A Flat-Chest Believer Reincarnated in a World Where Women with Small Breasts Aren't Treated as Women ~ I Ended Up with a Flat-Chested Harem. - Chapter 46

I sat up in bed at the Gustique estate in the royal capital. Outside the window, a small bird chirped from a nearby tree.

Rita, who had fallen asleep next to me last night, was no longer there. Glancing around the room, I spotted her sitting in a chair in the corner. She was already dressed in her work attire, her hair neatly tied up.

“Good morning, Rita.”

“Good morning, Lord Folca.”

Rita greeted me with a composed expression. Last night, she had been sweetly moaning, but now she was entirely in work mode. Feeling a bit mischievous, I casually approached her.

“Rita, you were adorable last night.”

Saying this, I leaned in close and kissed her. “L-Lord Folca!” she exclaimed in a flustered tone, her reaction utterly charming.

Satisfied with how her ears turned red, I began to change into more casual clothes, as I had work to do later.

A week had passed since the evening party celebrating the coronation of the first king, and I had been enjoying peaceful days in the royal capital.

Today, Risty was heading to the royal castle to respond to a request for treatment, while Father and Mother had been invited to a wedding at another noble house.

Since I would be staying at the estate all day, I planned to work on producing sheet glass. The royal family had already sent over a large supply of raw materials.

I quickly finished preparing some “Holy Water” and headed to the backyard to begin the glass-forming process. After removing impurities, I shaped the glass into sheets by pouring it into stone molds to ensure uniform size and standards.

Once I completed one sheet, male retainers carried the finished glass away while Rita brought the next batch of raw materials.

I genuinely enjoyed this type of magical crafting. It involved controlling mana as quickly and precisely as possible to create a product. Though simple, it was a test of skill. Unlike producing “Holy Water,” this work had an element of artistry, which made it more satisfying.

One sheet after another, I continued forming the glass. The retainers stored the completed sheets in large wooden racks.

The greenhouse was to be built in a small forest outside the royal capital’s walls. It would be smaller than Gustique’s greenhouse, but its walls—except for the northern side—would also be made of glass. Inside, the space would be divided into sections with varying temperatures to enable year-round strawberry cultivation.

…His Majesty the King sure loves strawberries. I couldn’t help but worry that future historians might refer to him as “Leo the Strawberry King.”

After breaking for lunch with my two sisters, I resumed working tirelessly. By the time the orange glow of the setting sun bathed the garden, my mana and physical energy were nearing their limits, so I decided to stop.

“Phew, I worked hard.”

“Lord Folca, you’ve produced an incredible amount…”

Rita looked visibly exhausted, and the retainers who had been hauling the glass sheets seemed utterly drained as well. I realized I had pushed everyone too hard without considering their stamina.

“Thank you, everyone. I’m sorry if I overdid it. Please take your time to rest.”

I made a mental note to reward them later out of my personal funds.

And so, another peaceful day came to an end—or so I thought until my parents summoned me to the study.

◇◇ ◆ ◇◇

“Father, Mother, I’m coming in.”

When I entered the study, I found not only my parents but also Risty.

Father gestured for me to sit, so I took a seat at the meeting table.

“What’s going on, Father, Mother?”

“Well, after the wedding day, we had a private meeting. During that discussion, a proposal—or perhaps I should call it a request—was made.”

Father’s tone was unusually hesitant. I wondered what could have caused it, but then Risty spoke up.

“Folca, this might be a bit sudden, but… how about taking a concubine?”

The unexpected suggestion made me tilt my head sharply in confusion. My neck cracked loudly. Ouch.

“So, someone has proposed a match for me?”

My parents and Risty all nodded. It was indeed a sudden development.

It wasn’t strange that Risty had been consulted before me. In matters of selecting a concubine, the opinion of the primary wife was heavily weighted. This meant Risty had already given her approval.

“Which family is it?”

“The Quitunen family.”

An unexpected name. The Quitunen family was one of the higher-ranking count families; offering a daughter as a concubine to the Gustique family felt unusual for their status. If it was a match for me, then it would likely involve one of the twins, Selena or Lasha. Both were Wind-attribute mages with the highest aptitude of 10, true prodigies. They didn’t seem like the kind of individuals to be offered as concubines.

…As I thought about it, the pieces of information in my mind began to fall into place.

Selena and Lasha hadn’t attended this year’s coronation soirée. I also hadn’t seen them last year—or for the past three years, for that matter. Despite numerous social events and tea parties, they had been notably absent.

Risty, who claimed to know the reason for their absence, and Count Quitunen’s strange demeanor at the soirée where Risty’s pregnancy was announced…

In other words—

“Is it because of… their chests?”

I repeated a line I felt I had said before.

The three of them nodded in unison.

“Selena and Lasha’s chests are slightly larger than mine—so about the same size as Rita’s. They’ve been avoiding social events for the past three years, but I’ve met with them occasionally.”

“Count Quitunen has other children, but aside from the twins, Selena and Lasha, none have notable magical aptitude. Originally, the Count intended for one of them to take a husband and inherit the family. However, their development stalled…”

The Quitunen family did have male heirs. While having a male head of the family was often considered more stable for producing heirs, magical aptitude was equally crucial. If there was a significant gap in magical talent, it wasn’t uncommon for the family to be passed down through a daughter instead.

Father continued.

“The Count had considered various options, such as marrying one twin off in exchange for securing a high-quality husband for the other. However, given their lack of development, those plans didn’t work out. Still, as a count, he finds it hard to give up on the bloodline of such talented mages. He’s proposed that you take them as concubines and that the children born from the union be adopted into the Quitunen family. It’s entirely for their benefit, but we do owe them a favor.”

The “favor” referred to an event from about 200 years ago, during a famine when the Quitunen family had provided food aid. It was a long-standing matter, but in the world of nobility, debts of gratitude didn’t expire.

In any case, the situation was now clear.

“Which one?”

I had a guess, but I asked just in case.

“They’re requesting both, if possible.”

As I thought. Well, I suppose I’m the only high-ranking mage willing to accept petite beauties.

I pondered for a moment. Though I hadn’t seen them in a while, Selena and Lasha had been very cute girls. By now, they must have grown into charming petite beauties. It would be no loss for me. For the Gustique family, this would repay the debt to Quitunen. Moreover, having high-level mages produce children was beneficial for national defense.

“What do you think, Risty?”

Risty had already given her approval, but I wanted to gauge her feelings on the matter.

“We get along well, and I think everything would go smoothly. Honestly, I think it’s a bit sad for them as things are, so I’d be happy if you accepted them.”

Her tone and expression were natural, with no signs of reluctance.

In that case—

“I’d like to discuss it with Rita first, but I’m open to moving forward, starting with a meeting.”

I didn’t expect Rita to object, but it was important to hear her out. Rita was already a precious part of my family, and I wanted to respect her feelings.

“Understood. Then we’ll proceed in that direction.”

Father concluded the discussion.