Ch.368The Country of My In-Laws (8)

After completing our mission flawlessly, we returned to the royal palace.

“Ohhh… Hero. I’ve heard the news. To think you would liberate Humbalt Village, our stronghold. And even dealing with Jack the Plant Mage. What a clean operation!”

My father-in-law praised me.

“Well, it’s my wife’s country, so of course I’d be concerned.”

I replied with a cheeky grin.

“Ha! You certainly have a way with words.”

My father-in-law said.

“Anyway, this has significantly weakened the witch’s forces. We can use this as a foundation for our counterattack.”

My father-in-law continued with a relieved expression.

“Take it easy and rest today. I’ll call you when dinner is ready.”

My father-in-law said.

Honestly, I was looking forward to the royal cuisine.

“Okay!”

I headed straight to my room, holding Tina in my arms.

When we arrived, my girlfriends welcomed me.

“Shota. That was mean.”

Umi said with a sulky expression.

“Yeah!! Why didn’t you call us?! Huh?!”

Taiga immediately grabbed me by the collar.

“Well… it was a dangerous operation.”

I mumbled awkwardly. I was worried that if even one of them got hurt, it would be a disaster.

“Are you upset that you had to shoulder the burden with just Tina?! I want to be with Shota even in dangerous moments!”

Taiga shouted, pushing her violently large chest against me.

“Taiga…”

What a touching thing to say.

“At this rate, my screen time is decreasing!! I appeared quite early on, but look at how I’m being treated!!”

Taiga seemed to be concerned about that particular point.

“Taiga!!!! Your screen time might be low! But my love is equal for everyone!!”

I patted Taiga’s shoulders.

“Life isn’t a creative work!! Having less screen time is actually better!! No news is good news!”

I shouted.

“No!! I want to get involved in dangerous situations with Shota too!!! I’ve had no significant role except for when we caught that eight-foot ghost!!”

Taiga pouted.

“I’m… sorry.”

It wasn’t that Taiga’s performance as a companion was poor. In the original game, Taiga’s position as a fire-attribute magic dealer was solid. But… I’ve just become too strong. That’s why Taiga hasn’t had much screen time.

“That’s right. Aren’t I stronger than someone like Tina? You should have taken me.”

Kana said.

“Hmph. Is that so?”

Tina smiled and pointed above her head.

‘Level 99’

Yes. There was clear evidence of her being at max level.

“Grrr…!!”

Kana was flustered by this fact.

“Now I have a higher level than you.”

Tina said triumphantly.

“Besides… you know this isn’t just about simple levels, right?”

Tina suddenly opened fire in the argument.

“Having a high level means I’ve done a lot of activities with Shota. In other words, the higher the level, the more favored you are.”

Tina said.

“Aaaaargh!! Shota!! Train with me too and make me level 99!!”

Kana immediately turned into a cyber psycho and lunged at me!! I told you to refrain from implant surgery!!

“Me too!! Me too!! I’ll reach max level!!”

Kirtan also rushed toward me.

“Me too!! I can only heal, but carry me!!”

Umi also lunged at me.

“Honestly, start with me first!!! Go by seniority!!”

Taiga also clung to me.

“………..”

The non-combat party, who had no concept of levels since they didn’t fight in the first place, looked at the scene with exasperated expressions.

“Alright, alright!! I get it!”

I waved my hands and shook off my girlfriends. They’re really being a pain.

“Shota. You know, everyone is just worried about you and trying to hide it.”

At that moment, Eri, the cover goddess, stepped forward. With a benevolent expression, Eri continued.

“I wish you would respect their desire to help Shota.”

Eri said with a smile. Somehow… it felt like there was a halo shining behind her.

“E-Eri Maman!!!”

I immediately rushed to Eri.

“Really… you’re so mature for your age.”

Aiko-san, who was beside us, admired.

“It’s hard to believe you’re the same age as our daughter.”

Aiko-san stroked Aki’s head.

“Mom! What’s that supposed to mean?!”

Aki immediately got angry.

Anyway, we decided to solve any future terrorist attacks together. Yeah. Peaceful and nice.

———

The next day. We headed to Humbalt Village, the largest tourist attraction in the Never Dreaming Kingdom.

“See? Isn’t it beautiful?”

Tina volunteered to be our guide. I was giving her a back hug, rubbing my lower body against the famous tourist spot that was Tina’s buttocks.

“Oh my. We need to stick to the designated hiking trail.”

Tina giggled and enjoyed being in my arms.

“I want to settle down and live here.”

I smiled and kissed Tina’s forehead.

“Really!! Bivouacking in the mountains is prohibited!! Camping too!”

Tina played along with my joke.

“Anyway, isn’t this village beautiful?”

Tina went back into guide mode.

“Ohh… it really does look like a village from a fairy tale.”

Eri said. Yeah. It looked like a peaceful starting village in an RPG game. It seemed like you could buy herbs from the shops.

“This village was the first to experience the infiltration from other worlds, so it retains many customs from those worlds. There are many fascinating traditions.”

Tina said.

I wonder if my girlfriends are enjoying themselves too? I turned to look.

“Ahh… I wonder if that witch or whatever will come to terrorize us? I want to reach level 99.”

Kana was swinging a sword she’d brought from the royal armory while staring at the distant horizon.

“Screen time… I will definitely increase it.”

Taiga was swinging a nail-studded bat in the air, keeping watch in all directions.

“Witches!! Come at me!!”

Kirtan roared loudly, holding a sword.

These idiots… they were only thinking about reaching level 99.

“Tina!! Why did you have to say unnecessary things yesterday?!”

I shouted at Tina.

“Ah… sorry. I didn’t think the formula ‘Level = Love’ would become official.”

Tina said.

“Everyone!! Let’s focus on the trip!!”

Tina clapped her hands. Only then did everyone come to their senses.

Umi and Aki were busy taking photos.

“Here! Our specialty frog bread!”

A frog was selling frog bread. It was called frog bread, but it didn’t actually contain frog meat. It was just bread shaped like a frog. Bipedal frogs were walking around the entire street.

“Tina. Those… aren’t people wearing frog costumes, right?”

I said to Tina.

“Their skin… is so slick.”

Eri muttered as if she found it unpleasant. That’s dewy skin for you.

“Those guys are descendants of the Frog Prince… or rather, his clones. They’re originally beings from another dimension, but they settled down here.”

Tina said.

“Clones?”

“The Frog Prince… he proposed to princesses from various countries and tried to enter the marriage market, but… he failed every time. In the end, he became a mad scientist driven by insanity and achieved his goal of creating offspring by making clones with his own genes.”

Tina shared an uncomfortable behind-the-scenes story. The Frog Prince… he ultimately failed.

“Many people come to Humbalt Village to see the frog culture. Plus… couples who are matched through a certain event here are said to live happily ever after.”

At Tina’s words, my girlfriends who had been focused only on terrorist attacks turned their attention.

“Tell us more about that.”

Mika stepped forward.

——–

The Never Dreaming Kingdom had a culture based on polygamy. This frog competition culture was also based on that.

“Now! The groom, please pick up a male frog!!”

The MC, a frog-person (tentatively named), handed me a frog.

The rules were simple. This male frog had been fed aphrodisiacs. It was in a state where it would go crazy at the sight of females. Each of my girlfriends had chosen a female frog. The event was to throw all these frogs into a ring, and whoever’s frogs mated first would live happily ever after.

“In other words!! It’s like horse racing!!”

The frog-person shouted.

“The most vulgar horse racing in the world!”

I immediately objected.

But… surprisingly, there were many spectators in the stands. And everyone started betting.

“I’m betting on frog number 2.”

“Number 3!! If I lose this, I can’t go home!!”

Everyone eagerly began buying frog tickets.

My girlfriends each picked up a frog with a number on it.

“Then!! Let’s begin!!”

The frog-person stuck out his long tongue and shouted loudly.

“Go!!!! Froggy!!”

Umi immediately threw her female frog like a Pokéball.

“Ribbit ribbit!!”

Umi’s number 1 frog made its entrance. The other girlfriends also threw their frogs.

Whoosh-!!

And the female frogs with wild eyes immediately charged toward my frog. The male frog, excited from the aphrodisiacs, rolled its eyes as if happily contemplating its options.

“Ah!!!! Frog number 3!! It’s taking the lead!!”

Taiga’s number 3 frog jumped high, trying to pounce on the male frog. Was it Taiga’s victory? Just when everyone thought so.

Whoosh-!!

A green flash flew in at a speed that even my trained eyes could barely follow.

Bam-!!

A female frog immediately pushed away frog number 3 with its body.

Crash-!

Frog number 3 hit the wall of the ring and fell over. The one that blocked frog number 3 was frog number 6… Kana’s frog.

“What speed…!!”

Even I had difficulty keeping up with the speed.

Whoosh-!!

Afterimages appeared every time Kana’s number 6 frog moved.

“S-Sonic-like!!!!”

That’s right, isn’t it? It was almost that fast. It seemed like time was accelerated only around frog number 6.

Bzzt-! Bzzt-!

Only then did I notice something strange about frog number 6. There was a machine implanted in its spine that was emitting light.

“I-It’s a cyberpunk frog!!!”

It’s obviously been modified!!

“Ah! Kana! You’re lucky!”

Tina shouted as if she was genuinely disappointed.

“W-What is that?!!”

I asked Tina.

“Among the female frogs, there are some with implants in their bodies!! They have superior physical abilities compared to other frogs!!”

Tina shouted.

“What nonsense!!”

This country’s customs really go beyond common sense in many ways!!

“Hehehe. You can call me a cyber psycho at this moment.”

Kana grinned and raised her hand high.

Whoosh-!!!

Kana’s cyberpunk frog tried to knock down the male frog at an incredible speed. Was it Kana’s victory?