Chapter 1116: A Heart Fully Valued
Chapter 1116: A Heart Fully Valued
Flushed, Isadora lowered her head and spoke, a bit more flustered, "This is my first time doing this, so I would appreciate it if you stopped making fun of me."
Orion's expression became slightly serious, and he nodded in response. "You are right. Compared to you, I have had more experience, so mistakes are bound to happen," he replied. "I'm glad that you didn't try to propose a contract and negotiation terms."
Then, Orion's playful expression softened. "Are you sure this decision comes from your heart?" he asked, a faint smile emerging.
"...Yes," Isadora stuttered, nodding her head firmly. "Both from a personal and political point of view, it would only become more troublesome if I delayed this proposal any longer," she explained.
Then, after a brief pause, she added, "Besides, you'll be heading out soon with the Wanderlust Travelling Tortoise Runaway City to meet the Wandering Wolf Borough and the Journeying Jaguar Runaway City so you can retrieve the four-eared Lone Rabbit Runaway City and advance Paradise forces the next stage."
Orion nodded silently. With the destruction of the Sleeping Fox Runaway City and its
inhabitants now residing in the Trekking Flamingo Runaway City, he had no choice but to take the Wanderlust Travelling Tortoise Runaway City.
He was prepared for the journey, and the only task left was to observe how the Stone Fang Stowaway would handle the Dreyal Alliance and the Grade One Runaway Cities supporting them. He had sent some warriors to monitor their progress.
While Orion didn't expect complete success, if the Stone Fang Stowaway could manage even a significant disruption of the Dreyal Alliance before being caught, he would consider accepting their allegiance to Paradise.
"I also want to use this opportunity to get closer to the main family," Isadora continued. "So, what does Mr. Orion think about my proposal?" she asked, keeping her expression calm despite her heart racing fiercely.
"When you put it like that, how can I say no? A union between us would be perfect," Orion responded, his tone now gentle.
The tension around Isadora eased, and a smile broke through her nervousness. She leaned slightly toward Orion, resting her head on his shoulder. "I wasn't sure if I needed to propose with a grand speech, so I made one beforehand," Isadora admitted with a soft chuckle. "I can't let it go to waste-do you want to hear it?"
Orion wrapped his arm around her shoulders, his voice soft. "Go ahead. I want to see if it's grander than something I might have come up with."
Isadora felt her body relax, a weight lifting off her shoulders. She took a breath, then opened her mouth to speak.
Observing the scene from a distance, Former Patriarch Rylan erupted in laughter. "HAHAHA... She's done it!!" He swiftly pulled Leif, standing nearby, into a celebratory hug.
He stared joyfully at the sky, shouting, "Do you see that, darling?! Our children are doing alright! They won't have to worry about the future in this wretched world anymore!" Tears streamed down his face as he spoke, but Former Patriarch Rylan didn't wipe them away.
Instead, he continued to laugh wildly.
Leif and the other Four-eared elves' gods' chosens also joined in the jubilation, smiling from ear to ear. They kept their celebration quiet, careful not to draw too much attention and risk revealing their location.
After all, it wouldn't be good if the Supreme Leader knew they were watching from afar.
Unknown to them, Orion was already aware of their location but decided not to expose it since they only watched them briefly.
"It seems I can now boldly say the Supreme Leader is my brother-in-law," Leona said with a light chuckle, her hand linked with Lyndon's arm.
A warm smile appeared on Lyndon's lips as he nodded. Suddenly, he felt Leona's grip tighten. Lyndon turned to look at her, noticing her flushed cheeks and heavier breathing.
Holding Lyndon's gaze, Leona leaned in.
"Although I admire the Supreme Leader's strength and ability to handle such a large family and Paradise simultaneously, I hope my Lyndon will be more like Former Patriarch Rylan and stick to one beautiful partner. You are incapable of handling me, so this is the best decision, or am I wrong?" Leona said.
Lyndon quickly shook his head. "No, you're right. I won't let brother-in-law's influence rub off on me, so you don't have to worry," he replied swiftly.
"Since the celebration is ongoing, shall we go somewhere a little more private, husband?" Leona asked a glint in her eyes. Without waiting for a response, she swept Lyndon off his feet, carrying him in a princess carry.
Sensing his wife's intoxicating scent and the toned muscles gained from her training, Lyndon nodded enthusiastically at her suggestion. He couldn't understand why other men always liked being in control. After experiencing Leona's care and touch, he decided this was the life he wanted and couldn't imagine trading it for anything else.
"Okay," Lyndon nodded.
Hearing his response, Leona adjusted her enhanced Gearweaver holstered on her back, then leapt into the air.
Watching this scene, the surrounding gods' chosens exchanged concerned glances before shaking their heads with smiles.
Given Leona's strength, it was apparent who held the power in their relationship behind closed doors. Her loyalty to the Four-Eared Elves and Paradise ensured she wouldn't go too far, squeezing Lyndon's last bit of life out when they were together.
"Come on, we need to prepare for the next celebration between Mr Orion and Isadora," Former Patriarch Rylan said excitedly as he exited their hiding spot, not bothering to look at Leona and Lyndon, who had already left.
The gods' chosens followed behind him.
......
Night arrived quickly, but the celebration showed no signs of stopping. Enchanted lanterns were hung around every corner of the new Four-Eared residence, including indoors, casting a brilliant hue on the joyous occasion.
Many people continued to pour in and out; the streets and tables were bustling with excitement. While some retreated indoors to rest, others took the celebration home to share with their families.
In the grandest, most decorated room of the Four-Eared Elves' new residence, Orion stood before Isadora, whose back was pressed against a wooden wall.
Isadora's face was flushed, her heartbeat pounding fiercely, resounding outside her body. Even her four ears twitched as though sensing something ominous in the air. Understanding that the sensation came from Orion and what would happen next, Isadora gulped, bracing
herself.
After spending the day together without any disturbances, something Isadora knew was her father's handiwork, they decided to head straight to bed to commemorate their relationship. Given their busy schedules, they were unsure when another perfect opportunity would arise.
"Before we begin, there's another thing I would like to ask of you," Isadora said, struggling to maintain her composure. After all, this was the first time she had experienced such a
moment.
"I don't want any special treatment when I become your concubine. Treat me like you treat the other concubines, as Key Leader Selene and Shani. I'm sure you know that even though I've chosen you from the depths of my heart, one of the primary reasons for my choice is political," Isadora replied, holding her trembling gaze with Orion's. "I want to become part of the main family through my strength and hard work."
Orion pondered before he nodded. "I thought you were going to tell me that it's impossible
for me to love you equally along with my other wives and that you'd be satisfied with whatever care and attention I could offer, as you understand what you're getting yourself
into," Orion replied.
Isadora trembled slightly and turned her head to the side. She opened her quivering lips and muttered, "...That was oddly specific. You didn't think about that on the spot, did you?"
"No, it's something I learned from experience," Orion responded, shaking his head slightly.
"Then..." Isadora asked, "What if I had asked it?"
"Then I would have told you that my love isn't about dividing myself into equal parts or distributing attention like rations. I will never give you scraps of attention because you deserve to be cherished fully, in your own way," Orion replied sternly.
Silence stretched between them before Isadora's eyes filled with tears-tears of relief. She wondered why she had been bothered by such a question despite witnessing Orion's care and affection for the rest of his wives firsthand.
For the younger wives, it was easy to spot them as couples; even a growing child could recognize it. For a few of the older ones, a bizarre chemistry they shared made it difficult to tell whether they were engaged, especially if one wasn't close to them or in a relationship themselves.
At some point, she had even thought that the reason for the newborn celebration within his household was so he could put them on the sidelines and focus on the others. However, it appeared that she was wrong.
She knew how men and women of high positions of power, who possess numerous partners, treat them, and she was glad that the Orion she had witnessed before making her decision was the same here now. There was nothing hidden behind a mask.