I Became the Youngest Sister-in-law of the Ruined Reverse Harem’s Male Leads - Chapter 98

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#.98

When some of Edith’s former colleagues who came as part of the delegation sparred with the Knight Order, Edith personally attended to watch.

“That person is quite skilled.”

“That’s Derek. He got thoroughly beaten when he sparred with me a few years ago. I heard he’s been training incredibly hard since then.”

“Is it alright for the Empress to hold a sword?”

Edith shrugged her shoulders in response.

“That Lorenzo fellow, after catching the Order and dark mages, his level has definitely improved a lot. When he first joined as a newcomer, he wasn’t nearly this good.”

Every time Lorenzo and Derek’s swords clashed, Edith’s body flinched as well.

Seeing Edith repeatedly clenching and unclenching her hands, Dalia casually asked.

“Are your hands getting restless?”

“A little. …Actually, I miss the sea.”

“That must have been difficult.”

When Dalia took her hand in comfort, Edith forced a smile.

Just then, Lorenzo, who had ended in a draw with Derek, loudly suggested.

“Lady Edith. How about we have a match after such a long time?”

When Edith waved her hand in refusal, Lorenzo strode over and said.

“You were my swordsmanship instructor, senior. Since it’s been 3 years since you’ve seen your student, you should show off your skills once.”

“That’s right, Edith. You should relieve stress this way at least.”

After hesitating for a while, when even Dalia encouraged her, Edith pretended to be unable to refuse and stood up.

After quickly changing clothes and returning, Lorenzo threw her a sword. Edith caught the sword mid-air and swung it lightly.

Whoosh.

As the blade cut through the wind, a sensation that was either thrill or chills ran down her spine.

“If I win, please help me get a chance to spar with the Knight Commander.”

“You’ve become quite aggressive since I last saw you. When you first joined, you were a clueless little brat.”

“Time makes people tougher.”

The two exchanged light conversation while keeping each other in check, then simultaneously charged forward.

Clang! Screech!

When sword met sword, a harsh sound rang out.

It was different from the spar with Derek, who had been heated up by competitive spirit and pride.

The spar with Edith employed raw, wild swordsmanship.

Whoosh.

When the sword came slashing horizontally toward his neck, Lorenzo bent his waist backward to dodge.

Lorenzo lowered his body to maintain balance and then lunged at Edith.

But Edith blocked Lorenzo’s attack with her scabbard while swinging her sword with her other hand.

“Shouldn’t we stop them? Both of them seem too rough. I’m worried they might get hurt like this.”

When Lorenzo nearly slashed Edith’s side, Leopold frowned and asked Dalia.

“It’s fine. Those two have been sparring like this since Trowance.”

“But now she is Her Majesty the Empress of the Empire.”

“She’s a skilled Empress. Worry is nothing but distrust in her abilities.”

Leopold watched his sister-in-law, who was practically flying around, with somewhat complicated feelings.

Having only seen her reviewing documents that came to him as Empress or attending social gatherings, he had thought Edith was cold and rational.

He had assumed Marius would like someone similar to himself, but seeing this…

‘She was quite an aggressive person.’

Whenever his wife Regina said ‘Sister is hot-tempered,’ he couldn’t understand and would tilt his head.

But right now, Edith was radiating vitality with sparkling eyes, even though part of her body might be sliced off by the blade at any moment.

‘The Imperial Palace was the wrong cage for her.’

He immediately understood why the twin sisters had come all the way to Trowance because of their older sister.

They had wanted to become a lifeline for their sister who would be trapped in the Imperial Palace for ten years.

“Ah.”

Lorenzo’s sword broke in half. When the blade was pointed at his neck, Lorenzo showed both hands, admitting defeat.

“Not bad. You’ve improved a lot.”

“I thought I might win for the first time since your form seemed off, but I guess I’ll never be able to beat you.”

“It feels good to sweat after so long. It’s been a while since I felt alive.”

Edith, who was wiping the sweat flowing down her forehead, suddenly flinched at her own words.

The moment she spoke them aloud, she felt terribly homesick.

Suddenly, the remaining years of marriage felt endlessly long.

* * *

On the day the delegation arrived, Marius promised cooperation with Trowance to expel the dark mages.

So several inspectors who had fought by tracking down the Order and dark mages were dispatched to the Empire.

The reason Leopold had Derek and Lorenzo spar was also to confirm the difference in skill between the Knight Order and the inspectors.

“Duke Baltrahen. I heard the delegation visited the Knight Order this morning.”

“Ah, that’s right. More precisely, it was the Trowance inspectors who came with the delegation.”

“Shouldn’t we be more careful about showing our Knight Order to another country? It reveals the Empire’s strength.”

“We’re in a situation where we need their help. No country has rooted out the Order as cleanly as Trowance.”

“Hmm. Ahem. Isn’t that because it’s a sacred nation?”

Leopold didn’t listen further and checked the report again.

The traces of the Razas Order that had kidnapped children were clearly organized.

After finishing the meeting, they planned to focus their efforts on rescuing the kidnapped children for the time being.

‘If we can’t find the children, there’ll be no vacation. It would be hard for Regina to handle the twins alone.’

Even to watch his twin sons grow up, he needed to catch the Razas Order quickly.

Click.

When Marius appeared, the nobles rose from their seats to greet the Emperor.

“The commanders who worked on the front lines have been promised tariff reduction on Trowance imports in exchange for four years of service.”

“That won’t do, Your Majesty! What are three inspectors that we should reduce tariffs?”

“The luxury goods from Trowance are already causing all the nation’s money to flow into Trowance! This will only fatten Trowance’s coffers.”

“Right. I heard Trowance-made porcelain is popular among the ladies? But that’s something that can be solved if you don’t indulge in luxury.”

Marius snapped irritably.

“But the secret to winning the war against dark mages isn’t something we can obtain for free just by trying hard.”

Marius was taking the Order’s child kidnapping incident very seriously.

The kidnapped children were around the same age as Lilliana and Edgar, so it affected him more deeply than any other issue.

Leopold felt the same way. Just as he was about to open his mouth to refute the complaining nobles.

“Currently, 14 children have been kidnapped in one year alone. Count Belz, don’t you have a granddaughter of that age? You should know well that this isn’t something that can be compared to tariffs or taxes.”

“That’s…”

Viscount Eldridge stared directly at Count Belz, who had opposed most strongly.

It was a look that seemed to condemn his inhumane way of thinking.

Count Belz’s face reddened and he shut his mouth tight.

In the quiet hall, Marius spoke in a solemn voice.

“It took Trowance 10 years to root out the Order and dark mages. But I have no intention of taking 10 years.”

He looked at each noble attending the meeting with sharp eyes and spoke as if warning them.

“If I had planned to invest 10 years, I wouldn’t have conceded to Trowance in the trade war.”

The kidnapped children and their parents were Empire citizens that Marius had to protect.

He couldn’t even dare to imagine how hellish the hearts of parents who had lost their children must be.

“If anyone has complaints about rooting out the Order, speak up anytime. I’ll consider them accomplices of the Order and throw them in prison.”

From when he first ascended to the throne until the hearing incident a few years ago, Marius was a bloody emperor who expelled everyone when displeased.

Since the Emperor had drawn the line on this incident too, the nobles could no longer oppose.

“Ha. Haha. It seems this issue is particularly significant to Your Majesty since you’re raising the young duke like your own child.”

“R-right. You should hurry and have an heir.”

When the nobles awkwardly shifted the topic to the matter of succession, Marius, who had been trying to leave the meeting hall, stopped in his tracks.

They had been bothering him for months now, saying he needed to produce an heir quickly. It was obvious they would soon pressure Edith, the Empress.

‘That can’t happen.’

This morning, he had stopped by the Knight Order and caught sight of Edith flying around the training grounds from a distance.

Though he couldn’t see her face clearly, he got the impression that she had found her place.

Edith wielding her sword looked happy and free.

‘Since I’ve bound such a person with a contract, I need to be more careful not to earn her hatred.’

As he pondered how to make the nobles shut their mouths, he soon showed a wicked smile.

Wicked enough to make Leopold frown when he saw it.

“I’m planning to worry about who will inherit the throne starting twenty years from now, so don’t concern yourselves with that matter.”

“Pardon? Your Majesty. You should have a princess or prince soon.”

“Ah. It seems it will be difficult for us to have a second generation.”

“Co-could there possibly be some problem between the two of you?”

Marius scratched his head, pretending to be embarrassed as he confessed.

“Of course not. Edith loves babies so much.”

“Then…”

“I have many problems, you see. I feel terribly sorry every time you all cause a fuss. So don’t bring up the succession issue for the next twenty years.”

Leopold closed his eyes tightly as he watched Marius cheerfully making his exit.

Even he, Marius’s only friend, hadn’t known that Marius would falsely declare impotence.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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