Regulus, having walked through the town, felt quite depressed.
It wasn't a small settlement, but there were very few things to pique one's interest, and the only decent place for relaxation was a bustling tavern. But the problem was, many of his wives disliked the smell of alcohol and the gaze of rough mercenaries, so taverns were naturally excluded from their choices.
But there was nothing he could do about the town being in this state.
It was located dangerously close to the front lines and could even become the next battlefield at any moment. It would be truly problematic if the people living here were actually lively and carefree.
"Let's go back," Regulus sighed.
"Mm," Beatrice agreed, her tone laced with disappointment.
After staying cooped up in the Forbidden Library for over four hundred years, she had finally come out. But because they were constantly rushing on their journey, she hadn't had a good look at how the outside world had changed. Finally, she had an opportunity to explore a town with Regulus, but all they saw was a tense, lifeless military encampment.
When the two returned to the designated meeting point, the squad members who had gone to purchase supplies had already returned.
At the same time, all the girls who had gone out shopping had lost their initial sense of ease. The grim reality of the war-torn town had clearly affected them.
'If I had known this would happen, I should have stopped them from going into town earlier,' Regulus thought, rubbing his temples. 'But there are no "if onlys" in the world. What I need to consider now is how to restore their mood.'
He smiled internally. 'There is only one way to truly comfort so many girls at once, and unfortunately, this method can only be carried out after nightfall.'
"Your Excellency."
"Hmm?" Regulus turned to look at Bordeaux, who had just approached.
"Your Excellency, our supply preparations are complete. We can depart for the front soon."
"I understand."
"That..." Bordeaux hesitated, scratching the back of his neck.
"Is there anything else, Captain?"
"Regarding your... wives. Do you need me to leave some of my subordinates behind as guards for them?"
"I appreciate your kindness," Regulus smiled placidly. "But you have your own military professions and tasks. There is no need to focus your manpower on us."
"This... you're right," Bordeaux felt a bit awkward.
He realized he had indeed overthought things. Among Regulus's wives, wasn't there Theresia van Astrea, the current Sword Saint? They certainly didn't need protection from ordinary soldiers with mediocre skills.
Regulus looked at the burly, large man in front of him. To be honest, his impression of Bordeaux was quite good. At least in terms of his character and the way he handled things, he was respectful and didn't make people uncomfortable.
As Bordeaux left to muster the troops, Regulus walked towards his wives, who had already gathered, ready to depart together.
"The rest of you will stay here in the town for the remainder of the journey," Regulus announced.
"Eh!!? Stay here!?"
Lycoris's expression was filled with utter surprise at Regulus's words.
Before the girls could protest, Regulus raised a hand. "Don't worry. As long as Betty is here with you, you don't need to worry about your safety."
That was the truth. As long as Beatrice was there, there would be no need to worry about the Lust Bishop, Capella, infiltrating and disguising herself as one of them to cause trouble. Because during the journey, Beatrice had used her Yin magic to place a unique, invisible mark on the souls of all the girls. Capella's transformation ability was terrifying, but its strength was limited to flesh and blood; her shapeshifting could not replicate the profound magical signatures Beatrice left inside them.
"No! That's not what I meant!" Lycoris stepped forward, shaking her head. "As the head of our family, you shouldn't be going into a warzone alone! At the very least, please choose a few people to go with you to the front lines."
"That's right, please take a few people, Husband," Ine Mitarai added anxiously. "If you feel the larger group will be in the way, some of us are quite strong. Taking a small vanguard along definitely won't cause any problems."
"I..." Theresia gripped her dress, her eyes filled with determination.
Lycoris, Ine, and even Theresia all showed a fierce, protective desire to accompany him.
Regulus finally understood. What they were worried about wasn't their own safety, but rather his safety.
He felt a bit exasperated, considering his invincible Authority, but he was also deeply touched and moved. During his time here, Regulus had gained a profound understanding of the girls in this world. Once they made their choice, they gave their true hearts. As dutiful wives, they would consider and plan everything for him, following him with absolute devotion.
In contrast, Regulus was once again genuinely happy to have transmigrated to this fantasy world, compared to the modern world he lived in before. There was no harm without comparison. Although one couldn't generalize about everyone in his old world, that selfish generalization basically applied to about eighty percent of them.
Of course, this world actually had a prerequisite: they must have chosen him of their own free will. If he had used coercive methods to make them submit—like the unlucky original Regulus Corneas he had replaced—he might have ended up being stabbed in the back eventually.
"You all worry too much," Regulus smiled, softening his tone. "I naturally won't go alone. Julia and Carol will accompany me."
"No! Only two is too few!" Lycoris argued, her attitude very firm. "No matter what, you must take at least ten people. If possible, please take me too."
Lycoris was very clear about how Regulus's Authority of Greed functioned. She knew about the Lion's Heart. But precisely because she understood it, her attitude was even more resolute.
Because only when the number of wives around him reached a certain level could Regulus's own weaknesses be minimized. He needed "hearts" to bear the burden of his stopped time to maintain his invincibility.
One must know, on her way here, she had already heard military reports about what was happening on the battlefield. A Witch on the Demi-Human side was using massive, large-scale trap magic to wipe out entire Royal Army battalions at once. That was exactly why the Mathers domain, skilled in various magical countermeasures, had been called in to save the day.
But the problem was... this kind of large-scale trap magic could also pose a threat to Regulus's wives.
If there were still such massive magical traps, and Carol and Julia were caught in them and annihilated, Regulus's Authority would essentially be disabled, and he himself would fall into a very dangerous situation.
They would absolutely not allow Regulus, their beloved husband and the reliance of their entire massive family, to encounter even the slightest accident.
"Regulus is not as weak as you imagine, I suppose," Beatrice couldn't help but speak up from his side, crossing her arms. "Let alone just one battlefield, even an entire country... he could completely annihilate it in a short time if he wanted to, in fact."
"We naturally know that," Lycoris bowed respectfully to the Great Spirit. "But even so, please do take us along so that we can act as his shields and rest assured."
"Alright, alright," Regulus chuckled, patting Lycoris's head. "I understand what you mean. We'll do as you say. Including you, we'll take ten people. I'll also leave the exact selection of the vanguard to you."
"Mm." Lycoris nodded in deep satisfaction, a beautiful, devoted smile appearing on her face.
At the same time, Theresia stepped forward. "I..."
"Theresia, you should stay here obediently," Regulus interrupted, gently touching the Sword Saint's cheek. "While I'm away at the front, the others will rely entirely on you, Betty, and Anileni to protect them in this town. Can you do that for me?"
Theresia leaned into his hand, her eyes softening. "...Mm. I will protect them."
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