(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. - Chapter 18: The Recommendation of a Harem and the First Wife

“Alright, let’s head home for now.”

“Yeah, let’s do that.”

With everything we came to do settled, we made our way out of the school.  

“I only came here to submit some documents, but I’m weirdly exhausted.”  

It wasn’t physical exhaustion—this was mentally draining.  

Now that I thought about it, since the start of this system, had I even had a proper moment to just unwind? It really didn’t feel like I had. 

“I mean, who could’ve guessed Akitsuki-san’s supposed girlfriend would show up out of nowhere like that?” Kazari-san remarked.  

“In the end, that person remains a complete enigma,” I said.  

Why on earth would someone who seemed to be her partner recommend me to pursue her in this system?  

…Wait, was she even her girlfriend?  

Could it have just been a ‘friendly’ kiss?  

“Is kissing part of normal social etiquette for some people? Like, just casual skinship?” I asked.  

“What are you talking about? Of course not! At most, maybe a hug,” Kazari-san replied flatly.  

“Right, that makes more sense,” I nodded.  

The thought had occurred to me only because while such things were rare even in my previous life, I couldn’t be sure about what was considered normal in this world. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask.  

“Well, regarding Shiraishi-sensei and her whole situation, could you look into it a bit? It might influence how I approach Akitsuki-san.”  

Honestly, I was starting to think I needed to start focusing on the Fiancée Voting soon.  

I’d been putting it off, using excuses like how Tachibana-san got upset, which left me scrambling. If I kept avoiding it, however, I’d be screwed.  

All the effort so far would be wasted, and I wouldn’t be able to help my sister.  

This system had to continue, no matter what.  

“Let’s assume for convenience’s sake that convincing someone to side with me is called ‘winning them over’. For now, I’ve decided Tachibana-san won’t be the one I focus on this time.”  

“That’s fair. Since the voting only requires one person to side with you, narrowing it down to one person makes sense. But could you clarify your reasoning for excluding Tachibana-sama?”  

“Of course. First, after what happened recently, I think it’s better to let things cool down with her for a bit. And second, she doesn’t strike me as someone who’s just cheerful and easygoing. There’s something about her that feels… off. I can’t quite put it into words, but it’s been bugging me. And honestly, what Shiraishi-sensei said about her is stuck in my mind too.”  

To sum it up, there were just way too many unknowns surrounding her.  

“Given that, the choice narrows down to Hosho-sama and Akitsuki-sama,” Kazari-san observed.  

“Exactly. But here’s the thing.”  

“It sounds like you already have a plan.”  

“Well, this is just my personal view, but…”  

“I’m all ears.”  

“If someone already has a partner—whether ‘stealing’ is the right word or not—it’s just not easy. Plus, Akitsuki-san has openly said she’s into women, so that makes it even tougher.”  

“That’s a reasonable assessment so far,” Kazari-san said.  

“And on a personal level, I’m not comfortable with the idea of taking someone away from their partner. It’s just not something I like.”  

“…But didn’t Shiraishi-sensei seem to encourage it?”  

“Yeah, she did. But this is more about my own principles. I’d rather avoid pursuing that path unless I absolutely have to.”  

“…I see.”  

Kazari-san looked like she had something more to say but held back.  

“For now, I’ll try talking more with Hosho-san and seeing if I can convince her to continue the Fiancée System.”  

“Then, the plan for April is to focus on her as your primary objective?”  

“That’s the idea.”  

“I understand the general approach. However, focusing too much on Hosho-sama may backfire in the long run. I’d advise against neglecting the others entirely, even while prioritizing her.”  

“Neglect, huh?”  

That was a fair point.  

“Still, they already dislike me, right? Could things really get worse just because they feel ignored? Not that I was planning to completely disregard anyone.”  

“I see. That makes sense… Kyo-sama wouldn’t need this explained, but I’m telling you just to be safe. Women, you see, are far more sensitive than you realize. If you’re okay with being disliked, then that’s one thing. However, your fiancées are eventually going to become partners with whom you share an intimate physical connection. As the one building a harem, it’s better to avoid creating disparities among your fiancées. That’s one of the fundamental principles of creating a harem.”

There were fundamental principles for creating a harem?!  

Well, I suppose there would be.  

…Would there?  

“Still, you’re probably right—favoritism isn’t a good idea. But if I try to split my time equally, won’t I run out of time?”  

“Exactly. This isn’t a game. If you spend time with one person, someone else will inevitably feel neglected,” Kazari-san replied matter-of-factly.  

“Wow, this is… really hard,” I muttered.  

“It is, isn’t it?” she replied with an almost teasing smile.  

Apparently, she thought this was pretty obvious.  

“According to one book about harems, managing one can sometimes feel like it’s shrinking your stomach. It was written in ‘The Guide to Harems’.”  

“What kind of title is that?”  

“Actually, it’s one of my favorite reads.”  

“There have to be better books to consider your favorites, right?”  

Definitely not that.  

“…Anyway, let’s get back on track. The most important takeaway is that you mustn’t create disparities among your fiancées. If you’ve spent more time with Hosho-san recently, then you’ll eventually need to spend equivalent time with the others. This applies to time, money… and even physical intimacy.”  

“…So I need to keep everything equal, huh?”  

“If the balance were to break… that would happen only when…”  

“When?”  

“When you decide on your leading woman—your primary wife. In that case, it’s valid justification.”  

“…Haha. Well, right now, forget about a primary wife—I don’t even have a fiancée who likes me yet. So, that’s not happening anytime soon.”  

“That’s because none of them have realized your charm yet. Once they do… fufu,” Kazari-san said, her calm expression shifting into a slightly unsettling smile.  

Her rare change in demeanor was oddly intimidating.  

“I don’t think I’m that charming, though.”  

“…Simply being a man already makes you desirable, you know? Beyond that, you are polite, don’t look down on women, and behave like a gentleman. And yet, you still claim to lack charm?”  

“Well, I mean, I appreciate you saying that…”  

“It still hasn’t quite sunk in, has it? But that’s because you have spent your life in the countryside, in a place where the old societal values lingered. There weren’t many people, and certainly not crowds of women. And by the time you reached this point, I was already by your side, so no ‘strange bugs’ could latch onto you.  

Once you start attending school, though, you’ll understand. You won’t be able to ignore what it’s like to be surrounded by women. I’m quite looking forward to it. Fufu.”  

Scary. Scary. SCARY.  

“Whether it’s school or your primary wife, the future looks… exciting, doesn’t it?”  

“Can you not say ominous things like that?”  

Unbeknownst to me at the time, the near future would indeed lead to a fierce battle over who would become my primary wife.