Volume 3 Chapter 1 Hostage in the Harem
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”So, Elder Brother Yōmo, has Head Secretary Puruun become a hostage of His Majesty the Emperor?”
”Well, it’s more like she is essentially a hostage… His Majesty the Emperor has taken quite a liking to Ms. Puruun and wants her in his harem. As a result, although it’s not exactly a trade, they’re going to send a gate engineer over here, and the details are in that letter.”
Duke Yōmo, the brother of Queen Asuka who had gone to negotiate with Emperor Balmstra of the neighboring Apocalyptic Empire, brought back the Head Secretary Puruun who was accompanying him and ended up getting her kidnapped, and with the Emperor’s letter in hand, rushed directly to the Royal Capital.
She is engrossed in reading that letter from the Emperor.
”Phew. Mr. Balmstra seems to have his hands full too. He has to consider the various departments across the country and the military… The letter says this: ‘Shall we collaborate on the co-development of the otherworld gate?’ And it adds that they wish to place the completed gate under the management of both nations for mutual benefit… Honestly, I believe they were the ones who unilaterally shut down the military joint research institute… And until that project is back on track, they should treat Head Secretary Puruun as a valued guest, so there’s no need to worry… This really is a hostage situation, isn’t it? But we have no choice in this matter. Anyway, we need to reopen the gate as quickly as possible and bring back Mr. Yuuta and Ms. Claudel; otherwise, I can’t face Ms. Akari. Still, it’s surprising that the Emperor has taken a liking to Puru… Should I say he has a discerning eye or that he’s an unusual person…? And what about the Head Secretary herself?”
”I couldn’t meet her in person to talk… Beastfolk can have multiple wives, but they cannot serve 2 husbands at the same time. However, the right to choose who to marry lies with the women, so it’s fine if the secretary selects His Majesty Emperor instead of Lord Yuuta, according to both legal standards and Beastfolk customs.”
”Well, I don’t think Puru would choose anyone other than Mr. Yuuta… There’s no point in discussing it here for now. Anyway, let’s hurry about the gate. By the way, when is the engineer from over there expected to arrive?”
”They said as soon as the preparations are done, but it’s still not clear…”
”I didn’t think Mr. Balmstra would be such a schemer.”
* * *
”Um. So your Majesty, I will be returned to my homeland someday, right?”
”Ms. Puruun. Well, don’t be in such a rush. In response to the request from Queen Asuka, I am dispatching engineers, and to make sure my subordinates don’t have issues, I will be keeping you here in the palace as a hostage while we cooperate on technology… But rest assured, I won’t do anything you dislike.”
”But that night, Your Majesty…”
”That was… because you actively came at me. But I had a great time. So if you really want to become mine, you are always welcome.”
Hah.
Why did it come to this… Well, I guess it’s my fault for getting carried away and drinking too much.
Since that night, I have been placed in the harem of His Majesty the Emperor as a hostage for the dispatch of engineers, and His Majesty comes to see me every night after work.
But he doesn’t force me to have sex, and he talks about all sorts of things in a fun way.
I wasn’t moved by his kind personality, but I also couldn’t help but talk about my own life and Yuuta.
”I see. That Mr. Yuuta is now Ms. Puruun’s husband, and he can’t return after going over there, right? That must be quite lonely.”
Oh dear.
Isn’t it true that even His Majesty the Emperor has a hand in this?
I want to ask that, but I don’t have the courage.
”However, since Ms. Puruun is Beastfolk, even if you are Mr. Yuuta’s second wife now, your husband can decide for himself, right? If that’s the case, I’m thinking I could also make efforts to be favored by you, and one day, properly become yours. Just… I’m sorry. I can’t make you the rightful wife. Even the elders wouldn’t agree to that…”
”But… I originally am the second wife too, and I don’t wish for a rightful wife…”
Wait, why am I feeling this way!? I’m definitely going back to Yuuta.
With a smile that seems to see right through my thoughts, His Majesty the Emperor says.
”Ms. Puruun. Queen Asuka seems to be considering friendship with the other world through the gate, but my thoughts are a bit different. Of course, it would be best if we could maintain a friendly relationship with that world, but we must also consider the possibility that this might not happen.”
”That’s true. Since there are other parties involved, I do think Your Majesty has a point, but…”
”So hastily operating the gate and making contact with that world might be a double-edged sword.”
”With all due respect, Your Majesty, Queen Asuka is not acting in haste… Well, she is a bit flustered about trying to bring those 2 back quickly…”
”I know that. But that thing called the Gate somehow hampers calm and objective judgment. Anyone who tries to use it ends up believing that they can control the Gate and the other world at will…”
”…That may be true”
”So, while I am more than willing to assist in the rescue of Mr. Yuuta and his group, I think I will need to discuss the matter further with Her Majesty the Queen later on. Therefore, Ms. Puruun, please don’t forget my thoughts on this. Additionally, it will be necessary for us to make the people of our nation understand this at some point.”
”Your Majesty the Emperor…”
”Haha… I may have talked a bit too much for a bedtime story. Please keep this amongst ourselves. Well then, Ms. Puruun, since we’re at it, shall we discuss matters between men and women?”
”Ah, I’m sorry, Your Majesty the Emperor. I would prefer not to…”
As I said this, Emperor Balmstra chuckled and patted my shoulder before leaving the room.
* * *
The Apocalyptic Empire.
In the meeting room of the Army’s teleportation research team, the team leader, a major, is speaking to a female lizardman who appears to be a subordinate.
”As you may have already heard, the interworld gate located beneath the Zerlant Royal Palace has been damaged due to an incident or accident, and by order of His Majesty the Emperor, we will be working together with the Zerlant side to redevelop that gate. To be honest, I neither want to borrow help from our neighbors nor lend it, but we have yet to succeed in capturing or stabilizing the naturally occurring gates, and they also have Lord Sistemador on their side. I believe cooperating to address this is the quickest way for us to achieve our original goal. Therefore, Lieutenant Reina, I want you to select 3 members to join the Zerlant team.”
”Understood. And Major, I’ve been asking this for some time now, but if the gate opens, will you allow me to go over there?”
”I can’t promise that yet. But I understand your desire to find your sister who fell through the gate. So I’ll try to do my best.”
”Thank you”
Although he said he would do his best, the major doesn’t think that those who fell through the gate without tags will be saved, and even if by some chance they manage to reach there.
He doesn’t even know if they’ll be able to survive.
However, there’s no need to point this out now and lower her motivation.
As Lieutenant Reina was about to leave the room, the major muttered quietly in her ear.
”Ah, Lieutenant Reina. If you can bring the stabilized gate here, I promise to recommend you as a member of the delegation to send over there.”
With those words, it seemed like Reina’s eyes sparkled.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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