The entire grand hall instantly fell into a stunned, breathless silence. The nobles and officials stopped clapping, their jaws practically dropping to the floor as they stared back and forth between the breathtaking Seraphine in her bridal gown and the royal stage.
Breaking the silence, Fredrick stood up from his seat with absolute confidence. He stepped forward, clearing his throat as a wide, triumphant grin spread across his face.
"Ladies and gentlemen, royals and nobles," Fredrick's voice echoed clearly throughout the massive room.
"I have a major official announcement to make. As the high royals among you already know, this beautiful girl standing at the entrance is my daughter, Seraphine. For her own safety, her existence was heavily classified and kept hidden from the rest of the world until now."
He paused, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of pride and pure mischief.
"Now, seeing how magnificent this evening is, I thought to myself: Why wait? If I decide to tie my daughter's future directly to the royal family by marrying her to our future King, surely none of you have any objections, right?"
Suddenly, Fredrick's expression dropped into a deadpan, intensely serious stare. He locked eyes with the crowd of high-ranking nobles and added bluntly,
"And honestly... even if any of you do have an objection, what exactly are you going to do about it?"
WHACK!
Before the nobles could even process Fredrick's blatant, powerhouse threat, the King smoothly stepped up from behind and delivered a heavy, ringing slap right to the Duke's upper back.
"Oof!" Fredrick gasped, stumbling forward a half-step.
"Dammit, Fredrick! You can't just be that brutally frank in front of the entire court!"
the King scolded with a loud, booming laugh, completely breaking the tension in the room. He turned toward the audience, his royal voice taking over the microphone grid.
"Ladies and gentlemen, ignore my old friend's lack of filter! But the announcement stands!"
The King declared proudly, gesturing toward the entrance.
"Tonight is a double celebration. Alongside my daughter Lilith, Haruto is officially entering into an engagement with his second wife—Lady Seraphine of House Fredrick!"
Haruto stood there completely frozen, his mind screaming in absolute panic. What on earth is happening?! An objection? Of course I have an objection! I'm the one getting engaged to two people at the same time out of nowhere! But as he looked over at Duke Fredrick, his analytical mind quickly forced him to accept reality. Wait, actually... no one in this entire room can do anything to stop him. Fredrick is literally the most powerful human being alive on this planet. On top of that, he's the King's absolute best friend. I had no idea their bond was this ridiculously tight.
Seeking some sort of support, Haruto nervously turned his head to look at Lilith. Instead of being upset or angry about a second wife crashing her ceremony, Lilith just looked back at him with a soft, reassuring smile. She gently tapped her new engagement ring and gave him a look that clearly said,
"Don't worry, I completely approve of this. Just roll with it."
Seeing her reaction, Haruto finally understood. Lilith had been in on this plan from the very beginning.
Right then, Seraphine began walking down the center aisle. She held her head high, keeping her eyes fixed straight ahead, trying her absolute best to look poised and regal. Even though she didn't possess the same overwhelming, otherworldly aura that Lilith had, she looked incredibly elegant, soft, and beautiful in her bridal gown.
Looking at her, Haruto felt a fresh wave of intense shyness and nervousness hit his newly unlocked emotions. First Lilith, and now Seraphine... this is way too much visual stimulation for my system to handle in one night, he thought, his face burning bright red again. As Seraphine stepped onto the stage and approached the thrones, Haruto's mind completely short-circuited. Oh man... she's right here. How am I even supposed to look her in the eye right now?
Haruto nervously shifted his eyes toward the VIP section to check on the rest of his team. The moment he made eye contact with Ivory, Bellona, and Lustra, a cold sweat broke out across his neck. The three goddesses were glaring at him with pure, unfiltered jealousy, their eyes practically drilling holes through him. With his new human emotions running wide open, Haruto felt a genuine spike of fear. Oh man... their disapproval ratings are entirely off the charts, he thought, trembling slightly. If looks could kill, I'd be deleted right now.
He quickly looked over at Toya and Aetherna, hoping for a distraction. Those two were completely useless right now. They weren't even paying attention to the stage; instead, their eyes were entirely locked onto the massive buffet tables across the hall, drooling over the royal food. They looked so incredibly relaxed that it was obvious they knew exactly how this entire scenario was going to play out anyway.
Before Haruto could think further, Seraphine finally stepped onto the main stage, standing right in front of him.
Right on cue, another palace maid walked up, carrying a fresh silver platter. Haruto looked down and saw the exact same setup as before: two elegant ceremonial rings, two empty crystal chalices, and a pair of gleaming silver daggers.
Looking at the weapons, Haruto's mind went into a complete panic. Oh great, here we go again, he thought, his heart hammering against his ribs as he stared at the daggers. Round two of the blood-binding ritual. My emotional system is already totally fried—how am I supposed to calibrate my strength and get through this a second time without making a complete mess?
Seraphine stepped right up to Haruto, closing the distance between them. The moment she got close, Haruto's face completely redlined, turning bright crimson as his nervous energy spiked.
But before he could freeze up, Seraphine leaned in and spoke in a surprisingly firm, commanding whisper.
"Listen to me, Haruto. I know exactly what you saw and what you heard in that bedroom earlier today. If you dare think for a second that I'm just a helpless girl, or if you start having any weird, perverted thoughts about me, you better remember two things: we are going to be living together from now on, and there is a very sharp dagger sitting right there on that platter."
Haruto's eyes widened. He loudly swallowed his saliva, his throat feeling completely dry under her intense gaze. Taking a deep, shaking breath to stabilize his hyper-sensitive emotions, he managed to stutter out,
"I-I'm sorry... Look, if you really don't want to go through with this engagement, we don't have to force it. Please forgive me."
The moment those words left his mouth, Seraphine's commanding aura completely vanished. Her eyes went wide with shock.
"Wait... you can talk?! I thought your voice and your feelings were completely wiped out after that wizard quest!"
"They were, but both of them just came back at the exact same time," Haruto whispered back frantically, his chest heaving as he tried to keep his composure in front of the crowd.
"Please, you have to understand... My body is totally overwhelmed right now. I am incredibly, terrifyingly nervous."
Hearing him admit his vulnerability so honestly, the tables turned instantly. Seraphine's cheeks flushed a bright, burning pink, her tough act completely melting away.
"W-What? You're actually nervous? I honestly thought you were still a cold, emotionless machine... Don't say stuff like that so suddenly! If you get nervous, you're going to make me lose my cool and get completely flustered too!"
Despite the intense stage fright twisting his stomach, a faint trace of Haruto's old, blunt personality managed to crack through the panic. He looked at her flustered face and mumbled softly,
"Wow... just a second ago, you were acting completely fearless and dominant."
Seraphine's face burned even hotter, and she sharply crossed her arms, trying to look imposing again despite her deep blush.
"What do you mean 'I were'? I still am!"
Seraphine took a soft breath to steady her own nerves, looking down at the silver tray. "Look, I know this is sudden," she whispered to Haruto, her voice dropping into a gentle, honest tone.
"But I can't win against my father. So just play along with me, okay? Honestly... I always know I have to do this with you eventually anyway."
Before Haruto could even process her words or formulate a reply, Seraphine decisively reached down and picked up one of her own fingers, made a small cut and let her drop of blood fall into her crystal chalice. The liquid instantly vibrated, shifting into a glowing, brilliant ruby-red.
Haruto knew he had to complete his part of the loop. His hands were shaking even more than before, his anxiety spiked by the close contact, but he focused all his remaining calibration to pick up the second dagger. He carefully brought the blade to his finger. Thanks to his intense concentration, he managed to execute a much smaller, perfectly controlled cut this time. It was a massive improvement over the deep wound from earlier. He let his blood drop into the second glass, watching the liquid magically transform into the same deep red color.
Holding their breath, they exchanged the chalices. Haruto didn't hesitate this time; he brought the glass to his lips and downed it alongside Seraphine. Just like before, the liquid tasted incredibly smooth and intensely sweet, completely soothing his throat.
As soon as they set the empty glasses down, the automated system healing kicked in, instantly sealing the tiny cuts on their fingers without leaving a single trace.
Lilith stepped forward with a bright, supportive smile, handing the final engagement ring to Haruto. With his heart hammering against his ribs, Haruto took Seraphine's hand and carefully slid the silver-gold band onto her finger. Seraphine, blushing furiously but smiling happily, took the matching ring and smoothly slid it onto Haruto's finger, completing the double engagement.
The entire grand hall absolutely erupted. The massive crowd of nobles, guards, and the royal family cheered at the top of their lungs, shouting, "Congratulations!" as a deafening round of applause echoed through the brilliantly lit palace.
Haruto stood still at the center of the stage, lowering his gaze to inspect his hands. On the ring finger of his left hand sat the elegant silver-gold band from Lilith, and right next to it was the matching ring from Seraphine. Standing between his two stunning fiancées under the glowing palace chandeliers, the sheer reality of the situation finally began to sink into his newly unlocked emotions.
Right as the applause from the crowd reached its peak, a familiar golden system window snapped into existence directly within his visual field:
[ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: CONFLICT ENCOUNTERED ]
Target: Seraphine
Warning: The target entity possesses a raw power matrix exceeding your current baseline. System has 70% administrative control over this entity.
Action: Finalize the royal engagement bond?
Reward: Split-System Level Up Source Available.
[ YES ] / [ NO ]
Haruto blinked, his analytical mind immediately catching the latency. Why did this notification take so long to pop up? The contract was already physically sealed, he thought, slightly amused by the system's delayed processing grid. Well, better late than never. He quickly scanned the metrics and noted the distinct contrast in the data variables. Lilith gave a flat $0\%$ administrative control rating due to her absolute peak stats, but Seraphine drops down to $70\%$. That means she's incredibly strong, but still within a readable threshold for my core software. Without wasting another second, he tapped the glowing [ YES ] option.
The text instantly dissolved into a burst of digital particles, immediately triggering the progression prompt right over it:
[ CHOOSE PROGRESSION PATH FOR LEVEL UP ]
Option 1: Creation (Current: Level 6)
Option 2: Nothingness / Destruction (Current: Level 1)
Haruto didn't even have to deliberate. Let's keep driving the dark data track forward to unlock the higher-tier combat parameters. He firmly selected Nothingness.
A deep resonance vibrated through his core as the abyssal-black side of his dual HUD hummed with power, officially updating his secondary track from Level 1 to Level 2.
Before he could close the interface, the High Priest and the King stepped forward to deliver the final validation. A massive, warm wave of enchanted golden light rained down from the high ceiling, showering Haruto, Lilith, and Seraphine in a beautiful royal blessing that shimmered against their clothes.
With the formal protocols finally concluded, the heavy tension on the stage completely dissolved. The attendants guided the trio toward the grand royal table arranged at the front of the stage. Lilith and Seraphine sat down next to each other, immediately dropping their professional masks to chat happily, their previous shyness melting into shared excitement.
Meanwhile, the rest of the party members down below didn't wait for an invitation. Toya and Aetherna immediately began piling their plates high with elite royal cuisine, while the three goddesses silently picked at their food, their heavy jealousy still lingering in the air.
Haruto sat back slightly in his high royal chair, completely isolated in his own mind despite the bustling crowd around him. He quietly observed the chaotic, beautiful scene playing out before him, watching his friends and his new fiancées celebrate the grand event.
Feeling a sudden need for a technical diagnostic update, he quietly opened his internal link and called out into the quiet space of his mind. Sirehtea? Where did you disappear to all of a sudden?
Sirehtea's voice finally chimed back into his mind, sounding totally relaxed.
"Hello! Go ahead, what's on your mind?"
Haruto immediately drove into his technical query. Sirehtea, I've been auditing the party data variables. Every single person I formally register into my active roster gets an automatic baseline level boost, just like Toya did. So why hasn't Seraphine received her system update yet? Her parameters haven't shifted at all.
"Oh, right! I completely forgot to execute that script!" Sirehtea giggled, hitting herself internally.
"Don't you remember the database rules? You have manual administrative authority now. If you want to deploy the faction boost, you have to trigger the command yourself. Go ahead, open up your HUD configuration!"
Haruto didn't waste a second. He excused himself from the conversation table under the pretense of taking a brief restroom break, stepping slightly away into a quieter corner of the stage area where he wouldn't draw attention.
With his visual privacy filter active, he pulled up his dual HUD. He navigated to the main options menu, clicked on the three dots icon in the corner, and selected the Party management tab.
The roster refreshed instantly. Right below the original layout, two brand-new data blocks had successfully populated the registry:
Lilith — Level 99 [Admin Control: 0%]
Seraphine — Level 15 [Admin Control: 70%]
Haruto focused his gaze on Seraphine's profile card. Sure enough, a glowing, pulsing [ UPGRADE AVAILABLE ] prompt was flashing right next to her name.
"Go ahead, tap it!" Sirehtea instructed enthusiastically.
"The moment you authorize the data patch, her core files will optimize instantly. Her standard level metrics are going to jump straight to Level 80, making her combat potential incredibly terrifying!"
Haruto hovered his finger over the interface, running a quick tactical assessment. Level 80 right out of the gate? That's a massive, sudden influx of raw power. If her magical capacity spikes violently in the middle of a crowded royal palace, it might cause a severe energetic backlash or attract unwanted attention from the nobles. He shook his head slightly. No, let's hold off on the deployment for now. I'll freeze her progression screen until the ceremony concludes. I don't want her dealing with a sudden internal system strain right here.
"Hehe, totally your call, boss!" Sirehtea teased playfully.
"Whatever you say, Hubby! You're the one who has to manage your new wives, after all!"
Haruto's face instantly flashed warm again. Hey! Don't use weird titles like that so casually!
But the internal link suddenly went completely quiet. Sirehtea? Come on, don't just drop the connection and ignore me right after saying something like that, Haruto muttered internally, but there was absolutely no response from her side of the network. He let out a quiet sigh, closed the HUD overlay, and turned back to face the bustling celebration.
Haruto finished checking his system layout, closed the floating HUD, and walked out of the quiet corner to return to the hall. However, the moment he stepped into the corridor, he was surprised to find both Lilith and Seraphine standing there, waiting for him.
He blinked, his newly unlocked nerves instantly making him feel self-conscious. "Hey... is something wrong?" he asked, looking between the two of them.
Instead of answering him verbally, Lilith and Seraphine exchanged a quick, knowing glance. Before Haruto could even process their movements, they stepped forward in perfect unison, caught him by his arms, and smoothly but firmly guided him right into the nearby men's restroom, trapping him against the wall.
Haruto's eyes widened in complete shock, his face instantly turning bright red.
"Wait, hold on! This is the men's room!" he stammered, his heart hammering against his ribs as he looked at the exit.
Lilith reached backward without even looking, smoothly clicking the heavy brass lock on the door. She turned back to him with a calm, beautiful smile.
"I just locked the door, Haruto. For the next few minutes, this is a completely private restroom."
Seraphine stepped in even closer, her cheeks flushing a deep pink, though she tried her best to maintain a confident look.
"Hey... we need to talk to you. I mean, the three of us need to settle something right now."
In an instant, both girls closed the remaining distance, completely cornering Haruto against the tiled wall. Trapped between his two breathtaking fiancées, the close proximity and the sweet blend of their fragrances completely short-circuited Haruto's emotional system. He was so intensely shy and nervous that he could barely breathe.
Lilith and Seraphine leaned in at the exact same time, their faces just inches from his. Dropping their voi
ces into a soft, breathless whisper, they asked simultaneously:
"So... who gets the first kiss?"