Suddenly, the King broke the heavy silence by clapping his hands together with a loud, booming laugh. The terrifying pressure in the room vanished in an instant, replaced by his booming voice.
"Tonight is the big night!" the King announced, looking out over the crowded room.
"The engagement will take place this evening. However, listen to me carefully. For now, this information stays strictly within this room. Only the royal families present in this territory are allowed to know. It must remain an absolute secret, so do not breathe a word of this to anyone outside, not even your own extended families."
The five hundred nobles in the hall quickly nodded in unison, murmuring their agreement.
The King then turned his sharp eyes back toward Haruto and his group.
"Now, if you will excuse me, I need to have a private discussion with our main guest. The rest of you may wait here in the hall. I shall return shortly."
With those words, the King turned around and began walking toward a private chamber behind the throne. Lilith quickly stepped forward, keeping her head low, and followed directly behind her father.
Haruto didn't hesitate. Realizing this private meeting was his best chance to figure out what was actually going on, he stood up straight and immediately started walking after them. Seeing him move, Seraphine, Ivory, Lustra, and Bellona all stood up at the exact same time, completely refusing to let him go alone, and hurried to follow right at his heels.
As they followed the King through the winding corridors of the palace, they finally arrived at a pair of massive double doors. Haruto noticed that these doors were crafted from solid gold, beautifully encrusted with glittering diamonds and precious rubies.
When the doors swung open, the group stepped inside, and Haruto found himself surveying a spectacular room. The chamber was staggering in size, easily matching the grand central hall of his own mansion. Yet, despite its vast openness, the room contained only a single, massive luxury bed, designed to fit multiple people comfortably.
Standing in the center of the room were seven exceptionally beautiful and mature women, looking to be in their early forties. Each was dressed in exquisite, flowing royal gowns that radiated wealth and status. Haruto instantly remembered a piece of information Lilith had shared before—this was the King's private harem, though according to her, several of his other wives had passed away over the years.
Lilith stepped fully into the room, abandoning her stiff court posture. She bowed her head with a warm, genuine smile.
"Good morning, moms."
Behind her, Seraphine, Ivory, Bellona, and Lustra shared confused and startled glances. They hadn't expected to be brought straight into the King's deeply personal family quarters.
The moment the King stepped into the room behind Haruto, all seven queens gracefully bowed their heads in deep respect to their husband.
The King walked past Haruto, a proud and amused smile on his face as he looked at his wives. "Well, my queens," the King boomed softly, gesturing toward the silent young man standing before them.
"Why don't we take some time to properly introduce ourselves to our daughter's future husband, hmm?"
All seven queens instantly gathered around Haruto, their eyes lighting up with curiosity.
"Oh, so you're the famous Haruto, aren't you?" one of them asked, leaning in close.
Haruto remained completely silent, keeping his arms at his sides, but that didn't stop the queens from crowding him completely. Before he could even step back, all seven of them swarmed him at once, checking him out from head to toe. One gently touched his jaw to inspect his face, another ran her fingers through his dark hair, and the rest started showering him with endless compliments, gushing over his looks and posture.
Lilith crossed her arms, a visible pout forming on her face as she watched her stepmother crowd her future husband.
"Hey! Have you all completely forgotten your royal manners?" she complained.
One of the queens laughed softly, waving her hand dismissively.
"Oh, hush, Lilith. You shouldn't try to teach your mothers about manners. Besides, look at what a catch you found yourself in!"
Without warning, another queen gently but firmly grabbed Haruto by his shoulders and guided him over, standing him directly next to Lilith. The queens all stepped back a few paces, folding their hands and smiling warmly as they admired the view. Side by side, the two of them looked absolutely perfect together—the contrast of his calm stance and her striking silver-blonde hair making them look like a true royal couple.
"We heard that you chose him all on your own, Lilith," one of the older queens mentioned with a soft nod.
"Honestly, thank goodness you did. Calen wasn't all that special anyway, and he was always far too arrogant for his own good."
Another queen leaned forward, her gaze shifting curiously between Lilith and Haruto. "But tell us, Lilith... What exactly did you see in him? Is it true what the King told us? Does this boy really possess the terrifying power of a god?"
The moment Haruto heard those words echo through the quiet room, a cold shiver ran straight down his spine. His mind raced as the pieces clicked together. The King didn't lose his memories either, he realized, a drop of sweat forming at his temple. Like Aeterna's magic must have worked against the King too. He remembers every single thing from three hundred years ago.
Lilith shifted her weight, giving a casual, honest shrug as she answered her mothers.
"To be completely blunt with you all, in the very beginning, I only picked him because I desperately needed someone powerful enough to help me get rid of Kelean. But after that... even I was completely stunned when I finally witnessed the true scale of his power."
One of the queens smiled warmly, looking at Haruto's quiet posture.
"He really is so much better than Kelean. Look at him, he hasn't complained once since stepping into the room. He looks so sweet and innocent for someone who supposedly holds that kind of terrifying power."
"He really is quite cute," another queen agreed, nodding softly.
Behind them, Ivory crossed her arms, her patience wearing thin as she muttered under her breath,
"Hello? We are standing right here, you know."
Lustra quickly nudged her arm, whispering,
"Shhh, Ivory! We're technically guests here. Let's just stay quiet."
Hearing their whispers, the seven queens immediately turned around. Their eyes lit up with absolute excitement the moment they noticed the four girls standing near the doorway. Within a fraction of a second, the queens swarmed past Haruto and hurried straight toward them, completely captivated.
"Oh my goodness, look at your hair!"
one queen gasped, gently lifting a strand of Seraphine's beautiful blue hair.
The other queens crowded around the rest of the group, admiring Ivory's striking silver-white locks, Lustra's soft pink hair, and Bellona's vibrant crimson tresses. The girls looked breathtaking standing together, and the queens couldn't stop gushing over how unique and beautiful they all were.
One of the older queens turned back to look at Haruto.
"Are these lovely ladies your queens as well, Haruto?"
Haruto quickly shook his head 'no', keeping his expression neutral.
Lilith stepped in to clarify, gesturing toward the group.
"Only the blue-haired one, Seraphine, is with him. The other three are actually his high-ranking subordinates who are strictly assigned to protect him."
Another queen raised an eyebrow, looking highly skeptical.
"Protect him? But Lilith, if this boy is truly as devastatingly powerful as the King described, why on earth would he ever need bodyguards to protect him?"
"Haruto isn't strong on his own," Lilith explained smoothly, crossing her arms.
"The incredible display of power everyone witnessed during the incident wasn't just his doing."
A queen tapped her chin, trying to guess.
"Well, what exactly is Haruto's actual base level then? Is it somewhere around Level 70? Or don't tell me... is it as high as Level 80?"
Ivory couldn't help but speak up bluntly, cutting through the guesswork. "He is Level 6."
The entire room instantly fell into a stunned, dead silence. The queens stared at each other in absolute shock, unable to believe what they were hearing. Even the King stepped forward, his brow furrowing deeply.
"Level 6? You must be joking. The devastating force I witnessed that day easily required a power rating of at least Level 80, if not higher. Explain yourselves."
Lilith gave a slight nod, keeping Haruto's biggest secrets safely hidden away just like he had shared with her. "It's because of a shared connection," she lied flawlessly, leaning on a cover story. "Remember the final rule of the Wizard quest? At the end of the match, the individual powers of the entire party fuse together into a single entity. The force you saw that day was the combined strength of everyone standing in this room."
The King stared at her for a long moment, analyzing her words, before slowly nodding his head.
"I see. If it was a collective fusion of power, then that scale makes logical sense."
He then turned back to his wives, his tone shifting into a firm, commanding rumble.
"Alright, my queens. You have had your fun and inspected our guests thoroughly. It is time to get down to business. Please step aside so we can discuss the matters at hand."
All seven queens nodded gracefully and stepped back to line the sides of the room.
"Of course, Your Majesty," one of them said.
The King clapped his hands twice, and a row of royal guards promptly entered the chamber, neatly arranging a set of elegant chairs for everyone. Once Haruto, Lilith, Seraphine, and the three goddesses took their seats, the room fell into a quiet, focused hush.
The King leaned forward, his sharp eyes locking onto the young man.
"Let's start with the basics, Haruto. Do you genuinely like my daughter?"
Haruto gave a firm, calm nod of his head.
"Good," the King continued, crossing his arms.
"And tell me, do you have any real interest in becoming the King of this realm?"
Haruto didn't hesitate; he nodded his head 'yes' once again.
Seeing this repetitive silence, one of the queens couldn't help but lean forward with a slight pout.
"Oh, come on, don't be so distant! You can actually speak to us, you know. It's not like we are going to bite you."
Lilith immediately spoke up to defend him, a proud smile on her face.
"Moms, please don't push him. Haruto has taken a strict royal vow of silence today. He will not utter a single word out loud until our engagement ceremony is officially complete this evening."
Hearing this, all seven queens simultaneously placed their hands on their cheeks, their faces flushing with a soft pink blush.
"Oh my goodness..." one of them whispered. "A vow of silence just for the engagement? How incredibly romantic! He is doing all of this for your future together!"
The King chuckled softly, looking amused.
"Is that true, Haruto? A vow for the ceremony?"
Haruto smoothly nodded his head 'yes', keeping his composure entirely intact.
The King's gaze then shifted, his index finger rising to point directly at the blue-haired girl sitting nearby.
"And this one... Seraphine. She is slated to become your second queen, correct?"
Haruto gave another calm nod.
One of the queens squinted slightly, studying Seraphine's features before her eyes widened in recognition.
"Wait a moment... isn't she the daughter of Fredrick?"
"Yes, that is me," Seraphine answered softly, bowing her head respectfully from her seat.
The queen turned back to the King and Haruto, a knowing smile on her face.
"Ah, so Fredrick has already secured a powerful alliance with you. Smart man. Personally, I have absolutely no problem with this arrangement. A powerful man should have his court. As long as you don't end up marrying more than ten wives, I won't complain!"
The King's expression grew serious again, cutting through the lighthearted banter. He leaned in, his voice dropping to a heavy, powerful rumble.
"While I respect your vow, Haruto, a ruler, must eventually hear the true voice of the man he is dealing with. This is a massive turning point. The moment you marry my daughter, this entire throne and the weight of the kingdom will be handed over to you."
The King paused, his eyes narrowing as if staring right through Haruto's soul.
"I am making this decision because I know what you truly are. I know that you are someone who walked right back out of the jaws of death and stayed alive. A man who can lose every single piece in a brutal mind game of power, yet somehow still flip the entire board and walk away victorious... that kind of sheer willpower places you far above any standard test this world could ever throw at you. I need to know if you are truly ready for what comes next."
Haruto listened to the King's heavy words without a hint of panic. He calmly reached behind his back, pulled out a fresh sheet of paper from his notepad, and smoothly wrote down a paragraph. He handed it directly to Ivory, gesturing for her to read it out loud for the entire room.
Ivory cleared her throat, holding the paper up as everyone's eyes locked onto her.
"Haruto says: 'I have absolutely no complaints, and Lilith has already filled me in on the standard royal protocols. However, there is one condition you must understand. I have a profound love for learning, studying, and exploring the vast corners of this world. I am not the type of person who is content to sit back and waste my entire life away in lazy luxury. I fully intend to travel outside the borders of this kingdom and thoroughly enjoy everything this world has to offer.'"
The King's brow furrowed heavily as he processed the message. He leaned back in his grand chair, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"Traveling the world? That complicates things significantly, Haruto. If the sitting King is constantly away exploring and cannot properly govern the kingdom, the entire realm will fall into chaos. Who will manage the throne in your absence?"
The King's gaze slowly shifted over to his daughter, his expression turning highly skeptical.
"And don't look at me to suggest Lilith handles it. To the rest of the world, she is merely a Level 4. I love my daughter, but I do not believe a Level 4 has the raw authority required to maintain absolute control over a kingdom like this."
The moment the King mentioned her level, a subtle, knowing glance passed between Seraphine and the three goddesses as they looked at the silver-blonde princess. They all knew the ultimate truth—that Lilith was actually a devastatingly powerful Level 99 goddess. But it was clear that even her own father, the ruler of the kingdom, was completely blind to her true status.
Lilith didn't blink or lose her cool. Instead, she just gave a casual, relaxed shrug and smiled at her father.
"Oh, come on, Papa! Even if my status screen says Level 4, I honestly have no interest in sitting on a boring throne all day either. I want to travel and enjoy this world just as much as Haruto does! And like you just said yourself, Haruto possesses an absolute, terrifying abundance of power. I've already decided that as long as I am traveling right by his side, I will be completely safe from anything out there."
The King groaned, throwing his hands up in the air as he looked at his daughter and future son-in-law.
"If neither of you has any intention of actually sitting on the throne, then who on earth is supposed to run this entire kingdom?"
He tilted his head back, letting out a heavy, exhausted sigh as he stared at the ceiling.
"It's a shame your other brothers and sisters aren't present in this world anymore to step up and handle the crown for you."
Hearing her father bring up her departed siblings, Lilith's playful attitude instantly vanished. A look of deep sadness crossed her face, and her voice dropped to a soft, pained whisper.
"Dad, please... let's not bring up the past right now. Don't ruin the mood, especially in front of the moms."
The seven queens looked at Lilith's downcast expression, and their hearts immediately melted with sympathy. Turning back to the King, their warm faces turned into collective frowns as they began chiding their husband.
"Yes, dear, please don't ruin such a happy occasion by bringing up tragic memories!" one of the queens insisted, waving her hand dismissively at him.
"Exactly!" another queen chimed in, leaning forward to defend Haruto.
"Look at Haruto. He is still so young, vibrant, and at the absolute peak of his youth! Let the poor boy live his life and explore the world. Why force him to sit in a stuffy courtroom all day? Let him enjoy his freedom while he can. When he grows older, he will naturally understand his royal duties and take up the responsibility on his own."
The King looked at his seven wives, completely outnumbered and outargued. He let out another long sigh, realizing there was absolutely no winning against them when they were all in agreement.
Haruto sat quietly in his chair, watching the family dynamic unfold. Even without a voice, he could see that the path to his future freedom was being laid out perfectly by the very queens of the realm.
The King let out a defeated chuckle, raising his hands in surrender to his wives.
"Alright, alright. I know when I am completely outnumbered," he said, turning his focus back to Haruto.
"Let's settle it this way then. As of today, you are officially recognized as a King of this realm. However, I will continue to handle the daily rule and governance of the kingdom for now. You have my full permission and absolute freedom to travel wherever you please."
As the words left the King's mouth, a sudden burst of light materialized right in front of Haruto. A beautifully crafted royal tray lowered into view, and resting upon it were three glowing, golden crests.
Haruto reached out and picked them up. The moment his fingers brushed against the metal, the three physical tokens dissolved into pure light and vanished completely. Intrigued, Haruto turned his left hand over to inspect it. Embedded neatly onto the skin on the back of his hand were three intricate, shimmering royal stamps.
The King smiled knowingly, nodding at his hand.
"Those three markings represent the highest tier of royalty in this land, and they are officially yours now. Let me explain what they unlock for you."
The King stepped closer, pointing to the stamps.
"The bottom one is the official Guild bypass. With this, you no longer need any further education or institutional qualification to enter Layer-X. The middle one is the Royal Out-Pass, which grants you the authority to cross any border or checkpoint in the world without a single question asked. And the top one is the absolute Royalty Crest, the ultimate symbol confirming you as the sitting King or a direct blood relative to the throne."
Haruto stared at the back of his hand as the golden light of the crests fully settled into his skin.
Inside his mind, Haruto was already calculating the massive advantage of this development. This is exactly what I needed, he thought, a sense of satisfaction washing over his usual boredom. With that Guild crest, I completely bypass the tedious requirement of taking the official Guild exams. I have direct, unconditional entry now. Which means... going to the academy every day is officially completely useless to me from here on out.