NOVEL NEXT Chapter 54. Unexpected Meeting IV
Dragon King's Harem Chapter 54. Unexpected Meeting IV
"You want to be the king's wife?" I repeated in confusion. And she answered me with a nod. Didn't she say that she ran away because she didn't want an arranged marriage and wanted to find her true love earlier? Why did she suddenly say she wanted to be my wife? We hadn't met before. How could she fall in love with someone she had never met?
"But-"
Before I finished my sentence, she interrupted me.
"Don't laugh at me. I know the king is still asleep. But that's why I want to be his wife," she added quickly.
I paused. Of course ... How could I forget what she knew was that I was still asleep. But that meant she was planning something else. Apart from that, this also proved what she said before about reporting me to 'the king' was just a bluff.
"What are you planning?" I asked straight to the point. There was a trace of displeasure in my tone.
Catching my displeasure, she panicked.
"It's not what you think. I didn't plan anything bad for the king." Then she paused for a moment as she bit her lower lips. Her hesitation was clear on her face.
"I know the king needs more women for his harem since he has to make his successor. Yet the king is always cold towards them. So ... I want to make a request to the Chancellor to become one of his future wives," she said.
I quickly caught her intention.
"So you want to make that as an excuse to avoid your arranged marriage?" Again, I said straight to the point. Even though I was asleep after all my status as a dragon king was higher than a crown prince.
She nodded her head, but her gaze remained down, showing her guilt.
"But actually you want to take that opportunity to find your 'true love' in Dragon Cross City," I guessed again. Dragon Cross City was the largest city in Igixar. Many traders and travellers from various tribes came there. Of course, that was the best place to start her search.
She nodded her head again without daring to look at me.
"Did you know the king's harem isn't something you can play with?" I said in displeasure.
She lifted her head and looked at me.
"I know. But I have no other way." Then she lowered her head again in guilt.
"If the king woke up from his sleep, but I still did not find what I was looking for. I am willing to be his real wife."
I smirked after hearing her words.
"Good. I hope you can keep it." Well, I was awake now, so it was the same as she gave herself to me.
"Have you discussed your refusal with your father before?" I asked again since it related to the good relations between the two tribes I had to handle this carefully.
"I did ... But my father still insisted," she replied. Before her father told her about this, he attended the annual duel match in the kingdom of the Serpent Tribe's capital. So she guessed he met the Crown Prince there and finally decided to match her up since her father also told her how he was fascinated by the Prince's way of fighting.
"But you still need your father's approval to enter a harem," I reminded her.
"I know. My father said he did not mind my other choices as long as that man had to have a higher position than his choice."
'Then this shouldn't be a problem,' I thought. But, of course, I wanted to know her reaction after I told her my real identity later.
"But since the king has always been cold to women, I think he won't touch me even if I give myself to him," she continued.
I knew she didn't mean to insult me, but somehow her words irritated me. Still, I could understand since the real Argod was cold to all women because of his curse.
"We'll see about that," I said simply.
"Um ... Sir, since I've agreed to join your convoy. May I see your face? I mean ... Why are you covering it up like a criminal?" Her doubts were clear from her voice. Her eyes stared at me in hesitation. Looks like if anything bad happened, she could report me to the guards.
I opened my hood according to her request.
"There. I'm not a criminal. I just passed the Dragonfire Desert, of course, I need a hood," I reasoned. Let alone, a princess of another tribe like her, without my horns and my eyes that were no different from an ordinary dragon tribe, even my guards doubted my identity. Since my horns, my tattoo and eyes were proof that I was their king. Meanwhile, the Tonic of Camouflage was Al's new creation, so no one had ever used it.
Jyne's eyes widened when the man in front of her opened his hood, revealing his dark hair and cold, handsome face. Her heart was pounding when she saw it at the first glance. Without even realizing it, her candy fell to the ground.
'He's so handsome ...' That was what she thought. Not only that, she could feel a majestic aura from him, even though that man was a commoner. Besides seeing what he did before, she was pretty sure he was a good person. A strange feeling enveloped her, a strange feeling that she had never been felt before. Without realizing it, her face turned red.
'Is this ... Love at first sight?' Since Jyne mostly stayed in her Palace, so she spent a lot of time reading many books and listening to her maids and other nobles' stories. And what caught her eye was the story where a couple fell in love at the first sight. That was what made her run away from her house without any preparations after she heard her father was going to marry her to the crown prince of the Serpent Tribe.
Since she was stunned like a statue, I waved my hand in front of her face.
"Are you all right?"
She returned to her senses.
"Uh ... I-I'm fine, sir."
"Good." I covered my head with my hood again.
"My companions should arrive soon, after that we will leave for Dragon Cross City as soon as possible." At least it had been more than ten minutes since I sent my Magic Messenger to Eir.
She nodded her head.
"I forgot to introduce myself to you. My name is Jyne, sir. What's your name?"
I took a deep breath and looked away to think. I didn't mind giving my real name. But since I was still in Warmbell Town and I didn't want to cancel Al's Tonic of Camouflage before I arrived at the palace, I couldn't tell my identity right now. My gaze returned to her.
"For the time being, you can call me Ar." Of course I meant until we arrived at the Crimson Flame Palace. I took the name from my first name, Argod.
"Very well, Sir Ar. Nice to meet you and thank you for your help," she said politely.
And I replied with a nod.
After that, we waited a few minutes before Eir and Evelina arrived there. Like me, they also wore their hoods.
"Please forgive my lateness, You-- I mean, sir," said Eir.
"It's fine." I turned to Jyne.
"Let me introduce them. This is Eve, my wife and Eir, my assistant," I said as my hand gestured to them. Then I turned to them.
"And this is Princess Jyne of the Fox tribe. She will join our convoy to Dragon Cross City. She said she wants to meet the king," I gave an emphasised tone for my last sentence to them.
Eir and Evelina stared at Jyne in confusion. Especially why was a princess here with a dirty looking cloak and wanted to meet the king. Moreover, there were no guards or warriors with her. Meanwhile, hearing Argod introduced Evelina as his wife, there was disappointment in Jyne. Since it was rare for a commoner to take multiple wives, moreover her father would not allow her if she wanted to be with a married commoner man like him.
I walked over to Evelina who was staring at Jyne in confusion and held her hand.
"Forgive me, I can't accompany you at the Healer tower.
Evelina's heart was beating fast since it was the first time she heard Argod apologize to her.
"I-It's fine. I thought something happened to you."
I chuckled.
"Don't worry about me, I'm not a kid." Then I swept my gaze across the others.
"We have to go now."
After that, we walked over to take our mounts.
