A Popular Man
While I was inadvertently battling the absurdities of the world, I lost track of my precious Pochi.
"Pochi, where are you!?"
"Lately, Pochi-kun keeps getting lost... or rather, kidnapped..."
A troublesome hero laughing "Wahaha" flashed through my mind. Next time I see him, I'll make him eat a ton of bitter green peppers. It's petty revenge, but I don't care.
I can’t even deny it. At this rate, he’s getting kidnapped as often as that princess who always gets taken by the giant turtle ghost.
Geraldin-san → Fake-rin → Two Idiots... surprisingly few? No, three times is more than enough.
"Hmm! I smell Young master Pochi... He seems to be over there!"
Bernard-san had caught Pochi’s scent. The room he indicated was likely a reception room. Inside, two cute Maltese girls had Pochi surrounded on a luxurious sofa set. Were they twins? They looked that similar.
"Pochi-sama, say ahh~"
"Pochi-sama, this one tastes better!"
"Don't get in my way!"
"You’re the one in the way!"
The adorable, well-groomed girls fought over Pochi. Meanwhile, Pochi was clearly pleading for help.
I smiled and quietly left the room. The others also silently withdrew. Gator looked worried. What a nice guy.
However, I couldn't bring myself to interfere with Pochi’s harem. It seems Pochi has grown up.
"Oniichan, help him."
"Oneechan, please."
I knew they were just fake twins Pochi created. But could I ignore the teary-eyed angels of our family...? No way!
"Leave it to your Oneechan!"
"Oneechan, so cool!"
"Oneechan, love you!"
If my beloved little siblings (even if they were fake) asked me, there was no choice but to act. No matter how cute those puppy-girls were, I would sweep them aside!
"Pochi!"
"Oneechan..."
"Come on, let’s go."
I reached for Pochi to take him away, but the Maltese girls blocked my path.
"Who are you?"
"Appearing out of nowhere and trying to take Pochi-sama—how rude!"
Hmm, a rather reasonable reaction. Alright, I’ll respond accordingly.
"Pleased to meet you. I am Rosarin Burton. I am the wife of Marquis Burton, from Christia. Pochi is my younger brother. We are here to seek an audience with His Majesty. However, two boorish beastmen forcibly took Pochi away... I finally found him. I apologize for the rush. May I take him with me?"
I spoke logically and calmly. If they refused now, it would become an international issue.
"... Understood. I apologize for not introducing myself sooner. I am Marle Tese, daughter of Count Tese. Pleased to make your acquaintance. Pochi-sama, may we meet again after your audience with His Majesty?"
"I also deeply apologize for my rudeness. I am Mirle Tese, also a daughter of Count Tese. Pochi-sama, we shall be waiting for you later."
Unlike the two idiots, these girls were intelligent. They properly introduced themselves, apologized, and even subtly secured a future meeting. Truly different from those two fools! (This is important, so I’ll say it twice.)
Pochi, however, looked completely unwilling to deal with them any further.
SpeaKing of which... where were the two idiots?
Curled up in a corner, mumbling to themselves, eyes hollow and lifeless. Terrifying.
"We are weary from our long journey, so we must decline."
"Oh my, but we have the finest tea for such occasions."
"Indeed, it would surely soothe your travel fatigue."
A chillingly elegant exchange began, punctuated by polite yet deadly laughter. The men in the room seemed terrified, but I was sure it was just their imagination.
So, this country isn’t entirely made up of muscle-brained fools. At least these two girls were educated as noblewomen and had adaptability.
"Pochi, what do you want to do?"
"Me? Well... Don’t be too mean, okay? I know you truly love your fiancés. Now, apologize properly."
"... We're sorry!"
"We truly regret it!"
With Pochi’s words—"I know you truly love your fiancés"—the two idiots instantly revived and fell to their knees, bowing to the Maltese-like ladies.
"What shall we do, Oneesama?"
"What indeed?"
The girls chuckled softly. It seemed they were actual sisters.
"”There will be no next time.”"
“"Understood!!"”
If these girls were holding the reins, maybe even with those two idiots ruling, this country could manage.
After parting ways with the Maltese-like ladies, I questioned Pochi.
"So, what was that harem situation all about?"
"Oh, that was..."
Apparently, after Pochi was taken, the two idiots gave him a new challenge. A King must be popular with women. So, they ordered him to seduce their fiancées.
"They should just die."
"That’s the worst."
"Worse than insects."
"... Those ladies have very big hearts. If it were me, I’d have beaten them to a pulp the moment they suggested it."
I was smiling, Dirk looked horrified, my brother was expressionless, and Gator was staring off into the distance.
"Well, they probably trusted those two fools, in their own way."
Naturally, the noblewomen were enraged. In retaliation, they smothered Pochi with affection.
"No, it wasn’t just that. Pochi-sama... Our lord sincerely apologized to our fiancées."
"His sincerity moved them..."
In other words, Pochi’s genuine apology won the ladies over, resulting in that harem situation. And it was also a way to spite the two idiots.
"I get it now."
By the way, a concerning phrase had popped up. Pochi ignored it, but I sensed trouble.
"We are now convinced—Pochi-sama is truly fit to be King."
"We shall serve you for life. We sincerely apologize for testing you."
"...........H uh?"
"Pochi..."
"Eh? Um, what??"
"Sometimes, you just have to accept your fate."
"EHHHHHHH!?"
At last, we arrived at the audience chamber—only to find the King missing.
"His Majesty left to search for you..."
The attendant looked truly apologetic. It wasn’t his fault. So, I delivered an axe bomber to the two idiots.
After waiting a bit—
"Uncle, you’re late! How dare you keep our King waiting!"
"Indeed! Our King, this is the ruler of our country."
Even though it was clearly their fault, the two idiots complained to the King.
With his accumulated stress reaching its limit, the King mercilessly pummeled them.
Surprisingly, the King looked exactly like Pochi.
What do you think about this chapter?
