After being released by my mother-in-law’s embrace, my head is still spinning.
People get more charming the higher their level. Cute girls get cuter, and beautiful people get more attractive. I’d say I was more or less average, but now that I’ve had more chances to hang around higher levels, I’ve been hearing people say I look cool. Then what happens when an already captivating middle-aged woman that didn’t look her age at all levels up? I suspect the result is Sakuya.
Aki, Maki, and Aira are all over level three hundred now, and more beautiful than when I met them. Ayane’s cuteness has exploded too, but my mother-in-law feels like she’s on another level.
It’s like she has the great buff of the golden incense applied by default. Wait… That underwear…
“Ah, but there is more to the effects of the rings.”
Oh, there’s more?
“It says the user avoids any threat of seizure or usurpation.”
“Seizure or usurpation…?”
Sounds ominous.
“Not allowing anyone to steal it is commendable. Amachi probably doesn’t know about that thing…”
“It is master…”
“Fufu, I see. Wonderful.”
“???”
They seem to know something, but I wish they’d tell me.
“You do not have to worry about it, master.”
“Fufu, I thought it was a shame you are not as open with me as you are with Miki, so I was surprisingly happy that you asked me for help. To think you would call me right after Miki visited too.”
“…Eh!?”
She knows!? I called her in secret.
We all discussed who to tell the Linchpin System to when we got back, and we called Miki a bit before the branch manager meeting that happened yesterday. We told her about everything except Level Gacha, including me being a core holder… I’m sure she doesn’t know what we talked about, but her information net is really scary, considering this happened yesterday.
That just makes me wonder even more if I should tell her.
“Fufu.”
She looks at me as I’m troubled and surprised, and lets out an alluring laugh. Well, if she was an enemy, she wouldn’t purposefully say something that would make me suspect her… Hm.
I was wondering if I really had to be cautious with her, but meeting her in person makes me unconsciously wary. My last card, Intuition, isn’t working either.
I’ll just have to wait and see a while longer.
“By the way master, can we call these finished?”
“Hn? Ah, yes…”
I’m satisfied with the result regarding the rings and necklaces. I don’t need to rework… Ah, I should engrave names so we know which belongs to who. I did it with the rings, but not the necklaces.
As I think that, Aira, who understands everything, asks me what I plan to do next.
“It should take a bit. So when are you giving them?”
“Eh? Ah, this will be fast… I’ll prepare the boxes right away.”
“Oh, Amachi? By boxes do you mean…”
“Yes. Aira got me the materials, so I can make them too. Can you wait with the girls outside for a bit?”
“Yes, I understand.”
“Thank you for waiting.”
“Oh, is it done already?”
“That was fast.”
“Hneh!?”
Both my mothers-in-law are waiting in the living room. Also, they have Enril and Seren on their laps, looking cute. Miki sure likes water golems, and Seren likes being pet.
Enril looks pleased on Sakuya’s lap. I feel a bit jealous, but now’s not the time… How did we even get here?
“I called her for this once in a lifetime event.”
“I was wondering what it was about, but once I heard Sakuya’s not often heard pleased tone, I had to come. I had work to do, but I finished it quickly and ran here.”
Both look like they’re in a good mood.
Sakuya knows what’s going on, but I think Miki can guess too. She doesn’t say it, but her expression does.
She’s grinning like crazy…
“Shouta, what are you up to? I asked mom but she won’t tell us.”
“Can you please tell us, Shouta?”
“Mother has a big smile on her face. It’s a little frightening…”
“Master.”
“I know.”
I didn’t expect more of a crowd, but that doesn’t change anything.
“Everyone, are you wearing your love necklaces?”
““““Yes.””””
“I see… Then can you close your eyes?”
I can’t ask them to take them off. I’ll put the new ones on them.
And so, I swap the necklaces, and place a small box in their hands.
“You can open them.”
“““…!”””
They immediately see the rings in front of them. Everyone’s eyes are taken by their shine, and Aira has a satisfied smile on her face.
“…I’ll put them on too.”
I don’t get a response, but I do it one at a time. I say something as I put the rings on the ring fingers of their left hands, and the girls cry with happiness.
It really was a good idea to make them myself. Will they be happier once they hear the effects? No… Now’s not the time. I’ll wait for them to calm down.
I hear applause from the audience and golems, as we share this happiness.
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