Chapter 208
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 208
Chapter Title: The Father Who Made the Demon
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The mansion had a separate bedroom for everyone to sleep together in, but each private room also came equipped with its own bed.
We hadn't spent a single night apart yet, but someone might feel like it someday, depending on their mood.
Judging by the atmosphere, this wasn't the kind of story to share while tangled up in bed, so I sat down on the mattress, pulled Eclair onto my lap, and gently kneaded her arms and shoulders.
She must have just showered—her thick silver hair still felt damp at the tips.
In this cozy mood, her natural scent enveloping me, the conversation about Chloe kicked off first.
"No need to thank me. Chloe's my woman too, so of course I'd look out for her."
"Still, when you're grateful, you say thank you. Didn't Roman teach you that feelings have to be put into words?"
Her praiseworthy words came with her breasts pressing right up against me, stirring an urge to pin her down on the bed that instant.
Especially tempting was her cheeky choice to skip underwear just because it was bedtime.
"...In that case, maybe I'll accept your thanks."
My hand, stroking her waist, brushed her lower abdomen. She smiled softly, closed her eyes, and tilted her chin up just a touch.
All my women kissed differently, but Eclair had a particularly unique style she favored.
Seal my lips over her moist ones and slip my tongue inside, and she'd respond with the most devoted play imaginable.
"Mmm..."
Massaging the soft breasts hidden beneath her nightgown drew out a lewd yet adorable sound.
If she was deliberately provoking me into clutching at my clothes to fight off the pleasure, she was a genius, no doubt.
"Hnn!"
Teasing the dip with my fingertip made her squirm in the kiss.
'Tonight, we're all doing it together, no exceptions!'
Seeing my coquettish ladies day in and day out without fail had solidified my resolve.
I wanted to hold each one with utmost care in her favorite way, but reality's time constraints made it impossible.
As my hand ventured lower, she broke off the sticky kiss and pressed a finger firmly to my lips.
"Roman. The rest... can wait until after the story."
She smiled like she had all the leisure in the world, reining me in.
But through her thin clothes, her nipples stood erect from arousal.
Eclair's red eyes burned with obvious desire—they promised a lively bedtime scene until we finally crashed.
I handed her some water as she straightened her ridden-up clothes from my touch.
She took the conjured liquid from thin air without batting an eye now, murmured her thanks, and downed the cold drink.
The chill seemed to snap her overheated mind right back to clarity.
She crossed her arms, desperately hiding her perked-up breasts.
"Ahem...! Didn't I mention earlier there's another matter I need to discuss?"
I pulled her close, her face flushing as if she'd been oblivious to her own state moments ago, and listened intently.
"Because of that weird feeling you got from the sword earlier?"
"It's not a dangerous vibe yet, so I think it'll be fine. Though, of course, I shouldn't act purely on gut instinct..."
The Dreitna sisters had sensed something hard to articulate in words, and she couldn't just assume it was harmless or benevolent. Her expression showed she was still methodically seeking answers.
I patted her rear in admiration, and she accepted the touch while keeping her stern face intact.
"So, what's going on?"
Something amusing must have crossed her mind—Eclair let out a soft chuckle and leaned her head against me.
"This is the sort of thing where I'd normally visit the Adventurer's Guild formally to meet you."
"Ahh~ Now I kinda miss those days."
Ever since we'd formalized our relationship and started living together in the mansion.
She was busy enough already—no need for her to send imperial letters or schedule appointments just to see me.
Even those stolen moments in the reception room during her official duties felt like a thing of the past, leaving a bitter taste.
"It's a formal official matter by nature, so once it's settled ahead of time, we'll have some free hours afterward. Plenty of leisure for just the two of us, right?"
Whether she read my face or thought the same, she dangled the sweet incentive.
"Then it's a date!"
Eclair with downtime during work hours?
My voice pitched up from the thrill, and she flashed a delighted smile while grabbing my cheek and kneading it playfully.
"Of course that's priority one, but bear with me while I cover the request first."
"Go ahead, make yourself at home."
I took her gesture to simmer down, calmed myself, and waited for her to continue.
"The Floyd family head—the 4th Knight—is coming to the capital soon."
The vaguely familiar name had me scratching my chin until the connection clicked.
"Ah~ The parents who raised that little shit?"
Bastard brought Robert's face to mind first over the demonized knight.
I shoved the irrelevant image aside and refocused on Eclair.
"First time hearing it put so bluntly... Not inaccurate, though."
She liked the phrasing—her smile lingered.
"So, why's this uncle heading to the capital?"
"The Church's interrogation wrapped up. He's atoning for his kin's crimes and stating his position in an audience with His Majesty."
"Surprising. That raccoon dog's okay with someone potentially dangerous getting an audience?"
Few matched the current emperor's obsession with personal safety.
My doubt took a backseat.
Eclair's face twisted sharply, and her gentle cheek-kneading gained force.
"Raccoon dog...! Even if it's just us, watch your words. Others might hear and take it as insulting the imperial family."
"Nue~"
My yanked cheek deflated my reply.
Satisfied, she eased her grip, planted a loud smack! on the spot, and stroked my hair.
"I said it out of worry... H-Hey, did it hurt...?"
"Not a bit~ Kitty's right—habits are scary. Gotta watch myself."
A fuzzy memory stabbed at me: I'd apparently called the emperor "raccoon dog" in front of the saintess once.
"Anyway...! We can't put it off forever just because he might be risky."
"Fair enough."
Ruler's dignity was at stake, and with the empire checking the federation, every top-tier asset counted.
"Floyd won't be armed, naturally. For the audience, I'll stand guard alongside the empire's Second Knight—both of us fully equipped."
A name I knew but had never met slipped from Eclair's lips.
'The 2nd Knight...'
Even in the game, just a mention—no face reveal, no idea what they looked like.
"Then I guess I've got no role? They wouldn't call an adventurer to the palace."
No matter how paranoid the emperor, two of the Empire's Five Knights for escort plus a Platinum rank? Overkill.
"Plenty of lesser nobles and citizens don't even know the capital incident ties to Floyd. And the Church's yielded meaningful results: no black mage links."
Before laying out Platinum's job.
She started with context to sell it to me.
"Hmm~"
After her rundown, she continued in a voice quieter and lower than usual.
"...The imperial family sees it as favoritism maybe, but with magic and church relics proving innocence, harshly punishing a key asset like the 4th Knight would hurt us."
Assuming the proof of zero involvement held.
Cases like Enoch Skadi—who survived the 3rd Knight's pressure with heavy losses to power and wealth—existed aplenty.
Not an era fixated on the masses, nor one crushing nobles. At this juncture, it felt almost logical.
Plus, mercy might fully swing the 4th Knight to the emperor's faction.
I nodded after hearing the rest.
"Got the picture."
"So, Floyd enters the capital on foot from the gates—flanked by imperial knights and church reps all the way to the palace."
Reportedly stopping at mass-casualty alleys and sites to pray with the church.
"..."
I followed the lead-up fine, but noble antics like this baffled me most.
Innocent himself or not, praying for back-alley vagrants and commoners slain by his blood kin struck me as a pretty grand atonement show—unlike my instincts.
"Roman. Here's the request proper... Even unarmed, if the 4th Knight snaps suddenly, no one's there to rein him in or subdue him."
"Snaps?"
Why cause chaos in the capital when you're there to prove your innocence?
"His temperament's a raging blaze. Quite the flashy rap sheet for losing his temper... His Majesty even frets over that short gate-to-palace stretch."
Plain speak: anger issues.
Picturing the man who'd sired that bastard made it click instantly.
"So my job's capital surveillance till palace entry—plus intervention if shit hits the fan?"
Spot-on—Eclair let out a heavy groan and nodded gravely.
"Two of the Five Knights babysitting the palace felt excessive, so I pushed to escort him myself. Got shot down..."
Fancy "ruler" title or not.
Reality was a scared old man on the throne—Eclair looked drained.
If I passed, she'd pitch personally escorting again. How could I say no to that?
Her earnest vibe—even if refused, she'd handle it somehow—only cemented my decision.
"Alright, request accepted... But he tired out my woman, so we'll squeeze that raccoon dog fat."
"Hehe... Can't talk you out of it, huh? Just grab the form and swing by."
Eclair let it slide with a laugh this once.
Business done, she melted backward into my arms.
"Story's over—so let's finish what we started?"
Blushing, she looped her arms around my neck.
"...Carry me to the bedroom."
"Gladly."
Scooping her up toward the bedroom, I found two more beauties waiting in loose attire—clearly all on the same wavelength.