The Sia Familys Request

So in other words, youre wanting that cute Ojou-san to have a fiance that can be cut off at any time to keep an evil bloodsucker away?

Exactly.

Von Odoll nodded in satisfaction.

Thats how the story turned out.

Thanks to the recent discovery of a certain tunnel, Pavueras feudal lord grew interested in having his son marry Mai Odoll. However, the rumors about his son werent too good. He wanted to refuse the offer, but he needed a reason to do so.

And so he decided that he would prefer getting her a fiance, allowing him to refuse the engagement.

So its not a fake marriage so much as it is a feigned betrothal.

It wouldnt have been too hard of a thing to refuse if she was already engaged, but now that hes already started to show interest in her, I needed the man to have some prestige. On that point, Kehma-dono, as the one to discover that tunnel, as the one to first retrieve a magic sword from [Cave of Desires] after its transition phase, and as the one who has governed Golen Village in its development, you have quite a record.

Hearing it like that and setting aside what actually happened, it really does sound like Im excellent.

Moreover, Im not a lolicon. In other words, Im the most suitable marriage candidate.

However, there is one matter that troubles me, this thing about you preferring young girls is it true?

No, it isnt.

But that Kuroinu-dono you bring with you, isnt her name Meat?

Kuro is a beloved member of my family. There are various matters concerning her name.

Unexpectedly, I felt something soft beating against my waist. When I took a look, it was Meats tail wagging back and forth bumping against me. How cute.

Alright. But I intend for my daughter to be clean until her marriage, do you understand?

Excuse me, but it sounds to me as though this is advanced with the assumption that Ive agreed. Is that my imagination?

I wonder. With your excellence, you should know how to maneuver this to your advantage, right? Ive, naturally, prepared a reward for you. How about it? Youre an adventurer, so you could just think of this as a commission.

Im not exactly troubled in my finances, so I would still like to refuse. I have my own circumstances.

Right, how about some information on a Godly Treasure? It would be about the Godly Pillow, a divine tool.

Nn? W-well, maybe I can hear you out?

A lords power for information gathering is frightening. Did he know it was something I want Wait, come to think of it, didnt I tell the Adventurer Guild that I would buy any and all information about the Godly Beddings maybe he learned about it from them?

But its information about a new piece of the set. Not another duplicate. I want it.

It was hard to refuse Von Odolls coerciveness after behaving so modestly, but if its about that, Im prepared to let him keep the initiative for a bit longer.

What, its not too serious. Just let me use your name for around a month.

A month?

Yeah. Thats all Ill need to refuse him. So how about it? Just a month.

With that, Maid-san knocked at the door, came in, and whispered into Von Odolls ear.

He nodded with a sigh.

Kehma-dono. Weve prepared a guest room for you to use, so please, stay the night. Having you return right back to Golen Village the same day after expressly calling you here myself would disgrace my name as the lord Ah, I suppose you would arrive in the middle of the night if you left now?

Oi. This is one of those [You cant refuse my hospitality, now can you?] moments, isnt it? I couldve sworn that Id come at a time that would allow me to leave immediately was I waiting for him longer than I thought I did?

What should I do? Wozuma told me to not offend him

I guess I should just accept it I want information on the beddings, anyways.

Ill accept your hospitality, then.

Thats great. Its such a rare event, so please tell my daughter about some of your adventuring stories later. That girl loves to hear about things like that.

I guess Im alright with accepting this feigned betrothal if its only going to be for a month.

Biting onto the Godly Beddings bait dangling in front of me, thats what I felt.

*

Goshujin-sama.

Hmm?

Arriving in the room prepared for me, Meat followed in behind me and whispered to me.

Were being watched.

Hmm.

Meat secretly pointed to the wall. She did so in a way that wouldnt allow them to watch from the other side of the wall.

Were being monitored? Well, its almost definitely better for him to have more information on the person that would be his daughters fiance, but it doesnt feel so good for me.

Lets play a prank.

I sat down on the soft sofa that was in the guest room. I sat in such a way that my back was to the wall.

Meat, come here.

! Coming.

Guessing my intention, Meat sat in the same position as me.

She sat down using my front to lean back against, fitting snugly in front of me.

This was due to her being so used to this after being a hug pillow night after night.

Nn haah, Goshujin-sama.

Good girl, good girl.

I stroked Meat on the head, mixing in some occasional skinship.

Each time, Meats voice would come out with a [Aah] or [Huuu].

Huh? This is a bit different than Id imagined. How should I put it I was wanting to make the one monitoring us feel absurd for looking at someone petting their pet.

No no no, it needs to look like a parent and child Right, you and I are family. So its alright!

Parent, child Otou, san?

Hoooh! My child is so cute. Lets pet her some more.

Is doing this whats caused the suspicions about me being a lolicon to spread so much? Eh, whatever. My child is cute and cuteness is my child. Huh? She didnt change into a Succubus, right?

Nn~

Meat starting rubbing her body against me. She really is like a dog. Good girl.

We cant even really talk about anything right now since were being watched. Just as I started to think that Id just continue loving on Meat until someone called for me, I heard a knock at the door.

Kehma-sama, its Mai ODoll. Could I come in?

Ah, one moment alright, you can come in.

Having Meat sit to my side, I invited Mai ODoll in.

Opening the door slowly and gracefully, Mai ODoll came in together with a maid. She looks serious. Mai ODoll sat down on the sofa facing mine, but the maid remained standing to the side behind her.

Now then, how can I help you, Mai ODoll-sama. Oh, did you want to hear about my adventures?

Yes, Id like to hear more about you, Kehma-sama Umm, could you please call me Mai?

Theres no way I could, Im just an average, humble adventurer, after all.

Mai ODoll spoke with her hand placed against her chest. Is that it? Is she one of those people that prefers to be called more intimately?

Youre my fianceI mean, youre a candidate to be my fiance, so we are connected like that. So

Ill call you Mai-sama, then.

Could you not add on that -sama?

You add -sama to my name as well, Mai-sama. Now were equal.

Refuse once, then come to a compromise. Yep, that much should be alright.

Now then, time to talk about my adventuresis what I thought, but now that I think of it, I havent really done anything as an adventurer that could be called an adventure.

Ive just done toilet cleaning, deliveries, rabbit hunting, and information on the dungeon. I cant even tell anyone more than half of what I do.

To be honest, I havent done much adventurer-like adventuring, less that I could talk about. I do know stories Ive heard from other adventurers though, would you like to hear one of those?

It appeared that my abridged story about Momotaro pleased Mai. [1]

Footnotes:

Momotaro, Peach Boy, is a popular hero of Japanese folklore. Information about Momotaro can be found