As the words fell, Allen's face—which had been feigning calm—twitched for an instant, followed by a wave of inexplicable absurdity.
Those words, at this time, in this place, coming out of Rudy's mouth?
Was this reasonable?
And the implied comparison was precisely between Roxy and Sylphy.
It made him want to laugh and cry.
Truly… a strange twist of fate.
He originally wanted to make a sarcastic remark, but hesitated and glanced at the sword propped on the table beside him.
There was only one sword.
With just one glance, he looked back at Rudy, staring straight into his eyes.
His tone was extremely serious.
"A sword is dead."
"It's cold, and it has an attribute of belonging."
"But a person is alive."
"They have thoughts, and they should never be taken for granted as someone's possession."
Seeing Allen's serious expression, Rudy felt his throat dry. He cleared it and spoke in a deliberately casual manner.
"Allen, do you still remember that night when Lilia was pregnant? It was you who came up with the solution. And now that it's about you, you…"
Rudy was about to continue, but Allen suddenly leaned in.
Rudy's body stiffened instantly.
In his vision, Allen's hand was raised before his face, fingertips pointing at his eyes.
His gaze was sharp.
Beneath it, a slow-burning anger.
"You want me to copy my uncle's approach?"
"That night in Buena Village? I haven't forgotten."
"I can't forget that scene even now. You should remember it just as clearly."
"What was the outcome of that night??"
"Uncle was humiliated, my aunt was heartbroken, and Lilia was full of guilt."
"Even though I stepped in and pushed things in the direction I wanted, do you think the matter ended there?? I want to ask you—do you really understand the underlying logic of how that problem was 'solved'?"
Rudy's neck shrank back, choked by Allen's seriousness.
Allen leaned even closer, his calm words hiding molten lava.
"I'll tell you, Rudy."
"It was you, me, my uncle, and Lilia—together—who kidnapped Aunt Zenith's love for her family, forcing her to accept my uncle's infidelity."
"Up until now, it looks like this matter ended perfectly? But did it really?"
"Can you honestly pretend that you, me, my uncle, and Lilia forcing Zenith to make that choice never happened?"
Rudy was dumbfounded, but Allen's voice grew faster, and he had dropped the honorific from Rudy's name entirely.
"Do you think Zenith forgave Paul? Gave him a chance?"
"Or is it…"
"That from the very start, you thought the other four present—you, me, Paul, and Lilia who interfered in your family—we were the ones who gave Zenith a 'chance to change'?"
"Did you really understand the words I said that night? Who was the real victim? Who do you think granted you this illusion of calm, of peace?"
"Who gave you the feeling that sleeping with one woman or two is all the same, hmm?"
"Was it Paul, who reaped the benefits?"
"Or Zenith, who silently accepted everything?"
"Tell me!"
Allen stared straight into Rudy's eyes, his anger now blazing.
Who suffered the deepest impact from the aftermath of the Greyrat infidelity night?
Paul, who complacently enjoyed the fun of a harem?
Zenith, who compromised on her understanding of her husband for the sake of her family?
Lilia, who was driven by desire beforehand and guilt afterwards?
Or Rudy, who watched Allen's maneuver, gave a thumbs-up from the side, and said it was impressive?
None of them!
From start to finish, it had always been Allen himself!
That was the beginning of his integration into the Greyrat family of Buena Village.
The beginning of his integration into this world.
No longer a distant anime or novel setting, but his own Mushoku Tensei.
Zenith's tears, Lilia's helplessness, Paul's broken spirit—
All etched clearly in his mind.
Is having a harem and sleeping with women easy?
Yes, very easy. Given Allen's current "popularity," all it would take is having a body.
But what then, after you sleep with them?
The consequences?
Do I hesitate? Do I overthink? Am I indecisive?
Does that make me less of a man? Still stuck debating whether to start a harem?
I've never cared about the act itself—I've cared about the consequences afterward! I'm not after their bodies—I'm after what they think and feel!
What? Sleep with them, make them fall, and after getting up from bed, they smile at each other like sisters, living harmoniously together?
Total unity of body and heart? That if you conquer someone physically, their heart will automatically be yours?
This world allows polygamy, so there won't be any resentment between women?
Then why was there a heated family meeting when Rudy brought Roxy home?
And on the night of infidelity, was Zenith's issue about monogamy?
What she cared about was Paul's promise, the emotional bond between them.
Even if Zenith abandoned the Milis faith, could she accept Paul taking more wives?
If the women of Mushoku Tensei were truly like that, then Zenith shouldn't have cried that night—after giving birth, she should've smiled and called Lilia her good sister, and Lilia should've replied "good sister" back, before the two of them joined Paul for a threesome.
But in reality?
What did I see?
I saw Lilia so guilty she wanted to leave the Greyrat home in the dead of winter, risking her life!
Zenith screaming and struggling upstairs, crying like a broken mess!
Who came out of that well?
Paul?
That guy who's full of swagger and dirty talk during sex, but the moment pregnancy happens, puts on a sour face, scratches his head, and can't even fart out a word?
Is that the so-called "carefree" style—a man who disregards his partner's emotional needs, just collecting women like stamps, without any responsibility?
Rudy stared at Allen's overwhelming presence, a flicker of fear surfacing in his expression. The tension in his mind snapped, and his subconscious defense made him put on the same goofy smile as an anime character after being slapped by a mugger, babbling nonsense.
".Heh… Allen, you're so calm and steady, you're a real man, how can you get hung up on something like this… Start with Sylphy, she's full of love for you, she definitely won't—"
Before he could finish, Allen's brow lifted. He grabbed Rudy's collar, pulled him close, and forced his voice through clenched teeth, every word laced with suppressed fury.
"A real man? Start with Sylphy?"
"Rudy, Rudy…"
"I just want to ask you—is having a harem, sleeping with every woman you see, your idea of a real man?"
"Or is a real man the one who cries and begs for forgiveness after wanting both sides?"
"You think having a dick and sleeping with more women makes you impressive?"
"I'll tell you!"
"Having a dick isn't impressive—being able to control it is."
"Sleeping with many women is easy."
"But making sure they don't cry afterwards, that their feelings remain whole, that they can still stand beside you as living, breathing people—that's not easy!"
"What, do you want to copy my quick-thinking solution from the infidelity night? Repeat the same thing? Kidnap their emotions and force them to accept the reality of a harem? And start with the one with the best temper, who suffers in silence—Sylphy?"
"Just because she's the easiest to bully, right?"
"Just because she's always submissive from beginning to end, right?"
"Just because she empathizes easily and understands 'pain,' right?"
"Just because she's good."
"So she deserves to suffer, to be wronged?"
"Is that it?"
By the end, Allen's face was pressed right against Rudy's, who was now utterly terrified.
"Rudy."
"Do you understand what I'm saying?"
The threads laid out since childhood had finally come to use.
(I found out that some people don't know "one sword/two swords" was Paul's way of persuading Rudy to start a harem, so I'm explaining it here.)
(End of Chapter)
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