LIGHTNOVELWORLD #7
#7
The suitors immediately turned and began whispering with their envoys. The self-control of alphas blinded by desire is incredibly thin. That’s how it had always been. They would probably want to offer their entire countries just to have Enrique exclusively. The purpose of the numerous envoys who accompanied them was, in fact, to act as a human barrier to prevent the suitors from offering their countries to Enrique in a trance.
The envoys and suitors, divided into three groups in the spacious audience hall, engaged in fierce debates. The suitors who had tasted Enrique’s pheromones were red-eyed, trying to offer more, while the envoys were desperately trying to stop them.
“Enrique, is this really alright?”
Taking advantage of everyone’s distraction, the King of Shamier asked worriedly. The face of the father, who had lost two outstanding sons on the battlefield and was now looking at the child he had barely seen in his old age, was full of worry and concern. The King of Shamier had visited the night before, trying to persuade Enrique to marry the most appealing suitor regardless of the country’s benefits. He only wished for his last remaining child to live a comfortable and prosperous life.
Knowing full well the love of the father who had raised him like gold and jade, Enrique reassured him with a gentle smile he never showed to others.
“Don’t worry, Father. You will be remembered as a great king who protected me as your heir while simultaneously elevating our Shamier to the status of a powerful nation. I will make it so.”
“Oh, child… you really are…”
The King of Shamier shook his head as if resigned. Enrique gently patted his father’s shoulder.
“I will extend the opening of Tarte Port from 100 to 150 years. Of course, this offer is only valid on the condition that you marry me first and give birth to the first child.”
The King of Monta said, staring at Enrique with burning eyes. He seemed to have no room for flowery words. Enrique slightly raised one eyebrow at the generous offer. Seeing this, the Crown Prince of Baron shook off the envoys trying to stop him and shouted:
“I’ll add 10 million gold coins! Also only on the condition that I’m the first marriage!”
“Oh…”
Enrique turned his gaze towards the Ruben Empire’s envoys with a slightly intrigued expression.
Most of the Ruben envoys had disgruntled faces.
In fact, the prince’s age was a problem for Ruben from the start. Even if they offered lavish gifts to secure the rights to the first marriage and first child, there were still several years left until the prince came of age. It was unlikely that Monta and Baron would quietly wait for that period, and it was obvious that they would face constant protests from the two countries.
“Your Highness. Since you still have a few years left until you come of age…”
Theovan, the elderly envoy standing next to the prince, began to quietly persuade the boy.
It was the expected reaction. The order might be pushed back, but they would still have an heir from Enrique’s womb. They would have to wait a few years anyway. There was no particular merit in insisting on being first.
The boy looked at Enrique while surrounded by envoys trying to persuade him in low voices. Their gazes met in the air. Enrique, feeling no need to provoke the boy in this situation, just gave him a slight eye-smile as if understanding. He was about to turn his head towards the King of Monta and the Crown Prince of Baron.
The boy’s black eyes suddenly sparkled. He shook off the hand of the envoy holding his shoulder and said in a clear voice:
“As long as the heir born between us rules the Ruben Empire, our Ruben will remain an absolute military ally of Shamier. Ruben will be Shamier’s shield, its spear, and Shamier’s enemies will become Ruben’s enemies.”
As the boy finished speaking, silence fell over the audience hall.
The Ruben Empire is the absolute power of the continent. And now Ruben was volunteering to be Shamier’s protector. Although there was a time limit, it was meaningless at this point. There was still a very long time left until the child of the prince and Enrique would be born, grow up, rule the Ruben Empire, and complete their reign. During that not-so-short period, Shamier would have the exclusive opportunity to greatly increase its national power or expand its territory under Ruben’s absolute protection.
“Does such a young prince really have the authority to make such an enormous decision?! Has your country’s emperor agreed to this?”
The King of Monta gritted his teeth and shouted. Intimidating pheromones of an angry alpha swirled from him. Theovan, the representative of the envoys, looked at the prince with a troubled expression.
“Of course. My father, the emperor, has given me full authority regarding this matter.”
The prince replied confidently with a calm face. Then he turned his gaze back to Enrique, locking eyes with him as he continued.
“Furthermore, I will concede the first child born between myself and Prince Enrique as the heir to Shamier. Ruben will take Prince Enrique’s second child as the heir to the empire. This way, Ruben and Shamier will maintain a powerful blood alliance for generations, with children of the same blood born between us ruling each country.”
The audience hall was once again enveloped in silence at the prince’s declaration.
After a moment of silence at this novel and outrageous declaration, the Crown Prince of Baron let out a forced laugh.
“I can make such promises too. I will also concede the first child as the heir to Shamier. And Baron will make the second child the heir. To speak as if bestowing a favor while gaining benefits. Perhaps the prince’s calculations are off due to his young age.”
At the Crown Prince of Baron’s blatant mockery, the King of Monta also added a word.
“If it’s such good terms, I’ll do the same.”
As he finished speaking, the gazes of the three suitors and the envoys all fixed on Enrique.
Enrique, trying hard to hide his complex feelings, slowly looked around the audience hall while lightly touching the shoulder of his father, who was sitting composedly. His face was calm and collected, but Enrique’s mind was busy with calculations.
Shamier was a country that had accumulated wealth while firmly holding its place despite being sandwiched between powerful countries. But behind this facade always lurked the crisis of potentially being consumed by any country. The war with Baron decades ago, in which two older brothers were lost, was a good example. Because of this, the kings of Shamier always had to perform a precarious political and economic balancing act to keep the country intact.
At this moment, Shamier had seized a golden opportunity to reap enormous benefits with Enrique’s existence alone. But it was obvious that as soon as Shamier embraced those benefits, there would be those who coveted them. In this respect, Prince Anture’s proposal hit the nail on the head. The condition of fully protecting the benefits gained this time and the opportunity to grow based on them through a military alliance was probably the most necessary element for Shamier right now.
However…
Enrique stared blankly at the still young prince.
With neat features and a white face, his eyes as black as the night sky were shining like starlight.
Enrique compared his age with the prince’s age again. About 5 years until the boy comes of age. Enrique had just turned eighteen, so if he chose the prince as his first partner… Enrique would have to waste precious time until he turned twenty-three.
The prince, who had been quietly observing Enrique lost in thought, opened his mouth again.
“You must know that the Great Emperor of Ruben, who made Ruben an empire, was a Superior Alpha. That blood flows strongly in me, his direct descendant. Therefore, the possibility of Shamier’s heir born between Prince Enrique and me being superior is quite high. I think this will also be an attractive proposal.”
Having said that, the prince suddenly walked forward. He approached right in front of Enrique and stopped. His gaze, slightly raised to look at Enrique, was incredibly straightforward.
“I asked a doctor yesterday. Although Prince Enrique has come of age, having and giving birth to a child at the age of eighteen could potentially strain your body. They say that at least twenty years old is the safest and healthiest time for childbirth.”
Enrique slightly raised his eyes at this unexpected statement. But the boy continued with an extremely serious face.