“I am honored that you chose me as the temporary commander,” General Vidin said as he bowed and shook my hand.

  “Do not get lost on the way. Ask Lord Bari for directions since that place is his homeland,” I replied as I released General Vidin’s handshake.

  “Before that, I would like to speak with you privately,” General Vidin whispered in a serious tone.

  I nodded and led him into an empty room in the building. I told Nate to wait for me at the front gate.

  “How is your relationship with Princess Bertha?” he asked seriously. “Emperor Arius asked me directly.”

  I fell silent for a moment and smiled. “It is going smoothly. Princess Bertha is very unique, in my opinion. I cannot imagine what she will be like once she becomes my wife.”

  It was a half-hearted answer.

  “In that case, take this,” General Vidin said as he handed me a neatly sealed letter. “Think carefully.”

  I accepted the letter, and General Vidin left after patting my shoulder. I slipped the letter into my coat pocket and left the room, approaching Nate who was waiting at the gate.

  I took her hand. “Do you want to take a walk first, or should we go home?”

  “Home,” Nate answered quickly. Her face was still gloomy, probably because of Princess Bertha’s behavior earlier.

  Ignoring what the citizens might say, I lifted her up like a princess and carried her back to my residence. I immediately went up to the second floor where my bedroom was and laid her down on my bed.

  “Do not pout like that,” I said as I lay beside her and hugged her from behind.

  “Ugh. It is annoying,” Nate complained softly. “I love you, yet you will eventually have to marry that princess. She would not be a good mother to your future children. Just cancel the engagement with her.”

  “If I cancel it, our country could be invaded by Alestria,” I replied with a bitter smile. “Enough. No political discussions in the bedroom. Was that not a rule you made yourself?”

  Nate giggled. “Let us take a bath first.”

  I accepted her invitation and followed her into the bathroom attached to my bedroom. While she prepared the water, I helped set up the bathing supplies. Unfortunately, Nate found the letter General Vidin had given me earlier.

  “This letter,” Nate said as she handed it to me. “Read it first. I want to know what it says too.”

  She stared at me seriously, and it was clear she would not back down unless I agreed. I sat at my study desk while waiting for the bathwater to fill the tub.

  Nate lit the oil lamp on my desk and brought it closer to me. I figured this was not a state secret, so Nate could know its contents. I broke the seal and opened the letter.

  To King Ezia

  From Arius III

  Greetings, my future son-in-law. May God always bless you.

  Do you know that last night, a priest interpreted my dream for me? I saw a two-headed lion and a three-headed eagle standing side by side, defending their lands together. I also saw vast fertile plains stretching endlessly, and hundreds of people living in happiness afterward. The dream startled me so much that I woke up abruptly in my sleep.

  When I fell asleep again, my ancestors appeared before me and told me that Ancient Alestria would rise once more and return to its former glory. I firmly believe that this dream will one day become reality.

  I do not know whether your father has told you or not. Do not forget to repay your nation’s debt. Remember that every failure to repay it will double the amount. Or perhaps you wish to accept the same offer I once made to your father.

  Join the Alestrian Empire and help me realize my dream. Or continue struggling to repay your nation’s debt. Our countries are already very close, and my third daughter is deeply infatuated with you. I would be heartbroken if I were forced to fight someone she loves.

  It would be a great tragedy if we were to wage war against one another. Are our nations not like half-siblings separated by fate? A house is no longer a home when the siblings within it fight each other. Please reconsider this golden offer. I have already informed my diplomats about this letter.

  I await your reply, my future son-in-law. I hope you are a wise man.

  I placed the letter on my desk and leaned back. Thinking about it, there was no way I could repay this debt in such a short time. And why was the game scenario accelerating like this? The Alestrian Empire was not supposed to start aggressively pressuring me to join them until ten years into the game.

  I felt Nate’s soft hands massaging my shoulders.

  “Nate, do you think I should sacrifice myself for my country?” I asked as I looked up at her.

  “I love you. I want to marry you and build a family with you. But why does this path force me to marry Princess Bertha just to save the country?” I protested as I closed my eyes.

  “I…” Nate fell silent as well and hugged me from behind. “Saving your country comes first. That is okay…”

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  “I told you already, I am fine with our current relationship,” Nate whispered softly, almost in tears. “What matters is that I can stay close to you and know that you love me.”

  “I will find a way to make Princess Bertha allow you to stay by my side,” I said firmly.

  I knew that after marrying her, Princess Bertha would drive Nate away out of jealousy, and I would never see her again when the MC eventually rescued her from Bao. But now that I had chosen to execute Bao and move off course from the main scenario, I no longer knew what would happen to Nate.

  “Yes. Please find a way so we can stay together,” she whispered as she gently bit my ear.

  I spent the afternoon and night being intimate with Nate. The next morning, I woke up before dawn, even before the roosters crowed. I stared at the letter from yesterday lying on my desk.

  “Nate, I am heading to the White Palace and might have breakfast with Princess Bertha. Please prepare my spare clothes for the battlefield,” I whispered to Nate, who was half-awake.

  “Alright, dear,” she replied, asking for a good morning kiss.

  Her lips puckered as she waited. I gave her what she wanted and hugged her once more before letting her fall back asleep. I adjusted the blanket and covered her naked body.

  After cleaning myself, I took the letter from Emperor Arius III. As I stepped out of my residence and took a breath in front of the door, I saw General Vidin already organizing our allied forces for departure. Upon seeing me, he bowed and removed his helmet. He was coordinating with Bari, Jasper, and several Alestrian officers.

  I waved my hand and walked toward the White Palace. Citizens who had just begun their daily activities looked surprised to see me walking.

  “Have you never seen your leader walk on foot before?” I joked.

  They laughed, and I excused myself before continuing toward the White Palace. The council meeting would begin at nine in the morning. I still had plenty of time to discuss this letter with Verzhina.

  I finally arrived at the front doors of the White Palace and opened them with both hands. Several staff members were still arranging chairs for the meeting.

  “Good morning, everyone,” I greeted them and helped out.

  I spent an hour assisting with the preparations before heading up to the second floor. Several nobles, whom I would classify as Old Nobles, were there chatting with Princess Bertha and her diplomats.

  Perhaps I should try raising Princess Bertha’s affection so she would allow Nate to stay by my side.

  I stepped closer quietly. The princess turned to face me. I took her right hand and kissed it with a bow.

  “Good early morning. How wonderful it is to see you this early. I believe even the sun would be jealous that I saw you before it did.”

  “You certainly know how to flatter,” Princess Bertha smiled shyly, her left hand touching her cheek.

  “Is Lord Verzhina already in his office?” I asked Lord Aldo, one of the Old Nobles who had been speaking with her.

  “He is, Your Majesty,” he answered happily. The bearded old man seemed pleased by my praise of Princess Bertha.

  “In that case, I will excuse myself first. Princess Bertha, would you like to have breakfast together afterward?” I said while holding her hand. “Before I head to the battlefield, I wish to keep the memory of your face with me.”

  “Of course,” she replied cheerfully.

  “Then please wait for me at your hotel,” I said before leaving.

  I opened the door to my office. Verzhina was already there, organizing the matters to be discussed in the council.

  “Lord Verzhina, I do not know whether this is a good thing or not. General Vidin gave me this letter, and its contents have left me very confused,” I said as I handed him Emperor Arius’s letter and sat down.

  Verzhina took it and read it carefully.

  “I do not think uniting with Alestria is entirely a bad thing, considering our ancestors share the same blood,” I said while reviewing the agenda for the council.

  “Are you sure, Your Majesty?” Verzhina asked seriously. “Are you not deeply in love with my daughter, Nate? What will happen to her if you choose to marry Princess Bertha? And what about the nationalist faction?”

  I had almost forgotten about the nationalists. If they were neglected or disappointed, they would eventually grow into extremist nationalists. If I remembered correctly, Belial, one of the game’s excellent characters, came from their ranks.

  If I married Princess Bertha, my chances of recruiting him as Verzhina’s successor would decrease. There were other capable figures as well, but I was still torn between choosing Nate’s route or Princess Bertha’s.

  There were also other heroine routes. Princess Chen An, the daughter of Emperor Taijian, would appear after I defeated her father and took her as a living hostage to ensure the Rajian Empire would not attack me. Another was Julis, Lord Aldo’s daughter. They would all appear near the civil war if I refused to marry Princess Bertha.

  Damn it. Was there truly no way for this kingdom to remain united?

  If I married Princess Bertha and allowed my kingdom to become a special autonomous state under the Alestrian Empire, my enemies would be the nationalist faction dominated by former and active soldiers. I would eventually have to face Bari, Valde, Jasper, who would lead them in an attempt to awaken me from Alestrian influence.

  This event was not supposed to happen until after I defeated the Rajian Empire. Why was it happening so early?

  Right. I often forgot that this was no longer a game world for me. It had become my reality, where I was the MC living within it.

  “I will leave the decision regarding my marriage to the representatives,” I instructed Verzhina. “Please make sure this letter is discussed during the council.”

  Was there a way for my people to stand with dignity even under the Alestrian Empire? Yes. The terms of special autonomy could be revised later if the council decided I should marry Princess Bertha.

  Glancing at the wall clock, I remembered my promise to have breakfast with Princess Bertha. I left the White Palace and walked toward the hotel where she was staying. The Alestrian guards directed me straight to the hotel restaurant.

  The hotel belonged to Princess Bertha herself. It was insane. She used her own money to build a hotel in the capital, a city whose tourist attractions were limited to fishing, rivers, and strolling through parks.

  Still, I was grateful. Thanks to this hotel, foreign guests could stay here instead of in ordinary inns.

  I found her inside the restaurant. Two Alestrian dishes were already on the table, along with dessert. Two empty wine glasses were also prepared.

  “You want to drink wine in the morning? I will not,” I said as I sat across from her.

  “Come on,” Princess Bertha pleaded. “It will be more romantic.”

  The way she said it made me certain there was something in the wine. Some drug, perhaps something that would knock me unconscious. I estimated the odds at seventy-five to twenty-five.

  “I will be leading my troops after the council, so I cannot get drunk,” I said, trying to refuse.

  “Please…” Princess Bertha looked sad and began to tear up.

  Damn it. I could never handle seeing women cry. It had always been my weakness back on Earth, and I had not managed to get rid of it here either.

  “Fine,” I said.

  Princess Bertha smiled slyly and ordered the waiting servant to open the bottle. A strong aroma of wine and sweet chocolate filled the air.

  “This is my first time smelling something like this,” I said as I watched the liquid being poured into my glass.

  Princess Bertha raised her glass for a toast before drinking. The taste was sweet with a slight sourness from the wine, and the chocolate aroma made it pleasant. Breakfast went perfectly, but after we finished eating, I suddenly felt extremely sleepy.

  “Bertha...” I slammed the table weakly.

  “Oh no, my beloved is ill. Help me carry him to my room. Send word to General Vidin and Lord Verzhina that King Ezia has fallen sick,” Princess Bertha said happily, clearly pretending as she gave the orders.