"This... I can't make a decision on my own."
The red-haired woman neither agreed nor refused.
This meant... there was hope!
However, a hasty and impatient approach wouldn't yield good results. At this point, taking a step back was the appropriate move.
"In that case, let's put this matter aside for now. What brings you here?" I asked, inquiring about their purpose.
Surely they didn't seek me out for no reason.
"About that..." She paused, choosing her words carefully. "You are our benefactor. Isn't it only natural for us to want to get to know the person who saved us?"
She explained that this decision came after a night of discussion.
Only after everyone reached a consensus did they officially begin making contact.
First, the other sisters really wanted to meet their "benefactor"—to see the face of the man who had avenged them.
Second... to repay kindness with kindness.
They wanted to know if there was anything they could do to repay the stranger who had freed them from hell.
However, the person in front of her was making a really big demand: to take over the household entirely. She had to go back and discuss it with her sisters.
Although the request was excessive, she felt that her sisters were likely to agree.
The reason was simple: they had nowhere else to go.
Many of them felt they had no face to return home. Just like herself. Most of her family members had died because of the original Regulus. If she went back, how could she face the survivors?
Even if she received forgiveness, she couldn't accept it herself. It was easier to let her family think she had died outside. Staying here, under a new, seemingly saner master, was the path of least resistance.
At that moment...
Gurgle gurgle~
A loud, embarrassing sound erupted from my stomach.
I couldn't help but show an embarrassed expression.
Since last night, about twelve hours had passed, and I hadn't eaten or drunk anything. Under normal circumstances, feeling hungry was expected.
But for some reason, the hunger felt unnatural. It was a ravenous, gnawing emptiness, so strong that I felt I could eat a whole cow if it were placed in front of me.
The red-haired woman and the blonde girl covered their mouths, letting out faint giggles.
But they quickly composed themselves. Laughing at one's benefactor, even without malicious intent, was rude.
"We have prepared a banquet for you," the redhead said warmly. "Please hang in there a little longer; we should be back at the manor soon."
"Um. Okay."
I responded with an awkward smile.
'When will this belly ever stop? Shout! Shout! Shout! We'll be eating soon, so shut up already!'
It was incredibly embarrassing.
To ease the tension and distract myself from the hunger pangs, I started a conversation.
"We've talked so much, but you still haven't told me your name," I said to the red-haired woman.
"Number 135."
"Ha!!?"
"Among the sisters, I was the 135th one to arrive, so I am Number 135."
She explained it as if it were normal, but hearing this, I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
That unfortunate dead man certainly didn't bother to remember his wives' names; he simply referred to them by serial numbers. Despicable behavior.
Seemingly noticing my disgust, the woman realized the inappropriateness of her answer. The tyrant was dead. There was no need to use his codes anymore.
"I'm sorry, I just said that out of habit." She took a breath. "The name I used to have... You can call me Lycoris."
"Lycoris..."
"Yes. That was my name."
As I stared at her, Lycoris showed a hint of nostalgia. She raised her hand to grasp a pendant around her neck.
It was shaped like a water droplet. Although it looked ordinary at a glance, when I focused, I could clearly see ripples moving inside it, like flowing water.
This was probably not simple jewelry.
"We've arrived."
A girl's voice called from outside.
We exited the carriage and were greeted by a huge, magnificent medieval-style mansion. It was even more impressive to my modern eyes than I expected.
"My benefactor, please come with me."
Lycoris took the initiative to guide me. However, she still avoided using the name "Regulus," clearly harboring a deep rejection towards it.
As we walked through the estate, I saw them.
Girls. Many, many girls.
Without exception, they were all stunningly beautiful. At least by modern standards, they were top-tier beauties. Even getting one of them would be a blessing of a lifetime.
With this number? The original owner must have saved the world in a past life to deserve this. No, even saving the world wouldn't grant this kind of reward.
Faced with this army of beauties, my resolve to take over the "business" solidified into iron.
If I didn't secure this position, I wasn't a man.
The only thing to worry about... was stamina. Even if my body had undergone significant enhancement, whether my kidneys could handle this many wives was a very uncertain matter.
"Go tell the others to gather," Lycoris instructed the blonde girl.
"Okay, I'll go right away."
The girl turned and left quickly.
Lycoris looked at me.
"My benefactor, let's head straight to the banquet hall."
She had been listening to my stomach growl for a while now. In all her life, she had probably never heard someone sound so hungry.
But actually, it wasn't just her; this was the first time I had ever been this hungry.
There was definitely something wrong with this body.
....
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