Ch.238August Dungeon, and the Artisan’s Trial (2)

Vroooooom-!!

The car headed somewhere. Tina and I could only sit quietly in the back seat until we reached our destination.

I wanted to ask questions… but the atmosphere didn’t allow for it.

Ah, whatever. I should just play with Tina.

I gently took Tina’s hand.

Wiggle-! Wiggle-!

Tina immediately interlocked her fingers with mine and started playing with my hand.

Soon, Tina and I began kissing.

Smooch-! Smack-!

We continued our playful game of touching tongues.

Additionally, I slipped my hand into Tina’s chest area and caressed it.

“T-the other hand too…”

Tina said in a whining tone.

“Alright.”

I smiled and slid my hand under Tina’s skirt.

“Wait!! What are you doing!! How indecent!!”

The men in suits immediately became angry.

“H-how dare you with our princess…!”

A man with a golden beard erupted in anger.

“Hey, my girlfriend is just too beautiful. I can’t hold back even for a moment.”

I said with a smile. What’s wrong with showing affection between lovers?

“Learn the word restraint!! You monkeys!!!”

Golden Beard immediately flared up.

“Sigh…”

Well, can’t be helped. Tina and I decided to just behave properly.

———–

And then… the car arrived at some grand building.

It was an embassy… near the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“An e-embassy?!”

I was taken aback.

“Yes. What did you think? We are an allied nation that has established formal diplomatic relations with the Japanese government.”

The man with the golden beard said with a smile.

“………”

I stared at the man intently.

There was something familiar about him. Should I say he resembled Tina somehow… especially his eyes.

“What is it?”

The man looked at me with disgruntled eyes.

“Nothing. You just seem similar to Tina. The eyes.”

I said.

“T-that’s because we’re the same race! To my eyes, all you Japanese people look the same too!”

The man exclaimed with a fake cough.

“Is that so?”

That was quite an overreaction.

“Anyway!! We’ve already received permission from the Japanese government! This entire embassy has been converted into a testing site!!”

The man shouted loudly.

“……….”

The Japanese government must be working hard to maintain diplomatic relations. I can’t believe they agreed to such an unreasonable proposal.

“You could lose your life. If you want to give up, now is the time.”

The man said, looking at me.

“Not doing it isn’t an option.”

I said firmly, gripping Tina’s hand.

“Oh my…”

Tina blushed and smiled.

“I want to marry the woman I love… with everyone’s blessings.”

I stated decisively.

“….That doesn’t seem like mere bravado.”

The man looked at me.

“Those are the eyes of someone who has experienced numerous deaths. Hmph. Have you lived quite a tough life?”

The man smirked.

Well, I’m glad he came to his own understanding. Life-threatening situations… honestly, I’ve been through many. My body and mind had been seasoned by extraordinary events.

———

Anyway, Tina and I headed straight into the embassy.

‘Embassy of the Neverdreaming Kingdom’

It seemed they really did have diplomatic relations with Japan. What kind of trade do they engage in? I wondered.

The inside of the embassy was wider than I expected. No, it was beyond wide. It had been remodeled like a massive gallery.

“This is the testing site.”

The man said with a nod.

Thud-! Thump-!

The men in suits brought in a huge alligator.

“Gyaow…..”

Though called an alligator, it didn’t look carnivorous at all. With a languid expression, it slowly walked toward the man and lowered its body.

Moreover… despite being an alligator, it had fluffy fur. It was a creature I’d never seen before.

The man then sat on the alligator. It was a natural motion, like sitting on a chair.

“This is a custom of our Neverdreaming Kingdom. Only when sitting on a native creature called a chair-alligator can one truly be called a noble.”

The man explained.

“………”

I thought it was a peculiar country in many ways… but it’s even stranger than I expected.

“Because the chair-alligator culture is so widespread, furniture companies don’t really make chairs.”

Tina added an explanation.

“What a truly unique country.”

I had no idea how people lived there. I’d never read about such a country even in children’s books about foreign lands.

———-

Anyway, I decided to experience culture shock later and focus on the test.

“Do you know what the three most important values for humans are?”

The man stared at me and asked.

A quiz all of a sudden?

Given it’s the Neverdreaming Kingdom… I expected some insane answer.

The man smiled and continued.

“Knowledge.”

“Virtue.”

“Physical strength. These three.”

The man said with a smile.

“That’s extremely Eastern!!”

I immediately objected. You guys live in Europe!!! Why are you bringing up Eastern philosophical concepts!!

“Although we’re a European country, we’ve actually had more exchanges with Eastern nations.”

Tina provided another explanation.

“Religions like Catholicism or Christianity never entered our country. While there’s no official state religion, culturally we’re closer to a Buddhist nation. We’ve believed in Buddhism for a long time.”

Tina said.

From what I heard, a muscular bald monk who drifted to Neverdreaming’s shores defeated a monster attacking the capital and spread Buddhism.

It’s really not European-like in any way… it’s so eclectic that it’s rather confusing.

Anyway.

“So, you’re testing knowledge, character, and physical strength?”

I gathered my thoughts and asked.

“Hmph. At least you know the definition of knowledge, virtue, and physical strength. You seem to have some common sense.”

The man said with a smile.

“First, knowledge. Now that you’re part of the Neverdreaming Kingdom, you need to know about it.”

The man gestured.

Thud-!

The men in suits placed a three-page test in front of me. It was a general knowledge quiz about the Neverdreaming Kingdom.

“You have 30 minutes. Complete all of it. If you score above average, I’ll acknowledge you passed the knowledge test.”

The man said.

“………”

How unfair. It seemed he had no intention of allowing the marriage no matter what. Knowing I wasn’t familiar with the Neverdreaming Kingdom, he deliberately set this test.

“Wait!! That’s cowardly!!”

Tina immediately became angry.

“No, Tina. This is that kind of contest. It’s my fault for not anticipating this kind of trick.”

I said.

“Hmph. At least you have some manly qualities.”

The man said as he held up a timer.

“Well then!! Let’s begin!”

The man declared.

And so, the test began.

———

If it had been a written test, I wouldn’t have been able to solve any of it, but these were multiple-choice questions with three options.

In that case, I could guess.

In my previous world, I had studied hard for the college entrance exam and did quite well. I was used to tests.

I had already figured out the test-maker’s intention.

For questions about the Neverdreaming Kingdom, I just needed to choose the most outlandish and ridiculous option. Based on that, I answered the questions without hesitation.

<Question 25> During negotiations with barbarians, the 3rd Emperor of Neverdreaming Kingdom, Kaingbert, was able to build friendship with the barbarians by doing ‘something.’ What was it?

1. He gave up part of the territory.

2. He offered platypus leather, a specialty product, as tribute.

3. He soiled himself at the feast.

‘The answer is 3…!!!’

I continued filling out the test, choosing only the most abnormal options.

Ding-!

And the test ended.

——

Rustle rustle!

As soon as the test ended, the men in suits immediately began grading.

“Shota…”

Tina looked at me with worried eyes.

“It’s okay. We’ll definitely get permission to marry.”

I said, stroking Tina’s head.

“Yes…”

Tina smiled sweetly and leaned into me.

How much time had passed? The grading seemed to finish quickly.

“Hmph. A perfect score, is it?”

The man muttered with a disgruntled expression.

“Yahoo!!!”

I immediately cheered. It was worth choosing only the most abnormal options!!!

“You seem to have knowledge about the Neverdreaming Kingdom. I’ll acknowledge that. But the next test of ‘virtue’ won’t be so easy.”

The man said.

“Let’s proceed quickly. I have plans for the evening.”

I smiled at the man. Indeed… he resembled Tina. What is this feeling?

“Virtue, that is character. As the princess’s partner, you must possess excellent character. Good character leads to a happy marriage. Mutual consideration makes it last.”

The man said.

“Marriage is…..”

And suddenly he was about to launch into an explanation.

“Ah!! Just tell me the test content quickly!!”

I immediately cut off his explanation.

Both Tina and this guy… they talk so much!! Is it a national characteristic to love explanations?

“Right. The character test will be evaluated through a marriage simulation. Your score will be determined by how harmoniously you can live together. Mimishutain, set up the equipment.”

The man nodded.

“Ohohoho!! You chose my invention!! What a wise choice!!”

An old man with hair that looked like it had been hit by a bomb, a cheerfully twisted mustache, and extremely thick goggles appeared… the stereotypical image of a scientist.

“Now!! Let’s use this augmented reality device!! It’s hyper-realistic, completely matching your senses!!”

The scientist called Mimishutain smiled and handed over a suspicious machine.

Ah. Augmented reality. Well, that’s a common setting.

“My masterpiece of the century!!! ‘Augmented Art Online’!!!”

Mimishutain shouted loudly.

“That’s plagiarism!!!”

I shouted. It’s too similar to the title of a famous otaku light novel!!! It was cheap naming on the level of a knockoff.

“N-no it’s not?”

As if caught, Mimishutain slightly turned his head away.

Anyway, Tina and I put on the goggles and various equipment as instructed.

“Well then!! Married life simulation!! Begin!!”

Mimishutain immediately pressed the button on the terminal.

Simultaneously, my consciousness faded to black.