Side: Yuki
"Hey there, Yuki-san."
"Oh, if it isn't Teak-san."
Well, I didn't expect the crown prince of Gartz to show up for something as ridiculous as this women's bath peeping tournament.
"Fufu, please drop the '-san'. You're Sheila's husband, and that makes me your brother-in-law. Feel free to speak casually."
"In that case, you should just call me Yuki too, Brother."
"Alright. Yuki."
Yeah.
A handsome guy smiling warmly—it's a picture-perfect scene.
Though... those bags under his eyes are pretty noticeable. He must be swamped.
"So, Brother... why are you here for such a ridiculous event?"
"Ridiculous? I wouldn't say that. The method is... questionable, perhaps, but because of it, none of the nations can afford to ignore it. Naturally, I'm participating as well."
"Huh? Participating? Not just observing?"
That seemed crazy in a completely different way.
Isn't that strange in a different way?
"As one entrusted with command of the nation's military, opportunities like this—where everyone's safety is guaranteed—are exceedingly rare."
Ah, I see.
Since it's safe, this is the perfect opportunity to put normally untouchable VIPs in the spotlight and let them achieve something visible.
"I understand. But nothing is ever perfectly safe. How are you handling that part?"
"The worst I expect is tripping over myself or getting caught by one of the tournament's traps. Frankly, I doubt anyone besides Weed's upper leadership—you people—could pull off an assassination here."
"Well, if we're talking about who has the highest probability, that would be us. Still, be careful."
"I know. Even so, I'm fairly skilled with a sword. A commander who can't fight or even exercise would be rather pathetic."
"I get what you're saying, but if the commander is swinging a sword on the front lines, the battle situation is already at its worst."
"Well, that's true. I, as supreme commander, would never go to the front lines with a sword. Like you said, that would only happen if the army was already in full retreat. That's exactly why I need to show myself in a situation like this."
"Safer than an actual battlefield."
"Exactly. Here, you can't even carry weapons, let alone bring in drugs."
That's because by making full use of the dungeon's functions, we thoroughly scan for weapons, let alone potent chemicals and poisons.
If I were to be assassinated right now, poisoning is practically the only viable method left.
Of course, this is also to protect my wives. Right now, most of them hold executive positions in Weed.
Even Teak's bodyguards have Paralysis Seals placed on their swords. The instant they draw them, they'll be immobilized.
That's all thanks to a certain idiotic princess who, despite being allowed to wear a sword, decided to draw it and attack us. After that incident, every nation's dignitaries—without exception—had Paralysis Seals placed on any weapons they carried, just like ordinary adventurers, making it impossible to draw them.
To make matters worse for anyone who wanted to complain, Gartz, Roshure, and Rithea all voluntarily stopped allowing their own officials to carry swords. Any soldiers from other countries trying to sneak in armed simply have their weapons confiscated at Weed's trade gates.
Naturally, that goes for concealed drugs too.
That's why Weed's security has earned everyone's trust.
"To tell you the truth... Father—the king—insisted on entering the competition himself. Preventing that is another reason I'm here."
"Ah, he's still energetic, huh..."
"Being too energetic is troublesome."
Looks like he's got his own share of troubles.
"So, is Crack-dono participating too?"
"Sigh... ahem!! Pardon me!! As His Highness said, I'm representing Rithea as well. To be honest... I still have no idea how things ended up like this..."
Crack sighed and slumped his shoulders.
He's still the captain of the Royal Guard in Rithea, and the talk of him moving to Weed keeps getting postponed. That just goes to show how badly Rithea can't afford to lose him—and how capable he really is.
His partner, Dest, spends every day drowning in paperwork, and whenever he comes to Weed, he relieves his stress by playing with the orphans who've moved to the school.
"Yuki-dono, won't you say something to them? Also, kindly order them to permit my transfer over here..."
"When it comes to the peeping tournament, both Teak and I are participating. I'm not letting you escape alone."
"Agreed."
"And as for Rithea's personnel matters, you've still got responsibilities there because of the mess you caused. Finish cleaning it up properly. Whether there's a treaty or not, you're one of my comrades, Crack. You being over there isn't meaningless."
"I understand that, but still..."
Crack is currently a high-ranking official of Rithea on paper, but internally, he belongs entirely to the Weed faction.
He's working hard to make up for the trouble he caused to Rithea's top leader, Arshtelle.
"Crack-dono, I can understand that sentiment. However, this too is for the sake of the country. If that is the case, why not aim to reach the goal instead of focusing on peeping at the women's bath?"
"Ares-dono... if you're saying that, then..."
"Indeed. I'm Roshure's representative. Over on our side, we've been dealing with the exact same headache Prince Teak mentioned."
"So it's the same on your side as well. It's good that they're energetic... but I wish they'd show a little restraint."
"I couldn't agree more."
Appearing from the side, Ares Lester—the Roshure representative whose level exceeds 100—joins the conversation.
He's constantly running around as bodyguard to the King of Roshure, who uses every excuse imaginable to visit Weed.
Thanks to that, Seraria's older sister, Aria, apparently can barely leave her office anymore.
"The real problem," Ares said, "is that we absolutely cannot fail against the traps prepared by the women of each nation."
"Indeed," Teak nodded. "No matter how superior Weed's technology may be, this project isn't designed to be absolutely unbreachable, correct?"
Ares states his point, and Teak highlights the core constraint of this project.
If we were going to hold an event like this, there had to be at least one possible route to success. If we'd designed the traps under the assumption that no one could ever make it through, the men would riot.
The representatives of each country would also lose face and protest to Weed, so there's no way we'd do that.
"Later, there will be an explanation for all participants, but of course, there are restrictions on the traps so they can be broken through. For example, if we lined the entrance to the women's bath with nothing but teleportation traps, it'd be completely impregnable under the rule that participants have to proceed on foot. We don't allow impossible setups like that."
"""......"""
The three of them froze.
Huh? Did I say something strange?
"...As expected of the man who completely shut down all 1,500 of Roshure's Royal Guards."
"...That really would make it impossible for anyone."
"...Once again, I'm reminded that Sheila's husband is extraordinary. I assumed you'd just use deep pits or time-wasting obstacles until the time limit expired."
The three of them pointed at the very first rule written on the flyer.
『Reach the goal within 30 minutes! Paradise awaits!』
Ah right, the time limit.
If the course is beatable, then given enough time, anyone can eventually clear it.
That's why we established a time limit, because without it, the whole thing would be meaningless.
If it were meant to be impossible to clear, I'd just leave it open constantly like this dungeon.
"Changing the subject," Ares asked, "who's setting up the traps on the women's side? Roshure has Aria-sama leading the women of the Royal Guard."
"Rithea has Arshtelle-sama, along with our approved priestesses and female knights."
"On our end, it's Lowelle, Sharl, my younger sisters, and their personal guards."
...Yeah, the top figures of each country are participating.
How far has this situation escalated?
"On our side, it's my wives. Unfortunately, they don't put on a grand display like your sides do."
"What are you talking about?" Ares replied. "Even if Seraria-sama is absent due to her pregnancy, I've heard your wives are all exceptionally beautiful and intelligent.
"Yuki-dono," Crack added, "those young ladies are now known throughout the nations as the 'Treasured Jewels'."
"Crack-dono is correct," Teak nodded. "Sheila is among those called the Treasured Jewels, so naturally I'm pleased as family. But it reflects just how extraordinary they are."
"What are you talking about?"
I don't get it at all.
Seraria, Rurua, and Sheila aside, the others are former slaves or commoners, you know?
"Former slaves and commoners who now serve not as figureheads, but as the key leaders of Weed—the most advanced nation of this era. They're beautiful, capable administrators, and formidable fighters. That's why the other nations call them the Treasured Jewels."
"And what is the opinion of Brother Teak, who just explained all that to me?"
"I don't disagree with that assessment at all. However, in exchange, the evaluation of you as their husband, Yuki, is a bit poor."
"In what kind of way?"
"They say you're merely the pedestal supporting those precious jewels. Normally that wouldn't necessarily be an insult, but in this case it means you're viewed as little more than decoration. To put it simply... no one believes a man would publicly marry over ten women. They assume the ceremony wasn't a wedding at all, but Queen Seraria's way of elevating those women to positions of authority."
I see...
So instead of being viewed as a harem bastard who collects wives, I'm seen as a mere ornament so that my wives can run around and do as they please.
...Well, damn, neither of those evaluations makes me happy.
"...Incidentally," Teak continued, "people also say the younger girls are simply your personal preference."
"What kind of slander is that!?"
Am I being labeled a l*li**n in every country!?
"There's no malice behind it," Teak replied. "Engagements at those ages aren't unusual."
"Indeed," Crack agreed. "Though at my age, I admit I'd hesitate."
"People actually praise your eye for talent. Those three are all educated, intelligent, and highly capable. In that sense, many argue you're not merely ornamental after all, since you're the one who recognized and recommended them."
That doesn't help me at all!
At this rate, I'll go down in history as a gigolo, a harem bastard, or a l*li**n creep.
I'd be perfectly fine with just a tiny mention in the history books stating that I worked diligently as a strategist...
Oh God, am I a harem bastard after all!?
『Huh? Isn't it a little late to be asking that? What else would you call yourself?.』
Ah right, the God in this world was that piece of work.
The universe is truly unreasonable.
...I'll deal with my dishonorable nicknames later. For now, I need to make sure this women's bath peeping tournament ends peacefully.
This is the first step towards changing my dishonorable nicknames to "gentleman."
