by Jason Hale
Using the empress as his backer, he suppressed the apprehension within those people's hearts.
But Zamira wasn't done with him.
"Very well. The marriage is delayed for a year. Now let's discuss the dower. Can you afford a count's daughter?"
Before marriage with nobility could take place, unless something else were agreed, an exchange of gifts should take place.
The future husband would provide a dower, and the lady's family the dowry. The dower was a constitution of assets granted to the lady by her husband upon marriage. Assets that would remain under her name and could be used for her to live comfortably should anything befall him.
In a nutshell, it was security.
But for Konnor whose entire wealth was composed of two purple crystals and six hundred red crystals, he couldn't afford that security.
At least not until Freya returned in success.
Ilaina didn't want such things to tamper with their relationship, so she was about to speak up when Konnor's voice echoed.
"How much would the dower be?"
"A fair price would not be less than five million purple crystals."
*Cough* *Cough* *Cough*
Konnor's body was thrown off balance, and he almost fell from his chair. Robbery, this was robbery!
But seeing no one, Wolfgang included, bat an eyelid, he realized the crux of the issue. Ilaina was now the heir to house Kracht's estates. Whoever married her would one day control a substantial share of the entire Kracht's wealth.
Thus, how could her dower be cheap?
"You will receive it in a week."
His words caused all the Kracht to stare at him with wide eyes. Could he really put out such a sum?
However, Wolfgang had something else in mind.
"Actually, I do not want a dower from you. My daughter will never need to rely on it. There is, however, something she needs. Something you can obtain for her that is worth more than a billion purple crystals."
"But know that there is substantial danger involved. Danger because you stand to offend many powerful parties."
All eyes instantly fell on Wolfgang.
"What would that be?"
Konnor asked without blinking.
"This year's quota for a Holy Flame Baptism. If you can obtain it, we can sign the contract right away. I can even ensure half of my family's estates will directly fall within your hands."
Konnor was astonished. House Kracht was leagues above the likes of house Schoner, and their net worth was absolutely close to a billion purple crystals. Half of it was a monstrous wealth.
What kind of benefit could that Holy Flame Baptism bring that Wolfgang would be willing to give up half his house for it?
"You may not know this, but children of nobility receive flame baptisms from the church. The higher the father's nobility rank, the more quotas they can obtain. Those flame baptisms enhance spiritual energy, physique quality, and cultivation talent.
As the daughter of a count, Ilaina should have been eligible for four flame baptisms. But due to her previous status, that was impossible.
Now, although she's perfectly eligible, she's past the age limit."
One quota could be used every three years up until the age of twenty.
"However, that is inconsequential. If you can obtain that one Holy Flame Baptism, her cultivation and talent will skyrocket. The opportunity comes only once in a hundred years. And the date is approaching. Many outstanding children of high nobility will fight for that quota. And it's not impossible that imperial descendants will be present.
Therefore, if you choose to fight for it, you will definitely offend many people.
What is your choice?"
"Agreed!"
With the Transformation Skill to hide his true identity, Konnor wasn't afraid of smacking some pompous nobles. And if they annoyed him, he would just take the opportunity to snatch their women and expand his harem!
Maybe even if they didn't, he would still snatch them!
Chapter 36 - Ilaina’s Night (R-18)
The rest of the night was eventful, with Konnor working on taking down the vigilance of his mother-in-law while not forgetting to tease Ilaina.
As the feast came to an end, and the servants started removing the dishes, Konnor brazenly followed Ilaina back toward her chambers.
In the meantime, Wolfgang walked into his study with Zamira by his side.
"Tell me the truth. Why did you choose that boy? Was it only for the Holy Flame Baptism?"
Having known him for decades, she didn't believe Konnor's cultivation was the only thing that grabbed his attention.
And indeed, she wasn't wrong.
"What is Ilaina's greatest challenge at the moment?"
"With the rise of her status, many sons of margraves and dukes that do not stand to inherit land will try to woe…"
And suddenly, Zamira's eyes shone with enlightenment.
"Right. In the past, they disdained her and didn't wish to bring her lack of legitimacy into their households. But now that she's my heir, many of those that don't stand to inherit land will be willing to court her and marry into house Kracht for the sake of our lands, assets, and wealth.
This is a rare opportunity. Thus, among those nobles, even the younger sons of margraves and dukes will be willing to fight for her. But if it were only that, I would not be afraid.
The problem is…that the Von Juras will also want a slice of the pie. In fact, I have no doubt that the ninth prince will be ordered by the Holy Emperor to obtain her hand!
The law protects the sons of nobility against imperial marriages. But the same cannot be said for daughters. If we do not arrange something soon, the ninth prince will knock on our doorsteps with a marriage decree. At that time, house Kracht's tens of thousands of years of accumulations will fall into the hands of the Von Juras!"
Wolfgang gravely explained.
"That being the case, we might as well quickly let her marry a man of her own choosing. That Konnor's talent is earthshaking and he seems to have a profound connection to the Empress. House Kvass has always been our backer, so there is nothing wrong with that. Moreover, I have no doubt he's someone that dares go against the imperial family. This is the kind of son-in-law we need.
Else cannot be allowed to rule the Holy Flame Empire, but neither can Olrich Von Juras! The longer he reigns, the greater the danger this country faces!
Thus, he must be overthrown!"
...
Meanwhile, Ilaina was sitting on her well-preserved bed, and enjoying its warm touch. A touch she'd almost forgotten. However, a certain intruder prevented her from thoroughly relishing the moment.
Naturally, that intruder was Konnor. He was currently lying with the back of his head on Ilaina's lap and humming a twenty-first-century tune.
"Do you really not know the meaning of propriety? How can you so brazenly walk into a lady's room and rest on her lap?!"
"If the lady allows my presence, and let me rest on her lap, how can I refuse?"
He nonchalantly replied.
"Are you not afraid that I will push you down?"
"Nah, I know you don't have the heart to do it?"
"Conceited!"
"You prove my conceit right."
Their brief exchange ended with Konnor extending his right hand toward Ilaina's face and stroking her cheek with his bent index.
"I will come to visit you tonight. I reserve myself the time. If you leave your window open, I will take it as an invitation. If you keep it closed, I will take it as a no. The choice is yours."
"Who will leave th…"
But she didn't have time to answer before he rose from her lap and walked past the door, leaving her alone and annoyed.
"Hateful!"
She cursed and rolled back into her bedsheets.
Activity within the mansion soon died down, with the sound of footsteps being replaced by the quiet of night. But Ilaina couldn't sleep. She walked back and forth within her bedroom,
dressed in a frilly black nightgown while gnawing her right thumbnail.
"What am I hesitating for? I should just go to sleep."
She muttered but still couldn't stop circling the room.
"That hateful boy can't be allowed to keep having his way. Otherwise, in the future, how can I breathe?"
Still, she didn't stop.
"Hum…it's a bit warm in here. Maybe I should leave the window open…just a little…just for fresh air…"
And so she opened the window, leaving a large enough gap for a cool breeze to sip in, then slipped back into her bedsheets.
Still, she couldn't sleep. Her heart drumming with a mixture of expectation and apprehension as the minutes passed and no sign of intrusion could be heard.
Like that, an hour went by. An hour that turned Ilaina into an emotional rollercoaster. But when she still saw no sign of Konnor's form, her heart soured.
"Maybe he was just playing a prank on me…"
She bitterly wondered.
But as she laid with her face against her pillow, purple light particles approached the window from the outside and went past the narrow opening.
Sneaking in, the light particles silently moved toward Ilaina's enchanting figure, stopped by her side, and condensed into the form of Konnor.
When his now too familiar orchid scent reached her nose, she knew he'd arrived. Still, she didn't turn, expectation and apprehension still contending within her abdomen.
The unexpected then happened. Konnor pulled out a piece of cloth and wrapped it around Ilaina's eyes. Blindfolding her in a deft motion.
Abruptly, she spun to face him, but face him she could not. Her hands reached for the blindfold, but his stopped hers.
"Why…why are you blindfolding me?"
"Because I know that deep down, what you crave is the excitation produced by having your lover press you, yet not being able to see him."
"Therefore, tonight, I won't allow you to look at me."
"Desire me, feel me, but do not glance at me."
His pupils turned violet, goat horns rose from his forehead, and a large pair of wings emerged from his back as he drew her into an embrace.
And feeling his arms wrapped around her waist, and his warm, bare chest against hers, Ilaina gave in to temptation, and guided solely by instinct, pulled him into a fiery kiss.
Her energetic tongue sought his, her arms collared his neck, and her legs straddled his waist as if her sole thought was to forever keep his body pressed against hers.
Konnor's hands moved up her back, caressing her silky green hairs while he lowered her back onto the bed and the sloppy sound of their intertwining mouths and tongues was carried by the wind.
"From the day I laid eyes on you, you were meant to be mine. Henceforth, you are the woman of Konnor."
Ilaina's heart drummed against his own, her body heated by his words and touch.
"I am…yours."
She whispered with her sweet breath brushing his lips. Lips that once again pounced onto hers while their hands tore the other's clothing, revealing their bare bodies to the silent night.
Konnor's wings acted as cushions for Ilaina's back, keeping her tight within his overpowering demonic presence as he removed the last piece of fabric and cupped her soft breasts within his hands.
Their lips remained interlocked, too hungry to break.
Konnor kept one hand on Ilaina's right breast and moved the other down her moistening nether regions that clearly craved attention.
"Mhm…"
She moaned through his lips, feeling his elongated fingers enter her unexplored holy land, and teasing her in ways she'd never known existed.
Her excitation caused Konnor's shaft to harden against her thigh, something she immediately felt. And instinctively, she grabbed his rod within her hand, giving it gentle inexperienced strokes while Konnor's fingers masterfully teased her clit and nipples.
"Mhm…mhm…!"
Her muffled moans grew stronger, the raw pleasure proving too much for her to remain focused on the passionate kiss. But Konnor didn't let go of her lips, keeping her suppressed within his mouth as he played with her mesmerizing body and caused her to shudder again, and again under his ministrations.
He then revolved the Hundred Flowers Scripture, establishing a spiritual connection that allowed them to bask in the other's pleasure, then moved her onto her side with her left leg kept straight and her right one bent in an acute angle while he stood behind her rear with his fully awakened shaft ready to take her.
And take her he did! Driving his lance home with a slow, gentle thrust that broke through her hymen and caused a jolt of pain to spread through her body. A jolt of pain that was immediately pacified by the golden light released by his rod.
"Aahh…"
She freely moaned, breaking the connection of their lips. But Konnor couldn't allow her moans to alarm her household, so he seized her lips back into his, gave her a moment to adjust to his girth through gentle thrusts, and when it was clear she was ready to receive him, he began pounding.
*Pah* *Pah* *Pah*
Like a tidal wave seeking to break through the dam, his gentle thrusts turned into fierce hammering that caused Ilaina's inexperienced body to collapse under the rough pleasure and her buttcheeks to give hundreds of kisses to Konnor's balls.
"Mhm…mhm…mhm!"
She kept moaning through his lips, but never did he let go of them, maintaining perfect control of his body while building his lover's pleasure to a high climax.
*Pah* *Pah* *Pah*
The intensity of the mating reached new heights, with Ilaina feeling both Konnor's pleasure and her own. A sensation that drove her mad with bliss, and caused her to lose all restraints to claw onto his neck to push him deeper, faster, into her!
Which he did, pounding that raw pleasure into the both of them, and sending her rolling into heaven with a succession of orgasms!
His lower body and the bedsheet were now drenched in her juice, but neither cared. Konnor stood up, pulling Ilaina into his arms like a butterfly and pressing her against the opposing wall while not forgetting to keep driving his rod into the pleasure spots he found and created.
And after her umpteenth orgasm, he let go of his fetters and erupted inside her! Marking every corner of her holy land with his warm semen.
"Ooooohhh! Divine son of a bitch!"
Their kiss broke, and Ilaina's freed mouth could finally groan with the full might of her throat! A groan that sounded more like a guttural howl, and probably woke more than one person.
But she didn't care. The only thought within her mind was that she should have let him in sooner!
Chapter 37 - Mother-In-Law's Might
The Hundred Flowers Scriptures kicked into gear, pushing the duo's cultivation to new levels. Ilaina's martial cultivation went from the eighth step True Knight Rank to the first step Grand Knight Rank while Konnor's spiritual cultivation directly reached the first step Grand Priest Rank.
As for his martial cultivation, while there was some substantial improvement, he had yet to break through the sixth step Grand Knight Rank. Although Ilaina's main asset was her spiritual cultivation of the third step Grand Priest Rank, having a perfect balance between the martial and spiritual would allow her battle power to soar.
But Instead of sitting and digesting his gains, Konnor stared at his new conquest with an amused gaze.
"Divine…son of a bitch? I've heard many things, I've heard the two separately, but together? This is a…first."
Ilaina didn't have time to worry about any of that as her mind still drifted in its newfound plane of ecstasy. She just laid on the bed with her arms outstretched and released a deep, contented sigh that reminisced of a glutton sated with food and wine.
...
Meanwhile, alongside Zamira, Wolfgang rested within his bed. As a Semi-Saint, sleep was for him optional, and he would usually spend his nights in silent cultivation. However, he always reserved two nights during the week t
o remain with his beloved. This was one such night.
A night that was interrupted by a deep growl that couldn't escape his sharp senses.
"What? Who? Who's harming my daughter?"
But before he could rush out of the bedroom, Zamira's hands pulled him back into the bed.
