CH 89

Legitimate Harem

Translated by Dawn

Legitimate Harem

“Then when the police come, I’ll ask them to take this street witch and the Ijuin from the sewers, Maria, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, but I’m afraid you’re going to have to be interviewed today—”

The look on her face left me speechless.

Maria always never moved an eyebrow, no matter what happened to her.

And yet, her eyebrows drooped in a figure of eight(八), and her eyes were filled with tears.

“I was……stupid…….”

Suddenly, I walked over to Maria and listened to her so I could get a better sense of how she was feeling.

“I used to try to live up to other people’s expectations, believing that it was the right thing to do. But in reality, I was just doing what others wanted me to do and being deceived…….I should have thought for myself what my actions would lead to.”

Her voice, drenched in tears of regret, was so fragile that just listening to it made my heart ache.

Clutching her skirt as if she were a young child, Maria shook her shoulders and spilled tears.

“I was a thoughtless, dim-witted woman, and that’s why I was deceived by that man. If it wasn’t for Honey-san, I might have let that man get the better of me.”

“That’s not true.”

Without hesitation, I assured her once and for all.

“Eh?”

“Maria may have been fooled by Ijuin, sure. But that’s the same for all of us. Besides, what was wrong with Maria’s behavior?”

“But if I expose a scandal involving a celebrity or athlete, their fans are going to get hurt. I must have been so elated that I thought I had accomplished my mission by blindly exposing people’s crimes and exposing them on the Internet, not realizing that many people would be hurt. I must have had a big ego.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

I tightened my voice and conveyed my feelings to Maria as if I were trying to chew and say something.

“First of all, if someone gets caught, people who care about that person will be saddened. But that doesn’t mean we should let criminals go free. It’s not the police who make the people who care about them sad, it’s the criminals themselves. Right?”

“…It is.”

Maria had no words of rebuttal. But she dejectedly turned her head as if she didn’t want to forgive herself for her crime.

So I strengthened my words as if to open her stubborn thoughts.

“I don’t care if they are ordinary people or entertainers, a crime is a crime. But, should entertainers be allowed to commit crimes and not be exposed, not be caught, or be overlooked because many people are saddened when they are caught? I don’t think so.”

As if my voice had reached her, I looked into her slightly raised gaze and continued on.

“Maria is the best and the fairest woman who is not afraid to expose wrongdoings, even against the upper class. This time, the bad guys are the musicians who caused grief to their fans and the street witches who attacked Maria out of spite.”

“…Honey, san.”

“So if Maiko’s Psychometry or Maya’s Detection arrests a big-name celebrity and the fans are saddened, it’s Maiko and Maya’s fault?”

“No, it won’t be! The two of them are honorable people who are working hard for public safety. Ah.”

She realized it when she said it herself.

She swallowed her words and looked up at me, still.

“Right? So, you know, Maria didn’t do anything wrong. But it’s true that you’re at the mercy of others, so be careful. Like Shisae, mainly.”

After giving Maria a smile, showing my teeth to reassure her, I patted her on the head.

“Maria belongs to no one, Maria belongs to Maria alone. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, and you don’t have to be at the mercy of others. I think it’s admirable that you want to meet other people’s expectations, but you don’t have to do anything you don’t really want to do; Maria can live her life the way Maria wants to.”

“….”

For some reason, Maria suddenly shrunk back as if she had lost confidence.

Then, in a tone of repentance, she gingerly opened her clumsy lips.

“Um, does that mean I don’t have to put up with it? Even if I don’t care about others and do what I want to do.”

“That’s obvious. I mean, who else but Maria would do what Maria wants to do?”

Also, for some reason, her cheeks were dyed red.

As I observed, suddenly, her hand gently touched my arm.

With her two large eyes reflecting my face, Maria took a step forward.

“I like you.”

She took one more step, pressing her breasts against my chest, and then she said again.

“I like you, Honey-san!”

And then, in a passionate voice, she burst into tears.

As I was perplexed, Maria spoke her thoughts in a whisper, but with an echo of emotion that could not be suppressed.

“Not once did Honey-san order me to do something. You always told me that if I didn’t want to do something, I didn’t have to do it. I didn’t know how I could be of help to Honey-san. But even if I didn’t meet your expectations, Honey-san would still accept me…….Whether it’s Kiriha-san, Miina-san, Maiko-san, and Maya-san, Honey-san is always there to help us!”

It was the first time a girl who looked like a doll showed her naked emotions.

I thought Maria was a very attractive girl.

It was impossible not to be happy when Maria told me she liked me.

I wanted to respond to her feelings and make her happy, but I shouldn’t do that.

So without hesitation, I decided to gently push her away.

“I see, thank you, that makes me very happy. But I’m sorry, I like Kiriha.”

“I know. But can I continue to like you?”

As if overflowing with uncontrollable feelings, she pleaded with me with large tears streaming from her eyes.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t like me, as long as I love you, Honey-san, it’s alright with me!”

“….”

The thought was so pure that my heart ached.

I swallowed my words as her hand touched my arm, squeezing it as if trying not to let me deny it.

I had a girl I love, I had a girlfriend, and I had Kiriha who would even consider marrying me, but I was shaken by her words.

I wanted to respond to Maria’s feelings, I wished, and I was strongly shocked.

I didn’t know what to do with myself because of a mixture of my weak will and unspeakable emotions.

But every moment I spent worrying like this was a betrayal to Kiriha.

The longer my silence lasted, the more it hurts Kiriha.

—I’m sorry Maria. I’m so sorry. I can’t make you happy.

Saddened by my own helplessness, I cleared my throat to say a few words of repentance.

“I’m fine with that.”

Kiriha said in a very light tone as she stood beside us.

“….Eh?”

Ignoring me who was stunned, Kiriha spoke up to Maria.

“Or rather, would you like to move into our apartment? The place next door is empty, and you can come and go as you please if you get Miina to connect you to it. Then, Maria, as the second wife, let’s take care of Honey together.”

“No, wait a minute, Kiriha, do you know what you’re saying!?”

When I told her, Kiriha’s lips twitched in dissatisfaction.

“Isn’t it fine? If Maria marries another man in the future, she will be at the mercy of that husband, won’t she? It will make it harder for me to hang out with Maria. If that’s the case, since she likes Honey so much, if we live together, we’ll be together forever, and polygamy is more advantageous for the women’s team. Besides.”

Kiriha looked extremely bad while she was doing her guts pose.

“As long as Maria is around, it’s always my turn.”

“What turn! Or rather, you know, don’t you think that perhaps I would cherish Maria more than Kiriha?”

At my question, Kiriha’s expression changed.

“Look here.”

Suddenly, Kiriha’s lips were closing in on me.

Kiriha’s mouth closed over mine, and her hot tongue took a lick at my tongue, then KIRIHA pulled her mouth away with a smile. After a slight watery sound, she said a few words with a look of total triumph on her face.

“That’s what the first wife can afford.”

My head was punctured with happiness.

“if you say so.”

With that as my last will and testament, my consciousness faded into the distance.

“Honey-san!”

I was certain that Maria must be supporting my collapsed body.

From far away, I heard someone running toward us.

Apparently, the police had arrived.

I passed out, wondering how to explain this situation.