NOVEL NEXT Chapter 38
The Crimson Dragon of the Empire.
Ludmilla Dreg Valtaria.
The White Dragon of the Holy Kingdom.
Zebeline Albion Russell.
As the train doors opened, the two dragons descended.
Then, the enormous crowd knelt in unison, offering their respect. It felt like they were welcoming a deity descending to earth, creating a solemn atmosphere.
“W-welcome, Saintess and Your Highness! We are truly humbled by your presence!”
A middle-aged man stuttered nervously.
His face was pale.
His expression was filled with tension and exhaustion.
It was as if he had been struck by sudden lightning. Despite having sent a letter in advance, he couldn’t hide his embarrassment, and it was rather pitiful to witness.
I’m sorry.
Please do not forgive this unfilial son, Father.
My second son is too weak to stop the Crimson and White Dragons.
“Lift your head, Marquis Hohenberg. We are merely guests. How can you bow your head, the host?”
“Y-yes… yes.”
Ludmilla said with a faint smile, guiding her father. Upon that, he sent a quick glance at his long-absent son and raised his body.
A look of confusion flashed in his eyes.
It was as if he was pleading, “Explain this situation at once, Edan!”
Seeing his father looking as if he could collapse at any moment was truly distressing. He looked like an old scarecrow afraid of being blown away by the wind. The trembling shoulders were proof of that.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Zebeline Albion Russell, the First Saintess of the Holy Kingdom. May the blessing of the Earth Mother be upon the Marquis.”
“A-ah, Saintess… It’s a pleasure. I am the Marquis of Hohenberg…”
Immediately, Zebeline reached out her hands with a benevolent smile. The atmosphere, which had been extremely tense, brightened somewhat.
Compared to Ludmilla, who had an overwhelming charisma that could captivate a crowd, it was a bit easier to deal with Zebeline. Though only slightly, of course.
“E-Edan…!”
“Father.”
He approached with staggering steps.
I met his gaze with a wry smile as I held his hand.
Crack!
As I gripped his hand, I felt a strong force.
His grip was quite powerful… It seems my father has been secretly working out. Exercise is essential to overcoming that midlife crisis.
“What in the world is going on here…! What is happening…!”
“Well, it turned out this way.”
I whispered with urgency in my voice.
At that moment, he elbowed me sharply in the side.
“The Second Princess and the Saintess! Moreover…”
“Elizaveta the Princess has also come.”
My father looked up at the train in unison with me.
I locked eyes with Elizaveta, who was holding the sleeping Rue.
The atmosphere peaked.
My father’s expression, pale as a drowned corpse, said it all.
A relationship that nearly crossed the line of in-laws…
Return from an ending that turned into a catastrophe. It felt like a scene straight out of a melodrama.
“I hope you’ve been well, Marquis Hohenberg.”
Elizaveta handed Rue to Ludmilla and courteously bowed to my father.
She lifted her dress slightly.
There was a gracefulness uncharacteristic of the notoriously wild Villainous Princess.
Even though it ended regrettably, they had faced each other as in-laws during the engagement. Now it was nothing…but even so, Elizaveta treated him with utmost courtesy.
“Princess Elizaveta, as a father, I must apologize for my ungrateful and disloyal son’s rudeness…”
“It’s… fine. Please raise your head, Marquis.”
As my father bowed in apology, Elizaveta looked flustered and waved her hand.
There was hardly a cheerful atmosphere at all.
It was a moment where apologies and regrets reigned in place of comfort.
The guests gathered to welcome them also seemed preoccupied with watching for the reactions of the esteemed visitors, worried about inciting the guests’ displeasure.
“Father, let’s head to the Lord’s Castle first.”
“Y-yes… of course.”
Outside the platform, numerous carriages were waiting.
The Saintess and Princesses.
And the troops designated for their escort.
They had to transport over 200 people at once. So the Hohenberg Family had prepared all their carriages for the platform. One could only imagine how hard their soldiers had to work for the welcome.
“Edan, there’s a lot I’d like to say…!”
My father gave up the splendid carriage reserved for official events attended by nobles for the Saintess and Princesses.
Then he grabbed me and headed towards the second carriage.
Hmm,
This is the carriage that the Countess often used.
It was my father’s regular vehicle as well.
“How could such noble beings descend upon us… What do you mean to say, Edan?!”
Bang!
As soon as the door closed, my father shouted in a hurry.
I sighed before answering.
“The Princesses are here for travel, while the Saintess is here on missionary work.”
“Travel? There’s nothing worthy of our territory, and missionary work… what nonsense! All the people of Hohenberg have received baptism at the church!”
That’s exactly my point.
Father really understands my feelings.
I shrugged while my father shot me a fierce glare.
*
News spread like wildfire that the beautiful Saintess and Princesses of noble birth had descended upon the Marquisate of Hohenberg.
The second son, who had gone to the capital, had unexpectedly brought home three future brides! With the appearance of such breathtaking beauties, characterized by their stunning looks, the once-muted Lord’s Castle buzzed more than ever.
“I thought he had no interest in dating at all, so of course he would bring those kinds of ladies…”
“Actually, the chastity he’s maintained so far was to build momentum.”
The maids tidying up the lord’s hall started to whisper among themselves.
And they couldn’t help it.
Such a juicy topic like this was bound to provoke excitement. People prefer thrilling joy over dull peace. The maids and servants were livelier than ever. Since Edan had brought home stunning noble ladies, they couldn’t stop smiling.
“But why were Ludmilla the Princess and the escorts busy moving since dawn… what in the world is going on?”
“I heard she personally suggested soldier training to the Lord.”
The Hohenberg family was a prestigious family representing the east, but sadly, their military strength lagged far behind compared to other families.
This was due to the temperament of previous heads of the family, who had significantly reduced military expenses. When the racial war broke out, the eldest son Maximilian, chosen as a hero, had been excluded from the Empire’s mobilization, further weakening the military.
This couldn’t continue.
There was a need to certainly bolster military strength.
Wasn’t there a precedent of bandits attacking the Saintess Party out of spite?
Ludmilla had set out to solve her father’s problems while ensuring his safety by commencing military training.
“Meiros and cultists will likely plot against Hohenberg just like they assaulted the capital! To prepare for that, I want you to transform into one in a hundred elite soldiers! I hope everyone will follow willingly!”
She gathered the knights of the Hohenberg family as if conducting a grand parade.
Soon after…
She started military training, emphasizing the importance of capable soldiers.
The Royal Knights assigned to guard Ludmilla and Elizaveta became the trainers. Having amassed rich experience from the racial war, they were more than qualified as instructors.
“Huff, huff…!”
“Get up immediately, worthless ones!”
A thunderstorm had struck the knights of the Marquisate, who had been mired in peace for too long.
It was but a moment of enchantment gazing at Ludmilla’s beautiful appearance. The knights had to roll around the training ground as they repeated basic physical training, including running.
It’s terrifying.
She was extremely strict.
The knight covered in dirt trembled under the strict training demands of Ludmilla.
‘If Edan becomes the royal son-in-law, it would be nice… but having him come into the Hohenberg Family as the master isn’t a bad idea either.’
With Maximilian missing, the succession rights of the Marquisate were handed to the second son, Edan.
Even if Maximilian returns later, nothing will change. The Valtarian Imperial Family would naturally support Edan without reservation.
Hearing the screams of knights, Ludmilla imagined a happy married life with Edan unfolding within the Hohenberg Castle.
‘W-wait! She’s smiling! It’s crazy!’
‘She’s torturing us while having fun. Now I understand why she’s been a spinster all this time!’
Ludmilla giggled with her sweet fantasies.
As the knights pushed through their limits, their faces turning pale with despair, they screamed.
“It seems the training is over! The knights of the Marquisate must now gather at the cathedral!”
“It’s the call of the Saintess! No exceptions!”
By the time the high-intensity military training that began at 9 AM ended,
The Royal Knights guarding the Saintess stormed the training ground, leading the exhausted knights away.
Their work wasn’t done yet.
The knights of the Marquisate were to gather at the cathedral nearby Lord’s Castle.
Inside the overflowing cathedral, the knights listened to a lecture given by the First Saintess. The girl, adorned in pure white vestments, preached the sanctity of the Earth Mother with a melodious voice.
“Today, let us pray for the bountiful food bestowed upon us by the Earth Mother. May her grace reach the Marquisate of Hohenberg, as we wash away the transgressions we’ve committed.”
Zebeline’s noble posture shone like light illuminating the darkness. The sight of the Saintess praying with her hands together sparked a surge of faith within the knights.
However, overcoming drowsiness was not an easy feat.
Listening to the lecture while utterly exhausted felt like a torture. No matter how hard they tried to suppress their yawns, their eyelids grew heavier, bringing their strong will crashing down.
More knights were beginning to nod off like sickly little chicks.
At that, Zebeline smiled widely and said,
“Seeing the beautiful Saintess of the Holy Kingdom speak, and yet you’re dozing off… it seems the knights of the Marquisate are quite brave, huh? A more severe grace might be necessary. The Earth Mother did also say foolish ones need a club.”
The First Saintess signaled with her eyes.
Then, the Royal Knights preparing on either side brandished clubs labeled ‘Love’s Spank.’
It wouldn’t end with mere threats either.
Zebeline, notorious even in the Holy Kingdom, wouldn’t hold back.
Moments later, cries filled with agony echoed throughout the church devoted to the divine.
*
While the knights of the Marquisate, secretly called “The parasites who only collect their paychecks,” were shedding tears of repentance under the military training and mental education orchestrated by the beautiful Princess and Saintess,
Edan observed the scene alongside Rue and Elizaveta.
As expected.
The moment the Crimson and White Dragons descended, chaos broke loose.
Screams of knights echoed desperately, but he ignored them. The knights, utterly dulled by peace, needed vigorous training to transform.
“Your sister’s going all out. The Saintess too… must be the power of love, right?”
“It’s a bit too extreme to label it as the power of love.”
“Neither of them has any dating experience, so they don’t know how to express themselves. So it’s bound to be extreme.”
“…that also applies to you, Princess.”
Elizaveta snickered as she turned to Edan.
That made him flustered.
“Yikes! D-don’t send me over there!”
“If you stay a good boy, I won’t send you.”
Wouldn’t it be nice to send the now lazy fairy to the training ground? He thought about it as he threatened the tiny fairy.
Rue gasped and dropped the jelly candy she had been sucking on.
But she didn’t seem too disappointed.
After all, she had 499 beautifully wrapped jelly candies.
“Hm… I need new helpers to support the vastly expanded Marquisate.”
Edan muttered as he stared at Rue, who was popping jelly candy into her mouth.