Chapter: 791
Lynn is quite the well-rounded prodigy, blending both martial and noble elegance into her character.
Being a member of the Yoris family, she’s got above-average goods from the start, and during her time at the Academy, she even joined the flower arrangement club, honing her artistic sense and manual skills. On top of that, during the class competitions, she achieved first place, crushing representatives from every grade and class with her horseback riding skills.
What stands out here is her top-notch riding ability at the Academy. Riding in this era isn’t just about handling a horse; it requires a strong connection with the animal and the stamina to handle the vibrations. Weaklings have no right to sit atop a horse.
Because of this, Lynn is among the stronger ladies among the six wives. Sure, she falls short against some priest who uses magic to dope up, but still, she’s definitely superior compared to the average person.
“Are you okay?”
“I… can’t move…”
Of course, with her superior skills, she can’t beat me.
This outcome is pretty much expected. Mar, who carries the bloodline of the Iron Blood Duke, the magically enhanced Trixie and Rize, and the well-respected Pina—all these formidable fighters would fall to me, so Lynn doesn’t stand a chance either.
Still, the fact that she collapsed from stiffness and not outright fainting deserves some applause. That alone showcases her commendable mental fortitude.
“Sorry. I might’ve been too harsh. I should’ve gone a little easier.”
“No way!”
As I expressed a bit of regret, Lynn’s voice turned firm.
“I want to give our Alina a sibling too. It wouldn’t be fair if only Mar and Rize have kids while I’m left empty-handed.”
Her unwavering determination made me chuckle.
Well, she’s right. With Trixie already having triplets, and both Mar and Rize returning from their honeymoon with a second child, it would be pretty sad for Lynn to go back without any progeny.
Actually, it wouldn’t just be sad; it would be downright catastrophic. There are enough nasty gossips floating around, and if Lynn returned without a child, someone might audaciously say, “It seems like the Executive Manager is neglecting his fourth wife.” That’s simply unacceptable.
“Our Alina would be overjoyed to have a direct little sibling.”
“What’s with the ‘direct’? It sounds so military.”
As Lynn giggled, it seemed like the laughter shook her body enough that she started to squirm.
Sorry! I keep promising to hold back, yet I keep ending up like this. It seems love can’t be tamed by reason.
However, I could see a hint of happiness on Lynn’s face despite her discomfort. The joy of potentially having a second child outweighed the physical pain.
‘It should come, right?’
Suddenly worried about whether a second child would actually appear, I put my faith in my own strength and the blessing of the gods.
Whenever I set my mind to something, treasures always came my way. Even Trixie, who had to deal with the thick wall of racial differences, ended up with triplets.
So, I have absolutely no doubt that I’ll succeed this time as well. My eleventh child will definitely come along.
‘Eleven, huh.’
Thinking of such a gigantic number made my mouth twitch uncontrollably.
The foundation for FC Krasius is right around the corner. In less than five years after my first wedding, I’ve managed this feat.
At this rate, we could even have our own family soccer matches.
*
It seems like I might have mismanaged the schedule a bit.
I was supposed to be enjoying some quiet time with Lynn while staying for an extended period in Yuben, but the resort has turned into a chaotic hubbub.
‘What a miscalculation.’
Looking out the window at the bustling crowds below, I realized I made a rookie mistake when planning this trip.
A royal wedding from another country, no less—especially one of the two princes. No matter how much the bride and groom wanted a small, intimate ceremony, there’s a level of scale and prestige that’s unavoidable. The gathering of congratulatory envoys from various nations would be no small matter.
And on top of that, not only are envoys from around the continent gathered, but the nobles and citizens within Yuben are also cheering for Lather’s wedding.
“It’s gonna be a bit tough to wander around, huh?”
“Yeah.”
This noisy atmosphere and crowded streets make it hard to enjoy a private honeymoon.
‘And this is just the small version.’
If Lather had pursued a wedding befitting a prince of a great power, the number of envoys would have skyrocketed, and the royal family’s distribution of wealth to the common people would have expedited significantly.
In that case, it wouldn’t just be difficult to get around; even staying at this resort would have been a struggle. It must have been fully booked long before we arrived.
“Good thing you booked your room ahead of time.”
I inclined my head to look at Erich, who was shedding his coat.
He managed to arrive in Yuben just as all the other envoys were arriving. If he had come later, he would likely have been swept away in the crowd and have faced many curious noble eyes, making excuses of “I came in a personal capacity.” When you draw that much attention, it doesn’t matter whether you’re a public figure or just here as a person.
“I was worried about being homeless for a night. But thankfully, it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen.”
With Erich, it might have been okay to consider a night outdoors, but unfortunately, Erich didn’t come alone. He brought along Zenith, who’s recently become a mother, and Sarah, who’s pregnant.
“There’s four of us, and even our baby niece can’t crawl yet!”
“Didn’t Robert get left behind with your mother or at our mansion?”
“He did, but I felt bad for my parents to go on a trip without bringing the baby.”
Erich tenderly stroked Robert’s cheek with a loving expression.
He’s right. I left just-born Mary behind when I went to the Gerano Kingdom, but even then, her birth mother, Pina, was still at the mansion. Yet Mary cried her heart out, saying she just wanted to see her dad.
But leaving the kids behind is one thing… everyone is leaving their child? The loneliness and fear the child would feel are unimaginable.
“Why did Lather have to get married right now? If he’d waited until next year, I could have helped babysit our niece.”
“I thought it’d be better to bring him along instead of leaving him with you alone to play.”
Erich’s heartfelt words made me a bit disappointed. To disregard the goodwill of this childcare expert uncle is a sad affair.
“Ah, by the way, brother.”
“What?”
“I hear you got a title?”
An unexpected shiver ran down my spine.
“Where did you hear that?”
“From the sisters-in-law. A few days ago, a Baron’s seal arrived at the mansion, and I heard it comes with a territory. The territory is near Kroita.”
With that, I let out a deep sigh.
That Emperor bastard just sent the seal via my wives, fearing I might avoid him if he did it directly. While the title is a shackle for me, it’s a gift from the emperor to my wives.
I had no intention of dodging, but this is frustrating. He knows that once my wives recognize the title and the territory, there’s no way I can refuse.
“Oh, brother. A title? And a territory too?”
“…Yeah. That’s how it is.”
“Wait, what?”
Having been glued to my side for a while, Lynn quickly pieced the situation together.
When we were discussing taming buffalo, the noble who sought to purchase near the Behemoth’s territory got his title returned instead.
“I heard he received land, but I thought it would be more like a knight’s fief…”
“The Emperor’s grace turned out to be bigger than I expected.”
If I could, I’d love to say it’s a matter of convenience rather than grace, but I can’t openly express my constant disdain for the emperor in front of my family.
That bastard. When I return to the Empire, I’ll dive right into developing my barony. From now on, the word Kroita better be associated more with animals than with history.
“It’s a good thing. You’ve gained a title to pass down to your children, right? I wish I had that kind of luck.”
“I still have plenty of Leon titles left over.”
“If you have too many titles, your shoulders will get heavy.”
As I subtly suggested I might be willing to pass off a title bomb, Erich retreated quickly as if burned.
How dare my little brother try to tease me? It’s still going to be at least 300 more years before that happens.
“Well, the rooms are right next to each other, so if you need anything, just drop by. If there’s nothing to do until the wedding day, you might as well head to the western plains. Not many people around, but there’s a lot to see.”
“The western plains?”
“Robert would love to see our kids!”
They were kids who didn’t just fear animals but enjoyed them. Even the dragon Atelius could make the children’s eyes sparkle with excitement.
If Robert has some of that uncanny instinct too, he’ll love a safari tour. There are giraffes, elephants, buffalo, ostriches—just a bunch of everything!
“Our sisters-in-law must be exhausted from coming such a long way. They should just relax and come back right before the wedding.”
“Thank you so much, brother-in-law. I appreciate your kindness.”
Zenobia bowed her head while holding Robert close.
“Thanks—”
“Ah, stay still. The baby is suffering.”
“Ah, yes.”
Sarah, who has a noticeably rounder belly, took her sweet time to greet us.
Looking at this, it seems that having the whole family travel together isn’t such a bad idea after all. I wonder if we could take a family trip once all our kids hit over ten years old.
‘When exactly will that be?’
How big would the age gap between Pedi and our youngest child be? How many years would it take until even the youngest is over ten?
Just imagining it makes me chuckle uncontrollably.
*
As the wedding day approached, the royal palace became a hive of activity.
Envoys from across the continent, monarchs from the United Kingdom, nobles from all over the country flocked in. If anything, it would be stranger if there weren’t any commotion.
‘At least it’s not worse than it could have been.’
Thinking of my brother’s wedding, I sighed inwardly.
I wished we could have had a smaller, quieter ceremony, but given the royal name, that’s impossible. Compared to my brother’s wedding as the Crown Prince, I should be thankful it’s smaller in scale.
“However small, there will still be lots of gossip if it is made too small. This level of grandeur is appropriate for you and your lady.”
Rachel, who will soon be my wife, said just that a few days ago.
“Your Grace.”
“What’s the matter?”
Just as I was about to head toward the palace garden, a palace attendant approached and bowed.
“The Executive Manager of the Empire, Count Tannian, requests an audience with your Grace.”
“The Executive Manager?”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
My lips turned up in a slight smile at the unexpected and welcome guest.
It seems he must have sought an audience first to greet me before the other guests show up.
‘It’s a bit busy, but…’
Honestly, with the wedding right around the corner, I’m not exactly free, but since it’s someone from the Academy who’s had a connection with us, and also someone who’s worked hard in management, it’s necessary to meet.
Even if I’m busy, one should always uphold their duties.
“Here’s a gift from my second wife, Your Grace.”
I stared blankly at the pile of papers in my hands.
Well, I’m glad for keeping my duties.
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