Ch.200Polygamy (5)

When people get truly angry, they actually become calmer, don’t they?

That’s exactly how Zernya was right now.

Having unintentionally discovered her fiancé’s affair, her blood pressure had risen so high that her tone had turned ice-cold.

“Hey.”

Her old personality was showing.

She hurled insults as naturally as breathing.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing? Are you so desperate to die?”

Rustila Kersil frowned. She pointed to herself and asked, “Are you talking to me?”

“Who else is here besides you? Stop the chatter and just answer my question. What kind of crap are you pulling with my husband?”

She had been accumulating frustration for the past two months because Eidel Rheinland wouldn’t meet with her.

Now, seeing Rustila flirting with Eidel made her feel like acid was about to rise up her throat.

“Husband? What are you talking about?”

Rustila spoke languidly. She twisted her body seductively. Her model-like slim waist, sharp legs, and voluptuous curves naturally stood out through her military uniform.

She proudly thrust out her chest and said, “Eidel is my husband.”

“Would you look at that? Hey!”

Zernya shouted. Rustila had immediately linked arms with Eidel and leaned her head against his shoulder.

The height difference between Rustila and Eidel was about 10cm.

As she breathed against Eidel’s nape and smiled, it seemed like she was mocking the shorter Zernya.

No, she was definitely mocking her.

After all, it was a cuddling position that would be absolutely impossible with Zernya’s petite and delicate frame.

At 155cm tall, Zernya had to endure this teabagging with pursed lips.

Thanks to that, her stomach felt like it was bubbling like carbonated water.

“There’s a limit to bullshit. What are you doing acting like a harlot? Did you break your contract with Virgo?”

“What?”

Rustila drew her sword. Zernya’s eyebrows twitched. That sword was no mass-produced item.

Whoosh!

With one dance of the blade, liquefied Aether drew an arc. Just one swing was enough to tell. She had already reached a level beyond Omega rank. A remarkable talent.

At the same time, she could feel the presence of a giant constellation. Undoubtedly, it was Virgo.

“Thanks to Eidel’s research, the penalty has disappeared.”

“You, you…”

“Thank you, darling.”

Rustila’s head turned slightly. That alone was enough for her cherry-colored lips to touch Eidel’s cheek. It was a feat Zernya couldn’t accomplish.

Zernya couldn’t stand seeing her repeatedly defile Eidel’s face.

But what was even more unbearable was the fact that Eidel hadn’t met with her for two whole months.

Crunch. Her teeth ground together.

“Eidel, you! I asked to see your face, but you didn’t show even the tip of your nose! Always making excuses about being busy!”

Finally exploding, Zernya stepped forward.

“So you’ve been ignoring me because you wanted to marry this girl, to make her happy? Have you forgotten who your fiancée is? Huh? Why the fuck did you take off your ring, you piece of trash!”

Her refined anger was like cold drunken rage.

Just one flash of lightning was enough to set it ablaze fiercely.

Zernya was surprised at her own words. She had never experienced cursing so intensely in her life. It was proof that her anger had consumed her reason.

“I see, so Rustila didn’t seduce you—you made the first move, didn’t you? Like a dog in heat!”

“Zernya…”

“Don’t call me by my name! Say one more word and I’ll kill you!”

Even Rustila, who had been leisurely teasing Zernya, was somewhat surprised.

Tears were welling up in her amethyst-like eyes.

As much as she disliked Zernya, she hadn’t intended to make her cry.

She just wanted to tease her a little because she seemed so smug. Because it was so annoying.

It was unexpected—she thought Zernya was so vicious that she had no blood or tears.

“You, you’re all beasts. Sex-crazed bastards… Don’t you know what’s important?”

She hadn’t come just because she wanted to see Eidel.

She needed to discuss things.

What she should do from now on. Since they had both become family heads, if they were to marry, who should give up their position. She had waited a long time to have such productive conversations.

In fact, Eidel had things to say too.

He hadn’t just been researching constellation nerves all this time. He had been developing overall technology for the upcoming great war with the Darwin’s Legion that would break out soon.

And he had clearly explained that he was too busy for that reason. Zernya just didn’t believe him, thinking it was an excuse.

But he didn’t say that.

Instead…

“I’m sorry.”

He apologized and embraced Zernya. He wrapped her small frame with his broad shoulders and patted her back.

Zernya’s body trembled with a start. Her quivering, like a startled puppy, was vividly transmitted through the fabric.

“I know you’re upset. Be angry if you want.”

“Get away from me.”

“I’ll stay like this until you’re okay.”

“This is making me less okay. I said get away!”

Zernya pushed Eidel away. Eidel picked up the engagement ring and placed it in Zernya’s hand. Her gaze fell in bewilderment.

“Give it back when you feel better.”

“Stop messing around, ugh.”

As Zernya tried to step forward threateningly, she lost her balance and staggered. If Eidel hadn’t caught her, she would have hit the corner of the desk and been seriously injured.

“Are you okay?”

“My, my head…”

Rustila could only stare blankly at the scene.

It wasn’t pretense.

If nothing else, Zernya’s speech was slurred.

Having focused solely on her studies for an extended period on an empty stomach, she staggered like someone with low blood sugar. Moreover, she had dark circles under her eyes as if suffering from a serious illness. She also showed signs of exhaustion.

In any case, it was clear that her physical condition was a mess.

Eidel seemed to have noticed this too, as he said to Rustila:

“Rusti, could you get a glucose candy from over there?”

“Huh? Sure…”

“Zernya. Eat this. I think your blood sugar is low.”

“No need. I don’t need it.”

“You might collapse if you’re not careful. Stop arguing and here.”

Eidel put the candy directly into Zernya’s mouth. Despite her prickly words, her mouth was honest. Zernya chewed the disc-shaped candy well to survive.

After a while, her grape-colored eyes gradually began to regain their vitality.

“Here, drink some water too.”

Eidel, who had seated Zernya in a chair, personally opened a bottle of water for her. Zernya silently accepted it and drank like a baby bird. Her head, now conscious, dropped blankly.

The engagement ring.

The only proof of their promised future.

No matter how angry she was, she couldn’t throw away her love. No, before that, she couldn’t abandon the great cause of the Adelbein family. Whether she liked it or not, Zernya was in a position where she had to become Eidel’s wife.

So, if possible.

She shouldn’t hate the man before her.

“…Put this on.”

“Zernya.”

“Put it on before I kill you!”

Eidel put the ring on his left hand. Zernya moistened her lips with her tongue and slowly caressed that hand. It was a sturdy hand, incomparable to her own small, delicate one.

“Damn it. It’s all because of you. Because of you, every day is like hypoglycemia. I keep forgetting to eat, forgetting to drink water… Anyway, I’m in this state because I’ve been studying and working while thinking of you.”

This was sincere.

She had almost died at the hands of an outer god, but she was still alive thanks to Eidel rescuing her and giving her a blood transfusion. If Eidel hadn’t been there then, she would already be a corpse.

Having received such a favor, how could she dislike him?

“Hey, Rustila.”

Rustila had enough sense to know. She had been looking away, but now turned her gaze.

“I’ve told you many times. I’m sorry. For bullying you during school, for insulting your dreams. I’ll apologize for everything, so let’s try to get along from now on if possible.”

“…”

“But this isn’t right. I, I have strong possessiveness. I can’t stand seeing you alone with Eidel, rubbing it in my face. This man is mine. You might have liked him first, but I was engaged to him first.”

Eidel silently nodded. He raised his hand and stroked Zernya’s cheek and the side of her hair. Zernya didn’t avoid his touch. Rather, she closed her eyes and quietly felt it.

Rustila pursed her lips.

She can’t stand seeing her alone with Eidel, rubbing it in her face?

“I feel the same way.”

“…Well, our hearts are in sync on that point.”

Zernya calmed her breathing. The corners of her mouth turned up slightly.

“I’m tired.”

She had been pushing herself for the past few months. If she continued fighting, she would inevitably end up in the emergency room.

“Eidel. I told you before that polygamy was okay, right?”

“Yes, you did.”

“That was just lip service. I thought Rustila would never make it. I just wanted to show you my generosity, pretending to be merciful…”

Who would have known the tables would turn like this?

“Rustila, Zernya. Let’s postpone any talk of marriage or other important matters until tomorrow morning. It’s late.”

Both women at least nodded to that.

It was a ceasefire.

They would growl at each other again as soon as they met tomorrow anyway. There was no point in fighting more today. Relationship fights were always long-term battles that took at least a few weeks.

“Both of you go to bed. I’ll clean up here and come in too.”

Eidel rubbed his eyes firmly as he dismissed the two.

***

“Phew.”

I barely managed to send them away.

Still, it’s better than before. It’s become easier to understand Zernya and Rustila’s personalities and figure out what’s acceptable and what’s not.

Is this what they call experience?

Since it’s a situation I created, it’s my responsibility to strengthen the relationship between the two. Fortunately, neither of them is so blind as to not understand a ceasefire.

There’s hope.

I’m just as tired. After researching for months without rest, my physical condition is a mess. Now that one project is finished, I should be able to get more than 5 hours of sleep tonight for the first time in a long while.

That’s when it happened.

[“The project is finished, right?”]

Ah, right.

[— The God of Wisdom and Curiosity smiles.]

Quest reward.

[“Young one, I have a mountain of demands for you. You’d better be prepared.”]

I had promised Cartesia to grant one favor in return for her cooperation with the crystal research.

Somehow, I have a bad feeling about this.

***

The next day.

Eidel was brought to the emergency room unconscious.