Demon King of the Royal Class-Chapter 680

In Central Palace Tetra, the Emperor’s Office...

“... You’re just fooling around.”

It was early morning when Harriet and Reinhart went to see her.

Charlotte’s response to their words was dismissive and cold. Both Harriet and even Reinhart turned pale at her reaction.

“Yes, you have to get married. It’s something you must do. It’s your duty, your responsibility, and part of state affairs. I’m glad you understand that.”

Marriage... As Reinhart had insisted the day before, it was inevitable. There was no longer any choice in the matter. The only question that remained was how many more he would have to wed in the future.

Charlotte understood this all too well, and even suspected he might have to marry more than he had initially agreed to.

“Of course, you’ll have to marry Olivia Lanche, and Airi as well. It might be challenging, but you might even have to marry Riana, even if it means forcing the issue. And if that’s still not enough, you might have to marry someone we don’t yet know about to forge a political alliance...”

“W-what? R-Riana...?! N-no, that’s not...!”

“What do you mean by ‘not’? If you have to, then you have to marry her as well.”

Reinhart was startled by Charlotte’s drastic suggestion, and Harriet’s face grew pale.

“B-but still... still...!”

“Are you saying you’ll pick and choose your duties? In your situation?”

Charlotte’s expression turned icy, and Reinhart felt himself freeze. She was right; he might have to marry someone he couldn’t bear to, someone he’d rather die than be with.

Yet, Reinhart realized he had no choice. If it came to that, he would do what was necessary. But if he did not have to, then he wouldn’t.

“T-that’s... that’s not it...”

“Well, Riana was a pretty drastic example. It might not be necessary to go that far. Anyway, yes. You have to get married. Quite a lot.”

Charlotte wasn’t implying they were fooling around just because Reinhart said he would marry them. She was referring to something else entirely.

Charlotte’s icy gaze shifted from Reinhart to Harriet.

“So, you want to be the first?” she asked.

“Is... Isn’t that okay?” Harriet replied cautiously, her voice tinged with hesitation.

Harriet could endure Reinhart marrying this person or that person, but she wanted to be the first. That was Harriet’s last shred of pride.

“Didn’t I just say marriage is a matter of state affairs?” Charlotte continued.

“Y-yes...” Harriet stammered.

“So it will be a state event, right?” Charlotte pressed on.

“Uh-huh...” Harriet nodded.

“And an event naturally involves costs, doesn’t it?” Charlotte added.

With those words, both Harriet and Reinhart couldn’t help but grasp the implication of what Charlotte was saying.

“How many times can we afford to host such events in our current situation?” Charlotte asked. “Do you want to ruin the country before it even begins by having separate weddings?”

“T-then maybe we could have a simple ceremony...” Harriet suggested cautiously.

Charlotte’s expression twisted at the idea. “If the emperor of the New Empire has a simple wedding, will we be seen as a frugal empire, or just a shabby one?”

“I-is that so?” Harriet replied, considering her point.

“An emperor or king having a small, secret wedding with only close friends and family? Do you think this is some kind of clandestine affair?” Charlotte asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.

“Fortunately, in these times, hosting grand events could be seen as improper. So even if the ceremony is modest, it won’t be a major issue,” Charlotte continued. “But remember, an emperor’s marriage is a state event. It’s not just about the union of two people; it’s a declaration of the union of powers. That’s the real purpose, even before the marriage itself.”

The idea of an emperor having a modest wedding was so absurd it wasn’t even worth joking about. Charlotte sighed, as if the mere thought was enough to give her a headache.

“How many years do you think it would take to hold proper weddings for each and every bride?” she wondered aloud.

“I... I don’t know,” Harriet replied hesitantly.

“The New Empire’s economy would need to be restored adequately so that the emperor’s wedding would not impact it,” Charlotte said.

“If we don’t hold a combined ceremony, we’d be preparing for the wedding until we die of old age... Is that what you’re saying?”

“You got it.”

Charlotte fixed Harriet and Reinhart with a cold stare. If Harriet wanted to be the first, that meant acting separately, and that simply wasn’t an option in their current situation.

“Alright then,” Charlotte said, her voice steady. “Since you’ve brought it up, we need to settle this issue now.”

She pulled out a blank sheet of paper and began to write. Her pen moved swiftly across the page, and when she was done, she handed the paper to Reinhart. It was clear from the list of names written on it what needed to be addressed.

“Go and inform them.”

“Inform them...? Inform them of what?”

“Stop pretending to be clueless.”

Reinhart’s face turned pale at Charlotte’s stern demeanor. He sensed she might truly lose her temper if he continued to play dumb.

“So, you’re saying... to inform these people about my upcoming marriage?” he said hesitantly. “To them? Right now?”

Reinhart stared at the names on the document, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Charlotte tilted her head, observing the flustered Reinhart and Harriet.

“You said you were going to marry each other, right?” she asked.

“Uh, uh-huh...” Reinhart stammered.

“And you said you were going to marry me, too, right?”

“Uh-huh. Well... yeah. Yes,” he admitted, his voice trailing off.

“And you mentioned marrying others as well, didn’t you?”

“Uh...” Reinhart hesitated, unsure how to respond.

After all, marriage seemed inevitable. Also inevitable was the fact that there would be many marriages. Everyone involved understood and accepted this reality.

Given the situation the New Empire was in, going about it separately seemed nearly impossible. So, what was the issue?

“Since it’s something you’ll do anyway, why not do it all at once?” Charlotte suggested.

All at once, with everyone...

Harriet and Reinhart’s mouths fell open at the suggestion.

“N-no... that... that...” they stammered, both turning pale at the thought.

Charlotte smiled slyly as she watched their increasingly bewildered expressions.

She pointed a finger at the door, directing Reinhart’s attention to it. “If you understand, then go and inform everyone on that list,” she instructed. “Tell them we’re all getting married on the same day, at the same time, in the same place.”

“Let’s make the day of the ceremony the day of the New Empire’s founding,” she added with a mischievous glint in her eye. “And be sure to tell Olivia Lanche that if she wants to wait for a separate wedding, she might as well plan on dying of old age.”

Charlotte’s bold decision to combine the wedding with the empire’s founding ceremony left both Harriet and Reinhart feeling uneasy. Yet, they knew that holding multiple weddings for the emperor during such turbulent times would be a waste of national resources and was simply impossible.

The economy couldn’t withstand the strain of multiple weddings. Charlotte’s decision was both economical and rational.

The issue, however, was that it lacked humanity.

Reinhart and Harriet had gone to her to discuss the emperor’s upcoming wedding plans, only to be met with a blunt question: “Do you want to risk all our lives trying to do it separately?”

Charlotte continued, “Are you the only ones getting married? We’re all tying the knot on the same day.”

“But... you know...” Reinhart hesitated.

“What?” Charlotte pressed.

“Still... no matter how you look at it...” he trailed off.

Reinhart’s eyes were firmly glued to a single name on the document, unable to look away.

Noticing his expression, Charlotte’s demeanor turned icy.

“What did I just say marriage was to you?” she asked.

“It’s a duty... and a matter of the state,” Reinhart replied hesitantly.

“Do you intend to shirk your duty?”

He remained silent, unable to respond.

The new emperor, who had gone to his regent to discuss marriage, left the office looking utterly defeated, as if his spirit had been drained, clutching a list of potential spouses.

Charlotte looked over at Harriet, who seemed equally taken aback by the whirlwind of events, and allowed herself a subtle, mocking smile.

“Hmm, if our financial situation was better, you could have had him all to yourself for about a year. Too bad.”

“What...?” Harriet’s face flushed even deeper at Charlotte’s straightforward comment.

“You’re quite daring. But honestly, you do have the credentials for it.”

Harriet fell silent. She understood that for someone like Reinhart, who aspired to be more than just a simple king, such things were bound to happen. Reinhart had even mentioned it to her directly. But neither of them anticipated everything would unravel so suddenly.

Reinhart’s face had gone pale for a reason.

“B-but... is this really okay?” he asked, his voice tinged with doubt.

Harriet had seen the names on that list too, and her complexion mirrored his. One name, in particular, seemed overwhelming.

“It’s your duty, so it has to be done,” Charlotte replied. “What else can we do? Do you really think this will be the end? Depending on the situation, you might have to do it several more times.”

He might not just be married three or four times. Who knew how many more marriages would be needed?

Of course, all of it was necessary, but Charlotte had given off a slight bit of “let’s see how you handle this” attitude when jotting all those names down.

“Should we follow you secretly and watch?” she suggested.

“N-no, don’t do that!”

Charlotte laughed heartily, picturing the scene.

***

Following the orders of Charlotte de Gradias, who was practically acting as the emperor’s brain, the new emperor Reinhart wandered aimlessly around Central Palace Tetra like a living corpse.

He had to get married. A lot.

For most people, marriage might not come with strings attached, but for an emperor, it did. He understood as much; it was a duty he had to fulfill. But he hadn’t expected to face so many all at once, without any mental preparation.

The enormity of it caught him off guard.

The first person he went to see was Olivia Lanche.

“...”

“...”

When Reinhart finally wrapped up his long-winded explanation, looking utterly exhausted, Olivia Lanche’s expression turned icy.

“I’ve often wondered if I might not be able to marry you,” she said, her voice tinged with disbelief. “But I never imagined it would come to this. A group marriage? What even is that?”

Olivia frowned deeply, her frustration palpable, as if she wanted to smash something just to release the tension.

“Since I’m planning to rewrite the doctrine of the Holy Order to suit my own vision, whether I marry or not is entirely my decision,” she declared.

She understood that gods and doctrines were open to interpretation, and she was determined to abolish the outdated custom that forbade priestesses of Purity from marrying.

Reinhart’s face turned pale with worry, fearing he might receive a slap.

Olivia watched him closely, noting his expression.

“You really do look sorry, don’t you?” she said softly.

“...”

“But why are you sorry? It’s all quite natural, isn’t it? I’m just in a terrible mood. I suppose it can’t be helped...”

In the end, it was like fate.

She sighed deeply. “Well, I guess this alone is already something to be thankful for. No one died, and things turned out like this—maybe that’s actually for the best. I shouldn’t be too greedy... But if I refuse now, I might die of old age instead...? What kind of ridiculous threat is that supposed to be?”

Olivia frowned, clearly displeased with Charlotte’s message. If she insisted on handling it separately, maybe she’d have more flexibility later on.

“By then, the child would have already entered the Temple...”

Olivia’s eyes widened as she imagined the consequences of rejecting this proposal, one she absolutely did not want to accept. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

It wasn’t something that could be avoided just because Olivia said no, nor could it be done just because she said yes.

Feeling bad was inevitable, even if she accepted it as something beyond her control. Olivia Lanche was genuinely displeased.

“I’ll be watching how you handle this,” she said as she glared icily at Reinhart.

For the moment, there was nothing to be done.

“If you ever make me feel neglected again, you’ll regret being alive. Understand?”

“Y-yes... I understand...”

The chill in Olivia’s eyes left no doubt that she meant every word. She would make life the hardest and most exhausting thing.

Even before getting married, Olivia had vowed to nag him at every opportunity.

***

By the afternoon, the Demon King, who had been cosplaying a lifeless corpse all morning, was a disheveled mess when he knocked on Airi’s door.

Reinhart explained his situation to her.

“Demons may follow the Archdemon as their leader, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have feelings too,” Airi said, nodding as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “So, if all your wives are humans, it will cause dissatisfaction among the demons. Having me there as one of your wives definitely has meaning.”

Understanding the implications, Airi nodded again, more thoughtfully this time.

“Um... Aren’t you making this decision too easily...?”

Reinhart was more concerned about Airi’s reaction, which seemed more like resignation to the marriage than genuine agreement.

“Charlotte has a point,” Airi continued. “You need many marriages. But if you only choose humans, it will create an imbalance. You should consider finding more suitable brides among the demons.”

“Huh...?”

“What about Sarkegar? He’s a distinguished figure who played a crucial role even after the fall of the Dark Land. He is an exemplary demon. Plus, he can transform into any form you desire.”

“W-what...? Sarkegar...?”

Reinhart’s face turned pale at the mention of an unexpected name, even though it wasn’t one of the names Charlotte had written. He was afraid that old Dreadfiend might respond too enthusiastically.

“Or you could search for the surviving Dreadfiend tribe, or gather up the demons still in the Dark Land. How about the Mermaid Queen...? Oh, would that be physically challenging? I’ve heard some mermaids can live on land sometimes...”

“E-excuse me...?”

“Oh, there was an Archdemon who married an orc once.”

“Just... Just curse at me!”

“Actually, now that I think about it, there’s Eleris as well.”

“W-what?”

“Among all the demons, you’re closest to Eleris, right?”

In truth, only a handful knew Eleris was an ancient Archdemon, and Airi wasn’t one of them.

Reinhart’s face went as pale as a ghost.

“D-don’t say such crazy things! Th-that’s... that’s really not possible!”

“Is it because she’s undead?”

“Ugh, a-anyway, it’s not possible!”

“Hmm...?”

In the end, Airi’s suggestions made the Demon King feel like he might just cough up blood.

***

“I’ll take my time to find a suitable demon bride for you.”

Those words bounced around in Reinhart’s mind as he hurried away from Airi’s room, sweat trickling down his back.

He had always known this moment would come, just not so soon. But this? This was something he never saw coming.

He could say that with certainty.

‘Why does it have to be like this? Why does it have to be this way?’

Yet, he knew he couldn’t escape it.

Knock, knock.

Reinhart rapped gently on the door in front of him.

After a moment, the door creaked open cautiously.

Click.

“Hmm... Is there a meeting or something?” Louise von Schwartz asked, tilting her head at the Demon King.

“Oh, u-um... Uh...” he stammered, feeling mortified and wishing desperately for a way to disappear. “Sh-shall we... t-talk...?”

“Of course. Anytime,” Louise said softly, nodding in agreement.