Copy Skills with Affinity! - Chapter 212

A ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍few days had passed since I tore apart Wornil’s heart and erased the root of the world’s calamity.

Without ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍even having the chance to savor the feeling of being a hero who saved the world, I barely managed to speak while failing to hide my trembling eyes.

“……Father.”

“Yes.”

“I ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍never thought I would end up having multiple weddings in my life.”

“…….”

Kenneth’s gaze, clearly asking what he was supposed to do about being told that, immediately returned to me.

Beside me, Sisela, who was preparing the clothes I would wear when entering together, also looked at me with a similar expression… as a bonus.

“……My son.”

“Yes, Father.”

“I always taught you to be someone who reaps what he sows.”

“…….”

“You take responsibility for your actions yourself.”

“…….”

It was hard to even say thanks for such encouraging words.

Because those words were filled with the intention of correcting a son who had caused trouble and come back.

In truth, even I didn’t have the nerve to completely deny that statement.

With a face that looked half-dead, I turned my gaze to the side.

On the opposite side, I could see the people waiting to enter.

The bride’s side, that is.

Roughly six people.

This time, unlike before, it wasn’t some urgent matter, so guests had been invited and it was a proper, official wedding. Yet inside the hall, there were no guests clapping or cheering.

The guests who had come were filled only with expressions that said they had no idea how they were supposed to react to this.

The Emperor, who was sitting among the guests, looking like he had lived through everything the world could offer, put a cigarette in his mouth and spoke.

“Dunadan.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Have you ever seen something like this in your life?”

“……Not in my memory.”

Even for people who had ruled a massive nation for a long time and had seen all kinds of situations, this kind of wedding was something they had never witnessed before.

No, wait a moment.

“……Didn’t you officiate at his last wedding too?”

“There were fewer people than that time.”

“…….”

That was true.

Even someone who had seen a man marry four people at once would definitely be seeing, for the first time, a man marrying six more on top of that.

Thinking that, the Emperor, wearing the look of someone who had seen it all, put a pipe in his mouth.

When he slightly turned his head, Noel was there, preparing to officiate.

“…….”

At this point, it went beyond looking like she had seen everything in life—she probably felt like beating that rascal Aiden to death.

Of course, Noel wasn’t his biological daughter, but having stood together on the battlefield for so long, he had thought of her as something like a daughter.

Yet not long after holding her own wedding, she was now officiating as the man she had married was getting married in bulk to other women.

“……Hmm.”

Realizing that despite going through such a process, no proper fight had broken out, the Emperor let out a breath and quietly organized his thoughts.

In any case, such an act was only happening because everyone involved had agreed to it, wasn’t it?

Thinking that, hmm.

‘……Should I be impressed that they married a man like that?’

Controlling that many people at once was difficult, and even more so when those people possessed that level of ‘ability.’

But if they were at a level where they could all accept and understand something this absurd together, then—

Calling him a madman now didn’t quite feel right. If anything, it was almost worthy of awe….

As the Emperor came to terms with it through his own strange logic, he noticed something odd after a moment.

“……Isn’t that the Great Chieftain?”

“………….”

Dunadan, who looked at the place the Emperor pointed to as he spoke, immediately shut his mouth.

It was indeed the Great Chieftain herself, who always wore a mask.

Of course, rather than the Great Chieftain, it would be more accurate to call her the Great Chieftain’s daughter. But since I had already torn through the Tribal Alliance, anyone who could have raised objections about that had their heads smashed in, so it was a meaningless distinction anyway.

The Emperor, who had been quietly watching that sight, soon continued with an incredulous question.

“Why is she in there?”

“Well, I heard that she once said she would repay him like this if he helped her.”

“I mean, why?”

“……Wouldn’t it be because she was certain that if she married him, no one would dare pick a fight with her?”

Hmm.

Can’t deny that.

The Emperor nodded blankly after hearing Dunadan’s words.

After all, he had crawled into the Void Zone and torn apart the God of Devouring. It was doubtful whether there were any fools left bold enough to try and pick a fight with her now.

At that point, it went beyond bravery—it entered the realm of making one wonder what kind of life someone must have lived to want to die that badly.

Anyway.

“……But is she really in there just for that reason?”

“What do you mean, Your Majesty?”

“No, I’m just asking if she didn’t fall head over heels for him in that short time and decided to marry him.”

“…….”

The fact that even that couldn’t be completely denied was what made it more terrifying.

The two men shared their disbelief in silence as they quietly watched the wedding proceed.

▣

The process of finding a house went extremely smoothly.

Or rather, it was so smooth that it actually became a bit of a problem.

Since everyone insisted on setting up a home in their own respective places, we ended up agreeing to rotate and live in each place for certain periods.

There was some doubt about whether that would even work, given that everyone was busy handling their own state affairs, but that concern was crushed by a single remark that made me feel like I was being treated as an idiot.

“Mr. Aiden.”

“Yes.”

“Do you think there’s anyone on this continent bold enough to pick a fight with someone known to be on good terms with you?”

“…….”

“Think about what you’ve done while stirring up the three largest nations on the continent. And what you did after entering the Void Zone.”

“…….”

“At this point, there’s probably no political matter more important than maintaining a good relationship with you.”

When Noel said that, I still vividly remember how everyone around nodded in complete agreement.

Anyway.

“-Good work.”

“Good work-”

With those words, the sound of clinking glasses rang out.

Well. We had now agreed to live together as one household.

But the fact that even just the women gathering together in that house could turn into an after-party was more than enough to make my face turn pale.

“Now, now. Mr. Aiden, drink up. Drink up.”

“……Sir Noel. I’ve had quite a lot—”

“Drink.”

“…….”

At the sharp, forceful command, I swallowed the drink with tears in my eyes.

If there was one biggest change, it would definitely be this person.

Where had Noel Astrea Simus gone—the one who used to be completely awkward around men and couldn’t do anything when we first met?

Give me Sir Noel back, you monster…

“I’m the monster you created.”

“…….”

“Is your conscience doing well, Mr. Aiden?”

Watching Sir Noel pour more and more alcohol into my glass as she said that, I felt like I couldn’t even respond.

For someone who had once even contained a god within her body, just how much would she have had to drink to actually appear drunk like that?

Even if she emptied an entire liquor storage by herself, reaching that state wouldn’t be easy.

“……What have you been doing since earlier?”

And beside her, I spoke to Princess Katya, who was simply narrowing her eyes and scanning the surroundings.

Unlike Noel, she wasn’t drinking heavily, but she had been completely absorbed in doing that for a while now.

“Ah, I’m counting.”

“Pardon?”

“How many people are here.”

“Wouldn’t that be something you could easily find out by asking the person who organized this?”

“Ah, I know that. But just counting the number of people you married already makes me wonder if you can handle it.”

“……Pardon?”

Of course, it wasn’t strange given how many people were here, but something about the unsettling tone in that sentence made me flinch.

What exactly was I supposed to “handle”?

Katya’s next words followed the same line.

“If it’s too many, I don’t think even you will be able to manage it.”

“…….”

What is she talking about?

I wanted to ask that, but fortunately or unfortunately, I didn’t need to.

The bottle in my hand slipped and fell.

“…………?”

My vision spun. My entire body burned like it was on fire.

What had happened was obvious.

“……You all.”

I caught my breath and looked around. My vision wasn’t distorted, and my body didn’t feel abnormal, so it didn’t seem like poison.

But the overwhelming vitality surging through my body made it very clear that if I didn’t release it somehow, things would get bad.

“What did you put in this?”

“Ah—looks like the effects are kicking in now. Everyone, come sit together here.”

Ignoring my question entirely, Katya gestured to the people moving around and gathered them all in one place.

“No, I mean. We all got married together, right? And instead of going on a honeymoon, we just decided to gather at home and have a party.”

“So?”

“Then wouldn’t it be fine to share one person together?”

“…….”

“They all married you for their own reasons too. Me and a few others have already, well… gone through the process on our own.”

“…….”

I didn’t fully understand what she was saying.

But even with my spinning head, I could at least grasp the nuance of what she meant.

“Excuse me, Princess Katya.”

“Yeah.”

“……Didn’t we agree that treating me like a stud would end last time?”

“Think of it as a sacrifice for a peaceful family life.”

“…….”

“You’re the one who brought them, so you take responsibility.”

No.

Why was she bringing up such a logical argument at a time like this?

As I was thinking that, Noel approached me, placed both her hands on my shoulders, and smiled.

“Well, to be honest, I hate this like hell too. But at least for the first night, it can’t be helped, can it? We’re going to live peacefully as a family from now on. For that, this is necessary.”

Her tone was warm.

It sounded like a vow that no matter what happened, this bond formed in such a way would never break, and that she would never leave me.

And with that goddess-like, benevolent smile, Sir Noel gently stroked my face as I struggled to breathe and continued.

“Though being squeezed dry can’t be helped.”

“…….”

“I won’t yield past five, Mr. Aiden.”

Hmm.

The world had become peaceful, and I had finally escaped the endless cycle of quests that had plagued me.

Then, as a reward, I should have been living a peaceful life.

……Had it really come true?