Chapter 337 - When in Rome
Lucien and Clovis look so intimate while talking and drinking wine. Laure is really amazed as her husband is not exactly someone very sociable.
He"s always kind and respectful, but he doesn"t have many friends and prefers to be close only to his family. Well, he already considers Lucien part of his family.
On the other hand, Lucien"s kind and respectful behavior also seem bizarre. The rumors about the Handsome Devil are about a very overprotective man, which Laure finds an essential trait for Anne"s husband, but he should also be brutal and merciless.
In fact, Laure and Clovis no longer have any doubts about that because the stories that Anne and Lucien"s other wives tell about him are exactly the same as the rumors.
Laure does not notice that she is gazing at Lucien as she remembers Anne"s words about him. [He has personalities that are perfectly suited to every situation... Indeed!]
But then she reflects on the matter. n.o.body treats everyone the same way. Everyone has people they love, people they like, people they don"t feel anything special about, and people they don"t like too.
In Lucien"s case, he seems to be very intense about the people he loves, and Laure can"t help but see that as a positive trait. Even though he has so many wives, Laure can see that he takes good care of and pampers them all, which is definitely very good for Anne.
"It"s so crazy that you"re Queen Eve"s brother..." Laure comments aloud without realizing it.
Anne and Clovis look at her with a confused expression, but Lucien continues to smile.
He hugs Amelia with his right arm and kisses her forehead while talking to Laure. "Our family is complicated... Our father treats us like weapons, which made our Big Sis hate men. Also, she feels responsible for all of us, which always makes her tense."
Laure makes a sorry expression. "I didn"t mean badly about her. I really respect and admire Queen Eve, and I think she"s really the best thing that has happened to Alliance in many years."
Lucien nods. "I see. We won"t be in this world for long, but I hope to help Eve make the Alliance the best place for Its people while we"re here."
Anne explained to her parents that she was going with Lucien to his homeworld, so they already know that. But when talking about Alliance issues, Clovis feels comfortable talking to Lucien in a way he will never do with Eve.
"My dear son-in-law, I don"t want to bother you with this or abuse your kindness, but there is something that is making me sad..." Clovis waits to see Lucien"s reaction and find out if he should really talk about that.
Lucien quickly nods with a curious and positive expression. "You can talk to me about everything, father-in-law."
Clovis wastes no time and quickly explains. "I really love being a farmer, and my life has not been impacted by the current Queen Eve system, but there are many young people in our clan who dream of being great warriors. They are good people and would never use power to abuse innocents like the werewolves and manticores."
Lucien agrees. "I"m sure there are good men here. However, I don"t want to change the management of my Big Sis. So the solution is Portgreen."
He explains. "With the fall of the Light Empire, Portgreen will grow even further and expand its territory to the south. There are lands and opportunities for everyone. Thus, the Alliance can continue a nation for women, while Portgreen is a place for everyone."
Laure nods. "I like that. Also, when the women of our people want to look for a partner and raise a family, they can go to Portgreen and find a good partner there."
Clovis smiles at the solution. "That sounds really good... However, I understand that the Alliance needs servants, while many women want to be warriors..."
Lucien quickly responds. "Don"t worry; I"m sure a lot of men want to stay here as servants just like other demi-humans in Portgreen want to go back to their home after they know the clans are peaceful. I"m going to talk to Ghalenna about telling everyone of the options they have to have the best possible future."
"Ghalenna? Will she hear you?" Laure asks with a concerned expression. Everyone knows that Ghalenna is very stubborn and arrogant, just listening to Eve"s orders.
It nods. "I believe so. As soon as he gets back, we can talk about it."
"Gets back?" Laure is confused.
"Ghalenna came with us, but she is having a private talk to Ghilanna outside. They will come when they smell Aria and kara"s food." Lucien laugh.
Laure was so focused on Lucien and surprised by everything that she didn"t notice Ghalenna and Ghilanna sitting on a bench in her garden to talk. Let alone Clovis, who fears her wife"s fury and disrespects his beloved son-in-law looking at his wives.
"Ghilanna... isn"t that the name of the elven princess who ran away some years ago?" Laure asks.
Anne giggles. "She is also my sister."
Laure doesn"t understand how Lucien can keep surprising her. "How many wives do you have?"
Clovis shakes his head. "What kind of question is that?"
Lucien doesn"t mind Laure"s questions. He understands that she wants to make sure that Anne will be happy beside him, which makes him admires her as a mother.
"I could never see my loved ones as numbers. But yes, we are a huge family." Lucien speaks in an affectionate tone as he smiles at his girls.
Again, Lucien"s response pleases Laure and Clovis. She feels like asking him more questions to see if he can really be perfect in every situation.
But Clovis starts again to talks about different things with Lucien while they drink more wine as Anne and Elsie talk more about the adventures with Lucien to Laure.
All the girls seem to be having fun while talking, but Amelia is hugging Lucien all the time, enjoying his c.a.r.e.s.ses, which makes Dawn a little shy to partic.i.p.ate in the conversation.
Although Lucien doesn"t see Dawn as one of his wives yet, he feels responsible for her as an important member of their family, so he tries to make her more comfortable.
When Clovis starts talking about the territory of the Light Empire, Lucien asks Dawn for her opinion while offering to complete her gla.s.s with apple wine. "Here, have more of this, Dawn."
Clovis doesn"t notice, but Laure stops talking to Anne when she hears Dawn"s name. "Wait... That Dawn? The daughter of the Light Empire King? The great marshal?"
Dawn makes a sad expression when she remembers how she was used by her father as a weapon, just as Lucien"s father does him.
Lucien smiles at her as he speaks. "Dawn also had a bad father who tried to brainwash her. But she is a very good person and is now part of our family. Although she was from the Light Empire, she never tortured or abused innocent people but only killed demi-warriors. humans in fair combat."
Laure looks at Dawn with an expression of respect. "Dawn"s fame has always been that of a great warrior and leader. Every demi-human in the Alliance fears her not because of her is cruel but because she is the best warrior of the Light Empire."
While Dawn feels that her power doesn"t mean much compared to Lucien"s wives, Laure looks at him with a curious expression. "When you say she is part of your family, do you mean that she is your wife too?"
He does not answer Laure but smiles at Dawn as he fills her gla.s.s with wine. Dawn is very flushed and embarra.s.sed by that situation.
Clovis shakes his head. "You ask too many questions, my love."
Laure realizes that she is annoying and smiles embarra.s.singly. "I"m sorry... It is so crazy that many legends of our continent are at our table... no one will believe this."
Lucien and the girls can"t help but laugh at Laure"s amazed expression.
A few minutes later, the girls in the kitchen begin to finish the evening"s first courses. Just as Lucien said, the pair of mother and daughter elves followed the delicious smell of the food and joined the group at the table.
For Laure and Clovis, the surprises never ended. After telling them Oya and Ko"s story, they told the one about Astrid, Scarlett, Olivia, and so on.
Laure enjoyed talking to all Lucien"s wives and getting to know them better. Even girls like Rebecca and Maggie told a little about their past, even though that was pretty common and had nothing particularly impressive.
Meanwhile, Clovis also had endless diverse topics to talk to Lucien about. He even promised that after he and Anne had a child, the child is old enough, and their family is fully reunited and safe, he would bring the child to learn how to plant apples with their grandfather.
Be it Lucien, his girls, Amelia, and even L.u.s.t and Envy, Laure and Clovis liked everyone.
Anne"s little house is the setting for a warm family dinner, which leaves not only satisfied stomachs but hearts and souls as well.
After enjoying the meat that Lucien hunted with Oya and little Ko, a group of girls goes back to the kitchen to clean everything and not leave a big mess in Laure"s house, while another group goes to the living room to talk more.
Lucien sits on a sofa next to Clovis, and little Ko quickly sits on his l.a.p, stealing the place that everyone wants.
Seeing the loving way he plays with Ko, Laure cannot contain her curiosity, especially after hearing him and Clovis talk about children.
"I don"t want to be nosy... but well, Anne is already a grown girl... I just ... wanna know if you... already... you know..." Laure talks confusedly with several pauses to think of the ideal words.
Only the most naive girls don"t understand what she wants to know. Anne is extremely embarra.s.sed as Lucien smiles and speaks honestly. "Well, what"s left for us to as a couple is just a proper ceremony and children."
Clovis already expected that from the way Anne looks at Lucien, but he is still embarra.s.sed when the subject comes up.
Laure laugh. "I knew it! Well, I expect grandchildren then. As for the ceremony, we can do this as soon as possible so as not to disturb the plans of you and Queen Eve."
Lucien is really grateful for Laure"s positive att.i.tude. "Okay, I"ll be able to get together with my big sis quickly, so we have a good time to do it in the best possible way. Also, I want to have a ceremony for all my wives who want it."
Laure really likes Lucien"s wives, especially the demi-humans ones. So she is happy to be able to organize their ceremony together with her own daughter.
"This is also good because our clan, as well as others, like to perform collective ceremonies in order to make a great offering to the nature spirit and thus obtain a great blessing for the couples," Laure explains.
When she talks about the nature spirit, some girls make a confused expression. Dawn makes a sad expression when she remembers that she was taught from her childhood that demi-humans adored demons and not the true G.o.d.
But Lucien already expected that. "I read in some books about the nature spirit and how important she is to some people in the Alliance and in other parts of the world."
"The most important ceremony that my ancestors and I did was to ask for her blessing and give an offering in return. Are you okay with that?" Laure asks Lucien.
Lucien looks at L.u.s.t, and she nods. Then he looks at Laure and nods too. "I count on your help to make the most incredible offering ever."
"Hahaha..." Laure laughs, happy, of course. "You are a really good son-in-law."
Everyone is really happy, but Envy makes a slight upset expression. "I really would prefer to make an offering to the Infinity Blade Lady..."