第４１９堀：ザ・クッキング！！ とあやふやな我が夫 (Part2)
My husband answered instantly, but there was a slight lie in his words.
He only runs away when his absence won't cause any real trouble. If there is a truly dire problem, he will push himself to the limit to see it through. That is simply the kind of man he is. It is precisely why he is so trustworthy, but as his wives, we have to constantly keep an eye on his health for that very reason.
Then, I remembered. Faide was moving specifically to investigate my husband. For the strange reason that no information could be found on him.
"Hey. Come to think of it, I mentioned that you’re an unknown quantity, but it’s not like we’ve placed a formal information blackout on you, right?"
"Hmm? Oh, it’s just that from an outsider's perspective, any information gathered about me is incomprehensible."
"Couldn't that 'incomprehensibility' just be written off as you having eccentric hobbies?"
When I asked that, Yuki opened his mouth with an amused smile.
"Well, why don't we try listing the things related to me in chronological order? You'll see what I mean."
"Uh, wait a second. By chronological order, you mean from the moment you stepped onto the public stage, right?"
"Exactly. There’s no way for them to investigate my background before that. Here, a whiteboard and a pen."
For the time being, I began writing down the points that came to mind. Let’s see, since this is public information...
* Rescuing Elju and me in Roschur.
* Marriage to influential figures from the three major powers (including myself).
...Wait. I can't think of anything else to write.
The resolution of Rurua’s issues in Lythea was officially handled by Rurua herself, and the battle between the dungeon and the Lythean army was recorded as me crushing them. The money obtained from that was sent to Gartz as reparations, and in exchange, Shera came to us. This, too, was framed as one of my achievements toward making the dungeon independent.
As for the war in Ranx where Taiki was involved, the official story is that the interception was carried out under my orders, and that we had been allied with the Hero Taiki from the start. Thus, the credit went to Taiki and me.
The Great Demon Lord Subjugation that occurred simultaneously was recorded as a success led by the various brave generals of each nation under the command of Elju, the Supreme Commander.
As for the New Continent, there’s no way for people on this side to know about it, so there’s nothing to write...
"See? There’s almost no information, right? If there’s anything else to add, it would be my reputation within Weed..."
Yuki said this as he took the pen and began to write.
* Surrounded by many slaves. (Perceived as a womanizer.)
* Wanders around Weed with very few guards. (Perceived as a mere figurehead?)
* Serves as the principal of the school. (An honorary position?)
* Serves food at a stall. (Nonsensical/Incomprehensible.)
...It’s all true, but looking at it listed like this, it really is too strange. These are not the actions of a Prince Consort of a nation. It’s a bit much to dismiss it all as mere "hobbies."
"It looks like this, but if you investigate these points thoroughly..."
* Womanizer > No, he’s a man who deeply treasures his wives.
* Wandering around > A kind person who helps those in need.
* School Principal > Actually teaches classes properly.
* Food Stall > The ramen is delicious.
Yes. We understand what it all means, but to an outsider, this information must seem utterly incoherent. Especially the part about being a womanizer—he’s the exact opposite.
Do they have any idea how much effort we had to put in just to build a relationship with him...? My confidence as a woman was crushed more than a few times. We, of course, guard him against any strange women from the outside, but if my husband were the type to fall for any random girl who popped up, we wouldn't have had such a hard time.
Well, that doesn't matter now. He already belongs to us!!
"I see. So, they don't understand your raison d'être."
"Exactly. Even if they try to measure me as an individual, no more information comes out—or rather, they can't comprehend it. Weed has grown too large to leave such an unidentifiable, uncertain element alone. That’s likely why Faide came in person. Even if they sent spies, this is the only kind of information they’d get."
"...In any case, I now realize that you’ve been systematically vanishing from the public stage I finally dragged you onto. You planned this, didn't you?"
"Of course. It’s easier to move around if my existence is vague."
"Sigh. I’m not going to complain now, and I do understand. But even though I thought I’d won by marrying you and pulling you into the limelight, seeing how you’ve managed to disappear so perfectly makes me feel like I’ve lost."
"I'm quite the husband, aren't I?"
"Yes, you're a husband to be proud of."
While we were talking, it seemed the mixing was finally over...
"H-How... is this...?"
"Hmm. Well, that’s a passing grade. Now, just wait a few hours for it to harden. Oh, you can use ice magic, right? Use it, then you can go rest."
"Are you a devil!?"
"No way. I’m a Goddess, remember?"
Lady Lilishe was enjoying herself by driving Faide to the point of exhaustion.
...She’s definitely someone you shouldn't make an enemy of.
***
*As mentioned briefly before, I’ve summarized Yuki’s current reputation on this continent. While the wives know the truth behind Yuki, from the perspective of other nations, these are his only "achievements." To the gods, he is incomprehensible. They wonder why someone with power bestowed by Luna is acting this way. A normal king would be easier to understand; they’d just assume he’s a figurehead because they don't know the background. The foundation Yuki laid by working quietly and staying out of the spotlight from the very beginning is now yielding great results.*