After dinner, all there was left to do was sleep, but it was still too early to do so, so Rio, Masato, Hiroaki, Rei, and Kouta moved to the parlor of the mansion to hold an all-boys meeting. They all sat around a table with drinks and snacks, the five of them in a circle facing each other.
“Man, it feels like we’re on a graduation trip,” Rei said as he munched on the snacks.
“Yeah, and it’s kind of refreshing for us to gather with these members,” Kouta agreed, taking a sip of the cold tea.
Hiroaki grabbed some of the snacks as well. “Haruto and Kouta are the same age, right?”
“No, I’m one year younger,” Rio answered.
“Haruto doesn’t really feel younger though,” Kouta said.
“I get what you mean—especially with the way we met. Sir Amakawa was the one protecting us from Beltrum to the Restoration.”
“It’s already been months since we first met him at Celia’s place.”
Rei and Kouta looked into the distance as they recalled those days.
“I’ve said this before, but I’m younger than you, so you don’t need to use titles with me.” Rio scratched his cheek awkwardly.
“Yeah, but I’m technically a viscount of the Restoration. It won’t look good for me to treat an honorary knight equal to count status so casually.” Rei also scratched his cheek in embarrassment.
“Who cares about that? It’s not like anyone’s watching here. He talks casually to Masato, who’s a hero now, no?” Hiroaki pointed out.
“Well, I suppose that’s true.”
“But it’s a little embarrassing to change it up now...”
Rei and Kouta exchanged looks with each other.
“But if you’re okay with it, then... Haruto?” Rei asked shyly.
“Of course,” Rio said with a happy nod. “That aside, weren’t you a baronet before? When did you become a viscount, Rei?”
“Oh, it was when I became Hiroaki’s aide a little while ago. They promoted me then.”
“I told them to treat him properly, since he’s working for a hero,” Hiroaki said with a smirk.
“Kouta’s also became Hiroaki’s aide. They tried to give him a rank, but Kouta put the offer on hold for now. Right?” Rei said, throwing an arm over Kouta’s shoulders.
“I was originally thinking of becoming an adventurer. But for some reason, I ended up helping in the production of Hiroaki’s light novel... Before I knew it, I was an aide,” Kouta explained.
“His art is really good, you know?”
“I’ve seen it before. It was amazing.”
Rei and Masato had nothing but praise for Kouta.
“I’d love to see it as well sometime.”
“Next time there’s a chance, then,” Kouta said with an embarrassed nod.
“And hear this, Haruto. This guy finally got a girlfriend!” Rei said with a grin, exposing Kouta’s recent developments.
“H-Hey, Rei!”
Kouta turned bright red. Hiroaki watched on with a smirking grin.
“Really?” Rio asked, eyes wide.
“I don’t think you’ve met her. Her name’s Mikaela Belmond. You’ve met my fiancée Rosa before, right? She’s her friend. She also attended Celia’s lectures in Rodania.”
“Really? Then I should have invited those two as well.”
Rei grabbed more snacks while humming in thought. “Nah, they wouldn’t feel comfortable in this mansion with so many people. All the princesses and ducal family daughters are here today.”
“That’s true. They’re both from barons’ families, so they don’t normally come into contact with royalty,” Kouta agreed with a grimace.
“I’ve been telling him to introduce her to me. I’ve met Rosa before, but I haven’t seen Mikaela yet. Hurry it up,” Hiroaki said to Kouta.
“That’s right. We have to ask Mikaela how someone as timid as Kouta ended up dating her,” Rei agreed, nodding.
Masato raised his hand, eyes sparkling. “I want to meet her too!”
“So you don’t know how they ended up together either?” Rio asked, looking at Rei and Hiroaki.
“That’s right. I’ve only heard a little through Rosa.”
“It was you who confessed first in the end, right?”
Hiroaki smirked at Kouta.
“That’s enough about me!” Kouta said, evading the question with a red face.
“No no, graduation trips are all about gossiping about love.”
“Right? We’re not letting you sleep tonight until you tell us.”
Rei and Hiroaki refused to back down, reaching for more snacks on the plate.
“M-More importantly, aren’t you two eating too many snacks? You said you were too full to eat another bite earlier,” Kouta said, forcefully changing the topic.
“I have a separate stomach for sweets. Right, Hiroaki?”
“Yeah. It tastes good too. This world has so many sweet snacks, but the ones here suit the Japanese taste better. Goes right down with milk.”
Hiroaki drank his glass of milk, then grabbed another snack and stared at it closely.
“That’s because these were made by Miharu. Of course they’d suit the tastes of a Japanese person,” Masato said casually.
“Wait, you mean this is handmade by Miharu?! Tell me that sooner!” Rei jumped up and grabbed more of the snacks.
“Rei, you have a fiancée...” Kouta muttered, glaring at Rei coldly.
“Idiot. That’s what a separate stomach is for. Miharu’s super cute, you know? She would’ve been the top girl at our school... No, she’d be better than an idol!” Rei insisted firmly.
Kouta sighed wordlessly.
“I know what you’re thinking, Kouta. Your childhood friend Akane is cuter, right?” Hiroaki said in a teasing tone.
“If I was still hung up on Akane, I wouldn’t be dating someone else right now. And Miharu is cuter,” Kouta replied with a frown.
“Oh! He said it!” Hiroaki grinned and threw his arm around Kouta’s shoulder.
“D-Don’t touch me.”
“You know, I always thought highly of you for getting together with Mikaela. I’ve never been a fan of the heroine-from-Earth trope in isekai stories,” Hiroaki said cheerfully, keeping his arm around Kouta.
“Personally, I don’t care if there’s a heroine from Earth in isekai stories,” Rei said, raising his hand to declare his stance.
“I wasn’t asking for your opinion.”
But Hiroaki swiftly brushed him aside.
“That aside, Haruto and Masato are so lucky. They get to eat Miharu’s homemade meals and snacks every day,” Rei whined, pointing at Rio and Masato.
“Lucky? This is Haruto’s mansion,” Kouta said tiredly.
“You can just come visit again then. Though it might not be Miharu who does the cooking. Isn’t that right, Haruto?” Masato said lightly.
“Yeah.” Rio nodded with a chuckle.
“More importantly, isn’t Miharu in love with you?” Hiroaki asked, glancing at Rio’s face.
The sudden change in topic left Rio troubled, unable to deny or confirm those words.
“Oh! No beating around the bush with you, Hiroaki.”
Rei was the one who smirked this time, leaning forward in his seat.
“Well, I had to witness that passionate kiss with my own eyes. Now I have to ask about it,” Hiroaki said enthusiastically.
“So what happened after that? We’ve decided there’d be no formalities between us, so there’s no need to hold back anymore.” Rei pressed Rio for answers, his indecent curiosity in full view.
“Nothing happened. The entire thing was an accident that happened against her will, there’s nothing that will happen,” Rio answered with a strained smile.
“No no, you’d definitely feel more aware of each other after that, no?”
“Well, I guess it’s a little awkward now...”
“How did the other girls react? It didn’t seem like they were on edge or anything.”
“They all seem normal to me,” Rio said, answering all of Rei’s questions.
“Really? Does it look that way to you, Masato?” Hiroaki asked with a dubious look.
“Hmm. They didn’t seem different to me. But we went to the castle today, so we weren’t with Miharu for very long.”
Masato gave the same answer as Rio.
“They might be having cat fights behind your back. You never know.”
“That definitely wouldn’t happen.”
Rio denied that with a wry smile.
“I’ve never seen them fight before,” Masato agreed.
“So the world of yuri anime really exists...”
Kouta made a face at Rei’s keen murmuring. “Eww.”
“It’s more harem than yuri, to be honest,” Hiroaki pointed out.
“Good point. Say, do you ever get into any lucky accidents living with so many young girls under the same roof?” Rei asked Rio curiously.
“None.”
“None?! Nothing like seeing them naked while they’re changing for the bath, or opening the toilet door they forgot to lock, or getting into the wrong bed at night?” Rei leaned forward, eager to know if there were any hopes or dreams to be had there.
Rio thought for a brief moment, then replied. “Nothing.”
In reality, the thought of Aishia climbing into bed with him in a half-asleep state had flashed through his mind. Lina had also snuck into his room last night by possessing Miharu. However, Hiroaki was astute.
“Hey, hold up. What was that pause just now?!”
“I-It’s nothing.”
Rio shook his head, voice cracking slightly. Neither of them had entered his room by mistake, so it wasn’t as though he was lying—or so he told himself.
“What?! So there is something!”
“It’s really nothing.” Rei was leaning so far forward, Rio had to lean back.
“What’s the truth, Masato?” Hiroaki turned to Masato instead.
Masato held his chin in thought. “Hmm. Aishia sometimes goes to Haruto’s room when she’s still half-asleep, I guess?”
“See? That isn’t nothing!”
“Ha... Ha ha...” Rio laughed awkwardly, cornered by Hiroaki.
“But both Haruto and Masato have it great. Getting to live under the same roof as so many cute girls every day,” Rei said with jealousy.
“Most of the time I spend in the mansion is with Gouki and Shin, though.”
“Really?”
“It’s a little stifling being in the same space as so many women. Especially as the only man,” Rio said, describing the actual conditions with a grimace.
“I know who Gouki is, but who’s Shin?” Hiroaki asked.
“He came from the Yagumo region with Gouki. I think he lived with Sayo in the same village that Haruto stayed in for a while? He’s the same age as Kouta,” Rei explained.
“Huh, I see,” Kouta said, sounding interested.
“Come to think of it, there was a guy around the same age as us. You should call him here too. We might get to hear more candid stories about Haruto,” Hiroaki suggested.
“Shall I go call him, then?”
They might end up teasing Rio about his relationship with Sayu, but he had no reason to refuse their request to expand their social circle. Although he was a little reluctant, Rio headed out to call Shin.