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🕑 Added 2025-03-29 05:38:23 +0000 UTCEP.9 [Jeanne Succumbing to Eugene's Male Charm]1
"W-What are you doing!!!!"
I embraced Jeanne.
Rather than a gentle hug, I roughly wrapped both arms around her waist.
Jeanne, who had just been bristling with indignation moments ago,
Now reacted with a flustered voice and expression.
Squeeze!!!
However, I didn't bother answering Jeanne's petulant question.
Instead, my response was to squeeze her waist even tighter with both arms, as if hugging a beloved doll.
"Hnnngh...!!!!"
This caused Jeanne's waist to arch dynamically, bending like a bow.
She even tilted her head back slightly and let out a strained moan.
"That's a good scream! This is what it means to give it your all, Jeanne! Come on, feel it! I really intend to break your waist! I'm squeezing your waist with that much killing intent, Jeanne!"
It was clearly a moan full of pain.
This was inevitable, as I was actually threatening Jeanne.
I was executing a desperate bear hug to inflict a certain level of pain, you see.
The reason I claimed Jeanne had gone easy on me in our previous battle
Was because I felt no killing intent from her at all.
Of course, true to her nasty temperament, I could sense her irritation.
There was also a desperate desire to believe my awakening ability must be lower than hers.
But there wasn't enough killing intent to send chills down my spine.
Just a sense of "this might be a bit dangerous"? That was all.
For a duel with real swords, not wooden ones, to lack killing intent,
It could be called a soft act that completely missed the point.
'The real sword duels between knights and adventurers I saw on the pilgrim's path were truly vicious.'
My current assertion isn't subjective fiction, but knowledge gained from direct observation and experience.
The sight of knights and adventurers exuding killing intent as if to kill their opponent,
Yet after the duel ended, they would praise each other more boisterously than anyone and show courtesy.
Wasn't Jeanne the leader of a mercenary group, as she said?
I thought Jeanne would show me that kind of demeanor.
But the result felt like a school performance,
So I'm greatly disappointed and need to express that disappointment somehow.
"Hah! You crazy bastard! There was no need to go that far! That's why I did it, you madman!"
Struggle! Struggle! Struggle!
Jeanne endured my fierce bear hug using her Ganggi [罡氣].
But she couldn't escape.
While her Ganggi [罡氣] utilization skill is certainly superior to mine,
This was the result of my overwhelming basic strength and weight class difference.
"I heard your excuse well."
Swish...!!
"It's not an excuse!! Hah!"
Thud!
I delivered my final retort.
But on reflection, perhaps my expectation of such warrior-like behavior
From Jeanne, who has merely an outwardly tough but inwardly weak mentality, was honestly too selfish.
So I stopped pressing further and nonchalantly released Jeanne's waist.
Jeanne then lost her balance and plopped down onto the grass.
"You've just gotten stupidly strong, ugh...! Hah...!"
Jeanne berated me as she sat there, roughly catching her breath.
Her indignant emotions seemed to rise like steam from her bright red hair.
'This is pretty good? It feels like revenge for what I endured as a child.'
Looking down at her like that, I felt slightly apologetic yet also exhilarated.
After all, isn't Jeanne the one who's been trying to help and prepare for my future?
I was so grateful for that, I played along with the duel to some extent in response.
Seeing her struggle like this now does make me feel a bit sorry.
However, I have quite vivid memories of being thoroughly dominated by Jeanne,
Who was much bigger than me back then, when we used to roughhouse and play as children.
Now that I've surpassed her like this and witnessed the results,
I can't deny feeling a bit smug.
"Your mana control and technique are terrible...! Hah.. You barbarian...!! You're a barbarian, Eugene Schneider!!"
Glare!
Jeanne finally raised her head slightly and glared at me fiercely once her breathing settled somewhat.
Yes, that's the kind of killing intent there should be.
She seems furiously indignant.
She was completely overpowered by someone who had always been weaker than her,
Someone she thought would be helpless without her in the future.
With her pride wounded like that, Jeanne is finally exuding killing intent.
However, unlike the killing intent I showed, Jeanne's is full of sharpness,
And wariness towards someone with a stronger physique.
"Anyway, I'm counting on you. Just like before."
Step! Step! Step!
At this point, I felt the need to prop up Jeanne's pride a bit.
So as I coolly turned to head towards the back door of the Grand Duke's mansion,
I subtly made it clear that I had decided to definitely receive Jeanne's help going forward.
"I'll make you grovel so much you'll taste sweetness in your mouth! I'll make you cry and beg your sister to save you! You insolent little brother! That's how you should treat such a brother!"
Jeanne hurled curses at my retreating back as if venting her frustrations.
As expected, Jeanne's damn temperament lives up to its reputation,
Experiencing that sharpness makes me feel like I've truly returned home after a long journey.
"Young Master Eugene, a letter has arrived from the Madam."
The next morning,
As I was just waking up to the sound of birds outside my window, the voice of the head maid reached my ears.
It seems a letter has arrived from my adoptive mother, Grand Duchess Marianne de Sel Orléans.
"Has Jeanne not woken up yet?"
"No, she didn't answer, perhaps she's tired."
"Well then, I'll just have a simple breakfast alone."
"I'll prepare it, Young Master."
After receiving my mother's letter, I checked on Jeanne's status with the head maid.
Though I deliberately provoked her to get angry,
It seems the level of indignation Jeanne felt far exceeded my intentions.
Jeanne's room is on the 2nd floor, specifically right below mine.
I could hear her fuming and even screaming for quite a while throughout the night.
She probably continued even after I fell asleep.
So it's only natural that she's waking up later than usual.
'She must be busy, yet she went to such lengths.'
I sat down on my bed to open the Grand Duchess's letter given to me by the head maid.
An elaborately packaged letter box,
My adoptive mother often sent letters in such boxes when there was something enclosed besides the letter itself.
[My beloved son Eugene Schneider. As your mother, I should have been there with you for the end of your training, but I'm filled with regret and sorrow that I couldn't do so.]
At last, I began to read the letter from my dearly beloved adoptive mother, Grand Duchess Marianne de Sel Orléans.
The Grand Duchess always calls me her son.
When I first encountered this, thoughts like these crossed my mind:
Could it be she's attached to me because there's no son in the family?
But after not too long, I clearly felt in my heart:
The Grand Duchess loves me just as I am.
Usually when projecting one's own wishes, it's human nature to subtly guide the other person in the direction one wants to lead them.
However, the Grand Duchess has never, in any moment,
Thought of our relationship as anything other than from my perspective.
That became a great comfort to my heart, which had been withdrawn due to my father's passing,
And acted as a huge pillar of support, allowing me to avoid feeling out of place in my changed environment despite experiencing deep trauma and illness for 12 years.
[Things are dragging on here. Children exhausted and listless from long war, people struggling with pessimism about the future, and areas where epidemics are slowly spreading - there seems to be no end in sight. In this situation, if even I were to leave, the relief system could collapse, so it was an unavoidable decision. I hope our son can understand this mother's absence with his broad heart.]
It's an exemplary writing,
Truly heartfelt.
The head of the Orléans Grand Ducal family, Grand Duke Antoine, is focused on political activities.
Meanwhile, his wife Grand Duchess Marianne is active as the top social philanthropist.
The Grand Duchess's family, the House of Medici, is the most trusted and prestigious family in the empire.
Of course, in terms of current power,
And influence, one could definitely say the House of Orléans is unrivaled.
However, the depth of tradition held by the House of Medici
Is at least in the top three among all noble families throughout the empire's long history.
Among them, if we only discuss the uniqueness of their footsteps,
They could be called number one without exaggeration.
The reason being, in the Elysium Empire where the Light Goddess Religion is the state religion,
The House of Medici has produced the most saints, who are the alpha and omega of the Light Goddess Religion.
'If she hadn't married Grand Duke Antoine, the Grand Duchess would have become a saint.'
In that House of Medici, the young Marianne was revered as someone destined to wear the robes of a saint priestess.
Moreover, at that time, it had been over fifty years since the last saint,
So the expectations and recognition that the young priestess Marianne received throughout the Elysium Empire were beyond imagination.
However, the choice of Bishop Nun Marianne at that time
Was to marry the promising young lord Antoine de Sel Orléans.
Furthermore, after becoming a duchess at such a young age,
Despite saints being specially allowed to marry in the Light Goddess Religion system, she gave up the path of priesthood entirely to devote herself to supporting her husband.
In other words, the empire lost the saint they had waited so long for.
Of course, since it was a marriage between a talent who would lead the next empire and a power player from the House of Medici,
There were many who viewed the union positively.
Quite a few also believed synergy would be created as a result.
But since it meant the disappearance of a talent who could have filled the saint position that had been vacant for half a century,
The overall atmosphere was predominantly one of regret.
Then between Grand Duke Antoine and Grand Duchess Marianne,
Another likely saint candidate, Charlotte, was born.
As a result, within about 10 years, the House of Orléans was elevated to a Grand Ducal family
And also gained the foundation to influence the Light Goddess Religion.
Thus, the head of that house, Grand Duke Antoine, is in a state of having secured enough prestige and power to make even dragons fall from the sky.
Therefore, Grand Duchess Marianne is
Busy trying to realize the peace of the Elysium Empire that she had hoped to achieve while walking the path of sainthood,
Under the foundation of the capital and prestige accumulated over a long time by her family, the House of Medici,
As well as the current supreme power of the House of Orléans.
[I heard through Hans that you've set your mind on becoming a swordsman. Hearing that, I can't help but worry deeply as a mother who cherishes and loves you. But isn't it a man's dream? This mother will simply bless and pray for you. So, to convey that feeling, however inadequately, I've enclosed an embroidery I made staying up for several nights in the letter box. I hope your mother's gift can make all the sword points aimed at you in the future miss their mark. - From your loving mother, Marianne de Sel Orléans -]
'Ugh... This is why I can't help but be more immersed in this life, even though I lived 30 years in my past life and 20 years in this one...'
I could feel the deep emotion of my mother blessing and worrying about my future path,
And her utter devotion.
This feeling of receiving someone's sincere love,
I think once you experience this feeling, you can never go astray.
On the embroidered handkerchief my mother sent,
Her image of holding me in her arms as a child was stitched.
This image matches the portrait engraved on my mother's pendant.
The Grand Duchess has five pendants,
Each containing pictures of the three young ladies of the Grand Ducal family, plus one with me.
And the fifth and final pendant has the family portrait of the Grand Ducal family engraved on it.
"Mmm... Mmm..."
Rub... Rub...
Jeanne d'Arc de Sel Orléans in her underwear.
She rubbed her face against the bed repeatedly, having just woken up.
Since starting her mercenary life, she had developed the habit of sleeping in just her underwear
Instead of the silk pajamas worn by young ladies.
Lying on the bed in such a sensual state,
"Hnnngh...!!!"
She frowned as if sobbing and let out an explicit moan.
