Chapter 82 The Town’s Man
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
We had walked only a few minutes.
Minamiboso in Chiba, where we are, was apparently much colder during the Edo Period.
I felt the cold through the soles of my geta as I walked through the town’s narrow alleys. The attendant big sister, who looked like a widow, was with me. My white tabi grew damp, absorbing the moisture and cold. But since my body was that of a child, the cold wasn’t too painful.
Suddenly, I looked into the distance and saw winter birds chirping and fighting for perches on the cedar and pine trees planted on the low hills. These birds gather in Minamiboso, which is exceptionally warm for Chiba, to spend the winter. They say the climate here is the same as areas south of Shizuoka Prefecture—in other words, west of Mount Fuji. It’s nearly 200 kilometers away. I recall hearing something about the terrain being directly hit by a warm sea current coming from the direction of the Philippines.
This town feels like the kind of place that would be the subject of scary ghost stories. On drying poles and near smokehouses, the corpses of monsters, shaped like skinned humans, hang.
”It’s kind of scary. Like some old village that still performs sacrificial rituals,” I muttered.
When a girl in a tattered kimono stood on a dimly lit, snowy alley, I thought my heart would stop. It was a pair of young sisters; the younger one was sucking her finger while pulling on her big sister’s sleeve with her other hand.
The scene looked like it could appear in a Japanese horror movie.
”Um. Do you need something?” I asked.
”Hya… you spoke…! No!” The two girls, who had been staring intently at me, ran off the moment I spoke.
”We did it, we did it! Big sis, I talked to a man!” the younger one exclaimed.
”Yeah! Let’s brag to everyone!” the older one replied.
Their backs ran off in great delight. I hadn’t spoken a single word to them, but I wondered if that was okay.
On the next alley, perhaps because my reaction was amusing, someone truly surprised me. A salted, hanging human-shaped meat mass suddenly spoke. But looking closer, I saw another girl behind it, doing the voice. She was making it seem like the meat block was talking. That girl was dragged away by her furious mother, her face bright red, while receiving a serious scolding.
”Women are all the same, no matter the town…” I muttered. Perhaps the proximity felt strange because I didn’t have a scary-looking bodyguard nearby. As I mumbled, the voluptuous attendant walking beside me taught me in a gentle voice, “It’s because a male is here. Everyone seems lively and excited. People truly need a male.”
Indeed, on the first day I visited, the townspeople had looked gloomy and spoke little. Compared to then, the town feels a bit more vibrant.
”I hope that’s good. I wonder if I really have that much of an impact. Are they that happy?” I asked.
”Like drooping rice plants receiving sunlight, everyone has regained their vitality. This is surely due to your virtue,” she said.
”You too, big sister?” I asked.
”Of course,” she replied with a smile.
It seemed the townspeople were indeed becoming more cheerful thanks to my presence. The attendant, who was praising me, was smiling genuinely.
But, well, the time for them to be so cheerful wouldn’t last long.
My two Imperial Guards still hadn’t woken up, so while I was out, I was introduced to the town’s Imperial Guards. One of them was a psionic power user, and she showed me various strange techniques. Perhaps this was also part of breaking down visual biases.
Even though it was wartime, the psionic power users in Isumi Town, unlike those in my town, easily demonstrated their psionic powers. I don’t know if this was the peacefulness of a rural town or the broad-mindedness of these individuals.
Come to think of it, my own Imperial Guard’s psionic power isn’t suited for battle either. In fact, it’s the type of psionic power that could expand business if known by others, so it would be wiser to show it.
It seems that even among Imperial Guards serving different males, there are hardly any barriers. Since there are only five males in total, perhaps there’s no point in fighting among factions.
Psionic power users are generally of the aberration type, and many of them were cute. What was surprising was that being an aberration type didn’t necessarily mean they became stronger. Some even became weaker than before. They felt like the “miss” category of aberration-type psionic power users.
”Jellyfish-san, I’ll be leaving for today,” I said.
”Yes. Thank you very much. I was happy you spoke to me. I look forward to seeing you again.”
”See you later, bye-bye.”
”…B-bye-bye~”
I waved goodbye to the semi-transparent female.
In the chisen (garden pond) of this ice-covered mansion—a pond in a Japanese garden. I had only learned its name recently—there was a person who looked like a drowned corpse.
The semi-transparent psionic power user floating there was truly pitiable. She could only breathe in water, mist, or on rainy days. She had no resistance to cold, so every winter night was hell. Conversely, when summer arrived, she became a seasonal spectacle, being gnawed at by the active pond carp and aquatic maggots, fleeing in panic. Her existence was truly pathetic.
The townspeople welcomed me warmly. Even with the bad weather, it seemed the sunlight shone only where I was. Like cats seeking a warm spot, females gathered near a tolerant male.
”Hey, boy, you’re here,” a voice called.
”Um… a man?” I replied.
”I looked for you because you weren’t at the house. Come with me.”
As I was taking a walk, a middle-aged man in a small basket seat called out to me. He was slightly portly and had the appearance of someone who might work in a Chinese restaurant kitchen.
He had apparently come looking for me himself, as it was difficult to call me over and the town was small.
”Um, who are you?” I asked.
”I’m Shigerouta of the Katsuraura family. Call me Shigerou or Taichi, whichever you prefer. I invite you to my home, so come have some tea.”
”That’s sudden. Besides, I’m scared of going with strangers.”
”Don’t be stingy. You’re young… Ugh, it’s cold, it seeps into my bones. Let’s hurry.”
The suddenly appearing, hearty middle-aged man forcibly pulled me towards his home. The women around didn’t try to stop him, so I had no choice. I was swept along and taken to a magnificent Japanese mansion. Well, if they weren’t stopping me, it was probably fine.
As I passed through the large entrance, an elegant older woman in Japanese attire came out from inside. She looked very surprised to see me.
”Your Excellency, this is the town’s important guest. Did you get permission from Himawari-dono to invite him?”
”Bah, enough of that. I invited him for tea because I wanted to talk. What permission do I need!”
”Ah, I see,” the woman said, putting her hand to her forehead and swaying as if about to faint.
”I’m sorry. He’s just like that. I heard a male visited the town for the first time in a while, so he’s a bit hasty.”
”Don’t say unnecessary things. Go on, get out of here,” Shigerou said, waving the troubled woman away.
The woman who was shooed away began to consult with the attendant big sister who had accompanied me, looking perplexed.
Ignoring them, I was led into the mansion and asked him, “Who is she? Your wife?”
”Yes. A fine woman, isn’t she? Gave birth to a son too. But her concern is her flaw.”
He walked down the polished, mirror-like wooden hallway with bold steps.
He looked like a normal middle-aged man I hadn’t seen in a while. He wasn’t wearing makeup and only tidied himself up enough not to look messy. He seemed like a slightly overweight middle-aged man, the kind who would suit a designer watch.
He entertained me in a room in his mansion. However, it wasn’t formal; it hardly resembled a tea ceremony anymore. He led me to a tatami room and brewed tea with used hot water.
”Why were you looking for me, Shigerou?” I asked.
”I was bored. Keep me company. There are no decent men in this town.”
”Um, is that all?”
”That’s all. Nothing else.”
After talking for a bit, I realized his invitation for tea had no ulterior motive. At first, I thought he might have some scheme, but later it felt foolish to suspect him. It was rather tiresome. He had been rambling for nearly thirty minutes, like an old lady next door, talking about the season, the birds visiting his bonsai, the patterns on teacups, and other trivial matters and complaints.
He really seemed to be just a town man who wanted to have tea. Perhaps because of the age gap, he didn’t see me as a rival male.
It’s common in life to get caught by a talkative older person and be unable to refuse a long conversation. This was one such moment. Though, it was my first experience of this kind in this life.
”You should wear more makeup. You have good features, so don’t neglect them. Don’t look so gloomy, smile. You’re a beautiful boy, it’s a waste,” he said.
”I don’t really like makeup,” I replied.
”What? If you rely on your youth, you’ll regret it when you get older.”
We were no longer in a tea room, but on a jutting-out wet veranda, with an umbrella set up and a brazier between us. Snow was falling silently in front of us, and the steam from the tea pot and the warmth of the padded juban on my back were our only sources of heat.
It was like being half outdoors, drinking tea while looking at the garden.
”And I’m not really in the mood to smile right now,” I said.
”A child says such things. A man’s most important asset is charm. Women are lustful, but endure it and smile. If you smile, you’ll find good matches,” he said.
He then waited for me to smile. I had no choice but to force a smile.
”Um, like this?”
”It looks unnatural. Like an adult pretending to be a child, a creepy smile. You’ll never get married with that,” he said.
”How cruel.”
Perhaps this was what they called a “snow viewing party.” We were having a snow viewing in the garden.
Before the war, Japan had a culture of snow viewing. This was from the time when snowmen were truly Bodhidharma monks. It was said to be a flower-viewing-like ceremony where people would look at snow-covered mountains from a small boat carrying a brazier, or enjoy snowfall with sake by placing a kotatsu in a tea room. Snow-viewing sake was once as popular as flower-viewing or moon-viewing sake.
Incidentally, the reason the traditional snow-viewing culture declined wasn’t because they lost the war. It was because a mini ice age that lasted for several hundred years ended in the Edo Period, and snow stopped accumulating in major cities nationwide. Also, humans started working even when it snowed.
Well, perhaps the idea of enjoying the cold was inherently difficult. At the time, there were even newspaper articles calling for the cancellation of snow-viewing sake. There was a risk of freezing to death while drunk.
But none of that mattered to him. He cheerfully had old women serve cups and enjoyed the white snowflakes as a snack.
”And most importantly, I hate maggots and monsters. Men who dislike them left this town. Spiders? Spiders are an exception; they are a good omen,” he said.
Shigerou, drinking hot sake, had a red nose even in the daytime. He was just like an uncle who got tipsy at an izakaya. His voice was loose, and his conversation lacked coherence. It felt like the second part of a drawn-out drinking session.
I offered perfunctory responses, listening to only about half of what he said. It’s not commendable to bother a young person when drunk, but I had a tolerance for it, or rather, I understood the sentiment even if I didn’t fully share it.
”I only met my father once when I was little, but he pointed at spiders nesting in the four corners of the ceiling in the drawing room and said, ‘They are beneficial maggots.’”
As is common for middle-aged men, he felt good and started talking about the distant past. It seemed to be about his childhood.
”Your father?” I asked.
”Yes. Then he lifted my small body and played with me. I remember that coolness as if it were yesterday.”
”He must have been a good person. He cared about you.”
”Indeed. Ever since then, I haven’t been able to fully hate spiders or maggots with many legs. Thanks to that, I can eat things from this town too.”
I sipped my tea, listening to his childhood memories. Thanks to good memories of observing insects with his father, he seemed to have no resistance to food from the dungeon.
He enjoyed his drink and reached for snacks. It was a fried scorpion-like monster. He seemed starved for male conversation partners and was very talkative. I felt somewhat the same, so I continued to nod occasionally while gazing at the snow.
”In this world, what kind of connection is there between a father and son?” I asked, curious.
Shigerou looked at me with his flushed face, his eyes hazy.
”Hm?”
”I’ve never met my father either.”
”That’s because when a father and son are together, they conspire and dislike the mother. It’s no wonder it’s forbidden.”
Fathers try to protect their sons from becoming prey for women, saying things like, “I won’t let my son be a woman’s plaything.” From the perspective of the administration, it sounds troublesome.
It’s rare for men like Shigerou to remember their biological fathers.
”A boy should feel respect for his father. But even if you respect him, you don’t see each other that often. I’d like to see him again someday.”
”Is that so? Then, thanks to your respected father, you came to like Isumi Town’s culture?”
”I hate it,” he said nonchalantly, biting into a dungeon-produced, fire-roasted insect.
”What?”
”I don’t like this town. The townscape and the women are gloomy and depressing. You can’t enjoy any luxury. Try attending a provincial government tea ceremony. It’s too shameful to even mention marrying into Isumi!”
”Even though you married into your own town…”
Well, if asked whether I liked my own town, it’s a bit ambiguous. But it’s a large town and clean, so I feel safer living here than in superstitious Isumi.
I also took a red and green scorpion-like insect from the plate and bit into it. It was sweet. Surprisingly not hard. The outside was meaty, but the inner fluid tasted like honey-glazed cheese. The only drawback was its appearance. It felt like a good snack if only it looked better. I chewed well, afraid of parasitic insects.
Seeing me, Shigerou said, “A boy like you being here is better than this town.”
”What do you mean?”
I asked.
”Some people just don’t fit. Long ago, a man came here at sixteen to marry in. Poor soul. Perhaps thinking it shameful, he couldn’t return home, and without fitting in, he died.”
”That’s unfortunate.”
”And a few years ago, the town forced itself to welcome a boy from its storehouse, spitting out so much. Yet, we lost him in Ichihara. He was only a little over ten. A tragic story.”
”That’s terrible. Scary… or is that what I got caught up in?”
The second story must be the incident in the mystery forest of Ichihara. Isumi Town had also lost a boy. He seemed genuinely regretful, recalling the child, and took a sip of his sake.
”He was interested in the dungeon. He used to visit this mansion sometimes. He had the potential to live in this town, so the townspeople’s grief was immense.”
Perhaps he was the boy who was the first victim, whose head was blown off by the Horned Owl right in front of me. He was looking forward to coming to the dungeon. Or perhaps he was the master of the big sister psionic user who controlled spider silk? That incident ultimately resulted in the deaths of nearly ten males and three times that number of Imperial Guards. And the war that stemmed from it has claimed an immeasurable number of female lives. The population of the entire region where conflict has erupted has already decreased by more than 10%.
Shigerou placed down his empty sake cup and sighed deeply.
”Well, well, I wonder what will become of Kazusa Country now.”
”Kazusa Province no longer exists,” I said.
”What, what do you mean!”
He was surprised, but I was the one who was taken aback. Knowing about the mystery forest incident, I didn’t expect him to be unaware of this.
”That matter escalated into a conflict, and it was destroyed a while ago. It was an incident where a male was intentionally killed within a dungeon. Now the country is fragmented, and all towns are independent.”
”…I see. So that’s why it’s been so noisy lately. Mail hasn’t been arriving, and I was worried I’d be excluded from the New Year’s grand tea ceremony.”
”You didn’t know.”
”No. I’ve kept a respectful distance from the disputes among women. Well, I see. So that’s how it is.”
He nodded in understanding. I wondered if he never had the chance to touch upon this matter through gossip or letters with others, but perhaps the other party was also a calm male like him.
Males who aren’t interested are completely uninterested in the troubles of a female-dominated society. They are also unaffected by war or famine.
Well, even if this town were attacked, the houses where males live would never be touched, so it’s information one doesn’t need. It’s treated the same as or even more than churches or temples.
Inevitably, even if the town perishes, they will just remarry in another town and be cherished.
”So, what… where… how are they fighting?”
Shigerou’s question was vague. I couldn’t believe it, but did he not even know his own town was at war?
”The relevant ones are Isumi Town and Kujukuri Town. Your town and my town.”
”What, really? Is that why the tea leaves aren’t arriving?”
”Perhaps you don’t even know why I’m here now?”
”Sorry, I don’t. Did you run away from home because you hated your town? If so, rest assured. If some woman you dislike comes to call you back, I’ll yell and chase her away. If you want, you can stay here for a while too.”
Shigerou was showing concern, looking after me.
His unsolicited kindness was purely out of concern for me, with no ulterior motive. He truly seemed detached from worldly affairs and malice.
This man took a great liking to me. He kept offering me tea and sweets. He even gave me expensive cosmetics and kimono for free, saying he had no use for them anymore. Perhaps he was the male version of a wealthy madam who enjoys doting on and dressing up young ladies.
Unfortunately, Shigerou didn’t know much about the town’s affairs. All I understood was that he was not the master of the demoness Himawari.
Just in case, I asked about the whereabouts of the remaining three males, Himawari’s masters. Apparently, they had some interaction, and those three originally didn’t like this town, but about six months ago, they began working energetically towards the town’s revival and dungeon exploration with a shared goal.
”Oh. They’re inside the dungeon?”
”That’s what my husband said. To think of letting men enter such a place… it’s the end of the world.”
They are currently in the middle layer of the Uncanny Valley. Ever since they entered what Himawari called the “good place,” they haven’t returned to town.
Shigerou was also invited, but he found such things troublesome, so he barely listened and spends his days leisurely composing poetry and writing literature. Another male remaining in Isumi Town seems to be similar.
Shigerou is a man who avoids trouble but is not unpleasant; he’s a sophisticated person. Although he does tend to talk a bit too much.
And then, the talk about the situation quickly ended, and he commented on my masculine charm, looking very happy.
”Boy, you’re too thin. Boys should be a bit plumper.”
”Really?”
The popular style for males is slightly chubby. Not necessarily fat, but healthy and prosperous. This is apparently very exciting for older women. Regarding appearance, males tend to strive for perfection in strange ways, but in reality, having slightly unkempt nails, lingering body odor, or being a bit sloppy apparently strongly stimulates the female protective instinct. They want to take care of them. He taught me many such vulgar behind-the-scenes stories of a female-dominated society.
If he’s a talkative madam, then I must be a frail young lady from a secluded mansion? My head started to spin.
”You only get told off like this when you’re young. Now, what else shall I teach you? Listen carefully without getting annoyed.”
”No, I’m good. You’ve had too much to drink.”
”Don’t say that. We’re men, aren’t we?”
As we talked, I started to want a drink too.
Surely, if I drank, I could enjoy talking with this old man more. Besides, mentally, we’re close in generation, and if I had the chance, I’d want to drink all night with him.
”Speaking of appearance… it’s a bit unusual, but is that person Shigerou’s Imperial Guard?” I asked.
Near the veranda, a female with a mysterious appearance was waiting quietly in a formal sitting posture. She was probably his bodyguard or attendant. I decided to shift the topic to the main actor.
Alright, let her be the sacrifice. That’s the role of an Imperial Guard. It’s hard to keep listening to the admonitions of this pale-faced, meddlesome old man.
I forced a change of subject. Fortunately, Shigerou indulged my interest.
”Ah, I gave her my little finger for fun as a guard role. Her appearance has changed greatly into something inhuman… Hey!” he called.
The woman slid closer towards us. Her hair was a milky white moon, mixed with yellow and white. It wasn’t separated into black and white like Kaede-san’s group. The lustrous silk threads had a mysterious sheen.
Is this also an aberration type? Her appearance was far from human, but she was a beautiful female, like a goddess.
”Greet her,” Shigerou commanded brusquely, even to such a beautiful person.
The one addressed didn’t seem to mind and bowed with a divine appearance and fluid movements.
”Yes. It is my first time meeting you. I am the humble one who tends the garden of my master, Lord Katsuraura Shigeroutaichi, and Lady Katsuraura Mako. My name is…”
”Too long, you fool. Greet me more briskly,” he snapped.
”Y-yes. My name is…”
”Your voice is too quiet!”
”Eek!”
Shigerou unceremoniously sat the trembling moon goddess beside him.
The one who was made to sit was greatly surprised by the suddenness. Despite her appearance, he treated her like a worn-out cleaning tool. It was like an old woman bullying a timid part-time worker.
”She’s very elegant, or rather, refined and beautiful,” I said honestly, impressed. She looked like someone who had stepped out of a religious painting.
Hearing this, Shigerou seemed somewhat pleased.
”She lets her hair hang loose without tying it. I intended to cut it and sell it, but she said she’d offer the money, so I’ve allowed her to grow it out.”
”No, my hair just grows on its own with my psionic power…”
”Quiet! Do you know what happens when you get carried away just because your hair is a little pretty?”
”Eek! Forgiveness.”
The Imperial Guard trembled under Shigerou’s glare.
I wish he would stop. It’s a waste to cut such mysterious hair to make a wig. It seemed she was incurring her master’s jealousy.
”She’s truly beautiful. Aberration types can become like this too. I thought they only moved further away from being human.”
”Well, it’s nothing special,” he said.
”No, perhaps it’s the good qualities of her master that have manifested,” I suggested.
”Well, well, that might be the case.”
But at the same time, he seemed to want to boast about his psionic user’s good looks. He exuded that peculiar human aura of wanting to brag but not wanting to be seen as bragging.
Still, a wig made from the hair of an aberration-type psionic power user. It’s a genre that seems to have a deep darkness, so I’ll try not to think about it. The human collectors in this world seem to have their work cut out for them.
”Can I touch her?”
”Not at all,” Shigerou replied.
”…Eh? Ah, um, me!”
I touched the goddess’s hair and body as if it were my natural right. Her hair was smoother than any silk, her cheeks were soft and bouncy, and her chest was fluffy. She trembled, her face bright red.
Shigerou provided commentary as needed. As expected, he was a chatterbox and proudly boasted about this woman as his achievement.
”Her nickname is Shiomaneki (Tide Caller). When she calls, the sea recedes. See, when the tide goes out, a large crab appears on the beach with one hand. Well, it’s just a trivial psionic power.”
Shigerou’s tone was cheerful, contrary to his words.
”But even if it’s useless, it has a certain charm. It’s amusing to see creatures like octopuses and utsuoboa stranded on the exposed seabed when the tide suddenly recedes.”
He laughed and took another sip of sake.
Even though it wasn’t time for the tide to recede, if the water suddenly disappeared, the creatures would be left stranded on the tidal flat and be surprised. This is completely useless for dungeon exploration. At best, it’s a very limited psionic power that allows one to collect a few local shellfish and fish.
”But I think being able to dry up the sea is an amazing power. If you put your mind to it, it seems like it could be applied in various ways.”
However, this was probably because the output of her psionic power was weak. If she gained more experience, it could evolve into causing ships to run aground or creating tsunamis, depending on how it was trained. The utility of psionic power is constant, but the amount of effect can be increased by defeating monsters.
”Beautiful appearance but useless. That’s good.”
”Eh? The opposite?”
”You might not understand when you’re young, but psionic power is fine as long as the master enjoys it.”
Shigerou sniffled, his nose red. I couldn’t tell if it was from the cold or the alcohol.
”This woman, too, is pure and lovely enough to catch a man’s eye, yet her heart is impure. Isn’t that a peculiar and interesting combination?”
He liked psionic powers that were useless. Shigerou’s tastes were a bit too difficult for me to comprehend.
Along with their status and luxury goods, males tend to boast about their Imperial Guards. I was apparently hearing a male praise a female sincerely for the first time.
”Shigerou, do you like your Imperial Guard?” I asked. I never expected an aberration type, born under a male who didn’t resent aberrations, to become so beautiful.
He took another drink and then became slightly sulky. He then chided me a little.
”Don’t always divide things into like and dislike. That’s a bad habit for men. It’s complicated, you see.”
”You might be right. Lately, a lot has been happening.”
Thinking about the town, about men and women, about good and bad psionic powers, I had developed a habit of seeing everything in black and white, as enemies or allies. My mental state wasn’t exactly one of leisure.
”Hmm. Well, it’s fine. At your age, troubles are endless,” Shigerou said.
He nodded, his expression softening. Unlike me, he seemed mentally at ease. Even while looking down on women, his aversion seemed weak. Few males can accept this town, but perhaps those who can are broad-minded?
I had started to like this old man, Shigerou, a little. Perhaps the reason for his generosity was his satisfaction with his own life and psionic power.
”Hey. For a boy before marriage to touch a woman so persistently, what is this?”
I didn’t let go of him. Or rather, her skin felt so good, my hands wouldn’t let go.
”It’s practice for marriage. I don’t want to be embarrassed, so I’m starting to get used to it.”
”Oh? It’s not often praised loudly… but indeed, that’s commendable. Very well, do as you please. But don’t overdo it.”
”Okay.”
When males enter puberty, they rapidly begin to dislike females. I decided to frame it as training to reduce aversion to the female body, a touch practice.
”Ah. N-no, hya! Um…”
”My hands are cold from the cold, so I’m putting them inside your clothes.”
”Ah, ah. You’re lying… Hieeeeee!”
Incidentally, her will was not particularly relevant. An Imperial Guard couldn’t overturn a decision made by two males discussing logically.
Since it was intercourse practice, I touched her private parts and buttocks without hesitation. Since she was wearing a kimono, she wasn’t wearing underwear.
Overall, she felt fluffy and soft, with pale coloring, like a white rabbit.
”Fuh… Uh. Ah… Ah, ya… Fu, fu…”
As I touched her a lot, her voice grew heated.
I pounded the two halves of the moon rabbit’s mochi. It was hot, soft, and felt good.
”You’re aroused. Stop there,” Shigerou said.
”Yes, I understand. I wanted to practice more, though.”
I reluctantly released Shiomaneki-san.
”If you can touch her like this, your wedding night duties should be fine. You seem to have a very good tutor and instructor,” Shigerou praised me.
Usually, an older male serves as the sexual instructor. Originally, practice involved three people including a female, or two people with the instructor, for sexual acts. Like masturbation.
I’ll keep it a secret that my sexual instructor is concurrently my tutor, Cult Slut-san, and is teaching me through practical experience. If he found out, he’d probably faint. He might even come to town to scold my Imperial Guards.
”Shigerou, are you still doing night duties?”
”Yes. What, do you want to hear such unpleasant stories?”
”I want to hear dirty talk.”
He hesitated a little.
At my age, sensitive topics evoke both aversion and interest. Males generally dislike sexual intercourse, so it probably wasn’t a pleasant topic for him either. But he couldn’t remain uninvolved forever, so my public stance was to learn various things from seniors.
”Then, just the surface. Tell me if you feel sick,” he said.
I nodded.
His uncle-style erotic talk wasn’t very fun, in conclusion. From a male perspective, sexual intercourse isn’t a pleasant thing.
He seemed to treat acts with females as work. What was interesting was that while he experienced physical pleasure from ejaculation, mentally, he felt disgust towards the female and himself. It was a study for me to learn the general male perspective on intercourse with women, and by weakening him on this topic, I was able to escape the long conversation.
To the end, the poor moon goddess, who had her body handled by the opposite sex and was forced to listen to male frank talk, was unfortunate. She fainted from excitement and embarrassment midway through the conversation.
I was escorted to the entrance.
”Well then, see you again. Sorry for inviting you so suddenly, but it was nice talking to another man after so long.”
”I had fun too.”
”Indeed. If you ever marry into this town, you’ll be welcome. Though that’s assuming the town still exists by then. In that case, it will be your turn to host me, upside down.”
He said this as a joke, laughing.
Shigerou wasn’t very interested in future developments. Even after hearing about the war from me, he didn’t seem shaken at all. I had a feeling he would probably forget about it soon and not worry about it. Well, he did say he didn’t like Isumi Town either. I wasn’t sure how serious he was.
I thanked him and said goodbye to him and the mansion’s maids, then started walking.
”Still, my throat hurts from talking so much…”
But perhaps it’s good to know that there are such generous males in the world.
I returned to the mansion where everyone was confined.
Notes:
• Shigerou – A middle-aged man from the Katsuraura family; talkative, clueless about the war, enjoys a comfortable life.
• Himawari – Young oni/aberration-type psionic; town leader/face; asks for promotion help; apologizes for killings; sets 2‑day deadline.
• Kazusa Province – A region cited in Chapter 29 dungeon records defining unreturnable dungeons. Serves as a geographic and academic reference for explorers.
• Kaede – A female psionic explorer known as Necksplitter, is a veteran assassin and messenger of Lord Ichimatsu. Her appearance is both young and old, with gray hair streaked through black and vibrant, unlined skin. She is graceful yet carries the fatigue of a long life in war, resembling an old hunting dog. Her psionic ability is mysterious and potentially dangerous.
• Shiomaneki – Shigerou’s Imperial Guard; has a beautiful, moon-like appearance and the psionic power to make the tide recede (Tide Caller).
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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