11. Gift.

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Just what was that? That woman!”

 

 

Moe jumped up and down as they left the banquet hall.

She was furious, thinking about the rude incident that had just occurred-specifically, about the woman who had been rude to Aran.

 

 

“Are you angry right now?”

“Wouldn’t I be? How much did she have to look down on me to say such things to my husband? This is a declaration of war against the Mei Empire!”

“…Don’t go too far.”

 

Still, it was cute how she made sure to call him her husband.

 

 

“I held back because I thought a real war might break out if I seriously spoke up, but I hope she knows there won’t be a next time.”

“I’m not planning on just taking it either.”

“?”

 

 

Moe looked at Aran.

Surprise was written all over her face.

 

 

“D-Do you perhaps have a way to deal with that wicked Crown Princess?”

 

 

Since when did she become the wicked Crown Princess…?

Aran answered with the same mindset as when dealing with Hancock.

 

 

“Of course. It’s not like I enjoy hearing that every day.”

“Oh, is that so? Then I have nothing to worry about. I almost feel sorry for her. To be secretly kidnapped and brutally violated.”

“I didn’t say it would go that far!”

 

Moe swept her hair back.

 

 

“If a fiend prince like you does something, that’s what’s going to happen.”

“For once, you’re spot on. You conceited princess, you.”

 

Hancock chimed in.

They felt strangely close.

 

 

‘Did they get close because they’re in the same department?’

 

 

 

What had just happened was Huana, after being instated as Crown Princess, had ignored Aran as usual.

In fact, from Aran’s perspective, who had always been ignored, it was nothing special, but it seemed that Moe didn’t see it that way, which made her jump up and down in anger.

 

 

“It might be a surprisingly good method, Your Highness. If you crush that haughty and proud princess, wouldn’t she calm down a bit?”

“As a wife, I’m not thrilled about it, but I’m not going to let a rude woman get away with it either.”

“No, there are other ways, why do you only think of that?”

 

 

“Well, you’re the one taking action.”

“Well, it’s because you’re His Highness the Prince.”

 

The two women chimed in at the same time, not quite a duet.

Aran hung his head.

 

As expected, Moe is Hancock’s type.

Hancock alone is tiring, but now there’s one more.

 

Besides…

 

 

“Come to think of it, I feel like my tone is too subdued for my beauty, so I’m thinking of changing it. How about something like ‘third-person speech,’ which is the exclusive property of beautiful women? Like, ‘Moe is beautiful today,’ something like that.”

 

 

Sometimes, she was even worse than Hancock.

 

 

“Don’t do it.”

“Moe is sad when she hears that.”

“I said don’t do it.”

 

 

Moe pouted.

 

 

“Instead of protecting your wife, you only tell her not to do things. This is why marriage is meaningless.”

“He’s on the other side.”

“Ah! That’s right. He’s my husband, so he’s on the other side.”

“….”

 

 

Just when did they get so close?

 

“Come to think of it, we haven’t had a wedding ceremony yet. When should we have it?”

“…Huh?”

“The wedding ceremony. We’re practically engaged already, and all that’s left is the wedding, so when should we have it?”

“….”

 

 

Aran closed his mouth like a mute.

 

Come to think of it, Aran has more than one woman involved with him.

The first woman is Soup, but since he doesn’t even know where she is now, excluding her, Illiana is the first, and Hancock and Lamias are the second.

 

 

Then comes Moe.

 

But if he suddenly holds a wedding ceremony with Moe, this order will be completely messed up.

Especially Illiana, who firmly believes that she is the legal wife.

 

 

‘No, isn’t it almost the first time a man has multiple wives in the first place…?’

 

 

It’s not unprecedented.

In the case of powerful noble families, they sometimes attach many women to one man in order to have the heirs compete.

However, that was only in the case of a noble man and a commoner or outcast woman; there was no case where a noble or someone of equal status married and became polygamous like Aran.

 

 

“F-First, let’s discuss that with my mother.”

“I hope we have a grand wedding ceremony befitting my beauty.”

“Well, that’s…”

“And let’s go to the West Continent for our honeymoon. How about Goryeo?”

 

She started rattling off like a machine gun.

Starting with the honeymoon destination, the duration, the number of attendants, and the operating funds, etc… it was as if she had been planning it for a long time.

 

 

“O-Okay, so let’s go inside and…”

“Can I join that conversation?”

 

 

Just then, Illiana suddenly cut in.

 

 

“Oh? Isn’t that First Princess Illiana? My, my, the first princesses of two empires have met.”

“Indeed. I was worried if there were any uncomfortable parts.”

“There aren’t any. My beauty even makes nature considerate.”

 

Illiana twitched slightly at her unchanging conceitedness.

Fortunately, it was only for a fleeting moment, so no one noticed.

 

 

“Is that so? That’s a relief.”

 

 

She looked at Aran.

 

 

“You’ve gained a lot of women while I haven’t seen you, Aran.”

“O-Oh… I’m sorry.”

“No, no, there’s no need to apologize. It was I who told you to take ‘concubines’.”

 

She deliberately made a problematic statement in front of Moe.

Aran had a very ominous feeling.

 

 

And that ominous feeling was all too accurate.

 

 

“Concubines?”

 

Moe frowned and opened her mouth.

 

 

“What does that mean? I’ve heard that he has many women, but surely he hasn’t already married?”

“That’s not the case, but as you know, he already has someone, so the princess who came ‘late’ will inevitably be pushed back.”

“Hmph. I can’t allow that with my high status. Even in a polygamous marriage, a young master with a high status rises in rank regardless of the order. It’s only natural that I, the princess of the Great Mei Empire, am the legal wife.”

“Unfortunately, Aran’s first partner was also a princess from a certain empire.”

 

 

It’s truly a chaotic scene.

As Aran tore at his hair, Hancock whispered.

 

 

“You brought this on yourself, Your Highness.”

“Shut up.”

 

Moe took a step towards Illiana.

They were of similar height, so the two women’s eye levels matched perfectly.

 

 

“You’re not a princess of the Goryeo Empire… and there’s no plausible empire around here… don’t tell me… are you talking about yourself in front of me?”

“You have a good sense. I am Aran’s legal wife.”

“Ho. Ho. Ho. Do you think that makes sense? No matter how different our mothers are, marriage between siblings?”

“Isn’t there plenty of marriage between royals? Even in the country of the precious person in front of me.”

“That’s just an old story. It’s different now.”

“Then let’s go back to basics. How can an inter-state marriage be concluded without the permission of the home country in the first place? The process will be complicated, so wouldn’t it take a long time to actually hold the wedding? Maybe it won’t even happen.”

“Hmph. It’s already gone too far. I can’t get married anymore.”

 

Pajijik.

 

A tremendous whirlwind-like force swept near the two women.

 

 

“Your Highness, do something. At this rate, a war between countries might break out.”

“…What should I say?”

 

 

It’s not like Aran doesn’t want to stop them.

He just doesn’t have the means to stop them.

If he rashly intervenes, it could backfire.

 

“Why don’t you just say I’m the legal wife?”

“Princess Moe-yang said it’s not possible because of your status?”

“Hey, there’s no such thing. She’s just acting like that because of her pride.”

“Is that so…”

“If you really can’t do it, I’ll say it.”

“Huh?!”

 

Before he could stop her, Hancock stepped between the two women.

 

 

“Both of you, stop it. Unfortunately, His Highness the Prince’s legal wife is me. Hancock.”

“?”

“?”

 

They look at Hancock with expressions that say, “What nonsense are you talking about?”

But Hancock is still confident.

 

 

“You two are princesses, and I’m a countess, so I’m the leeeegal…”

 

Jjwaak.

 

Moe grabbed her cheeks and pulled them left and right.

 

 

“Flat-chested, don’t interfere.”

“I’m the wegal wife!”

“I don’t care if you come as a concubine, so Countess, step aside.”

 

Illiana pushed her far away.

 

Hancock didn’t try twice and reported to Aran.

 

 

“It was no use, Your Highness.”

“That was obvious…”

 

This fight is a battle of pride.

Both of them have sky-high pride, so there’s no way it would end just because Hancock intervened.

No, in the first place, her actions would be lucky if they didn’t provoke anger.

 

“Then Your Highness has no choice but to resolve it. Quickly decide which one of them will be the legal wife.”

“…If I decide, will they acknowledge it?”

“Won’t a war break out?”

“….”

 

 

Aran looked at the two women.

They were fighting without getting tired.

 

They weren’t pointing fingers at each other, but the atmosphere was clearly hostile.

 

 

“I…”

 

 

Come to think of it, one woman comes to mind.

 

Although he wasn’t in a romantic relationship with her, she remained most affectionately in Aran’s memory.

 

‘I wonder what she’s doing and where she is now… I was too indifferent. Let’s look for her when we go to Srodia.’

 

He thought of Soup.

 

When he was being harassed by Estelle, he forcibly took her, though not intentionally.

 

He still couldn’t forget her appearance in the dazed morning, covered in various liquids.

If possible, shouldn’t he take responsibility?

 

‘If I make one of them the legal wife, there will definitely be a fight.’

 

 

Aran thought so and mustered his courage.

And he stepped between them.

 

 

“Please be quiet for a moment.”

“Aran.”

“You, you have to do it right. You’re not going to push me aside as a concubine even after seeing my beauty, which is full of the energy of the universe, are you?”

 

Aran cleared his throat a few times.

 

 

“Um… first, there’s something you two need to know.”

“I’ll listen for now.”

“Speak.”

 

He hesitated a little before opening his mouth.

 

 

“Actually, there’s a woman I met before I met Nuna.”

“…You’re not talking about that knight named Estelle, are you?”

“Of course not. That woman is just a slave. The woman I want to talk about is… the person who gave me strength when I was at my most difficult.”

“That’s ridiculous! So you’re going to push me aside? Do you know how big of an inter-state event this is?”

“I know that, but… still, my legal wife is…”

 

 

“Your legal wife is Illiana. Aran.”

 

“Mother!”

 

 

Cornelia appeared with her maids.

 

 

“I’m sorry to the princess, but that’s already been decided. I hope you understand.”

“…I, I didn’t hear anything like that. I just heard that he has many women!”

“We didn’t hear that the princess was coming as Aran’s wife either.”

“Ugh.”

“From our country’s point of view, it’s no different from being unilaterally notified, so I hope you understand that much? Surely the Mei Empire doesn’t lack that much etiquette.”

“T-That’s not true.”

 

 

Moe lowered her head slightly and bit her lip.

 

“Aran, let’s have a chat for a while. I have a lot to say.”