After chatting with Orchid-san for a while, Lilia-san seems to have finally persuaded the three of them, as Dahlia-san turns towards me and bows her head.

  [I beg your pardon. I’m not familiar with the common sense of the world Miyama-sama was in, and I thought it was the same as ours.]

  [Ah. no.]

  [Please love Lilia even as your “mistress”.]

  [You still don’t understand anything, Mother!!!]

  I almost slipped out of my chair when I heard the words she said with the gentle smile still on her face.

  In other words, it seems that the reason Dahlia-san made that comment about being my second wife earlier was that she thought that my world was similar to this one, and with my age, she thought I would have been married already.

  Let alone being married to anyone though, I didn’t even have any girlfriends…… Unnn, let’s stop right there. Just thinking about it makes me sad.

  At that moment, Lotus-san, who hadn’t said much compared to Dahlia-san and Amalie-san, slowly strokes his beard and speaks.

  [……Miyama-dono, it may be rude of me to ask, but may I ask you one thing?]

  [Eh? Ah, yes. It’s fine with me.]

  [Well then, if you’ll excuse me…… Does Miyama-dono not have any guards with you today?]

  [……A guard, is it?]

  He asked in a slow voice but certainly filled with power, to which, I nodded my head.

  I certainly didn’t bring my guards with me now…… Anima, Eta and Theta said they wanted to follow me, but I didn’t bring them because I didn’t want the situation to be that exaggerated.

  [Yes, for example…… This isn’t really possible, but for argument’s sake, let’s say that Orchid suddenly draws his sword and attacks Miyama-dono.]

  [Eh? Me?]

  [In that case, Lilia would obviously stop Orchid but……]

  [Eh? Me fighting Elder Sister Lilia? That sounds like a future where I’m going to die……]

  To the words Lotus-san spoke, Orchid replies with cold sweat dripping down his forehead.

  He doesn’t even want to imagine fighting Lilia-san huh…… Well, I understand that feeling very well.

  [But what would happen if I had a number of troops lurking in the area, a number of troops that Lilia couldn’t handle?]

  […………….]

  [Miyama-dono, your value is much higher than you think. I know it’s none of my business, but wouldn’t it be better to have a few guards around you at all times?]

  [I- I see……]

  I didn’t feel that way at all, but when a former king says that, I feel a different sense of importance from it.

  As for me, I don’t really like walking around surrounded by lots of guards, but if I get caught up with anything because of that, it will cause trouble for Lilia-san, so I guess I should probably think about it.

  Just as I was about to nod in response, a high-pitched voice sounded in the room.

  [……There’s no need for that though? I’m here for Kaito-san after all. No matter if it’s hundreds or thousands, I would just make them regret that they are born~~]

  [!? ]

  [……Alice?]

  Hearing the voice suddenly coming out of nowhere, Lotus-san looked pretty surprised.

  This peculiar way of using honorifics is definitely Alice…… But why is her voice so different and high-pitched compared to usual?

  As if to answer these questions, the view in the center of the room distorts and Alice appears, with her face hidden behind the black robe littered with chains…… taking the form of the Phantasmal King.

  [P- Phantasmal King-sama!?]

  [Yes, hello there…… With me guarding Kaito-san myself, he won’t be needing any other people besides him.]

  [……Alice, when did you……]

  [Eh? I’ve been here right from the start though? Besides, it would be really troubling if anything happens to Kaito-san.]

  I didn’t notice her at all…… I guess it’s to be expected as she’s still one of the Six Kings, the pinnacle beings of the Demon Realm.

  And as everyone’s surprised by her appearance, but for some reason, Lilia-san’s eyes look like that of a dead fish, what the heck is with her expression…… It kind of looks like she’s already given up on all sorts of things.

  [P- P- Phantasmal King-sama is Mi- Mi- Miyama-sama’s guard!?]

  [That’s right~~ Kaito-san is my lord to whom I offered my sword. That also means pointing your sword at Kaito-san…… is the same as challenging me and my troops to battle~~]

  [……Oh dear, please excuse me. It really was unnecessary of me huh. I didn’t expect for Phantasmal King-sama herself to be his guard……]

  [No, that’s the first time I’ve heard of it either.]

  Alice replied to Lotus-san, who bowed deeply with an astonished expression on his face, with a light tone of voice but…… It’s also the first time I’ve heard that Alice is my guard.

  [What are you talking about, Kaito-san!? I’m always guarding you, even knowing the “number of moles on Kaito-san’s body”…… Gyyaaaahhh!?]

  [……Do you know what privacy means?]

  [I know that. It’s that thing that disappeared from Kaito-san as soon as Shallow Vernal-sama took a liking to you, right?]

  [……I’m feeling a little dizzy.]

  Indeed, now that she mentioned it, it’s not just Alice…… Shiro-san is also watching me at this moment.

  Doesn’t that mean I never had any privacy!?

  (Should I also show myself over there?)

  Please don’t, you’ll cause a lot of ruckus.

  [Well then, I’ll be going back. If you need me, call me whenever you need me! Even if you don’t need me, you’re welcome to call me for lunch or dinner!!!]

  [You probably just want to eat……]

  [I want an extravagant lunch—- ouch!?]

  Seriously, Alice never changes, as she disappears while rubbing the part of her head that I hit with my fist.

  Unnn, I’m somehow not feeling it that much since she’s always acting like that, but having one of the Six Kings as my guard…… isn’t that frightening?

  [I- I’ve heard from the rumors but…… K- Kaito-sama is quite a terrific person, isn’t he?]

  [Amalie, listen here…… Kaito-san is a monster. Common sense doesn’t apply to Kaito-san. If it’s Kaito-san who did something, it can’t be helped…… Mark those words and keep them in your mind.]

  [Wait, Lilia-san!?]

  [Elder Sister Lilia, you don’t look so good……]

  [No…… I’m fine, I just have to take some of my stomach medicine.]

  Lilia-san tells Amalie-san with an expression on her face as if she was enlightened after feeling some pain.

  Her expression seems to exude the hardships she has gone through until now, and somehow, I felt very sorry for her.

  [……Kaito, you’re going through a lot huh.]

  [Thank you, Orchid. It’s nice to hear you say that.]

  [If you need some advice or someone to complain to, I’ll always be here.]

  [……That would be helpful.]

  Patting me on my shoulder and giving me a sympathetic look, I felt grateful for Orchid’s words, but because of my privacy that had just disappeared…… No, about my privacy that had disappeared before I noticed it, my shoulders slumped down.

  After we exchanged some relatively calmer chit-chat and ate a sumptuous dinner together, we moved to our assigned rooms.

  I really did feel like I was being treated like a guest of honor, as the room I was assigned was surprisingly large and the bed was a huge king-sized one.

  I felt uncomfortable because I still felt I’m undeserving of such treatment. Even the room I had in Lilia-san’s mansion feels too large, but when I’m given a room even bigger than that, I can’t calm down at all.

  And while I was a little busy being bored in the room, restlessly scurrying around the room, I heard a knock on the door.

  Who could it be? Is that Lilia-san?

  [Yes, it’s open.]

  [Excuse me, please forgive my rudeness for coming for a visit this late at night.]

  [His Majesty, the King!?]

  The one who came into the room was unexpectedly His Majesty, the King, Ryze.

  Seeing His Majesty, the King who suddenly appeared alone, without leading a single knight from his Royal Guards, I was dumbfounded and stunned in place.

  [I was hoping to have some one-on-one conversations with Miyama-dono, do you mind if I take a few moments of your time?]

  [Eh? Ah, yes. It’s fine.]

  I nervously nodded to His Majesty, the King, who spoke to me in a polite tone.

  Dear Mom, Dad—— I had finished chatting with Lilia-san’s family and was just lounging around in the large room that had been prepared for me, but for some reason—— His Majesty, the King has suddenly come to visit.

  **********

  {Author’s Notes}

  Serious-senpai: “It’s finally my time to shine!?”


  Sit down there!

  Serious-senpai: “……fine…”


  T/N: 29/207