243 - - Art. 243. Cross My Corpse
"Yes, Gen-san? Is something wrong with you?"
"No, ...... it\'s not like that. ....... It\'s the ...... wife, you know."
Hearing his voice, everyone let out a sigh as if they remembered him. It is said that Gen-san\'s wife is a very jealous person who would never cheat on her husband. Linos has met her several times, and she certainly gives the impression of being a well-dressed, strong-willed, and very solid woman.
"I\'d like to go to the red-light district for the first time in a long time, too. ....... If I said such a thing, they would make me sit on my knees and then hit me on my kneecaps with a ruler.
"......, that\'s a hell of a punishment."
"If my wife wasn\'t here, I\'d make some kind of arrangement. ....... If I tell him to go out now, he\'ll notice. That\'s why ....... I don\'t want to be a part of it, but I want you all to go have fun.
Gen-san mutters sadly. At the sight of him, Tomerail stands up and calls out to Gen-san.
"What are you talking about, brother! You\'re our general! There\'s no way we can go without you! Without you, there\'s no point!"
"Lord Tome ......"
Gen-san has tears in her eyes. Tomerail turns to Linos and speaks rapidly.
"General! Can\'t you do something to help my brother get to the red-light district? If you want, we can all bow down to your sister! Do something about it!"
"Hmmm."
Linos closed his eyes and looked up at the ceiling, thinking about something. Then he exhaled and began to speak in a slow tone.
"I don\'t know if it will work or not. ......"
Everyone listened to Linos\' words, and after a few moments, a silence enveloped the room.
"What\'s the matter with you? What do you want to talk about?
I always thought she was a horrible wife. Why did I have such a woman for a wife? She used to be a maid in her master\'s house. I happened to talk to her by chance, and after that we began to talk often. Then, with his master\'s blessing, we got married. She was lovely at that time. .......
When Gen-san is immersed in the sweet and sour memories of the past, he hears a sound that echoes from the bottom of his stomach. Needless to say, it was his wife\'s angry voice.
"What! Speak quickly!"
Gen-san almost says sorry reflexively, and unconsciously sits on his knees. Then, he looked down at his hand, looked up slowly, and began to talk with a distant look in his eyes, as if he was remembering something, just as Linos had told him to do.
"No. ....... Today, the general came to see me. He praised us carpenters for our hard work.
"That\'s good, isn\'t it?"
"And you know what? And as a reward, he\'s taking us to the red-light district. ...... Well, I don\'t hear that. ...... I\'m not going. No, Tomeko and the others won\'t let me go. Your wife\'s a jealous cook and she won\'t have the stomach to take us to the red-light district. You can go home. Well, I\'d be lying if I said I didn\'t want to go. ....... I\'m kind of pathetic."
Gen-san sighs deeply, looking down at his hands from time to time. There is a line written on his right hand, and if this is revealed, he will surely not be able to stay in shape. Gen-san is putting on the performance of a lifetime.
Pow!
Suddenly, there was a sound of something smashing. Unintentionally, Gen-san closes his eyes and stiffens up. When he opens his eyes, he sees Okami\'s right hand on the table. Perhaps, she hit the table with her golden right hand, which had been used to harvest her consciousness many times before. As I felt a shudder at the thought of that weapon-like hand being pointed at me again,...... Okami began to speak slowly.
"......It\'s so frustrating, isn\'t it? If I don\'t let you go now, you\'ll think I\'m a small-minded wife! ...... Okay. It\'s an invitation from the general. Go ahead! You\'re in your place, aren\'t you? We don\'t have a choice. But it\'s just once!"
"...... Oh mother! Thanks!"
Gen-san puts his hands together and thanks Okami as if he is worshipping her.
"Don\'t do that! It\'s not a good omen to put your hands together and worship! I\'m not dead yet! ......Hey, what\'s going on with you? Your hands are looking a little dirty, aren\'t they? Let me see what you got."
"No, it\'s just that I haven\'t gotten ...... all the dirt off my work yet! Go to ...... and take a bath."
Mr. Gen left the room as if he were a rabbit. Needless to say, the next day, Gen-san was overjoyed and came to Linos to thank him.
While Gen-san was fighting with his wife, Rinos also reported the day to his wives, including Riko.
"...... and that\'s why."
"......"
After the explanation, there is silence in the room. Linos and Gon sat side by side at the dining room table, with the rest of the family in front of them. It was as if a trial by jury was taking place.
"I understand."
It was Rico who broke the silence. She looked at Linos and Gon alternately without changing her expression.
"So, are you going to this colorful town, Linos?"
"Oh, no. ....... I\'m ......."
Have a nice trip.
"What?"
The unexpected words left Linos in a state of shock. He had not expected Rico to allow him to go to the red-light district.
"Gon can\'t be trusted on his own, can he? King Maintia is a ...... man I have yet to meet, but he is a handful, isn\'t he? Without Linos, ....... It\'s okay, okay? You don\'t have to worry about me. Mei, Sidhi, Soleil, Mato, and Ferris, Ruara, Peris, Ferris, Ferris, Ferris, Ilimo, Geneha, Itra, ...... all understand Linos\' position. Please go. Please go.
"......No, I mean, you know..."
"Please don\'t be afraid of me."
What\'s so frightening? Rico\'s face does not change at all, and his eyes do not smile at all. Not only Rico, but Sadie, Mato, and all the other women here were not smiling. Under such pressure, Gon keeps his eyes down.
"You should go to such a place once in a while, Linos, to refresh yourself.
"I think it would be good for me, too."
Sidi opens his mouth. Matkal and May nod slowly, holding Elyl and Alyria in their arms. Ferris and Ruara look at Linos without any change of expression, and Ferris is already in a sleepy state in Peris\' chest, moving his wings slowly.
"No,...... its ...... I\'m not going to ...... go, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I\'m not going. I\'m not leaving without Rico and Mei and Sadie and Soleil and Mato. I won\'t leave Rico and Mei and Sadie and Soleil and Mato.
"Don\'t be so modest."
No, no. I\'m not going.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"...... It is indeed Linos. Then, Gon will guide you all to these "Rinos", won\'t he? Gon, I\'m sorry for your trouble, but I\'m counting on you, aren\'t I?"
Finally, Rico smiled. The women\'s smiles returned to their faces as if caught by the smiles. Linos could clearly see that the tension in the room was loosening. Gon, next to him, is simply looking down in horror.
"......Your father is a wonderful father after all."
Rico is rubbing his bulging belly lovingly and murmuring happily.
"Master ......."
Gon, who is sitting next to me, mutters in a small voice.
"Gon, you got it."
Looking at the happy faces of Rico and the women, Linos mutters in resignation. In front of him, Sadie and Soleil are urging Riko to take a bath first. Riko then asks Matocal to join her.
Linos, let\'s take a bath together. Sidi, Soleil, excuse me, can you take Elyl and Allyria out of the bath?"
"Yes, yes, I understand.
The women are fluttering about. Then Rico turns to Linos again.
"Come on, Linos. Come in with me."
Linos slowly stands up, looking at Rico\'s face, which shows his sincere happiness. Then he glanced at Gon and opened his mouth with a resigned look on his face.
"Gon, go beyond my corpse.
Fortunately or unfortunately, Linos\' decision would later prove to be of great benefit to him and Agartha, and he would be deeply grateful to Rico. However, he still has no way of knowing this, and with a big sigh, he heads for the bath in the mansion.