Chapter 30: Did You Think This Author Would Write a Proper Reverse Harem?
The Empire of Fitzgald.
The academic inst.i.tute of this gigantic country that numbers among the top few within its continent has its doors open to all who are capable, regardless of social status and previous history. Then graduates of this inst.i.tute are gathered beneath the umbrella of the country, such that the country retains and effectively utilizes its human resources.
Within the current batch of students in this academic inst.i.tute, there are 2 girls who have gathered all attention from everyone within and without the inst.i.tute.
One of them is Wilhelmina von Inhalt.
As the daughter of the Duke Inhalt who was called the previous emperor’s ‘Right Hand Dagger,’ she has proven herself highly talented with deep understanding in the fields of politics and economics.
With a mature look and a calm personality to match, she commands great popularity from many other students, especially younger girls.
The other is Miina Wetterhahn.
Though she hails from a very prosperous merchant family, her social status is obviously inferior in comparison to Wilhelmina’s, and there are no fields of study that she can be considered an expert in.
Instead, she possesses basic, foundational knowledge in an extremely wide range of subjects, is full of curiosity and has a correspondingly excellent power of understanding and application, and swallows knowledge like a horse gobbling fodder. As a result, people from many stations and fields are holding very high expectations of her maturing into someone possessing a never-before-seen breadth of knowledge by the time of her graduation.
The thing is, though, these two girls are known throughout the entire inst.i.tute for being on absolutely terrible terms with each other.
It began with Wilhelmina’s fiancé, Roman, falling in love with Miina, which set off a full-blown war that sees the two competing against each other every single day about who’s the better woman.
……And that’s pretty much the full summary of that lie.
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“Sweet things really are the best when I’m tired from studying. Studying is fun, but when I get into it for too long my head starts to hurt.”
The one who said that while swiftly making short work of a slice of cake is a black-haired teenage girl with a small build.
Though her appearance seems fleeting and fragile, her att.i.tude is exactly that of a simple-minded child thoroughly enjoying sweets with a giant grin on her face.
“Yes, you really should rest more often. Come now, there’s cream on your cheek.”
Then the one who’s diligently taking care of her is another teenage girl who has her long, silver-colored hair tied up in a chignon behind her head.
Though her tone might sound strict, inside she is actually a sweet girl who loves taking care of others.
Wilhelmina-san and Miina-san. Their relationship is said to be horrible to the point of beyond repair, but the truth…… is that they get along very well together.
It can be said that Miina-san’s simple-minded nature that does not give due thought to consequences and Wilhelmina-san’s meddlesome predisposition happened to be a perfect match.
“Anyways, it is all thanks to Wilhelmina-sama that boys no longer buzz around me. Even the other girls have stopped hara.s.sing me, everything has gotten so much better.”
“I couldn’t agree more. I hope that with this, the inst.i.tute would regain at least a slight modic.u.m of peace.”
Miina-san was accused of building a reverse harem, but apparently that was not by her own will.
If the boys heard themselves talked about as “it’s so much better now that the annoying ones are gone,” surely their hearts would shatter. And to see those words spoken with such a happy face too.
“In the first place, what is wrong with them anyways? How many times has it been now that after I say I’m not interested I get the response ‘oh, you don’t have to hide your embarra.s.sment’. Like, are they all mad? And with Roman-san, that time I said ‘Wilhelmina-san is glaring, alright?’ and he apparently interpreted that in some crazy way that led him to respond with ‘Did she do anything to you?!’ I mean, I can’t even.”
“They do say that love is blind, but it’s true that those boys are truly too far gone. Though I suppose our appearances might have been a contributing factor.”
Miina-san seems like the fragile type that makes others want to protect her, while Wilhelmina-san seems like the forceful type of n.o.ble lady who’d be the antagonist in an otome game.
Within the minds of the boys who’ve fallen for Miina-san, the entire narrative of what has happened is already set in stone.
Though the two in the center of this maelstrom seem content just looking on the boys’ rampage while going ‘this is so not happening.’
“But are you sure about this? If you manage to get married to someone with a significant rank, wouldn’t that make your family happy?”
“Nn— At first I also considered gaining money and status by marrying someone from a rich and powerful family, but for some reason everyone who approaches me turns out to be pompous and pretentious. Rather than someone like that, I’d much rather pick a commoner that I can feel calm and relaxed around. As you know, I’m just an adopted daughter, so my foster dad isn’t going to say much in regards to my marriage partner.”
“Oh my, how envious. Here’s to hoping that my next fiancé turns out to be someone I can get along with.”
The two girls continue their tea party while also continuing their light-hearted conversation.
Today, too, this otherworld is at peace.
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“Aa—uu— Finally finished!”
At the same time, in Takamagahara.
The chief G.o.ddess over all j.a.panese G.o.ds, Amaterasu-sama, is sprawled out in exhaustion on the tatami floor with all limbs sprayed out.
“…… Indeed, this time was quite tiring.”
And the rare occurrence of Tsukuyomi-sama looking tired is now also in display.
But the way he is still maintaining his posture and keeping his back straight in spite of his tiredness…… all that can be said is ‘as expected of a closet chuunibyou’s preoccupation with looking cool.’
“We were just helping to remove a blessing, why did she have to put up so much resistance?! Even though the person in question is so clearly troubled by it! Seriously, that Afro!”
“A case of differing values, I suppose. And don’t shorten her name in a weird way please.”
The truth behind Miina-san’s enigmatic popularity turned out to be a blessing from the Greek G.o.ddess of love, Aphrodite-sama.
She kept on insisting “It’s fine! It’ll be fun! She’ll definitely become happy!!” and refusing to dispel the blessing, until it almost got to the point where the j.a.panese pantheon and the Greek pantheon was going to Ragnarok it out. We are currently not accepting any tsukkomis about how Scandinavia was not involved.
“With Zeus being Zeus as a useless s.e.xual hara.s.ser, seriously what is wrong with these Greek G.o.ds.”
“……”
While listening to Amaterasu-sama’s grumbling, Tsukuyomi-sama thinks “we’re not exactly that much better.” But he understands that adding to Amaterasu-sama’s mental burden now would only worsen the situation, so he holds his tongue.
It’s fine. When compared, the j.a.panese side is a bit better than the Greek side.
…… By just a teeny, tiny bit!
“I’m so tired, I’m going straight to sleep.”
“If you’re going to sleep, do it in your bed. But before that, make sure to shower first.”
Despite being tired, Tsukuyomi-sama manages to reply like usual to Amaterasu-sama’s crashing out declaration.
Today, too, Takamagahara is at peace.