"Well, you better work hard. Your path to greatness starts in the bedroom, and I must say you still have a lot to learn."
Konrad chortled, causing Iliana's cheek to redden in shame.
"Don't worry, I will teach her all she needs to know."
"Who needs to learn from you?"
"Hey, after all the bonding we did last time, you still have the face to act so high and mighty? Sorry, it's no longer credible."
"You!"
Once again defeated, Iliana had nothing left to say.
Konrad then pulled out two harem rings and placed them on their fingers. Naturally, their reactions wildly differed. While Daphne was elated, Iliana…
"Why do we have the very same ring?"
…couldn't stomach having the same model.
"It's my show of equal love. How can I say I love you all equally without giving you the same rings? Naturally, they are not just ornaments. They also allow me to stay connected to you and will alert me if anything happens."
Daphne cared very little about the ring's extra abilities. Rather, it was the thought of receiving her first gift from her Konrad that caused butterflies to flutter within her stomach.
Iliana wasn't so easily coaxed.
"Isn't that a spying device? I knew you shameless, but I didn't know you possessive."
"Why not just call it security?"
"If you don't want it, you might as well give it to me. Two is better than one."
Daphne offered, causing Iliana to firmly grasp her ring finger as if to protect it from thievery.
"When did I say I didn't want it? Scram."
Efficient! Daphne's efficiency truly knew no bounds!
Impressed, Konrad gave her a pat on the head. She took that as an invitation and started unbuckling his belt.
"What are you doing?"
"Getting my daily dose of milk. I don't know how long that contest will last so I must make some provisions!"
Her clear, righteous tone caused Konrad to burst into laughter, and Iliana to wonder where she got all that shamelessness from.
"Hahaha, alright, make as many provisions as you want."
"Wait, wait…I must help her to huh…make sure she doesn't huh…let it spill…yes."
Iliana soon joined the fray, and the Kracht cousins attacked Konrad's rod on two fronts. The rest of the trip was action-packed.
...
The contest took place within the Holy Flame Temple. As the main seat of the Holy Flame Church and core of the Divine Flame Lord's faith, the temple was a massive edifice that stretched across several square miles and stood at almost three thousand feet.
Supported by sky-high white pillars that reminisced of antique Greek architecture, its entrance was open to all, but not many dared step inside.
Today, however, a crowd had gathered at the bottom of the staircase leading inside while many others approached at breakneck speed.
More than one commoner was almost squashed by those rushing carriages that paid no heed to the lives of the lowborn.
In fact, among the many carriages heading toward the Holy Flame Temple, beside the Kracht, very few advanced at moderate speed.
Soon after they reached destination, the trio descended from the carriage. The first thing to seize Konrad's attention was, of course, the Holy Flame Temple. In his past life, he had never seen anything like it.
Dazzling white flames coiled around the high pillars in serpentine arcs while a large white ball floated on top of the massive domed roof, emitting pure white mist and light that swirled around the temple and gave it an air of divinity.
To say nothing of Konrad who witnessed it for the first time, even Daphne and Iliana who'd already seen it before were awed.
It was the tallest building within the Holy Flame Empire, and it was rumored that on its highest floor hid the country's greatest powerhouses!
But as they basked in the temple's glory, a mild voice echoed from their side.
"Isn't this house Kracht's team? Could it be lady Iliana I see from here?"
Nobility carriages all bore the emblems of their respective houses. Thus, they were easily identifiable.
The voice came alongside tranquil steps and caused the trio to shift toward its origin.
It was a silver-eyed, handsome youth whose shoulder-length black hairs were held in curls. Dressed in a lavish brocade robe, he possessed the cultivated air of superiority that swirled around most children of high-nobility and did nothing to conceal it.
"Koloman Slesinger?"
Having met him more than once, Iliana first recognized him. Instantaneously, her gaze chilled.
Behind the youth was an ordered group of five people who tailed his footsteps with deference.
Konrad activated his Origin Sight and swept the team with his gaze. The results were impressive.
"Forty-six years old, second step Arch Knight, winged serpent race. The rest are all between the ninth step Grand Knight and the first step Arch Knight Ranks."
Konrad excluded; this lineup was enough to crush the Kracht's team with confidence.
However, Koloman's gaze never glanced toward Konrad, remaining locked on Iliana as if eying a prized possession.
"It's been a while lady Iliana. Once I heard of your return, I instantly wished to welcome you with warm gifts. However, I had to delay my visit due to my father's insistence on joining this competition. I hope you can understand."
His words would cause bystanders to believe there was a long-standing relationship between them. Or at the very least, a form of friendship. But in Iliana's eyes, Konrad saw only annoyance and disgust.
As for Daphne, after seeing the group's emblem and making a quick calculation, she knew who they were dealing with.
"Who is he?"
Konrad asked her in a mental message.
"He is the fourth son of the Slesinger Duke. Although his father is a seventh step Semi-Saint with vast lands and armies, he is an honorable man with clear morals. In the past, when uncle was looking for potential matches for Iliana, he settled on house Slesinger, believing that with the father's level of virtue and integrity, the child couldn't be far behind.
And indeed on the outside, that man maintains an excellent disguise. Inwardly though, he is nothing more than an obnoxious cunt."
"When asked about his opinion regarding marriage with Iliana, he first refused to comment. Then in front of her and in the middle of a gathering of nobles, he…"
"…proclaimed that thanks to her appearance, he could forget his status and take her as his concubine. However, a human half-breed could never be his wife…"
"But I guess that now that house Kracht's estates are at stake, a -human half-breed- can become his wife. Despicable."
Daphne replied with rising disgust, and her words caused Konrad's eyes to glitter with callousness.
"There is no relationship between us. Thus, there is no need for you to welcome me. Don't cause unnecessary misunderstandings."
Iliana replied, her tone dry and filled with discomfort. Seeing the Slesinger and Kracht emblems, a crowd had quickly gathered around them. Within was a mixture of Briefadel and Uradel nobles who observed the scene with great interest.
"Hey, Koloman is really thick skinned. I still remember how he shamed the poor lass in the middle of dozens of Uradel nobles for no reason whatsoever. Now today, with his wife close by, he has the nerves to approach her and act as if nothing happened? Impressive."
The one who spoke was a purple haired man with pitch-black eyes that seemed as deep as the night sky. Snuggled against him was a beautiful woman of similar features who observed the scene with disinterest.
"What about you Lars? Aren't you also looking for an opportunity to make a move? I suppose that was I not here, you would already be over there."
"Haha, how could you say that…"
But they both knew she was right.
Undisturbed by Illiana's words and tone, Koloman stepped toward her, completely ignoring the three "Kracht Champions" nearby and the green haired youth by her side whom he assumed was another one of her kinsmen.
"There is, of course, a relationship. And a rather deep one at that. Weren't we almost married? In fact, if it weren't for ill-intentioned people sowing discord, we would now be husband and wife. I'm here to rectify…"
"Enough with the drivel. Your disgraceful presence irritates us all."
Koloman stopped dead in his tracks and fired a furious glare toward the origin of those words.
Beside Konrad, who else could it be?
"You said what?!"
"I don't repeat myself to worms. You have three breaths to get lost."
"The galls! How dare you insult the son of a Duke?! Who the hell are you?"
Konrad sneered and channeled his spiritual energy within his fist.
"The one who will make you fly."
Those words caused Koloman to fly into rage and throw a palm at Konrad's face. But before he could reach it, Konrad sidestepped, letting the palm graze his cheek while sending a full-force punch right into Koloman's face.
*Crack*
His fist crashed into the nobleman's nose, shattered his nasal bones and like a meteor, sent him flying through the air in a mesmerizing arc.