(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.

“Welcome to my hometown.”

I spread my arms to express my welcome. Well, even though I tried saying it grandiosely…

“…There really is nothing here, huh~”

If you looked around, there were just mountains. There were hardly any private houses nearby. Even if there were, they were just faintly visible quite far away.

I lived here until just about half a year ago, but man, I really did live here. Isn’t it way too inconvenient?

I guess this means I’ve been tainted by the city.

“Since we get a signal even in a place like this, Japanese civilization is truly amazing, isn’t it?”

“You say ‘a place like this,’ but I actually quite like it. Being able to feel this kind of nostalgic scenery.”

“You put a nice spin on it. Basically, even though we’re supposed to be in Kanto, it’s rural enough to be called ‘nostalgic scenery,’ right?”

“Fufu.”

Ah, she laughed to gloss over it. Or rather, even the way she glosses over things is becoming similar to mine.

“However, just hypothetically… even if one were to let out a loud voice or something, it seems there would be no problem at all. And it looks like one could go for a walk without any hesitation.”

Rio-san spoke with a slightly entranced expression.

Um, that “walk” refers to a normal walk, right? Can’t you do a normal walk without hesitation anyway? What kind of walk requires worrying about people’s eyes? A walk where you worry about loud voices is… ah, as I thought.

“Of course, together with Master.”

Let’s stop. I shouldn’t touch on this matter any further. I’ve realized something from interacting with Rio-san: what’s important is the power of density. The courage to not notice!

And here I was rethinking my opinion of her earlier, sigh.

“I like that part of you, how you properly react with kindness despite saying that.”

“Wha—?!”

“Is something the matter?”

“What do you mean ‘is something the matter’… didn’t you just say you like me?”

“Yes, I said it, you know?”

Rio-san affirmed it as if it were nothing. Huh? Was she always like that? Was she the type to say it so normally?

“Being treated roughly by Master, you accepting me despite everything, being looked at with scornful eyes, and even the way you look dejected after scolding me in the classroom—all of it is precious. And that look you give me when we return home, like you’re looking at something disappointing. It’s irresistible. How should I put it… yes… it hits me right in the womb.”

I don’t know why, but a wave of fear just hit me.

That is definitely nothing good. There was something like that in a drama about affairs, wasn’t there? Like loving with the womb, or something.

It feels like something that would cause a massive flaming online.

We left the car, and after five minutes. The two-story house, which showed its age, was just as it was back then. As I entered the house, thinking I’d probably have to start by cleaning…

“…Huh?”

It was surprisingly clean. There was very little dust, and despite the air not having been cycled, it didn’t have that peculiar smell.

“It’s surprisingly clean.”

While feeling a sense of incongruity, I forced myself to accept that maybe it wouldn’t get that dirty since I lived here until half a year ago. Though I thought at least a thin layer of dust would have accumulated.

“I was worried about that too. But then I heard that Kazari-san apparently maintains it about once a month. Saying that this is Master’s sanctuary.”

Kazari-san was doing that? Even though she’s usually so busy. Kazari-san’s sincerity warmed my heart.

I’ll thank her again next time. I’m sure she’ll just say something sarcastic, though.

A sanctuary… huh. My sanctuary is this house, but perhaps it’s also…

“Pardon the intrusion.”

“Go ahead—though there’s nothing here.”

Fortunately, there was a teapot for tea in the house. I boiled some water and brewed it for her.

“It’s just coarse tea, but…”

“Thank you for your politeness.”

The two of us sipped our tea. I looked around the inside of the house, but there was almost nothing in it. Only the bare minimum remained.

“…It was unexpected. To think that the house Master used to live in still remains.”

“Ah, you mean you thought I sold it?”

“Yes,” she nodded, looking a little pained.

“Since I heard that you and your family were struggling to come up with the treatment costs for Mio-sama.”

No, if I could have sold it, I would have. Though if I had, I might not have met everyone.

“It’s a simple story… it didn’t sell.”

Unfortunately. It didn’t help at all.

“This place is just too remote, and there wasn’t anyone who wanted it, so it remained unsold… Well, that has come full circle, and now it’s led to me being able to drink tea while gazing at the blue sky with Rio-san like this. Thinking about it now, I’m glad. You never know what life holds.”

Back then, there really was nothing but despair. Grandpa was gone, and Mio-nee was sick. I worked part-time jobs, but the money wasn’t enough, so I registered for the Harem System. And then that day, Kazari-san came, and everything started to change.

“I don’t know about the past. But although there were twists and turns, I am happy that I can spend time with Master like this now.”

She wore a gentle smile while meeting my eyes. That kindness made me recognize once again that she really is a mature woman. Even if she has some strange quirks.

The chirping of wild birds. The sound of the withering wind. Combined with the traditional Japanese house, I became slightly conscious of it.

Becoming a family—that fact itself.

“How should I put it… it’s like… an old married couple.”

It seemed Rio-san thought the same thing as me.

“I thought so too. …Well, what I imagined wasn’t our old age, though.”

“I am happy that Master feels the same…”

Fufu, she covered her mouth with her hand and smiled.

Huh? For some reason, Rio-san today is… normally attractive? The atmosphere is so different from usual that it’s throwing me off.

“My parents’ home is also a traditional Japanese house, so as I said earlier, this kind of atmosphere calms me. …Though our current house is plenty good enough, too.”

Right. There was talk about Rio-san’s house being a traditional one too, wasn’t there? That reminded me.

“How is your relationship with your parents since then?”

With everything happening, I hadn’t really been able to ask about the aftermath.

“Let’s see… it’s awkward to talk to Father suddenly, but we do speak a little. However, whenever we talk, he tells me not to cause trouble for Master. I can picture Father’s sour face even over the phone. I was already talking to Mother originally, but I suppose the time we spend talking has increased recently.”

Her father had quite a presence, or rather, an intense atmosphere. Regarding intensity, Sayaka-san’s parents were the same, though.

“If the opportunities to talk have increased, that’s good.”