"Mmm~"
Yang Hui raised his hand to block the sunlight streaming through the gap in the curtains. Checking the time, he saw it was already seven o'clock—time to get up.
Gently moving aside the delicate arms and legs resting on him, he carefully slipped out of bed, put on his pajamas, and glanced at his radiant, blissfully sleeping wives. With a proud smile, he headed toward the bathroom—though one hand remained firmly planted on his aching lower back.
Sumeragi, Wang Liu Mei, Murrue, Natarle Badgiruel, and Lacus gradually woke up after Yang Hui left the bed, as if sensing their husband's departure—a silent understanding between spouses.
"Sumeragi, what time is it?" Wang Liu Mei asked in a drowsy murmur, keeping her eyes closed.
"Seven. We should get up," Sumeragi replied lazily, urging the others to move while making no effort herself.
"I'm so tired... I don't want to," Lacus mumbled, curling up like a kitten under the covers.
"But you have to, especially you and Liumei," Murrue stretched, her toned figure briefly revealed before the sheets covered her again.
"The meeting starts at eight-thirty. If you get up now and leave immediately for Earth Federation headquarters, you'll still make it," Natarle sat up, smoothing the tousled hair from her forehead.
"But I'm really exhausted..." Lacus whined.
"Whose fault is that for going wild last night?" Sumeragi scolded, giving Lacus a light smack—where exactly, one could only imagine. "Don't you know how much of a beast he is? And you still wanted to challenge him? Asking for trouble!"
"You all didn't help me! We were so close to overthrowing the big bad overlord!"
"If we helped any more, we'd be dead!" X4
"Wahhh..."
"Alright, get up already. Hurry and get ready."
"Fine..."
Though they could indulge in playful banter among themselves, none of them were mere decorations. Each had her own responsibilities, and rather than spending all their time wrapped in sweet romance with Yang Hui, they preferred to support him by handling affairs efficiently—easing his burdens.
"Oh? You're awake?" Yang Hui emerged from the bathroom just as the five women were getting out of bed, taking in the delightful sight.
"If we didn't get up now, we'd be late," Sumeragi shot him a glare, though she didn't mind his wolfish gaze. "Honestly, couldn't you have held back a little?"
"You were the ones rebelling! If I didn't show my true skills, how could I maintain my position as the head of this household?"
"It was Lacus! Not us!" X4
Sumeragi, Wang Liu Mei, Murrue, and Natarle protested in unison.
"But you didn't stop her—secretly helped, even," Yang Hui shrugged, smirking.
"Ugh..." The five women flushed, quickly pulling on their pajamas before shoving him aside from the doorway and rushing into the bathroom.
Yang Hui shrugged again. He wanted to tell them that if he hadn't held back, none of them would have been able to leave the bed today—but his protesting kidneys kept him from saying it out loud.
...
Sumeragi, Wang Liu Mei, and Lacus followed Yang Hui aboard a private aircraft headed for the Earth Federation headquarters. Murrue and Natarle Badgiruel provided escort aboard the Archangel and Sword of the Heavens respectively, with all MS units from both ships fully mobilized. Setsuna, Lyle, Tieria, Creuset, Kira, Athrun, Mu, and others were all present—arguably the most elite escort formation in the world.
Half a year had passed since the battle in the Kingdom of Scandinavia. Durandal's fears ultimately did not come to pass, as the leaders of various organizations and nations were not foolish enough to misread the global situation.
Putting aside whether their scattered factions could even hope to oppose the combined might of Orb and PLANT, the emergence of extraterrestrial lifeforms alone had forced them to abandon internal conflicts.
The intelligence Wang Liu Mei had disclosed was only a fraction—mere combat footage. However, the major powers had received far more detailed reports, though still incomplete. Without Yang Hui and Orb, the terrifying existence known as festum would have been beyond their ability to handle—let alone the impending extraterrestrial invasion, even the partially assimilated remnants in Scandinavia would have been insurmountable.
In fact, without Orb's intervention, they might not have even known about the threat until the alien forces arrived.
Thus, after extensive negotiations, all factions agreed to unify under a single joint government—the Earth Federation—to prevent further warfare.
PLANT was naturally included. While the deep-seated tensions between Naturals and Coordinators couldn't be erased overnight, this was still a monumental step forward. Remarkably, aside from remnants of Blue Cosmos, most Naturals did not oppose the proposal, given that ZAFT and Orb had jointly saved Earth and humanity.
The Earth Federation headquarters was constructed on the former site of the Kingdom of Scandinavia. Despite the nuclear devastation, the advanced environmental restoration technology of the Gundam SEED world had completely eradicated radiation within a month and restored the landscape.
The ruins of Scandinavia were demolished, cleared, and replaced with the newly constructed headquarters.
Why this location? To serve as a reminder—of the battle fought here against an unimaginable enemy, and of the external threats that demanded unity over infighting. Additionally, as a neutral site belonging to no nation, it prevented accusations of favoritism.
"We're here."
Through the window, the Earth Federation headquarters came into view—no trace of ruins remained. The scenery was lush and serene, exuding natural beauty. Where the royal palace once stood now rose a sleek, modern building that retained an aesthetic elegance—the heart of the Earth Federation.
"The architect was a genius. It's quite impressive," Yang Hui remarked in admiration.
"He's a designer from Orb," Lacus said.
"Oh? Let's have him redesign our mansion when he's free."
"Is that necessary? We won't be living there much anyway." Sumeragi rolled her eyes. After this meeting concluded, they'd establish two-way teleportation gates and leave this world permanently. Any future visits would only be for vacations or emergencies.
If they were leaving, why bother rebuilding?
"For occasional vacations, perhaps."
"Whatever you say." Seeing Yang Hui so insistent, Sumeragi didn't argue further. After all, this world's currency was useless elsewhere, and they already had more money than they could spend. If it made Yang Hui happy, so be it.
(End of Chapter)