(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 44: After the Date

The date with Tachibana-san ended peacefully after we finally made it to the cat café and enjoyed some relaxing time there. We also stopped by an arcade, played a bit of crane games, and did other things that felt very much like a typical high school outing. After making sure it wasn’t too late, we both went back home.

“Thanks for today! There was a lot going on, but in the end, I had so much fun!” she said.

“I’m glad… I think?” I replied, slightly unsure.

“You should be confident! It was a really great date course, almost like someone helped you plan it,” she said with a sly grin.

I froze for a moment. Wow, her observational skills were sharp.

I could try to play it off, but I felt like she’d see right through me. Besides, lying about it would only be for show, and there wasn’t much of a point in that.

“Ah, you figured it out? Yeah, I’ll admit it—I did get some advice from someone.”

“Oh? I thought you’d deny it, but you’re surprisingly honest!”

“I figured there was no point in lying. That said, for the record, I came up with the plan myself. I just asked for advice on how to make sure the girl—well, you—would enjoy it.”

“I’ll take your word for it. Kyo-kun doesn’t seem great at this kind of thing anyway,” she teased.

“That’s fair,” I muttered.  

At least she believed me, even if it was just “kind of.” A while ago, she probably wouldn’t have trusted me at all.

“That said, I hope you don’t misunderstand. I’m not criticizing you or anything. In fact, I think it’s great! Not everyone has the courage to admit they need help or to go out of their way to make someone happy… Though I did show you a pretty pitiful side of myself today, haha.”

“I don’t think it was pitiful at all. Honestly, I just wanted to look cool in front of you… though your detective skills kind of ruined that,” I said with a laugh.

“Sorry for being such a great detective!” she said.  

We both burst out laughing.

“Well then, if we’re still engaged after April, take me out somewhere again, okay?”

“…Only if you decide to keep me as your fiancé after April.”

“Guess we’ll just have to wait and see!” she said with a playful smile.

It was hard to read her sometimes—her smile was so bright and yet so elusive.

“Good night! Thanks for today!” she said as she waved.

“Good night to you too! Thanks as well!”

We parted ways downstairs, and I headed back to my room.  

Once I got inside, the tension that had been holding me together finally started to fade.

“Ahhh, I’m so exhausted,” I muttered as I resisted the temptation to collapse onto my futon and instead headed to the shower.  

Maybe it was because we’d been by the ocean, but my hair felt sticky from the salty air.  

After a refreshing shower, I returned to my room, but as soon as I walked in—

“Good work today, Kyo-sama,” Kazari-san greeted me with a deep bow.

“I’m back,” I said, closing the door.

“So, how was your date with Tachibana-san, the girl your age?” she asked.

“It was… fine, I guess?”

“Did any unexpected incidents occur? For example, another bizarre situation involving one of the former Harem Law candidates showing up uninvited?”

“No, nothing ridiculous like that happened,” I said firmly.  

I would’ve been in serious trouble if it had.

“But you’ve already had that kind of situation happen once. Who’s to say it couldn’t happen again?” she added, her tone dry and her expression as calm as ever.  

She was terrifying when she made sarcastic remarks with such a straight face.  

The thing with Hosho-san was an exception, I thought. That incident was absurdly beyond normal.  

“If something like that happened again, I definitely wouldn’t be lying here on my bed right now,” I said.

“True. If it did, Kyo-sama would probably be so furious his anger would reach the heavens,” she replied.

“That’s exaggerating a bit, don’t you think? I mean, I’d be upset, sure, but not that much… probably,” I muttered awkwardly.

“Well, it’s your freedom to think so,”

What was that pause supposed to mean? She clearly didn’t believe me at all.

“Anyway, nothing bad happened with Tachibana-san. In fact, I’d say it went pretty well,” I admitted.

“…Is this bragging I’m hearing now?” she asked, her expression slightly suspicious, if not slightly annoyed.  

“No, not at all!” I said quickly.

To clarify, I shared the whole story about what happened during the date.  

When I finished, Kazari-san nodded once and said,

“So, basically, you succeeded in bringing her into the world of cat lovers, is that correct?”

“Exactly! She finally understood the meaning of being a servant to the glorious cats!”

It was great that even Tachibana-san had come to appreciate the appeal of cats.  

Another loyal servant to the feline overlords was born today.

“With this, I’ve moved one step closer to my dream of being allowed to own a cat at home—no, wait!”  

I shook my head, realizing I was getting off track.

“You’re talking about what happened in the elevator, aren’t you?” She asked.

“Yeah. She brushed it off as just discipline from her parents, but I don’t know… Even if I’m not sure what the standards for discipline are these days, it felt like something that would leave trauma.”

“…It’s probably nothing to worry about, overall. But considering who her parents are, it’s possible,” Kazari-san said thoughtfully.

“…Her parents?”  

“Well, if we’re speaking in terms of whether or not I know them, then yes, I do. After all, I’m technically affiliated with the government too. That said, I only know basic information, like their family structure and occupations.”

“I see.”

Still, from the way she spoke, it seemed like she knew a bit more about Tachibana-san’s parents than just the basics.  

Maybe there were things she couldn’t tell me due to privacy concerns.

“About Tachibana-san, though… The bathroom incident felt a little odd in hindsight, and then there was today as well—”

“—There are definitely some things that seem off. I’ll look into it a little,” Kazari-san said decisively.

“Thanks,” I said, relieved.

…Still, my fiancée candidates sure seemed to have a lot of baggage.

“Oh, by the way, Kyo-sama.”

“Hm?”

“You’ve received a message from the NAZ agency.”

“Wait, does that mean Shiina-san?”

It hadn’t even been a week yet, but had they already looked into it?

“Yes, and Shiina-san says she’d like to meet to report the findings.”

“Then let her know I’m available anytime.”

“Anytime?”

“Yeah, anytime.”

“Understood. I’ll let her know, with a little embellishment.”

Embellishment, huh.  

I was pretty sure Kazari-san and Shiina-san didn’t get along very well.  

I had no idea what had happened between them, but it was obvious.

“I’ve passed the message along. It seems she’ll be coming over later today, and in a rush, too.”

Apparently, Kazari-san had already received a response.

“That’s great news.”

“I thought you’d want the information as soon as possible, so I might have used slightly strong language to convey your impatience.”

“Thanks. I wouldn’t be able to phrase it like that myself.”

“Oh? That makes it sound as if I’m the bad one here, doesn’t it? That’s not true at all. I normally wouldn’t do such things either, but I did it for your sake, Kyo-sama. (wipes tears) With tears, of course.”

“With tears?”

“Yes, tears.”

Her tone, however, sounded far too cheerful for someone with tears.

“Right… tears, huh.”

“Yes, tears. Now then, Kyo-sama, have you had dinner yet?”

“Ah, not yet, I think.”

“Then let’s have dinner before she arrives—it might turn into a long night.”

She headed to the kitchen and quickly brought out dinner for two. 

We spent a little while eating quietly together, chatting about trivial things.  

I wasn’t sure how much time had passed when there was a knock at the door.

“…Yes?”

“It’s Shiina. May I come in?”

“Please do.”

“Excuse me,” she said as she entered the room.  

Shiina-san’s face couldn’t hide her exhaustion. Sweat was visible on her brow—she must have come in an extreme hurry.

“Thank you for coming at such a late hour. You must be tired—it was very fast,” I said, expressing my gratitude.  

Shiina-san seemed momentarily surprised before speaking.  

“…I was told that Kyo-sama was furious and eagerly waiting for the report. Is that not the case?”

…What kind of message had Kazari-san sent?

“I merely explained that, while Kyo-sama had given a one-week window, he might not take it literally and might be impatient to hear back sooner,” she said with an unchanging serious face.

Wow. That was one heck of an over-interpretation. Kazari-san’s words sounded like something straight out of a black company.

“…I see,” Shiina-san replied, clearly irritated.  

Seriously, these two just didn’t get along.  

Well, that hardly mattered right now.

“Now then, I’ll proceed with the results of the investigation,” Shiina-san said, her tone turning formal.