Episode 154: Polygamy
A long silence followed.
The unknown stillness stretched on.
Eris lowered her head deeply. Her vision blurred, and her mind turned blank. Somehow, she had blurted it out on impulse. She was terrified of what answer she would hear.
Of course, it would be a lie to say she didn’t have any expectations. But after thinking it over, she realized she had rushed things. Since polygamy was allowed, she thought she could ask for a chance too?
‘What the hell, Eris, you idiot!’
Her shoulders trembled slightly. She bit her lower lip. Her own foolishness felt painfully clear. She had acted purely on emotion, without a shred of rationality.
But then again, how many people could remain rational in front of someone they liked?
“Eris.”
At that moment, Yohan spoke. He resumed cutting his lamb steak, having momentarily paused.
“…First, I want to thank you for being honest. No matter what, you have good feelings toward me, after all.”
Eris clenched her fists. No matter how inexperienced she was, she could tell where this conversation was going. He was about to reject her.
“But I don’t think I can return your feelings, Eris. I’m truly sorry.”
“…May I ask why?”
Slowly, she lifted her head. Her ashen-gray eyes met Yohan’s. He was expressionless, yet there was a hint of bitterness in his face as he took a bite of roasted vegetables.
“It’s not because I dislike you. I actually admire how competent and diligent you are.”
Yohan gently wiped his mouth with a napkin before continuing.
“The reason lies with me. I already have many lovers.”
He already had three lovers—Francia, Rudella, and Rudbeckia.
And he might even accept Raeliana.
“But my time is limited. If that happens, I won’t be able to give enough attention to everyone. So, I can’t give you a proper answer to your proposal.”
If Eris were to be added to the mix, it would be even harder to divide his affections. Balancing and distributing emotions was always difficult. Surely, someone would end up feeling neglected.
He could do it if he wanted.
But he wasn’t confident about it.
“…Would it be impossible just to see each other occasionally?”
Eris asked in a trembling voice. Her eyes glistened with moisture.
“I don’t mind if you only look at me when you feel like it. As long as I can stay by your side…”
She forced her shaking voice into steadiness.
“…I’m not sure.”
But Yohan shook his head.
“A relationship where someone has to sacrifice themselves is bound to lead to resentment in the end. I’m not saying that’s how you are, but it could still cause discord.”
People’s feelings could change at any moment, depending on circumstances. Even if she said this now, who knew how she would feel later?
“…”
Eris lowered her head again. Her clenched fists trembled. Emotion surged within her, and tears threatened to spill. But she took a deep breath and suppressed them forcefully.
Seeing her like that made Yohan hesitate.
‘…This is exactly why I wanted to avoid this situation.’
It wasn’t just about damaging the superior-subordinate relationship they had built over time. No matter how he phrased it, rejecting her would inevitably hurt Eris.
With a sigh too quiet for her to notice, Yohan looked at her. She still couldn’t bring herself to raise her head.
“Well… If, even after some time, you still can’t give up on your feelings, then maybe we can start by getting to know each other better. I’ll need time too.”
Yohan spoke softly. He wasn’t stringing her along or giving her false hope. Nor was he saying something out of pity.
He did have feelings for Eris. That was why he suggested getting to know each other first.
“…Do you really mean that?”
Eris’ eyes widened as she looked up at him. Their gazes met, and Yohan nodded.
“Yes. Things could change with time. You only know me as your superior for now, don’t you?”
And then, she let out an awkward laugh.
“That’s certainly true… but my feelings won’t change.”
“…Tell me that again in the future. That even after time has passed, your heart remains the same.”
“Yes.”
Eris gave an embarrassed smile. Though her eyes were still damp, her lips curved into a smile.
Yohan turned his gaze back to his food and let out a slow sigh.
His mind was in turmoil.
But his conclusion was already set.
‘Since I decided to make my stance clear.’
He would simply do as he wished.
***
Back at the mansion, Yohan washed up and immediately collapsed onto his bed. As he sank into the soft mattress, a sigh escaped him, drawn out by the fatigue creeping over him.
“Haa…”
Perhaps he had been thinking too much—his mental energy felt drained. He hadn’t even felt this exhausted on days when he used magic. Maybe the two were separate things after all.
“Did something happen?”
As Yohan lay sprawled out, Francia, who had been reading a book beside him, spoke up.
“I’ve just had a lot on my mind lately.”
“What kind of worries?”
“Trivial ones. I’ll tell you when the time is right.”
“Hearing you say that only makes me more curious.”
Francia chuckled softly.
Yohan hesitated before carefully continuing the conversation.
“So… what would you do if more lovers were to join us?”
“Here? You mean beyond the three of us?”
“Something like that…?”
Francia narrowed her eyes and stared at Yohan. A cold chill ran through him at her sharp and piercing gaze.
Had he asked the wrong question?
If he thought about it logically, it was definitely the wrong thing to say.
But then, Francia let out a small laugh.
“Well… If you want to bring more in, I won’t stop you. But if that leads to your feelings for me changing or the love I receive diminishing, then things will be different.”
Right now, with just the two of them, it wasn’t noticeable. But someday, the balance would inevitably tip. No matter how much Yohan denied it, he was still human—a man, at that.
“I don’t think that will happen, but Francia will always be first. I’m only able to be here like this because of you.”
Yohan smiled lightly. If it weren’t for Francia, he wouldn’t have even had the luxury of thinking about polygamy—he would have been sold off into a political marriage instead. Back then, he had no power whatsoever.
It was because she had been there that he worked hard, and because of that effort, he had reached this point. Without Francia, he would still be stuck in the same place as before.
“Well, since it’s you, I’ll trust you. You’ve always kept your word.”
Francia smiled gently. It seemed he had given a perfect answer.
“But… it sounds like someone else has confessed to you again.”
“…”
“Who is it?”
She was sharp as ever. Then again, that was to be expected—Francia had always had an exceptional woman’s intuition.
“Uh… One of my subordinates from the Purification Bureau.”
“A subordinate? You mean Eris Highlander, the special-class knight?”
“You know about her?”
“I’ve seen her during deployments.”
Francia’s eyes narrowed.
“And I’ve also noticed the way she looks at you—it’s far from ordinary.”
She had already realized that Eris Highlander held feelings for Yohan that went beyond mere admiration. It was something even an outsider could easily pick up on. Her feelings were that obvious.
“I see…”
“And? Who else?”
“…Princess Raeliana.”
“That woman still hasn’t given up?”
Francia’s delicate brows furrowed. She had never been on good terms with Princess Raeliana. They had clashed fiercely in the past, and Francia despised the way Raeliana saw Yohan as a tool—something to possess rather than a person.
Yohan scratched his head awkwardly.
“Well… she seemed a little different when she confessed to me this time…”
“Haah, as expected, that personality of hers hasn’t changed at all.”
Francia rested her chin on the table, her voice carrying a hint of exhaustion.
“So, what did you say to her?”
“I rejected her. But she said she couldn’t give up, so I told her to take some time to sort out her feelings.”
“Hmm…”
“And if she still couldn’t move on, I told her I’d go see her myself.”
Thud.
Francia closed the novel she had been reading and set it down on the table. Then, she sat down next to Yohan, who was lying on the bed.
“From the way you’re talking, it seems like you think Princess Raeliana has changed a lot.”
“She definitely has. That arrogance she used to have is completely gone.”
“Hmm…”
Francia still didn’t have a good impression of Raeliana. Since their encounter at that party, they hadn’t crossed paths again, so her perception remained the same.
“Well, if you’re fine with it, I don’t mind. After all, I’ll always be your first.”
“Are you really okay with this?”
“Of course, I’d be a little upset. But I don’t think one or two more additions will change anything.”
Francia smiled softly and intertwined her fingers with Yohan’s, clasping his hand tightly. She trusted him. She knew he wasn’t the type to favor someone else and neglect her.
“But aren’t they acting strangely? Publicly, you and I are already engaged.”
“They both know about the polygamy arrangement.”
Francia’s eyes widened in shock.
“Wait… They know about that? How…?”
“It’s a long story, but…”
Yohan gently stroked Francia’s delicate fingers as he continued.
“Princess Raeliana used the special intelligence unit to investigate me, and Eris figured it out from a conversation we had during the former crown prince’s execution mission.”
They were terrifying women.
“My god…”
Francia shuddered. She could understand Eris, since she had given her hints, but Raeliana?
“That princess really has issues.”
“I think so too.”
Using the imperial intelligence unit just to investigate him? Back then, she was clearly insane. Hopefully, she had changed now.
“Anyway… I just wanted to say that I’m fine with it. As long as it doesn’t get out of hand, of course. Remember what I told your father? That there wouldn’t be any more additions after this?”
“Ah.”
Yohan let out a small sigh. He had made that promise to the duke. And now, he was about to break it in less than a year.
“…I guess we’ll see how things go. It’s still undecided for now.”
“Hehe, right.”
Francia lay down completely, burying her face against Yohan’s chest. As she listened to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, her body relaxed.
“Yohan, my discharge from public service isn’t far off now.”
“That’s right. Two months left?”
“One and a half months.”
“That’s soon.”
Yohan gently ran his fingers through her soft hair. It was silky to the touch.
“Mhm. So…”
Francia lifted her gaze to meet his.
“Let’s stop using protection from now on. Okay?”
Of course, he had no objections.
“Looks like I don’t have to hold back anymore.”
“Oh? Hehehe…”
With a sly smile, Francia reached for Yohan’s clothes and began to undress him.