Chapter 283: Time to Get Serious

"Master, let’s be honest... my outfit is the cutest of all, right?" Aria asked with a smile on her face.

And that innocent question was the spark that set everything off.

She had planted herself in front of Mark with her hands on her hips and a pose she’d clearly rehearsed a second before, showing off her new outfit with a smile of absolute confidence.

"Excuse me?" Ely stepped in instantly, shouldering her aside to position herself in front. "If there’s anyone here the new gear suits well, it’s me. Don’t you think, Master?"

"You’re both delusional, since it’s obvious I’m the one who looks best," Alice cut in, shoving between the two of them without the slightest hesitation. "I have the bearing, I have the elegance, and unlike certain people, I actually know how to wear armor with class."

"Class? You look like a crab with all those metal plates on!" Aria said, bursting into laughter. "Besides, we all know what really matters is the figure, and in that department you two don’t stand a chance against me."

Aria straightened her back and puffed out her chest with a satisfied smile, making it very clear what her pride was centered on.

"Don’t get too full of yourself, shorty," Ely cut in with a mocking laugh. "Because if we’re talking about that, my tits are just as big as yours... or even bigger."

While she spoke, she crossed her arms right below her chest, lifting it with obvious shamelessness.

"And, unlike you, I’ve also got a nice ass."

"Huh?! What the hell do you mean by that?!"

"You heard me, flat-ass."

"Ha! You two arguing over scraps," Alice scoffed, turning toward them with a hand on her hip to show off her own silhouette. "I’m the only one here with balanced proportions. True beauty lies in harmony."

"That’s what people who don’t stand out at anything say," Aria shot back with a malicious smile.

"How dare you say that?!" Alice protested, frowning. "Besides, your tits only look bigger because you’re short!"

"Better short than a curveless pole like you!"

"Master, you decide! Who has the better body?!" they exclaimed in unison, turning back toward him.

The three of them crowded in front of Mark, each trying to get closer than the others, demanding his verdict as if the kingdom’s fate depended on it.

Yuki, watching the scene from the side, decided to try to bring some order.

"Girls, would you stop bothering the Master with your childish fights?" she said in her usual flat tone.

However, all three ignored her and kept arguing.

In the end the assassin simply let out an almost imperceptible sigh and gave up.

Some battles, quite simply, weren’t worth fighting.

A little further back, Emilia covered her mouth with one hand, laughing quietly at the spectacle, while Rose slowly shook her head, a resigned smile on her lips.

"I suppose some things never change..." the vampire murmured, amused.

"Not even after a thousand years," Emilia agreed between laughs.

Mark, for his part, watched it all with genuine amusement.

There was something deeply entertaining about seeing his wives argue with such passion over who looked prettier or who had the better body.

It was absurd and childish, and precisely because of that it reminded him why he loved the life he’d built so much.

But even though he found the whole situation thoroughly amusing, the dispute showed no sign of dying down, and if he didn’t step in, it could drag on for hours.

"Alright, alright," he said finally, raising his hands to calm things down. "Okay, settle down. Before you scratch each other’s eyes out over this, let me give you my official verdict."

All three fell silent at once, looking at him expectantly, each convinced she would be the chosen one.

Mark swept his gaze over all of them, taking his time, and then smiled.

"You all look equally sexy," he declared, looking them over. "So you’re going to have to settle for a tie."

There was a brief silence.

"...That’s cheating," Aria protested, puffing out her cheeks.

"Please be honest, Master," Ely added, crossing her arms. "One of us has to appeal to you a little more than the others, even if just slightly."

"Not at all," Mark replied with a shrug. "To me, all of you are equally beautiful."

The three grumbled a little more, but it was clear none of them were actually upset.

On the contrary, the compliment had left all of them quite pleased, even if none would admit it.

"Well, now that you’re all geared up, I’m the only one left," Mark said, taking advantage of the truce before the argument could start up again. "I’m going to go prepare a few things, and once I’m back, we’ll head out."

His expression grew a little more serious. It was time to set the jokes aside.

"Aria, Alice, we leave in an hour, so make sure everything’s ready by then," he said, looking at both of them. "The rest of you already know what to do while we’re gone."

"As you command, Master," his wives replied in unison.

After that Mark headed toward the exit of the treasure vault, leaving behind the murmur of his wives, who were already starting to organize themselves.

...

The palace corridors remained silent as Mark walked back toward his room.

With the echo of his wives’ laughter still resonating in his head, he gradually got lost in his thoughts.

Because the more he thought about it, the clearer it became that he had never been as happy as he was in that moment.

’Funny...’ he thought with a half smile. ’I had to die to finally start really living.’

And even though his new life came with its own small problems, complications, and dangers, it was still infinitely better than anything he’d ever had before.

But it was precisely that happiness and fulfillment he had finally found that reminded him of something important.

’If I want this to last,’ Mark thought, his expression hardening slightly, ’if I want to hold onto everything I’ve built, I can’t afford to stand still.’

Because the world wasn’t going to stop just because he had found happiness. If anything, it was exactly the opposite.

The more he had, the more he could lose.

And out there were people capable of tearing it all away from him in a single instant if he let his guard down.

The Demon Lord had treated him as an equal, yes, but they both knew the truth... if she wanted to, she could crush him without effort.

The new reincarnated person was an unknown he still didn’t know how dangerous he’d turn out to be.

And he was still too weak.

That was a truth he couldn’t ignore.

’I have to become much stronger,’ he thought, clenching his teeth slightly. ’And not just for myself... but to protect everyone I love too.’

Mark stopped in front of his bedroom door, hand on the handle, while the faces of his wives passed through his mind.

All that happiness was worthless if he wasn’t capable of defending it.

And he intended to defend it with everything he had.

With that idea burned into his mind, Mark opened the door and stepped into his room, ready to prepare for what was to come.