Chapter 180, Information in the Form of Rumors_4

Translator: Nonon

Proofreader: Silavin

 

I stopped Ms. Schwarz from undressing for the time being, and invited everyone present inside the mansion to calm down.

I slowly explained the situation while Gray made some tea and coffee.

 

“So, Mrs. Vert was attracted to Schwarz’s beauty…?”

“Yeah, it’s embarrassing to admit it, but I like well-proportioned bodies. I was complimenting her on her wonderful body.”

“And I thought that I had to live up to her expectations.”

“… I see. So this all happened when you met at the place of your common acquaintance, namely Lord Clo.”

 

I left out the part about Mrs. Vert lusting after my body, but she seemed to be convinced for now.

Lady Violet is also aware of Ms. Schwarz’s exhibitionist tendencies, and understands her beauty too. A preference towards certain types of bodies is a personal freedom, so it’s no surprise that Mrs. Vert would compliment her body, and it resulted in the situation Lady Violet saw. The truth was a little more perverted though.

 

“Umm, like I thought, she’s that Ms. Schwarz and the other lady is Char’s Mother…. right?”

“Yes. They tend to go out of control, but they’re mostly just like that.”

“Is… that so.”

 

Ms. Mary asked me quietly earlier and I answered her, but Ms. Mary was now looking at them again with a complicated expression.

Is she thinking about how they’re not what she expected? If she had actually imagined that they would be like this beforehand that would be strange in itself too.

 

“Fufu, Mary, was it? I think this is the third time we’ve met.”

“That’s true. We’ve spoken before, but it was only when I was buying tools for alchemy magic. I see you remembered me. ”

“Of course. It’s easy to remember beautiful girls like you.”

“Thank you very much.”

 

By met before… does she mean something like meeting in the capital as a foreshadowing of the route like in Ring of Fire?

 

“Hmm, still…”

“?”

 

Ms. Schwarz stopped speaking and slowly looked around at everyone present.

Everybody was wondering what she was doing, but in the end she looked towards me as I was drinking my coffee, so I felt curious and asked her.

 

“Well, Clo, you can’t be underestimated either. You’ve got a harem full of beautiful women around you.”

“Gah?!”

 

I almost spit out my coffee.

It’s true that the ratio of women here is high, and it might be a harem in a sense that I’m surrounded by women, but this is not the kind of harem that’s full of women who are in love with me.

Ms. Schwarz’s affection is directed towards herself, and Ms. Mary is at best just a female friend. It’s true that Mrs. Vert might have affection for me, but…

 

“What are you saying all of a sudden? Ms. Mary is just my friend, and there are guys at the academy whom she’s on good terms with. Besides, do you have feelings for me, Ms. Schwarz?”

“I’m pretty okay with you as a man.”

 

Wait, seriously? What’s so good about a guy who threatened to destroy the monastery where her Brother lives, and used her guilt to make her come to Shiki again and again to peddle goods?

 

“…”

“Violet, if you keep putting too much pressure on the spoon, it will bend and become unusable. Please calm down.”

“Haha, what are you talking about? I am calm, Mary. That’s right, I just got more proof that my Husband is an attractive man. I have nothing to be angry about.”

“For now, please stop biting your lip. Your beautiful lips will start to bleed.”

 

Lady Violet and Ms. Mary were whispering quietly, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying. However, I could tell that the atmosphere wasn’t looking good.

 

“I appreciate your kindness, but I don’t know what to do when you say things like that.”

“Hmm, so you don’t like a harem?”

“Becoming more attractive as a man and charming women might be a good thing, but the only person I want is Lady Violet.”

 

Putting aside whether Ms. Schwarz’s feelings were genuine or not, the person I love is Lady Violet. So even if she says that—

 

“Lord Clo, Lord Clo.”

“Hm, what’s wrong, Gray?”

 

As I was expressing my feelings, Gray, who was sitting next to me so he wouldn’t be too reserved, called my name several times and pulled on my sleeve. His movements were a bit like a small animal.

 

“Do you not want me?”

 

Gray asked, looking a little concerned.

I was momentarily stumped by his question, but as soon as I understood what he meant, I put my hand on Gray’s head and stroked it.

 

“Don’t worry, I want you too, Gray. I’m not leaving you out of anything.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really.”

 

While petting Gray, who was acting a little sulky, a smile naturally came to my face, realizing that this question itself was proof of Gray’s affection for me.

 

“If it’s a lie, I will behead you and drag you around the city. So, is it still true?”

“Why so gruesome? Don’t worry, I’m not lying.”

 

Even serial killers would be treated a little better.

I’ll ask him later who influenced him to say that. He probably only sees beheading as a ‘heavy punishment to make one reflect on one’s actions’.

 

“I’m glad to see that your Family gets along. My Husband has been busy lately, and my Son has become independent, so I’m envious. Don’t you think so too, Lady Violet with a red face?”

“… My face is not red, you must have seen it wrong.”

“Wow, you really switched up quickly. It seems to be thanks to all the time you spent petting Gray.”

 

Hearing this conversation, I turned towards Lady Violet.

She was drinking tea with her usual dignified attitude. The bad atmosphere from earlier seemed to be gone, at least.

 

“By the way, Mrs. Vert. I know it’s a little late, but may I ask why you came to Shiki?”

 

When Lady Violet noticed me looking at her. She took another sip of her tea (choking on it once because it was too hot), and asked about the thing I was trying to ask earlier.

Come to think of it, that’s what I wanted to find out earlier too. I got distracted by Mrs. Vert’s body fetish, but I wanted to ask what she meant by ‘that’s exactly right’ part.

 

“Yeah, one reason is an investigation. It’s a so-called routine monster investigation. Since the investigation area also included Shiki, a place where those of you who I recently became acquainted with lived, I requested to come here. The other reason is that I had a business with him.”

“Him?”

 

When Mrs. Vert mentioned ‘him’, Lady Violet initially looked in my direction, wondering if she had business with me, but when she realized that Mrs. Vert wasn’t directed at me, but rather at Gray, who I was petting, she looked puzzled and turned her face back towards Mrs. Vert.

 

“Could it be, Gray?”

“Yes, it’s Gray. He has received a recommendation letter from Azalea academy.”

“”…What?””

 

Hearing Mrs. Vert’s words, not just Lady Violet and I, but Ms. Mary too looked puzzled, a slightly surprised expression appearing on her face.

 

“—–? Is something wrong, everyone?”

 

Only Gray, the involved party, who looked happy to be petted, reacted a beat slower.