episode_0108
by fnovelpia
108. Reconciliation
– Chirp chirp
I opened my eyes to the sound of birds singing.
Though there was a faint smell of tobacco, the bed was clean, well-maintained, and plush.
Still lying face down, I pushed myself up with my hands against the soft mattress.
My body felt slightly sticky.
Parts of the bedsheet had darkened in color.
Scratching my messy hair, I took a sip from the water cup nearby.
The weather’s really nice today…
“Did you sleep well…?”
A woman greeted me as I gazed out the window.
Though things had been awkward between us, it was Luna—my now-reconciled ex-girlfriend.
Naked, she crawled toward me and rubbed her face against mine like a cat.
I stroked her hair as she nuzzled against me.
“Last night was the best…♡”
“I had a good time too.”
“Me? Or….”
She was asking for a tricky answer.
Two other women lay on the bed.
Vivian and Adele met my eyes before pretending to still be asleep.
“We’re sleeping. Go on, say it.”
“Yeah, Malang. Who was the best?”
“Me, right?”
Last night, three beauties had suddenly barged in.
Perhaps they’d heard from Adele, but they came to comfort me.
Though their method involved wearing sexy lingerie under coats like some flasher.
In the end, they kicked the door open and stormed in…
“Stop, our poor treasure’s gonna break again.”
“Hahaha! His mental’s all soft now.”
“Stop teasing my boyfriend.”
“Ex-boyfriend.”
“Hey!”
We cleared up the misunderstanding through conversation, then ‘reconciled’ on the bed.
Vivian and Adele, who’d been starving for three weeks, were relentless.
Luna was uncomfortable doing it with her cousins.
At first, it was awkward, but…
“Where else would you find a sweet sister like me? Huh? Do it with your mouth.”
“It wasn’t good at all?!”
“You crazy bitch, hahaha!”
Caught up in the mood, she ended up enjoying it too.
My legs still trembling slightly, I sat on a chair near the bed.
Then, I asked my ex-girlfriend, who only seemed to feel guilty now.
“You figured it out in the end, right? That those two were in a friends-with-benefits relationship.”
“I already knew.”
“That wasn’t why you wanted to break up?”
“…Well, since you were trying to cut ties, I’ll forgive you for not telling me.”
Then, Vivian suddenly cut into our conversation.
“You should forgive him. The three of us are bound by fate—live or die together.”
“Vivian, shut up.”
It wasn’t some blood oath curse, but seriously…
The reason we had to break up—her duties as a noble—was still a mystery.
And now, another question had popped up.
As we chatted and laughed in the morning, Vivian suddenly asked,
as if it had just occurred to her out of nowhere.
“Hey, Malang.”
“Yeah?”
“You’ve got insane stamina, you know that?”
The other two girls nodded in agreement.
While drinking water, I remembered something I hadn’t even considered in last night’s chaos.
When I was attacked by those starved beasts last night, I won every round on that bed.
My stamina was practically peerless—unrivaled in bed.
But it was excessive.
I fired a whopping 14 shots, gushing out like a faucet.
How could such a tiny thing produce so much…?
Even accounting for size, it defied common sense.
Though, maybe it was because none of the girls had experience with other men?
They didn’t find it strange, just casually accepting it as, “Oh, a guy with good stamina can do that~”
They chatted among themselves like it was nothing.
“Let’s wash up and go.”
“Can’t keep an angelic sister waiting!”
“How dare I lay eyes upon His Majesty’s divine visage….”
Guess it’s about time for the morning meeting.
We quickly washed up in the bathroom and came out.
Of course, washing up was fast—we were soldiers—but other activities dragged it out to two hours…
We arrived at the morning meeting hall.
Erica sat at the head of Zarmak’s highest council chamber.
She was in the middle of a discussion with the strategists who had arrived earlier.
We entered through the ornately carved wooden doors.
Erica, who had been debating, looked at us and, instead of a morning greeting, asked a question.
“Our fox, are you feeling alright?”
“Ah… yes.”
“You don’t look it.”
Abandoning her conversation with the strategists, Erica approached.
Then, she pressed both my cheeks with her palms and said:
“Look, your face is all sunken in.”
“My lord, did you not rest well?”
Even Aris was worried about me.
I definitely didn’t look great.
Even if my overflowing stamina could cover for being squeezed dry all night,
it was still my body doing all the work.
A tag-team match where as soon as one passed out, another jumped in.
In the end, I probably only slept two hours.
The side effects of being too engrossed in nighttime activities to even drink water.
Unaware of the ugly truth, Erica and Aris genuinely worried for me.
Meanwhile, Adele…
“Ghk… ghkghk…!!”
…was face down on the desk, stifling laughter.
What was so funny about this situation…?
Erica, still concerned about me,
finally noticed her generals—her cousins—in the room.
Holding my head tightly against her small frame, she looked at them.
“Where were you three all night?”
“Ahaha….”
“Sis, well….”
“We’re ashamed.”
The generals tried to brush it off awkwardly.
But Erica’s eyes narrowed.
Had she noticed something?
She poked their sides with her elbows.
With a playful grin, as if she’d figured it out.
“Hoh… so you girls are still women after all.”
“Huh?”
“Did you take a liking to the local scholars here?”
Erica had jumped to a massive misunderstanding.
But now convinced of her theory, she teased them relentlessly.
“Well, the men here are all bookish and fair-skinned. You’re at the age to know love now.”
“Well… something like that?”
Vivian tried to dodge while avoiding outright lies.
Though her answer was ambiguous, Erica took it as confirmation and teased them more.
Wait, is she actually supportive…?
“Love is a beautiful thing. But at least wait until after the Ternova battle to get serious.”
Pregnancy would keep them from fighting, and they were in the middle of a major campaign.
She gave them serious relationship advice while scolding them.
The generals bowed their heads in response.
Adele, still face down on the table, looked like she was about to die laughing.
I wish she’d explain what was so funny before cracking up.
Since no one else was laughing, was it some inside joke only she knew?
Just as my irritation was growing at Adele’s giggling,
Erica finished her lecture and lifted my chin with her hand.
“And our fox.”
“Yes?”
Suddenly, Erica turned to me, her tone shifting.
No longer the doting, meddling cousin from earlier,
but a ruler issuing a serious command.
She looked at me and said:
“You’re sitting out the Ternova battle.”
“…Suddenly?”
“Yes. Aris and I discussed it and decided.”
Did I mess something up?
Confused, I glanced at the little brat sitting proudly among the strategists.
Amelie raised her hand excitedly and declared:
“Me! I asked them to pull you out!”
“…Why?”
“Hanaecheon’s master! You looked tired! It’s definitely because of the divine fireworks—your heart must ache!”
Half right.
The canyon battle where a massive weapon annihilated 300,000 troops.
As a soldier, it was a proud achievement, but as a person, it weighed on me.
Though I’d already come to terms with it—my girl problems were bigger, but…
Too embarrassing to explain, so I’ll keep my mouth shut.
“You’re right. I failed to consider our fox’s feelings.”
Erica patted my head apologetically.
In the end, it was decided I’d only attend this morning’s meeting and stay in Zarmak during the war.
Thinking about it, I wasn’t a strategist—just the guy who makes things. Why was I even in battles?
Brook and Aetri were probably lazing around in Redmain right now.
Suddenly, I felt unfairly treated.
But better late than never.
Anyway, this morning’s meeting was uneventful.
“Advance here…”
“Baldwin’s forces are minimal. Losing 300,000 troops must’ve hurt badly.”
The 300,000-strong army was wiped out without much resistance.
After the canyon battle, Ternova’s morale had plummeted.
If luck was on our side, they might even surrender and defect.
Erica’s victory seemed assured.
────────────────────
The very next day, Erica set out swiftly with her army.
Now with no real reason to stay, she showered me with kisses, telling me to stay healthy.
“I’ll be back.”
The strategists also wished me well.
I wasn’t sick, but…
“My lord, I’ll return soon.”
“I’ll be back.”
“Rest well and drink honey tea daily.”
“Master! I’m off!”
Aris, Isobel, Lukarion, Amelie.
All nobles, but they treated me like a close friend—people I was grateful for.
Penrose also bid me farewell.
“I look forward to seeing what you’ll create by the time we return.”
“Ah… I’m taking a break now. At least until you’re back.”
“Take care.”
Penrose bowed and left first.
Then, Jet approached and held out his fist.
Now second nature, we bumped fists in greeting.
Jet grinned and said:
“Hey, make me something refreshing when I get back.”
“Refreshing food?”
“Anything! I’m off, bro.”
Calling himself “bro” playfully, Jet left.
Next came Vivian, Adele, and Luna.
“Malang, wait for us.”
“Yeah. Don’t do anything stupid and mess up your luck.”
“We’ll be back soon.”
They sneakily hugged me—these lovely wom… uh…
Not quite friends-with-benefits, not quite lovers—what do I call them?
Anyway, women I’d promised a future with.
After a light hug, someone patted my head.
The only one staying behind to assist me.
“Don’t worry. I’ll keep this guy’s tail in check, haha!”
“Please take care of him.”
I didn’t get what she meant, but Luna bowed deeply in thanks.
Another inside joke I’m left out of?
Finally, the three generals left too.
Now, I had all the time in the world to sleep and play.
I’m free.
────────────────────
Erica’s old friend, Marcus Caphon.
Currently, he sat on the porch of his spacious mansion, wearing a pleased smile.
And why wouldn’t he?
Erica had swiftly taken control of Zarmak, and in the aftermath, his own influence grew.
Suddenly, he was flooded with unprecedented power and bribes.
Material pleasures were nice, but…
“I’m so glad my friend is doing well.”
True to his reputation as a man of loyalty, he wasn’t jealous—just genuinely happy.
And there was one more piece of news that delighted him…
“The Heaven-sent genius…”
The man known as such had stayed behind instead of going to war.
The man called the Heaven-sent genius.
Credited with accelerating Erica’s rise by a decade.
Nobles speculated Erica wasn’t originally destined to become this strong.
No, to be precise—
She was always expected to be among the Empire’s elite.
But not to grow this abnormally fast.
According to scholars of fate:
Erica was a slow starter.
They predicted a warlord era, with Cecilia as the sole frontrunner.
But while the half-siblings fought for power, Erica gained opportunities and grew too quickly.
Now, she was the Empire’s top warlord.
And the reason?
“The world works in mysterious ways.”
The Heaven-sent genius, Cain, was likely the cause.
But a subordinate’s talent still reflects on their ruler.
Had it been Cecilia, she might’ve overlooked his potential for being a commoner.
Lost in thought, Marcus marveled at life’s irony.
Then, a small desire and curiosity bloomed in his heart.
“Should I meet him?”
Currently, only two people in the Empire bore the title “Heaven.”
The Heaven-sent genius, Cain, renowned as the greatest mind.
The peerless under heaven, Reina, unmatched in martial might.
What if they met?
What if a warlord had both as subordinates?
How far could they go?
Could they stop Erica’s mad dash to dominance?
That was his curiosity.
“Alright, let’s meet.”
True to his loyal nature, this wasn’t betrayal.
Just pure, childish curiosity.
He also wanted to have a serious talk with a genius.
“What’s got you so happy?”
A woman in shabby clothes emerged from the guest room.
The peerless under heaven, Reina herself.
Currently staying as Marcus’s guest.
“Hey? Hello~?”
But the loyalty-bound man, burning with curiosity, didn’t seem to hear.
No—he looked positively giddy at the thought of making a new friend.
“Hahaha! If he’s Erica’s subordinate, he’s my friend too! I’ll send Adele a letter!”
“Yawn….”
Realizing conversation was pointless, the peerless warrior
opened her mouth wide in a yawn and retreated to her room.
She’d seen enough of Marcus’s antics to be sick of them.
He was kind enough to house her and her troops, but she didn’t particularly like him.
So she just went back to bed.
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