Battle Harem of the Heavenly Sword

The prince gulped in nervousness as he again felt a bloodlust several millennia strong. Rage unfettered and battle hunger more intense than any beast.

It made Dylan and his women tremble in anxiety. All of them thought 'What the hell is this? Didn't we invite a wolf to get rid of a mouse?' Vesna and Talvi held the hands of Autumn and Leto to ensure neither of them did anything stupid.

The words that Krayto Alabarda wrote in a letter echoed in the prince's mind.

(Dylan, protect my adopted daughters. Make it your highest priority. Their husband will come for them in the future; if by the time he comes, they are safe; Then you would gain your best and most powerful ally.

(One which can bring you the crown. If they die under your care, you would need to hide for the rest of your life. The time to remove the taint has arrived. Prepare yourself. These girls are key.)

Just as suddenly as it arrived, the blood lust disappeared. Both Hiro's hands were gently intertwined by his wives in theirs. The last wife wrapped her arms around his neck from behind and whispered in his ear.

"Husband. Calm down. We are here. You are not alone. Be patient."

Hiro then felt at peace and reigned in his rampaging emotions and pressure. Dylan who saw everything that happened suddenly remembered a phrase Dius Valorious kept repeating.

(A sword is only as good as its scabbard. If left unsheathed not only will the blade rust and chip but it would damage even those it had no intention to do so.)

The crown prince inwardly murmured. 'So these three are this man's scabbards? Then so long as they agree I can have him bend to my will?'

When Hiro got hold of his senses Jade returned to her seat and the man continued. "Please forgive me for my outburst. We will cross that bridge when we get there. How many battle harems from your faction will be entering? How many people specifically."

"Just Gael-bolg so 10 including me."

"..."

Unable to stop herself Jade rebuked the prince. "No allies? Not even 1? Negotiating, coercion, bribery even hiring mercenaries. What have you been doing all this time?"

The one to answer was Vesna, Dylan's second in command. The beautiful woman tucked her hair behind her ear as she replied.

"We tried everything, but none of the nobles wish to stand against the princess. The allies we did get all mysteriously died with or got incriminated in crimes such as treason and rebellion."

Talvi then added as she expressed her derision at Jei for rebuking her husband. "Politics is a complicated matter mage. And before you go around chastising my husband think about your place first. Dylan did all he could."

In response to the woman's angry comment, Vanessa answered in utter ridicule. "And when has doing your best mattered? If you get stabbed in the heart and die. Would anyone care how hard you tried to resist?

"Results are all that matter shinobi. We are on the same side, remember that before you take your frustration on my sister."

Before anyone else could comment Dylan slammed his hand on the table; like a judge calling the attention of the courtroom.

"Lady Jei is not wrong and it indeed sounds pathetic, but that's how large the disparity between Rhyne and I is.

"Nobles are generally selfish, none of them wish to side with me for fear of being implicated. We have yet to confirm but we believe Rhyne should have employed a mercenary group that does her dirty work."

Hiro then responded as he crossed his arms on the table. "She does, the group is called the Convent of Shadows. I am still in the middle of investigating them. They are a powerful group that should not be trifled with."

The butcher remembered the words of his friend from another life.

(She has another battle harem called the [Convent of Shadows]. Compared to them you are like sheep. They are a far more dangerous group that has neither morals nor aspirations and lives only to die for her.)

'It seems there is only that option then. We need to hide our link with Dylan until the tournament itself.'

"How do you know that? We don't even have a name for them yet." Asked the prince in awe. Dylan then asked in excitement.

"So will you join me? I will be sure to reward you handsomely as my most trusted subordinate!" Even which such terms Hiro closed his eyes and considered his options.

As the butcher still did not reply, Dylan and his wives grew restless. Individually they were powerful but military might could not stand for everything in Valorious.

Being a monarch in medieval periods require acumen in politics, economics as well as military. The royalty granted power and land to the nobility and they would stand with the empire if its very existence was at stake.

Otherwise, most nobles were just selfish bastards who kept to themselves and lived their days in debauchery, depravity, and carnal pleasures.

Dylan faced countless rejections in his search for support. He even came to blows with a count who wanted to sleep with his wives in exchange for said count's help.

Fearing the worse, Dylan gripped his hands in frustration. If only someone would help him. He didn't want to be emperor. It was just that he no longer had a choice.

Raylene who had yet to speak until now tried to summarize the situation. "So if I understand correctly, you want darling to enter the tournament win one of the top two spots, and assist you in taking down the bitch's battle harem in the battle royale?"

Jade also added her input. "Or take down all of the bish's allies. They also want us to display prowess that would convince the nobility of the prince's potential. And single-handedly turn the political battle in favor of his side."

Vanessa placed her hand on her temple as she further added. "Do not forget that he also probably wants us to investigate and or eliminate that bitches assassin group."

Tsugumi started to complain due to what she heard. "Nii-sama, just a wedding and the last known location of the emperor are not enough to pay for such requests, you are basically going to win an empire for him!"

Surprised that they still haven't been shut down Dylan nodded his head. The prince knew what he was asking for was a lot.

On top of actually fighting for their lives in the tournament, tying themselves to him would mean they would come under the gaze of Rhyne's assassins.

Yet, he had no other allies to turn to. All his money was being funneled into his sub harems and the battle puppets, thus he had little left for intelligence and mercenaries.

Vesna, Talvi, Leto, and Autumn while beautiful come from complicated backgrounds none of them were nobles. This was one of the reasons why he failed to forge alliances. Like Hiro, he did not wish to take in wives when he did not love them.

The silence continued for several seconds; while the prince's side grew anxious the butcher's side remained nonchalant. In their minds, they would be fighting the end of the world, what's an entire empire?

Dylan marveled at the countenance of the butcher's battle harem, they did not show fear, worry, or even unhappiness. They merely waited for their dominant's command.

After a long while, Hiro finally opened his eyes as he gave two simple words that would determine the course of the Dominii empire.

"I accept."