Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Son-in-Law's Knight (1)
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Banquets, banquets, and more banquets.
The King of Pinia and his nobles reveled like madmen, as if they suffered from a fatal disease that struck if they didn't throw parties.
From the second day on, I let Canelian and Silvret go free.
I entrusted my protection entirely to Windler and Baron Caron, so the two women could simply enjoy the festivities.
Silvret, who struggled to refuse, was overwhelmed by noblemen's dance invitations, but Canelian stuck by her side and deftly fended them off.
"You lords must want to join in the fun yourselves. You've had a tough time of it."
"I am Arcana's sword, Mr. Cheok Joongyeong."
"Lord Cheok finds polishing Defellius scales and Harness Trey the most enjoyable and fun, so these banquets bore him."
"Mr. Cheok Joongyeong, really?"
Windler glanced at Baron Caron, who like himself wore a full-face helmet concealing his features, then slowly nodded.
'So it wasn't just idle talk?'
"And what about you, my lord?"
"The twelve slots of God's love are already filled to capacity with lovely ladies. How could I possibly find interest in more banquets?"
"…."
"Instead, how about seeking a young lady to fill Your Highness's pleasures? That one in the red dress over there looks quite promising."
I glanced over, and our eyes met.
She smiled brightly at me—pretty, indeed.
'Still, compared to my cherished heroines, she's just….'
The world's most beautiful knight, Canelian.
A Swordmaster to boot, so she didn't age.
And Silvret, with her fragile, pure beauty that never fell short of Canelian.
"Two wives are plenty."
"Indeed. Twelve wives are more than enough."
"…."
"Anything beyond thirteen is greed beyond one's grasp, sheer arrogance. As expected of Your Highness—you know true elegance."
I'd given up trying to correct his habit of treating me like the king.
His Highness this, Your Highness that—it was purely confusion on his part.
Suddenly, I recalled what the Prime Minister had once told me about Baron Caron's nickname in the Empire.
'The Empire's Beast.'
Famed as the Empire's fiercest and most valiant Swordmaster.
Or maybe it meant his intelligence and instincts were on a 'beast' level?
Nobles from Pinia approached me.
The ones who'd come demanding debt repayment before, only to hand over gold coins and walk away loaded with Mana Herbs.
"Prince, we represent houses eager for a fixed Mana Herb trade."
"You're welcome. I'll write you letters of introduction for smooth dealings with the Prime Minister's office."
"An honor."
Mana Herbs were ingredients for potions and elixirs.
Especially vital for accelerating the growth of knights and mages who trained their mana.
Kingdoms and duchies excluding the Empire needed to grow much stronger ahead.
To prepare for the Great Cataclysm.
'Plus, Arcana would hold the leashes of multiple kingdoms.'
Once they tasted abundant Mana Herbs, reverting to scarcity would be tough.
Like going back to primitive farming after tractors, combines, and chemical fertilizers.
I lavished kind words on the crowding nobles and carved out time to write their introductions.
"Prince, care to make a memorable night with me?"
Whether due to the prodigal prince's flashy reputation, noble ladies came on strong.
I turned them down politely.
"I've put my wandering days behind me to focus on princely duties. It's not a slight to your beauty—please don't take it to heart."
"Oh my."
Oh my, my ass.
I was just minding the second head for now.
'This body's male enough that it's building up, though.'
But Canelian and Silvret's eyes weighed on me.
And I had this obsession against recklessly spreading Arcana royal seed abroad.
'Even the prince only fooled around with palace maids, never touching noble ladies who didn't enter the palace.'
The royals had always been extremely wary of illegitimate lines sprouting 'outside the palace' beyond traceability.
He'd even tried to kill his own father, yet strictly upheld that one rule.
To preserve the uniqueness of the dragon-blooded lineage.
After days of exhausting banquets, the final night in Pinia Kingdom.
"Then I'll undress you for bed."
"…Yes, Prince."
"…Please be gentle."
She tensed up every time I helped her out of her nightgown.
My hands trembled faintly.
Canelian avoided my gaze.
I slipped the straps off her shoulders and tugged the gown downward.
It slid past her hips, thighs, until her long legs finally freed it completely.
Embarrassed, I joked.
"This makes it look like I'm trying to get in bed with you."
"Y-You absolutely can't hold me."
"I know, I know. Not before the wedding, right?"
"A mere concubine like me can't go before the crown princess…."
Gazing at Canelian's luscious skin stirred my desires.
'Too hectic running around lately.'
Now with a breather, my interest surged toward that side daily marriage quest.
'Gotta sort out the Ceres engagement first.'
I helped Silvret with her nightgown as usual.
You'd think she'd be used to it, but her face still flushed whenever my hands touched her.
'The blushing spreads further each day.'
With the two women flanking me in bed, we chatted idly under the flickering candlelight.
"Tomorrow, instead of heading straight home, we'll stop by Elryad Duchy."
"Pardon? Our duchy? Why?"
"We have to inform the Grand Duke about us."
"Ah…."
Her reaction was cooler than expected.
"What's wrong?"
"Thinking of my parents worrying over my sister again sours my mood."
Canelian had always fretted over her sickly sister who couldn't bear children….
"Five percent of Mana Herb profits is huge. Some handsome noble youth will come calling once he sees Duchess Ceres's wealth, ready to be her consort."
"Um, just…."
"Hm?"
"No, nothing. Even I think that's a bit much…."
Canelian mumbled evasively.
Silvret had already dozed off, breathing softly.
Our eyes met with Canelian.
"…."
"…."
The lakeside beach kiss flashed in my mind.
I leaned in close.
Canelian didn't resist, closing her eyes as our lips met.
Lying side by side, our embrace tightened.
The moment my impatient hand reached for her bikini armor—
"No, absolutely not."
"How am I supposed to hold back here."
"B-Before marriage, absolutely not."
"Don't worry about Silvret. Once she's out, she wouldn't notice if someone carried her off…."
"What if I get pregnant now? How could my sister and I show our faces?"
"Kids don't come that easily…. Is it a dangerous day?"
"Don't you know how fertile knightesses are?"
Canelian pushed me away and sat bolt upright.
"First I've heard of that."
"The stronger the knightess, the easier it is. Even Sword Imperial-level ones get pregnant from a single night, forced to set aside their blades."
A side effect of being too robust and healthy?
"That's why my knight mother always warned me. Both my sister and I were one-shots, so I really need to be careful…."
"…Got it."
She didn't want an illegitimate child amid this messy engagement tangle.
"I'll give myself when I'm rightfully your princess…. Until then, absolutely no holding me. If you truly cherish me…."
"Got it."
With Defellius emerged, continental chaos would erupt soon.
Better tidy the engagement before things got hectic.
'Ugh, having her right here and can't even touch.'
Canelian dreamed.
'Ah, that dream again.'
Arcana exploded.
All joy and life vanished, leaving only a vast sea.
She knew it was a dream, yet overwhelming sorrow crashed over her.
Tears streamed as Canelian stared at the kingdom-turned-ocean.
Then a massive whirlpool surged.
Towering spray erupted as a colossal creature's shadow burst from the sea.
Vast wings blotting the sky cast shadows over Canelian's face.
'A dragon?'
The moment she wondered where she'd seen it—
The dragon spewed breath everywhere, vaporizing all.
Canelian's vision went black.
"Gasp!"
Awakening from the dream, Canelian panted heavily.
Regaining her breath, she instinctively clutched her brooch.
'Right. The silver dragon illusion the prince conjured with this brooch… it was identical.'
As the dream faded, despair and wails from across the world seemed to flood into her.
Residual tremors still shook her fingertips.
"…."
She quietly gazed down at the prince.
He slept with his back to her, arms wrapped tightly around Silvret.
Canelian silently lay down, hugging his back.
This time, no nightmare came.
The next day.
We departed amid the Pinia King's farewell.
'Doesn't Harness look sturdier?'
My imagination?
The Harness pulling the airship seemed to evolve each time I saw it lately.
Windler perched expertly on Defellius's back, steering smoothly.
Faster than mana stone self-flight, and far more comfortable.
'This must be why they drive Ferraris.'
"Canelian."
"Yes? What is it?"
"What if Windler jumps off from up there and uses Gigantification?"
"The fall alone would wipe out a decent monster horde."
"Don't you want to try it right now?"
"We're heading to greet the duchy. Later, later."
Gigantification charged up to three times max.
So best to keep two in reserve and use one daily for efficiency.
Staying in Pinia days without using even one felt like a waste.
'Might as well let Windler roam free for auto-hunting awhile.'
His hunt EXP came to me anyway—profitable.
'Empire needs to start recruiting Windler soon for EXP and cash both.'
While auto-hunting, better squeeze Empire gold too.
The duchy's capital came into view.
"Prince! It's a Wyvern Lord!"
"What?"
Sharp-eyed Swordmaster Canelian spotted it first.
Baron Caron rushed to the deck to confirm.
"Wyvern Lord confirmed! Duchy mage corps is in defensive combat!"
"Ah! Father! Father's commanding!"
A Wyvern Lord, of all things—tricky bastard.
Too fast and agile for mages to land spells.
Swordmasters had Aura Blade to slice it in one stroke, but ground-bound without wings.
And cunning: if it sensed trouble, it'd retreat then harass again.
"What's going on? Wyvern Lords never appeared near the capital before…."
"Something happened in its lair, flushing it out. This'll become routine soon."
Wyvern Lords weren't overwhelmingly strong in attack or defense like field bosses.
Just annoyingly hit-and-run experts.
'A winged Swordmaster would catch it easy…. Wait, winged Swordmaster?'
No winged Swordmasters, but a Swordmaster riding wings was right here.
'Slave gladiator, your master commands….'
-The sacred mission to rescue Father-in-Law commences at once!
The Harness linked to the airship clicked free.
Defellius (small, Wyvern Lord-sized) carried the slave gladiator, diving from high altitude.
Startled by the sudden aerial ambush, the Wyvern Lord fled without looking back.
Cunning and sly as expected.
'Catch it! Make it flashy!'
-Understood, my lord!
Father-in-law and mother-in-law already saw the prince in the worst light.
Time to score points.
'A Wyvern Knight?'
The Grand Duke of Elryad rubbed his eyes at the sudden Wyvern Knight chasing off the Wyvern Lord.
Come to think of it, the ridden wyvern was abnormally large.
'That's a Wyvern Lord? How did he tame one?'
The attacking Wyvern Lord fled desperately.
But the 'tamed Wyvern Lord' pursued at blistering speed.
Then the pursued dropped something mid-chase and gained altitude.
Whatever fell began expanding massively.
'Giant Knight?'
An unbelievably huge full-body armored knight.
The giant knight, momentum building, thrust out an arm and seized the Wyvern Lord's torso.
Kieeeek! Kieeek!
Rumble!
Landing shook the earth like an earthquake.
It hoisted the flailing Wyvern Lord high in one hand.
Like a hen caught by the farm owner pre-slaughter—the Grand Duke couldn't look away.
"Grand Duke! Arcana royal airship!"