".....I see," the princess, after listening to the Marquess's words, cast a fleeting glance in his direction before blinking and turning her gaze away from him. She then picked up her cup of tea with her fingers, took another sip, and placed it back on the table, saying, "Marquess, it seems you're still in the mood for some jest with me."
'Women? What is Master saying? Is it because of me?' With Rivia standing just behind him, she gripped her sword more firmly, stealing a glance at the Marquess from their distinct positions. His silver hair drew her attention, peeking out above his brows while his blue eyes stayed locked on the princess.
Meanwhile, Rivia's thoughts raced, pondering why her Master would say such a thing, suspecting it must have something to do with her.
While doing her preparations to impress him, she had gone through hundreds of books about romance and novels. While reading, she came across a book that mentioned that if a virgin man ever tasted the fruit of intimacy, he would become addicted to it and could never return to his pure self.
'It was true,' Rivia, staring at Avendial, felt completely certain that her thoughts were correct. At this moment, it appeared that her quick actions may have resulted in a considerable problem, causing her master to fall into corruption and a path of carnal desires.
'What should I do now?' With a fleeting glance at the princess who had just voiced her thoughts, Rivia's mind struggled to devise an answer to the pressing issue. However, the only thought that occupied her was the need to save her master.
'It seems I will need to quench his burning desire with my own body.' Rivia gave a nod, maintaining a stoic expression as she inwardly committed to submitting herself fully and sorting out the disaster she had caused.
"Princess, do you really think I am joking right now?" With determination, Avendial cast an unreadable look in Katheria's direction, his expression void of emotion as he masked his sincerity.
"...Marquess, let me tell you, I would act as if I had not heard this, so it would be better if we forget this conversation." Princess Katheria, having already realized he was serious, returned his gaze with a chill and attempted to remind him that his remarks could be interpreted as both infidelity and betrayal towards the princess and the empire.
Inherently, even the Emperor had multiple wives and practiced polygamy, but this was solely due to his status as Emperor. His marriages were grounded in the choices made by those women, who acknowledged and valued his status. Ultimately, the primary motivation was that everyone sought the backing of an emperor.
Similarly, being recognized as the wealthiest man on Earth, the Marquess could easily have multiple wives if he chose to pursue polygamy, given his vast resources. After all, this was something he deserved due to being an ideal type for most women, considering his immense fortune and attractive physique.
On the other hand, should he choose to marry a woman with a more elevated social rank, the circumstances would change.
Much like a princess, who understood the severe effects of the Emperor's polygamous ways on her family's bonds and the death of her mother, she was resolute in never taking a husband who would have more than one wife.
Should her husband ever pursue a life of polygamy, she had the resolve to perceive it in a serious manner. The idea of marrying various women and regarding them as trophies or objects was something Princess Katheria Arinpiam could never appreciate.
"Princess, we both know that our marriage is transactional; we both don't have any feelings for each other." Avendial set down the cup and drummed his fingers on the table, reflecting on how this marriage had been orchestrated by the emperor. His consent was never sought, nor was he asked if he had any interest in a particular woman. He could guess that Katheria was likely in the same predicament.
Both of them were just used by the emperor, like chess pieces, where he could decide both of their fates.
In the past, Avendial had accepted this proposal because he saw a profit in marrying a princess and a loss in offending the Emperor's will. But now that he had regressed back, he needed to change a few things first.
"And also, I am not saying to break this marriage but simply for you to let me be free until we get married," Avendial continued, knowing well that once the tower appeared and everything started to change in that shifting scenario, someone like him, who would not even awaken and who would lose the value of his assets, would become nothing more than a side pebble for the royal family.
Avendial, having been through it before, understood that whatever assets he currently held would become worthless the moment the tower arrived and initiated its first sequence, nullifying the value of land, shares, corporations, and everything else, leaving only strength and power as the remaining sources of worth.
Avendial's memories were still vivid enough of the time when, after a few months of the tower's arrival, the Emperor had annulled their engagement. After seeing how Avendial lost his value in front of Katheria Arinphiam, who was an Empyreal, and he, nothing but a normal human with no hope to ever become strong.
"You expect me to allow this, Marquess?" Katheria knitted her brows as she glanced at the man, who maintained his indifferent and chilly demeanor. She shut her eyes, taking a deep breath to steady herself, accepting the reality that their relationship was indeed nonexistent. Recognizing that their union was purely transactional and that his status could prove advantageous for her, she resolved to accept his proposal, appreciating his honesty. "Fine, tell me the price."
However, there was one undeniable fact: for her, the image of Marquess Avendial Croceaus had been utterly shattered.
All those years spent believing he was a wise and ideal person now felt meaningless. She viewed him as nothing more than an ordinary man driven by base desires.