From Trash to Villain Master of Card: With Harem of Evil women-Chapter 74: Internal Tension

Kaito’s Office — Midnight, Two Weeks with the Observers

The candle had burned down to half when Kaito finally set down his quill.

His hand trembled from exhaustion.

On the desk: twenty documents reviewed. Fifteen letters drafted. Three strategic reports completed.

And still ten more waited for attention.

The constant presence of the observers had tripled his workload.

Every decision now required proper documentation. Every military order needed justification. Every public expense demanded transparency that wasn’t necessary before.

Kristina especially—she reviewed everything with a magnifying glass, searching for any irregularity she could report to the Council.

And Avernor hadn’t ceased pressure. More "bandits" attacking borders. More propaganda being distributed among other kingdoms. More political maneuvers that Lilith had to counter.

All of it falling on Kaito’s shoulders.

He looked at the hourglass on his desk.

Two in the morning.

He had been awake for nineteen hours.

Who said being a king would just be forming a harem and doing cliché missions to fill a progress bar? Just one more document. Just one...

A soft knock at the door.

"Come in."

Adelheid entered, still fully dressed despite the hour.

"Commander. Still awake."

It wasn’t a question.

"The documents don’t complete themselves."

"No. But they also don’t require you to kill yourself working."

Adelheid approached, looking at the organized chaos of papers.

"How much is left?"

"Ten documents. Three reports. A presentation for Kristina on monthly military expenses."

"And when did you last sleep?"

Kaito had to think.

"Yesterday. Three hours."

Adelheid sighed.

"That’s... unacceptable."

She sat in the chair across from the desk, taking half the documents.

"What are you doing?"

"Lightening your administrative load. These five are routine supply approvals. I can process them."

"But..."

"This isn’t a discussion. Give me the quill."

Kaito looked at her—determined expression, posture that admitted no argument.

He yielded.

They worked in silence for thirty minutes.

Adelheid signing approvals. Kaito completing more complex reports.

Her efficiency was remarkable—each document reviewed quickly but with appropriate attention.

Finally, she spoke.

"Commander. You need to delegate more. You can’t do everything."

"I know. But..."

"But you trust very few people with critical decisions. I understand."

She set down her quill.

"But you have us. The four of us. Use our abilities."

Adelheid stood, approaching a shelf where Kaito kept some personal books.

She took a thin one with a cover decorated with childish drawings.

"Do you know what this is?"

Kaito blinked.

"No... Where did that come from?"

"The village children made it. Stories about you. Illustrations of battles. Poems about ’the king who came from another world.’"

Adelheid opened it, showing a page with a colorful drawing—Kaito standing before a dragon (clearly an exaggerated Eldric).

"They call you hero. Protector. Friend."

She turned pages, showing more drawings.

"But they also draw you tired. Working alone. Not smiling."

She reached the last page—a drawing of Kaito surrounded by the four queens and citizens.

All smiling.

Text below in clumsy child’s handwriting:

"Our king doesn’t have to be alone. He has us."

Kaito felt something tighten in his throat.

"I... didn’t know they made this."

"Because you’re too busy to notice."

Adelheid set the book on the desk.

"Rest, Commander. At least three hours. I’ll finish these documents."

"Adelheid, you don’t need to..."

"Yes, I do. Because seeing you like this... it hurts me."

She touched his cheek with unexpected tenderness.

"Please. Rest."

Kaito nodded slowly.

"Three hours. But wake me if there’s an emergency."

"Promise."

---

Kaito’s Room — Next Day, Afternoon

Kaito had slept five hours finally.

Not by choice—Adelheid had "forgotten" to wake him.

Now he was in his room, reviewing more documents, when Lilith entered without knocking.

"My king. We need to talk about your... situation."

"What situation?"

Lilith closed the door behind her.

She walked with feline grace, approaching.

"The situation where you work until you collapse. Where you barely eat. Where your body is so tense you probably can’t turn your neck fully."

She demonstrated by touching his shoulder.

Kaito winced—he hadn’t expected how sore he was.

"I see. Valid point."

Lilith smiled—not her usual seductive smile, but something softer.

"Then allow me to help. In my way."

"What...?"

"Sit on the bed. Back to me."

Kaito hesitated.

"Lilith..."

"It’s not seduction. Well, not only seduction."

Her eyes gleamed with amusement.

"It’s genuine care. Now sit."

Kaito obeyed.

Lilith sat behind him, her hands touching his shoulders.

She began to massage—firm pressure, expert technique.

Kaito almost groaned in relief.

"Where... did you learn this?"

"Centuries of experience, my king. I’ve learned many ways to make men relax."

Her hands worked knotted muscles with precision.

"Though I admit, this is more therapeutic than... other variants."

Despite the implication, her tone was light.

They worked in silence for ten minutes.

Kaito feeling tension slowly dissolve.

"You know," Lilith said eventually, "you don’t have to carry everything alone."

"We already had this conversation."

"And clearly you didn’t listen."

Her hands moved to his neck.

"You have four queens. Use our strengths. Adelheid for military administration. Me for politics and diplomacy."

"Naporia for... well, intimidation when necessary. And Valeria for logistics requiring absolute precision."

"I know. But..."

"But you feel responsible for everything. As if delegating were admitting weakness."

Lilith leaned in, speaking near his ear.

"But real strength is knowing when to ask for help."

Kaito closed his eyes.

"You’re right. As always."

"Of course."

Her hands moved to his shoulders again.

"Now rest. At least for this hour. Let me worry about you."

"Does this count as seduction?"

"Maybe a little."

Kaito laughed despite himself.

"Honest too."

"Always with you."

She continued massaging until she felt Kaito’s muscles completely relax.

Finally, she stopped.

"Better?"

"Much. Thank you, Lilith."

"You’re welcome, my king."

She leaned in and kissed his cheek softly before leaving.

Leaving Kaito feeling... cared for.

---

Training Field — Night

Kaito tried to train—release stress through physical movement.

It wasn’t working well.

He was too exhausted.

Naporia watched from the side with an expression that mixed concern and frustration.

Finally, she couldn’t hold back.

"Enough!"

Kaito lowered his sword.

"What?"

Naporia walked toward him, snatching the sword from his hand.

"You’re exhausted. Your movements are slow. Your form is terrible."

"Thanks for the analysis."

"It’s not analysis. It’s a concerned observation."

Naporia looked directly at him.

"Sleep. Or I’ll knock you out and carry you to your bed myself."

Kaito raised an eyebrow.

"Are you threatening your king?"

"Yes."

No hesitation.

Kaito almost laughed.

"Fine. Message received."

Naporia didn’t move.

"I don’t trust that you’ll actually sleep."

"So?"

"So I’ll escort you."

And she did—literally walking alongside Kaito to his room.

When they arrived, Naporia entered too.

"Lie down."

"Naporia, this is..."

"It’s nothing inappropriate. Just making sure you actually sleep."

Kaito, too tired to argue, lay down on the bed.

Naporia sat in a nearby chair.

Awkward silence.

Finally, Kaito spoke.

"Are you going to stay all night?"

"Until you fall asleep."

"That might take time."

"I have patience."

More silence.

Then, unexpectedly, Naporia began to hum.

A soft melody. Ancient. Beautiful.

Kaito looked at her, surprised.

"Are you... singing?"

"A lullaby. From my empire. Before I was sealed."

Her voice was surprisingly melodic.

"Mothers sang it to children. Soldiers sang it before battles. To calm nerves."

She continued humming.

Kaito felt his eyelids growing heavy.

"I didn’t know you could sing."

"There are many things you don’t know about me."

The melody continued.

Soft. Rhythmic. Comforting.

And before he knew it, Kaito was sleeping.

Naporia continued singing softly for several more minutes.

Making sure he was sleeping deeply.

Then she stood, covering Kaito with a blanket.

"Good night, mon général."

And she left silently.

---

Kaito’s Office — Early Morning, Three Days Later

Kaito woke at his desk.

He had been reviewing reports. Must have fallen asleep.

But the reports... were completed.

In handwriting that wasn’t his.

Precise. Mechanical. Perfect.

Valeria.

He looked around. She was in the corner of the room, silently organizing documents.

"Valeria. How long have you been here?"

"Three hours."

"Why?"

"Assistance function. I observed you were overworked. Completed tasks that didn’t require critical decision-making."

Valeria approached with newly organized documents.

"Inventories. Patrol schedules. Supply requisitions. All processed."

Kaito looked at the work—flawless.

"Thank you. But... how did you know what to do?"

"Observation. I have been observing your work patterns for weeks."

"I identify repetitive tasks I can execute without direct supervision."

She sat across from him.

"Commander. Personal question."

"Go ahead."

"What was your life like? Before summoning. Before Avernor. In your world."

Kaito blinked, surprised by the question.

"My world. Japan. It was... different."

He leaned back, remembering.

"I was a university student. History. No real direction. No purpose."

"I lived with my parents. Studied. Played video games. Nothing extraordinary."

"Friends?"

"A few. Not many. I was more of an observer than a participant. Even in Japan, that was being part of 90% of the population."

Valeria processed that.

"So Avernor was the first time you... mattered?"

Kaito considered the question.

"Yes. When I was summoned as a hero, suddenly I had purpose. Importance."

"But then they discarded me when I wasn’t what they expected."

"And you met Adelheid."

"Yes. She was... the first person who saw me as a person. Not as a useful tool or disappointment."

He smiled slightly and pulled out Adelheid’s card.

"She was chained up in this, like all of you. Being transported. And when I freed her, she could have easily killed me."

"But she didn’t."

"No. Instead, she asked my name. My story. And offered to leave together to create this."

"And that... meant something."

"Everything."

Valeria nodded slowly.

"I understand. Being seen as a person instead of a function. It is... powerful."

She looked directly at Kaito.

"You do that for me. For all of us."

"What?"

"You see us as people. Not as weapons. Not as tools."

"Even when functions are convenient, you never reduce us to just that."

She paused.

"That is why we work so hard. Because we want to reciprocate that."

Kaito felt something warm in his chest.

"Thank you, Valeria. For the work. And for... this."

He gestured vaguely between them.

"Genuine conversation."

"You’re welcome, Commander."

Valeria stood.

"Now rest for two more hours. I will continue processing routine documents."

And she did—silently, efficiently, without fanfare.

But the care was tangible.

---

Hallway — Next Day

Adelheid was walking toward the war room when she saw it.

Lilith in the hallway with Kaito.

Discussing something diplomatic probably.

But Lilith’s hand rested on Kaito’s arm.

Casual. Natural.

Too familiar.

Adelheid felt something twist in her stomach.

Jealousy.

She knew it was irrational. Lilith was a councilor. Contact was normal.

But still.

She continued walking, passing them with a polite greeting.

But the image lingered.

That night, working alone in her office, she processed it.

I spend more time with Kaito than anyone. In strategic meetings. Planning defenses.

But those are professional moments.

Lilith has different moments. Private ones.

Does that matter?

She had no answer.

---

Naporia noticed patterns.

Adelheid had constant access to Kaito.

Strategic meetings. Twice a day. Sometimes three.

While Naporia...

Trained mostly alone.

Saw Kaito at formal dinners. Occasionally on patrols.

But she had no professional excuse for constant private time.

Frustration grew.

Not because she didn’t trust Adelheid.

But because she wanted... more.

More time. More conversations. More moments like when she sang the lullaby.

But how to ask without seeming needy?

--- 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Valeria was processing new sensations.

When Kaito smiled upon seeing her, she felt... something.

Warm. Strange. Not unpleasant.

When she completed tasks for him, she felt... pride.

When she imagined he might be in danger, she felt... fear.

These were emotions she was learning to name.

But she didn’t fully understand.

Was this friendship? Loyalty? Something more?

She had no context for comparison.

And asking someone seemed... vulnerable.

So she processed alone.

Confused but fascinated.

---

Aria’s Office

Aria saw everything.

The four queens subtly competing for Kaito’s attention.

Adelheid with professionalism that hid deeper affection.

Lilith with subtle seduction that was more genuine than she admitted.

Naporia with direct frankness that concealed insecurity.

Valeria with confusion that revealed emotional awakening.

And Kaito—completely oblivious to the dynamic.

Or perhaps aware but unsure how to address it.

Aria noted in her journal:

"Tension between the queens is increasing. Not hostile yet, but competitive.

Kaito needs to address this before it explodes.

But how do I tell him without seeming like I’m interfering?

This is going to get much more complicated before it gets better."

She closed the journal with a sigh.

Someday—soon—this would explode.

And when it did...

She hoped Kaito would be prepared.