Their romance storyline only begins on the second playthrough

Chapter 165 It wouldn't matter if I married a bunch of girls.

Cedric was actually half-supporting and half-opposing the engagement his father had arranged between Rhodes and his foolish sister.

Felicity is useless except for causing trouble for Rhodes, and it's really asking too much of him to take care of her naive and foolish emotions.

On the other hand, he also hoped that his sister could really be with Rod—because at least she could be happy.

If Cedric were to become emperor, he would undoubtedly be a wise ruler.

He had already accumulated a great deal of honor by fighting on the northern border, and he also had an upright and reasonable heart.

“My opinion?” Rod’s hand swayed slightly. “You acted on your own initiative.”

The moment Cedric asked for his opinion, Rhodes' heart sank.

This proves that the event is true, not a rumor.

But the question is, what are they thinking? Or rather, what is his father thinking?

“Indeed.” Cedric exhaled softly, his breath condensing into a cloud of white mist in the air. His explanation then followed naturally:

"But this is a last resort."

"Tell me, what is Emperor Linlank thinking, and what is my father thinking? I won't bother to go to the palace to visit him again."

Cedric hesitated for a moment.

But he wasn't the type to waste words, much less to hesitate or waver; his tone was gentle and steady.

"Your engagement to Felicity will take place on the third day after the religious ceremony."

"All of this is merely for the purpose of divine sacrifice and as a final means to appease the people."

"By using such a marriage agreement, we can involve the Melanie Empire and ensure that our people can have peace of mind before the divine sacrifice."

"The reason is obvious without explanation. It's to send the signal that, 'Look, the heirs of other empires dare to continue their marriage alliances with us, so it means that the gods are actually fine.'"

Rod waved his hand to interrupt: "This is only beneficial to you. What about my father? You must have given him some benefits."

“Yes.” Cedric nodded in agreement.

"Of course, your father couldn't possibly not have considered this, so even if he offered a lot of benefits, he would still have to give you a chance to back down."

"This engagement is not, in fact, meant to tie you and Felicity together."

"As I just mentioned, this engagement has a very clear prerequisite: we've set the date for the third day after the religious ceremony ends. In other words..."

"If the divine sacrifice fails, the empire will fall into turmoil, and this marriage will naturally be dissolved."

“If the ritual is successful, then everyone will be happy. We can even take advantage of the joy of the successful ritual to celebrate your engagement to Felicity.”

"In short, your father traded a brief period of fame and fortune from the engagement for a portion of the treasures of the Linlank Empire."

The thought process is well organized.

But Rod felt a weight on his heart.

I should really rush back to my hometown and kill that old man.

What's the difference between this and using him to make money through hype?

"So you didn't care about Felicity's and my opinions, and made this decision on your own?"

"If I'm dissatisfied, then forget about everyone being happy, it's hard to say whether anyone will even be able to laugh and talk."

“…I understand, but it’s a last resort.” Cedric paused briefly. “However, don’t you two really want to consider this? You’ve known each other since you were so young and you’re such good friends. I think that with time, it’s not impossible.”

“Cedric, you’ve become much more talkative than before,” Rhodes shook his head.

“I’ve been nagging about her a lot. So… what is your opinion, Rhodes?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Cedric stopped in his tracks, the snow tracks he had left behind coming to an abrupt halt.

Rod's footprints were only half a step longer than his.

Then he turned around, his amethyst eyes glancing at Cedric, and instantly, his breath caught in his throat.

After saying all that, Cedric simply wanted to understand Rhodes' attitude.

He might say things like "troublesome" or "annoying," but he might not actually refuse—he knew Rhodes all too well.

Or rather, he understood Rhodes's goodwill towards Felicity, and he also understood that Felicity actually had no other choice but to be with Rhodes in the future.

but--

The one whose heart was truly pounding wildly was Felicity.

She pursed her lips, her slender fingers beneath the gloves now icy cold, resting awkwardly in front of her.

She didn't want Rhodes to deny it... Even though Rhodes said a lot on the train, clarified the direction of the future, and understood that she couldn't possess it all by herself now, she would still be heartbroken if Rhodes said the words "I don't want it".

Even when acting in front of others, a strong sense of emptiness can arise in such situations.

Looking at Rhodes, I like Rhodes, so I don't want him to deny me.

In no mood……

The cotton-like snowflakes blanketed the background in a stark white, the streetlights dimmed with time, and the number of people dwindled to a few scattered.

And ultimately—

Rhodes blew out a breath of warm air, his tone calm:

“I didn’t say I disagreed, I just felt dissatisfied. I could have made a promise even in a casual discussion, but this makes it seem like we were forced by you.”

"You don't need to apologize. After all, there's nothing you can do. You all think our relationship is still the same as before."

"So, your relationship has actually progressed?"

Rod turned his head back, his tone stiff: "After a few years at Phillips, isn't it normal for things to change a bit?"

Cedric's figure swayed slightly, becoming blurred in the wind and snow.

He lowered his head, his voice hoarse:

"Thank you, Rhodes."

Why should I say thank you?

"Thank you for accepting Felicity and for standing by her side even when the empire is in danger."

“Rhodes. I’m saying, if… if the Star God really dies, then I hope that after the divine sacrifice, you can quickly take Felicity away, okay? At least, someone has to survive.”

"It's not that dangerous, but don't imagine such a bad scenario."

"That's the truth. Once the gods are proven dead, those ancient Star Gods who hid away and tried to become gods will be resurrected, not to mention the invasions of other empires. At that time, the empire will only be a mess."

“So you’re a pessimist.” Rhodes shook his head. “You already know the Star God is dead, but you still hold a divine sacrifice and a wedding.”

"As the saying goes, the higher you stand, the harder you fall. You don't even understand this principle."

"When the enthusiasm is met with the coldest response, that's when people's hearts will break down."

"I don't know, I don't know... We don't know anything right now, we're just trying to hold on and make things as good as possible."

"Yes, you said it yourself. Try to think of the best-case scenario, so don't think about the worst-case scenario. The empire won't perish, and I don't need to run away with Felicity, or rather... if we're going to get married, then all of you relatives have to be there, right?"

“…” Cedric opened his mouth, his lips moved, but he couldn’t say a word.

The inner anxieties and confusion cannot be calmed down no matter how hard I try to organize them.

He knew that he, his father, and the royal family were all in a precarious situation, facing almost certain death in this storm.

but--

"Okay, I'll try my best to survive."

...

...

As a powerful individual who had ascended to the rank of Saint six times, Cedric was far too safe to escort Rhodes and the others.

Not to mention his escort team along the way, almost no one in the entire group could get close to him.

During this process, Rod slowly recounts some of the things that happened to him in Phillips to his friend, while also revealing his mindset—the desire to get engaged to several girls at the same time.

After all, now that it's confirmed to be true, there's nothing they can do but continue down this path.

There was no way to back down. The people were in high spirits over the religious ceremony. If he were to inexplicably say something to refute and postpone it, it would put pressure on Felicity from the outside world.

Therefore, he must take advantage of this sacred festival, during the most prosperous time in the capital, to confess his love to all the young women at the same time—

As Rhodes slowly explained, the girls naturally hid behind him, a hint of panic appearing on their faces.

But more than anything, the joy they kept hidden in their hearts couldn't be contained and welled up, revealing a subtle sweetness on their fair faces.

but,

“I don’t think so.” Cedric shook his head and let out a deep breath. “After all, while it’s not uncommon for people to be engaged to multiple women at the same time, what you’ve done is too much.”

"You've gathered imperial power, half a dukedom, and even divine power—are you kidding me? The world will drown you in their spit. Unless you have enough status and achievements, they'll just call you a promiscuous creature. Or even a regent trying to seize power from the Linlank Empire."

"That's how it is in theory."

Rhodes also understood that in order to be engaged to several girls at the same time, he needed to achieve at least one thing in terms of public reputation—that is, to be strong enough.

A weak person marrying multiple wives is called promiscuity; a strong person marrying multiple wives is called an epic hero.

However, it is clear that his current strength and reputation are not enough to meet the requirements of a "hero". In other words, if he were to hold a wedding after the divine sacrifice and marry multiple women, he would obviously not be qualified.

At the very least—Emperor Linlank would not allow that to happen; he would never allow a royal affair to turn into a disaster until he had demonstrated the level of a heroic epic.

"So I will get the proper permit to shut most people up."

"How will you do it? With your mouth?"

"...You really underestimate me."

"I know you've become much stronger; your aura from your fourth advancement is quite solid. But at this level, you can only be considered a genius among your peers."

Cedric paused briefly. "However, I have nothing to argue with you about. Instead of wasting time talking to me about this, you should go to the palace and tell your father your stance. Of course, if you do, you and Felicity will probably be imprisoned in the palace, just like when you were little."

“I understand, so I will not go to the palace for the time being until I have settled things.”

"What is it?" Cedric's eyes flashed with a hint of inquiry. "What is it?"