At six o'clock, the sunrise was breathtakingly beautiful.
From the rooftop of the majestic Imperial Palace, golden clouds seemed to stretch beneath their feet like a shimmering lake, captivating with its ethereal allure.
The only issue was that Kiana loved sleeping in, but today, under Zeke's instructions, Sin and Bronya forcibly dragged her out to watch the sunrise.
"I want to sleep..."
"It's just psychological dependence due to poor sleep habits. In reality, your mind and body don't require much rest."
"Ahh! I don't care! Let me sleep! At least until the sun is high up there! Why can't you let me snooze? Aaargh!"
Kiana writhed on the ground, flailing her limbs wildly, devoid of any restraint or maturity expected of a young woman.
If not for the smart systems maintaining impeccable cleanliness throughout every corner of the Imperial City, her snug and elegant short dress would undoubtedly have become filthy by now.
But Kiana remained completely oblivious. Having been dragged out of bed just as dawn broke to wash up and change clothes, she was groggy from the rushed ordeal. Her morning grumpiness reached its peak, filled with utter discontentment.
"Ah! Not even letting me sleep! Do I still have rights? Any dignity left? Let me go back to bed!"
"It's time for breakfast."
"What's for breakfast?!"
With a swift leap like a koi fish breaching water, Kiana sprang up and rushed to the table, her sparkling eyes brimming with anticipation.
Meanwhile, Sin sat in her chair, slender legs encased in flawless white stockings paired with little red shoes gently swinging beneath. She rested her rosy cheeks on her delicate hands, elbows propped on the table, gazing at Zeke with focused sweetness—truly a charming and well-behaved little princess.
Bronya elegantly arranged the cutlery and, upon finishing, picked up a piece of fruit with her fork to offer it gently to Zeke's lips.
"Zeke, open wide—ahh."
Zeke opened his mouth, took a bite, and smiled faintly while patting Bronya's head.
She responded with a sweet smile, a charming blush spreading across her delicate face.
On one side was the composed and considerate Bronya, on the other, the obedient and charming Sin... Zeke glanced at Kiana, who had already started wiping drool from her mouth. Comparing her to the other two, he felt utterly hopeless and numb, his eyes reflecting the despair like those of a dead fish.
"Sigh! Let's just eat."
He wasn't in the mood for a lengthy lecture now, especially since Kiana's mind, often focused on eating, playing, and having fun, seemed to have the legendary seven-second memory akin to a goldfish. Even if he tried lecturing her, it wouldn't be particularly effective.
In the long run... Ah, whatever! After all, she was the wife he chose; as long as she didn't go too far, he decided to let her be.
Zeke sighed inwardly.
As usual, while Kiana gobbled down her food voraciously, Zeke would occasionally reach out, gently wiping the corners of her mouth free from crumbs or spills. It was such a practiced gesture that it almost felt instinctual to him.
Breakfast didn't last long; swiftly, Kia had devoured nearly three-quarters of the food on the table and let out a satisfied burp.
"Burp~"
Zeke reached over to wipe her mouth, asking,
"All done?"
"I'm stuffed!"
Kia tilted her head back, effortlessly cooperating with Zeke's gesture as she blinked cheerfully.
Zeke gently pinched her soft, chubby cheeks, pleased with their healthy plumpness.
Pointing towards the horizon, Zeke announced to the trio,
"The sun has fully risen."
Kiana, Bronya, and Sin followed his gaze. Indeed, a full, radiant new day had emerged above the sea of clouds. Its fiery red hue seemed poised to paint half the world, creating a breathtakingly magnificent sight.
Kiana exclaimed, "Huh? Oh wow, it's so red, just like the yolk of a sunny-side-up egg—ha ha ha!"
Bronya rolled her eyes, "As expected from Kiana, always bringing up food within three sentences."
Sin chimed in, "Exactly! Silly Kiana!"
Kiana protested, "Hey! You two, that's enough! Stop calling me dumb all the time! If this keeps up, even if I were naturally smart, your constant jinxing might turn me into a real fool!"
Pouting unhappily, Kiana slapped her hand on the table and turned to Zeke.
"What do you think, Zeke?"
"..."
Zeke remained silent but gently patted Kiana's head.
Kiana blinked innocently for a moment before meekly asking,
"Can't...you at least say something?"
"It doesn't matter what you're like—I'll always love you."
"No, wait. Normally I'd be thrilled if you confessed your feelings, but why now of all times... What's with that sudden declaration? Do you also think I'm dumb?"
"..."
Silence was Zeke's greatest kindness.
Kiana's eyes reddened.
"You're bullying me!"
"Sigh, stop it. Just enjoy the sunrise."
"I don't want to! You're all picking on me!"
"The snacks later will include chocolate cake and those honey cookies you mentioned yesterday," Zeke casually dropped his trump card.
The effect was immediate.
As Kiana drooled audibly, she reluctantly muttered,
"Don't think this will buy me off that easily! But since you've gone to such effort, I suppose this young lady can grace you with her presence and have some. Mmm!"
"How silly..." Zeke couldn't help but blurt out his thoughts.
Just as Kiana's antenna-like hair stood up, ready to explode, he lifted her chin, leaned in close, and gently brushed his lips against those enticing red ones of this little fool.
"Ah..."
Kiana froze momentarily, steam rising from her head, then bashfully lowered it.
"Oh geez, not...not in broad daylight..."
"You don't like it?"
"N-no...I don't..." Kiana responded hesitantly, face flushed.
How could she possibly dislike it? The assertive Zeke, straightforward Zeke, true-to-his-desires Zeke, who loved her—there was no reason for Kiana not to be captivated.
She cupped her burning cheeks, feeling utterly blissful, and giggled giddily.
Naturally, Sin grew envious of Kiana's treatment. As expected, she puffed out her lip and opened her arms towards Zeke, pleading for affection:
"Zeke, Zeke, Sin wants a kiss too!"
"With pleasure, my adorable little princess."
Sincerely complimenting Sin's cuteness, Zeke tilted her chin upwards and kissed her soft, pink, cherry-like lips.
Satisfied, Sin giggled happily.
Bronya watched this scene with amusement, shaking her head gently.
Indeed, only Bronya could claim the throne as the chief wife. Kiana and Sin—one was a straightforward dimwit, while the other was a single-minded Zeke fan and Bronya admirer—were adept at acting cute and charming but lacked the qualities of a wise confidante: managing his harem internally and assisting Zeke externally...
Who else could fill that role?
With a smug expression, Bronya raised her head proudly, casting a condescending glance at the two others—not out of malice or targeting anyone specifically, just stating that among them, she, Bronya, is unequivocally the elder sister!
Suddenly, Zeke lifted her chin and silenced her with a gentle kiss.
"Thump!"
Caught off guard by this spontaneous gesture, Bronya's face instantly flushed red.
True, Kiana and Sin excelled at being adorable around Zeke, but why couldn't Bronya also be endearing? Did she lack the ability to charm him?
Regardless, observing Bronya's momentarily blank yet adorably dazed reaction, a soft smile flickered across Zeke's eyes.
"You're very cute," he said sincerely, giving her cheek a tender pinch.
"The sunrise is indeed beautiful. However, witnessing it together with you all gives it lasting significance."
Zeke shifted his gaze towards the magnificent golden-red sea of clouds and spoke gently.
The romantic gestures from these science-oriented, iron-willed men were rare indeed, making them all the more heartfelt and moving.
At least, the young ladies present felt utterly charmed by this sunrise moment.