If you ask why Kallusa suddenly showed up, a single sentence explains everything.
Capitalism is always right!
Mother Mia gladly took in Kallusa, who wanted to work at the Hostess of Fertility even at the cost of lowering her own wages. And thus, an abominable combination was born: an Amazoness in the Hostess of Fertility's signature green-and-white maid uniform running straight at me.
"So why are you here? On a day like today, the festival should have the place busier than usual."
"Because I thought my husband would be here!"
"I keep telling you, I'm not your husband."
"It's fine if you deny it now. You'll become my husband eventually!"
"..."
...She says it so brightly and energetically that it is easy to miss, but isn't that a yandere line?
You'll become my husband eventually → I'll make you my husband someday → You belong to me.
Eeeek...
"Anyway, what about the restaurant? Why are you here?"
"Um... Mother told me to go grocery shopping with my husband."
"Ah, Mom..."
Ever since that day, Mom has tried to pair Kallusa and me up whenever she gets the chance. It hurts my heart to reject a woman who likes me this much, but... the issue of children is a separate matter.
And more importantly, I have no intention of having children or getting married. I feel sorry for Kallusa, but...
"Anyway, husband, let's hurry and go shopping! We can look around the festival too! Come on, come on!"
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Wait a second. I need to stop by the shop and pick up a few things. I don't even have my wallet on me."
"It's okay. You can just live off me, husband. Kallusa will take care of everything!"
"I said I'm not your husband..."
And so, a blacksmith's futile protest disappeared amid the bustle of the festival...
Meanwhile, the looks from those around us.
A certain adventurer.
[Oh dear... Another victim of an Amazoness... Marriage is a graveyard of a man's life. You need to run awa— Ack! Ack! Ack! Honey, wait! It was a joke! A joke!]
A certain married woman.
[Hehe, that girl... If she wants his seed, she should start by making a physical move and turn it into a fait accompli... Seeing such an innocent sight... Hmm. Honey, shall we head home early today?]
A certain ordinary person 1.
[Oh, what? It's just a normal Amazoness proposal. I thought it was something else.]
A certain ordinary person 2.
[Wah... H-his seed? How can she say something so vulgar!]
...Or so they say.
.
.
.
.
.
.
"So, husband, what's that hanging from your belt?"
"This?"
"You crossed two whole districts to get to the workshop just to pick that up."
"It's a valuable item I made with the Hermes Familia's [Perseus] the other day. There are only seven of them in all of Orario, so I make a point of bringing it whenever I go out. And I told you, I'm not your husband."
"Hmm~ Are you embarrassed, husband?"
"Just call me by my name. Anyway, what were we supposed to buy before the dinner rush?"
"Hmm, we're running low on vegetables, so five sacks each of lettuce and potatoes. For spices, Mother said to buy enough pepper and basil to fill three small bags. She said we could just have them delivered!"
"Then let's place an order with the Demeter Familia and look around for a while."
"Yeah, then we're on a date?"
"...Uh, yeah."
If you had to define it, I suppose we were...
"Kallusa, now that it's come to this, I'll only say this once, so listen carefully."
"Yes, husband!"
"First, I have no intention of getting married right now. Second, likewise, I have no intention of having children. Third, as for our relationship, we start completely from the beginning. So make me take marriage seriously."
"...So you're telling me to make you fall for me, husband?"
"Well... that is the gist of it. But when you put it so concisely, I don't know what to say."
"Okay, I understand! I'll do everything I can to make you fall for me, husband. So until then, keep your dick in check, okay?"
"...Yes, ma'am."
Her eyes were dead. They had gone completely black—eyes that reflected absolutely nothing! Scary, someone save me!
Since she belongs to the Ishtar Familia, she would spot me immediately if I went to the red-light district... Was it time to bring out my sealed right hand again?
"Ahem, let's put that aside for now. First, about what you call m—"
"Husband!"
"...You won't change it even if I ask you to, will you?"
"Nope!"
"Right... Let's just leave it as it is..."
Hmm, this was a sore spot too. Her eyes go dead when I touch on it...
Haah... How did things end up like this?
First, we'll stop by the Demeter Familia and arrange the delivery... Then, well, maybe I'll enjoy the festival for the first time in a while.
.
.
.
.
.
.
A young man and a young woman(?), on a date(?).
.
.
.
.
.
"Husband, husband, let's eat that over there!"
"Sure, sure... Let's see. Sir, what sells well here?"
"Mister, you have wasabi-flavored potato twists, right? One, please!"
"Haha, miss, you've got quite the booming voice! But instead of wasabi flavor, how about trying our newly released menu item?"
"What flavor is it?"
"Mint-chocolate potato twists! A refreshing flavor that cools your mouth!"
"Heretic, die! A mint-choco cultist!"
"Ghk, an anti-mint-choco cultist?! I thought you were one of us mint-choco cultists because you picked wasabi flavor, a niche flavor beyond niche!"
"Stop talking nonsense and bring out some pineapple-pizza-flavored potato twists!"
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Heretic, die!"
...There was a minor dispute, but we wandered down East Main Street, sampled some street food, and enjoyed the festival.
Wasabi flavor and mint-choco flavor—what kind of apostates were those? The truth lay in pineapple-pizza flavor.
Anyway, as I enjoyed the date for the first time in a while and looked around, I noticed a restless atmosphere spreading through the area. So I stopped a nearby street vendor who was getting ready to pack up and asked what was going on.
"The monsters the Ganesha Familia had been taming got loose! We need to hurry and escape toward the outskirts!"
...The mess caused by Goddess Freya, huh.
Even if Ais dealt with the ordinary monsters, there should be some new species among them...
Kwwwaaaang!
Kii-kiyaaaaaaaaaah!
Following a sound like something exploding, a woman's ear-splitting scream rang out in every direction.
"Kallusa, you go."
"What about you, husband?!"
"I'm the kind of person who can't mind his own business. If I hadn't heard it, that would be one thing, but now that I have, I need to go help!"
"I'll help too!"
"...What are you going to do without a weapon? Don't worry and wait here. I'll show you I didn't become Level 4 just for show."
...And even if they would win in the end, there was no reason not to help the little ones I had known for quite a while when they were fighting, right?
With that thought, I left Kallusa behind and sprinted at full speed toward the city streets, where clouds of dust were billowing up.