The white-haired elder's impassioned declaration sent waves of excitement surging through the people of the Star Kingdom.
Yet the sudden appearance of an unfamiliar "relative" of the Rose Duchess inevitably stirred unease among some.
"The Rose Duchess has a younger brother? Since when?"
"No idea. I've never heard anything about that."
"I think there were rumors… something about her having a relative. But what I'm more curious about is—why does he possess the Starblood? Isn't that something only the royal family can have?"
"Idiot! The Duchess having Starblood has been known among the nobles for years. Otherwise, why do you think the old king granted her a ducal title?"
"Ohhh, so that's how it is!"
"Then it's not strange for her brother to have it too."
"But… I still feel like something's off."
"…."
Though puzzled, the people of the Star Kingdom didn't dare voice their doubts too loudly with the Rose Duchess presiding over the ceremony. They could only whisper among themselves.
After a brief pause, the white-haired elder continued his proclamation:
"And today is not only the wedding of our new king—but also the day our Second Princess is to be wed!"
"…What?"
"The Second Princess too?!"
"What's going on?"
"I have no clue!"
"What happened?!"
"Who's the groom?!"
The crowd erupted into astonished chatter. Their Second Princess… was getting married as well?
"Cough—silence!"
The elder raised his hand, forcing the crowd quiet before continuing.
"Due to the extraordinary purity of the groom's Starblood, his offspring will undoubtedly lead our kingdom to its pinnacle!"
"Therefore! Princess Catherine has chosen to sacrifice herself for the continuation of the Starblood! She shall stand as a bride alongside our new king—two sisters united in heart, walking together toward glory!"
The moment those words fell, the entire venue exploded into chaos.
"What?!"
"Are you serious?!"
"Both princesses marrying the Rose Duchess's brother? Is this a joke?!"
"Who exactly is the main character of this wedding? Our new king—or that so-called brother?! Isn't this completely backwards?!"
"I object! Two princesses serving one man is outrageous! And Princess Vivian is supposed to be our king!"
But where there was opposition, there was also support.
"Hey—look at it this way. If this marriage succeeds, wouldn't it stabilize royal authority?"
"…What are you even saying?"
"How does that stabilize anything?"
"Think about it! The two princesses would naturally be in conflict over the throne. But if they're united through one man—married together—doesn't that turn rivalry into alliance?"
"That… actually makes sense! The kingdom's been in chaos precisely because of the power vacuum and competing heirs! If the two princesses unite, that's exactly what the people want!"
"And don't forget—Princess Vivian's past crimes are known to all. Plus, her mother is the Witch of Night. Her ascension alone might not win public support!"
"But with Princess Catherine backing her, everything changes! No matter how you look at it, those two are better than that useless prince!"
Prince Laps: "?!"
"Have you all lost your minds? Is this really something we're allowed to discuss?!"
"I support it! Fully support it!"
"…."
The scene spiraled into complete disorder.
Even the white-haired elder looked helplessly toward Edith—he had never witnessed anything like this before!
Two princesses marrying at once?
Edith ignored his confusion entirely, her voice transmitting directly into Kurose Akira's mind:
"Prepare to enter when I give the signal. Whether this succeeds depends on your performance."
"Got it."
Kurose Akira nodded, taking a deep breath to steady himself.
Then, the elder's booming voice rang out once more:
"Now! Let us welcome the three newlyweds!"
Without hesitation, Kurose Akira clasped the hands of "Vivian" and "Catherine," stepping forward into the crowd's gaze.
The instant they appeared—
Silence.
Utter silence swept across the venue, followed by a rising tide of hushed whispers.
"Holy—Is that Princess Vivian? She's breathtaking!"
"Princess Catherine isn't bad either… she looks like a dignified queen."
"So that's the Rose Duchess's brother? He's ridiculously handsome!"
"Well, of course! The Duchess is the most beautiful woman in the kingdom—how could her brother not be good-looking?"
"But… hasn't no one actually seen her face before?"
"They look perfect together! I'm jealous!"
"I ship this!"
"…."
Kurose Akira's sharp hearing caught every word, leaving him speechless.
So even in another world… there were looks-obsessed fans and shipping enthusiasts.
"I object!"
A sudden voice cut through the noise, drawing everyone's attention.
The First Prince, Laps, strode forward, arms crossed, striking a righteous pose.
He glanced at Kurose Akira's group before turning to Edith.
"Rose Duchess, while we acknowledge your status, I cannot accept this so-called brother of yours! And I believe the people of the Star Kingdom feel the same. Am I wrong?"
With his provocation, dissenting voices grew louder.
"That's right! We don't accept him!"
"You say he has Starblood—so he does?"
"Isn't this just fabrication? A fake relative to manipulate our kingdom through marriage? We demand an explanation!"
"…."
Faced with the accusations, Edith remained expressionless.
"If you seek an explanation," she said coldly, "my brother, Ilai, will provide one that satisfies you."
She cast Kurose Akira a glance.
The name "Ilai," of course, had been something she invented on the spot—without even asking him.
"Mm."
Kurose Akira nodded and stepped forward.
Raising his hand, he summoned a strand of starlight.
Like a fragment of the Milky Way cascading from the heavens, it flowed into his palm.
The moment the crowd saw it—
Gasps erupted everywhere.
"Stars! It's the power of the stars!"
"He really has it! It's not a lie!"
"Such pure Starpower… how does it compare to the old king's?"
"I'm the royal historian—I swear it's purer than the old king's!"
"No way?!"
"Then how does it compare to Princess Vivian?"
"It's… slightly weaker. But only by the smallest margin!"
"No wonder they said their child would be the 'Child of Stars'!"
"If that's true, I have no objection to him marrying both princesses!"
"Wait—if they all have Starblood, shouldn't they be siblings?"
"Fool! Starblood is the blessing of the Star God! It has nothing to do with mundane bloodlines!"
"Perhaps this is divine grace… the salvation of our kingdom!"
"…."
One by one, the people of the Star Kingdom fell to their knees, pledging loyalty to the stars.
Kurose Akira was stunned.
He hadn't expected Starblood to hold such overwhelming significance in their hearts.
But thinking about it, it made sense.
The Star Kingdom had been founded not through ordinary royal succession, but through the descent of the Star God's Seven Valkyrie Flowers.
Compared to that, royal authority alone meant little.
The same pattern existed across the three human kingdoms:
The Sun Theocracy had a royal family, but true power lay with the Church of Light—the Pope and her two high authorities decided everything.
The Moon Kingdom placed its faith entirely in the Moon God, guided by a High Priestess who interpreted divine will.
None of them were truly ruled by kings.
Faith outweighed authority.
Because without the protection of gods, kingdoms built on mere power had long since crumbled into history.
"Well?"
Edith rose gracefully, looking down at Prince Laps.
"Is this explanation satisfactory?"
"Damn it…!"
Laps clenched his teeth, rage flooding his pale face with color.
He couldn't understand it.
Why, in just a few short years, had so many Starblood bearers appeared?
Edith. Vivian. Ilai.
He was the eldest son of the king!
The rightful heir chosen by the stars!
So why—
Why was their Starblood purer than his?!
But he suppressed his fury, forcing a smile.
"If his Starblood is truly that pure, then he is worthy of my sisters. I wish the three of you eternal unity and a happy marriage."
Edith ignored him entirely, turning instead to the elder.
"Proceed."
"At once!"
The elder raised his voice.
"Let the three newlyweds exchange tokens and swear their vows!"
Kurose Akira immediately took out the ring Edith had given him—
Then froze.
He only had one ring.
The other…
Before he could finish the thought, a system notification appeared.
[Your adventurer Lucia has transferred an Eternal Oath Ring into your inventory. Please check!]
Oh?
Kurose Akira's eyes lit up.
So Lucia had prepared in advance.
With a thought, a platinum-white ring appeared in his palm.
[Eternal Oath Ring (Mythic): Forged from the heart-scale of a Golden Sacred Dragon. It contains legendary power and serves as proof of true love!]
Its quality was no less than Edith's Abyssal Oath Ring.
The crimson abyssal ring symbolized desire.
The platinum eternal ring symbolized purity.
Holding one in each hand, Kurose Akira slipped them onto Lucia and Ivsha's fingers.
With solemn resolve, he declared:
"I love you both."
Ivsha: "I love you too."
Lucia: "May our love be eternal."
Then—
Before tens of thousands of witnesses—
He kissed them.
The kingdom erupted.
Cheers crashed over them like a storm.
For someone who had only just graduated college, Kurose Akira felt goosebumps rise across his skin.
Thankfully, the softness of Lucia and Ivsha's lips grounded him.
At the side, Edith watched the entire exchange without a flicker of emotion in her crimson eyes.
Only after the kiss ended did she turn to the nobles, citizens, and foreign envoys.
"Raise your glasses," she declared. "Let us celebrate the newlyweds!"
"The Elven Kingdom offers its blessings!"
"The Holy Dragon Kingdom offers its blessings!"
"The Sun Theocracy offers its blessings!"
"…."
Voices rose one after another as cups were lifted in celebration.
Kurose Akira finally let out a breath.
The mission… was complete.
Just a little longer, and his role would end perfectly—
The moment that thought formed, Edith handed him a glass.
"Next, the envoys of each nation will come to congratulate you. By Star Kingdom tradition, the king must drink a cup of Starwine in response to each."
"…Huh?"
That wasn't in the script.
Edith didn't explain.
"The two princesses must prepare for pregnancy," she said calmly. "So you'll drink on their behalf."
"I'm terrible with alcohol…" Kurose Akira forced a smile.
Edith ignored him.
"Once all envoys have finished, your task is complete. You may take them to the new royal chambers."
"…Fine."
He gritted his teeth.
Guess he had no choice but to endure it.
The moment he raised his glass—
The first envoy stepped forward.
The Elven Queen.
Graceful and radiant, she approached, with Princess Elena at her side.
After casting a subtle glance at Kurose Akira, she offered her congratulations to "Vivian":
"The elves offer their blessings to the King of Stars. May the friendship between our kingdoms endure."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," "Vivian" replied politely.
Then, the Elven Queen turned her gaze to Kurose Akira, accepting a glass from Elena.
As the queen of the elves, she saw through everything at a glance—the disguises, the truth behind the two "princesses," and Kurose Akira himself.
Yet she had no intention of exposing them.
A mere wedding was beneath her concern.
"Rose Duchess's brother… Ilai, was it?" she asked.
"…Yes."
Kurose Akira nodded.
Even if Ilai was fictional, this was his role to play.
"Little one~"
The Elven Queen lifted her glass, gently clinking it against his, her lips curving into a soft smile.
"Congratulations on your marriage."