"Hey! You guys..."
I stood in the water, dumbfounded.
What was all that? Why did they suddenly leave me?
Could it be... because I went too far with the kiss?
But thinking about it, that probably wasn't right either. Theresia had already stated that she forgave my "unintentional" rudeness.
However, the two of them seemed to be in a hurry, deliberately speeding up as if they didn't want me to catch up.
I was confused. Running so fast... anyone who didn't know better would think they had seen a ferocious beast that devoured people whole.
Besides, one was the contemporary Sword Saint, and the other was her personal attendant. Even if they encountered a ferocious beast, they wouldn't be the ones running away.
That was really strange.
I emerged from the water, retrieved the new clothes from the stone, and put them on. They fit perfectly. I then headed in the same direction Theresia and Carol had left.
It wasn't that I was going to chase after them specifically, but rather that the city was in this direction. I couldn't very well head out into the wilderness.
Regarding Theresia and Carol... they could run, but they couldn't hide. Finding them in the future would be easy enough.
After traveling for a while, relying on my vague memories of the fall, I successfully found the place where I had originally landed.
It was a fairly spacious alleyway. Pedestrians passed by from time to time, busy with their own lives.
But to my surprise... the traces of my fall had disappeared.
Although the impact crater remained, the "unfortunate soul"—whose name, powers, and identity I had replaced—was gone. He had been transformed into a pile of indescribable filth upon impact, but now, apart from the shattered ground, not even a drop of blood was left.
Someone had cleaned up the mess.
Just then, a woman walked over. She was very beautiful, and her clothes and appearance were unlike those of an ordinary commoner.
"Hello."
As she extended a greeting, a stiff, almost practiced smile appeared on her face. Then, as if sensing something, she raised her hands and rubbed her cheeks to relax them.
"I'm sorry... I made you look at something unsightly," she said, her smile fading into a wooden expression.
"Who are you?"
Although I asked, the fact that she took the initiative to approach me—and acted this strangely—suggested her identity.
She was one of that unlucky guy's wives.
"Please come with me first. We will explain everything to you later."
My gaze met hers. There was no malice in her eyes; the only emotions I could detect were curiosity, gratitude, and a hint of reverence.
"Okay."
I nodded and chose to follow her. Even if I didn't know exactly what she wanted, I shouldn't have ill intentions towards someone who clearly cleaned up my crime scene.
However, a certain degree of vigilance was still necessary.
Having a strong desire for power was good, but without a "wife" by my side to hold my heart, I was vulnerable.
Speaking of wives...
At this stage, my secondary Authority, Little King, had only recognized Theresia as a potential vessel.
Carol didn't work. The woman in front of me didn't work either. On the way here, I had even tried to mentally connect with random women I met on the street. Without exception, none of them worked.
Honestly, the criteria were baffling.
I didn't know why Theresia was judged as "compatible" without any ritual, while actual wives of the previous owner weren't. I needed to study this carefully later.
We left the alley and arrived at a main road, where a luxurious dragon carriage pulled by several Earth Dragons was waiting.
"Please come on up." She personally opened the door.
Without hesitation, I stepped into the carriage.
Inside, two more women were waiting. They were equally beautiful—perhaps even rivaling Theresia. Aside from their flat chests, they looked like noble ladies.
"Hello, may I ask how we should address you?" one of them asked. She had long red hair and a calm demeanor.
"Call me..."
There was a moment of silence.
If I mentioned "Regulus," it would definitely be a name they hated. But I needed the identity.
"Regulus."
"Reg... ulus?"
"Well, if you don't like that name, you can just call me Reg."
"It's fine." The woman shook her head, her expression and tone revealing absolutely nothing unusual.
"That's good."
I felt a little relieved. Perhaps I shouldn't have used the name Regulus so boldly. But as an undocumented person, having a legal identity was necessary to avoid trouble with knights like Carol.
A faint smile involuntarily appeared on the red-haired woman's face as she watched me sigh in relief.
"Mr. Regulus."
I looked at her.
"Thank you so much for killing him," she said, her words filled with heartfelt emotion.
"Thank you." The other girls also lowered their heads slightly.
Everyone present knew perfectly well who she was referring to. The tyrant was dead.
"As for this... if you really want to thank me, then from today onwards, let me take his place."
I looked at them seriously.
"I need an identity."
Even if I had power, I wasn't a philanthropist who did good deeds for free. Why not obtain a premade identity?
Moreover, replacing that unfortunate fellow meant inheriting his "collection." Hundreds of beautiful wives.
And thanks to the original Regulus's specific obsessions, they were all untouched.
You see, the previous Regulus had an extreme "virginity complex" regarding his possessions. He hated being touched and hated anyone touching what was his. Plus, he constantly activated his invincibility (Lion's Heart) 24/7.
While that made him safe and gave him a long lifespan, it meant his body was frozen in time. He couldn't eat, sleep, or... engage in marital activities. His beautiful wives were nothing more than objects of art to him.
He didn't allow them to have expressions or emotions. Anyone who dared to smile or cry was killed without mercy.
I had absolutely no intention of following those rules.
I looked at the women in the carriage.
"I'll take it all," I said. "The name, the house, and the wives."
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