Chapter 852: We Shouldn't Be Here, What's the Difference Between Here and Under the Bed?
"We're back!"
The spatial distortion settled in the blink of an eye, and the familiar, elegant decor of the Nearl family estate materialized around them. The transition was so smooth and instantaneous that it left the group breathless.
It was only because they had experienced it firsthand that the sheer shock truly set in. They had speculated that Ren was an incredibly powerful sorcerer, but this level of casual reality-bending defied all logic.
Now that Maria and Zofia's miraculous gifts had been delivered, only Mlynar remained unrewarded.
Mlynar stood completely speechless. His usual stoic, commanding demeanor had cracked. Neither the terrifying power Ren casually displayed nor the reality-altering gifts he bestowed upon his nieces could be questioned. In the face of absolute strength, Mlynar realized he no longer possessed the right to dictate Margaret's future or her relationships.
He lowered his head, his posture shifting to one of deep respect. He decisively broke the silence. "Your Excellency Ren, there is no need for you to prepare a gift for me. I will respect Margaret's choices regarding her relationship and her future marriage. You have my sincere blessing."
"Uncle Mlynar..." Margaret murmured, her golden eyes softening with deep gratitude.
Ren, however, chuckled and waved a hand dismissively. "That won't do. I always give a welcoming gift when meeting the family for the first time. It just isn't a physical object." He flashed a lazy, confident smile. "Consider it a wish I conveniently fulfilled for Margaret along the way."
"My... wish?" Margaret blinked, tilting her head in confusion.
"Exactly. Check the local news feeds online. The gift has already been delivered."
The group exchanged bewildered glances before pulling out their communication devices.
Mlynar unlocked his screen and was instantly bombarded by a massive wave of notifications. He stared in shock at his call log. His corporate superiors had called him dozens of times in the past hour. It looked like an absolute emergency of catastrophic proportions was unfolding. He had put his device on silent mode to deal with family matters and had completely missed the chaos.
Just as he was wondering why his bosses were in such a frantic panic, he opened the primary Kazimierz news portal. The most hotly debated headline in the nation dominated the screen.
[Shocking! General Chamber of Commerce Overthrown! Adeptus Sprawiedliwi Reforms the Knight Tournament! Infected Rights Law Officially Enacted!]
Mlynar's first reaction was pure disbelief. Was this a tasteless joke?
The General Chamber of Commerce overthrown? Ridiculous. They were the absolute financial and political throat of Kazimierz. How could a monolith like that be toppled in a single afternoon?
The Adeptus Sprawiedliwi reforming the Knight Tournament? Nonsense. The Major was the Chamber's most lucrative blood-sport and money-making tool. The overseers had never possessed the authority to interfere.
And the last headline—an Infected Rights Law—was even more preposterous. That bordered on pure fantasy.
However, as his thumb scrolled rapidly through the live updates, his initial mockery dissolved into sheer bewilderment. The financial districts were in lockdown. Corporate elites were being detained. Everyone on the network was screaming about the regime change, and his own colleagues were flooding his inbox with panicked, desperate messages.
It seemed... it was all true.
"I need to leave immediately!" Mlynar declared, his tone sharp and urgent. He turned on his heel, his coat flaring behind him. With an event of this magnitude reshaping the very foundation of their nation, a man in his position could not afford to stand idle. The situation was critical.
"Ren... you did this?!" Margaret looked at Ren, her eyes wide with absolute shock.
"That's right, I just handled it casually on the side. Wasn't this your wish?" Ren replied, his tone as breezy as if he were discussing the weather.
Not long ago, he had arranged a brief meeting with the Grand Knight of the Adeptus Sprawiedliwi. With a little strategic manipulation and overwhelming pressure, he had flipped the entire board and turned Kazimierz upside down. The General Chamber of Commerce was finished. The Armorless Union assassins were disbanded. The Infected would finally possess legal standing and basic rights in this city.
However, laws were just words on paper until someone proved their worth.
"Margaret, your next step is to enter the newly reformed Knight Tournament as an officially recognized Infected," Ren instructed, his gaze locking onto hers. "You will fight, and you will claim the championship."
"I understand." Margaret did not hesitate for a single second. Her trust in Ren was absolute.
She knew the magnitude of the stage he had just built for her. Her heart pounded fiercely against her ribs, and the deep, overwhelming affection swimming in her golden eyes was practically overflowing.
"Ren, I..." She bit her lower lip, the words catching in her throat. The Radiant Knight, usually so composed and dignified, looked entirely flushed, unsure of how to express the sheer depth of her emotions.
Ren heard the frantic, heavy rhythm of her heartbeat and understood exactly what she needed. He smiled, turning his head toward Maria, who was still staring blankly at her screen, completely failing to process the national news.
"Maria," Ren asked smoothly, "do you mind if your sister borrows your bedroom for a bit?"
"Eh? Oh, okay. Go ahead."
The very next second, the space warped. Ren and Margaret vanished into thin air, leaving the living room behind.
Maria stood there, blinking at the empty space. She still hadn't fully comprehended what was happening.
Not long after, the noise began.
An devastating, overwhelming sound echoed through the ceiling. Heavy, rhythmic thuds made the walls vibrate, accompanied by muffled, breathless cries that left absolutely nothing to the imagination. The sheer intensity of the impact was staggering.
Maria and Zofia froze. They slowly turned to look at each other, the blood rushing to their faces, turning their cheeks a bright, furious crimson.
"Ahem, Maria, the weather is quite nice. Why don't we go out for a walk?" Zofia cleared her throat loudly, tugging at her collar. She desperately felt that they should not be staying in the house while this was happening.
However, Ren's calm voice echoed directly in their minds via telepathy. 'The streets are quite chaotic right now with the regime change. It is best if you two do not go out.'
Zofia sighed, her shoulders slumping. Since he gave the order, they would stay put.
Maria lowered her head, her fingers fidgeting nervously with the hem of her skirt. She simply could not believe that her dignified, heroic sister was currently making those kinds of noises.
"Um, Maria, don't overthink it," Zofia stammers, trying to sound like a responsible elder. "They are adults. They are a couple. These kinds of things are completely normal."
Maria slowly lifted her head. Her large, watery eyes locked onto her aunt. "Auntie Zofia... have you... have you tried it too?"
Zofia choked on her own breath. She was completely defeated. She hadn't even held a man's hand properly, let alone experienced whatever devastating event was occurring upstairs.
The sweeping series of changes across Kazimierz sent shockwaves through every stratum of society. Knights, corporate slaves, ordinary citizens, and the Infected alike all turned their undivided attention toward the upcoming Knight Tournament. Stripped of the General Chamber of Commerce's corruption and match-fixing, this promised to be the fairest competition in history.
Everyone knew the truth. The champion of this tournament would dictate the future trajectory of Kazimierz's entire societal transformation.
The day the Knight Tournament officially began finally arrived.
"Um... shouldn't we be heading to the arena venue to cheer for my sister?"
The Nearl family living room was packed. A large group had gathered here, watching the live broadcast of the arena on the massive television screen.
Maria and Zofia were currently nestled comfortably in Ren's arms on the large sofa. Given his vast experience with women and sheer obvious charisma, it was no surprise that he had effortlessly conquered their hearts and brought them into his fold within a matter of days.
But they were not the only ones gathered in the room.
Theresa stood behind the sofa, her slender fingers expertly massaging Ren's shoulders.
Kneeling on the thick carpet in front of him were two exceptionally dangerous women. Massaging his left leg was Monique, the former Lazurite assassin of the Armorless Union. Massaging his right leg was Senomy, the former Platinum.
When Ren casually dismantled the General Chamber of Commerce and the Armorless Union, he naturally didn't let these two top-tier beauties slip away. He took them in, but their survival and new positions came with a steep price. On their very first day under his command, he thoroughly broke their assassin conditioning, educating them on the absolute peaks of a woman's pleasure until they submitted entirely.
Theresa watched the tournament broadcast with keen interest. During her observations of Kazimierz's Infected population, she had taken note of a specific independent knight order composed entirely of Infected girls.
The Pinus Sylvestris Knight Order.
This group was highly unique. The roster consisted of their leader, Flametail Sonya; the Fartooth Knight Justyna; the Ashlock Knight Greynoty; the Wild Mane Knight Iwona; and their custom support robot, Justice Knight.
Theresa had originally intended to approach them and invite the four young girls to join Rhodes Island.
What made Theresa unsure whether to laugh or sigh in defeat was that Ren had already beaten her to the punch. He had set his sights on the girls long before she could make a move. Not only did he completely cure their Oripathy with a casual wave of his hand, but he also decisively swept the entire group into his ever-expanding household in one fell swoop.
Now, just like Margaret, the girls of Pinus Sylvestris were stepping into the arena, proudly representing the newly liberated Infected in the Knight Tournament.
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