Side: Yuki

The only sound echoing in the room was the soft rustle of pages turning.

Just from that alone, it was obvious how completely absorbed she was in her book.

"Um... is it all right if I call you Cleana-san?”

Interrupting someone so engrossed in reading felt rude, but we also needed information, so I spoke to her.

"Cleana is correct. What do you want?"

She answered instantly without taking her eyes off the book.

"I'd like to talk for a bit. Would it be alright if we sat on the sofa across from you?"

"This isn't my room. Do as you like."

Taking that as permission, the four of us sat down.

The moment we settled into our seats, she asked her question—still reading.

"So—what do you want?"

"Nothing particularly important. Just... some casual conversation, if that's alright?"

"...I don't mind. However, since it doesn't sound like a serious topic, I'll listen while reading. Is that acceptable?"

"That's fine."

—Short replies.

—Almost no facial expression.

—And a total bookworm.

She really was the textbook example of this character archetype.

"Uh, first, let's introduce ourselves."

"Transfer students from Jilva. Yuki, Taiki, Ria, Airi. Correct?"

Man, she's tough to deal with...

"Haha... so you already knew."

"You were introduced in the arena that day. Anyone who was there would remember."

"Ah, so you were watching back then."

"Nn. Affirmative.”

"In that case, there's no need for formal introductions. There are a few things I'd like to ask..."

"Information exchanges must be equal. Therefore, after I answer your questions, I would like to ask my own. Is that acceptable?"

...Someone help me.

This expressionless bookworm is incredibly difficult to talk to...

Watching from the sidelines would probably be entertaining, but for me this is like first contact with an alien civilization.

Eoid-kun is seriously incredible for managing to build a friendly relationship with her.

"As long as it's something we're able to answer..."

"Nn. That's enough. I understand there are things you don't want to reveal. Likewise, there may be questions I can't answer either. I hope you understand that."

"Of course."

Let's just ask our questions, get our answers, and leave. Being here is mentally exhausting.

We interrupted her reading right from the start, and since she's completely expressionless, I have no clue whether she's in a good mood or a bad one.

"So, the question. What is it you wish to know?"

"...Do the other teachers or students know about this room?"

"Negative. The only ones who know about this room are the Headmaster, the Vice Headmaster, myself, Eoid, and Amanda. That is only as far as I am aware; it is possible others have found it independently like you did. However, since I am usually here reading, I doubt there is anyone I am unaware of."

"I see—so it's a secret known only to a few."

"Yes. A secret room. It's perfect for reading. The library entrance is noisy."

...Calling the students who are working hard on their studies "noisy" is quite something.

Which means that no matter how you look at it, we must be a total nuisance to her.

For now, I should apologize.

If anything comes up, I should probably smooth things over and get on her good side through Eoid-kun.

"Ah... sorry for disturbing your reading."

"It is fine. Following Eoid, you managed to find this location on your own—I am interested in you."

"Eoid-kun found this place on his own?"

"Affirmative. Though in his case, it was pure coincidence. He did not search with the conviction that this room existed or with the intent to move the mechanism like you did."

Wait, did she know we were trying all sorts of things beyond that door and thick wall of books?

How?

"Searching for secret rooms in the Academy is very intriguing."

...Wait. Could she hear us the entire time?

"Um, by any chance, were our voices leaking over here?”

"Nn. Yes. More accurately, there's nobody else here. Other than the sound of pages turning, the room is silent. Even with a door and a wall of books between us, if people are making enough noise, I can hear them."

"...Sorry for causing such a disturbance."

"It's fine. Thanks to you, I found something interesting. Just like you said, there are other hidden rooms like this one. After countless renovations, this academy has many dead spaces. But I doubt they've all been discovered. And if some contain hidden treasures, that wouldn't surprise me."

"Ah, yes. We were thinking the exact same thing."

"Nn. My question pertains to that. Would there be any problem if I accompanied you? Naturally, I will provide all the information about the Academy that I possess. Should we find any treasure, we can decide how to split it then."

"Ah, well, on our end, we'd be more than happy to have you."

It was out of nowhere, but Cleana seems to have taken an interest in us.

If she is with us, we can distinguish between known and unknown hidden rooms. This is extremely convenient. Her motivation seems fairly trustworthy too.

"Nn. Looking forward to working with you from now on.”

With that, she finally took her eyes off her book and looked at my face.

Come to think of it, none of my wives have red hair.

Her eyes are a beautiful ruby color too.

"Just as I heard from Eoid, you are an interesting person."

"Ah, so you've heard about us from Eoid-kun as well. By 'interesting,' did you mean something was strange about us?"

"Nn, affirmative to both. I heard you are cooperating to help raise his strength, and that you yourselves are at a level comparable to Eris, who defeated the Headmaster."

I see, I see.

Well, we weren't hiding it, and just as she said, being members of a group capable of defeating the Headmaster certainly makes us "interesting."

"And the second half of 'interesting' was not Eoid's opinion, but my personal impression."

"What do you mean?"

"Even from my perspective, you are a very interesting person. Not many people would casually strike up a conversation upon seeing me. Even Eoid was constantly feeling out my reactions."

"Well, we were testing the waters too, though."

"Nn, affirmative. But something was different. It was not a gaze directed at something unknown. I felt a curious gaze, as if you were looking at something rare—from you, Yuki, and Taiki beside you."

Gulp. Out of awkwardness, I glanced over at Taiki-kun, only to find him looking right back at me.

He was giving a forced laugh, so it must have hit the mark for him as well.

Well, it couldn't be helped... This type of heroine is a classic trope, but you never get the chance to see one in real life.

"I am Level 3 in the Academy. Gazes and feelings of awe, respect, or hostility are common, but people like you are a first. Also, if Ria and Airi don't mind, I would like to be friends with you. It is embarrassing to admit, but I only read books and have no female friends. Or rather, people are afraid of me due to my strength."

"Ah, yes! Of course. It's a pleasure to meet you, Cleana-san."

"Yes, we are friends starting today!"

Upon hearing Cleana's request, Ria and Airi immediately stood up, walked to either side of her, took her hands, and shook them.

"Hey, shake her hands one at a time."

There was really no need to rush in and pin down both of her hands for a handshake...

Crap. The book she had been reading had fallen sideways on the table and closed... finding the page she was on is going to be a pain.

"Nn, no problem... I am very happy."

Perhaps this was the first time anyone had ever done something like this to her; her expressionless face flushed slightly red as she let out a tiny smile.

"Kyaa, you're so cute!!”

"It's true!!"

"...I do not think I am cute. I do nothing but read books, and my personality isn't suited for getting along with people. Also, um... I don't have an attractive physique for a woman."

It seemed she was well aware of her own flaws in personality and figure, making her unable to accept their compliments at face value.

However, those things were completely trivial to the two of them.

Ria's village had been destroyed, breaking her emotionally, yet she managed to come this far thanks to the help of those around her.

Airi-san had always acted with the pride of a poster girl at an inn, no matter who her conversation partner was.

"That doesn't matter at all! Look, you're talking to us normally right now!"

"Yes, let's get along from now on."

"Nn, my thanks. Thank you very much. I am so glad... Things didn't go well with Amanda, so I was terrified..."

"Huh? Things didn't go well with Amanda-san?"

"I thought she seemed like quite a friendly person, though..."

I found it strange hearing that from her too.

Amanda-san went wild whenever Eoid-kun was involved, but otherwise, she was a normal woman.

In fact, she had an big-sisterly vibe, so shouldn't she be pretty popular in class?

"Could you tell us what happened? Maybe we can offer some advice."

"Yes. It hurts my heart to see acquaintances fighting."

""Please rely on us as your friends!""

"Nn, thank you. However, it is difficult to explain with words. Therefore, I would like to do a reenactment. Is that alright?"

"Yeah, that might be for the best!"

"Indeed. Recreating the situation from back then rather than using just words makes total sense."

* * *

Before I knew it, the corner had turned into a consultation session between the Witch of the Forest of Books and our two ladies.

...Well, it wasn't an urgent matter, but the two of us guys were completely left behind. Taiki-kun and I exchanged glances and decided to stick to being onlookers for now. In matters that involve only women, it's a law of the universe that men just get in the way.

For that reason, Cleana proceeded to reenact the story of her falling out with Amanda. Listening to the explanation and watching the demonstration, there didn't seem to be any problem so far.

Cleana had told Eoid-kun that she wanted friends, so Eoid-kun brought along his childhood friend, Amanda-san.

Then Cleana proceeded with the conversation in her blunt, expressionless manner, just like she had with us earlier. Then Cleana proceeded with the conversation in her blunt, expressionless manner, just like she had with us earlier.

Honestly, Amanda-san did well to endure that alone.

It was like pushing against a soft curtain—you couldn't tell if you were getting through to the other person or not. Well, given Eoid-kun's introduction, she probably couldn't bring herself to be outright rude either.

"So far, there doesn't seem to be any problem."

"Yes, what could the cause be?"

"Nn, I believe the problem starts from here. I was able to talk with Amanda a little, and she called me a friend, even if tentatively. Therefore, I was happy and gave Eoid a token of gratitude."

Cleana then walked over toward us.

Ah, so we were playing Eoid-kun's role?

Since Cleana thinks this was the issue, something must have happened after this.

What was it? Did Eoid's lucky-pervert trope trigger, stripping Cleana completely naked?

She was only wearing a robe-like garment, so stripping off one layer would leave her in her underwear. That wasn't a feat a normal person could pull off, but Eoid-kun could probably manage it effortlessly.

No, wait... if that were the case, Amanda-san wouldn't have a reason to get mad at Cleana. She would've just punished Eoid-kun and made him beg for forgiveness on his knees.

While I was pondering the cause like that, Cleana handed something to me right in front of my face.

"Here, a token of gratitude."

"Ah, thanks."

I took it reflexively.

Wait... why is it warm?

"W-Woah!? Yuki-san, I'm so jealous!! I am insanely jealous!! Getting a beautiful girl's freshly removed panties!!"

"Huh?"

I couldn't believe Taiki-kun's words, but I unfolded the warm cloth to check.

—It was a lovely piece of underwear, dyed a brilliant red.

Well, obviously it couldn't match the mass-produced ones from Weed, but still—

"Wait, WHAAAAT!?"

My body couldn't react as fast as my thoughts.

I mean, it was given to me as a gift in her act, right!? What the heck am I supposed to do with this!?

Wait, going by what Taiki-kun said, did she just take these off right now!?

"So jealous!! So jealous!! I wanna sniff it!! Sniff, Sniff!!"

Alright then, why don't I give it to Taiki-kun?

Let him taste the pain of holding this cursed item, so to speak... Ah.

Just as I prepared to throw this cursed item at him—

"Taiki-sama. If you want freshly removed underwear that badly, I'll gladly provide some with the contents still inside."

Airi-san uttered those words without a single trace of emotion, speaking with a plastered-on smile.

"Wait, ah, hold on a second! That was just the standard joke! The obligatory reaction! Besides, isn't this related to the whole concubine topic!?"

"What are you saying? Wanting freshly removed underwear makes you nothing more than a pervert. It would be a different story if you were using that to welcome Cleana-san, but..."

"No, I admit it was perverted behavior, but it was a joke! It was a tradition!! I was obligated to say it!!"

"In that case, I shall teach you so that no such behavior occurs in the future. Excuse us, everyone. I need to teach Taiki-sama the superiority of underwear... with someone still wearing it."

Airi-san said that and dragged Taiki-kun out of the room.

As my comrade-in-arms disappeared while yelling "SAVE MEEE!" until the very end, a shark movie crossed my mind.

"Nn, Eoid and Amanda reacted the exact same way. Do you know the cause?"

Eh, you don't know!?

More importantly, what am I supposed to do with this underwear!? Somebody tell me how to return them without looking like a complete pervert!

I was already halfway there just by standing here, staring at them in my hand...

"I see. I understand now."

"Really?"

Wait, Ria-san. Can you save me first?

"First I'd like to ask: why did you give freshly removed underwear to Eoid-san?”

"Because in the book Enriching Your Nighttime Intimacy required to enter this room, it was written that inexperienced men are happiest receiving a woman's freshly removed underwear."

That book is mocking virgins!

...Though, since it's accurate, I can't really refute it.

Well, provided it's a beautiful girl's underwear, of course.

"Hmm. Cleana, do you want to spend the rest of your life with Eoid?"

"...Does spending the rest of my life mean getting married?"

"Yes, getting married, having children, and growing old together. Do you feel that you want to be with him for the rest of your life?"

"...I am not sure."

"Then that is the cause."

"What do you mean?"

"Cleana, listen carefully. Handing someone freshly removed underwear is, in a sense, an expression of intent that you want them to embrace you. Embracing someone naturally means making children. In other words, it means proposing marriage. You understand, right?"

"...I see. It certainly carries that meaning. I understand."

"Your lack of social interaction worked against you here. And doing that right in front of Amanda-san was the real issue. It wouldn't have been a problem if you genuinely wanted to spend your life with Eoid-san, but you didn't have those feelings, yet you handed him freshly removed underwear as a thank-you gift, right?"

"Nn."

"However, to Amanda-san, who loves Eoid-san dearly, it didn't look like a simple thank-you gift at all. She must have thought you were trying to steal Eoid-san away."

...Ah, so that's what happened.

Well, if someone did that right after meeting him, it's basically the equivalent of declaring, "I'm stealing your man."

"I see... I did something very terrible to Amanda."

"Well, it's a misunderstanding, so we'll explain it to her. Next time you meet, just apologize properly and talk it out, and you'll be able to become friends."

"Nn, thank you. I will apologize to Amanda. However, there is a point I find puzzling. Polygamy is common. Why did Amanda think he would be taken away? Couldn't they simply share him?"

"Ah, that's only for people with comfortable lifestyles. And it assumes the people involved can accept polygamy to begin with. Ordinary commoners practice monogamy, and Eoid-san comes from an ordinary family."

"I see, I understand. Then Amanda's fear makes sense."

Phew, now I can catch my breath.

First, let's return this hazardous material in my hands to Cleana.

Ria didn't misunderstand either—I'm so relieved to have an understanding wife.

Now then... how am I supposed to return this underwear casually...? No matter which option I choose, it seems impossible to avoid the stigma of being a pervert.

I mean, right now I'm staring intently at Cleana's freshly removed underwear while clutching it and agonizing over what to do!?

"So, in the future, handing over freshly removed underwear as a token of gratitude is a no-go, okay?"

"Nn, understood. I will choose something else."

"Well, I'll teach you about other options later."

"That helps a lot... Ria, you're my very first friend."

"Hearing you say that makes me really happy."

"However, I feel a little sad."

"Why is that?"

"If monogamy is the norm, then eventually I will have to part ways with both you and Amanda. If polygamy were normal, we could be together forever."

...Because to her, this is her very first friend.

The reality that a parting will come someday might be a bit painful.

"Oh, then that's not really a problem. The only question is whether you'll like him, Cleana."

Hmm? Isn't the flow of this conversation going in a weird direction?

"What do you mean?"

"I am already married. And I understand very well the sadness of being separated from friends. So, while it might not be much, I have a proposal. My husband practices polygamy as a way of life, and he is extremely capable. In fact, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him the best in the world at it."

"In other words, if I marry Ria's husband, I won't have to be separated from Ria?"

"Yes, exactly!"

"...I need to think about it a bit."

Hey, don't think about it! Reject it!

Ria, what kind of weird stuff are you filling this innocent girl's head with when she knows nothing outside of magic and knowledge!?

"Hmm. In that case, let me give you this piece of information too. Eris-san is married to the same husband. In fact, almost all of us members from Jilva are his wives."

"Does that mean I could also become close with Eris, who defeated the Headmaster?"

"Yes! In fact, everyone else will welcome you, Cleana. You'll make friends and become fellow wives."

"...That is very appealing."

No! It's not supposed to sound appealing!

Take better care of yourself! You're going to get scammed!!

"...However, marrying someone whose face I haven't even seen is frightening. Though since Ria goes so far to say all this, I don't think he's a bad person."

Right? Right!?

Yes, just reject it like that!!

"Ah, so you don't know who Eris-san's husband is?"

"Nn, affirmative. During the duel, I heard that Eris was married, but I do not know who her partner is."

"Well, the person currently clutching your underwear over there is our husband, Yuki-san."

"Eh!?”

Upon hearing that, Cleana turned toward me instantly.

...What am I supposed to say?

For now, let's just return the underwear.

"Err, here's your underwear back."

I held out the underwear while saying that.

...No matter how you look at it, I look like a total creep.

"You do not need to return it."

"Huh?"

"Ria, I have decided. I will marry Yuki. Now we can be together forever."

"...Cleana, I'm happy you feel that way, but I won't allow you to marry Yuki-san solely for the sake of staying with me, okay?"

"Nn, I understand. Naturally, I would not marry a man I do not like just to be with you, Ria. I have only just met Yuki, but I can tell for certain he is not a bad person. Furthermore, my friend Ria praises him to this extent. Therefore, I believe Yuki will surely make me and my future children happy."

"That's wonderful!! You have sharp eyes, Cleana!! Come, let's go introduce you to everyone else!! I don't think anyone will oppose, but marrying Yuki-san without a proper introduction would cause all sorts of issues."

"Nn, I will request it from Yuki's wives with all my heart... but I am counting on you, Ria."

"Leave it to me!!"

And with that conversation, Ria and Cleana dashed out of the room.

Oi, what about my escort?

Just as I was thinking that, Riel walked in from the opposite direction.

"Ya~hoo, Yuki-san! Ria told me she had urgent business and asked me to swap places with her, so I came~ Wait, why are you holding panties?"

"Ah, no, this is..."

Would she even believe me if I said I received them?

Seeing me hesitate, Riel put her hands on her pants...

"Hmm~ Do you want mine too?"

"No! I definitely don't! I was just entrusted with someone's laundry. And then the owner ran off."

"Oh, I see."

Nice one, me!!

Riel accepted it immediately!

See? Holding someone's underwear doesn't automatically make you a pervert.

Well... Technically these were engagement panties.

"So, how do you think I should handle this underwear?"

"From the looks of it, there's no place to put laundry, and I think Ria and the others will be right back anyway, so why not just hold onto it? It'd be weird to put freshly washed ones on a table or something."

"...Got it. Anyway, Riel, help me inspect the books around here."

"Ehh? T-There are so many books!"

"You're taking Ria's place, right? Please."

"Uhh~ Fine! Since it's a request from Yuki-san!"

* * *

While Ria was introducing Cleana to the others, Riel and I ended up discovering something incredible.

"Yuki-san, this looks like an old map of the new continent?"

Yes, a map.

A map from roughly 400 years ago, during the battle between the predecessor, the Holy Sword user, and the Demon King.

"It seems like it. The positions of the major kingdoms haven't changed much."

"Yeah~ Enaria is in a slightly different location, but I heard Enaria was founded later, so maybe the kingdom in this position was destroyed?"

"Probably. And then Sia led the people to establish a nation... wait."

Something snagged in my mind.

The precision of the map I was looking at was practically nonexistent; it was more like rough approximations.

Yet, I felt something off about this rough map.

"The map itself is rough, but the positional relationships are almost identical to the map we made, right?"

"Yeah, if the positional relationships were wrong, it wouldn't even qualify as a map... wait, what!?"

"What's wrong, Yuki-san?"

Riel called out to me, but I didn't have the luxury to reply.

I realized it. To think there was such a possibility... Because I usually rely on non-verbal chanting, I was late to notice it.

Hold on a minute—has it been 400 years under this system? No, even longer?

No, wait, the problem started when the predecessor disappeared and the dungeon functions ceased, so is 400 years correct? Hold on, hold on.

It would be extremely bad for me to judge this on my own. There's no proof this map is accurate either. There isn't, but if this is fact, it's extremely bad.

"Yuki-san!!"

"Ah, Riel. Sorry, I was just lost in thought."

"...Don't push yourself too hard, okay?"

"Yeah, I know. Anyway, there's something I need to discuss with everyone. Let's gather and talk tonight. But right now, I don't have enough reference material. Could you check if there are any other maps?"

"Got it!"

Seeing the serious look on my face, Riel wiped her usual cute demeanor and put on a serious expression as she resumed researching.

"...Information from this place alone isn't enough. If only we had someone knowledgeable about this new continent in our group..."

As I mumbled that to myself, it clicked.

Just a moment ago, everyone was making a fuss about welcoming just such an intellectual girl as a wife.

"Is my luck good or bad? At least we can rely on her knowledge."

Saying that, I stared down at the panties in my right hand, given to me by her.

...Why does it feel like the seriousness of the moment is totally ruined?