Ch.159Outside. Two Empress Consorts (1)

It was too quiet.

‘Hannah Wellesley’ looked around carefully, even being mindful of her breathing.

Only half a day had passed since the wedding ceremony.

Before she could fully gather her scattered thoughts, she had been moved to a private location with the help of her maids.

That private location was the bridal chamber where they would spend their first night together.

Naturally, before entering the bridal chamber, she had to bathe and be adorned with the assistance of others. She felt like the most precious doll in the world.

The bridal chamber was prepared in a villa near the imperial capital.

It was an enormous property that not only bordered a lake but also included hunting grounds and an orchard. It was so magnificent that it reminded her of the royal summer villas she had only seen in news reports as a child. It was more than adequate for the Duke and his wives to enjoy their honeymoon.

‘I heard it’s the Hero’s personal property.’

Indeed, the wealthy were wealthy.

However, in contrast to that wealth, the decoration of the bridal chamber was relatively simple.

A round bed so spacious that five or six people could lie on it simultaneously with room to spare. A magical refrigerator filled with sweet desserts and alcohol, and an adjoining bathroom.

There was little else.

It didn’t seem deliberately austere, but rather as if nothing else was deemed necessary. After all, the main purpose of a bridal chamber was ultimately just one thing.

‘That’s right. Of course it is.’

Are we really going to do it?

She couldn’t help but tremble at the thought of the event that would unfold shortly.

Understandably so, as until very recently, Hannah had never imagined this day would come. Regardless of whether she had feelings for the Hero or not, she had never even imagined it. She had only expected to live a relatively normal life, doing what the Hero asked of her.

But now she had to give her first time, having skipped all forms of skinship. At the moment, she felt only bewilderment.

That wasn’t the only reason Hannah was fidgeting with nervousness.

‘If only I were alone with the Hero, I might be less nervous.’

The feeling of bewilderment was also largely due to the other bride who was waiting for the groom with her.

Ember Wellesley.

Another Duchess who had held her wedding ceremony on the same day and time.

They had become acquainted over tea before the wedding ceremony, but it wasn’t a relationship where she felt any intimacy.

She knew that Ember had maintained a complicated relationship with the Hero for a long time and had played a crucial role in the Blood Banquet, but that was all. Even now, sitting across from each other, she had no idea what to say.

All she could do was occasionally glance at her while pretending not to—the beauty with flowing golden hair and blue eyes.

‘She’s beautiful.’

Now she understood why the Hero had confessed, “Even during the worst of times between us, I always thought Ember’s appearance was excellent,” when they had been drinking together before.

It wasn’t just her face that was beautiful.

Her height, at least half a span taller than herself, and while not voluptuous, her slender waistline and long legs seemed seductive.

Hannah had never thought of herself as unattractive, but she couldn’t help feeling the difference in their…

“Saintess.”

Even her voice was seductive.

Hannah froze for a moment before belatedly meeting Ember’s eyes, newly aware that they had been awkwardly scanning each other.

“Yes, yes, what is it?”

“I’ve wanted to thank you for a while now.”

Thank me?

As Hannah tilted her head in confusion, Ember smiled gently.

“If you hadn’t accepted Erick’s proposal, he would certainly have married a daughter of the imperial family. They couldn’t have forced Erick, but he probably would have accepted it after political calculation. I don’t know if you’re aware, but Erick is that kind of person.”

“I think I vaguely understand what you mean.”

The Hero that Hannah had seen so far was, honestly, somewhat distant from compromise.

Sometimes he even seemed to glorify violence. She had seen him hitting, smashing, burning, and cutting down countless times.

However, she knew that he tried to kill as few as possible. Even if that “as few as possible” was still too many.

“If that had happened, I would have inevitably become a concubine… Oh, I’m not claiming to be equal to the Saintess. But if Erick had taken an imperial family member as his wife, it would have been difficult for me to even have a formal wedding ceremony.”

“Surely not. Although I haven’t spoken much with the Hero, I could feel that he considers you important…”

“Regardless of Erick’s feelings, that’s how it would have been. The one mentioned as Erick’s match was a Grand Duke’s daughter. She would have competed with me over everything even after the wedding.”

“…”

“Living with royalty would have brought moments of fatigue eventually. Erick isn’t leisurely enough to consider my feelings as well.”

Ember gently took the Saintess’s hand, saying it was as if the Saintess had bestowed a favor upon her.

The Saintess stared at her blankly, not knowing how to respond.

Though there was no particular need, she felt somewhat sorry. She realized that what she had accepted as a transaction was someone else’s desperate wish. Though Ember didn’t show it, she must have had a desire to monopolize the Hero.

‘Especially on the first night.’

As the barriers gradually broke down, sympathy for Ember took their place.

And a faint resentment toward the Hero, who had put two brides in one space, also welled up. Though it might seem awkward, wouldn’t it be better to take turns spending the night?

But that sympathy didn’t last long.

“Actually, it was my suggestion that we spend the first night together.”

“…”

“Erick seemed to want to separate the bridal chambers because he felt sorry for you, Saintess. I think he wanted to respect both of us.”

“The concept of respect is a bit… no, never mind.”

“That’s right. Fair treatment is impossible. But if the bridal chambers had been separated, one of us would have had to spend the night alone.”

Hannah momentarily thought, “Wouldn’t that be better?” It seemed less embarrassing than spending the first night as three people.

Erick hadn’t arrived yet, but she couldn’t even imagine how awkward it would be when he did. She also wondered if the Empire’s sexual culture was this open.

But listening calmly to Ember’s words, she understood the sentiment behind the decision.

“It might seem sudden, but I want to be friends with you, Saintess.”

“…”

“I don’t want to fight over Erick either. I don’t want to create a tiring situation by monitoring who he spends more time with or who receives more affectionate glances.”

“I have no intention of fighting over such issues…”

“You might think that way in the future. Today I might seem pitiful to you, but it’s hard to maintain that feeling forever. Even I, while feeling only gratitude toward the Saintess now, can’t guarantee the future.”

Hannah couldn’t deny this statement.

Honestly, she didn’t have passionate feelings for the Hero right now.

But she couldn’t deny that he was the only being in this world she could depend on. Just thinking about being in his arms soon made her lower abdomen tingle.

How long would it take to fall in love with the only man who protected her and with whom she could communicate? Probably not long.

‘It’s amazing that she can foresee such a distant future on the first night.’

Hannah looked at Ember with fresh eyes.

Until just now, only her brilliant beauty had caught her attention, but now she could guess why the Hero had taken this woman as his Duchess.

It was difficult to express it simply as being generous or humble.

In some ways, the thought even crossed her mind that she might be more necessary to the Hero than Hannah herself. Right now, she had some capital like mathematics or useful chemical knowledge for farming, but how long would that last?

“Ah.”

A soft exclamation escaped from Hannah’s lips.

It was because she realized that the very act of measuring her own value might become a seed of jealousy.

…So that’s what it was.

Hannah faced Ember, who was asking worriedly, “Saintess? Are you alright?”

She still had a beautiful face. Though she had grown up in a completely different environment, somehow Hannah felt a sense of intimacy.

‘Being friends wouldn’t be… bad.’

Though it was an awkward situation where the three of them had to spend the first night together, it didn’t seem all bad.

Come to think of it, she had decided on polygamy in just a few hours, and on transmigration to another world in just a few days. Quick decisions were routine.

Yes, let’s spend it together. The first night. Though it was very embarrassing, it seemed manageable with some sweet desserts and a few drinks.

***

To give the two women time to break down their awkwardness, I was waiting for a while.

I wasn’t spending the time filled with anticipation, building up excitement for the first night.

To be honest, I was checking on the status of the businesses I had started. The school, preparations for a new type of autumn wheat farming that would change the Empire’s economic structure, the migration status of the beastkin, and so on.

It might seem inappropriate, but in my mind, it was the right decision to take care of these matters in advance.

‘Thinking about it now, maybe I should have postponed it.’

Today, or rather, during the honeymoon week, it would have been right to focus entirely on my two brides. I felt belated regret.

Two virgins who, while not complete strangers, had no opportunity to build friendship. Moreover, one of them was an otherworlder who had suddenly decided to marry.

I regretted having devoted attention to political affairs when I should have been considering how to spend the first night while being considerate of both of them.

It would be nice if the situation allowed me to indulge in carnal desires freely, but I doubted that would be the case.

No, that’s not right. The two women must be as uncomfortable as I am. It was my duty to somehow soothe them and carry out the deed without incident.

‘It will work out somehow.’

I quietly muttered to myself as I entered the bridal chamber.

At the same time, the word ‘duty’ in my mind became meaningless.

“Erick, welcome.”

It was thanks to the unexpectedly amicable attitude of the two sitting together.

The dress gowns so thin they were almost see-through, the ice cream on the Saintess’s lips, the wine glass in Ember’s hand, the faint body scent and the sweet smell of alcohol.

I didn’t know what had transpired, but it was fortunate from my perspective. At least for today, it seemed I wouldn’t have to worry.