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ResetAfter receiving his winter bonus, he heads back to his home.
His mind is preoccupied with Christmas. It's just around the corner.
If it had been until last year, he would have managed to carve out time to spend with Misae, his ex-wife.
But didn't she always bail on their plans, claiming she wanted to spend Christmas with her family?
"……Hindsight is twenty-twenty. It was probably an affair all along."
She'd say she wanted to be with her family… like he wasn't part of it or something.
Looking back, there were certainly signs that Misae was cheating……
Why didn't I notice?
Maybe because I worked for a slave-driving company……? "…………"
After parting ways with Misae, I jumped ship to a new, fair-minded workplace.
Surrounded by beautiful women, I'm living a life of absolute ease and comfort.
What a fulfilling life I'm leading.
...Yeah, I'm actually pretty happy with how things are right now. Especially when it comes to the women in my life.
Surrounded by beauties, having meals made for me, and keeping a physical relationship going with them. It’s happiness beyond compare.
...That’s why I can’t break free from this dynamic. "......"
The Prince and Ichika are both moving forward.
Even though Ichika is standing in the same spot as me, she holds onto a strong desire to 'marry me and live our lives together.'
Simply having the will to change the status quo puts her ahead of me.
...I just can’t find the energy to move from where I am right now.
Last year’s events were a real shock, and... maybe it’s just the age catching up to me.
Like once you sit down in a chair, it takes a huge effort to get back up.
Like being unable to leave a kotatsu on a cold day.
It takes a massive amount of force just to take one step forward.
I feel like that strength is wearing thin year after year.
...Having already hit my thirties, the incident with Misae had drained me completely; I no longer had the will to get back on my feet.
...I knew deep down that staying like this wasn't good for me.
But... the strength just wouldn't come. What was I supposed to do?
...Thinking about it all, in the end, I just chose to stay where I was.
【★☆Important Notice to Our Readers☆★】
Since the short story recently received such favorable feedback, I've started a serialized version!
『【Serialized Edition】The Grand Magus Lives a Leisurely Life in the Countryside～I Was Kicked Out of the Hero's Party with the Line "We Don't Need Any Fags Here," but It Turned Out They Just Stole My Levels to Share Among Themselves. The Curse Is Broken and I've Been Weakened, But That Doesn't Concern Me Anymore.』
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