One of the many waifus I failed to give enough scenes in '100 Waifus' was Nekone. With 100 characters all competing for writing attention, it's easy even for insanely lovable characters like her to get lost in the shuffle. Inserted into chapter 55 for the sake of my newest re-read, hopefully this scene makes up some of the difference:
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"Nekone,
given your magical healing powers that could easily fit in at the
hospital, do you really want to keep the despised role of tax
collector?" As the head of the entire State's finances, which
was the organic outgrowth of her role as the head of the household's
finances, Nekone was both the procurer of funds and the paymaster of
them to all the beneficiaries of the citizen's dividend as well as
State employees like the military, the mansion's staff, city hall,
park rangers, the research institute, emergency responders and
police. She also had to order everything necessary to keep the
mansion supplied, as well as track the inflow and outflow of money
and set the tax rates to make sure everything stayed in the black.
The money had to come from somewhere. An entire commandment out of
the ten was dedicated to people paying their taxes so that the
citizen's dividend could exist. It was truly my imposition on the
people, but as Nekone was the face of that commandment she received
all the hostility for it.
"It's
true that I'm a great healer, but the hospital is already overstocked
with miracle workers. I served during your regency of Anju's
restoration to the throne, so I'm uniquely
suited for this. I like that you entrusted me with such an important
role. Isn't it reassuring for the finances to be handled by an
incorruptible, intelligent, hardworking and responsible waifu like
me?" Nekone smiled confidently across the Mayor's oaken desk
from me in the guest of honor's chair.
Indeed,
Nekone had been the youngest person to ever pass the Imperial Exams
necessary to join the government, and had been taking care of her
brother's estate, one of the highest nobility in the land, even
before then. It's like she had skipped childhood entirely and been
born full grown like Athena. My own personal goddess of wisdom -- complete with kemonomimi, a tail, a mole under one of her eyes, the
most beautiful voice imaginable, and a tsundere personality. You
couldn't custom order a model with more moe points per cubic
centimeter to fit inside her adorably cute small frame.
The
only thing more beautiful than Nekone's body was her heart. Even at
her tender age, she'd been brave enough to support me through every
trying day, on the battlefield or off, and only cry herself to sleep
alone at night
over the loss of her brother.
"My
regency has stretched on rather long this time, huh?" I smiled
nostalgically.
"Mattaku-da."
Nekone agreed tartly. "Anii-sama asked me to support you as
his dying wish, but isn't it a little unfair to rope me in for
eternity?"
"You're
the government's heart and lungs. I couldn't rule without you. It's
a thankless task, but if you're willing to keep at it, let me thank
you in everyone else's stead." I bowed solemnly.
"The
day you died, leaving me forlorn twice over, was the worst day of my
life. For us to be reunited here as husband and wife is a miracle
I'll gladly repay forever." Nekone responded, wrapping both of
her small hands around one of mine while looking into my eyes as a
sign of her not-often-exposed sincerity.
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