CHAPTER 8: Into The Unknown
Standing idly in his room, Leon could be seen to be deep in thought as he stood in front of all the clothes he owned neatly arranged in his closet.
It has been a few days since Anastasia was accepted to serve as his personal maid, and the young man's living standards have increased exponentially as a result of her presence.
Though his mother Ada was plenty capable of cleaning up the mess he had created over years of being the equivalent of human waste, it couldn't compare to the finesse of a professional maid.
Looking at how neat each of his clothes were and and appreciating the gentle fragrances that emitted off of their fabric, Leon was grateful for Anastasia's efforts. But there was just one problem facing him as he peered into his closet.
"I have absolutely no clothes to wear"
Leon peered into the gathered clothes that essentially amounted to countless white shirts and different colors of sweatpants.
It was an assortment of clothes that fitted his old sedentary lifestyle, but it simply wouldn't do for the new him who was going to be more proactive in life. Especially now that he was going to venture into the outside world for the first time in just a few hours.
"Mom and Anastasia should be waiting for me downstairs. Usually, women would be the ones to arrive last for an outing, but it would seem the situation has now been reversed"
It wasn't that the two women didn't take any preparative measures like make-up, they absolutely did, it was just that they were frighteningly quick at doing so.
"I heard mom say that women usually push themselves a lot due to the increased competition with other women for the few remaining men…I can only stand impressed at the lengths they would push themselves for such things"
But now wasn't the time to be impressed by societal norms he had yet to get used to, Leon needed to pick an attire that would not make him look like a slob. It was a matter of pride for the former villain who used to appear in public with dazzling outfits that inspired envy and awe.
"I'll make buying some clothes the first order of business on this trip, but for now…this should do"
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"Mom, Anastasia, let's head out now!"
With the sound of Leon going down the stairs of the mansion, both Ada and Anastasia prepared themselves to depart.
The two women have groomed themselves thoroughly. Applying a light amount of make-up that, while not much, served to improve and highlight their attractive features greatly.
Ada wore an attire composed of a red blouse, a pair of black jeans, and some heels; While Anastasia wore her conservative maid uniform that possessed now flaws in its preparation.
"Leon, before we head out I should remind you of a few-"
"Young Master, Madame, I will head out first to prep-"
Just as the two women were about to speak out upon the young man's arrival, their words were cut short as they took notice of Leon's attire.
"Hm? What's wrong?"
He grew confused at their reaction to his appearance. They had both seen him in his usual fit of a shirt and sweatpants many times, so it was weird that they were taken aback just because he decided to switch up the colors a bit.
But before he could ask further why they were so shocked, Ada promptly walked up to him before hesitantly placing her hands on his collar.
"You shouldn't expose your chest so wantonly, Leon"
"Eh? My chest?"
Looking down, Leon saw his mother's hand fumbling around, trying to button up the two buttons that were placed around his collar.
His current shirt was a deviation from the sea of white plain shirts in fact it had two buttons around the collar that made it more breathable.
Seeing the flushed face of his mother, and Anastasia trying her best to avert her eyes, Leon learned an interesting bit of information about this new world he was in. Apparently, the chests of men were seen as sexual objects.
'Huh, who knew?'
With the little snafu he had caused being resolved, he thought that they could now begin their outing in earnest. But as they walked to the car they would be taking to travel, Ada and Anastasia began to whisper behind his back with narrowed eyes.
"Do you understand now, Anastasia? Leon is an easy prey for women with his naivety. We mustn't allow anyone to get their hands on him"
"Don't worry Madame. Now that I'm aware of the severity of the situation, I will take the appropriate measures to ensure Young Master Leon's innocence is preserved"
Clutching a stun baton she had equipped on her leg beneath her long skirt, Anastasia reassured Ada that no harm would befall her son now that she was here to protect him.
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"Wow…"
Rested against the back seat of the luxury sedan of his mom, Leon spoke softly in awe at the sights he saw through the tinted glass windows beside his seat.
From the light reading he did through the internet, Leon expected a dilapidated metropolis from the numerous mentions of war, destruction, plaques, and conflict.
A concrete jungle fueled by classism and capitalism, much like the bustline metropolis he used to rule over as a criminal.
Instead, he was greeted with a modern and developed town that was filled with bright structures and plenty of green from trees and plants that were incorporated into the surroundings.
"What's wrong Leon? Did you expect something different?"
"Sort of…are we in some special exclusive zone? Is everywhere else like this?"
"Hm? While our house is in a gated community for your protection, the sights aren't really that different from city to city. The architecture might be a bit different though"
Chatting with his mother about what he was seeing, Leon found it difficult that such a standard of urban development was widespread across every nearby settlement.
There would usually be a slum or underdeveloped sector in any location with a dense population, but it would seem his experience as a slum-residing orphan wasn't holding to be false in this alternate reality.
"Young Master Leon. The Allied Union was established after the countless wars after the emergence of the plague, and they made it so that bureaucracy and development resources were streamlined in order to ensure the proper survival of the human race, and more importantly, of the male population"
Sensing Leon's confusion, Anastasia began to lecture him on the government that managed the restructuring of the world after the age of strife and conflict came to a close.
Facing extinction with the decrease of their male population and a significant loss of females in the countless conflicts that came after, a more sustainable growth plan was initiated in order to continue humanity's existence on Earth.
Hearing all of this, Leon chuckled a bit upon realizing that such good-minded initiatives were allowed to be passed through legislation with little push-back.
'Misinformation. Bribes. They were staples of the criminal underworld and political landscape. No government should be immune to such things, no matter how desperate the situation may be…but I suppose with the absurd circumstances of this reality, they could be pushed back for the sake of the greater good'
Leon wouldn't be complaining if the governing powers of this world were actually competent compared to his previous life. It would simply mean he would have an easier time achieving his goal of leading a kind life in this peaceful world.
Accepting Anastasia's words with no push-back, he continued to converse with his mother and maid regarding the sights he saw through the car window. Doing his best to memorize and understand all the information he received.
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"This is our stop, Leon. The Central Shopping District"
Exiting the door and hearing his mother's words, Leon examined the scenery laid before him. A sprawling settlement of shops and stores that catered to any possible need a customer may have.
With plenty of open-air spaces and eye-catching architecture between the travel paths, it was far removed from the blocky and plain structures of malls he was used to.
But above all of that, he was surprised by the sight of so many women in comparison to so few men among the crowd.
For every ten women that were passing by, there would be only a single man to contrast it all. And peculiarly, each man simply walked without any tension. The women of the crowd simply make for him with little trouble or fuss.
'Hm? With how anxious Mom was, I expected every man to have something like a security detail following him?'
Realizing this, Leon came to a sigh-inducing conclusion…his mother was simply too paranoid regarding his safety. If other men could travel freely by themselves, why the hell did he need to have a personal maid at his side whenever he went out?
'It should be obvious. If crimes against men were as rampant as Mom made them out to be, this society would've collapsed'
'Though I'm sure those crimes still exist, they must be in the extreme minority given the already risky situation of the population'
And his deduction was true. Crimes against men were quickly dealt with severe punishments that dissuaded the general populace of women from ever considering taking action against them.
Even should the desire to do so arise, there were plenty of preventative measures in place, such as law enforcement personnel, security alarms, and other such things.
Ada was simply too protective of her son…or at least, that was what Leon thought, but in truth, his mother's words weren't far off the mark.
"Hey, look at the handsome boy. My heart is beginning to race…"
"What is such a handsome young man doing here in public?..."
"What's with those sweatpants?! Is he trying to tempt this older sister?! Is this some sort of social experiment?!"
"Perhaps he needs some guidance from someone more…experienced"
All around Leon, Ada, and Anastasia, faint whispers of desire regarding the blonde young man who had just arrived began to circulate, causing the two women by his side to grow tense.
As they feared, Leon's extremely good looks had a far more impactful effect on the crowd of women compared to other men in the vicinity.
With his youthfulness and features colored in exotic tones, he was like a clueless herbivore in a den of lionesses.
But, Ada and Anastasia were prepared for such a situation, and immediately made their presence known to dissuade anyone from approaching.
"Hey…Isn't that Chief Prosecutor Ada Greenfield? I just saw her on the news for single-handedly dismantling a crime syndicate"
"And that maid…I don't know why, but I feel like she isn't afraid of killing anyone that gets in her way. Best to stay clear from their group"
Understanding their place in the pecking order, Ada and Anastasia let out a synchronized snort of satisfaction after intimidating away all the observing women.
But they weren't given the chance to revel in their victory, as their hands would soon be taken aback by a tantalizing sensation.
"Mom, Anastasia, let's head to a clothing store. I want to wear something else besides this shirt and sweatpants…it's attracting too much attention for my liking…"
The two women were swiftly taken by the hand of Leon, who began to set the lead for the beginning of their outing.
Feeling the firmness of his hand in theirs, and seeing the casual joyful expression on his face as he faced them both. Ada and Anastasia were taken by surprise as their bodies tensed, not in anger, but in embarrassment and joy.
"S-Sure, Leon! Mom will handle all the expenses, so buy anything you want!... Of course, as long as the clothes are modest to an acceptable degree"
"Y-Young Master! This humble Anastasia is quite skilled in coordination. If you will allow it, I can assist you in putting together a line of outfits you can use for any occasion!"
Following along with Leon's lead, the two women began to excitedly join him in his company. Ada was overjoyed she could enjoy an outing with her son, and Anastasia was eager to prove her usefulness to her young master in various fields.
Though in truth, Leon simply wanted to avoid his mom and maid from causing a scene due to their overprotective nature.
'Now that I know these two are too conscious of the people around me, I should avoid inconveniencing someone with their paranoia…I also just really want to not have so much attention, and wear normal clothes'
With the bright atmosphere the three of them exuded, the crowd which was intimidated away from observing them, couldn't help but have their eyes drawn by the rare sight in front of them.
A man enjoying being accompanied by two women at the same time? A man smiling from the bottom of his heart? A man so beautiful and so gentle as well? It was like the princes from the fairy tales all of them read as a child had suddenly been brought to life.
𝘾𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙠
Unconsciously, one of the women in the crowd took a picture of the serene scene unfolding before her eyes.
Realizing what she did, she panicked if someone would report her for disorderly conduct against a man, but surprisingly, all the other women around her were too caught up in seeing Leon and his family care about what she did.
"...It should be fine to share it anonymously, right?"
Feeling some sense of obligation to share the joy she received from the scene with others, the young woman who blended into the crowd began to open her phone's browser, composing a post on a forum that would ensure her anonymity.
In this world where women desired men, but rarely got the chance to enjoy the presence of their company, the existence of a group of online users troubled by such a predicament began to form.
『5-Kun: An online forum for the anonymous discussion and appreciation of men, by lonely women』
Navigating the site and entering a thread dedicated to the spotting of handsome men in public, the young woman began to compose her post. Wishing it would grant her fellow forum sisters the same joy it gave her.
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『17 Anonymous』
>Happiness.png
My sisters of 5-kun, I have come across a healing sight of a young man who is accompanied by what I can presume to be his family and his personal maid. He is like a prince who came out straight from a shoujo manga! I hope this single photo of mine will be able to heal all of your lonely hearts as it did mine!
『18 Anonymous』
>>17
Anon, while your photoshopping skills are excellent, I should remind you not to play with the hearts of the users of this thread. There is no way such a pure and innocent sight can happen in public.
『19 Anonymous』
>>17
I agree with >>18. Just because we're a bunch of losers, doesn't mean we have our pride. I recognize the background as the Central Shopping District. It's absurd for you to say that a man would willingly display his affection in such a public place. Such a thing only exists in the 2D world!
『28 Anonymous』
>>17
Mods, I recommend banning this user. This depressed sister's heart cannot take being played so easily like this. I cannot stand for this injustice!
『31 Anonymous』
>>28
Agreed
『32 Anonymous』
>>28
Agreed
『33 Anonymous』
>>28
Agreed
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『53 Cana Fit Your Balls In My Jaw』
>>17
After being alerted to the post through many complaints, I and the other mods of this thread began to investigate the legitimacy of Anon's post. After verifying this information with other threads and investigating other social media, it has been confirmed that the photo posted here is not fake but true.
『54 Anonymous』
>>52
!!!
『55 Anonymous』
>>52
Huh?! It's true?! Such a kind and prince-like man exists?! Has Zony perfected the technology to transport 2D husbandos IRL?!
『54 Anonymous』
>>52
I would like to apologize to Anon for accusing them of fraud. Allow this sister to apologize, but please do not gatekeep when and where you have taken this photo.
『55 Anonymous』
>>52
BRB, going to take a trip to the Central Shopping District for "further verification of proof"
『54 Anonymous』
>>52
Eh?! Mods, don't joke around. If such a precious man exists…oh no, I have soiled my panties…
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『562 Cana Fit Your Balls In My Jaw』
A reminder to all forum members regarding our policies on the appreciation of men. Admire from afar, and avoid any situation where you might inconvenience them.
Though we pride ourselves on our forum's anonymity, should any harm befall a man as a result of discussions held here, we will not hesitate to cooperate with law enforcement to detain the villainesses who wish to harm these treasured men for their own selfish desires.
It is the shame of a woman to ever consider harming a man we should be protecting.
『563 Anonymous』
>>562
As expected of Cana. A true woman among women. Don't let your horniness cloud your minds you heathens, or else this big sister will personally hunt you all down!
『563 Anonymous』
>>562
Sasuga Cana-sama. Any person who harms men and claims to be from this thread is nothing but a phony. We are appreciators of male beauty, not despoilers of it.
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As a result of countless actions that were taken beyond his knowing, Leon's path to becoming a kinder person was quickly hastening forward. Under the eyes of so many women who wished to be comforted by the kindness of a gentleman, will he rise to the occasion?