Chapter 305
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Ten Years Later (6)
Northern Imperial Palace, Irina's garden.
For the first time in a while, all three imperial family members had gathered for a meeting.
The new imperial prime minister, Damian, stood by their side, discussing state affairs together.
After about an hour of debating various imperial matters.
The conversation among the empire's most noble women naturally turned to their husband.
“Lydia, did you see Vail?”
“Yeah, he was taking the kids to a pizza place.”
The ruler of the East gave a casual reply while skimming the state documents.
Irina frowned upon hearing it, her beautiful eyes narrowing.
“Again? I specifically told him not to. The palace food is much healthier.”
“Oh, was it a secret? Sorry, Vail.”
Lydia's sharp fangs stood out as her lips parted.
Her characteristically impish, fierce eyes widened round.
“Have I been too lenient lately? He doesn't even pretend to listen to us....”
“Well, he's always loved playing around, so I get it....”
The emperor, Lea Andalusia, also looked up at her sisters' exchange.
She rested her soft jawline on the back of her hand and spoke.
“Sometimes he needs a reminder of his position.”
“How?”
Irina tilted her head like a silver wolf.
Her emerald eyes sparkled through her radiant hair, infused with the midday sun.
“What else? State affairs.”
Lea's blue eyes shone just as beautifully, like the sea.
The corner of her mouth curved slyly upward.
The two women instantly grasped her meaning.
“You make it sound like Vail's some servant....”
“Yeah, you just had your fourth—share him!”
The wives with the most children began bickering.
“You need to take care of yourself too.”
“I'm always healthy.”
Lea tilted her head at Irina's words.
Her skin brimmed with such elasticity that it was hard to believe she'd borne a fourth child.
If anything, she looked more youthful than before.
“Even if you're fine, if Vail handles proxy governance, he comes back utterly drained every night.”
Irina chided thoughtfully, like a devoted wife.
She too had improved her complexion through constant exercise and state duties—better than before.
“Well, the dark circles do give him that decadent vibe that's hot at night—”
“Yeah. Even with tired eyes, his energy's still overflowing—”
Lydia cleared her throat and chimed in shyly.
Seeing her two sisters eyeing her husband right in front of her, Lea turned icy.
“Look at you two. Daring to tease the imperial consort in front of me? If anyone's doing it, it's me.”
Lea placed a hand on her ample bosom and declared boldly.
Her figure had grown even more sensually alluring than ten years ago.
“Ugh, makes me want to rebel.”
“Right? She's gotten even more shameless since becoming emperor. Should we storm the capital together?”
Damian's glasses trembled at the chilling joke.
He only relaxed once their talk shifted to the children.
“The sports day is over now, right?”
“Yeah, starting tomorrow, the kids will ease into learning state duties.”
Irina answered flatly to Lydia, who had crossed her arms alone.
Lea, who had been listening quietly beside them, smirked and addressed her sisters.
“You sure that's okay? Seems too early for them to start learning.”
“Your kids already began. Trying to outdo us—?”
Lydia jabbed with a giggle, her fierce eyes glinting.
Lea shrugged elegantly, crossing her voluptuous thighs.
“My twins are top of the academy, first and second place. They're smart enough to start.”
A petty jab laced with sensuality.
Lydia straightened her chin and fired back at the same level.
“So what? They're dead last in athletics. Must've inherited their mother's heavy build—”
Helena was only nine, but already showing ladylike poise.
Her son Leo had inherited his father's seductive eyes, but excelled more in magic than sports.
“In that regard, our Ian takes after Vail the most. First in athletics, right?”
Irina landed a finishing blow amid the exchange.
Lea and Lydia fell momentarily speechless at the claim of resembling Vail most.
“He says he wants to grow up and become the empire's guardian like his father. So I'm having Vail give him special training this time.”
Even if they took after their mothers in governance or magic.
No child had yet inherited their father's prowess.
“He's so handsome he's popular at school too—just got the best of both of us—”
“W-our Liri's got killer reflexes too. And she even calculates Vail's vegetable patch watermelon yields and sales when bored?”
Lydia placed hands on her hips.
She mimicked her daughter in a sharp tone.
“'Only telling you 'cause it's me, dummy dad—!' She's got such a kind heart!”
“Lordly talent already budding. What about Leon?”
When Irina pressed, even the bold Lydia quieted at talk of her second son.
“Leon.... No idea who he takes after, but he's always on ponies, doing his own thing up there....”
Of course, Lydia insisted it was fine at just seven years old.
None of the three women favored forcing education on their children.
They knew the pain all too well from experience.
“He definitely takes after Vail in that way.”
“Yeah, opposite of someone who can't ride—perfectly inheriting each other's flaws.”
The two noble sisters poked fun at the youngest.
Lydia pounded the table in indignation.
“W-what...!! I can mount the saddle by myself these days!”
“The horse must have an amazing temperament to accept you—”
As talk turned to children, Damian watched the women with a warm smile.
He had long forgotten state affairs, simply basking in the cozy atmosphere.
But the conversation inevitably circled back to the man in question.
Communication mages had come seeking an audience with Lea.
“Your Imperial Majesty, may we have a moment?”
“Enter. What is it?”
With the emperor's permission, the mages relayed the message from Sorcerers' Association Head Mago.
The contents, written on fine parchment, were laid before the three women.
“Vail went to raid the extortion gang's hideout...?”
“Alone?”
“Yeah, but couldn't guards handle this?”
It seemed a grave matter at first glance.
Yet all three wives read it with indifferent expressions.
The relatively new palace mages looked visibly flustered.
“They're executives of Rastium's largest crime syndicate. Infamous for years now....”
Expecting a massive purge operation.
The mages faltered at the women's nonchalant demeanor.
“W-what should we do...?”
“If needed, we send knights. No reason for him to go personally—”
Lydia hummed playfully, prompting Irina and Lea to chuckle.
The three exchanged glances and nodded.
“Hmm—”
“Feeling it?”
“Yeah, he's out playing.”
The grandmaster's wives narrowed their eyes like female beasts.
The rookie mage, unfamiliar with the consort's exploits from ten years ago, cautiously advised.
“Even in past large-scale operations, they escaped. Flight's a concern this time too. Knights' support seems necessary...”
“No, no—don't worry about it—”
Lydia waved it off casually, even before the emperor.
“They're probably all caught already, role-playing or something.”
“Yeah. He'll arrest them once he gets bored.”
Irina shook her head lightly, arms still crossed.
“And then brag about properly handling it when he returns.”
“Whining about how hard it was to catch them all.”
Lea added her piece.
Her sisters smiled with their beautiful eyes.
The garden's mood stayed remarkably lively for such a serious report.
“Thinking about it, it's kinda cute?”
The empire's emperor took a sip of tea from the table.
A drop clung to her red lips, falling onto her ample bosom.
“He'll expect a reward for this. Probably hole up in his vegetable patch for a while.”
Lea pictured him digging a fox den, rolling around lazily in bliss.
She lightly tapped her chin with a finger.
Then rubbed it softly and said.
“Wonder how much stamina he has left to take down villains himself. Can't wait—”
“We'll check tonight.”
Irina smirked slyly in agreement.
Come to think of it, the silver-haired sister had blossomed into womanly allure, beyond her former cool beauty.
Her figure had softened immensely after being tamed by one man.
Intent on exacting payment, she swallowed deeply.
“Let's wait and see. Until he returns.”
The empire's three powerhouses sipped tea amid the brightened mood.
They resumed state discussions, awaiting their husband's return.
‘Your Highness Vail....’
Damian, silently watching, closed his eyes gently.
He wished happiness upon the man's life—blissful yet exhausting.
‘Hang in there....’
Meanwhile, at the extortion gang's office in Noston.
For some reason, the ceiling gaped open, warm sunlight pouring in.
Chunks of collapsed roof littered the floor.
The battered gang underlings silently cleared the debris.
“Y-Your Highness the Consort.... I brought something to drink.”
The president, nose still bleeding profusely, approached with a tray of coffee.
I looked up from the sofa and took the cup indifferently.
Then, without thinking, took a sip.
“You idiot.... Who said bring coffee!!”
“H-heek...!! Y-you just said bring something to drink....”
I slammed the bitter coffee onto the table.
Then pointed at the gang messenger.
“Don't you know insomnia's a big deal at night?!”
“Y-yes...? Why's that a big deal?”
I sighed deeply at his question.
Gazing at the blue sky, I answered with a wistful expression.
“It just is. You absolutely have to sleep early.”
No one would know.
The happiness and ecstasy that somehow instilled fear.
The more you did it, the lewder and fuller they became.
The desire pulling you deeper, making daily life impossible....
“Anyway, I'm not going home today, so hurry up and rig a tent over there.”
“Y-yes...?!”
The president frantically shook his head at my death-sentence words, desperate not to hear them.
He dropped to his knees, begging fervently.
“P-please just arrest us, Your Highness the Consort...!! We were wrong!!”
“Shut up!! I'm handling your handover to the knights alone, and even joining the guards' dinner!!”
I loosened my shirt tie refreshingly.
Then lay back on the sofa, embracing the rare blue sky.
Legs stretched out, I savored the midday sun.
“Heh heh.... A perfect plan—”
Rest the day away, snag a vacation as reward.
This was the wisdom of a tenth-year married man.