Chapter 36

Prince Arowana has come to visit again.

Immediately, I guide him to the new residence.

"Whoa!? It's huge!?"

As expected, Prince Arowana was overwhelmed by the size of my mansion. It was worth building it just for this reaction.

"I didn't think you'd actually build such a magnificent mansion...! And in such a short time. Has the Holy One been granted special powers by the gods?"

Actually, that's the case.

I formally invite him inside.

...Ah, brother-in-law.

Please take off your shoes here. It's a rule in this house.

You're not wearing any?

Indeed, that's right. He's a merman. His tail fin transforms into human legs when he comes ashore, so it's impossible for him to wear shoes.

He's only wearing swimming trunks on his lower body.

And they're of the boomerang type.

So, please wipe your feet with that towel...

...Here you go.

Please, this way.

Would you like some green tea that I've recently started cultivating?

"I've discussed the marriage between you and my sister Plati with my father."

Without much of a greeting, we get straight to the point. Incidentally, the father Prince Arowana is referring to is the king of the merman kingdom.

"My father was initially taken aback, but after I conveyed your character and strength to him, he was convinced. He particularly appreciated the fact that you don't belong to any faction."

"Of course."

Plati, the daughter of the merman king, is not only beautiful but also a prodigy. She is well-versed in the unique magical potions used by mermaids, and her reputation has spread not only in the ocean but also on land.

If it were just that, it could be summed up with "Wow, impressive." However, when things go too far, they can turn bad.

Proposals for marriage to Plati came from the demon and human races living on land.

The matter didn't just stop at marriage; it escalated into a diplomatic issue between races.

If Plati married into a certain race, it would lead to a military alliance with that race, essentially declaring war on the other race.

The merman race had long remained neutral and uninvolved in the wars between the demon and human races. The breakdown of this neutrality caused a major uproar.

Plati herself, perhaps sensing the dire situation, fled the merman kingdom and disappeared. She came to me, and that's how things are now.

"By marrying Plati, who doesn't belong to any faction, the merman race can maintain its neutrality as before. Most importantly, Plati herself likes you. Marrying the person she likes is the best option."

"That's...!"

I don't know how to respond, so I can only give a forced smile.

"Anyway, didn't the demons and humans get angry about this outcome?"

"They did."

Of course.

"The demons and humans had planned to form an alliance with the merman race to completely crush the other side. Both sides were furious when their plans fell through."

"Indeed."

"At that point, my father, the merman king, declared, 'My daughter Plati has married the Holy One.' 'It is only natural to marry my daughter to the best husband.'"

...

Even if it was to avoid blame, he really praised me.

"Did they accept it?"

"They did, reluctantly. They were furious about not getting Plati, but considering that the opposing faction was also after her, they decided it was better to let it be."

If Plati had mistakenly married into the enemy faction, they would have been surrounded by an alliance between the enemy and the merman kingdom, a worst-case scenario. The high risk of the marriage competition for Plati means high returns, but also high risks. It's not a foolish choice to settle for a peaceful resolution.

"I will do my utmost to ensure that the Holy One is not troubled. So, please take good care of Plati...!"

"Of course."

I intend to live here harmoniously with Plati.

"Hearing that, I am relieved. ...By the way, where is Plati?"

"She's in the mountain dungeon with Viel."

Today, as usual, they are running around the mountains in search of bird monsters that lay eggs. Viel, like her, is extremely dedicated to their food.

If I had known Prince Arowana was coming today, I would have kept her here.

"I see, ...I'm relieved to hear that she's enjoying herself here."

"She's also helping me. Oh, by the way, would you like to try this? It's miso, which Plati and I made together...!"

By combining my memory with Plati's knowledge of magical potions, we finally managed to make miso. And soy sauce too. This has expanded the range of dishes we can make. I immediately mixed the miso with chopped green onions to make green onion miso.

"Wow! This looks like the insides of a crab!?"

"Crab miso, huh."

Indeed, it does look similar. That's probably why it's called crab miso. Being raised in the sea, Prince Arowana doesn't seem to be picky about food. As a royal, he probably eats high-end delicacies like sea urchins and sea cucumbers regularly.

"It's delicious."

"It's delicious."

"It leaves a lingering taste."

"I can't stop licking it."

As Prince Arowana and I licked the green onion miso and confirmed its deliciousness together...

...a panicked voice came from outside.

"My lord!! I have a report!"

One of the goblins working on my farm rushed into the yard. He should be working in the fields right now. What's going on?

"A strange ship has appeared on the coast!"

"What?"

This has never happened since I started living here.

A ship...

Who could be on it?

"The ship has docked, and a large number of monsters have landed. They seem to be led by demons!"

"Demons!?"

Prince Arowana reacted to this.

"Could the demons have found out about this place!? It's supposed to be a top-secret national secret!!"

"We can't know what's happening without actually checking."

We need to assess the situation before drawing conclusions.

I gave instructions to the goblin and headed to the scene where the demons had landed.

What I saw there...!!

* * *

"...Huh?"

The demons were being held captive by the orcs and goblins who work on my farm.