The gathering of the continent’s rulers was enough to put the Hohenberc family on edge.
The Saintess Party’s return.
It sparked a meeting between Emperor Barbarossa and Holy King Boern.
The Empire’s knights and the Holy Kingdom’s Holy Knights kept a thorough watch around the reception room. The Luinong seemed to be fascinated by the dazzling armor and weapons, circling around them like curious little puppies.
“Wow, so stiff!”
“……”
The tiny palm of a Luinong patted the shining armor clad in silver. It seemed particularly intriguing as it sparkled under the corridor lights.
The chaos and noise continued.
The once silent hallway was now bustling with the innocent gasps of little girls. The knights and Holy Knights lined up to secure the corridor displayed their confusion. Though they wanted to shoo away the little troublemakers, there was no specific order to do so, so they held their ground.
I bet if they made a loud noise, they’d scatter.
If the little ones got startled and started crying… just imagining it is scary.
If news spread that fairies playing nearby had been frightened, a raging storm of fury would rain down on the Emperor and Holy King.
No act of rudeness against the Hohenberc family was to be tolerated,
– such was the strict order they had to adhere to.
Interest and excitement would soon fade away.
Especially true for impulsive little children.
Hold on.
Just a little more patience.
The knights and Holy Knights maintaining their positions murmured these thoughts as they stubbornly endured the interruptions.
Could their sincere desires have been conveyed?
“Edanant von Hohenberc, you thieving scoundrel—!!!”
A thunderous roar, bursting forth from heightened emotions, chased all the Luinong away.
*
Choose your fate.
Will it be punishment by hanging,
or will you face the flames?
A cruel selection was presented to the debauched scoundrel, who had his three legs exposed.
All his previous messy love affairs were laid bare. The wedding rings gifted to both Ludmilla and Zebeline were undeniable proof of his infidelity.
“Father-in-law! Did you know about this too?”
“N-no! How could I possibly know about this scandal?!”
To Otto, Edanant was as precious a son as Maximilian, something he would never trade for anything in the world.
However,
today he decided to give up.
The audacious scandal that led to the simultaneous downfall of the Second Imperial Princess, the Third Imperial Princess, and the First Saintess had even managed to crush his sturdy paternal affection like a sandcastle. Thus, he tried to distance himself while claiming he was unaffected.
“Your Majesty, please calm down.”
“Calm down? You expect me to sit tight after my daughter’s been stolen?!”
That damned thief,
that accursed scoundrel.
The names for Edanant grew more savage.
“I-I already knew…”
“You knew? So you were aware he was being unfaithful?”
Hadn’t he refrained from allowing the daughters to enter into polygamy due to their sincerity? He had granted leniency, yet the revelation of his courting the First Saintess ignited feelings of betrayal.
“How thrilling this all is.”
“Spreading his legs between the Empire and Holy Kingdom…! Truly, Edan is something else.”
The Mercenary King and Sword Saint, casually leaning against the wall, gasped in genuine awe.
It truly was a magnificent achievement.
To manage the hearts of saints and princesses.
One could almost applaud such boldness that would risk a life for the sake of a harem.
“Want some popcorn?”
“Sure!”
Felix offered up the popcorn.
With an enthusiastic response from Rue, who was watching in the reception room.
“Your Majesty, let’s not rashly act out of anger. It won’t solve anything, right?”
“Cough…!”
While Emperor Barbarossa’s face turned red with anger, Boern remained calm and serene, as usual.
The Holy Kingdom encouraged free love.
That was because Earth Mother Gael has an incredibly liberal view on love.
Thus, they didn’t bat an eye at the Second Saintess Beatrice having four partners. It was somewhat distasteful and wildly private, but it didn’t violate the Holy Kingdom’s doctrine.
“If the First Saintess consents, then I will too.”
“What a cowardly response! The man who raised the daughters like precious gems feels robbed by the loss of his empire!”
And who wouldn’t be upset?
They were daughters you could never bear to hurt.
The Mercenary King and Sword Saint, enjoying their popcorn, nodded in agreement.
“I can’t say I don’t understand your feelings, but… I sincerely adore Edanant.”
“I love Edanant too! If it’s not Edanant, I’ll never marry!”
Both Ludmilla and Elizaveta, summoned to the reception room, hammered a proverbial nail into their father’s heart. They were ready to do anything to get their marriage approved.
Raising daughters seems utterly pointless.
Once they find a man they like, their hearts sway that way.
As if to prove that point, the beautiful princesses of the Valtarian Empire thoroughly defended Edanant. It seemed they would love him no matter how much of a playboy he was.
“I will bring down appropriate punishment for deceiving me with that wedding ring…”
“……”
Crack!
Ludmilla gripped Edanant’s shoulder harshly.
The thought of her shoulder bones cracking loomed large.
Her immense strength, fueled by betrayal, was beyond imagination.
“That damn playboy. My sister and I will fix him, so could you allow our marriage?”
As the youngest daughter clutched her sleeves, imploring earnestly, the Emperor’s face, previously filled with rage and betrayal, began to show signs of wavering.
So you really like that damned scoundrel?
The traitor to the Empire, who betrayed his trust and affection.
As the second and third daughters confessed their feelings sincerely, the Emperor nodded to the idea of their marriage, as if in a state of despair. That bold declaration of “If it’s not Edanant, I’ll never marry!” swayed his heart tremendously.
Ugh! If only Isabel were here, I could have convinced Mila and Liza… No, wait. Isabel seemed to like him from the very start.
The First Imperial Princess Isabel, who had succeeded in a love marriage with her husband, hoped her sisters would also find happiness in love. That’s why, when Ludmilla expressed her affection for Edanant, she promptly supported the idea of their marriage.
Love marriages.
In a high society where political marriages for wealth and power were rampant, it was a rather unique case.
Wishing for her children to marry those they love. Even Barbarossa, like his eldest daughter, genuinely wished for his sons and daughters to marry whom they loved, as the late Empress would have wanted.
“Your Majesty! No, Father! Please give me… give me all your daughters!”
“Thief?!”
Now was the time.
If not now, the opportunity would never come again.
Betting the fate of the Hohenberc family and the honor of his father, he boldly made the gamble of a lifetime. Since only a direct approach could secure survival in this situation, he chose without hesitation.
Clears throat!
“Wh-what sudden proclamation is this…?”
The boyfriend asking for his daughters’ hands in marriage.
The father who could absolutely never approve of this union.
Ludmilla and Elizaveta, who found themselves in a situation they thought was only in romance novels, coughed awkwardly or covered their blushing faces, bursting into silly laughter.
“You’ve already made your answer. Speak up already.”
“Well… the Creator Deity is finally bringing retribution upon the ill-tempered tyrant.”
It truly was divine retribution.
Barbarossa clenched his eyes shut, recalling the mistakes of his past life flashing before him. It was as if he felt he deserved this punishment.
“Come to think of it… didn’t I already submit the marriage contract?”
“Shh! Don’t ruin the romantic mood with empty talk.”
Twitch, twitch.
As Barbarossa trembled, suppressing his rampaging emotions, he finally spoke up.
“Fine! I understand, damn playboy! I will allow you to have Mila and Liza as your partners! You will be the son-in-law of the Valtarian Empire!”
“Thank you.”
“I will declare; I shall never show such clemency again as I have today. If you ever make Mila and Liza cry… I will mobilize all of the Empire’s forces to annihilate the Hohenberc family.”
“I shall remember.”
If such an occurrence were to arise, he would likely be killed first by Ludmilla and Elizaveta. Before the Emperor’s army could react, tyranny and death would turn the Marquisate of Hohenberc into a battlefield.
Tyranny’s Disaster.
Death’s Disaster.
The peak of the disaster-god that would doom humanity and destroy the world.
Should a domestic dispute occur, survival would be anything but guaranteed.
For the sake of the family’s continuation and domestic peace, they had to prevent any conflicts between couples at all costs.
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