Archer received no response from the struggling blonde prince, so he forcefully threw Vylan onto the sofa and used his sleek yet powerful tail to pierce the boy's thigh, eliciting a scream of pain, but he ignored it and warned the First Prince, ''Don't ever ntion my girls again.''
After that, he withdrew his tail and cast Aurora Healing on Vylan, restoring his injured leg to its normal condition. However, despite the healing magic, the prince scread in agony.
Watching this, Archer resorted to slapping to attempt to pacify him, prompting the blonde girl to regard him with a horrified expression as if seeing a monstrous side of him. Still, he shrugged before rejoining Leira and Hera, who weren't shocked.
But Kassandra spoke in a confused tone, ''It's obvious you don't like people looking at us, do you?''
''No?'' Archer instantly answered. ''You girls belong to , and people shouldn't be looking at you in front of . That's just stupid Kass.''
anwhile, Osoric and Chloe rushed over to Vylan, relieved to see his wound healed, before he exited the room. Once he was gone, the emperor turned to Archer, ''Thank you for not harming him too much,'' he said. ''We're grateful for all your help.''
Archer nodded as he pulled Hera and Leira closer. The latter blushed brightly, prompting the older man to laugh, ''You look just like your mother when you blush, Leira.''
The cat girl hid her head in her hands, causing the others to laugh as Sera said, ''It's adorable, ain't it?''
Osoric agreed with a chuckle but soon cald down and asked, ''So who are your new ladies, son?''
He smiled before introducing them and asking Leira and Hera to jump up. Archer got Kassandra and Lucrezia to take their place. The Kraken Princess and Deep One joined him with a smile as they sat up against him, causing Chloe to laugh.
Archer motioned to the black-haired girl, ''This is Kassandra Tidewater,'' he said.
After that, he turned to the blonde Deep One, ''This is Lucrezia,'' Archer introduced. ''She saved against the Swarm.''
Osoric looked concerned and asked about the poison, which Archer did. After explaining everything to the man, who looked worried, he wrote down what he was being told. Once the emperor detailed everything, the older man nodded concernedly.
''This is troubling,'' he said. ''But I've ramped up recruitnt in the army and allocated more funds to creating even more armies thanks to the new provinces the empire gained because of you.''
He smiled before they started talking about everything he'd been up to, which fascinated his Mother and Father-in-law and caused them to ask even more questions. After an hour of talking and catching up, Osoric comnted, ''Now for the main event, Arch.''
When Archer heard this, his eyes glowed with greed, causing the girls to giggle at his reaction before the emperor took out a storage ring and handed it to him. As he took it, the ring sucked so of his mana into it.
It continued until it suddenly stopped, and Chloe quickly explained, ''The ring has connected with you and won't allow anyone else to access it while you live.''
Archer bead at the empress's words before looking into the ring. He was shocked as mountains of gold coins stretched as far as his eyes could see. He continued to explore the ring's contents and saw troves of glittering gems in every color imaginable.
Mountains of gold and silver coins littered one side of the space, which excited him because his hoard would be never-ending now, and he would only add more to it as the years passed, thanks to the trouble he always gets into.
Afterward, he returned to reality and looked at the emperor, ''Thank you, Osoric,'' he said with an honest smile. ''It's impressive.''
The emperor chuckled before speaking with a radiant smile, "You've helped us earn even more, thanks to the new lands," he stated, approaching Archer. "I have to go speak to the governnt officials, but once the Frostfall Ball is finished, you'll be brought to the palace for a late dinner."
Archer nodded in acknowledgnt before turning to the blonde girl, who wore a scowl on her face. Osoric introduced her, "This is Ana Avalon, the First Princess."
Archer greeted her with a charming smile, but the girl ignored him, prompting the emperor to shake his head before departing. Chloe bid farewell to Leira with a hug before turning to the other girls and doing the sa thing, shocking everyone.
Once Chloe hugged each of them, she approached him with a loving smile, which reminded him of the ones Mothers gave their sons when they were proud. The empress hugged him, ''Be careful out there, Arch,'' she said. ''Many people hate you and would love to see you fail.''
When he heard this, Archer felt a surge of happiness, realizing that Ana cared more for him than his mother, leaving him oddly touched. Chloe seed to sense his emotions and released him, offering him a warm smile before departing with Osoric and Ana, who remained silent.
Archer chuckled at Ana's reaction before focusing on the girls watching him. He was just about to speak. Teuila jumped up and declared, ''Can we go check out the stalls, please? So of the food slt delicious.''
The group agreed with her, and Archer opened a Gate to one of the alleyways in the city below and stepped through, followed by the twelve girls. When exiting the portal, they all saw crowds of people passing by.
Archer's interest was piqued as children ran ahead of their parents, clutching bags of sweets. However, Ella quickly took charge, rallying everyone. "Everyone, we should split up and explore the stalls and restaurants."
She suggested before continuing. "But our husband will travel between groups to spend ti with all of us, so it will be fair for everyone."
The girls eagerly nodded in agreent, their faces alight with excitent, before breaking into groups of three. Ella, Hali, and Llyniel ford one group, while Teuila, Kassandra, and Sera comprised the second. Nefertiti, Hera, and Leira ford the third group, while the last group consisted of Nala, Talila, and Lucrezia.
Afterward, they all started to say their goodbyes, but Archer stopped to give them the necklaces he bought as a gift, which made each girl happy. Each one had a different reaction, from happiness to excitent.
They all thanked him with a hug and kiss before they started to split up, leaving him alone in the alleyway. Archer chuckled as he walked onto the street to find sothing to do, as hundreds of people passed by.
Deciding to make the most of his ti alone, Archer set off into the bustling streets and saw one called Market Avenue, which caught his interest. He loved the sight of the street alive with activity and people, lined with colorful stalls offering tasty treats and expensive trinkets.
Amidst the bustling crowd, one stall caught his eye—a humble setup decorated with hanging lanterns and a sign that read "Spicy Noodles."
Captivated by the promise of good food, Archer walked toward the stall. Behind the counter, an old, Asian-looking man stood, a warm smile lighting up his weathered face. The sll of spices and savory broth wafted through the air, enticing Archer further.
"Welco, young traveler!" the man greeted him, his voice kind and inviting. "Would you like a bowl of our famous spicy noodles?"
Archer returned the smile, feeling comfortable in the man's presence. "Yes, please.''
The old man nodded with a big smile before Archer started to watch with anticipation, his mouth watering at the tantalizing aroma emanating from the bowl. Finally, after ten minutes, the stall owner placed a large bowl in front of him with a generous portion of noodles inside.
"Here you go, young sir," he said with a bow. "Enjoy your al."
He thanked him before sitting at a nearby table, eager to try the noodles. When he finally did, the heat danced across his taste buds as he took his first bite, leaving a satisfying warmth in its wake.
Archer found the dish mouthwatering and dug in eagerly until every last bite had disappeared, leaving him thoroughly satisfied. The old man behind the stall chuckled at his reaction, clearly pleased.
After ten minutes, he finished eating and turned to the owner, a smile playing on his lips. "Those were amazing," he said. "Can I have four more bowls, please?"
The stall owner was montarily shocked, but Archer saw a twinkle of delight dancing in them. "Another bowl so soon? My, my, you must have a hearty appetite, young sir!" he exclaid, his voice filled with genuine joy.
Archer chuckled, nodding eagerly. "Your noodles are just too good to resist," he admitted.
Without hesitation, the old man set to work, his skilled hands moving efficiently as he prepared another bowl of noodles. Archer watched in anticipation, his mouth watering at the thought of eating more.
While waiting, he started people-watching and saw a group of guards chatting with so children who were fascinated by their weapons and armor. They harassed the soldier to touch his weapon, which the man refused due to the child's age.
Next, an old man talked to a woman who was selling trinkets. He lectured her on the expensive prices of her goods, but she brushed him off with an exotic accent: ''Get out of here, you old coot! My prices are good! The best on Market Avenue.''
Archer chuckled upon hearing this, prompting the old man to turn his attention toward him, which only made him laugh even more. However, the noodle stall owner threw sothing at him, shouting, "Rodrick! Stop harassing our custors, you crazy old coot.
[Please let know if you spot any mistakes, and I will edit them. Thank you]
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