The women around Roel were experienced at night watch. His high frequency of sustaining injuries gave them plenty of chances to accrue experience in that field.
Every time he was bedridden, those women would capitalize on the opportunity to get their way. Both Charlotte and Lilian were veterans in that regard. Surprisingly, it was the aggressive Nora who was more honest in that regard.
As the successor to the throne, Nora Xeclyde’s actions represented not just herself but the Saint Mesit Theocracy and the Genesis Goddess Church too. That meant that she couldn’t act wilfully, unlike Charlotte and the others. In fact, Nora was known as a dignified and graceful princess by most.
In the first place, Nora had gotten close to Roel because it was only with him that she could drop her perfect persona and reveal her true self. This avenue to freely express herself felt like a salvation to her… just that her expressions became increasingly diverse as time passed.
In the bedroom, Nora held tightly onto a golden chain while gasping for air. After hours of battle, she finally collapsed into Roel’s arms with a flushed face.
Roel surprisingly didn’t voice his usual complaints about her domineering demeanor. Instead, he freed himself from her chains, sat upright, and gently stroked her hair.
“Does it hurt?” Roel asked concernedly as he looked at the red patch on the bedsheet.
“A little, but it’s fine.” Nora shook her head in emphasis. “I have already been through it once; it’s better this time around.”
“That was a mana avatar,” Roel replied with a helpless smile as he recalled the night they had spent at Tark Prairie.
Back then, he had just returned to the real world and found himself in grave danger due to the Collector’s ploy. Cornered, he had no choice but to summon Nora via Ascendwing. Driven by a mix of many emotions, the two of them decided to cherish the present and had their first union.
While the summoned Nora was only a mana avatar and not her real body, any injuries suffered by the mana avatar would be transferred to the main body once the spell was over. Roel thought that would spare her from pain this time around, but clearly he was wrong.
“The spell might not have registered it because the injury was too light and I recovered too fast.”
“I see. I apologize for making you suffer.”
“…It’s nothing.”
Nora’s face reddened, as she subconsciously tightened her grip on the chains. Roel found himself mesmerized by her rare show of embarrassment.
He couldn’t help but wonder why she seemed so anxious today. Unlike her usual dignified and composed demeanor, something appeared to be bothering her, pushing her to be more daring and affectionate. It was rare to catch her in such a state, and it drew out a different charm that made his heart beat fast.
After enjoying the moment, Roel eventually decided to voice his doubt. “Nora, is there something wrong? You seem to have something on your mind today.”
“You can say so,” Nora replied with a nod. She paused briefly before revealing her worry. “…I am afraid.”
“Afraid?” Roel blinked in confusion before it clicked. He let out a soft chuckle before addressing the issue: “Principal Antonio’s proposal is just a suggestion. He won’t enforce it.”
Just thinking about the recent fuss over the ‘Kingmaker Bloodline Expansion Plan’ gave him a headache. It had been a struggle for him to reason with Brolne’s scholars, who suffered from a dire lack of political awareness, and Pendor’s obstinate fogeys.
To their credit, having intercourse solely to continue one’s lineage was an old tradition in the Sia Continent, and it was thought to be socially acceptable.
Back in the Witness State, right before Roel’s confrontation with Magician King Priestley Maxwell, his ancestor, Astrid, had demanded him to have intercourse with Lilian in hopes of continuing the lineage of the Kingmaker Clan.
“He won’t be able to force that proposal on me.”
“…That’d be for the best.”
While Roel took a lackadaisical attitude toward that proposal, Nora took it seriously.
Even though Principal Antonio had raised the matter with a casual attitude, Wilhelmina’s sources had indicated a shockingly high level of support for that ridiculous proposal, especially in the academic-focused Brolne.
Rare and important bloodlines had to be passed down; this was almost like a societal obligation, especially during such critical periods. The rights of an individual had to be compromised when the interests of an entire race were at stake.
Roel’s triumph over the Deviant Sovereign had enlightened the world to the potential of the Kingmaker Bloodline. The pressure on him to reproduce would only continue to grow with time. Antonio had probably intended his words to be both a reminder and a warning.
It was completely possible for decisive action to be taken if there was no progress within the next few months. After all, no one knew when the Savior and the Mother Goddess would return.
In the worst-case situation, the upper echelons of the Genesis Goddess Church, which represented humankind’s interest, might change their stance, forcing Nora to deliver her lover into the arms of other women.
Offering one’s lover for the sake of humankind sounded like a joke, but it was both Nora’s reality and her greatest nightmare.
…No, that absolutely cannot happen. Nora might just turn against humankind if something like that were to happen. Roel vehemently shook his head.
After a long embrace, Nora, who refused to let go of the chains, voiced her truest thought: “…You’re my subject. I won’t let anyone else have you.”