Chapter 46

༺ 3 Weeks ༻

Stomp.

"......"

Roer left the building and raised his head.

As Ferzen said, he accomplished many things in his brief life.

He became a member of the Imperial Knights and is engaged to the eldest daughter of Alfred.

Compared to how he was in the past, it could be argued that he was living the perfect life.

But, although Roer had it all, he felt as if he was drowning in an endless abyss.

And when confronted with the might of Brutein, the pressure he felt......

Was overwhelming.

And the more he struggled, the heavier the weight on his shoulders became.

But even with all of this, he could still vaguely see the end of this abyss.

It was just that the gap between him and his desired objective was as wide as the ocean.

Something that only became clearer with today's events.

The representative of the Imperial Family even bowed and apologized.

Even if that was some political move in the intricate game of the Imperial Court, this act only clarified the position and weight that Brutein had in the Ernes Empire.

"......Here's the report."

After submitting his report about last night's events, Roer sat on a bench and kept his head down.

'I.......Need more achievements under my belt.'

If it's impossible to walk through the abyss, then all one needs to do is fly away.

He just needed to acquire the wings that the Claudia Family desperately needed.

And the opportunity to do so would come soon.

* * * * *

The students in Dormitory A were as restless as the night before.

And Laura was on her way to the rooftop of the dormitory, as requested by Professor Ferzen, who wished to have a word with her.

'My corpse better be alright.......'

Last night, the monster from the underworld rampaged through the Academy.

But he subdued it.

It was something that all the students in the dormitory witnessed.

And, of course, Laura was among them, and she couldn't help but admire how Ferzen controlled her previous body to subdue the threat.

Even though he was a Euclidean-class, for him to be able to make Isabel emit such powerful lighting......

It should be something impossible.

So maybe he somehow might have induced a natural lightning storm.

If this was a fight against a Wizard or even an Auror Knight, then this trick of his, while powerful, would be useless as the cast time was too long.

But his ingenious way of adapting to the situation was an essential skill that every Elemental Wizard worth their salt ought to have.

Creak!

Before she realized it, Laura had already reached the rooftop.

"Ah......"

In the middle of the rooftop stood a man clad in a luxurious suit while smoking a cigarette.

However, since both of his arms were broken, the one supporting him was her previous body.

"Go-Good M-Morning.......I-I'm he-here."

"Yes."

Ferzen then turned and looked at Laura.

"Laura."

"Ye-Yes......"

"The next full moon should be in about 29 days, so around April 6th or 7th, your curse will awaken once more."

"......"

"In the past, because there was no other viable alternative, I took you to that inn's room, but we can't do that again. Therefore, I will buy a small mansion, and when the time comes, we shall meet there."

"Ah......T-That....."

While she knew what his intentions were, he was still a married man......

So it wouldn't be strange if there was a rumor about him having an affair.

"Why are you blushing? Did you think I would make you my mistress?"

"Ah....No!"

"As I told you before, I'm not interested in your body."

"......"

"I said I would buy it, and there is no way anyone would reject Brutein, so here is the mansion's address."

Her former self, Isabel, handed a finely folded paper.

After hesitating for a moment, Laura grabbed the piece of paper and bowed her head to Ferzen as she started to walk away......

"Laura."

"Hm?"

"Since I was busy last week, I couldn't check on you."

"Wh-What.....N-No.....Don't t-tell me......."

"Have you already forgotten about our bet in the music room?"

"Ah......"

"Well then, say it to me."

"......"

Why is he doing this to me?

I only asked him to play the damn piano once!

Still, it was undeniable that Ferzen won the bet, so Laura hesitantly opened her mouth.

"If....A.....Dog.....Chews......"

"Even if you speak in this slothful way doesn't mean that you aren't stuttering."

"......"

"Laura."

"Tsk, I-If a do-dog ch-chews s-shoes....."

"it seems to me that you still have a long way to go."

"......"

Standing in front of her was her former self, the one who became an Apollyon-class Elemental Wizard at the age of 16, and this only seemed to enhance her shame further.

"W-Why.....Y-You are ma-making.....m-me d-do t-this?"

"......"

"I-it's not li-like.....I-I'm go-going to.... Ge-Get a-any be-better......"

"That's none of my concern. You lost the bet, and now you will follow my wish. Therefore, don't be a sore loser."

Laura pouted and glared at Ferzen, but after a while, she sighed and bowed her head.

"T-Then....Un-Until t-the next ti-time....."

"Yes."

Laura turned around and left the rooftop. After a while, Ferzen also left the dormitory and returned to his mansion, where his beautiful wife, Euphemia, was waiting for him.

* * * * *

"Your arms......."

"Broken. It will take at least two weeks before I can move them again."

"What happened? How did you manage to break both of them?"

"You don't need to know."

"......"

"Go to our bedroom. Today we shall have our breakfast served there."

Euphemia couldn't even protest at Ferzen's stern words, so she returned to the bedroom while biting her lips.

Even though she was just his trophy wife, isn't it fair for her to at least know how her husband got injured?

Or was it because he deemed her unworthy of even knowing this, as her only purpose was to bear his seed?

Surprisingly, Euphemia already expected this.

Because that is how she was always being treated.

'Wait......'

With both arms like that, he would not embrace her for the time being.

He said it would take two weeks at the earliest, so it should take him around three weeks if I'm lucky.

If that were the case, I should be safe during my next fertile period.

Or course, that is if I'm not pregnant already.......

"Sigh......"

After heaving a deep sigh, Euphemia placed both hands on her belly.

To be honest......If a child who resembled that man was born from me and toddled his way over and called me 'mama'.........I don't have the confidence to be able to love him.

But was it right to blame the child for the sins of his father?

And if she carried his child inside her for nine months, it would be only natural that her motherly instincts would compel her to care for her own child. As these thoughts surged in her head, Euphemia's heart became troubled.

And how would he react if, instead of a son, she gave him a daughter......How would her child be treated then?*

Creak!

As her thoughts took a grim turn, Ferzen opened the door and entered the room.

By his side stood a corpse.

Even though she was already dead, Euphemia couldn't deny that she was gorgeous.

"Euphemia, you shall accompany me to the Academy starting next week. I will be giving you instructions on how you will assist me on the spot. Also, be aware that our schedule is subjected to changes."

Euphemia silently nodded her head upon hearing his words.

Ferzen took a moment to look at her face before sitting down on the bed next to her as he opened his mouth with a composed tone.

"If you don't want others noticing your displeasure, then you must learn how to act better. Stop being like a kid who didn't get the gift he wanted on his birthday. Or....could it be that you wish for me to soothe you?"

"Did you ever consider my feelings? Stop acting as if you were in the right. It's unsightly."

"......"

Just like Yuriel, did she gain a bit of her backbone now that my arms were incapacitated?

She is even talking back now.

I don't mind it, but......

"I'm sorry......That was disrespectful of me."

"......"

After her outburst, Euphemia seemed to have realized what she had done and quickly apologized to Ferzen.

"I was just upset that you never tell me anything. But then I remembered you only see me as your seed bearer......."

"Your words are quite ambiguous, Euphemia."

"......"

"You shouldn't be offended by my actions. Even if you do, you shouldn't show it in front of me."

"I'm also a human......."

"Do you really think that all people are born equal? Even if we are married, it is impossible to forget our differences. So even if you feel upset, so what? How would that benefit you?"

"......"

"You are a very troublesome woman. It would be better if you just threw away this useless pride of yours. Just quietly submit. To be honest, I've been treating you like this, hoping for a result like this."

At first, I wondered if I had gone too far since sometimes it was necessary to loosen the leash to achieve better results.

But since our relationship was twisted from the beginning, it was already too late for me to hope for a normal romance between us, so I need to tame her thoroughly.

"If you are dissatisfied with your current treatment and if you really want to stroke your pitiful pride.......Then I shall take back all my investments in Louerg."

"What......That....."

"And I'll give it back little by little depending on what you do. So aren't you happy with this? Now you can pretend to be a martyr and try to seduce me for the good of Louerg. Isn't that what you always wanted?"

"......"

"Why don't you crawl on the floor, lift your butt to me, and beg like a cheap harlot for the good of Louerg?"

Euphemia shook her head and opened her mouth.

"I apologize......."

"Euphemia, I have already taught you the way to seek my forgiveness."

Squeak......

Euphemia got up from the bed and faced Ferzen as she slowly lifted her skirt, revealing her smooth navel.

Just as she was trained. An act of pure submission.

Looking at her body, Ferzen controlled Isabel and made her press down on Euphemia's navel.

"Ah.......!"

Isabel's corpse wasn't a putrid one. In fact, one could argue that her corpse was in an even better condition than most living people, but because of the rigor mortis, her hands were cold and a little stiff, so Euphemia felt as if a piece of rubble was touching her.

Knock.

A single knock was heard from beyond the doors of the bedroom.

"Ah......"

Euphemia shot Ferzen a pleading gaze, but......

"You may enter."

Ferzen Ignored her pleas as the doors opened and the maids entered the room.

Creak!

"Oh, my......"

The maids who came in with the breakfast hurriedly bowed their heads when they saw the couple.

"I shall call when we are done eating......."

Clink!

The time the maids' stay in the room was short, but for Euphemia, that single moment felt like an eternity.

"Why......!"

Euphemia, for a moment, looked like she was about to burst into tears, but she managed to suppress it somehow.

Tap.

"Come here."

Ferzen called her as Isabel stepped aside.

In response to his call, Euphemia lowered her skirt, slowly approached Ferzen, and settled down on his lap.

Chuu.

"Hnn......"

Ferzen then looked at her, who seemed just one step away from crying, and softly kissed the point of her nose.

This seemed to be the last straw for Euphemia as she burst into tears.

"Waaaaa.......!"

Euphemia continued to weep in Ferzen's hold like there was no tomorrow.

And each time her tears flowed down, Ferzen would kiss her nose again and again while licking her tears.

It was as if he was ministering the antidote after being the one who poisoned her......

But Euphemia seemed to accept this situation surprisingly well.

"Sniff! heueuk........."

"If you are done crying, let us have breakfast before all the food gets cold."

Ferzen controlled Isabel's body to serve them the food as she carefully cut a piece of the meat and fed it to Euphemia.

"Sob, Hiik!"

Although she would occasionally hiccup as a result of her waterworks, she ate her food like a starving baby bird.

And looking down at her, Ferzen would occasionally kiss her forehead or her cheek.

"Sniff......"

After a while, Euphemia stopped hiccuping and continued eating the food Isabel served silently.

"I......"

"What."

"......Relieve."

"I can't hear it, Euphemia."

"Restroom......"

"......"

"I....need to relieve myself...."

Perhaps because of her shame, Euphemia refused to say that she wanted to urinate and tried to formulate her words in the most refined way possible.

"You don't need to seek my permission for such things, Euphemia. Just go."

Ferzen smiled and let her go, seeing that her taming was progressing rather well since she was even seeking his permission for her physiological needs now.

"Yes......"

Euphemia raised her body and wiped her eyes while occasionally sniffling as she left the room.

For Ferzen, Euphemia looked quite cute today.