第１６０７堀：この世界で生きる覚悟 (Part1)
**Chapter 1607: The Resolve to Live in This World**
Side: Yuki
“Yo. Long time no see?”
“Why the question mark?”
“Well, I realized we actually cross paths pretty often, even if it’s just passing by.”
“I suppose that’s true. Anyway, I’m sitting.”
“Be my guest.”
Exchanging such casual banter, Menou and the delegation from Sea Saifo took their seats. Orelia and her assistants moved busily around them, preparing tea for everyone.
“Now then, allow me to formally thank you for responding to our summons today,” I said.
“Not at all. This was something we proposed ourselves, so there’s no issue. Establishing a port town will lead to the development of both our nations.”
Once the formal greetings were out of the way, Menou turned her gaze toward Sisua and Sona, who were standing on either side of me.
“And I see you’re surrounded by beauties again. New additions?”
“Don’t be rude. They’re both married with children. They’re subordinates of Quar, Seraria’s captain of the guard. They just happen to hold peerages.”
“I see. My apologies, then. That said, you don’t have many children yourself, so you really ought to be making more.”
Menou dropped that bombshell the moment we sat down. At her words, not only Sisua and Sona, but even Proff and the others standing behind them, nodded in fervent agreement.
“Whoa, hold on. I have over ten children already. I’d say that’s plenty, wouldn’t you?”
I tried to argue my point, but Menou’s eyes grew sharp.
“Are you serious? That’s the part of you that’s still being dragged down by your life in Japan. What I’m saying is that you should have two—no, three—children per wife.”
“That’s more than double what I have now.”
“Of course it is. At this rate, your children will be spread thin just trying to succeed you in Weed. I don’t mean to sound cold, but expanding your influence and solidifying your foundation through blood relations is standard practice—not just here, but even on Earth. Even family can betray you, so having a large clan is the bare minimum for survival.”
“Ah… when you put it that way, I guess you’re right.”
I thought she was being unreasonable at first, but it was true that most of my wives currently only had one child each. As it stood, the most likely future for those children was to become heirs. However, other nations were already eyeing my children. After all, a marriage alliance would mean a direct connection to Weed.
While we have connections now, a bond through the children would secure those ties for the next generation. From a foreign perspective, the more children I had, the higher the chance that one might be sent abroad, which was exactly what they wanted.
Still, that felt like treating my children as mere diplomatic tools.
“…That’s rare. It’s written all over your face. Do you really hate the idea of using your children that much?”
“Well, yeah. If you force them into roles they don’t want, the backlash is massive. It’s one thing if they choose to step into that world themselves, but if a parent forces it on them, it’s a recipe for disaster. Besides, I didn’t bring them into this world just to make them miserable.”
I stated my opinion honestly, fully aware that there was no single right or wrong answer. Menou watched me for a moment before letting out a long sigh.
“Haa… You’re right. Emotionally, I agree with you completely. But if that lack of a foundation leads to the collapse of your country, then you aren’t being ‘right’—you’re failing as a ruler.”
“True. I see your point. Even the democracy and communism we looked to on Earth were a mess. It’s less about which system is right and more about the fact that people eventually rot.”
“Exactly. Corruption is inevitable. The question is how you deal with it… but regardless, I shouldn’t have overstepped. My apologies.”
“Don’t worry about it. I understand where you’re coming from. And since we’re on the topic of overstepping, I have a question for you.”
“What is it?”
“Menou, do you have any children?”
She was giving me all this advice, but I hadn’t heard a word about her having any heirs. In fact, I suspected her situation might be more precarious than mine.
Menou gave me a thin smile.
“What’s this? Are you suggesting I should welcome some fool who’s only looking to usurp my house? I’m barely holding them back by the Queen’s decree as it is, yet there are still idiots who try to push their own children on me as adoptees.”
“Ah… yeah, that makes it hard to move.”
“And now that I have a connection to you, the talk about marriage or adoption has only intensified. Why? Are you offering to father a child with me?”
“How did the conversation jump to that?”
“You really stop thinking clearly whenever children are involved. From my perspective, the ideal partner is someone who has no interest in usurping my house. And someone who can actually provide an heir.”
“…I see.”
“You understand now. You have no need for my vested interests, my position, or my knowledge in Sea Saifo. You have the competence to maintain the status quo and more than enough status of your own. In fact, if I had a child with you, everyone around me would be overjoyed. Above all, you’ve already fathered many children, so you have a proven track record. See? You’re the perfect candidate.”
Menou spoke of me being a wonderful marriage prospect without a hint of bashfulness.
“I wouldn’t even ask you to come here to Sea Saifo. I could be one of your consorts like the others, or at worst, a mistress—we could just have a child for the sake of it. It’s the logical choice. If you were tied down to a single nation now, it would only cause friction. But if I get a child out of it, I have an heir, and everyone is happy.”
“Menou… you were Japanese once, weren’t you?”
“I have the memories. But I told you before, I can’t survive if I cling to them. I am living in *this* world now. And I will protect my family, my friends, my people, and my country by any means necessary. I will do whatever it takes.”
Sisua, Sona, and Proff all caught their breath at the sharp, piercing glint in her eyes. She had truly lived through the hardships of this world to reach where she was.
Noticing their reaction, Menou immediately smoothed her expression back into a smile.
“Besides, even in Japan, plenty of people who married for love ended up divorced. We have a common goal, and we can be considerate of one another. Love is something you can grow later. …And more than anything, you aren’t the type of man to abandon a woman you’ve impregnated, are you?”
At that, everyone in the room except me nodded deeply.
“Plus, you seem to have various ways to keep someone young?”
“I do have those, yeah.”
“I’m pushing thirty. If I can return to a younger body, I’d prefer that. Especially if I can choose a method without side effects. So, how about it? I might not compare to your wives, but I’m fairly confident in my looks.”
“Sigh. Thanks for the joke at the end. But the answer is no. Though, it’s in my best interest for you to be around for a long time, so I’ll look into something for the rejuvenation. Now, let’s talk business.”
“Thank you. That would be a huge help. Well then, let’s finally get to the main point.”