Chapter 293
Chapter 293
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 292. Two Grandmasters (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Your Highness, are you alright…?”
I asked her with a flustered look on my face.
The princess waved it off, saying she was fine.
“Yeah, it must be because it’s been a while since I had tea. The aroma hit me a bit strong.”
“That’s… all it is, right…?”
At the princess’s calm words, I nodded with effort.
Still, noble imperial royals were always accustomed to tea aromas… It felt like there was some odd reason behind it.
“To be honest, I’ve had no appetite lately. Maybe it’s because I haven’t been eating well?”
“You’ll soon be taking charge of the capital’s northern sector and the entire territory… You need to eat properly, especially at times like this.”
I forced a smile and handed her the refreshments Miya had brought.
The princess picked up a macaron and nibbled at it while reassuring me.
“I’ll try.”
Only after seeing her fresh smile did I finally relax.
But.
Miya, who had been watching us intently, had an unsettling glint in her eyes.
She often eyed Irina suspiciously with her signature cat-like narrowed gaze.
“You must be tired. Why don’t you head back? I’ll escort you to the palace.”
“No, Veil. I’m heading to the northern imperial palace anyway, so I’ll escort you myself.”
Miya slung the new imperial uniform she’d received over her shoulder, insisting she would do it.
At that, Irina slowly nodded in agreement.
“Alright, Veil. Your home is in the opposite direction from the palace. I’ll go with Lady Miya.”
“Are you sure…?”
When I scratched the back of my head awkwardly and asked again, the two women nodded.
“Of course. You worked hard reporting today—go home and rest.”
The two rose from their seats first and headed to their respective white horses.
I bid them farewell and silently watched them depart.
“Something feels off…”
After the two women left.
I went alone to the vegetable garden behind the office and flopped down on the pavilion bench.
Above the blue sky, clusters of clouds drifted lazily.
They looked like one massive cloud being followed by several smaller pieces.
‘That lead cloud looks like some kind of animal.’
It vaguely resembled a four-legged animal with its young ones toddling after it.
As I watched the sight endearingly.
Suddenly, the crystal orb that had shown me the future ten years from now came to mind.
Me sleeping comfortably in bed, surrounded by countless children lying beside me.
They had such pretty faces, no idea who they took after.
“Pfft, no way.”
Instinctively, the beautiful faces of the three women flashed in my mind.
At their seductive smiles, I swallowed hard.
We’d only done it once each—surely it couldn’t have led to that…?
I shook off the impure thoughts and closed my eyes tightly.
“Besides, there are no more threats to the empire now. My hardships are finally over.”
With that thought, I crossed one leg over the other.
I kicked off my military boots, wiggling my socked feet idly as I lounged about.
“Yeah, all that’s left is a peaceful future—”
I savored the tranquil midday and dozed off.
―――――――――.
Meanwhile, the two women’s white horses galloped vigorously through Norton’s streets.
As they hurried along busily, they encountered carriages crossing the main road ahead.
They had to rein in their horses and wait for them to pass.
During that time, Miya brought up the strangeness she’d felt in the office.
“Your Highness.”
“Yes, Lady Miya.”
The princess, astride her white horse, adjusted her wide-brimmed hat lightly as she replied.
Then, the short-haired knight asked cautiously.
“About that dry heaving earlier… Could it be…?”
Grasping Miya’s intent, the empire’s Second Imperial Princess raised her index finger.
She pressed it to her lips and flashed a meaningful smile.
“You’re thinking exactly what I’m thinking.”
Miya’s face went pale as if struck dead center.
It felt more stupefying than taking a fatal blow from a swordsmanship spar.
“It seems the ‘final victor’ of our contest is me.”
Irina gently smoothed the dress covering her ample bosom.
Then, she slowly caressed her lower abdomen.
Come to think of it, despite her beautiful abs and sturdy thighs.
Her skin seemed subtly softer now, and a bit rounder.
Seeing the princess’s curves, Miya’s eyes twitched.
Her whole body bristled like a hissing cat.
‘Miyaaaaah…!!’
To think the ever-noble princess had resorted to cute antics to claim a man.
Flabbergasted, Miya felt a small flame ignite in her chest too.
「――――――」
A month passed like that.
The Conquest King summoned his children to his office.
He diligently handed over the state affairs they would handle to the proud members of the imperial family.
Then, as he was dismissing them to their territories.
He suddenly noticed the Second Imperial Princess coughing.
「Irina, you’ve been coughing a lot. Caught a cold?」
At her father’s worried gaze, the Second Imperial Princess’s silver eyelids fluttered.
She shook her head with a feigned innocent expression.
“No, Father. I just haven’t been sleeping well at night.”
「I see… You must take extra care of your health at times like this. I should send some special dishes over.」
At the mention of food, the princess waved it off even more insistently.
“I’m fine. I’ve had no appetite lately… But my health is perfectly sound.”
The emperor nodded at his second daughter with effort.
She certainly didn’t look ill—her expression was brighter than ever.
Moreover, her face had a healthy glow lately, her milky skin radiant.
「All of you, take special care of your health. You’re all proud pillars of the empire now.」
Leonhardt said that, then looked at Crown Princess Lea.
His successor showed no signs of discomfort.
「Lea, any issues with you?」
“Yes, Your Majesty. Nothing out of the ordinary.”
Indeed.
She wore her usual form-fitting uniform, exuding the same aura as always.
If anything, her golden hair seemed even more lustrous.
The only difference was the absence of the leather belt she usually cinched tightly around her waist.
「Lydia, you too?」
“Of course, Father. I’ve never coughed once in my life.”
Lydia declared confidently in her black dress.
Hands on her hips, brimming with vigor.
Finding the sight adorable, Lea quietly quipped.
“No need to worry about Lydia. She’s healthy as can be, living off fruit all day lately.”
“How did you know that?!”
The youngest princess froze, as if her secret had been exposed.
Lea chuckled leisurely.
“You think I wouldn’t know about the two boxes of new grape varieties shipped from our western sector recently—?”
“You’re spying on that too, you creep?!”
Watching the lioness and leopard bicker, Irina chuckled too.
The emperor watched his grumbling daughters fondly.
Being able to converse like this meant they’d grown closer.
Seeing his three splendidly raised daughters, the father began to set down his burdens.
「Princesses, stay a moment. I have important matters to discuss.」
The princes all paid their respects politely and left.
Then, the Conquest King beckoned the princesses to the terrace.
The emperor, hands behind his back, took a deep breath at the railing.
He gazed at his daughters—whom he’d never openly shown affection for—with tender eyes.
「I heard from Rozanna and Vanessa.」
At the consorts’ names, the princesses swallowed hard in unison.
They waited tensely for their father’s next words.
「That all of you are enamored with Marquis Veil.」
The emperor spoke calmly to them.
Of course, he truly cherished Marquis Veil as well.
However, all three daughters falling for one man was a complicated situation.
「I respect your wishes, so I’ll support whatever choice you make. But…」
Leonhardt’s silver brows furrowed, his blue eyes gleaming with intellect.
His paternal gaze demanded sincerity from his daughters.
「Are you sure about this?」
Not as emperor, but as a father—the continent’s ruler asked.
He cleared his throat and continued.
「Marriage is a precious opportunity that comes but once in life. For three to wed one man means constant consideration and compromise among you all.」
Having taken three consorts himself, his advice carried extra weight.
「Do you truly believe Marquis Veil can treat you all as if loving just one?」
At the emperor’s question, the three daughters fell silent.
They pondered gravely, expressions serious.
Then, the boldest among them, Lydia, spoke first.
The petite youngest with her twin tails declared confidently with narrowed eyes.
“If I thought in calculations like that, I wouldn’t have chosen Veil.”
Like her father in his Conquest King days, Lydia stepped forward with magnificent spirit.
Hands on her hips, she continued boldly.
“No matter how many rivals, I’m confident I can have him all to myself.”
Lydia glanced at her sisters.
As the most recent to claim him, she smirked at them.
“Tell them to follow if they can.”
Then, she elegantly placed a hand on her left breast.
Half-closing her red eyes, she declared spiritedly.
“The winner will be me anyway.”
「…」
The emperor’s lips twitched upward unwittingly at his youngest’s bravado.
Her overflowing confidence and conquest lust—who did she take after?
Just seeing her made him feel she could overcome any adversity.
“I agree. If his abilities are outstanding and his love sincere, there’s no need to calculate conditions.”
Lea, hands behind her back, spoke in her soldierly, clipped tone.
“I’ll handle and take responsibility for it myself.”
As expected of the next emperor, she brimmed with composure.
Her gaze was sensually intense enough to snap bed legs.
“Exactly, Father.”
Finally, Irina stepped up.
Amid her flowing silver tresses, her eyes no longer belonged to the unfortunate princess of a novel.
“I don’t crave equal love from Veil either.”
Her gaze was proud and resolute, befitting a rightful sovereign.
“I’ll seize his love myself.”
The emperor stared blankly at grown Irina’s eyes.
He then alternated gazes between the two princesses flanking her.
The resolve he’d once vowed to protect the empire with in his Conquest King days lingered in his three daughters.
Realizing that.
The emperor finally smiled.
「Very well, I understand your intentions.」
The continent’s ruler infused his body with Grandmaster aura.
In a solemn voice, he addressed the princesses.
「I shall no longer see you as mere children.」
Brilliant white aura surged from his feet upward.
「I respect you as sovereigns…」
When the aura enveloped his shoulders and face.
With eyes piercing all creation, he vowed to them.
「And will no longer interfere in your affairs.」
The emperor scanned each princess’s face with his Grand aura-laden eyes.
Then, as he proudly regarded Irina in the center.
「Hm…?」
He suddenly sensed the mana emanating from Irina wasn’t that of a single person.
「What…?」
Wondering if he’d seen wrong, the emperor rubbed his eyes.
When he looked at his second daughter again.
His lips parted at the faint yet potent mana from her lower abdomen.
「Irina, you…」
“What’s wrong, Father?”
The silver-haired princess tilted her head innocently.
The emperor urgently turned to check the other two princesses.
But.
「…………」
Heaven was merciless—his fears were all confirmed.
Not just Irina…
Lea’s lower abdomen.
Lydia’s lower abdomen too—though fainter, potent mana flickered there.
“Father, are you alright?”
“Your Highness, your complexion looks terrible.”
Despite their innocently pure gazes, the emperor couldn’t speak.
His eyes merely twitched in disbelief at the reality.
「As expected of Lord Veil…」
Finally managing words, the emperor turned and entered his bedroom.
He scanned the surroundings frantically.
「Always surpassing my expectations…」
Soon, he spotted a massive spear on the wall.
The continent’s ruler and Conquest King gripped the weapon that had once been his partner.
「This time, he dares…」
His back muscles, honed for decades beneath his shirt, rippled.
Fully recovered, he unleashed fierce white aura unbound.
「Premarital pregnancy…」
His voice grew louder.
「All three of them!!!!」
His thunderous roar shook the office windows and terrace curtains madly.
「Guards!!!!」
At the massive lion’s roar, the knights waiting outside rushed in.
They recoiled at the emperor, every vein bulging with fury.
「Summon Lord Veil here at once!!!!」