Chapter 100
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 100
Chapter Title: What a Man Expects When There Are Two Women?
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Halfway through, Eclair switched positions and sat on my thigh as she listened to my explanation about Limno. Despite her posture, her face was serious as she let out a thoughtful hum before nodding.
"It's certainly a major decision even just looking at the letters of the offer... but given the recent shifting tides, it might be a reasonable move."
"Really? Honestly, I couldn't wrap my head around them offering such a groundbreaking reward. No matter how you slice it, for the imperial family to cast out a marquis-level noble for the sake of an adventurer..."
"I can assure you—the imperial family couldn't care less who rules House Skadi, as long as they don't bare their teeth at the master and stay obedient. It doesn't matter who sits as head... and besides..."
"Besides?"
Eclair placed her slender fingers on my shoulder and tapped rhythmically—tap-tap. It seemed like one of her thinking habits, nothing intentional.
After a short pause, she stopped poking my shoulder and spoke up.
"The Empire is always frantically busy and on edge internally. But lately, with the external situation... especially the endless tug-of-war with the Federation, there's something that's demanding even more attention than before."
"What is it...? There are too many possibilities to guess from just that one hint."
Eclair let out a small laugh at my words, then poked my cheek as if pointing accusingly—poke.
"The most sensitive issue right now... is preventing the outflow of military strength to the outside."
And it wasn't just the Empire's soldiers, knights, and mages with clear affiliations that counted as military strength.
Those living within the Empire's borders—even adventurers registered with the Adventurer's Guild—would overwhelmingly fight on the Empire's side if Federation troops invaded during a war.
After all, their homes, assets, lovers, friends, hometowns, and parents were all here in the Empire.
"Even if something about the Empire rubs them the wrong way and they head to an independent city like Limno, it leaves a painful gap. But if a high-ranking adventurer from the Empire defects to the Federation? That kind of loss can't even be described as 'painful.'"
"They're worried I might mess up and head to the Federation, so they're trying to tie me down by marrying me off to Rike?"
"In simple terms, yes. This way, they win your favor... and that's the endgame."
Eclair coolly affirmed my question with an example.
While the capital had surveillance keeping incidents low, troubles often arose in outer territories where nobles with elitist views looked down on adventurers. Sometimes, those adventurers would outright defect to the Federation.
Losing even one Gold-rank adventurer was a massive blow, and last month, an entire Gold-rank party had jumped ship.
"I've heard that story a lot. Even in taverns, it's common gossip. They say adventurers have it better in the Federation—no discrimination even for lower ranks."
"Indeed... To put it coldly, marrying a Platinum adventurer to the daughter of a marquis house is a cheap way to secure their loyalty to the Empire. It's just rare because of egos and positions on both sides."
"Even if it means the legitimate head of the marquis house disappears?"
"That's why that offer came up—they've already calculated that far. Currently, Marquis Enoch Skadi... isn't aligned with any faction and has even cut ties with national events. He's long been out of His Majesty's good graces based on his conduct."
On the contrary, if House Skadi were firmly in a noble faction, they wouldn't have thrown it to me as bait at all. Opposing factions would just create headaches for the imperial side.
He was neutral in name only, had caused trouble, and neither smoothed it over with tricks nor did anything praiseworthy.
Weighing the benefits, the Emperor had sided with me over Enoch Skadi.
"Even if the marquis seat opens up, I have no intention of becoming a noble. Rike should take the house legitimately."
"Heh... That's so you, Roman. The imperial family might have anticipated that too... who knows."
It had always been that way, but the Platinum title was more than enough for me. Forcing my way into nobility? I'd just get tangled in endless hassles.
To a top-tier adventurer, a noble title was a hollow hat with no real merit.
I always felt it, but adventurers must never let the Empire put a leash on them. We could get along fine with effort, but they needed to remember we'd bite back if pushed too far.
"Kitty's the same. I'm not cut out to be head of a noble house. I know my limits."
"Hm...?"
The topic suddenly shifting from Rike to herself made Eclair tilt her head and stare at my face questioningly.
"I didn't take responsibility for Rike and Eclair because I wanted wealth or titles. Just pursue what you want freely and keep thinking of me, loving me—that's enough."
Eclair fondled my cheek with an approving look.
"Heh... It doesn't feel bad at all that you're only looking at a woman like me. No need to worry about Dreitna. I'm considering it from all angles..."
"I'm not worried. My smarter woman than me will handle it just fine. But if anything tricky comes up, I'll help with everything I've got. Don't suffer alone again when problems arise."
As I stroked her head while speaking, her eyes widened like a startled rabbit's before she laughed and shook her head.
"Thanks for saying that... but even if you're my man, I won't use a Platinum for free. That's absolutely not happening..."
I poked the top of her head as she shook it side to side, and she looked up at me with puzzled eyes, meeting my gaze.
"Of course you'd get paid, knight. I'm pretty expensive, you know?"
As I pointed to my lips while looking at the embraced Eclair, she flashed a bold smile tinged with a faint blush and grabbed my face.
"If you're this pricey... I'd better pay an advance for smooth business dealings."
Sitting on my thigh put her face slightly higher than mine.
Maybe due to the position, Eclair kissed me and, for the first time, slipped her tongue into my mouth. Her still-clumsy movements excited me in return, and I gripped her waist.
"Mmph... Hnng..."
As I kneaded her ample breasts over her uniform, she broke the kiss with heated breaths.
"...Haa... Not today... Just hold out until the holiday..."
She lightly touched my rock-hard erection before standing from my thigh.
"This is torture for a man."
"Heh... Endure it. You're not the only one holding back."
Her confident smile belied her flushed face, clearly showing she was suppressing her own desires.
"True. Kitty's probably suffering the most."
"...It's not that bad!"
After standing and straightening her disheveled uniform, she denied my words, checked the closed door once more, and extended her hand forward.
"What're you doing?"
"No time for chit-chat, even if it's sudden. Didn't you say you had something to show...? Stay there."
"Ooh? No way!"
"...Innocence."
A mass of light? Particles? What should I even call it.
Light gathered toward her hand like it was being sucked in, forming a sword that gleamed pure white. Just looking at it radiated a holy aura.
Clap-clap-clap!
The applause came naturally. Anyone from the Church would call that sword a holy blade at first sight.
"Suits you perfectly. Like a hero from a fairy tale."
I was purely delighted she'd adopted the name I thought of.
"...Thanks to you. Getting something this amazing without doing anything makes me feel embarrassed..."
"If it keeps Kitty safe, that's plenty. Now you have another trump card for emergencies—you're stronger for it."
As Eclair dismissed the sword, it vanished into motes of light in midair.
She pulled a pocket watch from her uniform pocket, checked the time, then grinned at me.
"I'd love to show off the ability too... but no time. Next time, maybe. For now, I'd better pay a bit of that fee for this sword."
"Huh? Fee?"
"...Roman. Come here."
As I rose from the sofa and approached at her beckoning, she yanked my collar and showered me with unrestrained, fierce kisses.
Until time truly ran out, we exchanged saliva and groped each other roughly, memorizing each other's shapes.
The hotter we got, the harder it was to hold back our urges, but we didn't stop.
What stuck with me was Eclair's expression as she left—she looked dead set on not letting me rest on her holiday.
The second semester at the Academy started, and I formally showed my face to the dean and cadets that day. Even on non-class days afterward, I periodically prowled the Academy alone.
Even as an instructor who only came once a week, I wasn't exactly idle.
I subtly pressured them on when my library basement access card would be ready. And on days without classes, I checked in to make sure hollow-eyed Robert wasn't up to nonsense with Isaac.
"..."
Despite all my diligence...
Right now, I was inexplicably wearing an eyepatch, sitting blankly in the bedroom.
My hands weren't bound—I could remove it anytime—but for someone as sensitive as me, it wasn't a big hindrance.
How this happened was simple.
Tomorrow was Eclair's day off, so I was training while waiting for her to come home in the evening.
Then, in the afternoon after Academy ended, Rike and Eclair both returned home together.
Usually, Rike would make herself scarce if Eclair was around, but not today. One scenario flashed in my mind.
I nodded without a word when told to put on the eyepatch in the bedroom and wait.
'When you're dating two women, what man wouldn't expect this...?'
And the sounds faintly reaching my heightened hearing began exciting my body bit by bit.
—If Chloe saw me like this... I'd bite my tongue and die...
—Sis! It really suits you! So sexy... Mm!
—Ugh... After this, I'm punching Roman once...
—He'd probably take it with a smile, right?
Feeling Eclair's lamenting voice and footsteps drawing near, my member began swelling just from imagination.
Creeeak—
"Oppa~? Look at that. He's totally expecting it."
"...Haa. This is insane... How did it come to this..."
Rike's sultry voice and Eclair's sigh fueled my anticipation.
"...Can I take off the eyepatch now?"
Swish—
The sound of fabric moving tickled my ears.
"Yeah. You can take it off now."
"...You're in for it once this is over."
They say imagination can never beat reality. I wholeheartedly agreed.
No matter how much I wished for it, there were things too bold to voice hastily. Especially Eclair, with her strong knight's pride.
Even if years passed and the three of us eventually shared a bed someday, I'd consider that more than enough.
But a world beyond that lay open.
I gripped my nearly flying reason the moment I saw them and stood from my seat.
"Both of you... stay just like that."