Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: A Father-in-Law's Love
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Early morning.
The moment Canelian opened her eyes, she grabbed her clothes and got dressed.
Not her usual armor, but a dress with a full, flowing skirt.
She didn't often wear such feminine attire, so it felt awkwardly embarrassing.
After checking that her mother was still asleep in bed, Canelian quietly slipped out of the bedroom.
'He wouldn't have stripped the professor down to her underwear just because I wasn't there, right?'
She had spent the whole night worrying because of the prince's naughty sleeping habits.
Canelian opened the outer door to the bedroom and then the inner one.
There, bathed in the morning sunlight, was a large, ornate bed.
'Wh-what are you doing!'
Silvret, wearing only her underwear, was asleep in the prince's arms.
If that had been all, she might have let it slide.
'Th-this is indecent!'
Silvret was sprawled on top of the reclining prince, fast asleep.
If she hadn't been wearing underwear, Canelian's head might have exploded imagining what had happened all night.
'Ugh, I'm mad. I know it's weird to be mad, but I am.'
Silvret was going to become the Second Crown Princess anyway.
She knew it was contradictory to feel jealous, but imagining them sleeping like that all night...
'I'm mad. Mad. So mad.'
At that moment, the prince's hand absentmindedly roamed over Silvret's back and waist.
Canelian strode up to the bed, reached out, then hesitated.
'What kind of imagination is this...'
The image flashed through her mind of gently laying Silvret aside and climbing on top herself.
Her face flushed with shame, and Canelian shook the prince's shoulder.
"Your Highness, wake up. Professor, you too. It's time for you to return to your own bedroom."
"Mmm..."
"Hnnng..."
They opened their eyes one after another.
Silvret blinked her sleepy eyelids a few times, then realized her position and blushed from her face down to her entire body.
"Kyaa! Y-Your Highness! How could I have fallen asleep in such an embarrassing position...!"
Silvret tumbled off to the side in a hurry.
The prince sat up, tousling his hair, and chuckled.
"No wonder—in my dream, Lady Silvret kept stubbornly burrowing into my arms."
"Eek."
Silvret bowed her head deeply, quickly slipped into her nightgown, and teleported back to her own bedroom with a transfer spell.
Canelian glared at the prince, who was smiling in the direction Silvret had vanished.
"You should get ready too, Your Highness. It's time for breakfast."
"Got it."
"Looks like you slept soundly with the professor. Must have been nice and comfortable without me around, huh?"
"As if. Canelian, I felt so empty without you."
The prince spread his arms lightly with a smile.
"Come here."
"...We have to go to breakfast."
"Just let me hold you for a moment, Canelian—my princess."
"...I'm not even officially engaged yet?"
Canelian grumbled a bit but cautiously nestled into the prince's arms.
The prince gently stroked her back and waist.
A soft, warm sensation enveloped her body, and an indescribable coziness made Canelian suddenly drowsy.
'This is weird. Why am I so sleepy all of a sudden...?'
Forcing her drooping eyelids open, she looked up at the prince.
He was gazing down at her with the gentlest expression in the world.
'His Highness really is so handsome...'
It was hard to believe this was the same wastrel from before—the change was astonishing.
Recalling his confession by the lake a few days ago, Canelian drifted off in embarrassment.
"Your Highness, what do you like about me?"
"Hm? Why ask that?"
"I'm a knight. Most noblemen don't like female knights, so what do you like about me?"
"Hm, promise you won't get mad or upset if I answer honestly?"
"...I promise. Though I'm a little scared."
Canelian firmly resolved not to let her fist fly, no matter what.
"Your pretty face?"
"Eek!"
Her resolve shattered instantly as she unwittingly shoved the prince away.
His back hit the bedhead, and he stared at her in disbelief.
"Was that worth getting mad over?"
"Th-that's too blunt!"
"Pretty face, slim figure, and a strong Swordmaster to boot. That's why I like you."
"I was expecting something more romantic and atmospheric! I'm di-disappointed."
Canelian spun around and fled the bedroom.
Leaning against the closed inner door, she bowed her head and let out a breath.
"Pretty and slim..."
Her lifted face mixed shame with proud satisfaction.
"And my breasts are big too—why didn't he mention that?"
Humming to herself, she stepped out the outer door when she spotted a guard rushing over.
"Duchess!"
"What is it?"
Canelian schooled her expression and asked.
"His Grace the Archduke has subjugated a massive monster horde coming from the Steno direction! He just returned and ordered follow-up cleanup units!"
"From Steno? A monster horde?"
"Yes! At least thousands of them!"
Canelian was already running.
The moment I heard the news, I skipped breakfast and hurried to the Archduke's office.
Canelian was already there, fully armored. Baron Caron was with her.
"Father-in-law, you subjugated the monster horde last night?"
"That's right, son-in-law. Sir Caron and Sir Cheok were outstanding, while I just provided a bit of support from the rear."
"Without His Grace the Archduke's brilliant lightning magic, many would have slipped through, causing massive damage to nearby villages.
This foolish Caron was deeply moved by His Grace's lightning magic."
"Hoho, you too. Enough flattery."
"It's not flattery—it's objective fact."
The Archduke's mouth curved up to his ears.
He seemed completely at ease with Caron.
What on earth happened last night?
I listened to the Archduke's detailed report.
"Son-in-law, with a second monster attack looming, I've issued a general assembly alert for now."
"If they came from Steno Kingdom, did they request any support?"
"No such thing. That's why I'm sending an envoy to find out what happened..."
"Don't."
"Hm? Don't?"
"Yes. Clean up the monster corpses and battle traces quickly to make it look like nothing happened. Then wait."
"Son-in-law, do you suspect Steno Kingdom?"
"No. Steno doesn't have the capability to deliberately trigger a monster wave."
"Then why, Your Highness?"
"Canelian, when something's suspicious, suspect the Empire first—it's usually right."
The Archduke, Canelian, and even Caron all had realizations dawn on their faces.
"So you're saying the monster wave itself was a normal natural disaster, but the lack of any word from Steno is the issue?"
"Yes. Something similar happened in the Karbalon Mountains."
I explained the situation back then, including how I'd tamed Caron.
The Archduke nodded in understanding.
"You're right—that many monsters crossing without a single alert from Steno is suspicious."
"Better not to send envoys rashly. Send discreet scouts instead."
"Understood, son-in-law."
With that, I issued orders to mobilize troops for monster corpse recovery and to erase battle traces.
Caron and Canelian headed to the forest, leaving just me and the Archduke in the office.
"Son-in-law, Sir Cheok's gigantification was truly miraculous. Like a heavenly warrior descending."
"He has a minor intellectual disability, but having such a knight loyal to me is a great blessing."
"It's astonishing his existence stayed hidden this long."
I didn't reveal the [Full-Body Armor of the Indomitable Slave Gladiator] to the Archduke.
No need to add more secret-keepers beyond my two beloved wives.
So he mistook the gigantification for Sir Cheok's innate ability.
'Though I have to remotely approve it each time.'
The Archduke bragged at length about their exploits as a trio.
'He's completely thrilled. Was flying on the Wyvern Lord that exhilarating?'
"...Should I sell the monster byproducts? Or stockpile them? What do you think, son-in-law?"
"Use what you need for equipment materials, and sell the rest to Arcana. I'll pay in Mana Herbs."
"Oh, Mana Herbs? Really?"
"Yes. To survive the coming great chaos, the Duchy must grow much stronger. Use Mana Herbs generously to develop your knights and mages."
"...A massive crisis is approaching, then. Understood. I'll heed your warning, son-in-law."
Was it the effect of gifting the Wyvern Lord?
Or thanks to Caron and Sir Cheok's 'hospitality subjugation'?
The Archduke's attitude toward me was completely different from when we first met yesterday.
This was practically treating me like his own son.
We discussed the Empire and Steno's situations, the political landscape, and national strategies to prepare for the great chaos.
He was immensely satisfied with my arguments and explanations.
"My boy! With such keen insight, how could you have wandered aimlessly all those years!"
"Canelian snapped me out of it.
The moment I saw her all grown up, it hit me—I can't waste my life anymore if I want to marry her."
"Hahaha! Women have a way of turning men upside down. Meeting the Archduchess changed my outlook on life too."
The heartily laughing Archduke suddenly grew serious.
"I'm thinking of you like a son, so I'll say this..."
"Speak freely."
"You two haven't... you know..."
"Just held hands. Don't worry."
The Archduke waved his hands hurriedly.
"I'm not going to enforce some outdated custom like 'touch my daughter and you're dead.' The rice is cooked—it's too late."
"I know what you're worried about. For Lady Ceres's honor, I'll keep it to hand-holding until the official wedding."
My chest felt heavy.
Is this the weight of a well-intentioned lie?
"...You probably don't know much about female knights, so I'll embarrass myself and tell you something."
"Yes?"
"When an engaged couple spends time together, the mood naturally heats up often... Remember this: the moment you cross the line, it's one shot—one shot."
"I've heard female knights conceive easily... That serious?"
"Their bodies are too healthy. Contraception spells don't work, and they hold onto a man's seed well. Safe days don't matter."
"That makes sense. But Sir Caron has multiple wives and no children yet..."
"He must be good at contraception. But if the man's physical strength is weaker than the female knight's, contraception is nearly impossible."
"Pardon?"
Embarrassed even with just us, the Archduke lowered his voice further.
"The more trained a female knight, the more sensitive her body. Understand?"
"Yes..."
I didn't get how that related to contraception failure.
"Extremely sensitive. She loses all reason."
"Ah... Father-in-law. You don't mean...?"
"For withdrawal, the man has to overpower her and stop midway, but can you overpower our daughter with brute strength?"
"..."
So their bodies are so healthy the seed survives a long time.
To pull out midway, the man has to force it with strength?
And since the woman loses her mind during the act, no cooperation?
"Ahem, embarrassing to discuss this with you, son-in-law."
Wisdom from experience.
'How do you overpower a mindless Swordmaster with strength.'
Wait until pregnancy is planned, then go for it.
Embarrassed, the Archduke stopped talking and cleared his throat repeatedly.
Just then, a messenger burst in, saving our awkward atmosphere.
"Your Grace the Archduke! Your Highness the Prince! A massive group of refugees from Steno Kingdom is crossing our border!"
"What? Refugees?"
"Steno's Second Prince and his escort knights are leading them—they look utterly wretched!"