"Thank you for the meal."
I whispered quietly and put my hands together in gratitude, sitting in a quiet corner of the dining hall.
It seemed like I had missed the rush—there weren't too many people around.
Today's lunch—or more accurately, a late breakfast—was rice porridge, likely chosen with my recovery in mind.
I usually prefer my rice cooked on the firmer side, so I felt a bit let down at first. But after taking a bite, I had to rethink that.
The broth was rich and flavorful, surprisingly delicious.
Even the pickled plum paste for adding variety was excellent.
Before I knew it, the rather large earthenware pot was completely empty.
"Thank you for the food."
I instinctively brought my hands together and bowed slightly.
Yata-chan and Hachikuma-san were watching me with oddly satisfied smiles.
"We'd say 'sorry for the plain meal,' but here's our special milk pudding for dessert. Make sure you eat it all, okay?"
The petite attendant brought over the dessert and a small plate, looking quite pleased with herself.
Still… why milk again?
Not long ago, I was also given hot milk as a sort of snack. But, well, whatever.
Without thinking too much, I took a spoonful of the pudding. It had a strange kind of sweetness, unlike regular milk. The rich, creamy texture was unlike any store-bought milk pudding. I couldn't really describe it well—my vocabulary came up short.
As I pondered this and kept eating—
"Looks good... any for me?"
"For you, Granny, here's the standard version."
"That's just a regular supermarket pudding!"
Yata-chan and the others were served ordinary pudding, and their little skit made me smile.
Feeling a bit mischievous—
"Would you like a bite?"
I scooped up a spoonful and held it out to Yata-chan.
There was a noticeable shift in the atmosphere.
Chomp.
She took the bite without hesitation.
"Ah..."
I think I let out a weird little noise.
"Mmm..."
Yata-chan slowly chewed, looking oddly proud.
"Ahh, I see."
She swallowed, looked thoughtful for a moment, and then nodded in understanding.
"Definitely a special recipe. Probably made just for this one, huh?"
She said, acting like she was in on a secret.
"Is there a secret ingredient?"
I tried to get confirmation.
"The ingredients themselves are special."
"Shh," the attendant said with a playful smile, putting a finger to her lips.
"Well, as they say, some things are better left unsaid."
Yata-chan and the attendant smiled at each other like co-conspirators, clearly enjoying themselves.
"By the way, I forgot to introduce her—this is Suzume. If Misago and Hachikuma are to be your wives, she's someone we'd like to include in the package."
Yata-chan gestured to the petite attendant who had been helping me earlier.
"Nice to meet you. My name is Suzume."
She bowed politely. Compared to Hachikuma and Misago, she was a head—or maybe two—shorter, but strikingly beautiful.
"Pleased to meet you," I replied, straightening up and bowing as well.
"That said, since this is your exclusive honeymoon period, please focus on Misago or Hachikuma for now," she said with a gentle smile. Despite her petite frame, the pressure behind that smile was intense.
"Well, in time..." Yata-chan sighed.
"So, uh... how many potential wives are we talking about here?"
"Just at this inn, about fifty. If you include the whole region, maybe a hundred. And if you expand it to the entire clan, probably in the hundreds... maybe even the thousands."
Yata-chan stared off into the distance. I found myself doing the same.
"And this is just those of marrying age I know of. If it's too much, just say so."
"What counts as 'marrying age' to you?"
"From what I can tell, your comfort zone is 20 to 40. Most over 30 have kids, but they're single, so no need to hold back."
Unbeknownst to me, it seemed the number of potential brides had skyrocketed the moment I married Misago. Apparently, it was a package deal—way more than I expected.
"That's... a lot."
Not knowing how else to respond, I just nodded.
Thinking back, it made sense why Misago had been so stiff with nerves that first night, throwing everything into that moment of intimacy. She had shouldered the hopes of an entire clan on her tiny back.
"Once you took me as your wife, I had the authority to recommend others. Do you regret it?"
"Not at all."
Still trying to process all this, I gave a half-hearted reply while imagining what sort of harem future might await me.
"That easygoing nature of yours is part of what makes you appealing," Yata-chan said with a burst of laughter. Hachikuma and Suzume both nodded in agreement.
"Are you sure this is okay?" I asked.
"The ideal man for us is kind, pervy, and sincere."
"Wow, that's... blunt."
"Pretty lies only cause problems. You know that, don't you?"
I thought about it.
"I'm willing to do my best, but… what exactly are we talking about here?"
I couldn't really put it into words, so I asked.
"Someone who doesn't use force or violence, doesn't shy away from sex, meets the expectations of those around him, and when a child is born, takes full responsibility and cherishes them—even if the child's from a different species, ideally."
That last bit sounded suspiciously like she was testing my boundaries.
All eyes turned to me, and the air felt just a bit tense.
"I think I can handle most of that… though that last part might be a bit much."
The first half, I was pretty confident about—especially after that big hugging incident earlier.
"Like, if a woman whose husband was a jerk or passed away comes to you with kids in tow?"
"In that case, I'd want to take good care of them."
Honestly, anyone who wouldn't is worse than trash.
The tense air around us loosened.
"See? Told you he was good."
Yata-chan's voice rang out, and sighs of relief echoed around the room. I hadn't realized how much of a public spectacle this had become.