Volume 17 Side Story - Women’s Meeting

Part 1

At the time when Rudeus was drinking alcohol together with other men and, while intoxicated, cried out [How many has it been].

Inside the bedroom on the second floor of Rudeus's house.

On top of the big bed, three women were sitting face-to-face to another, having nothing on other than the nightgowns they were wearing.

"Then, we will begin the Greyrat house's 26th regular meeting. Applause."

In response to the white short haired girl's words, the blue haired girl was clapping her hands.

The red haired girl followed the applause with a serious face while sitting in seiza.

Although the age of one of them has already quite exceeded the realm of girl, caution must be paid however, because saying this would make the master of Rudeus's house as angry as a great demon god.

As long as the appearance is about that of a middle school student, isn't it fine, was the master's sentiment.

If this wasn't an alternate world, that manner of speaking would be retorted with [That's exactly the problem!]

Well then, the red haired woman - Eris made a blank face and took a look at the faces of the remaining two women.

This woman was pulled over by Sylphy when she was doing training at night in the garden, and was brought to this bedroom.

Without receiving a single explanation, she was slightly confused.

The white haired woman - Sylphiette cleared her throat with a cough.

She was wearing a night gown that was to Rudeus's liking as always, the top and bottom were made with soft fabric.

"Then, we will give an explanation for Eris's sake, who joined our group a few days ago."

"The explanation will be from me."

Then, the blue haired woman - Roxy came forward without hesitation.

She was wearing a one-piece night gown and to people who didn't know it would only look like a charming design for children.

"This meeting was planned by Sylphy to allow us to easily be in a position to break up discord, allowing us to get on good terms with another. Respectively, there will surely be feelings of speculation, envy and the desire to monopolize, however Rudi does not want us to quarrel over such things. As wives, let us put great effort into making this house especially comfortable to live in for Rudi."

Eris looked down at her own garments.

It has a plain, rough appearance.

Eris decided in her mind to buy night gowns tomorrow.

"Eris, are you listening?"

"N, No problem!"

Eris steadily nodded.

It has been approximately 20 days since she came to Rudeus's house.

Recently, Eris has been feeling a sense of defeat.

Primarily against the height of Sylphy's femininity.

Starting from cooking, to laundry cleaning, to Rudeus's clothes and finally to the furniture in the house, everything was chosen accordingly to Sylphy's sense.

Gallantly looking after Rudeus, helping him out with the practical side of life.

On top of that, she helps Rudeus out financially by working as the princess's escort.

For the short time Eris and Rudeus were together, she could not help with either.

For her to be Rudeus's wife, as expected even Eris could not throw in an objection.

On the contrary, [For her and me to be treated equally] was an uneasy sense of feeling.

"Anyway, if you have anything to say, please say so in this place. Let's not bring forth our quarrel before Rudi. Lately, Rudi seems to be busy. Let's not bother him with our matters as much as possible."

"I understand."

Eris earnestly nodded.

Do not fight inside the house.

Do not trouble Rudeus.

Recently, Eris has only thought about being together with Rudeus.

She blindly believed that by doing so, she'd obtain happiness.

Come to think of it, she has only sparsely thought about matters after that and while reminiscing so, Eris felt like hitting her own head.

"That is why today's topic of discussion is about each other. We do not know very much about Eris and Eris doesn't know very much about us. Then, let us deepen our friendship by learning more about each other."

Saying so, Sylphy took out a bottle of strong alcohol from underneath the bed, it is a typical drink around here.

Roxy took out cups and a tray prepared in advanced from the shelf and put them in the middle of the bed.

Sylphy placed the alcohol bottle on top of the bed and said.

"For the time being, let's talk frankly. About how respectively each one met Rudi until now. About how much we love Rudi, let's let it all out."

"Just as I wanted!"

Eris stuck out her chest with confidence.

She believed that she wouldn't lose to anyone regarding how much she loves Rudeus.

"Then, I will start. It was still in Buina village when I first met Rudi. If I remember right, I was about 5 years old――"

Thus is how the women's meeting in Rudeus's house was opened.

Part 2

The women's meeting in Rudeus's house continued until late-night.

As Roxy was pregnant, she refrained from the alcohol, whereas Eris was at a level where she was slightly tipsy.

The only one who was drunk was Sylphy.

"You know. That was when Rudi and I first became friends. Since then, I have a~always liked him. So nostalgic. You see, Rudi was hugging me so~ close. He didn't say anything, but he just, just hugged me…Uhehe."

With her breath smelling of alcohol, such a Sylphy was clinging and hugging Eris.

"So what. Even I have been hugged by Rudeus."

"I heard it just now. Eris sure has it nice. You were together with Rudi at the best period~. You even received his first time~. How was Rudi's first time? My first time was somehow amazing."

"N, Nothing particular, it was normal? But, S, Sylphy gave birth to Rudeus's first child, even married him…Your situation is much more enviable."

When the conversation proceeded in a worrying direction, the one who forced her way into the conversation was Roxy.

"Well, even if it wasn't his first time, isn't it fine. Even though I have not received any one of Rudi's first times, I'm happy."

"Pfffft! Roxy's out! Because, Roxy's first. Are you not the number one person Rudi respects?"

"Respect…I wonder why Rudi respects me so much."

"Rudi said so [Roxy taught me the number one most important thing]! Surely you have told him something amazing! Something to Rudi's liking, something ecchi!"

"Rudi was already ecchi even without being taught. He was peeping when I was taking a bath…or rather, I only taught him normally…hm."

Roxy went into deep thought when saying so.

Seriously, exactly what part of me did Rudeus like so much.

Somehow, I had the feeling that our first meeting was quite awful…

I wonder what I might have taught him.

I really have no idea.

"We~ell, even if Roxy is special, Eris is also a bit different~. I have somehow lost confidence…"

"What do you mean, slightly different…?"

"I mean, Eris and Rudi have…about the same strength? To be able to stand and fight next to each other is enviable. I meant to try hard and become strong, but I am not even close to Rudi. I feel that Rudi tries to protect me. That I am happy about…"

Due to the alcohol, the troubled Sylphy has become hopelessly drunk.

However, when seeing this, Eris did not feel a sense of superiority.

Eris went to the Holy Land of the Sword with the purpose to match up with Rudeus.

In fact, she has successfully managed to achieve skills rivaling his.

Even in a mock battle allowing magic, she could win against Rudeus.

That was her aim, and she has finally managed to reach this. This is something she feels proud about.

But, after all she felt a little jealous regarding Rudeus and Sylphy's relationship.

All the more because she knew that she could never become like that.

Sylphy in distress, Roxy tilting her head, Eris crossing her arms.

The bedroom's door was opened.

"Excuse me. Madams."

"Ah, Lilia-san."

The one who entered from the door was a middle-aged woman wearing maid clothes ―― Lilia.

With steam rising up, what was on the tray she was holding was something like potato hodgepodge.

"I have brought you a late night snack."

"This, sorry to have troubled you, Lilia-san."

"No, Roxy-sama. Naturally, it is a maid's duty to be of assistance to the Madams."

To the bowing Roxy, Lilia returns the bow.

"S, so, t, thank you very much."

"No, Eris-sama. There is no need for gratitude. Since you have become Rudeus-sama's wife, you have also become my master."

For Eris, she is a little bit uncertain regarding exactly how to treat Lilia.

There were many maids in Fedoa region's mansion.

However, Eris was somehow able to guess that she couldn't treat Lilia the same as those maids.

She is the mother of Rudeus's sister.

It seems she was a wet nurse, or something like a second mother.

In Eris's mind, she was resolved to work hard to not be hated by Rudeus's mother.

"And, it is fine to not be so formal. I have heard many things regarding Eris-sama since the time in Buina village…"

"A, About what?"

"Well…"

Lilia hesitated.

The news regarding Eris that could be heard in Buina village were quite awful.

"About how you were quickly becoming violent with your hands, about how it was deemed impossible for you to live as a noblewoman………and how you were like a wild monkey."

"……"

Eris pouted.

To be honest, nothing has changed much since those days aside from her sword arm.

There was a time when she did try her best, but in the end was left abandoned.

"But, you have become a fine person. A Sword King-sama…if Fedoa region's feudal lord-sama saw the current Eris-sama, they would have surely been proud."

"Is that so…but Otou-sama and Ojii-sama are no longer…"

"Ah, I beg your pardon."

Lilia bowed while making a sad face.

"It's fine. It was that kind of incident. No matter where you go, the unfortunate have been ruined. Even Rudeus's Otou-san and Okaa-san…"

"…"

In an instant the atmosphere inside turned sad, only the steam from the mother's warm dish was rising.

The one who felt the uncomfortable atmosphere was Sylphy.

"C, come to think of it, Lilia also knows about the time when Rudi was born."

"…Yes. Originally I was hired to be Rudeus-sama's wet nurse."

"How was Rudi before he met Roxy and me?"

"About Rudeus-sama when he was just born?"

Having said so, Lilia remembers things about the past.

"Let's see, at first I thought Rudeus-sama was eerie."

"Eh? Why?"

"Well, why…I guess because there were many times when Rudeus-sama was in unexpected places and when you thought he was finally found, he would make a creepy laugh."

Lilia laughed when she recalled those times.

Even though Rudeus-sama was such a cute child, I wonder why I avoided him.

At that time there were indeed bad feelings, but they were forgotten with time, leaving only the good feelings behind.

"Ah, but he hasn't changed much even now?"

"That's true. But for the most part in those days, he made an expression with an unpleasant smile when he was rubbing your chest when being held…"

"…but he hasn't changed much even now?"

"……When being told so, it seems true."

Since long ago Rudeus was an ecchi kid.

After hearing this story, only one person was laughing through her nose in the atmosphere that has become slightly complicated.

"If he liked Lilia's chest, then he won't have any problem with mine."

That was the statement of a red haired woman who possessed an extremely voluptuous bust.

"I was a little worried about it. Sylphy and Roxy are quite small, I wondered whether mine would be fine."

"R, Rudi doesn't care about such a thing."

Though Sylphy said so, her voice was slightly trembling.

"Come to think of it, he was always staring at a woman's chest in the middle of our journey."

"Eh, even during the journey? Ah, speaking of which, immediately after our wedding, whenever there was a chance he was rubbing my chest. During rest day, he was touching them all day long."

"Mine weren't rubbed that much…I wonder if he doesn't like them…"

Roxy rubbed her own chest while being slightly dejected.

However, unfortunately, they were not in the right size to properly rub them.

It was a sad matter.

"With this, I will…"

"Lilia-san, let us drink together. Occasionally."

Sylphy stopped Lilia who tried to leave the room.

Roxy was also in agreement.

"Come to think of it, during the time in Buina village, I do not remember seeing Lilia-san drinking alcohol…I'm unable to drink on this occasion, but after going through all the trouble, how about it?"

"However, there is a need to take care of Madam Zenith."

"Then, together with Zenith-san."

"That's right. If you're an adult, at the very least drink alcohol."

Sylphy and Eris made flattering remarks.

Drunkards are life forms with vigor.

In an instant Sylphy coaxed Lilia and involved even Zenith to serve the drunk party.

Part 3

Elinalize felt lonely the night Cliff was not there.

Today, Cliff went out.

In a manly way, he declared that he will have a man to man talk with Rudeus and went out.

Without trampling on his male pride, Elinalize raised her voice and said [Have a nice trip].

She was immersed in thinking to herself that she was such a chaste woman.

However, she immediately became bored.

Even for Elinalize, who embraced Cliff despite being pregnant, with him not being here, she could not satisfy her sexual desire.

In the first place, during pregnancy her sexual desire does not grow that much.

Even if she did not do it for a day, she would be fine.

To see the appearances of Sylphy and Roxy, Elinalize started walking towards the Greyrat house.

What she saw was a happy drinking bout between the 5 women of the Greyrat house.

"My my, it looks like an interesting event is occurring.

"Ah, it's grandma. Lize grandma, your stomach sure has grown big~, is it a brother, is it a sister? Hm? But Cliff being the father, Rudi is…ehm ehm."

By the time Elinalize arrived, Sylphy was already near Eris and massaged her chest from behind.

Eris didn’t react to that, only silently sitting, eating food and drinking alcohol.

Zenith continuously pouring alcohol into her cup, as if it was a dinner's drink.

At her side was Lilia, also drinking.

While having Roxy serving her sake, Lilia was picking a quarrel.

"Roxy-san, why does my daughter not receive Rudeus-sama's affection!?"

"I do believe she receives his affection."

Roxy replied earnestly to Lilia's words while thinking that not getting drunk was quite a shame as she had a child in her stomach.

"It's just that she is his sister…"

"Isn't a woman's happiness to receive a man's love!?"

"It's indeed my happiness, but I do not think it's necessary to receive Rudi's love…Aisha is excellent, I'm sure one day she will find a good partner."

"Someone better than Rudeus-sama!?"

"There are not many men better than Rudeus…thinking that way, it's not like I have made a mistake. Although it is true that it feels like it was a bit premature.

The moment Elinalize saw this, she immediately recalled the meeting of women in the adventure guild, who could not marry.

Despite that in this case everyone here was married, she remembered such a meeting.

The ones who caused this, Paul and Rudeus.

She realized the depth of the parent-child karma, but leaving it aside for the moment.

"Seriously, even Rudeus would cry when seeing this. A woman should only show her drunken state when she and a man are alone."

Elinalize happily entered the meeting.

There was nothing for her to fear.

"Oh grandma, saying such a thing~. Ah, right. Isn't grandma a~always teaching Roxy some ecchi techniques. Why do you not teach me such techniques? He~ey, why?"

"Ah, for Sylphy to have already drunk so much…the reason why I do not teach you techniques is because making Rudeus believe that you are a naive young girl who doesn't know anything excites him more…"

"The~en it's already fine, because I want to know various things. Because I'm already sick to let Rudeus do as he please on the bed! It's about time to make Rudeus gasp!"

Seeing this disastrous scene, Elinalize abandoned any rational thoughts for a few seconds.

Her brain made the decision to drink and join them.

"For now, give me a cup."

Elinalize took an empty cup with one hand and rushed it down with one gulp.

Seeing this, Sylphy held up one finger.

"Ah! That's a no go. You can't drink alcohol that way because of the big one in your stomach~!

"Leave such matters for Roxy to say."

"No proble~em, because Roxy isn't drinking, there's no proble~em. Even if you drink, there's detoxification magic, there's no proble~em."

It was something that the sober Sylphy would not say, but today she's drunk.

Elinalize joined the conversation and sat on an empty chair somewhere.

"Even I have learned about detoxification in school."

"I can do it without chanting~."

"Ah, yes yes, very impressive, as expected of my grandchild."

Elinalize easily dodged Sylphy's boastful speech and began opening her mouth.

"Rather than being grandma's grandchild, it's thanks to Rudi's education. Whether it's magic or on the bed, I'm below Rudi by a considerable margin."

"But men are also aroused by such women?"

"Right~? It will be a different time for me to show Rudi my other side. Uhehe."

It took approximately one hour for Elinalize to completely catch up to the amount Sylphy has drunk.

Part 4

That day, five women were intensely drinking.

Drinking, drinking and keep drinking and threw out the matters in their mind.

The anxiety they felt because recently Rudeus was moving behind the scenes.

Suspicion towards Orsted and the Human God.

The optimism that they'll somehow deal with it.

With the addition of alcohol, while talking about such things, it gave them a momentary feeling of joy.

With everyone else falling asleep after getting tired from drinking, only Roxy was left sober and while grumbling, applied detoxification magic to everyone in the end.

She then returned to her own room and went to bed, to be ready for school tomorrow.

She still had work tomorrow.

Not until the following morning did Roxy remember the one girl who was not able to take part in this meeting and went to bed while sulking.