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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“Fuck…”
It wasn’t language befitting the Crown Princess of the Empire, especially one who was about to ascend to the throne.
Even in private, the Imperial Palace was filled with eavesdroppers, day and night.
But the Crown Princess was too overwhelmed to care. Her mind was already overloaded, trying to comprehend the shocking truth she had just heard from her sister.
The curse that escaped her lips was more of a reflex, a helpless sigh of despair.
“Good grief…”
She muttered, running a hand through her hair and rubbing her face. She still couldn’t grasp how things had gotten so out of hand.
She had been convinced that her sister was plotting to prevent her from ascending to the throne, to pull her down from the position that was within her grasp.
Even though they were sisters, they had been locked in a power struggle, keeping each other at arm’s length.
But it turned out…
Elena’s plans weren’t about bringing her down, but about preparing for her own wedding.
If that was all it was, she could have accepted it, even if it was a bit anticlimactic. Elena was past the typical marrying age, practically an old maid by the standards of this era.
But…
“One groom, five brides…?”
Even saying it out loud was absurd.
There were things in the world that were considered common knowledge, things that everyone was expected to know.
But this wedding defied all common sense.
In a positive light, it could be seen as a bold rejection of societal norms, a declaration of independence. But realistically, it was pure madness.
“…Is the world ending?”
The Crown Princess, after a brief attempt to understand, shook her head in defeat.
What was the point of trying to understand?
This was something beyond comprehension.
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Around the time the Crown Princess gave up trying to understand…
“Hmm…”
Rudrick hummed thoughtfully, staring at the single sheet of paper on his desk.
The world of magic was profound, and even with his exceptional talent, he had only scratched the surface.
He couldn’t possibly understand the complex magical equations created by masters who had dedicated their lives to this field.
But right now, writing a simple letter was proving to be more difficult than deciphering those complex equations.
He could have used a communication spell or an artifact to contact her, it would have been much faster than writing a letter. But he couldn’t bring himself to face her and tell her in person.
“…This is hard. Really hard.”
He muttered, chewing on the end of his quill.
The recipient of the letter was his mother, Countess Aline Weiss.
Even though it was an unconventional wedding, with one groom and five brides, it was his duty as a son to inform his parents.
He couldn’t avoid it forever, but it was difficult to tell his parents, in his right mind, that he was going to have five brides.
He had gone ahead and made this decision, but the aftermath was proving to be a headache.
He couldn’t undo what he had done, and he had expected this kind of reaction.
He took a deep breath, composing himself, and was about to start writing when…
A pair of eyes appeared out of nowhere, staring intently at the letter.
He didn’t even turn his head, used to this by now, and simply said,
“It’s not nice to read other people’s letters.”
“Well, technically, I’m involved.”
“That’s true, but why are you curious about the contents of a letter I’m writing to my mother?”
“Well, you see…”
“You see what?”
He stopped writing and looked at Arwen, who had trailed off.
She continued to stare at the letter, a strange expression on her face, as if she were lost in thought.
Then, she blushed and replied,
“It’s a letter to my… mother-in-law. I haven’t met her yet, but I suppose it’s time for me to introduce myself.”
“…”
He stared at her, a complicated look on his face.
She was more interested in the “mother-in-law” part than the actual contents of the letter.
He asked for confirmation,
“Just out of curiosity… you haven’t met my mother before?”
“You mean… before the regression?”
“Yes.”
“…Now that I think about it, I haven’t. It’s strange that I never met her, but things just… happened.”
“Not even at the banquet?”
“I avoided her. If there were any perceptive individuals, they might have sensed my presence even though I was hiding in the shadows.”
He was surprised.
“So you haven’t even had a formal meeting…?”
“Have the others met her?”
“Hm?”
“Your mother.”
“Hmm… I don’t think anyone other than Elena has met her, at least not in this timeline. I’m sure of it. Elena had to have met her when she visited our county for an inspection right after the regression.”
“…Tsk.”
Arwen frowned, clearly displeased. Then, as if a good idea had occurred to her, she said,
“Well then…”
“Hm?”
“Let’s have a formal meeting.”
“…Are you serious?”
“We have to meet your parents eventually, don’t we? And you always say… ‘It’s better to face the music sooner rather than later,’ right?”
Arwen’s suggestion…
He considered it for a moment, then his eyes widened.
“That’s actually a good idea.”
It was proper etiquette to meet his parents in person and greet them before sending a formal letter.
Except for the fact that he had five brides, it was a normal wedding. The only difference was the high status of the bride and groom… well, brides.
He had been feeling uneasy about simply informing his parents through a letter.
He lacked the courage to tell them in person, but if he took Arwen with him, she would bear the brunt of their anger.
He quickly calculated the possibilities and said,
“Should we go tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow?”
“I just said it’s better to face the music sooner rather than later. Elena’s probably busy making wedding plans right now. And once she’s done, she’ll be asking me to set a date.”
“And she’ll be pestering you to make it as soon as possible.”
“Exactly. So, I think it’s best to just go and tell my parents directly.”
It made sense.
Arwen nodded in agreement, then asked as if she had just remembered something,
“What about the others?”
“Hmm… well, if I only take you, they might feel like I’m giving you special treatment, even though we’re not even married yet… I can think of a few who might get upset.”
He thought about the other four.
Sylphia, true to her dragon nature, was greedy and possessive, especially when it came to shiny things. She would likely be upset. Lassiel was easygoing and wouldn’t care either way. Elena would definitely be jealous.
Eileen was the only wildcard. She wasn’t the type to express her jealousy openly, so it was a 50/50 chance.
He frowned, then came up with a solution.
“I’ll ask them all individually.”
“…That seems like the best option.”
“I’ll visit each of them and say, ‘We’re getting married soon, so we should meet my parents. Arwen’s coming. Do you want to come too?’ No one would say no. Well, maybe some of them would, if they’re not ready.”
“But it’s something they can’t avoid forever. They’ll have to meet them eventually.”
“Don’t worry, it’ll be fine.”
Rudrick waved his hand dismissively.
“It’s not like my mother is going to slap you and accuse you of stealing her precious son.”
“…”
“She might be shocked at first, but she’ll come around. You’ll have to accept that.”
He paused, realizing his words might be interpreted as him throwing his mother under the bus.
Arwen, picturing scenes from over-the-top romance novels, her already pale face draining of all color, asked cautiously,
“Rudrick… what if… your mother refuses to accept this marriage? What if she says she won’t allow it until she’s dead…?”
Even though she was a True Ancestor, she had some understanding of human society.
She knew that this marriage was absurd, and it wouldn’t be strange if Countess Weiss opposed it vehemently.
It was the worst-case scenario, but…
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