The heavy gates of the castle groaned open, and Sachiko led us into a sprawling grand hallway. Flanking her were six maids, their movements perfectly synchronized.
Rin leaned in close, her breath warm against my ear as she whispered, "Better keep your guard up. This is a royal palace—there are plenty of eyes on you, and I'm sure there are other boys around who won't be happy to see you."
"Right. Let's see what happens," I replied, trying to keep my cool.
Secretly, my mind was racing. The princesses and their maids are all so incredibly cute... honestly, they're gorgeous. I wish I could have them as my 'G-Companions' too. Then, a flash of self-awareness hit me. Wait, what kind of obsessive fan have I become? I already have seventeen girls in my circle, and I'm still looking for more?
Before I could spiral further, we reached a set of towering, ornate doors. Sachiko paused, turning halfway back to us as the maids stepped forward to pull the handles.
"Inside are the other members of our family," she announced. "Welcome to the Conversation Hall."
The Hall of Thrones
As the doors swung wide, we were greeted by rows of maids dressed in elegant kimonos, bowing in unison.
"Welcome... civilians," they echoed.
I stood there, momentarily stunned, my hand drifting to my head in a dize. What is this? A harem? This is way too much!
"Whoa! Look at the end of the hall!" Rin exclaimed, her voice full of wonder.
At the far end of the long gallery sat a woman on a high floor, flanked by six girls in royal kimonos similar to Sachiko's.
"Let's go," Sachiko urged.
We followed her toward the dais. The woman on the throne was striking—tall, with long golden hair, deep red lips, and piercing pinkish-blue eyes. She wore a stunning yellow-and-white kimono that radiated authority. As we approached the foot of the stairs, she clapped her hands.
Two maids immediately moved forward, placing long, sofa-like thrones for us. We sat down—all seventeen of us—facing the royal line.
"Then," a girl named Yurin said, looking us over with a sharp gaze. "So... why is it that you are called 'insiders,' and just who are you?"
The golden-haired lady spoke next, her voice commanding the room. "I am Kurose Natsumi, the Queen of Tenkachin. My husband is Yuji Kurose. These are our seven daughters—our princesses."
She began the introductions:
Akane: The eldest, with pink hair and striking blue eyes.
Kana: The second-ranked, with red eyes.
Kaori: The third, with green hair and blue eyes.
Maki: The fourth, featuring half-black and half-blue hair with blue eyes.
Nihi: The fifth, with saffron hair and eyes.
Sachiko: The sixth, whom we already knew, with her half-white, half-yellow hair.
Ohana: The youngest at fifteen, with pure black hair and eyes.
A Clash of Realities
"So," Kaori said, leaning forward. "Introduce yourselves. What is this place you come from?"
I felt my cheeks flush. Being the only boy in a room filled with this many girls—especially under the intense stare of the Queen and Sachiko—was overwhelming. We took turns introducing ourselves, explaining the circumstances of our entry into this world and how our reality had been seemingly erased.
"Oh! So it isn't a conspiracy..." Queen Natsumi mused. "Our reality is simply different from yours."
"Yeah, that's it," Rin added.
The maids and the princesses murmured among themselves, clearly fascinated. "Ooooh!"
"You've met with a Goddess, then?" the Queen asked, her tone shifting to something more skeptical. "And what do you think about her?"
"Hu? We don't really understand what you mean," Rin countered.
I stood up suddenly, the spotlight of the room falling squarely on me. "I've got it!" I said, my voice echoing.
Everyone froze in surprise. Kaori and Ohana looked at me with confusion.
"It's hard to put into words," I said, a grin spreading across my face. "But... she's super... support—" I stopped, trying to find the right description for my 'G-Companion' system. "Her... features are very close in size to Sachiko-san's!"
The room went dead silent. The seven princesses stared at me, their faces turning beet-red. Rin immediately lunged for me, grabbing my neck and pulling me down.
"I told you not to do your harem nonsense!" she hissed.
"Guh!! Nonsense?!"
The Queen's Interest
"Really... this boy is an idiotic fellow," Akane muttered, supported by the others.
However, Queen Natsumi's reaction was different. Her cheeks were flushed, but she looked at me with a spark of joy. "He... he is hilariously brilliant!" she laughed, standing up.
While the princesses were shocked, I stood my ground. "This is my policy! In a harem, a thinker always goes the harem way—just like me!"
"Oh my! Ahiro-chan is the first person who's dared to find out my true feelings!" the Queen exclaimed.
"How do you dare call our Queen 'perv'!" one of the maids shouted.
"Calm down, girls!" Natsumi waved them off. "I like him! Don't dare do anything wrong to him."
The maids reluctantly agreed. On the other side, the girls in my group—Ame, Kazatani, and others—were looking visibly jealous. Natsumi was practically flirting with me now, and Rin was still holding my arm, refusing to let go.
"He's with us," Rin said firmly. "Ahiro, let's go. Dinner is cooling."
"Hey girl, maybe you're just jealous," the Queen teased.
"Ha! Why should I be jealous? Am I his G.F.?" Rin shot back.
"Yes," I chimed in. "You're my G.F."
Rin slapped me.
But as I stumbled, my head accidentally landed against Nihi's shoulder. The fragrance was incredible—soft and sweet. I looked up to see Nihi looking down at me with a gentle, surprised smile.
I scrambled to my feet, bowing frantically. "No! It's not your fault at all!" Natsumi said, intercepting my apology. She turned to Rin. "It was you who slapped him! Don't ever dare do anything wrong with him in the future, or I'll execute you!"
Rin stood astonished, then gave a stiff bow. "Sorry... Ahiro-kun."
I placed a hand on Rin's shoulder, trying to ease the tension. "It's fine. It's your 'permit' for hitting me, because you're my G-Companion."
"Huh? G-Companion?" Sachiko asked, confused.
"It's 'G' for Girl-Companion," Rin explained.
"Tha—Thanks, Ahiro..." Rin whispered.
Suddenly, I felt something soft hit my back. I spun around and accidentally crashed into Ohana, who had been standing right behind me. Our faces were inches apart.
"Wow! It's a kiss by coincidence! I'm so happy!" Ohana chirped, her eyes sparkling.
"Oh no! I wanted his first kiss!" Natsumi lamented, looking genuinely disappointed.
The entire hall was in an uproar. Ohana's sisters protested loudly. "Oh mom! He's not our dad! Don't talk like that!"
The Queen just laughed, her eyes fixed on me. This Queen, I thought to myself, is really the ultimate matriarch.
TO BE CONTINUED..