The Protagonists of Romance Fantasy Novels Have Escaped - Chapter 167



167 – 167. Wedding Maker (1)

The meeting of the rulers commanding the continent was enough to put the members of the Hoenberk family on edge.

The return of the Saintly Party.

This was the cause of the meeting between Emperor Barbarossa and Sovereign Boern.

The Imperial Knights and the Sovereign State’s Holy Knights were thoroughly on guard around the reception room. The Louisnongs, witnessing this, seemed intrigued by the dazzling armaments and full-body armor, wandering around in circles.

“Wow, it’s so stiff!”

“…….”

Louis Nong’s delicate palm tapped against the full plate armor adorned with platinum. The gleaming metal, reflecting the corridor’s lights, seemed particularly fascinating.

A clamor and noise ensued.

The once silent corridor was now alive with the innocent exclamations of young girls.

The knights and paladins, lined up on either side, displayed their bewilderment. They wanted nothing more than to chase away the little ones who had gathered like puppies, but without a specific command, they refrained from acting.

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‘If they make a loud noise, they might run away.’

‘If the little ones get startled and start crying… just imagining it is enough to make my head spin.’

If news reached the Emperor and the High Priest that the fairies playing on-site had been made to cry, a fierce reprimand would come down like a thunderbolt.

No disrespect must be shown to the House of Hoenberk,

—this was the strict order that made them all the more cautious.

Interest and curiosity tend to fade quickly.

Especially for impulsive children.

Endure.

Just a little longer.

The knights and paladins, maintaining their stance, muttered to themselves as they steadfastly endured the disruption.

Could their earnest wishes have been conveyed?

“Edanant von Hoenberk, you wretched daughter-thief──!!!”

The thunderous roar, born from heightened emotions, sent all the Louis Nongs fleeing.

* * *

Choose your fate.

To be executed by hanging,

or to be sentenced to burning at the stake.

A double bind.

No,

a cruel choice was presented to the debauched man caught with three legs.

The chaotic affairs of his love life had been laid bare. The wedding rings he had gifted to Rudmila and Jeblinne served as undeniable evidence of his infidelity.

“Son-in-law! Did you know about this too?”

“N-no! How could I possibly know the depths of this scandal?”

To Otto, Edanant was, like Maximilian, a precious son that could not be exchanged for anything in the world.

But,

for today, he decided to let it go.

The unparalleled wind that simultaneously brought down the Second Princess, the Second Saintess, and even the First Saintess had reached a point where even the solid paternal love crumbled like a sandcastle. Thus, Otto attempted to distance himself from the situation, asserting that he was in no way involved.

“Father, please hold your ground.”

“Hold my ground? You want me to endure while that damned daughter-thief is around?”

Damn that daughter-thief.

Damn that daughter-thief.

The title referring to Edanant grew increasingly harsh.

“I—I already… knew.”

“You knew? You mean to say you were aware he was cheating!”

Hadn’t he allowed them to take on multiple marriages, considering their past sincerity and contributions? Despite his broad-mindedness in permitting such unions, the revelation that he was also involved with the First Saintess ignited feelings of betrayal.

“How utterly fascinating.”

“To think he would spread his net against the Empire and the Holy Kingdom…! Truly, Edan is remarkable.”

The Mercenary King and the Sword Saint, who were leisurely watching from the wall, let out genuine exclamations of admiration.

It was indeed a great achievement.

To manage a harem with saintesses and princesses.

One could almost applaud his audacity, willing to risk his own life for the sake of his harem.

“Want some popcorn?”

“Sure!”

Felix offered the popcorn.

At that moment, Rue, who was watching alongside them in the reception room, responded with a bold voice.

“The Emperor should calm his anger for now. This isn’t a problem that can be solved by throwing a tantrum, is it?”

“Ugh…!”

In stark contrast to Barbarossa’s fierce demeanor, his face flushed as he shouted, Boern remained calm and gentle as usual.

The Holy Kingdom advocates for free love.

This is because the Earth Mother Gael holds a very liberal view on romance.

Thus, even though the Second Saintess Beatrice had four lovers, she was not reprimanded. It was true that her private life was somewhat scandalous and disordered, but it did not violate the doctrines of the Holy Kingdom.

“If the First Saintess has agreed, then I will agree as well.”

“What a pathetic response! The burden of having daughters raised like precious jewels being stolen feels just as infuriating as the Empire being robbed!”

And rightly so.

They must be daughters that wouldn’t even hurt to place in one’s eye.

The Mercenary King and the Sword Saint, munching on popcorn, nodded in agreement.

“I do not deny understanding your feelings, but… I truly cherish Edanant.”

“I like Edanant too! If it’s not Edanant, I’ll never marry anyone for the rest of my life!”

Rudmila and Elizabeta, summoned to the drawing room, simultaneously drove a nail into their father’s heart. Their attitude suggested they would stop at nothing to gain his approval for marriage.

Raising daughters seems to be of no use.

When a girl finds a man she likes, her heart will inevitably lean that way.

As if to prove this, the beautiful princesses of the Valteria Empire thoroughly defended Edanant. Even if he were the world’s biggest flirt, they seemed determined to love him to the end.

“As for the act of deceiving me with a wedding ring… I will ensure he receives appropriate punishment.”

“…….”

Creak—.

Rudmila gripped Edanant’s shoulder roughly as she spoke.

It felt as if his shoulder blades might shatter.

The overwhelming strength of Rudmila, engulfed in betrayal, was beyond imagination.

“Damn that flirt! My sister and I will somehow correct him, so can’t you just allow the marriage?”

As the youngest daughter earnestly pleaded, the Emperor’s face, once filled with anger and betrayal, began to show signs of wavering.

So, they really do like that damn scoundrel.

He is a traitor to the Empire, having betrayed the Emperor’s trust and favor.

As the second and third daughters firmly confessed their feelings, the Emperor nodded in resignation, allowing the marriage. Especially the bold declaration of “If it’s not Edanant, I’ll never marry anyone for the rest of my life!” moved his heart significantly.

‘Ugh! If only Isabel were here, she would have somehow convinced Mila and Liza…! No, perhaps the other way around. Isabel showed her affection from the very first meeting.’

The first princess, Isabel, who had succeeded in a love marriage with her current husband, wished for all her younger sisters to achieve the same. Thus, when Rudmila revealed her feelings for Edanant, Isabel immediately stepped forward to support the marriage.

Love marriage.

In a high society rife with strategic marriages for wealth and power, this was a very unusual case.

To be united with the one they love.

Barbarossa, like his eldest daughter, sincerely hoped that his sons and daughters would marry for love. Surely, if the Empress were alive, she would have wished for the same.

“Your Majesty! No, Father! Please give me… give me all your daughters!”

“A thief?!”

Now is the time.

If not now, the opportunity may never come again.

He placed the fate of the Hoenberk family and his father’s honor on the line, embarking on the gamble of a lifetime. With only a frontal assault as the way to survive this situation, he chose without hesitation.

“Ahem!”

“W-What are you suddenly saying…!”

A boyfriend asking to give away his daughter.

A father who absolutely cannot permit this marriage.

Rudmila and Elizaveta, confronted with a situation they had only seen in romance novels, let out awkward coughs soaked in embarrassment or covered their flushed cheeks, bursting into giggles.

“Have you not already made your decision? Please, speak up.”

“Phew… The one true God is finally delivering retribution to the tyrant with a foul temper.”

It is undoubtedly karma.

Barbarossa squeezed his eyes shut, quickly recalling the wrongs he had committed in the past like a flashback. It seemed he believed he was receiving divine punishment.

“Now that I think about it… did we not already submit the marriage contract?”

“Shh! Do not ruin the romantic atmosphere with unnecessary words.”

Shivering.

With his whole body trembling, Barbarossa finally opened his mouth, suppressing his heightened emotions.

“Fine! I understand, you damn daughter thief! I will allow you to take Mila and Liza as your partners! I mean to say, as the son-in-law of the Baltaria Empire!”

“Thank you.”

“I assure you. There will never be another day when I show such leniency. If you dare to make Mila and Liza weep… I will mobilize all the forces of the Baltaria Empire to annihilate the House of Hoenberg.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

If such a thing were to happen, he would likely be killed first by Rudmila and Elizaveta. Before the Emperor’s armies, tyranny and death would turn the Hoenberg Marquessate into ruins.

The calamity of tyranny.

The calamity of death.

The pinnacle of a disaster deity that would annihilate humanity and destroy the world.

In the event of a marital dispute, life and death would be hard to guarantee.

For the sake of the family’s survival and the peace of the household, a marital dispute must somehow be prevented.