Surviving as a Prince of Britannia

Author’s Note : This episode contains mature content. This side story takes place between Chapter 3 and Chapter 4, after Side Story 3.2 and before Side Story 3.4. It alternates between Cornelia’s and Charles’s points of view.

Cornelia’s POV

Holy Britannian Empire

Imperial Capital of Pendragon

Imperial Palace

They say, “Strike while the iron is hot.”

Leaving Lysander and Euphemia behind at my private residence, where they were still resting in the lingering warmth of the night before, I arrived at the Imperial Palace.

Odysseus’s order placing me under house arrest?

That had already been half-broken the moment I attended Father’s speech the previous day. At this point, it was hardly worth worrying about.

The bureaucrats of Pendragon City Hall, which formed the base of Odysseus’s authority, had no military force capable of detaining me. My only concern was whether Father had already withdrawn into seclusion again.

“Please do not worry, Your Highness. According to my ‘acquaintances’ in Pendragon City Hall and the Chancellor’s Office, His Majesty is still staying within the palace.”

“Good. Thank you, Dalton.”

Sigh

I briefly sighed at the absurdity of it all.

This was not an enemy nation. This was my own country. And yet, even to confirm whether my own father was still in the palace, I needed such “connections.”

Still, I thanked Dalton, my adjutant, for looking into it and stepped inside the Imperial Palace.

Step

Step

Before long, I arrived before my father’s bedchamber.

The head maid stopped me.

“My apologies, Your Highness. His Majesty has ordered that no one be allowed inside at present.”

“...Who is in there?”

“W-well, that is...”

Obviously, one of Father’s more than one hundred consorts.

I swallowed the remark before it could leave my mouth and answered the hesitant head maid.

“It does not matter. I will wait as long as necessary.”

“...Then I shall at least inform His Majesty that Your Highness has arrived. However, I cannot guarantee that an audience will be granted.”

At that moment—

Click-clack

Click-clack

A woman with blonde hair and violet eyes, dressed in a black gown, stepped out of Father’s bedchamber.

She bowed to me.

“I greet Her Highness Cornelia, the Sword of the Empire.”

Was she Countess Violet, the Lady Chamberlain of the Household?

I clicked my tongue inwardly at Father’s seemingly inexhaustible vigor, gave her a suitable nod, and stepped inside to seek an audience with him.

“It has been a long time, Father.”

“Yes, Cornelia. It has indeed been some time.”

“Yes. I trust Your Majesty has been well?”

“I have... Now, why have you sought an audience with me?”

I took a quiet breath.

Then I stated my purpose in a single breath.

“May the Lord’s grace be upon Your Majesty and the Empire. Euphemia and I have chosen our groom.”

For a moment, Father blinked at my words.

Then he asked,

“Oh? You have chosen a groom? That is joyous news. Is the groom the same man for both of you, or...?”

It was a natural question.

The Holy Britannian Empire, due to various measures taken by our ancestors—and due also to Father’s own astonishing exploits in the bedroom—had become a realm where almost anything was permitted in heterosexual relations, so long as it did not cross into matters such as homosexuality or bestiality.

Polygyny.

Polyandry.

Mistresses.

Kept men.

Marriage between paternal half-siblings.

Marriage between maternal half-siblings.

Cousin marriage.

Under such conditions, almost any answer would have been possible.

Father had only recently emerged from seclusion to deliver his speech after the end of the Atlantic War and was now resting in the palace. To him, this must have been an interesting diversion.

“There is only one man.”

“Well, well... Then who is this sinful man who intends to take both the Flower of the Empire and the Sword of the Empire?”

“The conqueror of Area 11. The hero of the Atlantic War. My younger half-brother and Euphemia’s elder half-brother—Lysander de Britannia.”

“...”

A brief silence fell.

Then Father spoke.

“Very well. Marriage between half-siblings has been permitted since the age of the great Emperor Eduardo. Polygyny, too, was formally recognized in the name of the great Emperor Ricardo. And, as you said, Lysander has proven himself to be one of the strong.”

His gaze settled on me.

“The strong take all. I permit it.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty. Then I shall take my leave and begin preparing the joint wedding ceremony for the three of us.”

After bowing before him, I withdrew from Father’s chamber.

The moment I stepped out, the air of the corridor felt strangely lighter.

Permission had been granted.

Now there was no turning back.

Lysander.

Euphemia.

And I.

From this day on, the matter was no longer a private desire whispered behind a locked door.

It had become an imperial marriage.

And if I meant to stand at his side as his wife, then I would have to prepare accordingly.

I straightened my back.

The Sword of the Empire did not hesitate after drawing her blade.

Charles' POV

Holy Britannian Empire

Imperial Capital of Pendragon

Imperial Palace

My quarters

After Cornelia returned, the night deepened.

"Aahh..."

Beneath me, the woman with blonde hair and violet eyes, who had paid her respects to Cornelia that morning, arched her back, moaning uncontrollably. It was Countess Violet, or V.V., my half-sister, my truest companion and my mistress.

Thrust

Thrust

Thrust

I gripped her slender waist, pistoning into her with brutal, demanding force.

She bit down on my shoulder, her nails digging into my skin as she rode the wave of pleasure, her moans vibrating against my chest.

"Charles... remember our promise?"

"Of course. Elder sister... how could I ever forget?"

"Right... Because of C.C.’s caprice... the heir of the rebel received the Geass to return from death, so the ‘Double-Headed Chicken’ barely saved its neck..."

"Adding insult to injury, and the ‘Mule Vizier’ of ‘Sinica’ is the only one in the Chinese Federation still sustaining that empire, like Atlas holding up the earth"

At her words, I slowly nodded my head.

"You mean Leila and Gao Hai, Elder Sister?"

"Yes, Charles."

Sigh

"Really... how can eroding the masks of all humans and connecting every mind be this difficult?"

At her complaint, I held the urge to ask, What about Marianne’s death? but instead, I patted her head.

"Now, now, Elder Sister. Our goal will not stop—a world where everyone may understand one another, a truly peaceful world."

"It will simply take a little longer than expected."

Throb

Throb

I buried myself deep inside her, the heat of her wrapping around me, consuming me.

As I poured every ounce of my essence into her, V.V. pulled the black dress back over her shoulders, her voice breathless and trembling.

"Please, don't forget 'Rolinda', our daughter..."

"Of course. But right now, I only see you... my sister."

Thrust

"Ouch... you beast!"

Thus, thanks to my tireless manhood, the night in the palace grew deeper once again.

Glossary

Double-Headed Chicken : SPQR

Mule Vizier : Gao Hai

Sinica : The Chinese Federation