—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Four children.
Not exactly a small number…
Having five wives meant even if we followed the old “one son, one daughter” motto, we’d have ten children. Not that providing for them would be a problem.
My allowance from the Imperial family, excluding research funds, was a fortune, and Elena’s personal wealth was enough to support three generations without working.
But Elena had declared she wanted four children, two boys and two girls.
I could easily foresee the future.
“There’s going to be competition…”
I muttered, alone in my lab that night, nibbling on my fingernails under the dim light.
I’d sent Elena, who’d been unusually clingy, back to her quarters. If there’d been a mirror, it would have reflected my anxiety.
Elena wanting four children? Fine.
The problem was, she wasn’t my only wife.
“If they all want four, that’s twenty children…”
Seriously? Even Maria Theresa only had seventeen. And now I was supposed to have twenty?
My face paled.
Just naming them would be a chore.
And I was the one who had to… do the work to have those children.
My expression darkened.
I didn’t need a mirror to know I looked like the embodiment of despair.
I had needs, and until now, there hadn’t been a… suitable outlet. I’d heard there were… establishments catering to nobles and married men, but I’d never been to one, nor did I intend to.
But this was different. This was about competition, each of them wanting four children.
It wasn’t about satisfying desires, it was about survival.
“Will I even survive this?”
I could easily picture my future self, wasting away from exhaustion.
Death by overexertion.
The words loomed over me.
I could control myself, but if they started competing, declaring they wanted more than four children… it would be a disaster.
I had to draw a line.
Elena had already declared her intention, and there was no going back. I had to prevent the others from trying to outdo her.
Especially Arwen and Sylphia, the non-humans. Having four or five half-dragons or half-vampires running around would be a problem.
But first, I had something else to do.
The wedding was imminent. And before that, I had to prepare.
“Eel, raspberry, oysters, asparagus… what else?”
I muttered, recalling foods known for their… supposed benefits.
I didn’t know if they actually worked, but they were better than nothing.
This wasn’t about pleasure, it was about survival.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The Court Mage, who usually ate simple sandwiches, was now requesting specific ingredients. It was a minor rumor within the palace, quickly forgotten.
The chefs were puzzled, but they dismissed it as a change in his preferences.
Compared to the other rumors circulating in the palace, the Court Mage’s diet wasn’t particularly interesting.
The real focus was the upcoming wedding.
It was unprecedented. One groom, five brides. The public was captivated.
[Shocking! The Wedding of the Century is Approaching! What was the Imperial Family Thinking?!]
[A Scandal that’s Rocking the Esgelant Empire! Who is the Man with the Irresistible Charm Who Captivated Five Women?!]
[The Black Lion of Nord! Is she marrying the Esgelant Court Mage, who already has four brides-to-be?!]
The headlines were sensational.
Arwen and Sylphia were relatively unknown, so I was the easy target.
The public still saw me as the young mage who’d supposedly slain a dragon, like a hero from legends. Or, more realistically, a nouveau riche who’d achieved sudden success through his magical talent.
My honorary title protected me from direct criticism, but the underlying tone of the articles was clear.
The tabloids were particularly harsh.
As I’d predicted, I was the target of their attacks.
That was the plan.
But there were side effects.
“I’m curious what he looks like. How did he manage to charm five women? Is he some kind of nine-tailed fox from the East?”
“I overheard someone say he’s handsome, but… strange.”
“Really? Tell me more! Don’t leave me hanging!”
“I might get in trouble… didn’t you see him at the appointment ceremony? When the newspapers were going crazy about the Court Mage slaying a dragon?”
“So you’ve seen him!”
“Yeah. He’s handsome, but not… exceptionally so. It’s hard to explain.”
Judging by the rumors, I was the worst kind of scoundrel. And that was the sanitized version.
Most of the gossip was too vulgar to repeat.
But that was all part of the plan, so I didn’t mind.
Newspapers were the only form of media in this era. The tone was harsh, but I couldn’t monitor every reaction.
‘Let them talk. It’s not like I can read their comments online.’
I’d anticipated the gossip.
It was the price I had to pay for choosing to marry all five of them instead of just one.
The dogs may bark, but the caravan moves on.
I was waiting for the wedding day, unconcerned by the rumors.
People were questioning the rushed wedding, especially with Elena’s involvement.
But the day was approaching.
One day, two days, three days…
“Aren’t you going to supervise?”
“Why bother? Elena’s already there, causing a ruckus. If I went too, it would just make things worse for the workers.”
“That’s true. She’s being a bit too… hands-on.”
“Exactly.”
Three days before the wedding, my lab was unusually quiet.
Only Arwen, transformed into a cat to avoid attention, was present, purring contentedly in my lap as I stroked her fur.
Three days.
Just three days.
Elena, unable to contain her impatience, was micromanaging the preparations, driving the workers crazy.
Even passing nobles, witnessing the spectacle, pleaded with her to maintain her composure, but she ignored them.
Eileen had left for an expedition beyond the barrier, promising to return the day before the wedding, determined to… well, let’s just say she had her own reasons.
Sylphia had returned to her lair, claiming she had preparations to make.
Lassiel had finally been dragged away by her adjutant to catch up on paperwork.
Only Arwen and I remained.
Arwen’s amethyst eyes stared at me.
“What?”
“Does it feel real? That we’re getting married?”
“I don’t know. Maybe on the actual day. Right now, it doesn’t feel real.”
“I see.”
Arwen murmured, looking down.
She seemed to want to say something.
Finally, she spoke, her voice hesitant.
“How many children do you want?”
“You too?”
I asked, my voice laced with exasperation.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
