The Story of Hero Among Heroes ~The Founding Chronicles of Arestia - Chapter 118 – Wife Talk

Author’s note:

Thank you for your impression on my writings.

I’m sorry I couldn’t respond to you right away. Real life has been so hectic recently… yeah, it’s just an excuse. I have no right to say that after promising to take care of the readers… it’s truly regrettable.

All of your comments, I’ve read them all. It’ll take some time, but we’ll be sure to reply to them all. Just bear with me a little more… I hope you can wait.

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Why am I just sitting around here then?

Looking at things objectively, Ares should be smiling.

But he knew full well that if he smiled, he would only bring trouble to himself. So he refrained from doing so.

So, he only sat on one corner of the room.

In front of him was the smiling Cornelia. It’s just that her eyes said otherwise.

[Then, Ares-sama, can you hear me out for a moment?]

[Yes, what is it…?]

Ares replied with a quickly fading voice. Surrounding him were several other women… his soon-to-be wives, all smiling similarly.

Among them was a pink haired female demonkin.

Lilith smiled bewitchingly when their gaze happened to meet.

(Uuu, you traitor…)

A week before Cornelia arrived at Heinz, Ares received a letter from her. In the letter, she said that she wanted to meet the other woman Ares had wooed, Lilith in particular, which made Ares frown.

[I have heard the report regarding Lilith-dono.]

Looking at such a situation, George suddenly spoke up

[If there will be bloodshed, please make it quick.]

Lilith alone was already a headache… Why this one after another…?

[Master, please rest assured. I handled the talking properly.]

If that was really the case…

(Then, why are you on their side!?)

Seeing Lilith was standing among his fiancees, Ares could only clutch his head.

Lilith was currently treated as Ares’ escort and eventually his concubine. But Cornelia was furiously opposed to this.

For whatever reason, he should’ve taken things formally.

Blaming Ares for being indecisive, Cornelia pushed him to recognize Lilith as one of his wives as well.

On second glance, Ares noticed that Liliana was standing behind Cornelia, like a knight guarding her princess… although the former had an apologetic look on her face.

(Even Liliana… just what kind of sorcery did you use!?)

[Ares-sama?]

Seeing Ares not responding, Cornelia called out to him, which threw Ares out of his revery as he replied in haste.

[No, it’s nothing!]

Seeing such a response, Cornelia kept smiling, but her gaze sharpened as she threw another question toward Ares.

[So… when Ares-sama unknowingly increased the number of wives, did you even consider the feelings of the other people?]

[…………………]

[I was drunk; is that not a good excuse?]

[…………………..]

It’s like sitting on a mat made of needles.

Ares thought inwardly… ah, this was similar to that.

Sera’s infamous 『Mother’s Talk』.

Why is there always that kind of woman around him? Ares thought. Seeing Cornelia right now, no wonder she stood at the top among his wives…

Even though this would be their first meeting after a long while, Cornelia had already pushed Ares into desperation…

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◆

Ares was finally free to go around sunset.

[To… to think that Cornelia can be that similar to mother…]

Theta was sitting right next to him as Ares lay down on the sofa.

[Well, it can’t be helped. Ares-sama has brought this upon yourself.]

Theta smiled while saying so.

Cornelia’s sermon. It was exactly one of the few things Ares couldn’t withstand.

Because… it’s so similar to Sera’s 『Mother’s Talk』 .

[Back then it’s my mother, now it’s Cornelia… I can’t stand this…]

Ares turned his face to Theta.

[Speaking of which, why did everyone side with Cornelia?]

[Eh?]

[I mean, you’ve been getting to know each other for a full year, right? What happened…?]

Right, Ares suddenly had this question. Regarding why his fiancees are banding together like this.

And not only Cornelia. Once the session with Cornelia was over, Sharon, then Theta, then Roxanne, then Nina followed one after another.

He tried to look for aid, but even Cynthia could only smile apologetically… he was thoroughly cornered.

[Well, it’s all because of Sera-sama and Cornelia-sama’s power.]

Theta’s words sunk deep into Ares’ mind.

[Who would’ve thought… that both my mother and Cornelia are birds of the same feather…]

[Cornelia-sama is a great person though.]

Theta smiled at Ares.

[Once people talk to her, they usually realize it. Sharon-san and Liliana-san were at first at odds with her… but one day they just suddenly got along well with each other. Liliana-san even started to worship Cornelia-sama a week after they first met.]

[Those two became like that… that’s very surprising.]

[Lilith-san was also hostile in the beginning… but she now acts like domesticated cat around Cornelia-sama.]

[E… even that far, huh…]

Ares was lost for words.

Ares could certainly sense the 『Traits of a Ruler』 within Cornelia. But… he never thought that it would go this far.

(Perhaps, she has a power that I’m not aware of?)

He couldn’t help but think so.

[However… it’s not good if I’m on the losing side every time…]

Ares muttered to himself.

Being unilaterally dominated by his own fiancees…isn’t that too sad of a fate for a man? Shouldn’t they instead treat their man with all kinds of caring and fluffy stuff?

(Regardless, it feels like I’m still losing in the end.)

At that moment, Ares’ eyes caught something.

It’s… the bottle of the same kind of wine that he once drank in the past.

(Should I rely on Gil’s help again…? I guess I could… Cause I can’t just leave everything like this!)

As a man, he loathed having to rely on Gilbert’s help. But he also knew that he couldn’t just let himself remain defeated like this.

He needed a breakthrough.

Having made the decision, Ares reached out to the wine bottle……

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◆

[Did we go a little overboard there?]

Cornelia muttered after a small sigh.

[That’s not too much, I think? He won’t reflect if we don’t go that far.]

The one who answered her was Sharon.

[But it’s still amazing~ nothing less from Cornelia-sama… no, it’s Cornelia-han now. But Ares fell too easily for it as well.]

Having Nina mention it only made everyone to be reminded of Ares’ appearance earlier.

[And it is almost our wedding… I think we went too far just now…]

[No, we have to do that much. Otherwise he’ll just repeat the same mistake again…]

Just when Sharon responded to Roxanne…

The door to their room was opened loudly.

[Haa, so everyone is here.]

When everyone turned around… they found Ares standing there, pink faced. His eyes glowed brilliantly, but it’s obvious to them that this Ares was different from the usual Ares.

That appearance… some of them immediately recognized it.

Sharon involuntarily stood up.

[D-did you… drink some liquor?]

[I might be drunk. But I can still act true to how I feel.]

[Even if you say so…]

Sharon still remembers what Ares did when he’s in this kind of state.

When Sharon unconsciously moved to retreat… someone got in between her and Ares.

It’s Cornelia.

What she said next was actually unexpected.

[Who are you?]

The air immediately changed.

What is Cornelia talking about? everyone thought that.

[Oi oi, what is this? You can see that I am Ares, can’t you? Your…]

[I will ask once more. Who are you?]

On her second try, everybody could feel that the temperature around them went down drastically.

Cornelia was clearly angry.

[Who are you living inside Ares-sama’s body?]

[…………..]

Ares went silent, his face upset.

But Cornelia continued on.

[The one I love is Ares Schwarzer-sama, not you. Begone!]

After she said so, a barrier was formed between her and Ares.

At the same time, a red glow could be seen in Cornelia’s eyes.

[Uwaaaaaaaaaah!]

[You might be trying to help Ares-sama now. But it is not your turn. Begone now!]

At that moment, Ares could hear Gilbert’s voice inside his head.

((Sorry, Ares! This fellow is bad news. I leave the rest to you!! If I keep insisting, I’m afraid I’d perish for real!)

(EH?! Ehhh?!)

(You married a truly great lady there, you know? This woman… Let’s talk about it inside the dream later. See ya!)

(W-wait a sec… you, you Traiiiiiitoor!)

In reality, Cornelia stood in front of Ares, who was kneeling on the floor with heavy breathing.

[Now then, Ares-sama. Do you have anything to say about that?]

[…….I’d be grateful if you can make it as comfortable as possible… Ah, I guess, it’s impossible after all.]

With Gilbert disappearing from his head, Ares was once again being surrounded from all sides by his fiancees.

After that…. The talk continued on until dawn arrived.

(Mother’s talk is already hard as it was… but Cornelia really went beyond it… ah, god help me…)

In the morning, in that room… what’s left was the completely burnt out and pale figure of Ares, sitting on a chair.