Chapter 54: You're The Second Wife!

"Adventurer? What's that?"

Leora's apparent ignorance of adventurers took both Calca and Remedios by surprise.

"You don't know?" Calca asked, her brow furrowing.

Leora shrugged.

"Not exactly. I understand what the term means. You said you're pregnant with the child of someone who calls himself an adventurer, but you're the supreme leader of this country. Isn't it strange for someone of your status to be carrying the child of an adventurer? 'He' doesn't seem like the kind of man suited for such a title as adventurer."

Her tone conveyed both familiarity with the concept of adventurers and a deeper understanding of Aurelius, which upset Calca. Anxiety crept into her voice as she questioned further.

"Do you know this adventurer?"

"Everyone knows him," Leora said dismissively. "You're radiating his energy—how could I not know? Now, what name did this adventurer give you?"

"... He called himself Lucifer. The Platinum Sword King... an adamantite-class adventurer known as Lucifer."

"Lucifer? Did you say Lucifer?"

Leora's sudden shift in demeanor caught Calca off guard.

The Dragon Lord's expression darkened, and her voice grew more intense. Calca exchanged a confused glance with Remedios, unsure of why Leora was reacting so strongly.

"Yes," Calca nodded hesitantly. "Lucifer."

Leora let out a dry laugh, her mood visibly souring.

"So, he's up to his old tricks again."

"What... what do you mean by that?"

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with," Leora said dismissively. "Since it's his wish, I won't bother him with trivial nonsense right now... It's not the right time for that."

Leora's eyes softened as she turned her gaze back to Calca.

"For now, let's leave finding him for another day. Calca... would it be all right if I stayed in your country for a while?"

"Stay here?"

Remedios blurted out, her tone full of disbelief.

Leora nodded calmly, her attitude suggesting the request wasn't up for debate. Calca, meanwhile, spun the idea over in her mind.

First, Leora was strong but wasn't hostile at the moment, and it wouldn't be a good choice to reject her outright, irrespective of whether she had good intentions or not. The strong must be respected.

Second, allowing Leora to stay close might be the key to learning more about Lucifer. The way Leora spoke hinted that she knew much more about him—perhaps more than anyone else in this world.

Calca had always been curious about Lucifer.

There was so much she didn't understand about him. There were also no records of his past, as if he suddenly appeared out of nowhere and seemed to have many secrets he kept hidden.

He was a man who felt like destiny to her and was stronger than anyone she had ever seen. The feeling he gave her was far more dangerous than Leora's, and he seemed capable of both enormous evil and immense good.

In addition, she was already pregnant with his child. Her loyalty, her love, was unwavering.

But she needed to know more. She had to understand his true nature and real intentions.

'If Leora stays, I might uncover all of his secrets,' Calca thought to herself, her decision slowly solidifying.

"Very well," Calca said at last, her voice steady. "There's no problem with that. However, could you tell us a little about Lucifer?"

Upon hearing this, Leora paused, closing her eyes as if considering Calca's request. It didn't take long for her to decide.

"I don't particularly like talking about him, but as long as it doesn't harm him, I suppose there's no issue."

Calca nodded, a little pleased.

"Thank you. But I have one more question."

"What?"

"Why do you refer to Lucifer as 'He' so... highly? As though he's something greater than just a man to you?"

Calca asked in a hesitant but firm voice.

The way Leora referred to Lucifer with reverence—like a lover or a husband—unnerved her. There was something more to it than mere admiration.

Leora snorted, and amusement flashed across her face.

"That's a ridiculous question. I call him 'He' because he belongs to me. It's as simple as that. What's wrong with you?"

For a moment, a cold shadow passed over Calca's face, her expression darkening at Leora's response. Remedios, who had been quietly observing, looked at her queen with concern.

"Calca-sama..."

But before Remedios could say more, Leora continued, as if Calca's reaction didn't matter to her.

"Listen, Calca, you might think I'm being harsh, but let me be clear. It doesn't matter how many women he's been with—Lucifer knows who comes first. And that's always been me."

Leora's tone softened as she smiled, almost benevolently.

"That said, I accept you as his second wife. So, please, take good care of him. I expect nothing less."

The words hit Calca like a blow, and she couldn't help but step back with a dark face.

Being considered second to Leora stung her pride, especially given how beautiful and powerful Leora was compared to herself. Yet Calca couldn't deny it.

She knew Lucifer was beyond her in so many ways, and acknowledging Leora's position was the only logical choice.

"Thank you, Lady Leora." Calca swallowed her pride and quickly expressed her gratitude.

Knowing when to bend for the greater good had always been one of her greatest strengths.

Following the completion of their agreement, Calca and Leora spent some time together, talking and getting to know each other better.

Remedios, now freed from the oppressive aura that had paralyzed her, begrudgingly led Leora to her room.

Leora seemed pleased with the accommodations, and she quickly adapted to life in the palace.

Despite her overwhelming strength and outsider origin, it wasn't difficult for her to bond with Calca. There was a common topic between them—Aurelius—that made their connection more natural.

Calca, being a good-hearted person, also found herself enjoying Leora's company.

However, not everyone welcomed Leora's presence. Remedios, in particular, felt uneasy about the Dragon Lord. Leora's power was overwhelming, far beyond what any human could hope to grasp.

She was a dragon with the authority of a Lord—selfish and independent, unbound by the norms of human society.

Remedios feared Leora would be a negative influence on Calca, and so she kept a close watch on the interactions between them.

Leora's disregard for the traditions of the Holy Kingdom also caused confusion, particularly in the meeting at the royal court in the evening.

She would address Calca informally, calling her by name, which disturbed the more conservative nobles.

Every time such casual behavior occurred, discontent boiled inside everyone. But the nobles dared not voice their frustrations openly.

Leora's mere presence, as well as the knowledge that she was a Dragon Lord, silenced them.

Not to mention, the oppressive aura she exuded weighed heavily on their hearts, making it clear that she could destroy them at any moment if she wished.

So, they swallowed their complaints, unable to confront either Calca or Leora. They just wanted to run back home.

And just like that, the day passed, the sun sank below the horizon, and the kingdom fell into the silence of night.

Everyone went to sleep, unaware that in the shadows, a pair of unseen scarlet eyes from another dimension watched them all, observing their every move. 

———————————————————

Read 97+ chapters on Patreon, come and support!

https://www.patreon.com/ParadiseFruit