Daziel returned to the Star Rail.
Having extricated himself from the trivial matters of Belobog, all he wanted now was to return to the Express and get some proper rest.
He pushed open the door to March 7th's room. Four figures, each in their own languid pose, occupied the already expanded bed within. The soft folds of the bedsheets seemed imbued with the unique fragrance of women.
They were conversing in low voices, expressions focused as if discussing some matter of utmost importance.
Daziel scanned the room, his gaze finally landing on March 7th. The girl's cheeks were puffed out, her bright eyes blinking, looking like she was stuck on a difficult problem.
Looking at the slightly crowded environment, a new thought popped into Daziel's head—
Isn't March 7th's room getting a bit too small now?
Ever since the number of female members in the group had gradually increased, March 7th's room seemed to have become a 'base' of sorts. Daziel now spent every night rolling around in the sheets with them here. Then he'd find a chance to slip back to his own room to secretly attend to Jingliu – progress on that front couldn't fall behind either.
But this room really did feel somewhat cramped now. Perhaps he really should consider cleaning out that storage room of his. Compared to here, the storage room was undoubtedly much more spacious, enough to accommodate everyone, maybe even allowing for individual spaces.
Because according to Pom-Pom, the Express had the potential for infinite expansion— as long as there were enough people.
The funds needed for room renovation also wouldn't require earning through chores like in the original story. Right now, just among the women in this room, there were a full three wealthy ladies. Remodeling a storage room wouldn't cost him a cent.
As these thoughts crossed his mind, March 7th had already noticed his return. She immediately looked up, her slightly troubled expression instantly blooming into a smile, as if seeing her savior. "Daziel, you're back just in time!"
March 7th's voice held a touch of excitement and an underlying, subtle anticipation. She waved him over. "Quick, quick, come help us judge!"
Daziel raised an eyebrow, sensing trouble. A subtle scent of gunpowder hung in the air. The way the girls looked at him also carried a hint of scrutiny and inquiry.
A sense of alertness rose within him. He lightened his steps towards the bed, trying his best to appear natural and harmless. "Judge? Judge what?" Daziel asked, feigning confusion, his eyes sweeping over the women present, observing their expressions.
Aside from March 7th, Sis Asta sat primly, looking slightly reserved. Topaz, on the other hand, wore a serious expression, as if studying an extremely important business proposal, exuding an air of sharp competence. And Herta still had that detached, 'none-of-my-business' look, though a flicker of hidden interest could be detected deep in her eyes.
"Of course, judge... which one of us is the 'main wife'!" March 7th dropped the bombshell. Her clear voice echoed in the room, instantly freezing Daziel in place.
"..."
Daziel felt as if he'd been struck by lightning, momentarily losing the ability to speak. He stared wide-eyed at March 7th, wondering if he'd misheard.
"Who's... the... main... wife?" Daziel's voice was dry and trembling slightly. His mind buzzed, completely unable to comprehend why March 7th would suddenly throw out such a terrifying question.
Although earlier in the day, the slightly absurd thought of "should I find a leading lady capable of keeping these women in line, as the head of the harem" had indeed flashed through his mind... But that was just a fleeting, wild thought deep down, something even he found ridiculous. How had it only been a few short hours before they were so eagerly laying this issue bare on the table?
The atmosphere in the room instantly solidified. The air seemed to stop flowing. All the women's gazes, like tangible things, focused sharply on Daziel.
Asta was the first to break the silence. She gently brushed her pink hair aside, a slightly awkward smile on her face. "Um... Daziel, actually, this question doesn't really concern me." Asta's voice was soft, tinged with caution. "I arrived relatively late. Compared to the other sisters, my seniority is shallow, and my foundation isn't deep enough. I admit I'm not capable of competing with them... Besides, the space station still has many matters to handle. After this is over, I definitely have to go back, so... being the main wife or anything, I'm certainly not hoping for it."
Asta's statement allowed Daziel to breathe a small sigh of relief. He gave Sis Asta a grateful look, silently thankful that the young lady was rational.
However, Topaz's next words sent Daziel's heart leaping back into his throat.
"It's understandable that Miss Asta isn't competing, but..." Topaz paused, her gaze burning as she looked at Daziel, speaking meaningfully, "March and I have already compared timelines. Among everyone here, I should be the first one who... hmm... developed a deeper, intimate relationship with Master, right?"
Before Topaz's words fully landed, like a powder keg with its fuse lit, March 7th instantly sprang up from the bed. She pointed a slender finger straight at Topaz. She pointed at Topaz, demanding furiously, "What do you mean, deeper, intimate relationship?! Wasn't it you who stole my home while I wasn't paying attention? You despicable virgin thief!"
"Oh? March, isn't that statement a bit inappropriate?" Topaz raised an eyebrow unhurriedly, a playful smile on her face. "What do you mean 'stole'? That night, Master was very proactive, you know... I was merely completing the task he gave me."
"Stop, stop, stop!" Daziel quickly waved his hands, cutting Topaz off. He felt his temples throbbing. If Topaz continued, the atmosphere in the room would likely go completely sideways.
Looks like I absolutely must avoid letting these women be alone together in the future. When they gather, it's practically synonymous with disaster. Who knows when they'll cook up some earth-shattering trouble for me.
"Why... why did you two even compare notes on something like that?" Daziel looked speechlessly at the women before him, his scalp tingling. Could the competitive spirit among girls be this terrifying? Even something this intensely private had to be brought out for comparison?
Damn meme, you've caused so much harm! This is all your fault!
March 7th pouted unhappily. She glared at Daziel, her tone carrying a hint of grievance and resentment. "Exactly! Daziel, confess honestly, why did you absolutely have to make a move on Miss Topaz first? Damn it, why wasn't your first time with me?"
March 7th's words once again threw Daziel into a state of confusion. He opened his mouth, wanting to explain— "That... the night you were drunk, we clearly didn't do anything at all!" Daziel stammered, trying to defend himself. "You ended up crying your eyes out, getting so emotional, how could I possibly bring up that kind of thing!" Recalling the night March 7th was drunk still gave Daziel a headache.
"You... couldn't you have just used force then?!" Hearing this, March 7th instantly reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, completely exploding. She stomped her foot in anger, looking like she wanted to rush over and bite Daziel. "Damn it! Idiot Daziel! Blockhead!"
"Huh? Weren't you the one crying and shouting for me not to touch you back then?" Daziel was thoroughly bewildered. He looked blankly at March 7th, completely unable to understand the girl's logic. "Besides, if I had really used force, I probably would have been swept out the door by Conductor Pom-Pom first thing the next morning, kicked off the Express, okay!" The consequences of something like that were obvious just thinking about it!
"Hmph, I don't care. It's just because you're useless." March 7th pouted, glaring disdainfully at Daziel, seemingly blaming him for being clueless about romance.
Just as Daziel felt he was about to buckle under the pressure, on the verge of being broken by March 7th, Herta, who had been silent all along, finally spoke.
"So, even if you two came first, so what?" Herta's voice was as flat as ever, showing no emotional fluctuation, yet carrying an undeniable weight.
"Daziel, you've said so much, but it seems you haven't directly answered March's question yet?" Herta's gaze landed on Daziel, carrying scrutiny and pressure. "Could it be that I, Lady Herta, am not worthy of the position of main wife?"
Herta's words struck like thunder from a clear sky, shocking Daziel once again. He stared dumbfounded at Herta, feeling like his brain had completely short-circuited. His CPU overloaded, starting to emit puffs of smoke.
"Herta... Lady Herta, you... you also want to get involved in such childish matters?" Daziel stammered, his voice full of disbelief. In his view, Herta participating in such a juvenile game should be impossible. Given Lady Herta's age... cough cough, given her experience, how could she possibly have any interest in the kind of jealous squabbles little girls engage in?
Wait, thinking carefully, logically Topaz shouldn't be involved either. What kind of powerful female executive from a corporation squabbles over something like this?
"Why not?" Herta retorted, her tone still level. "I simply believe that Lady Herta should not fall behind anyone, in any field or matter." Her answer was still very 'Herta-like', full of rationality and logic, yet also possessing a hint of elusive girlishness and a deeply hidden, strong competitive drive.
"You are the miracle person from the Prophecy of the Final King, a variable possessing infinite potential and possibilities." Herta continued, her gaze profound. "A simple investment like a mere puppet, I don't think I've lost out... It would be even better if the main body couldn't empathize."
Herta's words sent Daziel into deep thought. He faintly sensed that Herta wasn't joking; she was seriously considering the "main wife" issue.
The atmosphere in the room became delicate once more. Four women of different styles occupied corners of the bed, their gazes all focused on Daziel, awaiting his answer.
Daziel felt like he was in the eye of a storm, surrounded by invisible pressure, making it hard to breathe. This pressure, this feeling of being watched intently, was even more terrifying and disorienting than when he had faced the Lord Ravager Phantylia...
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, his brain working at high speed, thinking about how to cleverly resolve this monumental problem without offending anyone.
However, could he really find the perfect answer?
If he went with his idea from earlier today and let Herta take the main wife position... Her methods, presence, identity, and status were more than sufficient. At the very least, she could make the others hesitant to easily refute her decisions.
However, the only obstacle remaining was— Herta arrived far too late. Before Herta, he had already haphazardly become intimate with, one, two, three, four... with quite a few women already. Though perhaps this slightly absurd number wasn't considered too shocking on this Star Rail that was becoming increasingly like an inner world?
March 7th, this girl, although very reliable at critical moments, was usually impulsive and quite silly. She was perfect as a caring girlfriend, but relying on her to manage this growing harem... better dismiss that thought early!
Topaz... She was undoubtedly the first woman in his life. Her capable 'strong woman' persona also perfectly matched the powerful aura needed for a main wife. But the problem was, in front of him, Topaz had already completely fallen, becoming like a docile kitten, or even more like a tamed sow, losing her former radiance. If the other women saw too much of this demure and submissive appearance, it would likely be difficult to truly command respect, let alone establish any authority as the main wife.
Thinking this, Daziel shook his head irritably, feeling his head splitting, his temples throbbing.
Since this question is so hard to think about, might as well not think about it!
Daziel mumbled vaguely, "Um, I'm actually feeling pretty tired. I ran around all day, my body's about to fall apart. I need to rest properly, I need to sleep!"
Before his voice faded, Daziel shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, diving onto the bed and pulling the covers over his head, attempting to feign sleep to muddle through.
At this point, playing ostrich is the only way!
"Hey, pretending to sleep won't solve the problem." March 7th was the first to attack, her small hand tugging mercilessly at the corner of the blanket.
Herta followed suit, her tone carrying a hint of command, "Get up. Don't play dead on me. You haven't paid your dues yet."
Topaz, already thoroughly conditioned and submissive, didn't take immediate action like March 7th and Herta. But her gaze burned intently, fixed on the lump under the covers. "Hiding isn't the answer, Master. You can't escape."
Three distinct yet equally oppressive gazes, like three invisible mountains, pressed down on Daziel simultaneously. The air under the covers seemed to freeze. He felt a sense of suffocation – not physical difficulty breathing, but psychological pressure. This feeling of being cornered, this desperation, was truly terrifying.
"I... I'm really sleepy." Daziel's muffled voice came from under the thick covers, carrying an undeniable tremor, attempting a final, desperate struggle.
"Sleepy? I think you're just feeling guilty!" March 7th's lips curved upward slightly into a sly smile. The force in her hands increased again, and she successfully pulled one corner of the blanket free. Cold air from the air conditioner instantly seeped in. Daziel felt a chill, mirroring his current mood.
Topaz also started to act. She gracefully walked to the bedside, grabbed the other corner of the blanket with both hands, and positioned herself opposite March 7th, as if intending to drag him out from under the covers.
"Stop messing around, I really need to sleep!" Daziel's voice held a pleading tone. He gripped the blanket tightly, refusing to let go.
"Sleep? We'll talk things through clearly first, then you can sleep!" Herta's voice sounded again, carrying an unquestionable tone. She finally made her move too. She reached out, seemingly gently but firmly pressing down on the center of the blanket.
The three women exerted force simultaneously. Daziel felt like he was being drawn and quartered. The blanket could no longer shield him from the outside world.
"Ah—!"
With a miserable cry, Daziel was completely exposed to the gazes of the four women. Although he was fully dressed, he felt as exposed as if stripped naked, utterly wretched, his eyes filled with panic and helplessness.
March 7th stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at him indignantly. "Hmph, let's see you pretend now!"
Herta had a smile playing on her lips, a hint of amusement in her eyes as she observed Daziel's sorry state with interest. "Well, well, isn't it our ally of justice, Daziel? What's wrong, feeling scared for once?"
Topaz stepped forward, her eyes soft as water yet carrying an undeniable possessiveness. Her slender fingers gently, suggestively stroked Daziel's belt buckle as she whispered, her breath like orchids, "Master, whatever it is, it's better if we face each other frankly."
The gazes of the three women were like sharp swords piercing Daziel's final mental defenses. He felt himself completely breaking down.
Just as Daziel felt the air around him being sucked away, on the verge of suffocating...
A line of translucent text suddenly jumped into his vision—
[Um, Master, I appeared in the first chapter. I actually think I should be able to compete too.]
[At least my gender is correct.]
Daziel froze instantly. He wondered if the pressure had truly gotten to him, if he was hallucinating from mental breakdown.
At a time like this, the system is joining the fray?!
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Daziel couldn't help but question the system incredulously in his mind.
[Master, I'm serious. I also want to become your main wife.] The system's reply carried a strange persistence.
Daziel was utterly speechless. His already overloaded CPU felt like it was about to burn through completely.
What on earth is going on?!
"You? Main wife? You're a broken system, what are you getting involved for?" Daziel couldn't help but roar internally.
[Master, you can't discriminate against systems. Systems have dignity too.] The system sounded somewhat wronged, its tone becoming dejected.
"Dignity? What dignity does a system need?" Daziel almost laughed out loud at the system's words.
[Master, how can you say that about me? I've served you diligently and conscientiously for so long. Can't I even strive for the position of main wife?] The system began to ramp up the pity play, its tone filled with accusation.
Daziel completely broke down. He felt like he was going crazy. What kind of mess was this?!
"Alright, alright, just shut up!" Daziel quickly cut off the system's words in his mind. He was afraid if it continued, he really would lose his mind.
"What's wrong? The blanket's off, why aren't you talking now?" March 7th asked curiously, seeing Daziel suddenly fall silent.
Herta also leaned closer with interest, a playful confusion on her puppet face. "Yeah, what's wrong? Were you perhaps scared silly by us sisters?"
Asta and Topaz also looked at Daziel, their eyes holding a hint of question.
Daziel took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, trying to banish the subtitles appearing before his eyes.
"..." Daziel stammered, attempting to change the subject, "Actually, I think..."
"Think what? Hurry up and say it!" March 7th urged, a hint of impatience in her voice.
Herta also crossed her arms, leaning against the bed, wearing an expression like she was watching a good show. "Exactly, stop dawdling. Give us a straight answer!"
Daziel felt his mind go blank. He had absolutely no idea how to answer in a way that would appease everyone and resolve the current crisis.
"..." Daziel tentatively proposed, "Should we... draw lots to decide?"
"Draw lots?" Upon hearing this, March 7th's delicate face immediately fell. She paused, stunned for a moment, seemingly having never expected Daziel to suggest something so absurd.
"Draw lots? Only you could come up with that. Can something like this be decided by drawing lots?" Herta scoffed, as if hearing the world's biggest joke.
Topaz also shook her head. "Master, that method is simply not feasible. The sisters won't agree."
Although Asta didn't speak, she pursed her lips slightly, her eyes clearly showing disapproval. She obviously found the suggestion of drawing lots too ridiculous as well.
Daziel knew this terrible idea wouldn't work, but he was truly at his wit's end, unable to think of a better solution.
"Then... then what do you suggest?" Daziel decided to just give up and throw the problem back at the three women.
"Hmph, asking us?" March 7th glared at him indignantly. "If you hadn't been hooking up with so many women outside, would things be like this?!"
Herta still had her arms crossed, wearing a gloating expression. "Exactly. You dug this pit yourself, now fill it!"
At this moment, it was Topaz who came to Daziel's rescue.
"Well, if Master can't answer right away, it's not entirely unacceptable. However, you'll have to accept a small punishment, okay?" Topaz's lips curved upward slightly, revealing a slightly scheming, capitalist-style smile. She whispered softly, "The punishment is that Master isn't allowed to sleep tonight. You have to accompany us sisters for a proper 'deep exchange' all night long, until we are satisfied. How about that?"
_____
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