Chapter 74
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Return (2)
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“Yujin… who is this…?”
Lucia, nestled in his arms, gazed at Lua without any intention of leaving his embrace.
Irene soon shot him a look that said, Did you go to the Holy Kingdom and pick up another woman?
Well, he'd brought back the Saintess and taken the Pope in exchange, so wasn't it a decent trade?
‘…Just kidding.’
…It had somehow turned out that way. She hadn't confessed properly yet, but her feelings seemed clear enough.
Besides, hadn't they shared a conversation on the way back to the Empire that was practically a half-confession?
“This is…”
“…I'll introduce myself.”
She cut Yujin off.
Judging from the atmosphere, the two women before her were likely Yujin's fiancées.
And that meant they were the seniors who had claimed the spots by his side before her.
Of course, in terms of age, Lua was the distant life senior… but that was irrelevant now.
…Talking about age with women was rude anyway.
Right now, it was simply man versus women—and the relationships among the women who intended to share that man.
‘I need to make a good impression.’
They'd be seeing each other's faces often, like it or not. Introducing herself personally was the surest way to boost favorability even a little.
Lua made her decision.
“I'm Lua El Solas.”
“I see. Lua El Solas… Lua El Solas?”
Irene, sensing something odd about the name, glanced at Lucia and Yujin.
Lucia, too, felt a strangeness upon hearing it and turned to Yujin… who quietly averted his eyes.
She had probably guessed correctly.
“…Are you perhaps the Pope of the Holy Kingdom?”
“No.”
“Then…?”
“I was the Pope once, but now I'm merely a woman who followed the Hero.”
“……”
…?
Question marks popped up over their heads.
‘Po…pe?’
Really?
The Pope?
No, more than that—was the Pope? Meaning she wasn't anymore? There hadn't been any news of a papal transition…
Irene stared at Lua with trembling eyes, struggling to keep up.
“Tha…t's it.”
Silence hung in the air.
“…And who might you two be?”
At Lua's question, they cleared their throats lightly.
“…I'm Irene Arkabella. Yujin's prospective fiancée.”
“Fiancée, but prospective…?”
“…It means we're in the middle of preparing the engagement.”
“I see.”
Nod.
“…I'm Lucia Argentus. Like Irene, Yujin's prospective fiancée.”
“You're the Princess.”
“That's right.”
Lua regarded the two women and thought.
As expected—from the embrace and the "prospective fiancée" bit—her earlier guess had been spot on.
They were the seniors.
Unless Yujin had even more women tucked away somewhere, these two were first and second place, making her third.
Aware that she was the latest arrival, she had no intention of picking a fight. All she needed was their approval to stay by his side.
She bowed her head at once.
“You're the Hero's wives. A pleasure to meet you.”
……!!
“Ahem.”
“Hehe.”
Lucia and Irene's moods brightened instantly at being called Yujin's wives.
To the point where their initial wariness softened, if only for a moment.
The title of "his wife" carried some inexplicably delightful tickle.
"S-so, former Pope Your Holiness—"
“I'm not the Pope anymore. Just a simple woman following the Hero, so I'd be grateful if you called me Lua.”
Lucia nodded awkwardly.
“Miss Lua, why are you with our husband…?”
“Ah, that's—”
Yujin cut into their conversation midway.
“Resolving your curiosities is fine, but let's relocate first.”
People were staring from all around.
The imperial guards who'd come with them needed to report in, and Yujin had to enter the palace for an audience with the Emperor.
Of course, they'd also need to discuss Lua's stay in the Empire.
“Ah…”
They nodded.
While Yujin entered the palace, the women left behind naturally headed to the Banus residence in the capital to continue their talk.
What Lucia and Irene were most curious about was obvious.
Was Lua really the Pope? And if so, why was she here?
Lua slowly unraveled her tale for them.
From 200 years ago up to the present.
Including the words Yujin had spoken to her along the way.
Of course, she glossed over the matter of the Knights of Dominion. It was far too crucial to discuss carelessly. They could probably only dive into that properly after Yujin returned from the palace.
Lucia and Irene were Yujin's prospective wives, after all, with considerable strength and status of their own. They more than qualified to hear it.
Not yet privy to the Knights of Dominion, however, they vaguely assumed it tied into the sudden, brief civil unrest in the Holy Kingdom.
And—
“…Do you really like Yujin that much?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm… I know our husband is a charming man, but I never imagined he'd come back with one more woman…”
Lucia clutched her head.
She knew Yujin was exceptionally capable, but seducing the Pope? That was beyond expectation.
Of course, to Lucia's eyes, Yujin wasn't the type to casually flirt. Irene and she had essentially fallen for him on their own—he hadn't actively pursued them.
Really… my man, but such a charming one.
‘…Maybe he's pulling off that unconscious flirting trend sweeping the Empire lately.’
Nothing else explained it.
‘Or perhaps she just fell for his face…’
Didn't Lua say so herself?
She'd originally been blind, but somehow regained her sight and tumbled head over heels for Yujin.
No clue how her vision returned "somehow," but his face made for a plausible explanation.
“Haa…”
“…Whether as a concubine or simply by the Hero's side—that's more than enough for me.”
Irene shook her head, sharing the headache, and exchanged glances with Lucia.
‘We have to do it that way, right?’
‘Yeah.’
Irene finally spoke.
“We'll accept you, Miss Lua, as Yujin's wife.”
“……!!!!!!!!”
Lua couldn't hide her joy at their permission.
“Thank you, thank you so much.”
“…No need. Just remember—you have to stay by Yujin's side always…”
“Of course.”
Lua let out an inner cheer of triumph.
And shortly after, the very protagonist of this tale—Yujin—returned.
“I see. So you've accepted Lua.”
“Yes.”
Irene nodded with a slightly sulky expression.
Well, when your beloved man went out and returned with a new woman in tow, even granting permission didn't stop the pouting.
Lucia was the same. She'd shown tolerance by saying it was fine to meet other women, but she was human—emotions were inevitable.
‘I need to step up my game from here on.’
Women like these were one in a million. He resolved to treat them even better.
“That's good enough.”
“You have to treat us well, husband.”
“Of course.”
Their talk soon shifted to recent happenings.
What had gone down in the Empire, what in the Holy Kingdom.
“Hm? You broke through the wall?”
“Hehe, that's right. While you were away in the Holy Kingdom, both Irene and I trained hard and shattered it.”
“Ho. Impressive.”
It hit him anew, but their talents truly defied reason.
Already 7th Circle at such a young age.
With 8th Circle being the Archmage benchmark, they were just one step shy.
And 7th Circle was rare enough that some viewed it as the practical Archmage threshold. Any nation would bow and scrape to claim talents like them.
Pleased, he stroked Lucia's and Irene's heads.
They let out delighted laughs. Watching from the side, Lua absently placed a hand on her own head.
“……?”
Heh—
Stroke, stroke.
He petted Lua's head as well. Blushing a bit, she coughed lightly and averted her gaze but didn't pull his hand away.
In that moment, as he stroked their heads—Yuseol burst from his shadow.
“Master! Pet me too…!”
“…??”
“This girl is…”
“…Yuseol, right?”
“……”
The sudden arrival of Yuseol drew every eye in the room.
Lucia and Irene hadn't seen her much, so they eyed her awkwardly. Lua had only glimpsed her once before, equally unfamiliar.
Undeterred, Yuseol shoved her head toward Yujin.
“Pet me!”
“……Alright.”
Yujin petted Yuseol's head. Her hair and ears felt wonderfully soft against his hand.
That said… Hadn't Yuseol grown a bit bigger somehow…?