Hearing the name Ichinose Ayano, Horigome China pursed her lips and explained in a low voice.
Recently, she had heard many things from Ayano about needing to struggle hard, not letting her father control her fate, and such; she had also been encouraged by Ayano to tell outsiders about the unspeakable matters at home and seek a solution.
But she felt that as a politician's daughter, Ayano was not much better off than herself; marriage also couldn't be decided by herself, so she didn't want to make her good friend worry.
If she could find a way, it wouldn't be too late to tell Ayano then.
"Why don't you tell us the situation first? What kind of trouble do you want to commission us for?", Hachiman pondered for a moment and asked, then added another sentence when he saw Horigome China constantly looking at the people in the activity room, "Don't worry, we won't leak your privacy. I have a good relationship with Ayano, and you came to me because you trust me, right?"
"...That's right, this matter is a bit hard to talk about. My mother remarried when I was young and brought me along to marry my stepfather, but the two have been married for many years and still have no children," Horigome China glanced at Hachiman and then at the beautiful girls all around, gritted her teeth, and finally decided to speak out about her situation.
"Now my stepfather wants a boy to carry on the family name and inherit the Horigome family..."
"Allow me to interrupt, infertility issues should be dealt with at a hospital, why are you coming to the Service Club?", Yukinoshita Yukino interrupted Horigome China's hesitant explanation with a cold face.
The Service Club isn't a hospital, how could they handle such things like infertility?
"No, what I mean is... my stepfather, he wants me to take my mother's place...", Horigome China's face turned red, and she stammered out the main point.
Her mother and stepfather's infertility wasn't the issue, the issue was that she had been dragged into it and subjected to an unbelievably outrageous demand.
Today was the final deadline. Her mother hadn't stood up for her, choosing silence toward her stepfather's request. She truly didn't know what to do.
"So Horigome-san is asking the president to help you give b*rth to a boy? The president is really busy right now, he might not have time to satisfy you," Originally intending to just watch, Iris blinked as she heard Horigome China's words, showing a troubled and conflicted look.
The president's life force is so strong, using it just to satisfy someone's request for a boy would be a waste. This kind of support request going to the president... could it be she likes the president and only wants his help?
"Ah???", Hearing Iris's words, Horigome China widened her eyes and looked at her in a daze.
What was she saying? Why couldn't she understand what the Elf Princess was talking about?
"Wait a minute, Iris, I think you misunderstood, Horigome-san said it's her stepfather who wants a child, not that she wants a child herself," Yukinoshita Yukino frowned heavily. She had just been planning to denounce Horigome China's stepfather for his unreasonable and p*rverted request, but upon hearing Iris's words, she forgot to denounce and instead quickly clarified things to this elf princess from another world.
"Misunderstanding? Didn't she say it was about carrying on the family line? Then wouldn't finding someone to have a child solve the problem?", Iris looked at Yukinoshita Yukino and Horigome China in confusion, showing she couldn't understand.
She remembered that here, when a woman marries a man, she changes her surname, and if a man marries into the woman's family, he also changes his surname and becomes part of her family. The child born also naturally becomes a member of that family.
So doesn't that mean, as long as there's a child to inherit the family business, it's enough?
In this case, it doesn't have to be the president. Horigome-san could find a boy she likes to give birth to a child to inherit the Horigome family. The president's precious energy shouldn't be wasted. The elf girls in their tribe are all still waiting.
"Um... Iris, Horigome-san's biological father isn't her stepfather, so if she gives birth to a child herself, it wouldn't be part of her stepfather's bloodline," Ijichi Nijika, who had come to the Service Club as a client, originally didn't want to speak. This was the Service Club's business, and it would be improper for her to interrupt. Bbut hearing such earth-shattering remarks from Iris, she had no choice but to speak up and help explain.
No matter how troublesome Horigome China's issue was, it shouldn't be something like asking Hachiman to help her have a child. The two were classmates but had almost no interaction, how could such a thing happen?
If that happened, what about Yumiko?
Iris and Hachiman seemed to have a very close relationship, how could Hachiman be allowed to do such an outrageous thing?
"Does the child for carrying on the family name have to be biologically related? Isn't inheriting the surname and family business enough? Although the president can't marry into the Horigome family, I'm sure there are many boys willing to," After hearing Ijichi Nijika's explanation, Iris was even more confused. She blinked and looked at the stunned Ijichi Nijika, Yukinoshita Yukino, and the others.
Actually, before coming here, she had researched local customs. Women marry into the man's family and change surnames, and men who marry into the woman's family also change surnames and become part of her family.
As long as one is capable, a son-in-law can inherit the woman's family business, and the child born would still be a legitimate heir.
This method of family expansion felt similar to the reproductive methods of their elf tribe.
In the elf tribe, a female elf who wants a child prays at the spring of the elf mother tree, which then nurtures a new elf and gives the child her surname, making them a family.
Even princesses like her were adopted by the elf queen. Otherwise, with how hard it is for elves to get pregnant, she couldn't possibly have so many sisters like Aegis, Lumilia, and Nina.
However, now the elf spring had dried up, and high elves could no longer be born through the mother tree. They had to rely on physical reproduction.
The stronger the life force, the higher the quality of the newborn elf after assistance.
That was also why Iris insisted on Hachiman, even having many elf girls from her tribe sent over, assisting in reproduction with the president was more efficient.
Horigome China's issue didn't need to trouble the president. That time and energy would be better spent helping girls like Sylpha. She hadn't even found a chance for them to receive the president's support yet.
"...", Ijichi Nijika.
"...", Horigome China.
Ijichi Nijika didn't know that Iris and Hachiman had already formed an "assistance" relationship and still thought it was just cultural differences, so she didn't know how to respond for a moment.
Horigome China didn't want to accept her stepfather's outrageous demand, but being told to just find a boy to deal with it. She didn't want that either.
"Actually, what Iris said is right, an heir doesn't have to be biologically related. Adoption or marriage into the family are both common ways," Yukinoshita Yukino looked at the uneasy Horigome China and suddenly spoke with a blank expression, breaking the awkward silence.
"The essence of marrying into a family is valuing talent as family, making the wise kin. As long as it ensures the business continues to thrive and the family prospers, that's enough."
"But I still suggest your stepfather and mother go get checked to find the root problem, or just go adopt a child from an orphanage."
"The Service Club is not a place to help you have a child."
Even though Hachiman hadn't agreed or refused yet, there was no way she would let him become a husband just for a commission and have a child.
"Hachiman, what about you? Why haven't you said anything?", Lala, being impatient, looked around, saw no one speaking, and walked over to shake Hachiman's shoulder.
"What opinion could I have? Just follow the vice president's lead, see whether your stepfather only wants an heir or insists it be you. If you can't talk to your parents, we'll think about it more later," Hachiman shook his head and grabbed Lala's hands off his shoulders, then shrugged at Yukinoshita Yukino.
Horigome China's stepfather's request was ridiculous, but she didn't have strong resistance, she simply couldn't accept it. He couldn't just go and kill her stepfather on a whim.
Helping her have a child was even more unlikely. Horigome China didn't like him, and this wasn't even her own desire. He wasn't about to assist her the way he did Iris.
"...If you don't want to accept your stepfather's demand, you have to reject it first, not just sit here hesitating," Yukinoshita Yukino looked at Horigome China with a stern face. She was annoyed that Hachiman always hinted she was just the vice president, but right now, that was her stance.
If Horigome China liked someone and wanted advice, or if she was being harassed and wanted help, that was all acceptable.
But this kind of absurd request from her stepfather? If she didn't firmly reject it herself, there was nothing they could do to help.
After all, her stepfather hadn't f*rced her yet, the Service Club could only offer suggestions.
"This... Then I'll go home tonight and ask if he's willing to adopt a child or wait until I find someone I like to marry... Thank you all...", Seeing that Hachiman, Iris, and Yukinoshita Yukino had all given their responses, and no one else objected, Horigome China bit her lip, stood up, and bowed to thank them before leaving.
She knew her problem was difficult to solve.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have hidden it from Ayano and gone to a group of strangers.
Faced with a ridiculous request from her stepfather and silence from her mother, she really didn't know what to do and felt overwhelmed.
At least now she knew there weren't just two choices, accept or refuse, maybe she could find another way to carry on the family name.
"Wait, Horigome-san, did your stepfather give you a deadline?", Iris looked at the visibly disheartened Horigome China and stopped her before she walked out the door.
"...He didn't say, he just keeps pleading with me...", Horigome China looked at Iris and fell silent for a moment before replying softly.
Her once kind stepfather suddenly asked her to do such a thing, and her mother chose to remain indifferent. Even if she didn't want to accept it, she didn't know how to say no.
"Got it."
Iris nodded, watched her leave the Service Club, and then said quietly.
"She's not strong-willed enough, she probably won't be able to strongly refuse her stepfather's request."
Theoretically, there were many ways to handle this, but based on how Horigome China only considered accepting or refusing, she didn't have a strong resistance mindset. No matter how many methods there were, if her stepfather was forceful or pleaded until she softened, it would be hard to help.
"I'll talk to Ayano later, see what she thinks. We can't help solve the stepfather issue only for her to plead on his behalf afterward."
Hachiman shook his head helplessly. Based on Horigome China's story, he finally remembered who she was.
Unfortunately, her request hadn't triggered a mission like "Exterminate the Wicked Father."
And with no system mission, and Horigome China not asking him to do anything specific, he couldn't just go kill her stepfather out of dislike.
That would just make her hate him, how awkward would that be?
"I'll have Sylpha keep an eye on her after school. She used to be a forest guardian and is skilled in stealth and sniping, perfect for tailing people. If Horigome-san doesn't reject her stepfather, we won't interfere. If she does, then we'll help," Iris smiled sweetly and nodded. She didn't want to interfere too much in the president's personal life, who he liked, she would try to support. A few more ordinary girls weren't a big deal.
But Horigome China, though pretty and close to Ayano, had no connection to the president. Best not to waste his time or energy.
"By the way, Vice President Yukinoshita, even when Horigome-san was facing such an absurd demand, you didn't scold her? I thought you would," Hachiman turned to Yukinoshita Yukino and asked with a smirk.
"Mm-hmm!", Hayase Saki nodded hard beside him.
She had been scolded by the vice president before. She felt that Horigome China was dumber than she was, how could she even consider such a thing with her stepfather? Why wasn't Yukinoshita scolding her?
"...", Yukinoshita Yukino silently looked at Hachiman without replying.
Her own family situation wasn't as ridiculous as Horigome China's.
But sometimes, she too had to face decisions at home she couldn't refuse.
Even she couldn't always fight back, what right did she have to scold Horigome China?
"Actually, Horigome-san is pretty cute. Hachiman, were you moved? If she asked you to help her get pr*gnant, she'd become your girlfriend, maybe even your wife," Ijichi Nijika looked around and saw that few others had spoken, so she looked at Hachiman with a grin.
Everyone in the Service Club was a girl, and all of them were beautiful. This was too weird.
Now that Lala and Iris were also sticking around, she started to suspect that maybe all these girls had privately 'bullied' Hachiman.
A politician's daughter, an elf princess from another world, so many girls bullying one guy, it was insane.
It was probably what Hachiman liked, but still, it was pretty scary. Who would've thought.
Oh well, Ijichi Nijika suddenly remembered that she and Yumiko had also done that in the classroom, so she stopped overthinking. Everyone was the same after all.
"Pretty girls can be found anywhere, but this kind of thing isn't about just looks," Hachiman waved his hand. He wouldn't easily reject pretty girls who came to him, but things like this required mutual consent and understanding.
Horigome China clearly didn't have feelings for him, why should he help her? He already had more pretty girls around than he could handle, why bother with her?
"All right, Hachiman, then it's time for my request, right? Where's that music-specialty, guitar-prodigy you promised? That introverted, social-anxiety girl Bocchi-chan, why isn't she here yet?", Ijichi Nijika stared at Hachiman. Seeing he had no interest in Horigome China, she stopped worrying about Yumiko and changed the topic to something easier.
She was performing tomorrow. She hadn't practiced with the band, and Hachiman had flaked on her several times already.
Better to worry about herself, Yumiko's love life could wait.
"Bocchi-chan, huh... Actually, she's already here. She's just too scared to come in," Hachiman saw that Ijichi Nijika couldn't wait anymore, so he stood up, walked out of the activity room, and carried in a trembling pink-haired creature curled up in a ball, holding a guitar case in the other hand.
He had called Gotou Hitori to the Service Club. There was no way Gotou Hitori would refuse a request from a good friend like him.
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