"Excuse us! We're journalists from the Literary Master of the Minstrel Kingdom! Can we please take this precious time for the Duke of Everlue to share his valuable knowledge and experiences regarding the literary?"
As Kira said so, the large gate of the mansion of the Duke of Everlue was opened instantly, and the voice inside clearly showed his excitement.
"Really? A journalist? Are you coming to interview me?"
Yes, Kira was lying, but even so, his face never faltered and always had this gentle smile plastered on his face despite how bad this guy's breathing was. "Yes, we just happen to be here to learn about the literature development in the Kingdom of Fiore, and somehow we happened to hear the name of the Duke of Everlue, so we hope to take the precious time to share his experience as a book collector. Is that okay?"
"Yes, yes! Please come in! I am the Duke Everlue!"
He was short and fat, yet he appeared elegant with his sharp suit and moustache, which were styled carefully with wax.
"Ah, expected? I can see the aura of the literary master in you, Duke!"
"Boyoyoyo! It's good that you can see how awesome I am!"
"..." Lucy.
Watching how Kira could praise Everlue's greatness without changing his face, Lucy, who was a bit nervous previously, was speechless, wondering what the experience of the young man was that he could be so versatile in many areas.
Yet, as a salaryman, kissing the ass of the superior, trying to get into the good side of the boss, was the must skill that everyone must have, especially if one wanted to get into a promotion and have less work.
Some people might have despised him in his past life for doing so, as he lost his dignity in the process, yet those were just the screams of the losers since the winner had always been those who dared to sacrifice something.
Frankly, Kira wondered why he even did all of this, especially when he had no need to do so.
Unlike in the original, where Natsu and Lucy needed money due to their hard work previously, Kira didn't have to work hard due to the reward money that he received, so did he want to help that client who had no money and wanted to deceive him to do the work without paying?
No, he wasn't such a good guy, but if he just went home like this, he would waste many things, whether it was his money or time, and frankly, the gauge of his gacha was about to be filled, so he might as well see what kind of a person Everlue was.
Naturally, Kira didn't go along with the original plan where Lucy would dress as a maid and then try to be hired by Duke Everlue, as Kira didn't really want others to see Lucy in such a lewd outfit. Instead, he dressed as a journalist together with Lucy and pretended to go to Everlue's place for an interview as Everlue was a famous book collector in the Kingdom of Fiore.
Yes, Everlue might be an evil, corrupt politician, yet he was good at packaging himself as a book aficionado.
Still, due to this, it wouldn't be weird for Kira and Lucy to come as magazine journalists wishing to interview Everlue.
Only, naturally, while Evelue was happy, those around him couldn't trust Kira so easily, especially considering what had happened lately.
"Duke, you shouldn't believe in them so easily!"
"Yes, what if they came to steal your book!"
Those who said those words were the bodyguards hired by Everlue, the Vanish Brothers.
The quest from Kaby Melon caused many mages to come and steal the "Day Break" book from Everlue's library.
Only—
"How dare you despise us! We have come so far from a distant country wishing to get to know Duke Everlue as he is known in the "Book Friend" and wish to make the people of our country get to know him, but is this how you treat us? As someone suspicious? Our magazine has millions of circulation in our country! Instead of begging, people will line up to be interviewed by us, idiots!! Leci, let's go back! I don't need to interview someone who can't appreciate us!"
Kira knew that those who easily received wouldn't be appreciated, and instead of begging others, it was far better to make others beg.
"Y-Yes, boss!"
Lucy had entered the character and quickly followed Kira as she glared at all of them, but Everlue panicked when he heard Kira's anger. "You stupid mercenaries! Just shut up! I am your employer, and I can do whatever I want! Don't order me around! Or rather, you two are fired now! I don't need bodyguards like you two!"
For Everlue, the Vanish Brothers weren't important, as he could get as many bodyguards as he wished. He didn't lack money, but it was different for Kira, as Kira seemed to be a journalist with a high position at a popular magazine with millions of circulation!
As a politician, how could he let go of his chance to become popular?
"I am sorry for the two! But, I have fired those two! Those impudent bodyguards won't work here anymore, so please stay! As a literary lover, I have always loved to share my experience with the world! Come in! Come in! Virgo! Everyone! Prepare the best tea and snacks! Don't let our guests get hungry and thirsty!"
"Yes, Master!"
All the maids of the Duke answered at the same time before they winked at Kira.
"...." Lucy.
"Ah, it seems it is my misunderstanding." Kira also played along with Everlue. "As expected of the Duke, your heart is so magnanimous! I can tell that I can write a good article for you."
"Boyoyoyo!" Everlue laughed happily. "There will be many interesting things that I can share with you! Please come in!" As he led, Kira and Lucy came in. The Vanish Brothers, who cared about the well-being of their client, were kicked out and fired like that.
"....." The Vanish Brothers.
Still, no one cared about the Vanish Brothers anymore, as Everlue was happy with Kira's praise and answered many of Kira's questions when he showed off his collections and maids.
"Besides my books, I also collect many beautiful women as my maids." Everlue appeared proud and said, "Look at them~! They are so beautiful, right~?"
"Kyaa, Duke~! Love you~!"
"Duke is the most handsome guy~!"
"We love you, Duke~!"
"Boyoyoyo~!"
As Everlue was surrounded by his maids, Kira and Lucy tried to maintain their professional expressions.
"Don't show an expression, Lucy. Keep stoic. Keep your expression stoic."
"Y-Yes, Kira!"
Yet, it was hard!
After all, while Everlue said that his maid was beautiful, his sense of beauty was just... different from normal. Those that the majority would think to be unattractive were seen as beautiful in his eyes.
Yes, those maids were either fat, ugly, full of pimples, and had a face that definitely couldn't be appreciated by normal people.
Still, even so, Everlue thought that they were as precious!
While Kira was helpless, he wasn't going to judge others' taste, yet it was hard for him to maintain his calm when those maids kept winking at him as if telling him that he had a chance with them.
"....."
"What do you think of them? Do you want to bring one back with you?" Everlue even asked Kira.
"Ah, no, I don't dare to take them from you, Duke. I can see their love toward you is as deep as the ocean, and... my heart is already taken by someone else."
As Kira said so, he looked at Lucy with a gentle smile.
Thump!
Lucy felt her heartbeat race as her eyes turned into a love symbol.
Did Kira confess to her?
So, should she accept him?
Ah, if she accepted him so easily, wouldn't it look like she was an easy girl?
But... but... she wanted to jump into him and kiss him!
"Eh? Her? Really? You like such an ugly girl?" Everlue looked at Lucy with disgust as he picked up his bogger.
"...." Lucy.
Chuckling, Kira said softly, "In my eyes, she is the most beautiful."
'Kira...' Lucy loved Kira so much!
"Is that so? I can't get your taste at all." Everlue shook his head helplessly, thinking that Kira had no eyes and no taste for choosing Lucy.
"....." Lucy.
It was the same; Kira also couldn't understand Everlue's taste at all. "But as a book lover, can you tell me your favorite book?"
"Of course!"
The two talked for a long time, talking about many things, with Lucy keeping a note, but somehow, she noticed that the gorilla maid with pink hair that was tied in twintails kept staring at Kira with an obsessive gaze, which made her stand in front of him as if trying to protect him.
Grr! 2x
Somehow, when their gazes met, they appeared ready to fight at any moment!
"...."
Sighing inwardly at how silly Lucy was, and frankly, quite cute, but Kira didn't come with a purpose to play, so he used his pheromone manipulation on Everlue, so this guy would talk about everything.
"Oh, right! I have asked the famous Zekua Melon to write a book for me!"
"Zekua Melon? That famous writer?!"
Watching Everlue's proud expression and Lucy's surprised expression, Kira could tell that this Zekua Melon was famous. "Oh, how did you do it?"
"Boyoyoyo, I put him into the jails for three years and threatened him if he didn't write for me, then I would take away the citizenship of his family, so they couldn't engage in any economic activities and died in poverty!"
Lucy was about to throw the note in her hand, but Kira held her, telling her to calm down.
"Oh, as expected of you, Duke."
"Right? But that's not all!"
This was how frightening the ability of the pheromone manipulation was.
As Kira used this ability on Everlue, it was as if Everlue thought of him as the most trusted person in the world, telling him everything without hesitation, including all the evidence of his crimes that he did with many people, which made Lucy so angry that she wanted to beat this criminal!
"Thank you for sharing your time with us, Duke. I will write a good article from it."
"You should! By the way, here's for you. Take this so you can make everyone understand how awesome I am!"
Everlue trusted Kira so much that he even gave Kira two million Jewels so Kira could write a better article.
"This..." Lucy was startled by the money that Everlue had taken.
"No, no. You don't have to give me this money. I am here because I know you are a book lover, and I am just happy that you can give me your precious time. Please believe me! I am not here for your money!"
"Kira-kun..."
Everlue was crying, never expecting that he would meet someone like this in his life!
"But I am not comfortable if I don't give you something! Please take something from me! How about my maid? I will give a few of them to you!"
Wink! Wink!
If Kira nodded, then those maids would open their legs for him right away.
"..." Lucy.
"No, I can't betray her." Kira quickly hugged Lucy to protect himself, which she also hugged him to protect him and showed her pression of him from those slutty maids!
Dammit, have you not seen the mirror?!
How dare you seduce Kira with that face!
Lucy thought inwardly, but never voiced out.
"But... if possible, can we take that book from Zekua Melon?"
"Ah, you want that trashy book? It's just a boring adventure book, though, but if you want that, it's okay. Virgo, take that book for him."
"Yes, Master."
With that, Kira took the book easily, excused himself since he was afraid that those maids would try to stop him on his way, trying to pull his pants, then did... something inexplicable.
By then, if that happened, he would have a mental scar that couldn't be... cured.
"It-It's okay, Kira. We have run so far! There is no need to worry! I am here to protect you!"
Lucy hugged Kira tightly, pressing his face on her ample breasts, telling him that everything was okay.
Kira also started to feel relaxed on Lucy's boobs, thinking that they really cured him.
'Her smell is so nice...'
He didn't want to get up, but he was afraid that if he didn't get up, then he wouldn't be able to get up at all. "Thank you, Lucy. Your acting is quite good, and you can endure your anger well."
"Ah?!" Lucy was startled, then asked, "...was that all an act?"
"Yes."
"...." Lucy.
Kira could tell what Lucy wished for, but he felt that it was too early. "By the way, let's go."
"L-Let's go, where?"
"Let's expose the crime of the Duke to the world!"
As Kira said, he took out all of the records that he had made, whether it was videos, pictures, or voice records.
Watching all of this, Lucy knew that the Duke was over, yet she had no pity since that guy deserved it!
Still, as Kira finished all of that, the gauge of his gacha was fully filled.
'Finally!'
---
Try to guess what kind of a servant he will get.