I don't need a Prince Charming! -For some reason, I have to find a husband real quick! - Chapter 2

I tried to propose.

I have to marry someone in the company and have him meet my grandfather.

It’s mid-september now, so next summer should be my deadline.

I made that promise. I had inadvertently done so.

Thus, I was distressed.

In the age of women’s rights and new values, there is a tendency to find ‘Marriage is a woman’s ultimate happiness’ questionable. The winds of the world were on my side, and feeling such a tailwind, I intended to go on with my life as a bachelorette gloriously.

To be honest, I feel that my grandfather’s values are old-fashioned.

Likewise, my way of life might be outrageous to my grandfather.

We had talked a little about different values before, and I knew that it wouldn’t be easy to bridge the deep generational gap with just words. And that it would probably be difficult to convince him.

But, I couldn’t ignore him when he said it was his number 1 regret, with the state of his illness, and I wanted to relieve his worry if I could. I wanted to reassure him in some way.

First of all, I seriously considered whether I could do what my grandfather ordered.

Within a year from now on, I would have to marry someone in my company.

Within 3 seconds, I knew it was impossible.

I had never been interested in love since I was a child, and I lived my whole life without loving anyone or being loved by anyone romantically, so I have no experience of love.

I had spent 25 years of my life in a position completely unrelated to love, and it wouldn’t be possible just because I suddenly decided to try it.

But then, wait a minute, I thought.

My grandfather didn’t tell me to fall in love. What he needs is a marriage partner.

With the values of that age group, it is probably important to marry someone who can support you in life in case something happens to you. If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be fine if I split hairs and look for a ‘marriage partner’?

What I need is a result. If I get hung up on details, I’ll never achieve my true desire. It might be important to just search since anything is fine.

My grandfather was right; I was unmotivated. I never even thought about finding a partner.

For the sake of my grandfather, I might as well try for once in my life.

My thoughts took one step forward, and I thought again.

Now, how can I marry someone in my company?

Huh?

I surprised myself. I have no idea what to do. No matter how much I thought about it, all I could see in my head is a huge question mark.

For the past 3 years since I joined the company, I have avoided the company’s drinking parties as much as possible except for official ones, avoided being seen, and kept a quiet and serious life.

Perhaps it’s because I work in the general affairs department or perhaps it’s simply because there are so many gossipy girls, I often overhear rumors and information about people in my company, regardless of gender.

However, I’ve almost never talked directly with them, and I have no connections with the male employees. I have no idea who to choose and how to make an excuse. What’s more, there is no time to wait for a chance encounter.

Why didn’t my grandfather just arrange a blind date or something? It became even more complicated because he half-heartedly respected my will. My mind repeatedly made the error of going blank as I tried to think solemnly.

The days went by without any action.

A month passed by in a blink of an eye, and it became mid-october.

Like before, I have no idea on how to find a marriage partner. I never talked to or got to know anyone.

Time just keeps passing by, and my thoughts are getting more and more driven to the wall.

“Robo chan, can you do this for me–? If I don’t go meet him today, I might get dumped”

“Okay”

“Ah, that’s right. Will you come for a drink this weekend?”

“No, I_won’t”

As I continue to perform the monotonous and time-consuming tasks that keep coming my way, my brain is slowly eroded by the sensation of sweating.

My clunky robot brain is on the verge of overheating from thinking too much about things I’m not used to.

I can sort of understand. At this rate, I won’t be able to find a marriage partner, no matter how many days go by.

Then later, I would deeply regret that I didn’t do or even try to do any of the things my grandfather asked me to do, even though I declared I would.

I must somehow find a partner since anyone is fine. For that, I must do something. Anyone is fine; I have to get married. I have to do something. I must do something. I found myself only thinking about, ‘I_have_to_do_something’ which had no concrete meaning.

I decided to make a move anyways after ‘I_have_to_do_something’ became a spell inside my head, and I became totally taken by it.

Any further thought would be a waste of time.

I was the last to leave as always. I stood up grabbing my stuff and went to the restroom, quickly fixing my hair into the usual bun as if refastening my *headband.

In the mirror, I saw a woman with a face that had no particular features or quirks.

She was sometimes described positively as beautiful, yet there were also times she was said to be somewhat cold and robotic. Even so, the woman was somehow oozing a sense of urgency due to the dire situation she was in.

As I boarded the elevator, I was cornered to the max and made a decision.

I’m going to ask the first bachelor I see after exiting the elevator to marry me.

I’m not in a position to choose a partner, nor do I have any preferences. I’m already in the state of being okay with anyone as long as they marries me. Since I don’t have any creative methods, I have no choice but to frankly ask them. It’s okay. There’s a good saying, *’Even a poor marksman can hit the target with enough shots’.

Even if I know a few people in my company, it’s not like I’m acquainted with everyone. I decided to judge by looking at the left ring finger if I’m not sure if someone is single or not. If they are married, I can just retreat.

In hindsight, it was an idea that could only be described as abandoning my brain, but at that time, I was truly anxious.

The elevator’s floor number display is going down.

On the contrary, my heartbeat is rising up.

Eventually, I reached the first floor, and the door opened.

It is so late at night that no one would come in from outside. The building’s receptionist had left, and the lobby was deserted. But, someone was right there. He was leaning against the wall between the elevators, operating his phone, when he noticed the door open and turned his head.

“Huh? …Robot chan from General Affairs. You were still here? Thanks for your hard work”

It was someone I knew, probably on his way home, putting his bag on the floor and wearing a friendly smile.

It’s Kimori Renji of Woods Products Division.

The reason I happened to know his name and face in the company was because he was well-known.

Kimori san is a playboy with a bad womanizing habit. He was famous for being a scumbag.

As there are a lot of rumors about him as he is a famous master of love with his height, well-groomed, sweet mask which stands out, and a sociable personality, I’ve heard about him more or less.

I only overheard others talk because it happened before I joined the company, but I heard that when he first joined the company, he messed with women so bad that he got some instructions from his superiors. Since then, he has become quiet in the company. He is probably having a good time outside the company.

“…What’s wrong?”

Kimori san blinked his big, reddish-brown-colored eyes and looked at me strangely as I stopped and stared at him.

Kimori san is a playboy so he just says hello and talks with everyone, but of course, I’ve never really talked to him before. I don’t know him well. But, I know that he probably has a somewhat frivolous view of love. I heard that his highest body count is 109, which is more than the number of troubles he has.

Is this someone I should ask?

But my head, which had been foggy from thinking too much over the past few days, refused to think.

He is, without a doubt, the bachelor I met after getting off the elevator. At any rate, let’s try asking him even if it’s no good.

I took a step closer to him who was peering at me.

Kimori san looked as if he had been pushed by my momentum, but he didn’t back away and faced me head-on.

I thought about what to say.

My exhausted robot brain whispered to me, ‘Cut to the chase’, and I followed it.

“Um”

“Hm? Yes?”

Kimori san straightens his posture at my unusual appearance.

“Please marry me”

When I said this with a straight face, Kimori san looked a little surprised, but then he smiled again and froze.

I glared at his face and put on a serious look.

“Ah–…uh, I think I misheard you. What did you say just now?”

“Will you, please, marry me?”

I thought it wouldn’t be good if he couldn’t hear me, so I reiterated each word clearly and crisply. I also made hand gestures and what’s more, turned up the volume slightly.

Kimori san’s eyes widened and went blank again, and he put his palms over his eyes. Then, as if regaining his composure, he smiled at me again.

“Uhhh. You know, if you want to go out with me, that’s fine, but I’m not interested in marriage”

Somewhat relieved at his light-hearted reply, I said, “I understand. Very well, then”.

However, a second later, I became impatient again.

Nothing had changed. Even though I have to do something about this. I have to do something. I_have_to_do_something. The fact that one person turned me down caused my impatience to become immense and swell tenfold.

At that moment, the elevator arrived at the first floor.

The door quickly opened, and my small, fat, and balding department head walked in.

This person is always sweating with a fan in his hand all year round. He skips work so often that it’s rare to see him. He’s a nasty grumpy 50-something man with mild sexual harassment remarks.

I thought to myself.

He is also single.

Calm down, Ako. Calm down, and think.

I tried to think, but my head was getting fuzzy and I couldn’t think at all. I approached the department head with a dizzy head.

“Oya, oya, it’s so scandalous…a man and a woman are together at this time of the night-”

I stood in front of him, who was probably about to say something similar to an anachronistic sexual harassment remark.

“Sir”

“Mm…? What is it?”

The department head’s expression changed from obscene to dubious as I kept a straight face.

“You are single, aren’t you?”

I have to do something. I’ve got to keep asking one after another.

Go with the momentum! I have to! Get married somehow!

“Please ma….mmph”

Just as I was about to ask him to marry, I was interrupted from behind.

I was dragged out like that in the same posture.

A cool breeze was blowing outside the office building.

“You…what were you going to do just now??”

As I looked resentfully at Kimori san who was covering my mouth with the palm of his large hand, my mouth was released.

“I was going to ask him to marry me”

“I knew it! I’m so shocked!”

“I’m looking for a marriage partner urgently for various reasons”

“Ah, is that so–…No, you should choose a little!”

“Is there anything wrong? Please don’t disrupt me”

Kimori san grumbled, “I did think something is strange because you hardly get involved with me and doesn’t seem to like me–. But to be in a league with that sexual harassing grandpa is just…”.

Kimori san looks at me intently and then says with a sigh.

“I thought that the slightly famous Robot chan from the general affairs department …wasn’t a robot, but that abnormal insensitivity, ..I can see why”

“Is that so?”

“Hey, Roboko chan, why are you in such a hurry? Tell me. I’ll listen to you if you’re okay with me”

Apparently, I had aroused his curiosity.

“There’s no need for you to listen to my story”

“It’s decided. You haven’t had your dinner yet, right?”

“Yes”

“Then, let’s talk over a meal”

“Eeeh”

Kimori sama quickly walks away. Although we are in different departments, he is my senior, so I can’t ignore him that crudely. I’ve already failed today, but I have to at least greet him before going home.

“Kimori san”

I called out to Kimori san, who is walking quickly a little ahead of me.

“Kimori san!”

Kimori san stopped at a street about 50 metres ahead and said, “This place serves delicious food”. He opened the door of the restaurant in front of him and walked in.

As I watched in a daze, Kimori san, who I thought had gone inside, came back out, pulled me by the arm, and entered the restaurant.

Translation Notes:

*The ones with _ is in katakana which means Ako is either thinking or replying like a robot or an ai.
*Headband=the one they wear on forehead like in shokugeki no souma or naruto
*Even a poor marksman can hit the target with enough shots=I don’t know what’s the translation for this is, but it means as long as you keep trying, the goal can be reached somehow.

Translator Notes:

This chapter is a little long so there might be some mistakes. Please tell me if you see any, and I would appreciate if there are comments about the chapter~