Chapter 8 Town Assembly Summons
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
It had been about a week since the day we went to the park.
I’d started to get used to life in this strange sci-fi facility. Still, this place made no sense. The rooms looked like something out of a spaceship, and apparently some windows showed stars twenty-four hours a day. What kind of magic was that?
But just when I was getting used to it, it was time to leave.
My preparations to move into the school dormitory were finally complete. The town I was headed for was said to resemble a provincial city lined with Taisho Romance-style streets.
This world really had no sense of consistency.
Then a notification arrived—addressed to me—from the town mayor.
”An order to appear? Did I do something wrong?”
A formal-looking letter came with breakfast.
Maggot-san, who had come to deliver my morning reports, brought it with a solemn expression.
Since Cult Slut-san’s education period had ended, Maggot-san had taken over as my advisor.
If I asked, she’d even take care of… other needs. A very considerate older sister, really.
Not being able to marry someone like her—now that felt like a flaw in the system.
”This is a summons from the town assembly. The mayor and council members request your presence.”
Apparently, the female leadership of Kujukuri Town wanted to meet me in person.
In this world, males were governed by important figures—essentially public property.
Now that I’d recovered, they wanted to see me for themselves.
Judging from Maggot-san’s expression, it didn’t sound pleasant.
”They must have seen you walking in the park the other day. They decided you were well enough to summon. The timing is rather sudden.”
”Are they unpleasant people?”
”Yes. If you dislike the idea, we can decline.”
Her answer was sharp and absolute.
I could feel her determination to protect me.
I thought for a moment.
In this town, there were over fifty men. Each was carefully profiled—personality, attitude toward women, community contribution. They were rare—one in a thousand—so every detail mattered.
But I was a blank slate. I’d been missing until last month.
”So they just want to see what kind of man I am.”
That seemed to be the case.
”If I go, is there any real downside—other than the discomfort? And what exactly do they want to do?”
”Most likely, they’ll offer advice before your departure. People of high status often enjoy giving moral guidance to the youth.”
So basically, they wanted to scold me on behalf of the town—a government-office-style lecture.
”They are, shall we say, very refined people. Or perhaps they’ll see promise in you and make a modest proposal.”
Her eyes went cold, her voice sharp as a blade.
”They’re petty, self-righteous jerks. They love preaching. And they might ask for favors.”
Maggot-san was angry—really angry.
Honestly, it was a little scary.
She clearly didn’t like the town’s leadership, even if she still loved her hometown.
”What happens if I refuse to go?”
”A minor inconvenience. The town will stop paying our salary, and I’ll have to support us on nothing.”
”No salary… seriously? How would you even manage?”
”We can always chew on tree roots. Don’t worry—whatever it takes, I won’t let Your Lordship suffer.”
Not exactly reassuring.
Apparently, she and the others were ready to go into debt just to keep feeding me.
Still, there was nothing comforting about that.
She looked tense—like her usual warmth had drained away.
”But aren’t some of the council members relatives of the local clans? Isn’t it dangerous to defy them?”
”It means nothing. These are the same people who gave up searching for you. You don’t owe them anything.”
Her eyes said the rest: No matter what happens, we’ll protect you.
Maybe it was overprotective, but I understood why.
This world’s ethics weren’t like my old one’s. Murders and wars happened often—as if it were still the Warring States era.
Government officials weren’t trustworthy either; they’d confiscate property, take bribes, or kill anyone who protested.
Just because someone worked for the government didn’t make them good.
”Just to be sure—if I go, I won’t be in danger, right?”
”Absolutely not. No one would harm a man. If anyone were to be targeted, it would be me.”
”That’s exactly what I don’t want.”
I asked a few more questions.
Then I decided.
”Alright. I’ll go. I’m curious what kind of women these ‘important figures’ are anyway. Maggot-san.”
”Yes?”
I opened my arms.
She stood calm and still, hands folded neatly in front of her thighs, watching me.
”Nn!”
I bounced on my toes, stretching my arms toward her.
She sighed, closed her eyes briefly, and opened her arms.
Then she pulled me into her chest—soft, warm, and overwhelming.
Happiness and courage surged through me all at once.
Ah, this—this was it.
The affection of an older sister with a touch of babumi—true nurturing power.
It had depth. Richness.
The kind that could make you throw away your entire life with a smile.
”Charge complete! Let’s do this. You can’t live on zero salary through willpower alone.”
”Understood. However, we’ll only agree to the appearance if the other party consents to you being escorted by an Imperial Guard skilled in negotiation.”
Well, it’ll probably work out somehow.
Maybe those so-called important people just want to check in on me—out of genuine concern.
If they apologize for giving up the search, fine.
If they turn out to be unpleasant, I’ll keep things polite but distant.
After that, I clung to Maggot-san, blocking her path as she tried to leave the room.
She said she couldn’t come to my room tonight. Apparently, she was gathering all the Imperial Guards for an all-night meeting.
When I refused to let go, she looked torn—happy, but really troubled.
In moments like that, I could feel just how deeply everyone here cared for me. It made me glad I came to this world.
Ah… even if it’s just because of the gender ratio, being loved feels good.
Maggot-san was gentle and graceful, but she had a firm core.
She felt frustrated with herself for not being strict enough—as an advisor, she believed that was her weakness.
She didn’t show it much, but she was clearly an emotional person who thought about everything carefully.
Eventually, she pried me off her with gentle but unyielding strength.
I flopped back onto my bed, staring up at the white ceiling.
”Hmm. It’s not that anyone’s truly at fault. The whole world’s just rough around the edges.”
My Imperial Guards and the town assembly—those relationships were broken.
Completely. You could call it mutual hatred.
There was a reason for that.
”The more I look into it, the more it feels like a strict hierarchical society… I should sort out the background.”
I spread the notes I’d been keeping on my bed.
It all started when I went missing. The cause traced back to Kazusa Country—or rather, Chiba Prefecture—and the bureaucracy’s negligence.
In this nation, every boy born is taken by the provincial government and redistributed to individual towns.
It’s a highly controlled system.
To the west lies a city called Ichihara. The most important boys are managed there under heavy supervision.
When they turn five, they’re sent to different regions by imperial grant.
Officially, this system was meant to balance the male population and stabilize the nation.
In practice, it was population control—hostage management, really.
Powerful regions received fewer boys to keep them weak.
It was basically the Edo Period’s alternate attendance system all over again.
The taken boys served as hostages, exchanged whenever new ones were born.
Through that cycle, the regime maintained its power.
Naturally, the regional lords resisted.
But the Kazusa Province, once led by a single clan lord, crushed all rivals and enforced this system.
That’s how the country was formed.
Since then, the position in charge of boy distribution has become the most powerful office in the land.
But during one of those bloody successions—where officials fought for control—one boy slipped through the cracks.
Before the previous official’s execution, his successor failed to record the transfer properly.
That forgotten boy was left inside a Learning Simulation Device.
That was me.
”Scary… They really execute officials here… Then again, other countries in my old world weren’t much better.”
The one most troubled was Kujukuri Town. Their assigned boy never arrived.
The town assembly appealed to Kazusa Province, but the new official was baffled.
On paper, the boy existed—but in reality, he didn’t.
Even among my Imperial Guards, the lineup had changed once.
Originally, noblewomen from the main family were chosen, but when I couldn’t be found, they withdrew.
Branch family members replaced them—people like Sow-san and Maggot-san.
Once appointed, a member could never be reassigned.
So they replaced the originals with provisional substitutes—to escape accountability.
It was a bureaucratic sacrifice, done just to make the paperwork fit.
Eventually, the town assembly gave up its search after the first year and requested a new boy from the government.
Honestly, that decision made sense. Searching endlessly for someone possibly dead helped no one.
Better to request a replacement and move on—for the town’s sake.
That’s when my Imperial Guards united.
They despised the town’s cold response, loathed the ruling families’ indifference, and renounced their surnames.
Even the top students among them followed suit.
They couldn’t forgive it—the idea that politics could erase a missing person.
Everyone else had given up on me.
They hadn’t.
I should’ve died trapped inside that machine.
But they pulled me out—from an instant-death reincarnation trap.
Then they took matters into their own hands.
They interrogated the officials of Kazusa Province—without permission.
They investigated independently, killed everyone involved, and proudly presented the severed heads to me like trophies.
”Yeah… I didn’t need that.”
As a result, relations between Kazusa Province and Kujukuri Town collapsed.
And that’s why my Imperial Guards and the town assembly can’t stand each other.
Their rebellion drove a wedge between the provincial government and the town itself.
In short, my Imperial Guards were feared and hated—both by the government and by their own hometown.
They were, in every sense, dangerous women.
But it wasn’t all bad.
Defying authority to save a single boy was, in some regions, celebrated as an act of female chivalry.
A heroic tale.
”Them? Yeah, those girls pulled it off,” people would say.
* * *
The next morning.
I walked down a white corridor, surrounded by eight Imperial Guards—everyone except Sow-san.
Their boots echoed in unison, steady and deliberate, with me in the center.
When this many beautiful women moved together, the air itself seemed to tense.
The tallest was Vocal Slut-san, the cheerful one I’d walked with in the park. She looked like a big, friendly puppy.
Even the ones I hadn’t spoken to much had impressive physiques—feminine, but strong and lithe.
They weren’t athletes. It was something deeper—raw physical power.
I realized that the Guards I’d interacted with before were probably the intellectual types.
These were the front-liners.
Being small, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed.
”Unbelievable… A summons in the middle of this chaos? Those main-family bastards—I’ll kill every last one.”
”Exactly! Calling a male out without notice? Totally against etiquette!”
”Calm yourself, C*mslut. You too, Cult Slut. You’re frightening the Young Master.”
”Still, when we took down that bureaucrat, maybe we should’ve made those town officials pay too…”
”Hey, Crybaby, why didn’t you make them?”
”I-I’m sorry…”
”Hehe. Well, it’s not too late, right?”
All of them carried swords.
As they marched down the corridor in their matching white uniforms, anger radiated from them like heat.
One of them—an older sister type with a rough edge—scared the hell out of me.
To outsiders, they probably looked terrifying.
Then I remembered—these were the same women who had slaughtered the officials who abandoned me inside that machine.
I felt like I’d stepped from modern Japan straight into a period drama.
Honestly, I already wanted to go home.
* * *
Last night had been chaos—preparations for school departure—and now this sudden summons?
The guards were furious. Especially Cult Slut-san.
She said it was rude to summon a male less than a day after sending a letter.
Still, opinions on attending the assembly were split.
Maggot-san and Crybaby-san (the Foreign Affairs Officer) supported going. They wanted to maintain cooperation with the town assembly.
Trash-san from the active division also agreed.
The rest were opposed, still bitter over the town’s betrayal.
Cult Slut-san objected purely on etiquette grounds.
At least Maggot-san wasn’t isolated this time.
And Vocal Slut-san? She had no clue what was going on.
Why was she smiling?
* * *
”So this is the town’s central street? The door looks just like mine.”
I walked while quietly observing the area.
”Kujukuri Town is built upon an unbroken, immense corridor, Young Master. The walls can’t be altered, but inside, it’s spacious.”
We had taken a vehicle to the government district, then walked through a section lined with large chambers.
The corridor was long and white, with doors spaced evenly along the walls.
Like everything else here, it felt mysterious.
But today, that wasn’t my concern.
Ordinary women had avoided us before.
Now, they were watching from afar, whispering behind their hands.
This town had only one main corridor—its only “road.”
Everyone usually kept to the left.
But since I was part of a male-led group, traffic stopped and we walked straight down the middle.
This was the central district of the town.
I could even spot a few other males here and there.
Most were carried in palanquins, or surrounded by strong-looking women.
The foot traffic thickened; the air buzzed with the noise of a lively town.
Around forty thousand people lived here.
For the first time, I could feel that number.
Despite being a town of forty thousand, it was nothing like a quiet rural place back in Japan.
Everyone looked young. The streets were full of huge carts hauling strange cargo, driven by energetic, beautiful women.
* * *
”Who are they?”
”Please step back.”
I stopped walking.
A group of women—just like ours—appeared ahead.
They were walking down the same corridor, straight toward us.
One group would have to yield.
I looked up at Vocal Slut-san, uneasy.
She just smiled back, bright and friendly.
As the two groups drew close enough to see faces clearly—
”Vocal Slut, stay by the Young Master. I shall handle this.”
”Got it! Come stand by me!”
The tall Vocal Slut-san stepped in front of me, hiding me from view.
She smiled warmly, while the other Guards subtly closed ranks around me.
I couldn’t see a thing ahead.
Then Maggot-san faced the group approaching us.
So she calls me “Young Master” in public, huh.
Still… what was with this atmosphere?
We were just walking through town. Did making eye contact mean a duel here?
Nervous now, I tried to stay still.
It was my first time in the central district, and everyone was on edge.
Please, let nothing happen.
”Are we doing this?”
”Depends on the situation. I leave it to you.”
”Don’t chicken out.”
Snap.
A sharp sound broke the air.
The scary woman from earlier flicked her thumb against her sword’s guard.
The cord that kept her from drawing in public snapped.
My Imperial Guards’ blades weren’t exactly Japanese swords.
They were wide, slim broadswords—elegant, but made for killing.
”Move aside. You’re the Maggot clan’s filth, aren’t you? How dare you walk through the main street?”
”We have been summoned by the town assembly. Please step aside.”
”Oh? Finally paying your dues, are you? I’ll be happy to deliver your last rites.”
”That won’t be necessary. If you value the town council’s intentions, move aside.”
”You idiot. If you want to pass, walk along the edge like a proper Maggot.”
Mocking laughter followed.
I couldn’t see who said it, but the jeering voices came from beyond Vocal Slut-san’s tall frame.
They sounded rough—mean.
So this is what the world outside my room feels like…
”I am escorting a male. We are on our way to meet respected officials.”
At Maggot-san’s calm declaration, the opposing group froze.
Judging from their voices, they were young.
”…Let me confirm that. Show me his face.”
The leader’s tone was low and firm.
Maggot-san didn’t respond.
A chill ran down my spine—cold air rolling off her back.
The other Guards tensed immediately.
Their hands shifted toward their hilts.
”Mind your tone.”
The young woman who had spoken drew in a breath, then addressed me directly—even though she couldn’t see me.
”…Forgive me. My lord, may they see your face?”
At Maggot-san’s signal, the Guards parted slightly.
Vocal Slut-san stepped aside just enough for me to peek through.
Half hidden behind her long legs, I leaned forward.
Several young women stood there, faces stiff with embarrassment.
”…I see. Please forgive our rudeness. We didn’t know Your Lordship was present. Move aside, everyone!”
They quickly stepped back, bowing, and hurried past.
I watched them go.
”Tch. Guess they weren’t main family agents after all. Boring.”
”There’s no reason to interfere with our visit. Let’s move on.”
Maggot-san and the fierce-eyed C*mslut-san ended the exchange without hesitation.
The others looked unfazed—as if nothing had happened.
Apparently, this kind of confrontation wasn’t unusual.
* * *
”Um… Maggot-san?”
She stopped and smiled kindly.
”Yes, my lord?”
”Is it always like that when you pass people here? I mean, everyone sounded ready to fight…”
The whole thing had felt dangerously close to a duel.
If this was normal, that was terrifying.
Before she could answer, someone gently nudged her aside.
A smaller girl stepped forward—beautiful and poised, her face serene.
Cult Slut-san.
It had been a few days since I’d seen her, and just seeing her face made me happy.
With a calm expression, she pressed her hip lightly against Maggot-san’s, sliding forward to take over.
”Allow me to explain. Our town, Kujukuri Town, has only one main road. The right of way is clearly ranked: first, males; second, cargo; third, females. You learned that in your lessons, yes?”
”Yeah, it’s called a traffic rule.”
”Very good. Stopping others to let a male pass is also to prevent accidents.”
So males were treated like emergency vehicles.
I asked another question.
”But those women earlier—they didn’t have a man with them. Why were they walking in the middle?”
”Excellent observation. Sadly, some Imperial Guards walk the center even without a male, just to flaunt their supposed superiority—to show they’re close to men in status.”
Ah, female dominance hierarchy.
A power move.
They were probably guards assigned to another male.
Still, something didn’t add up. Their hostility seemed too personal.
”We are disliked,” Cult Slut-san said softly, almost sadly.
”Huh? Really?”
”Yes. We pushed hard to find Your Lordship, even breaking rules in nearby towns. Normally, when two Imperial Guard units meet, both step aside to the left. But here, no one willingly yields to us anymore.”
So they’d broken laws for me—and earned resentment from everyone else.
I wanted to pat her head.
But with so many people watching, I couldn’t.
”Sometimes, Guards assigned to less important males are expected to yield the road. It’s shameful, but true. Yet we won’t bow to anyone without a male beside them!”
Her voice carried conviction, tinged with pride.
It warmed me.
She noticed and quickly added—
”We’re the only ones disliked, not you, Your Lordship.”
”Got it. I understand, Cult Slut-san.”
She looked relieved.
Even those hostile Guards had shown respect toward me.
Their anger wasn’t for me—it was for the women protecting me.
To other units, a male was still sacred.
Cult Slut-san and I shared a quiet look.
There was sadness there—but warmth, too.
Meanwhile, a few of the older Guards whispered among themselves.
”He really is attached to Cult Slut, huh…”
”So they weren’t lying.”
”He’s so small, and he talks so much… adorable. Thank goodness he’s alive.”
And maybe that was why Cult Slut-san’s tone was slightly higher than usual—
less like a teacher, more like someone performing for the others.
* * *
After that, we reached the place and a brisk maid appeared, kneeling on the floor as the fusuma sliding door opened.
”Only two members of the Imperial Guard are permitted to accompany you.”
In order, the maid, Maggot-san, I, and Crybaby-san, the Foreign Affairs Officer, proceeded down the hallway.
I was slightly surprised, but this seemed to be standard procedure. The remaining Imperial Guards would wait in the waiting room.
Now, the creaking of the floorboards added an eerie tension to the atmosphere.
After turning several corners, a particularly large fusuma sliding door came into view.
As we announced our presence, the door was pulled open from the inside, revealing a spacious chamber.
”Wow…”
The room featured a large tatami-floored space, with elderly women seated at equal intervals on either side.
At the farthest end, an old woman reclined comfortably, supported by armrests.
It felt like the kind of setting from a period drama where a lord gathers his vassals.
Or perhaps like a scene from a yakuza film where cups are exchanged.
The walls were adorned with hanging scrolls and flowers, yet modern amenities like an air conditioner were also present.
The air in the room demanded a certain formality.
Guided by the maid, I approached the council members—eight family heads of the neighborhood’s noble families.
A raspy voice rose from the elderly woman seated at the front.
”Make yourselves comfortable.”
Prompted by the maid, I instinctively assumed a formal seated position.
Both Maggot-san and Crybaby-san knelt behind me.
Primarily, I was the one expected to answer their questions.
As council members, they held higher status than even myself, a male, let alone the Imperial Guards.
They were in a position to command us.
”You’ve done well to come. Welcome.”
She was quite elderly… easily the oldest person I’d seen in this town.
Her hair was mostly white, and her skin bore numerous wrinkles. Though frail, her movements lacked hesitation.
My impression… wasn’t positive. The way we’d been treated up to this point felt malicious.
Still, I don’t entirely trust my judgment of people.
In a male-dominated society, someone long involved in politics like her would be beyond my understanding.
That’s why I came—to understand her. It would be unwise to prejudge her.
First, I needed to know who she was.
So, I responded as politely as possible.
”Thank you for your kindness.”
I gave a slight bow.
”I am Haruko Katakai, the town’s leader.”
Town Leader Katakai stared at me with an oddly vacant expression.
Katakai… could she be from Maggot-san’s former family estate? Her original surname was the same.
As a branch family member, perhaps the town leader was from the main family.
The room was dimly lit, and the silent council members, along with the elderly man beside them, felt ominous.
As I began to introduce myself, she raised a hand to stop me.
Before I could react, she spoke.
”Formalities are unnecessary. Here is my directive: Your Imperial Guards are dismissed as of today. The town assembly will select their replacements. Your custody will now be under the Katakai family’s guardianship. The two behind you may leave.”
I gasped.
What? What was she saying?
She was firing my Imperial Guards and replacing them. I couldn’t believe it.
”W-what do you mean…?”
My voice trembled as I spoke.
She showed no reaction to my fear and regarded me as if I were an object.
I could feel Maggot-san’s distress behind me.
But I had to stay calm. Shouting wouldn’t help.
”…Why are you replacing my Imperial Guards?”
My voice shook as I continued.
The town leader looked at me with an inscrutable expression.
”Why, you ask?”
”I don’t understand. I’m supposed to leave with the Guards tomorrow for school…”
This was absurd. How could she do this?
I couldn’t bear the thought of being separated from Maggot-san and the others—not emotionally or morally.
The council members had given up on finding me. Now that I was found, they wanted to take me back. It was selfish.
”Are my feelings not a concern?”
”Oh, don’t worry about that.”
It was unforgivable.
Yet, the town leader spoke flatly, as if it were nothing.
”We’ll handle everything. New Guards have already been selected.”
The other council members smirked, their dark gazes fixed on Maggot-san and Crybaby-san.
”These replacements are recommended by the assembly.”
”Really? How thoughtful. This time, we’ll assign Guards with proper backgrounds. Your current Guards have a bad reputation. This is for your own good—and theirs.”
Her voice lacked sincerity.
Anger boiled within me.
They abandoned me, only to take me back when I became useful. And they did it by betraying Maggot-san, who had sacrificed everything for me.
The council members were likely the families Maggot-san had abandoned. This was their revenge.
”Can this decision be reversed? I want to keep my current Guards.”
”…We’ll consider it. Don’t worry—we’ll handle everything.”
”That’s not what I meant…”
”A male should not comment on town management. Please, rest assured and wait quietly.”
The mayor’s voice sounded soft — almost like she was soothing a child, not addressing an equal.
And then I understood.
I wasn’t the main actor here.
Being a male meant reverence, yes — but also control.
Respected, displayed, and used.
A cog in society, nothing more.
It mirrored how women once felt in the male-dominated world I remembered from before.
That understanding hit hard.
I could see it in their eyes — they didn’t want dialogue. They wanted compliance.
…Yeah. Alright.
I calmed down.
I still wanted to punch every single one of them — but I forced myself to think.
Then a shout came from behind me.
”Please, wait!”
”You are not permitted to speak.”
”No — I will speak!”
It was Maggot-san.
Two guards grabbed her instantly, forcing her to the ground, blades drawn.
But she didn’t stop.
”This decision—does it follow proper order? A complete replacement of Imperial Guards without notice is unheard of!”
”It follows procedure,” the mayor replied flatly.
Her tone held open contempt now.
She leaned on her armrest, looking down at Maggot-san with cold superiority.
The other council members shared the same glare — full of disdain.
”You are not officially recognized guards. Without Kazusa Province’s authorization, your status is provisional. Personnel selection falls under the council’s jurisdiction.”
”That’s only because we couldn’t attend Ichihara School for authorization…!”
”Yes, that ceremony coincides with the entrance ritual. You haven’t undergone it.”
Maggot-san’s face was slick with sweat. She pressed her forehead against the tatami, desperate.
”If permitted, we can obtain authorization immediately!”
”Guards — enough. Remove her.”
Two enforcers struck her with the back of their blades — one across the back, one along the neck.
A dull thud echoed through the room.
She didn’t lose consciousness.
Her fingernails dug into the floor.
”The provincial government would surely confirm our—”
”Persistent.”
Another blow landed — this time on the back of her head.
A drop of blood splattered onto my hand.
A few strands of her dark hair drifted into the air.
And then — she stopped moving.
”So ends a branch daughter’s insolence,” one of the council members muttered.
”We’ll sleep well tonight.”
Their laughter filled the room.
I froze, staring.
Every part of me screamed to move — to act — but I was shaking too much to stand.
They had crushed her like nothing.
Maggot-san — who saved me — treated as filth.
That was it. I’d had enough.
This town, this council, this world — I wanted out.
Forget diplomacy. Forget restraint.
I’d take everyone and leave this damned town behind.
But before I could move, I heard a faint voice.
”You’re sweating, sir.”
I turned.
A small figure — I hadn’t even noticed her.
Crybaby-san.
Even the mayor looked startled.
”Mayor,” she said softly, “the sight seems distressing for him. May I tidy him up?”
”Ah… yes. Yes, do so. Give him some comfort.”
”Thank you.”
The air shifted.
Her presence — fragile, quiet — cut through the hostility.
Everyone stared as she approached me.
She took out a small handkerchief and gently wiped my forehead.
”Thank you,” I whispered.
”You’re welcome,” she replied with a small smile.
Then, still kneeling, she smoothed my hair and straightened my collar.
”I was happy you said you wished to stay with us,” she murmured. “And you did well not to lose your temper. On paper, the council is right.”
”Uh… I guess…”
”Diplomacy begins with sincerity and trust. Do you know why?”
I didn’t answer.
She leaned in close, her breath brushing my ear.
”Because sometimes,” she whispered, “you must tell a lie at the perfect moment.”
She patted my shoulders lightly, then pressed the handkerchief into my lap.
”There. You’re handsome again.”
And just like that, she returned to her place.
The room was silent.
My anger evaporated, replaced by strange calm.
I could think again.
On the cloth in my lap — a small, handwritten note.
I looked down.
…And understood.
I asked the female enforcers to treat Maggot-san.
”Please handle her carefully. Even if she can’t recover, she supported me until now. Please… move her without shaking her head too much.”
She lay motionless, eyes closed. My chest hurt just looking at her.
But I couldn’t break down now.
If I pleaded as a male, they wouldn’t dare mistreat her — not openly.
I had to get her back somehow.
But I had no authority. No power.
No reincarnation cheat.
Just me — trapped in a system I couldn’t fight.
When the room fell silent again, I spoke.
”Understood. I’ll accept the replacement of my Imperial Guards.”
”Oh, you understand. Good boy,” the mayor said, her tone smooth again. “We’re sorry you had to see such barbarity. You must’ve been frightened.”
Her calmness made me sick. I wanted to tear her apart.
But I kept my composure.
”I’m fine. But I’d like to request one thing.”
”You’re brave — what is it?”
”I’d like permission to rename my new Imperial Guards.”
The mayor blinked, taken aback.
She thought for a while.
”Renaming is a privilege granted to females close to their male. It’s not something I have to approve, but—”
”Is it forbidden?”
”Well, it’s not customary between strangers… but fine. I’ll allow it under mayoral authority.”
I remembered Cult Slut-san’s lesson.
In law, I was property.
My will didn’t matter; the state decided everything.
And yes — on paper, the council was “right.”
But they couldn’t measure emotion.
That was their blind spot.
”Those former guards of yours had strange names, didn’t they?” the mayor chuckled.
The other women laughed, whispering mockingly.
Rage built inside me.
”So that’s why you ask? Because of their names?”
”Yes. Their names were awful. ‘Sow,’ ‘Maggot’—I laughed myself,” I said.
”Oh? Still angry with them?”
”Angry?” I looked down, shoulders trembling. “Eight years. That’s how long I was missing. ‘Incompetent’ isn’t enough to describe them.”
”Indeed…”
Then I raised my head.
And glared at all of them — cold, steady, unblinking.
”The new guards’ names are as follows.”
I unfolded the handkerchief on my lap, hidden from their view.
Tiny handwriting covered its fabric.
*’Get angry. Say you’ll torment every one of the new guards to death.
Start with these names:’*
It listed words. Cruel words. Obscene ones.
”…slut, impure, filth, loose woman, prostitute.”
I spoke them clearly.
Shock rippled through the room.
The mayor and her council froze.
Hearing such words from me — from a male — was unthinkable.
In this nation, giving a woman a name tied to lust or impurity was worse than death.
”I don’t know what misunderstanding you’re under,” I continued.
”But I hate women. All of them. I resent every single one of you.”
Their faces contorted. Screams and shouts erupted.
”Ridiculous! Reports said you were gentle — even strolling through the park with your guards!”
”You can’t give my daughter such names!”
”Wasn’t there talk that you drove one of your guards to suicide?”
Chaos filled the hall.
Panic. Denial. Fear.
Of course. They had planned to assign their own daughters as my guards.
Now, none of them would dare send them.
Their greed backfired.
The mayor trembled, her breathing shallow.
”I–is that true? Are those truly your feelings?”
Before I could answer, Crybaby-san’s quiet voice rose from behind me.
”If I may, that is the truth. The eldest daughter of the Sakuta family received his scolding. She lived… but remains hospitalized.”
Gasps and cries followed.
So, that was Sow-san.
They didn’t know the full story — only fragments.
But the facts alone sounded damning enough.
Crybaby-san’s calm tone carried the final blow.
I looked down at the handkerchief.
She told me once: “Here, you must tell a lie.”
Now I understood.
”My current Imperial Guards remain because they saved me,” I said slowly.
”But when the new guards arrive, that won’t be true anymore.”
I spoke clearly — the lie she told me to say.
And just like that, the council fell silent.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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