novelraw Chapter 110 : Chapter 110
Chapter 110 : Chapter 110
Chapter 110. A Woman's Troubles (2)
A suffocating three-way confrontation.
No, with Adel, Noemi, and Anonymous joining in, was it now a six-way confrontation?
Anyway, in the worst possible situation, an unexpected voice of salvation was heard.
“No matter what you choose, Dad, I'll support you. So cheer up.”
It was Noemi.
She came to me and patted my back with her small hand.
Did I gain courage from that?
Adel also nodded with a troubled face and spoke to Iris.
“That’s right, Iris. This is Dad's problem, not something we should interfere with. Whatever decision he makes, we have to respect it.”
But the most annoying one in this situation was Anonymous.
She nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders and spoke.
“Well, I don't mind. If the Master is happy, I'm happy too. Whether it’s one person, two, or even dozens.”
That annoying ancient dragon!
Was she fanning the flames of a burning house?
As expected, at Anonymous' words, Isabel and Iris' expressions turned cold.
“Are you making fun of us right now?”
“You stay out of it!”
The two sharp voices burst out simultaneously.
In an instant, the reception room was on the verge of chaos, with the five women in a power struggle.
Adel was trying to calm Iris, Noemi was clinging to Anonymous, and Isabel was trembling with anger…….
In the center of it all, I was like a lost traveler, not knowing what to do.
‘If this continues, something really bad will happen.’
Even in this difficult situation, I desperately racked my brain.
I had to find a way to escape this pandemonium.
And finally, I reached a conclusion.
‘Yes, this might work.’
With a grim expression, I looked around at everyone and slowly opened my mouth.
In a voice as sad and self-reproachful as possible.
“I'm sorry. It’s all my fault. Because of me, I've caused everyone great pain and harm.”
I paused for a moment and continued with a sad face as if I were about to burst into tears.
“The problem was me from the beginning. In that case, I will never marry anyone in my life! I will devote the rest of my life only to world peace and my daughters' happiness, and I will face loneliness alone, living a life of celibacy……”
Before my grim declaration could even finish.
Slap! Slap!
Along with a sharp sound that snapped me to my senses, I felt a burning pain on both my cheeks.
My left cheek was struck by Isabel.
My right cheek was accurately hit by Anonymous.
My head shook violently from side to side from the simultaneous powerful spikes.
The two of them, who had been growling at each other just a moment ago, were now glaring at me fiercely, fuming.
Their gazes seemed to say, ‘How dare you try to run away!’
“Take that back right now!”
“That’s right! What kind of irresponsible remark is that?”
I clutched my cheeks, which felt like they were about to explode from the stinging pain.
‘What on earth is this situation?’
I felt like my head was spinning.
The solemnity from a moment ago vanished in an instant, and in its place, only bewilderment and a slight sadness remained.
Ah, my life. How did it come to this?
***
At Frank’s shocking declaration, Isabel was momentarily at a loss for words.
He would live a life of celibacy and never marry anyone?
This was not just a rejection of her; it was an insult to herself, to Anonymous, and to everyone who had held him in their hearts.
‘How could he say such a thing…….’
Isabel had already vaguely sensed that Frank held a special place for Anonymous.
While she couldn’t be by his side as a Saintess, that bold and mysterious being might have occupied a corner of his heart.
If Frank, after much agony, had chosen Anonymous, though her heart would ache, she would have been willing to accept it.
Before being a Saintess, she was also a woman who had once loved him passionately, and her wish for his happiness was sincere.
But he chose neither of them, but ‘alone’.
And with a sad face, as if he were the protagonist of a tragedy.
This wasn't right.
This wasn't like Frank.
This was avoidance, a cowardly excuse.
It was a deception to herself, who had loved him, and to Anonymous, who was giving him her heart now.
In that instant, anger surged to the top of her head.
Instinct moved before reason.
Her hand went up without her realizing it.
But, what was this now.
At the very moment she was about to swing her hand, Anonymous, who was next to her, was making the exact same motion.
A sense of surprise and a strange camaraderie swept over her.
Could she have been feeling the same way?
Slap! Slap!
A sound so crisp it was chilling echoed through the room.
Isabel’s hand landed squarely on Frank's left cheek, and Anonymous' hand on his right.
Together, and very fairly.
Frank clutched both his cheeks with a bewildered expression, and seeing that, she found it so absurd that a hollow laugh escaped her.
Suddenly, Anonymous, who was next to her, saw Isabel and smirked.
At the sound of her laughter, Isabel's own pent-up laughter burst out.
“Pfft! Hahahahaha!”
“Hehe. Hahaha!”
The two of them looked at each other and started laughing, clutching their stomachs.
The anger towards Frank was gone, and this ridiculous situation itself was just too funny.
They were so serious, yet the person at the center of it all was making such a foolish declaration.
Frank and his three daughters could only watch the two of them, who had suddenly started
laughing, with dumbfounded faces.
After laughing for a long time, Isabel wiped away a tear and caught her breath.
She felt completely refreshed.
She looked at Anonymous and said.
“I think I understand now. Why Frank fell for you.”
Powerful strength, a frank and bold charm.
Perhaps he was drawn to her, who was the complete opposite of herself.
Anonymous, without wiping the smile from her face, nodded at Isabel.
“Same here. You’re just as I expected from someone I saw as a rival.”
Their gazes met in mid-air.
There was no more hostility.
Instead, a strange sense of bond and competitiveness filled its place.
The two of them, as if by a long-standing promise, started their own conversation without even looking at Frank anymore.
As if they were the only two people left in the world.
‘How long has it been?’
Isabel thought to herself.
Because of her status as a Saintess, she couldn't honestly confide her feelings for Frank to Anyone.
She always had to wear a mask and suppress her emotions.
But this dragon woman was different.
She was the same as her, yet different.
She loved Frank, and she didn't hide her feelings.
It felt like meeting a childhood friend after a long time.
That night.
Isabel invited Anonymous to her room.
The two of them chatted for a long time, losing track of time.
The topic of conversation naturally shifted to badmouthing Frank.
“Really, how can a man be so clumsy?”
“I know, right? Sometimes he's so frustrating, I feel like I'm going to explode.”
As they found common ground, the conversation deepened.
Then, Anonymous made a shocking statement.
“Still, I don't care if Frank marries someone else. No matter how many there are.”
Isabel was surprised and asked back.
“You mean you don’t mind if another woman besides you and me comes along?”
Anonymous smirked and answered as if it were a matter of course.
“Of course. No matter how many more there are, the Master will only look at me. And it’s the law of nature for a strong male to have many females.”
Isabel smiled bitterly.
It seemed they didn't agree on this.
She drew a firm line.
“I… will only acknowledge up to you. But I will never allow any more than that.”
At her words, Anonymous giggled as if she found it amusing.
Their strange alliance and rivalry was beginning just like that.
Regardless of Frank's will.
***
Leaving the scene of Isabel and Anonymous' strange alliance behind, I had come down to the reception room where my daughters were waiting.
But my expectation of being able to rest comfortably was brutally shattered.
What I faced upon my return was Iris' incredibly cold gaze.
“……”
As if interrogating me, she stared at me intently and then slowly opened her mouth.
“So. Who are you going to choose, Father?”
It was a direct question.
I was flustered for a moment, but I answered as calmly as I could.
“Didn't I tell you? I like them both.”
I knew it was a poor excuse.
But what else could I say?
This time, Adel stepped forward with a troubled face.
“Father. I said a moment ago that it was your decision to make, but this is still a bit of a problem. I don't mind you getting married, but you should marry only one of them for now. Of course, since you are a noble, we can't say anything about you bringing in another person after the marriage.”
I groaned inwardly at Adel’s realistic advice.
But that wasn't the end of it.
Noemi, with a bright face, presented a clear solution.
“Then it's simple. You can marry the Saintess and take Master Anonymous as a concubine, right? The Saintess was your former lover, and Master is your maid now. That seems to be the right order.”
Good heavens.
What a terrible thing to say with such an innocent face.
The daughters had already started a heated discussion among themselves.
“I think so too. That seems to be the right thing to do.”
“A concubine! What woman could endure that?”
“Well, then Dad can just mediate well between them, can’t he?”
The conversation was sinking deeper into chaos.
I broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly stopped them.
“Stop! All of you, stop! This is a matter for after we defeat Primus! We will talk about it again then, and until then, I will not marry anyone!”
At my firm declaration, the daughters faltered for a moment, then nodded as if they understood.
Phew, did I finally get past it…….
They suddenly surrounded me with sparkling, curious faces.
“So why did you break up with the Saintess?”
“Where did you usually go on dates when you were together? The secret garden of the royal palace, right?”
“Be honest. The way Master looks at you is unusual. You two are already in that kind of relationship, right?”
I was horrified by the barrage of questions.
‘These kids, in front of their own father!’
I was on the verge of collapsing, clutching the back of my neck at the sight of my daughters shamelessly throwing out questions I couldn’t even bring myself to say.
“A-ahem! I must be going now.”
If I stayed here any longer, who knows what would happen to me.
I hastily stood up and ran out of the reception room.
From behind me, I heard Noemi's disappointed voice.
“Aww, Dad! Where are you going! Tell us more! Please?”
I couldn’t bring myself to look back and walked down the hallway as if I were running away.
But strangely, I didn't feel bad.
The faces of Adel and Iris I had glimpsed just as I was running out.
The two of them were looking at each other and smirking.
The sharp confrontation from a moment ago was gone.
That sight felt warm somehow.
The complex problems were still piled up like a mountain, but seeing my daughters laughing together, I felt that was enough.
‘This is what it's like to live as a father.’
Instead of going to my room, I headed to the basement after leaving the reception room.
I needed to check on Noctavira’s condition.
‘I really hope she, at least, doesn’t show any interest in me.’
I unconsciously swallowed a dry gulp.