Chapter 84: Compromise

All the girls in the camp were gathered before Axel. Teruria, Eve, and Arianne stood ahead of them, as if they were representing the group.

“Sir Axel,” Arianne started, explaining her side.

“This event will decide the direction of our camp, so I judged that it’s better if everyone is present to observe. Please forgive me for deciding arbitrarily.”

“Well…”

Axel couldn’t counter her argument.

As she said, what he was about to say would greatly affect the camp and the Valkyrie Knight Order as a whole. However, looking at it from a different perspective, it was also a cruel thing to say to the two girls. Having so many spectators would only make things more awkward for them.

But after looking at Eve and Teruria’s expressions, he could tell they were prepared for that as well.

“…Guess it’s fine then.” He sighed before standing straight. “First, Eve.”

“Yes, Sir Axel.”

She stepped forward, gallant and poised. Her expression was firm with resolve, but she hid all her fear behind that flat look.

“Regarding your proposition about being your consort… I accept,” Axel said flatly.

“…Huh?”

Eve was surprised. She had been expecting Axel to refuse, so his answer hit her like a punch from nowhere. And just as she was lifting her lips into a smile…

“But with one condition,” he added, cutting her celebration short. “I will stay as your consort until you come of age. Until then, we’ll maintain a platonic relationship. After your coming-of-age ceremony, I want you to decide if you wish to continue your engagement with me or not.”

Eve’s brows raised as she growled. “There’s no way I…!”

“I know,” Axel interrupted.

“But still, I want you to decide everything again once you’re truly an adult. That’s my stance. If you can’t accept it, then let’s consider this conversation never happened.”

“That…”

Eve paused, her expression falling into deep consideration.

Axel knew Eve needed time to think this through, so he moved to Teruria next. “As for Ria, I’ll accept your proposition too.”

“…!”

This time, it was Teruria who was shocked.

After all, she had just heard Axel say he’s willing to accept Eve’s proposal. That meant the two would become an item. With that, she thought she’d be refused, since Axel now had Eve, but…

“T-Then, what about Princess Eve?”

“Huh?”

Axel paused, surprised.

He didn’t think Teruria had grown close enough to Eve to worry about her. However, what the two had in mind was completely different.

As a side note, Witcheria is matriarchal. Thus, the concept of a single man having multiple wives didn’t exist for them. So to Teruria, it was either her or Eve—not both.

“That’s for her to decide,” Axel answered flatly. “What you need to think of is your position. But… of course, like Eve, I also have a condition.”

Teruria paused, thinking for a moment, before nodding tightly.

“…Alright, Sir Hexel. Please continue.”

“My condition is simple. By the time Eve comes of age, I want you to also decide whether to continue our relationship or not.”

“Huh? But the Witch’s Kiss is—”

Axel nodded firmly, unperturbed. “As for that, I already have a solution, so don’t mind it. What’s important is your decision. If you agree, then I don’t have anything else to say.”

“…”

Just like Eve, Teruria fell silent, deep in thought.

Axel watched as the two continued to sink into their own worlds, waiting patiently for their replies.

Of course, he ignored the piercing gazes from everyone else. From an outsider’s perspective, he was dumping the heavy responsibility of deciding whether to keep their relationships onto such small girls!

However, even this was already him compromising quite a lot.

If he simply went with what his heart says, and not his mind, he’d just refuse the proposals outright.

He wasn’t prepared to go into another relationship. Not only was his heart still broken, but he still couldn’t say he had fully forgotten his ex-wife.

Yes. Despite her dumping him without warning and even using him as a scapegoat for her crimes before disappearing like a bubble, Axel still had lingering feelings for her.

It was almost like a curse.

The harder he tried to forget, the stronger her presence lingered.

As such, entering this sort of relationship with the two girls was also his own way of trying to overcome his past.

Still, rather than working together to keep the relationship, he planned to do only the minimum on his part, letting the girls take the lead while having the final say. This way, even if they broke up with him later on, the damage would be small.

After a while, the two girls finally came to their conclusions.

The first one to speak was Eve.

“Sir Axel, I understand,” she said, nodding. “If that’s what you want, then let’s proceed with it. When I come of age, I will decide if I still want you as my significant other—my husband—or not.”

“Royal Consort, not… Anyway. Then, that’s a deal.”

Axel walked forward before kneeling before Eve. Then, he carefully took her left hand and kissed the back of it.

“I, Axel Walker, hereby swear. I’ll honor my promise and become Princess Eve’s consort until she comes of age.”

Of course, such acts were an adlib on his part.

He simply decided to do what a prince or a knight would do and went with it. It worked perfectly. Eve, having her hand kissed, blushed as she smiled sweetly.

Despite the constraints, she was happy to finally have something to hold on to.

Up next was Teruria.

Seeing Eve looking so blissful, she hesitated for a moment before nodding her head.

“I, too, agree with Sir Hexel’s conditions. When the time comes, I’ll objectively decide whether we should keep our relationship or not.”

Almost unconsciously, Teruria extended her left hand forward, as if waiting for Axel to do the same for her. Axel found her unconscious action cute, smiled, and didn’t refuse. He moved before the little witch, knelt on one knee, and kissed the back of her hand.

“I will forever honor the Witch’s Kiss and strive to keep an amicable relationship with you, Princess Teruria Hallbach. Until the time you need to decide comes.”

Teruria blushed, not expecting her heart to beat so wildly from a mere kiss to the back of her hand. Still, it didn’t feel bad at all…

Shortly after, a rain of applause echoed from everyone.

“Congratulations, Princess Eve, Princess Teruria!”

“Sir Axel is a lucky man!”

“Wishing you a happy relationship!”

Various shouts and cheers echoed, making the two girls embarrassed and touched at the same time. But just as the reveal was over…

A flash of light came from the southern end of the camp.

A familiar one.

One that made Teruria look toward the south and mutter with a hint of fear and expectation.

“No way… T-They’re here…!”

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