep school? Why on earth would she turn down a scholarship there?”

“Obviously because she didn’t want to go to an all-girls’ school.”

“Yeah, figures. And then she went on to win over the best-looking guy in our grade. Yeah, she’s one hell of a rival.”

“Right? And Kyoko is just as tough a competitor.”

“Because of her boobs? I can’t judge without seeing them. Got a picture?”

“I do. Here, take a look.”

“…Whoa! Seriously? That’s not just big… That’s massive! And her waist is ridiculously slim. Unreal. What is this body? And she’s rocking that skimpy swimsuit like it’s nothing. Is this really natural? Not through plastic surgery or something?”

“It’s natural. I’ve touched them myself, so I can vouch for it. That’s what makes Kyoko so terrifying.”

“…Onee-chan, I respect you even more now. You really worked hard. To be chosen alongside the top academic genius—who might even be the best in the country—and this natural-born bombshell? That’s incredible.”

“So you finally understand my struggle? Takeda-kun is an incredibly kind person, so he said he’s happy with someone like me. But that doesn’t mean his mother will feel the same way. In fact, she’ll definitely compare me to the other two.”

“Ah, the esteemed Inrou-sama, huh? I see. Just because her son is kind doesn’t mean she will be too.”

“Exactly. And on top of that, the Takeda family has a Small Inrou-sama as well.”

“…That’s rough. Alright, I get it. I’ll help you all the way. Let’s keep practicing so Onee-chan can level up her charm, even just a little.”

“Thank you! I’m so lucky to have a little sister who’s so supportive. Alright, let’s start from the beginning again!”

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Yuuko Kobayakawa, Kyoko Arima, and Shizu Takahashi. While Yuusei was away on a planned ski trip, the three of them were summoned by Yuusei’s mother and made their way to the Takeda household.

This was the era of commuter marriage—a system where married couples didn’t necessarily live together. Even if a wife didn’t have to live with her mother-in-law, that didn’t mean she was completely free from her influence. If the mother-in-law disapproved of her, her words alone could be enough to make the husband stop visiting his wife altogether. That was always a possibility.

And when a woman entered a relationship with a man—especially if he was still a minor—there was an inevitable hurdle she had to clear. A tradition commonly known as the Inrou Trial. This was a formal event where the mother-in-law and prospective bride met for the first time, facing each other with the man between them. It was notorious for being an intense, pressure-filled “interview” where the mother-in-law could say whatever she pleased to test the bride.

By the way, the name inrou(印籠=いんろう)came from the English term for mother-in-law.

Mother-in-law.

The “in-law” part, when spoken aloud, sounded similar to inrou in Japanese and because this process held as much weight and authority as the infamous seal of an old feudal lord, it became known as the Inrou Trial.

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“Nice to meet you all. I am Yuko Takeda, Yuusei’s mother. This here is Yuusei’s younger sister, Yui. I have heard about all of you from Yuusei. However, Yuusei knows nothing about this gathering.”

While Yuusei was away, the three women who had decided to pursue a relationship with him visited his home. Yuusei had not been informed of this meeting. Given his personality, if he had known, he would have insisted on being present. However, that would have defeated the purpose of this ritual. The purpose of this gathering was to have an open and honest discussion among women before officially beginning a relationship with Yuusei under the premise of engagement.

That was the official reason. In reality, it was meant to pressure the prospective brides and make them reveal any weaknesses through an intense interview.

“Now, I’d like each of you to introduce yourselves one by one. Please state your name and, if you have any strong points, feel free to mention them as well. Let’s start with you.”

“Y-Yes! I-I’m Yuuko Kobayakawa. My hobby is cooking, which is also a practical skill I’m good at.”

Caught off guard, Yuuko panicked, forgetting all the practice she had done beforehand.

“I see. Yuusei is quite the foodie, so that’s a wonderful skill to have. However, being able to cook delicious meals should be a given. Do you have any other appealing qualities?”

“Uh, um… Sincerity, perhaps…?”

“Facing your future husband with sincerity should also be a given. Next person.”

“I am Kyoko Arima. I am confident in my ability to get along well with other women.”

It seemed that Kyoko was improvising her answer.

“That’s all? It would be a problem if wives were constantly fighting, so that’s also a given. You have quite an impressive bust. Wouldn’t that be one of your appeal points?”

“I-I make sure to maintain my figure. I always strive to be an attractive woman.”

“Ah, youth… Give it twenty years, and it’ll all sag. It’ll just be a source of shoulder pain. Well, moving on. Next.”

“I am Shizu Takahashi. I plan to become a doctor so that I can support Yuusei-san both physically and emotionally.”

Being the third to speak, Shizu seemed relatively composed as she answered politely and concisely.

“A doctor? I hear medical studies are extremely demanding. Even as a student, you have early morning clinical training and late-night returns, correct? Once you enter the workforce, you’ll have night shifts, weekend duties, and endless overtime. Isn’t that right?”

“Yes. That reality cannot be denied. However, by choosing my work schedule carefully and managing my time—”

“You aim to be a doctor, a profession known for having the lowest marriage rates, yet you also want to prioritize family? That seems contradictory. Don’t you think you’re being a bit too greedy? Do you truly believe you can balance both work and family?”

“W-Well, I will coordinate with the other women and make sure I do my best not to become a burden to Yuusei-san.”

“Do your best, huh… It’s easy to say, but actually doing it is another matter entirely. The same goes for the rest of you. It’s time to discard any vague, idealistic fantasies. The economy of this country is driven by women. Every industry relies on them—welfare, medicine, everything. Women must become cogs in society, earn money, build households, and raise children.”

At this point, Yuko’s tone softened slightly. Her approach shifted from interrogating them to advising them.

“…And while doing all that, you must also make every effort to keep fickle men from straying. It is far more difficult than you can imagine. That is why I want all of you to be prepared for it now, so that you won’t falter or give up halfway. After all, you are the ones Yuusei has chosen.”

Yuko looked each of them in the eye, urging them to make their resolve.

“I… I may not have much going for me besides my cooking, but I love Takeda-kun. I love him so much, and I will do everything in my power to make him happy. Because that is my happiness.”

“I see. I support you.”

“I will work to maintain harmony among the women, to listen to their concerns and be someone they can confide in. And before problems arise, I will address their causes so that the women who love Takeda-kun can all be as happy as possible.”

“I see. You need to work hard toward that goal.”

“I… will not change my decision to become a doctor. There will likely be times when I inconvenience others, but I will no longer act selfishly. I will rely on the support of these women walking this path with me, and I will never forget to be grateful for them. It’s a bit much to ask, but… Would you two be willing to support me?”

“Of course.”

“Of course. We’re rivals, but before that, we’re friends, right?”

“T-Thank you.”

At that moment, the three of them were overwhelmed with emotion, nearly bursting into tears.

“Seeing how close the three of you are, I’m sure your future will be full of thorns, but I can also see you three won’t let that discourage you either.”

“Yeah, yeah. It’s great to see you all getting along. So, can we move on to the second part now?”

Yui, who had been listening quietly, suddenly changed the subject.

“Yui. Read the room a little, will you? Everyone is having a touching moment right now.”

“Ehehe, sorry, sorry. But Mom, you’re reaching your limit too, aren’t you? Keeping up this mean act?”

“You’re right. I tried my best after reading ‘Essential! Inrou Manual,’ but this kind of intense interview just isn’t my style. I don’t think I did it very well anyway… Let’s wrap the first section up.”

“Okay! Then, I’ll take over as host now.”

The three women stared in confusion at the mother-daughter conversation.

“It’s over? The interview is really over?”

There was no way the infamous Inrou Trial could end this easily. They had never heard of such a thing. Their faces were filled with bewilderment.

“Yes. But now, we begin the second part. From here on, you will learn how to cook Onii-chan’s favorite dishes. You might already know, but Onii-chan is a huge foodie and Onii-chan shed tears when he ate Mom’s cooking.  Do you understand what that means?”

The only time Yuusei had ever cried while eating his mother’s food was when he first arrived in this world, and even then, it was just once. Yet, it had been revealed without his knowledge. Poor Yuusei.

“P-Please teach me! I want to learn that ultimate dish!”

At the mention of cooking, Yuuko clenched her fists. She was full of enthusiasm.

“Bzzzt! ‘Ultimate dish’ is incorrect. Onii-chan likes simple meals, the kind you’d find on a children’s plate. But they require a few tricks and techniques. That’s the key.”

“That’s right. No special ingredients are needed. Yuuko-san, since you’re skilled at cooking, you’ll master it in no time. I’m sure you’ll be able to make it for him someday.”

“Yes! I’ll work hard to replicate it perfectly! Please teach me everything!”

“Yuuko-san, don’t get too fired up! The third part is making pudding with me, so don’t burn yourself out before then!”

Thus, the three future brides, their future mother-in-law, and their future sister-in-law began cooking together in high spirits. It seemed that Yuusei would never have to worry about going hungry in the future.

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