#810 Ranked List of Affection

The sumo tournament at Orkubo’s Castle is taking an unexpected twist.

It feels less like a sumo wrestling event and more like a couple’s love-bragging contest.

Thanks to the love-transforming item provided by Zoth Syra called the Loincloth of Love, we can now visualize the love value between the participating wrestlers and their wives or girlfriends. Things have gotten wild!

It seems that the couples themselves are more eager to participate than the wrestlers.

Almost as if to proclaim, “I’m the one who loves him the most!”

The sumo ring is now more abuzz with ranking couples’ love than determining the top wrestlerssssssssss!

Of course, I have connections with some well-known people, but even nameless individuals are caught up in this tangled web of love and hatred!

“H-Hey! I thought you said you didn’t have a girlfriend! How come you’re all powered up? Are you secretly dating someone?!”

“The guy everyone said was the most popular in town—Motemaclin Ikemenski—his power hasn’t gone up at all! He’s been with several women, but were none of them serious, after all? Is this all party-goers’ love amounts to...?!”

“Excuse me...how are feelings between both men calculated?” 

As you can see, the fuss is endless.

A sumo tournament that was supposed to be about stoicism and dandyism now feels like cherry blossoms pouring in.

“Hooooo-hohohoho! Freshly wedded me is here to share some of this happiness with everyone!”

Zoth Syra cackles.

Witches sure are something else, being able to control the mood of the entire arena with just one move and all!

“To the elderly couples who have forgotten their youthful spirit, remember the past! To the young ones still unaware of love, recognize your feelings! This tournament will prove that love always prevails!!!”

She’s really riding the wave. 

Her vigor hasn’t waned since her marriage.

The invincible Zoth Syra. Is being married akin to having a star title for women like her?

...Until this chaos settles down, perhaps I should continue to comment on everyone’s excitement.

...Oh?

Someone over there is causing quite a commotion.

“Fwoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Khooooooaoaoooooooooaoaaaa! Kehaaaaaaaaaa!”

What’s going on???

I’m scared.

The sumo participant emitting that strange scream and a never-before-seen aura is...! 

Wait. I know him.

Isn’t that... Mamoru?

Mamoru of the demon army’s Heavenly Four?!

“Ah, Lord Saint. As you see, my loyal retainer Mamoru is in this state.”

Beside him is the Demon King.

They’re both demons, so of course, they’d be together.

“What happened to him?”

“It’s because of the magic set by the Mermaid Kingdom’s Prime Minister. It seems to have had a particularly profound effect on Mamoru.”

Given the situation, what else could it be?

So this is what happens when Mamoru receives love energy from his wife or girlfriend?!

What a tremendous change! Just how much love is he receiving?!

“Mamoru is married. Although he initially had no right to serve as one of the Heavenly Four, he married into a family that inherited the Coveted-Holy Sword Zweiblau, allowing him to assume the role.”

So...it’s a political marriage?

“Arranging marriages for political strategies is indeed the most popular loophole for those without inherent qualifications to become one of the Heavenly Four. Throughout history, many self-made warriors have married noble daughters to elevate their status, and the holy sword’s lineage has also strengthened their position by bringing in the powerful.”

“Belphgamilia is another Heavenly One who married into the Corrupted-Holy Sword Viergelb’s lineage to solidify his position,” chimes in the Demon Kingdom’s Prime Minister, Lucife Focale.

Thank you for all your hard work, sir.

“But... Isn’t this strange?”

I mean, wasn’t Mamoru’s marriage for political reasons?

If so, the primary motive would be the benefits of marriage rather than mutual love.

Basically, whether or not the married couple actually loves each other wouldn’t matter.

It might even be irrelevant.

Yet, considering that and seeing this level of excitement...!

“That man’s profound cunningness is behind it...!” exclaims Lucife Focale. 

Meaning?

“You see...Mamoru married into the holy sword lineage and even rose to be among the Heavenly Four. Some might say he used his wife as a stepping stone to power. But the wife he married for such political reasons...was his childhood friend!!!!”

Wh-Whaaaat?!

Childhood friends?!

The so-called top-tier relationship everyone wishes they had? 

Are you telling me Mamoru married his childhood sweetheart?!

“Their fathers were comrades in battle, so they’ve been close since they were kids. Due to that connection, Mamoru climbed the ranks to become the previous Heavenly One’s aide. Then, with a daring proposal, he received blessings for marriage and took the seat.”

“By then, they had secretly been in a relationship, hiding it from their fathers... In other words, Mamoru achieved the perfect marriage—a combination of love and strategy!!!” passionately adds the Demon King.

Who would’ve thought? Despite always appearing downtrodden, Mamoru had such a fortunate encounter. 

I felt pity for him for having so much on his plate all the time, but it seems I was deceived!

“Well, the faction of the Heavenly Four’s Coveted did lose momentum after the previous leader’s mistakes. Some would say being the head of a nearly collapsed faction is a losing ticket, but Mamoru took it on, perhaps due to love.”

“Thanks to Mamoru, the Coveted faction was saved from dissolution and became a loyal force following His Majesty. His ascent to the Heavenly Four wasn’t just luck for him and his wife.”

The Demon King nods in agreement.

Anyway, it’s clear that Mamoru is among the strongest contenders in this Love Sumo Tournament.

He’s a dark horse.

If he’s that content with his life, I should ask him to treat me to a meal next time!!!

“But I will remind Mamoru, a Heavenly One, that he will never surpass his king. My marital harmony is legendary throughout the Demon Kingdom, not just with one wife. Behold my ability to maintain a harmonious polygamous household!!!”

Whoa...

The previously composed Demon King now emits a powerful aura, gushing like a geyser.

However, that aura isn’t monochrome but split into two colors.

After all, The Demon King has more than one wife.

Given his position as the leader of the demon race, he had to marry multiple wives—a challenging task.

Yet, he managed to create a harmonious family with both wives.

This harmony wraps around the Demon King in a contrasting double hueeee!

“Incredible! One half of the Demon King is blue, and the other half is red! It’s symmetrical!”

Which one represents Mrs. Astres and Mrs. Glasya, though...?

In any case, the Demon King seems to be carried away by the romantic mood of the event.

...Seeing this, I thought to myself...

“I’m so glad I decided not to participate...!”

The pink air is swirling around, engulfing the sumo tournament in a whirlwind of romance.

I’m so glad I decided to stay behind the scenes this time, predicting the trouble and nipping any chance of participating in the bud...!

I think I made the right call. I truly do.

“Dear...!”

Eek!

Suddenly, someone clings to me from behind. 

Could it be... Platy? My wife?!

“You can’t stay out of this, Dear...! I won’t sit back and do nothing while Mom and Dad boast about their love for each other! You must participate too! I’ll show all these women that my love for you is the strongest!!!”

I stand correcteeeeeeeed!

There’s no escape for me!

“Put on your Loincloth of Love, Dear! Don’t worry, I’ve modified Zoth Syra’s prototype. With my alterations as the Crowned Witch, its efficiency has been boosted by 23%! We’ll definitely score double points against the others.”

“You do realize such alterations count as cheating?”

Platy, with her indomitable spirit and immense love for me, is unstoppable.

And thus, despite my resistance, I find myself dragged into the whirlwind of the Love Sumo Tournament.

***

Amidst this chaos, one wonders...

How does the man at the center of this whirlwind feel?