(Chastity Reversed) The Legitimate Wife War: How I, a Harem-Hater, Ended Up Creating an Ultra-Eccentric Harem with a Villainess, a Sadistic Beauty Teacher, a Scheming Classmate... etc.

Maybe coming here was partly to confirm that.

I don’t know how she found out, but… then.

Hmm, I think and mutter quietly so only mother can hear.

“It’s awkward to say directly, but… well, if I said we shared a bed, would you understand?”

In the literal sense.

I’m definitely not lying. We just slept in the same futon, or rather she pushed me down. We were together, for a moment.

Just what she misunderstood, Karen-san nods with joy overflowing.

“A-ah!! Is that so!! That’s wonderful… ah, really wonderful. So it was just a small misunderstanding.”

This also seems genuinely happy.

“A small misunderstanding… you say?”

So she knew I hadn’t embraced her until coming here?

But this person didn’t see it directly?

Hmm, here and there, I sense someone’s shadow.

It feels like she’s hearing information from someone.

“Yes, I heard that your relationship wasn’t going very well… a-ah, more than that, what was the story you wanted to tell?”

I would have liked her to tell me who she heard it from.

She didn’t reveal that much, seems like she noticed partway through.

While saying “excuse me for a moment,” Karen-san fiddles with her smartphone.

Well, I thought she’d react like that.

It’s just that important to contact that person.

But I don’t understand why that connects to her husband coming back… she knows he’s already passed away.

…Could it be… no, but.

“Sorry for interrupting. So, what’s the story?”

Different from before, she’s showing a gentle smile.

I temporarily dismiss the thought that came to mind.

“No, I was wondering how Karen-san knew about this place. We also had trouble meeting with Mizuri-san.”

I subtly ask how she found us.

Karen-san, while maintaining her smile:

“Because I’m her parent, I understand.”

She said this as if it were natural, as if it were obvious.

Because she’s a parent… I see.

“Is that so. Speaking of which, I mentioned earlier that I shared a bed with Mizuri-san…”

“Yes, I heard.”

“At that time I saw what looked like traces of abuse by someone. Do you know who did that? I was thinking maybe we should report it to the police depending on the situation.”

“Ah, about the injuries?”

Without looking surprised, Karen-san spoke matter-of-factly.

“That’s discipline, so you don’t need to involve the police. This is a family matter.”

Without showing any guilt, just one word.

“…Discipline… you say?”

“Yes, when you do bad things, you get scolded. Isn’t that natural? So it can’t be helped. Yes, it can’t be helped.”

Like some kind of incantation.

Karen-san mutters this.

“Come on, Mizuri… let’s go home. Let’s go home and talk, shall we?”

“What kind of talk will you have? More discipline?”

“It’s awkward to talk about family matters, but Takeda-kun is a fiancé after all. Yes, that’s right. Being out so late at night… and making your fiancé worry is wrong, isn’t it? Besides, she didn’t even contact me, so I need to discipline her properly, right? I’m sending her to marry into another family, so I’ll educate her properly in that regard.”

I need to discipline her properly?

What’s that?

Why does it turn out that way?

“Ah, when you marry her, you should also discipline this child to your liking. I want you to cherish her for life that way.”

Karen-san’s eyes were dark as she spoke.

The hypothesis I formed earlier becomes more realistic.

…Now I understand. This person is already broken.

She can hold conversations, seems like a normal person.

But somewhere in her heart is broken—she had such eyes. No light in her eyes.

That’s exactly why I can’t let Tachibana-san go with her here.

I’d reached my limit of patience. I know I shouldn’t be the one to speak up.

Really, it should be Tachibana-san who resolves to take a step forward. For her to move forward, it would be better to break the curse herself.

Because Tachibana-san said so earlier. But this is too terrible.

Akaumi-san probably felt the same way, during those two weeks of endurance. But actually seeing her being scolded by her father, she thought she had to do something.

She just did what she could.

Ah, I understand. I probably would have done the same thing.

The only difference is whether you have someone to rely on or not.

So I’ll speak here.

Having made that decision, I was about to speak up, but someone else spoke first.

“…I”

Tachibana-san’s voice resonated.

Faint, but strangely clear.

Slowly.

She comes out from behind Aoyama-san and walks forward. Aoyama-san follows with a surprised face.

Tachibana-san doesn’t stop next to me but steps one more step forward from me to stare at Karen-san.

“Mizuri… come on, let’s go.”