Everyone's Astounded

A little while after Kuro... no, the Phantasmal King who had been transformed into Kuro disappeared, the real Kuro appeared quite naturally.

Kuro has a wry smile on her face like she's in a punishment game, and comes over to me.

[Ohh, so the real one finally came huh...]

[Ahaha, sorry about that. I was going to come over right after Ein told me about what happened, but Shalltear came over right at that time, and asked to let her go instead because she wanted to talk to Kaito-kun about something. What were you talking about?]

[That Kuro's monster mode looks spiky and hard to walk in.]

[Ehhhhh!?]

Standing beside me, Kuro looked at the garden where the feast is waiting to be started, and talked to me.

I jokingly replied to her.

[No, no, those spikes are just made of magic power, so they won't get in the way when I move!]

[Then, it isn't like having those spikes were important?]

[It's cooler to have them though...]

[It's really just for the coolness?]

" "

[...Kaito-kun, how did you know that it was Shalltear disguising and it wasn't me?]

[No, to be honest, I didn't have any reason or basis for it either... But somehow, I felt like who I was talking to wasn't Kuro.]

[I see... Ehehe, it kinda makes me happy.]

Almost at the same time as Kuro said that, looking cute as she looks embarrassed, a pillar of flames and a tree appeared, and Megiddo-san and Lillywood returned.

Both of them looked battered, but Megiddo-san's expression was quite bright, while Lillywood-san looked depressed... Does that mean that Megiddo-san won?

[As expected, Lillywood-san was quite strong! In the end, I wasn't able to win! Well~~ I haven't fought this hard in a long time! That was the best!]

"...What in the world is this... The battle should have ended in a draw, but I felt like I lost really badly..."

Apparently, the fight between the two ended in a draw but, ahh, I see... Megiddo-san loves to fight strong opponents, regardless of whether he wins or loses.

In other words... Megiddo-san was very happy to fight a strong opponent, whereas Lillywood-san was very tired, as she doesn't exactly like fighting.

[Hey, Kuro.]

[What is it?]

[Megiddo-san looks like a blazing fire before, and I have an image that Lillywood-san, who was the spirit of a tree, wouldn't be a good match against him...]

[With Lillywood's ability, those affinities don't matter at all. Lillywood can even turn a horizon as far as the eye can see into a forest in an instant.]

Once again, I heard about how outrageous the Six Kings are... They really have a clear distinction in ability from the others.

Anyway, everyone... Or rather, with the addition of Lillywood-san into the group, the party started.

Megiddo-san is the same as always, and he started drinking first, saying that greetings and leading everyone with a toast are a bother, so he just said to start the party already.

Or rather, we just had a drinking contest earlier, and even though you drank so much strong alcohol earlier, you're still drinking huh...

The party has begun, and I look around the garden, which is now crowded with people.

Kuro said she would follow up on Lillywood-san, as she seems to be going to comfort her.

Then, just as I'm sipping on my alcohol, Megiddo-san approached me with a huge cup.

[Ohh, Kaito. I want to ask you something... The elf with the broken swords is here, right? Which one is it?]

[Eh? Errr, Sieg-san! Come here for a minute.]

[...Yes?]

I didn't know why, but Megiddo-san seemed to be looking for Sieg-san.

So, when I called out to Sieg-san who was nursing after the unconscious Lilia-san, Sieg-san walked over and tilted her head.

[Ohhh, so it's you huh! Your swords broke, right? After those idiots did that bad thing.

[Eh, ah, n- no...]

[I'll give you swords to make up for it. Here!]

[Huh?]

As usual, Megiddo-san keeps on speaking without regard to the other party's reaction.

He tosses a red and a blue sword in front of the bewildered Sieg-san, and tells her that he's giving it to her.

Sieg-san lightly holds the two swords placed on the floor in her hands, and as if she's confused, she asks Megiddo-san.

[U-Ummm... War King-sama. It's just that I can sense a terrifying amount of magic power from this sword but... What in the world is this...]

[Ahh? What was that called again? I only used it to slice meat so... Oi, Bacchus! What sword was this?]

[That's... the twin swords, Flambertine.]

[Wha!?]

Megiddo-san, who doesn't seem to remember the name of the word, asked the mummy... Bacchus glances at the sword Sieg-san's holding before telling them their name.

And hearing him, Sieg-san's eyes widened in astonishment... Is it perhaps an amazing sword?

[W- W- War King-sama... There's an anecdote telling about a twin-flame sword named Flambertine, that turned a mountain range into a wilderness but... Is this a legendary magical sword?]

[Is that so? Well, a sword is a sword. That's yours now, so you can use it however you want.]

[N- No, b- but I couldn't take something this expensive...]

[I'm the one who said it's alright, so it's alright. In the first place, I don't use weapons, so there's no meaning even if I have it.]

[H- Huhh... T- Thank you very much.]

[Ohh.]

Unnn, I don't really know how it happened... but I just knew that something outrageous was just lightheartedly given to her hands.

Sieg-san also looked clearly thankful, bowing to Megiddo-san many times, while Megiddo-san vigorously laughed without seeming particularly bothered.

[However, you're quite strong too! Not only in strength, but you've also got guts... As expected of you, Kaito! Not only did he defeat me, "he's also got a good woman on his arms"!]

[Pfft!?]

[ ! ? ! ? ]

I couldn't help but spurt out what I'm drinking because of the outrageous words he just said in a lively manner.

[Me- Megiddo-san!? W- What are you suddenly saying?]

[Ahhh? That elf is your woman, right? I can clearly see it from your actions before!]

[No, no!? Why are you talking about that!?]

[Why are you so flustered? You've been in this world for almost 40 days now, haven't you? Then, it wouldn't be strange if you've already got four or five women around you.]

What kind of calculations did he make to reach that conclusion!? Is he thinking that I would get one woman every ten days!? That's totally something that's strange, right?

Seeing me really flustered, Megiddo-san just curiously tilted his head.

At that moment, Kuro comes back, having finished talking with Lillywood-san.

[Megiddo, I heard that in the "other world", the numbers of the boys and the girls are almost the same, you know? That's why they only marry one person in their world.]

[What!? Is that so? There sure are lots of difference between here and the other world huh~~]

[Unn, so...]

" "

[I see, so that means that the elf is Kaito's wife!]

[Pfft!?]

[ ~ ~ ! ? ]

Wait a minute there, you gorilla!? What kind of thought process do you have to reach that kind of incomprehensible story!?

[No, that's not the case... That means that Kaito-kun isn't married nor does he have a lover.]

[...Kaito, are you... impotent?]

[...Oi.]

Why the heck are you saying the most disgraceful line with that sympathetic look on your face!? I'm so speechless that I could only reflexively respond with a brief "Oi."!?

Looking at Megiddo-san who swerved the conversation to a strange path, I let out a big sigh.

I also wanted Sieg-san to say some follow up, but for some reason, her face is red as she fidgets, and she doesn't seem like she could refute Megiddo-san's words anytime soon.

I guess it's really hard for her to express her opinions if she's facing the War King huh?

It's true that Megiddo-san doesn't seem to listen to what the others say but... I have to say something for the sake of her honor.

No, of course, I wouldn't feel bad if I was seen to be in a relationship with someone as beautiful and kind as Sieg-san... it would be disrespectful to Sieg-san if she was treated as my spouse...

[Megiddo-san, no matter how you say that... It's disrespectful to Sieg-san if you treat her like that. Sieg-san and I are friends, but we don't have that kind of relationship.]

[...Huh? N- No, no matter how I look at that elf...]

[Yes?]

[...Kaito, are you perhaps... stupid?]

[Eh? Why?]

[...Kaito-kun. I know that it's Megiddo who said this... but I honestly agree with him on this one.]

[Kuro too!?]

[...I also agree with what he said...]

[Even Sieg-san!?]

Arehh? Why is everyone sending astounded gazes at me? I can't understand at all.

Dear Mom, Dad—— The party started, and Megiddo-san threw outrageous bombs around us. I should have refuted him for the sake of Sieg-san's honor, but for some reason—– Everyone's astounded about what I said.

//==========

<Author's Notes>

Sheeettt! No matter how slow you are... You should have felt that Sieg, who was happy after being treated as your romantic partner, has quite a high amount of Affection Points for you.