For some time now, Konrad's been collecting his problems rather than solving them.
It was a childish dream to have a harem, but he wasn't ready for one.
He liked to make plans with steady, predictable outcomes, but these girls were pure chaos.
Unpredictable, ungovernable—unforgettable.
Lily was right, they needed ground rules, a purpose, and space.
He craved absolute control, rather than surviving any mayhem they had caused.
And when they were all in one place, they could cause a lot of that.
They were all special in their own right, but also in his way.
The realization that it didn't have to be like that hit him like a freight train.
"So a tournament, in a month," he announced. "If I want to win, everyone has to pitch in."
That got their attention.
"I can't help you this time," Vargas repeated, but he wasn't talking to him.
Sure, he was helpful when not gambling with Konrad's life, but he had Welf and Bor, and even his twin. The captain's leaving didn't mean the end of the world.
"That's fine, I was addressing the women here," he said.
"And I told you they can't join you on the field," Helena reminded him, as if he'd forget that.
It was a huge blow, having no girls, no magic, not even ranged weapons in the fight. And he had to take on the best of the best every duchy had to offer with nothing but his pride.
"I wouldn't want them to fight," Konrad scoffed. "But they have more than their looks."
Even if not each of them was a real human, they all had connections or useful abilities.
So far, they used those to annoy him, but he was about to change that.
"Gabrielle, please," he turned to the angel. "I need you to put in a word with your father. We might've decided to hold that tournament in Aset, but nobody there knows about it yet."
The duke's daughter eyed him with suspicion, no doubt reading his mind already.
"Also, take Vargas back with you and give my heartfelt thanks to your dear father, Lord Schwertburg." He added before she could open her mouth.
They exchanged a long glance, and she nodded, her face unreadable.
"As you wish, dear husband-to-be," she said, voice dripping with honey and poison. "I'll make arrangements and secure you a loan, too, so at last we can have our marriage as well."
Of course, she had to overdo it.
But that was fair. He didn't expect to boss around an archangel and get away with it.
"No loan will be necessary, I'll figure something out, because I can't wait, either," he lied.
It was easier than starting an argument—until he had to face Lily.
"Hold on, Konny boy," she protested, "nobody's marrying anyone, until I'm taken."
"So they weren't kidding about being your harem," Helena said, her jaw hanging open. Yeah, this was exactly the reason why he wanted to sort these girls out, and fast.
"I wouldn't go that far, but my father also had a noble fiancée and a tribal wife."
Or at least, that was his romanticized version.
They could've been lovers, and he could've been a bastard, but he wanted to give his father the benefit of a doubt.
"It must have been his way of keeping the peace between factions," Konrad explained. "I only intend to follow in his footsteps, with the purest intent in mind and nothing else."
Helena seemed flustered, but still raised an eyebrow.
"That explains Lady Schwertburg and, uh, Lady Liliana, but the rest?" she asked, unconvinced.
"Oh, my Konny loves collecting strays," Lily offered, and he couldn't even argue with that.
"Strays?!" the princess yelped, looking at the somewhat distressed Stella and the grinning Maple.
"Sorry, she loves to joke, My Lady," Konrad forced a giggle. "She means I've rescued all three of these women and offered them a place to stay. I don't own or command them in any way."
"And, well, I offered Lord Halstadt a political marriage on my own," Gabrielle added.
At least someone paid attention and read not only his mind but the room as well. Konrad didn't know the angel could do that, but right now, she was godsent.
"Master rescued me from brigands in a dungeon," Eyna said without prompting, too.
She still couldn't help but call him master, but Helena nodded with understanding.
"I guess a lot is going on with you, even outside of this office, Lord Konrad," the princess noted. Whatever she meant by that, he hoped it would not cause him any more trouble.
And he was glad she didn't ask about Maple and Stella, either.
"Of course, I also value them as my beautiful friends and allies. Lily is my envoy to the tribes to keep the peace in this region." Konrad lied, even bolder this time. "Which reminds me—"
He wanted to give them tasks, but halfway through, he got bogged down with the explanations.
"Please visit the tribes and bring me their best swordsmen." He didn't wait for an answer. "Eyna, arrange a meeting with the merchants so we can secure some funds—"
"Sorry, I must've put you on the spot with the king's selfish requests," Helena muttered.
And she sure did—but at least, she was well aware.
Konrad nodded, but wasn't slowing down.
"Stella, please find Father Alastair," he said, the executioner's head snapping up.
"Him? W-why me?" she asked, wringing her hands, being silent until now.
"Since the rest of the Church left, he's my liaison now, I guess." And he hadn't seen the corrupt 'ole priest in a while. "Help him take inventory of the Church assets, especially those bracelets."
If there was anything valuable in their stashes, he wanted to know.
"Make sure he won't embezzle anything. You know how dangerous the artifacts are," he added.
Stella nodded, saying nothing, her face changing back and forth.
From anxiety to pride, he could read many expressions into her, but he'd rather not bother.
That girl still needed therapy before he turned everyone into undead again.
But keeping her busy was the best he could do for now—and that left only the dragon.
She was already leering at him as if she was expecting a sexual order, or something. He didn't even need mind-reading powers. She was a dirty leaf, through and through.
He'd send her as far as possible—and even had the perfect task.
"Maple, your job might be the most important," he said.
It earned him jealous glances as the others prepared to leave.
The dragon's eyes lit up, then went blank, almost dead.
Yeah, she couldn't hold herself back, and already read it out of his mind.
"I need you to take this map and check for any inaccuracies. Only you can do this. Especially this area, up north, where I'm supposed to have a silver mine."
That was a hundred miles away in the mountains.
"Whaaat? But that'd take me hours," she complained, and Helena blinked in surprise.
"Hours? Try days," she said, peering over the map.
"Haha, for you it might, but I'm a—"
"She's fast. Very fast," Konrad stopped her before she'd make a ridiculous claim like she's a dragon, or something. Because she was, but he didn't want the whole world to know it. Yet.