My Third Life Is in the Future World! After Being Betrayed and Losing His Memory, the Former Hero Begins Sweet School Days in a World with a 1:50 Male-to-Female Ratio - 12

Chapter 12: Partner System

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“Before I forget, let’s settle the payment. Now, your card, please.”

Card?

“Which card are you talking about?”

My memory is definitely jumbled.

Not knowing which one, I showed Maria-san something that seemed likely.

“As a student, this security card is the one! I’ll pay the 1.5 million wen you won at the auction.”

With that, Maria-san took her card from her bag and placed it over mine.

A beep sounded from the card, and my card’s screen displayed 『1.5 million wen deposited』.

“What’s 1.5 million wen worth?”

“Well, it’s enough to buy a reasonably priced new car. So, how would you like to spend this hour with me? With such a small sum, I guess we’re just talking, right?”

She said this while lowering her eyes. I felt awful for making her spend that much.

“It feels wrong to limit it to just one hour, so let’s extend the time. If you don’t mind staying up, maybe three hours. If it’s okay to sleep together, we could go until morning too.”

“What? You’d give me that much time? Then how much more should I pay…”

“No more money. I just want to spend time with you, Maria-san. That’s all.”

Royal blood really was incredible. She had sparkling blonde hair, translucent white skin accompanied by a slim waist yet ample chest. She was like a princess straight out of a story I’d seen long ago.

“Are you sure? When you said sleeping together, you mean spending the night side by side, correct?”

“Yes… In exchange, can we talk a lot? My memory is a bit jumbled, and I’d like you to teach me things.”

Asking the other students at this school without them looking at me weirdly or being shocked was hard, so this opportunity was perfect for me.

“I wanted to talk anyway, so that’s fine. What should we start with?”

“Well, Maria-san, you’re like a princess from a royal bloodline, right? Don’t men usually flock to you?”

“Oh my, your memory really is jumbled. I am indeed of the Francisco dynasty, and in another era, I’d be a princess. But during World War III, the Francisco Kingdom sided with the losers… As a result, the victors divided and ruled it, and the country ceased to exist.”

“That must’ve been tough.”

“Not really. Even after the country dissolved, the royal family and nobles received some wealth, so they started businesses with it. That’s how the Antoinette family exists now… So, I’m a businesswoman distantly related to royalty. That’s my title.”

– noble-blooded businesswoman. Normally, even with the gender imbalance, you’d think she’d be popular…

“So, in that situation, don’t men…”

“I’m not popular. You seem confused, Ceres-sama, but men are overwhelmingly scarce. And those few men dislike women, so there’s no way I’d be popular. Even on the ‘Men’s Exclusive Channel,’ opportunities like this are rare. I’ve heard many men only listen to talk for money. That channel is an auction, so prices soar, often to 10 million wen, and even then, most don’t get sold.”

A stunning beauty like Maria-san is not popular?

I tried not to think about it, but this was so different from my sense of normal.

“Even a beauty like Maria-san…”

“I’m confident in my looks, and women call me beautiful, but to men, beauty doesn’t matter… Wait, did you just say ‘beauty’?”

“I did. You’re incredibly beautiful, Maria-san.”

A noble-blooded beauty blushing and smiling just from a compliment. What an unbelievable sight…

“Well… It’s hard to say to a minor like you, Ceres-sama, but you don’t want to embrace me or, say, have me as the low-ranking member of your future harem, do you?”

Me? Don’t want to embrace her? No way… But first, what’s a “harem”?

“What’s a harem?”

“A harem is a harem. Oh, your memory is jumbled. It varies by region, but the government’s ideal is for men to take at least three partners between ages 19 and 24. You called me beautiful, so I thought… Maybe I could be one in the harem you’ll build.”

“Not marriage, but partners?”

“Oh, you’re talking about something old-fashioned. When the gender ratio was about 1:5, the marriage system collapsed. Men can monopolize women, but women can’t monopolize men. That’s why the ‘partner system’ was created. The government’s guideline is for men to form a harem with at least three women. There’s no penalty, but if you don’t choose partners, the government arranges or urges you to meet someone… Though, since most men dislike women, many just register three women nominally and never see them again.”

“A harem they don’t meet… Do women still want to be part of that?”

“I wouldn’t, but some women dream of ‘belonging to someone,’ even if it’s just in name. I’ve heard some even buy their way into that role.”

It sounded heavily skewed in favor of men, like women generally wouldn’t refuse if chosen, almost like “first come, first served.” I still had three years to go, but maybe I should act sooner.

“Thank you for teaching me so much.”

“It’s nothing… So, what now?”

“How about we shower and then sleep?”

“A shower?”

“Do you want to shower together?”

“What!? Is that okay?”

“I mean, I’m the one inviting you…”

“I’ll join! Please let me!”

A beauty like her was looking so thrilled just to shower together with me. I knew this was normal here, but deep down, I still found this sight hard to believe.

“Let’s go, then.”

I quickly stripped and headed to the unit bathroom. When Maria-san shed her dress, I was shocked by her unexpectedly large chest. She must be the type who looked slimmer in clothes.  Her flawless, translucent skin, golden hair, and blue eyes made her seem less human and more like a doll—no, a work of art.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, nothing… It’s just… You’re incredibly beautiful.”

“My, I’m flattered.”

I thought I had started getting used to this, but my face was still turning red.

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We showered together and stepped out. Now, we were drying off with bath towels. Maria-san was about to put on lace panties, but I reached out and tugged them away.

“Maria-san, you don’t need those.”

“What!?”

“You don’t need to wear them… We’re doing it, right?”

“Uh…”

She seemed hesitant.

“Don’t you want to have sex with me?”

Her face lit up instantly.

“Of course I do!”

With that, Maria-san clung to me. Her beautiful body was in full view.

“Haa, haa, I can’t hold back! Ungh, haa, haa.”

She kissed me deeply and entwined her tongue with mine.

“Maria-san, I’m not going anywhere, and the night’s long, so let’s take it slow and go to bed.”

I scooped Maria-san up in a princess carry.

“Ah, it’s like a dream…”

Blushing, she wrapped her arms around my neck as I held her tightly and carried her to the bed.

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