Chapter 146

Chapter 146: A Trap Called Custom

Katalina, come with me. Meril, what will you do? Are you going back for now?

No, I have something to talk with you..Could I wait here?

All right. Ill be back as soon as the meeting with the sister ends, so you can take your time and relax until then.

She sat right next to the still collapsed Albert; I took Katalina with me and went to the reception room.

Being alone with the sister in a locked room is kind of scary.

To say nothing of the fact that shes he next Pope-sama..Im glad Katalina is here.

Weve kept you waiting. Sister..You helped us a lot during Beas delivery.

Thank you for your consideration-nya.

This was a proud way of talking but it cant be helped for an archduke.

Instead, Katalina said an expression of thanks.

If I were to say it, it wouldve been all sorts of problematic.

No, it was only natural since this was Gods intent. The trees in which small birds take shelter from rain dont say anything. The same goes for the huge trees which look up at the clear sky. Also, the dark clouds let the rain fall above the ground evenly..Your excellency, Archduke Zest, what do you think of this rain?

I was confused by the junky talk just now.

Moreover, I was asked a questionI have no idea what to answer.

On the side, Katalinas eyes were wide open. It seems that she didnt understand either.

Right. The rain?It brings blessings, but, at the same time, it also brings calamity. In short, it has a bipolar meaning, right? Sister, do you have any word of advice for me?

Shocked, Katalina turned around to look at me.

You get surprised too easily, you know? I just said this casually. I didnt understand a thing the sister said, so dont get your hopes too high.

You are just like Pope-sama described you in the letterThis was a wonderful answer. A miracle born from Gods power.

She said and made a praying pose.

It appears that my answer was correct.Oi, understanding your words and giving you an answer turns this into a miracle?

Besides, did she receive a letter from that fridge?

In a house where land beings and sea beings coexist, trials will often happen. The sea dwellers cant always grant water. Also, it cant be said that the sea people dont need water!

This.I cant catch up with her words

Still, she kind of seems different today, doesnt she? She looks like she wants to convey something important to me, but I have no clue about the meaning.

Trials, huh?Katalina, what do you think?

Nya!?

Maybe because the sister looked at her, wearing a rare serious expression on her face, or maybe because I suddenly brought her into this discussion, Katalinas shoulders shook a little.

Ri-right-nya. Lets deal with them immediately, your excellency.

As expected from Katalina. Sister, please rest assured.

Aah! I feel like the first time when I entered a chapel. The wind which slides over the calm water surface and swings the trees leaves must feel

this way too. In delight, the forest trees grow new buds. Even though its not necessary.

At Katalinas reply, the sister returned this, smiling and nodding.She was probably very pleased..Probably.

Is this something that we have to hurry to deal with? This I understood clearly.

Since lately, I am quite in close terms with the sister, she came to warn me, I wonder?

So, what did she mean in the end? I didnt understand a thing!

Me tooI didnt understand what she said-nya!

..

..

Alone in the reception room, Katalina and I stared at each other without saying a word.

I cant criticize you since I didnt understand either, but..there must have been other ways to answer that question. The way you did, it seemed like we completely understood the situation, you know?

Forgive me-nya. She looked different than usual so I felt agitated..

We returned to my office, but the problem wasnt resolved.

And I cant go the sister to ask her about this againThis is troubling.

Your excellency. You seem busy so we can talk another day if you want.

Meril said in a low voice.

No, no. Since Im going back to the country of elves, we have to talk now, otherwise I dont know when we can do this again.

Its all right. Well do this now. This problem wont get solved no matter how much we worry about it, so dont mind it.

Understood. I said I wanted to consult with you, but in fact it is about me and Alberts married couples business.

Without thinking, I spurt out the tea inside my mouth.

Katalina coughed too.

Ma-married couples business.What the heck is she trying to say

Your excellency, are you all right?

Listen, Meril. Are YOU all right? Talking about a married couples business, you know.

So this is what they call a natural airhead-nya! Its scary-nya!

She gapped at my and Katalinas words, but she seemed to understand the meaning, because her face turned bright red.

Flustered, she kept waving her hands and she talked.

It-its different! I wanted to say marital relationship.

Hm? How is this different? You two got married because you liked each other, didnt you?

Yes. Since I am a human, I learned a little about the kemonobito peoples customs, for his sake. However, I cant put up with this anymore.

Yeah. Many couples of humans and kemonobito on our territory dont seem to get along too well-nya.

Is that so? Well, there are many mixed couples on my territory.

Also, I got reports recently that this has started to give birth to all sorts of problems.

I never imagined that a noble like Meril would ever talk about this.

Well, calm down now. Why do you think like this? Did Albert cheat on you? Should I cut off one of his arms?

No, it is my fault! He did nothing wrong!

She cried as she took out the whip from her chest region.

As I said before, that place is not a container.

This is the cause. I cant put up with whipping him anymore. I hate it.

Well, they have some frightening customs.

You didnt seem happy before, your face looked rather hollow-nya.

Katalina, what will happen if you stop using the whip? From the kemonobito folks point of view?

ThatsBeing all right while getting whipped is also for display-nya. Its impossible not to do it-nya. But, if not a whip, then something painful is all right too-nya.

I see..So you have to hit hard? You cant do it lightly?

Among kemonobito, it is an unspoken agreement that they go easy on each other. However, since humans usually hit them hard, this result often turns out-nya.

Eeh!? You can hit them lightly too!?

Surprised, Meril stood up and she shouted.

Thats right-nya. Even though it looks like the partner hits hard, the agreement is that they go easy on the other-nya. Still, a kemonobito will never talk about this-nya. Its..because our races pride-nya.

I cant believe this..I thought that my affection for Albert will be perceived depending on how strong I hit him.

Well, men want to honor such things-nya. Its really a troublesome custom-nya.

Then, maybe if youll tell me more about it

Its prohibited for other people to talk about it-nya. This is a married couples talk, so, if I say more than a piece of advice, Id be treated like Im meddling into something that is none of my business-nya.

Such a troublesome custom..Its full of traps

We must do something, otherwise it might turn ugly.

A display, huh?For example, if we created something line this..

I explained my plan to both of them.

I folded a piece of paper and explained, and the girls sat down, listening to me.

Once I created and used that thing in practice, their excitement rose to a climax.

This is amazing-nya! We must mass-produce this right away-nya!

This way Ill be all right too! Thank you very much, your excellency!

I know I came up with this myself, but is this truly enough to solve this matter?

Because they were kind of too happy, I pulled back a little. The girls tension was at a max level.

This is a ground-breaking invention-nya. Your excellency, this means hope for all the mixed couples-nya!

If I had this from the beginning, we wouldnt have come to this..Your excellency, please give your permission for all couples on your dominion to use this thing!

Ah, yeah. I dont mind. Everyone can use this to their hearts content. Is this all? Then, Id like to go to Bea and Whis place if you dont mind

Please, please-nya.

We wont let anyone intrude. Please take your time and relax.

And so, I managed to spend the rest of my time here with my family. This refreshed my spirit.

The time spent with my wife and holding my baby in my arms.In order to protect his happiness, Ill have to deal with the country of elves quickly!

I thought about this again.

Several days later, by the time I left for the country of elves, the new item was announced in grand fashion all throughout my dominion.

At that time, the following announcement was spread and it addressed everyone in my name, causing a major uproar.

Andthis is also connected to the incident that happened later.

This is to inform all mixed couples

I know about the kemonobito folks custom to use a whip on the partner in order to show sincerity and bravery.

We must value this custom and we need to tell the future generations about it.

However, hitting the partner with a whip is halfhearted.

Since I prepared for you a new weapon from a different world, you will use it to show your affection even more.

This doesnt mean you will cast aside tradition. This will become the new tradition and custom on my entire dominion. Therefore, worrying is useless.

Take the initiative and use this at your hearts content, as a custom in the Tarminal region.

However, be warned that during the use, loud voices will come out.

Grun Empire, Archduke, 1stRank Imperial Mage, Zest-Gaiyus-Tarminal

Oi, this means the end of us!

Yeah, a weapon from a different world.Ill definitely die.

Until now we were close to that too.What will happen from now on.

In order to confirm the use and strength of this new weapon, a few people were called and gathered in front of my mansion.

The one selected were all married kemonobito people.

They all had human wives and husbands.

They all stood in rows with pale faces.

In front of them, the fully armed black knights and war maidens prepared their weapons.

Are you ready-nya? Then, start-nya!

At Katalinas order, they all wielded their weapons simultaneously.

These were trained elite soldiersThey couldnt even compare to the wives and husbands of the people gathered here.

However, this was his excellencys orders so no one could oppose this.The participants quickly gritted their teeth.

Zbaaaan!!

A dry excellent sound drifted about the entire plaza.

The onlookers and the participants spouses covered their faces.

This sound.sounded like nothing theyve heard before.

The participants cant possibly be all right after this

Hmm?

I-I am alive?

Eh? Did something happen just now?

The black knights holding the weapons murmured to the blankly looking participants.

This is the foreign weapon that his excellency created. There is no better thing to show ones spirit other than this. Its power is precisely as you felt it. This is his excellencys consideration towards youFrom now on, this is what your partners will use.

Dumbfounded, the participants received the new weapon and they started to slowly comprehend this unthinkable situation.

This doesnt hurt as much as the whip!

Aah, theres not even a need to go easy on us!

This way we can protect our kemonobito pride!!

From now on the whip is banned-nya! This new weapon, theharisen1, will be used for the kemonobito folks custom-nya!

Your excellency archduke Zest,banzai2!!!!!!!!!!!!

The savior of mixed couplesIf we are to get married, then we better go live on the archdukes dominion!

Such rumors spread, which became the trigger of the explosive population growth on my territory; people started to immigrate here from many nations.

Translation: Nana