The Villainous Aristocrat's Efforts Led to a Genuine Harem - Episode 49

Chapter 2

Episode 49

The light that slipped in through the slightly open gap of the curtain brushed against my cheek.

That soft and warm light signaled the arrival of a quiet morning.

So, it’s morning already.

The mansion was completely silent.

If I strained my ears, I could only faintly hear the footsteps of the maids walking down the hallway.

“…Nn.”

When I slowly opened my eyes… I saw the ceiling I had gotten quite used to.

A bedroom decorated mainly in white. It was so spacious that it could easily fit multiple sofas. Well, there was only one placed here. But still, being able to use such a room was the height of luxury.

This was the biggest room in the entire mansion. That was the room I was now using.

Not long ago, the place where I slept was a tiny room at the edge of the mansion. It was more like a closet.

“Thinking about it now, that room was really awful…”

The floor creaked. And the window was so small that hardly any light came in.

No matter how you looked at it, it wasn’t a room for a noble.

The reason I can now sleep in this spacious room was because I protected the people from the stampede and became the head of this house.

The people in the mansion, too, seemed to fully trust me after that battle. And in this city, there probably weren’t many people left who spoke ill of the current Reis Validor.

As I vaguely recalled all that, I heard peaceful breathing from beside me.

A faint warmth and a sweet scent at my neck.

“Reis… you smell nice today too…”

Murmuring as if in a dream, with a sloppy smile on her face, was a beautiful girl.

“Hey… you’re awake, aren’t you?”

Next to me, as usual, Reem was pretending to sleep with her face pressed against my shoulder.

Do you think I’d believe she was asleep while burying her face into my neck and making sniffing noises?

Even after being pointed out, Reem continued to pretend to sleep, as always.

Actually, maybe she was even worse now.

Like a cat rubbing against something, she kept making sniffing sounds.

Being pressed against like this, the sensation of her full chest was directly transmitted. That fluffy warmth wrapping around my arm—it was… pretty intense.

…While being fully aware that my rationality was being shaved down, I spoke calmly.

“It’s about time you got up. You’re heavy in the morning.”

“No, I won’t let go.”

She replied immediately. So she was awake after all.

“…You’re too close, especially in the morning.”

“Then, does that mean at night it’s okay?”

“It’s always too close!”

“But I want to smell you… The scent feels different in the morning and at night, you know?”

She exhaled regretfully.

…Isn’t the difference just because of dirt or sweat? I couldn’t help but think that.

Reem staying in this room was because she was using her position as my fiancée.

Well, it’s not like I dislike it. And honestly, there are parts of me that feel like it’s a lucky perk.

Reem inched closer to me again with a dreamy expression.

“Reis’ scent… mm, no problems today either.”

“…You can really tell that?”

I couldn’t help but think it was just something she did to satisfy her desires.

“Of course. Health can show up in a person’s scent. Rest assured, Reis smells wonderful today.”

She gave me a firm thumbs-up. …Well, her sense of smell was sharp. So I couldn’t completely doubt her.

Still… Reem never wavers.

She’s far too faithful to her own desires.

But, it’s also something to learn from.

Because she’s so faithful to her desires, she can easily use [Adrenaline Boost]. Which was the special move in the main game.

…From here on, once the events of the main game begin, the number of ruin flags that attack me will only increase. Which means, I need to become even stronger myself.

Maybe someday, I’ll also have to face my own desires head-on…

Thinking vaguely about that, I pulled Reem off me and stood up.

“Ahh, fine… but for now, I’ll endure with the scent of Reis that’s soaked into this pillow and blanket…”

Although she looked disappointed to be separated from me, Reem immediately switched targets.

…She hugged my blanket tightly and started sniffing it deeply.

Just… do as you like.

While I began changing my clothes, the door to the room was knocked on.

A maid appeared. Seeing Reem acting so strangely, the maid, however, didn’t look surprised.

By now, this had become routine for the maids as well…

“Lord Reis, since the weather is nice today, I was thinking of airing out the bedding outside… w-would that be alright?”

Since Reem was still sniffing it, she probably couldn’t help but ask.

“Ah, right. That’s fine. Take it.”

Almost no one in the mansion feared me anymore. Nor did anyone dislike me—there was no one left to give me cold looks.

…No, don’t twist it, idiot. This is how it should be. Damn it… this warped fetish of mine still won’t disappear.

Well, if I think about [Adrenaline Boost], maybe having strong fetishes is necessary… but still.

Accepting it is another problem.

The moment I gave my answer, Reem froze.

“You’re going to… wash the bedding?”

“Why do you look so devastated?”

“What a waste! It’s unnecessary! I’ll buy this myself…! You can just purchase new ones!”

“Are you planning to buy them every time?”

“Yes!”

“…If we sleep together again, you can smell it as much as you want, right?”

“Reis, you’re cruel…!”

Reem stood up and spread her arms as if to block the maid.

“This bedding has Reis’ scent soaked into it. If you wash it, it’ll disappear!”

“We wash it precisely to erase it!”

“Reis… you don’t understand at all.”

“I don’t even want to understand. Go ahead and take it.”

When I glanced at the maid, she pulled at the blanket with a wry smile. Reem’s expression looked like she was about to cry.

She looked just like a child watching their parent head off to the battlefield.

“Ahh…”

“Don’t despair that much over just a blanket.”

“I wanted to enjoy it a bit longer…”

While staring longingly at the bedding being carried off, Reem let out a small sigh.

“Maid, next time please let me know before you wash it… I need to say a last goodbye…”

“No, don’t. Just wash it without saying anything—it’ll be troublesome otherwise.”

“Wait, Reis! Don’t treat something with Reis’ scent on it so carelessly!”

As I watched the maid carry off the bedding with a bitter smile, I finally let out a breath.

I’m already tired, and it’s only morning…

Reem was still in her nightwear. She began changing clothes too. She was seemingly resigned.

While watching her, I absentmindedly recalled the current situation.

I had inherited the Validor territory.

Now that I was the lord, my work in managing the domain… hadn’t really increased that much.

Most of it was handled by capable deputies. So I hardly had to intervene.

Actually, it was my father and brothers who had caused problems. And with them gone, the territory had regained stability.

The unreasonably high taxes and such had all been my family’s fault. Truly, it’s nothing but shameful.

Because of the Validor family… there were people who suffered misfortune. Of course, not everything had been resolved yet. But the deputies were carefully managing the territory.

All I had to do was make sure those deputies didn’t tamper with the records… which left me with a lot of free time.

After avoiding the stampede, I had also greeted most of the key nobles. So at the moment, there wasn’t anything in particular I needed to do.

Normally, there might also be talk about a fiancée. But since I already have Reem, there’s no such discussion.

For that, I’m thankful to my parents.

Ah, as for concubines, I did receive some proposals.

But with my Japanese sense, I avoided it. So all I gave in reply was something vague like, “I’ll think about it.”

That stampede, which I worked so hard to avoid, now feels like something from the distant past.

By preventing that, I avoided one of my bad ends.

…Of course, it’s still just *one* for now.

…The main story of the game is about to begin soon.

Maybe because the company that made this game is Japanese, the story officially starts in April.

The story begins when the protagonist enters the academy city. And from there, over about a year, he grows and eventually saves the world. That’s the original story of Holy Orb Fantasy.

In the canon timeline for “Reis-kun,” he gets caught up in the stampede. Then in his family’s scandal, he is expelled from his house.

After that, he goes alone to take the academy’s entrance exam, barely manages to pass, and that’s how things went.

And in the end, he pesters the original protagonist, falls into darkness, and dies… There were many such bad ends.

But now it’s already March. I didn’t even take the academy entrance exam. In other words—

I’ve completely avoided the ruin end.

As long as I don’t get involved with the academy or the protagonist, there’s no way I’ll fall into ruin from here on.

From now on, I can just relax and enjoy this world.

Looking out at the peaceful townscape from the mansion window, I let out a small sigh.

Phew, knowing I can freely enjoy another world really does ease the mind.

The only slight concern is that Reem, Inaesia, and Vilias—the characters who appear in the main story—are now moving alongside me as my companions.

Of course, in Holy Orb Fantasy, there are plenty of possible companions. So there’s no need to cling to Reem and the others.

However, those girls had such excellent stats in the main game. If they don’t even get involved in the story, it might make things harder for the protagonist.

But well… he’ll just have to do his best.

Inaesia is still active as an adventurer in the Validor territory. And Vilias, as a blacksmith, not only works in the territory but also manages the Validor family’s weapons.

As for Reem, she burns with her “mission” of sniffing me every morning like this…

Well, even without Reem and the others, as long as the protagonist gathers other companions and defeats the Demon King, that’s fine.

I’m sure the protagonist will handle it somehow. That’s what a protagonist is for.

Thinking about such things, I left the room with Reem—who had finished changing clothes—and headed toward the dining hall.

As long as I don’t enroll in Lurtia Academy, the stage of the original story, I won’t be involved in the main game.

Today too, while doing a bit of training, I’ll spend the day leisurely.

Reincarnation in another world really is the best.