The Ferbache Imperial Mansion.
The lavish feast filled the dining table, and the scent of candles tickling the nose, along with the chandelier hanging from the ceiling, created a comfortable atmosphere.
“Hehe, I prepared this for you, Yohan.”
Francia smiled sweetly as she looked at Yohan. But for some reason, shadows loomed darkly beneath her eyes.
“Is today a special occasion? A banquet all of a sudden?”
“Not really. Sometimes you just need days like this, right?”
“…”
As Yohan sat down in the chair, he felt a chill creeping up his spine. Francia’s smile was gentle, but there was a sharp emotion hidden beneath it, lingering in the dining room.
Clink.
He picked up the cutlery and examined the dishes laid out.
The dishes all had one thing in common:
A massive roast beef paired with oysters.
Herb-stuffed lamb leg roast.
Grain bread topped with honey and nuts.
A platter of roasted vegetables.
Berry salad.
‘…Aphrodisiac foods?’
Every dish was packed with ingredients known to boost energy, improve blood circulation, and promote the secretion of sex hormones, rich in zinc and magnesium.
“Please, eat a lot!”
“…”
Yohan swallowed hard. While the enticing aroma and beautiful presentation of the food were part of the reason, it wasn’t the main cause of the lump in his throat.
‘Why…?’
He had thought Francia would be upset since he had been out overnight without saying a word. He’d been preparing to soothe her ever since he returned to the mansion. But contrary to his expectations, Francia greeted him with a smile. Though her smile had a slightly mischievous edge to it, an eerie chill crept up Yohan’s nape.
‘This is confusing.’
And, a bit frightening. Isn’t this kind of reaction even more unsettling?
“…Aren’t you eating?”
As Yohan hesitated, holding his utensils, Francia’s voice dropped slightly.
“H-Haha. Of course, I’ll eat.”
He let out an awkward laugh and began eating right away. As expected of the chefs employed by the Perbacce mansion, the food tasted amazing.
But it was hard to focus solely on the taste.
“Yohan.”
“Yes?”
“You slept with Lady Bismarck, didn’t you?”
“Cough!”
At Francia’s blunt question, Yohan choked. She immediately handed him a glass of water.
“Here, have some water.”
“…Thank you.”
Yohan hurriedly quenched his throat and looked directly at Francia. Her gaze didn’t show any particular anger.
“So, did you?”
“Yes…”
After a brief hesitation, Yohan answered honestly.
“Hm. Well, I already knew.”
“…”
“Was it good?”
“…”
Yohan couldn’t bring himself to lie and say the night he spent with Rudella wasn’t enjoyable. Not only would it be disrespectful to her, but…
To be honest, it was an experience so extraordinary, it felt incomparable.
“Hm… I see. It must’ve been good.”
When Yohan didn’t respond, shadows deepened under Francia’s eyes. Her gaze darkened, and her lips pressed into a thin line.
“Well, it’s fine. After all, Lady Bismarck deserves your affection too. And I was the one who accepted the terms and allowed this polygamous arrangement. Yes, I’m not upset at all.”
Francia let out a small laugh and added as she met Yohan’s gaze,
“But to make sure I don’t feel upset… you’ll have to shower me with love too, right?”
“…”
“It’s not like you’re too tired, right? You’re not saying you won’t be with me, are you? Or… have you already grown tired of me? Is that it?”
Francia’s voice sank lower and sped up. Her crimson eyes wavered dramatically. Yohan hurriedly responded.
“Of course not. Haha…”
Although, to be honest, he did feel a little worn out. In a word, he was experiencing what people call “post-clarity.”
After all, they had gone at it five times.
‘It didn’t feel like enough back then…’
Now that time had passed, reason had returned, and his desires had settled down. He didn’t feel as driven anymore.
But that didn’t mean he could back out now. No matter how kind and understanding Francia was, walking away in this situation would be a disrespect to her as well.
Carefully, Yohan opened his mouth.
“…It looks like tonight is going to be a long one.”
When he resumed eating, Francia smiled sweetly and watched him place food into his mouth with satisfaction.
“Hehe, that’s right. Tonight will be a very long night.”
She had no intention of letting Yohan sleep tonight.
* * *
Yohan opened his eyes.
“Ugh…”
He squinted groggily and looked out the window, where the sun was just rising. From the voices of the staff outside, it was clear that it was morning.
‘What is this?’
A sense of déjà vu washed over him.
Next to him, Francia was fast asleep with a blissful expression. His neck and shoulders bore bite marks, his back stung from scratches left by her nails.
The only difference was the time he woke up—everything else was the same as yesterday.
‘Well, better get ready.’
Yohan rose from the bed to prepare for work. He made his way to the bathroom and glanced at the mercury-coated mirror.
Dark circles had spread under his eyes. His face looked haggard, drained of life.
It wasn’t surprising. Over the past two nights, he had gone at it more than ten times.
“Phew…”
With a body utterly devoid of energy, Yohan forced himself to wash up and stepped out of the bathroom. Francia was still fast asleep.
“Francia.”
He gently shook her shoulder, knowing he had to leave for work.
“Mmm… just a little more…”
Francia muttered, shaking her head slightly as she hugged the pillow tighter. Yohan couldn’t help but smile fondly at her occasional moments of childishness.
“It’s time to wake up. I have work today.”
“Ah…”
Her eyelids fluttered open, revealing her crimson eyes. She looked at Yohan and smiled softly.
“Hehe… mornings are best when I see you, Yohan.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. That’s how I get my energy for the day.”
She sluggishly climbed up the bed and wrapped her arms around Yohan’s waist.
“Mmm… Yohan… huh?”
Suddenly, Francia’s expression hardened. Her gaze locked onto Yohan’s side.
“Yohan, what is this?”
“Pardon? What is—”
Following her gaze, Yohan looked down at his side. The faint lipstick mark Rudella had left was still there.
“Why is this still…?”
“…”
Francia’s face, cheerful just moments ago, darkened as though shrouded in the shadow of the setting sun. Yohan froze, his lips pressed into a tight line.
“This won’t do.”
Francia slowly got up. Despite the lingering strain on her back from last night’s endeavors, she stood with determined effort.
“Take another day off today.”
“…Another day off?”
“Yes. I can’t let you go like this.”
“Ah…”
Yohan closed his eyes and nodded in resignation.
“Yes…”
Resistance was futile.
* * *
On the Walls of Tenelope’s Capital
Dark storm clouds hung low in the sky, and the air was damp, as though rain might fall at any moment. Below the walls stretched an endless wasteland, dotted only by sparse thorn bushes.
Tenelope’s chancellor, Pantein, walked slowly along the wall, surveying his surroundings. The barren land weighed heavily on his heart. The soldiers standing guard along the border wore worn-out armor, and their blades were dull. The precariousness of their survival was palpable.
Pantein’s gaze settled on the distant gates. A carriage was approaching, kicking up a trail of dust. He squinted his eyes.
“That is…” he murmured, just as the knight escorting him spoke.
“It’s Prince Fedelian.”
“Hmm.”
Pantein stroked his chin with a sullen expression. Fedelian Rogino—the deposed imperial crown prince who had recently attempted a coup. He was also the one tenuously sustaining Tenelope, a kingdom whose collapse seemed inevitable.
Rumble—
The carriage soon entered through the gates, and Fedelian emerged, a smug smile on his face despite his disgrace. Pantein quickly descended the wall to greet him. Surrounding the prince were assassins clad in pitch-black robes.
“You have arrived, Your Highness.”
“Yes.”
Fedelian glanced around and spoke.
“I’ve given you so much aid, yet this place remains so bleak. Without my help, it might have already fallen.”
“……”
Pantein’s lips pressed into a thin line. The prince’s words were not wrong. Tenelope had been crumbling under the weight of treacherous ministers, incompetent officials, and a king blinded by power.
Tenelope was a small kingdom bordering the southwestern edge of the Rogino Empire. Though its land was barren and its territory small, it had survived for one reason: the existence of a Grand Sword Master, a rarity across the entire continent.
This Grand Sword Master, along with their formidable order of knights, wielded overwhelming military strength. This was enough to deter even the southern barbarians, who knew that provoking Tenelope might lead to their own ruin.
Even the Rogino Empire was no exception. Though it would surely win in an outright war, the losses would far outweigh the gains, making such a venture unnecessary.
However, overwhelming might did not feed a kingdom. Farming had to be done, and livestock had to be raised to provide food. These tasks were far from easy. The land was so barren that agriculture was barely viable, and the abundance of monsters made hunting for game a perilous endeavor.
Effectively, Tenelope was a nation on borrowed time. Without Fedelian Rogino, it would have fallen long ago. While its downfall was long in the making, it was now too late to recover.
“What about the matter I brought up? By now, the king must have provided an answer,” Fedelian inquired.
Pantein handed over letters carried by his attendants.
“Tenelope’s entire military is ready. The Grand Sword Master, Duke Aegis, has also agreed to support the war.”
“Hmm.”
Fedelian nodded slowly, clearly pleased.
“Of course, they had no choice but to agree. They’ve truly reached the end of the line.”
Tenelope could no longer survive on its own. There was one alternative to stave off collapse, even without the prince.
“Well, bowing their heads to Rogino might have been an option, but the king wouldn’t allow that, would he? It would weaken his authority.”
This alternative involved setting aside their pride and formally pledging loyalty to the empire in exchange for aid.
But Tenelope’s king was mad. Corrupt officials and treacherous nobles ran rampant, while capable individuals had long since fled to other nations—or had been purged.
“Yes… That is correct.”
The kingdom’s chancellor, Pantein, let out a small sigh and nodded. It wasn’t just about royal authority anymore. The people were dying, and the kingdom was on the brink of ruin. What meaning did power hold under such circumstances?
If only the king had realized this earlier, the kingdom might not have fallen to such a state.
“Hm…”
Fedelian scanned the letters and documents one by one before a sly smile spread across his face.
“Good. Once preparations are sufficient, we’ll begin. I trust Tenelope will commit all its strength.”
“Of course, Your Highness. The survival of the kingdom depends on it, and Tenelope stands to gain a great deal as well.”
If Fedelian’s rebellion succeeded, if he successfully usurped the throne, Tenelope, which had been teetering on collapse, could rise again. He would provide the kingdom with unwavering support, both materially and strategically.
In return, the kingdom would become a pawn of the empire. But was that truly a problem? The rot at the top had to be excised for the kingdom to survive.
“Then let us make preparations as quickly as possible, before the empire becomes aware,” Fedelian said with a faint smile.
This twist in the narrative was unexpected, but a detour wouldn’t prevent him from reaching his destination.
‘Wait for me, Francia. I’ll come for you soon.’
Fedelian clenched his fist tightly.
‘And… Yohan Rahardt, Rudella Bismarck. Don’t think for a moment you’ll have an easy end.’
Returning what was given, multiplied many times over that was Fedelian’s unyielding principle.