I Became the Hero's Bride! Chapter 17

IBHB 17 - The future of the kingdom looks bleak

TL: Eevee
Ed: Hungry Panda

TN: Remember. Comments make for very happy translators.

A while after she was swept along by Ericia's plot… Clarice's days were relatively fine. It was an unfamiliar, unwanted, forced-on life as a woman, but if anyone asked why her days were relatively okay, the answer was simple.

She'd stopped caring.

Multiple ….dynamic situations had occurred without end since she became a woman, and after a time Clarice realised that she was becoming numb to it all. If she was tired, she was tired, if she didn't care she didn't care, if she was used to it, she was used to it, if you really wanted to know why all her fingers wouldn't be enough to count, but the reason that took up the lion's share of reasoning was this.

She'd stopped caring.

Even when she'd done her best to rebel against the gender differences, nothing had changed. The first couple of days she had dreams (which in hindsight were hilarious) of turning back to a man, but having Senyun's confirmation that once changed, there was no turning back, she'd turned sheet white. Minwoo had embraced Clarice and said.

"It's okay. You've done enough, Clarice. You don't need to struggle anymore."

Pat pat. As expected, the only person looking out for me was Hero-nim, and after shedding tears in his warm embrace, from then onwards she'd started to think 'mountains are mountains water is water my body is a woman.' If nothing changed even if you struggled then was it not obvious that there was no need to struggle? Then funnily enough, although a corner of her mind felt off as if it was stained, but at the very least she had stopped fretting over everything.

And so today as well, Clarice had given up. Because she didn't need to struggle anymore.

"It appears Senyun is out of her office today as well."

Karina returned from her errand (asking Senyun's whereabouts). Senyun had locked up her office and was wandering around somewhere. Clarice closed her eyes and sipped delicately at her tea, lost in thought.

"What might have happened? I'm worried."
"You do not have to worry too much, Your Highness. Knowing that arsine woman…. Ehem, knowing Senyun's personality, it can't be anything major.

Really now? Senyun too, was a victim at Father's hands. Even if she was a panty thief. Clarice was worried whether she was feeling guilty over turning her into a woman. Even if she was a panty thief. She'd known her for some time now, and even if people did look at her funny, Clarice couldn't hate her because she knew she wasn't a bad person.

Even if she was a panty thief.

"She probably got kidnapped by someone baiting her with Your Highness's panties. Who knows if she might be bound up in chains being trained in some dungeon somewhere?"

A series of coughs greeted Clarice. That would be something major.

"Karina. You know."

Clarice set her cup down on the saucer with a gentle clatter and said with a quiet voice.

"Tea time is boring so can I head to the training grounds…"
"No."
"Hero-nim said he wouldn't leave me alone anymore…"
"No you may not."
"Hmmmm…."

Clarice shot Karina a look of discontent.

"Kuk! Not even if you seduce me!"

Wut. I was just glaring at her.

"Who knows if some thugs or louts might hara.s.s you like last time?! As Your Highness's personal maid, I cannot let that happen."

Of course, 'thugs and louts' meant the knight order. To be honest, Clarice felt like such a description reeaaally suited it. If a group that included a knight with bloodshot eyes wanting to touch b.r.e.a.s.t.s and a lunatic exhibitionist vice-captain weren't a collective bunch of idiots than what else would they be.

Ah. The future of the kingdom looks bleak.

"Now that reminds me that…. Oppai Daisuki? What happened to him?"

He was quite the memorable pervert so she was curious as to his fate.

"Opupai Taisuki? From what I heard he was punished in the end."
"Punished?"
"By poongyuhyung(豐乳刑)."(1)

Poongyuhyung?

"A punishment where the criminal is fed medicine to grow b.r.e.a.s.t.s and give them giant b.o.o.bs."
"…….Setting aside as to how that punishment even exists, is that even alright?"
"The kingdom's basic tenement is 'eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth,' after all."
"I'd think that they'd treat that as a ma.s.sive reward."

Karina smiled bitterly and shook her head.

"That is… That person, lately he's felt that the days have been far too long and is having his b.r.e.a.s.t.s a.s.saulted by all the surrounding knights."
"Haaaa?!"

Clarice unconsciously covered her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and shuddered. Karina actually had the audacity to cry out 'the princess cowering is so cute ♥' and continued.

He was molested so much that now even the person in question's sick of b.r.e.a.s.t.s and he's even talking about quitting the knight order.

If there ever was justice, than this was it. However, to Clarice, this didn't feel like someone else's problem. Namely, every time she took a bath Karina would peek in saying she would serve her. Every time she dried her long hair that she eventually didn't cut because Hero-nim said it looked good on her, Karina would take the chance to stroke her hair, or whenever she put on a dress that she was gradually getting used to by now, Karina saying she would serve her and taking the opportunity to feel up her body.

……..it was all Karina's fault.

"Y, your Highness… even if you seduce me like that I…"

Like I said earlier, you what. I was only glaring at you.

***

After teatime, studies were waiting for her. What studies? Bridal studies. Not a religious priest(2) but bride as in someone who was about to be married. Even though the wedding date hadn't been set (and not like she wanted one to be set to begin with) Clarice underwent bridal training. Even tasting the cane that she hadn't felt since she was a child she learned to cultivate the sophisticated mind and body representative of the kingdom's women.

"Your Highness. The time has come."

Karina approached Clarice who was relaxing on the terrace.

"Just a moment. I'll come in in a bit."

Clarice was resting her b.r.e.a.s.t.s on the handrail (it looked quite funny but it was quite comfortable.) and had her chin propped up in her hands. The city's view from the castle was always magnificent no matter how many times she saw it. To the point where she really didn't want to move.

"No, this is the third time you've said that now…"
"Then it won't matter if it's the fourth?"
"And it's the fourteenth time you've said that since bridal training began…"
"Then won't it matter if it's the fifteenth?"
"Like I said, the bridal training is…"

Arguing with Karina was as fun as always. To the point where she really didn't want to stop.

"Aaahhhhhh. I don't wanna…"

And sighing while clutching her head was as fun as ever to the point where she really didn't want to move.

"Your Highness. Madam Wellington is waiting for you. As royalty, please watch yourself."
"Karina, you know right?"
"That this is the twenty-first time?"
"Mm."

She knew very well so she had nothing to say. Madam Wellington was Clarice's bridal training tutor. Becoming the respected Princess Clarice's tutor, she swore she would take responsibility and make Her Highness a fine woman, she held hopes that Clarice simply didn't care for.

Clarice turned back around to Karina.

"Karina."
"Fifty-fourth…"
"No, not that! Can't you hear something?"

Hear? Karina scowled and listened to the surroundings. She didn't really expect much, she's probably just buying time-was what she thought.

Karina concentrated before suddenly her eyes opened wide.

"You hear it?"
"I can hear it."

She heard it. A noise like something was swelling up and shouting. The two of them moved to the direction of the noise. The castle walls were for once firmly shut, and the source of the sound was beyond them. What had happened? As if to answer those questions noise came through again.

***

The knight order, including Ericia, heard that there were ma.s.s protests outside the castle walls and immediately moved out. To take command with the captain, Ericia had positioned herself on top of the wall, looked down at the sight below her and shivered. A veritable sea of people. A ma.s.sive crowd seemed like the entire population of the city had taken pickets in front of the castle wall.

In the middle, a boss-like woman was standing on top of a podium. She was wearing something that looked suspiciously like panties on top of her head…… Every time she raised her megaphone and shouted with all the veins in her neck sticking out, the crowd shouted her words back as if their vocal cords would burst.

"Is it the truth that Prince Clarice turned into a woman! Is it the truth! Is it the truth!"
"Is it the truth! Is it the truth!"
"Is it the truth that that b.l.o.o.d.y king played around with the prince!! Is it the truth!! Is it the truth!!"
"Is it the truth!! Is it the truth!!"
"Is it the truth that the prince and hero are engaged!!! Is it the truth!!! Is it the truth!!!"
"Is it the truth!!! Is it the truth!!!"
"Return our youths that were dedicated to the prince! Return them! Return them!"
"Return them! Return them!"
"d.a.m.n hero!! Did you beat the demon king for this!! Did you!! Did you!!"
"Did you!! Did you!!"
"Cancel the engagement before we overturn this kingdom!!! Cancel it!!! Cancel it!!!"
"Cancel it!!! Cancel it!!!"

Men, women, the young and the old, regardless of generation they were all gathered here in one name.

The 'Citizens that Love Clarice' group.

"Are they absolutely insane….?"

The captain who could be called a normal person within the knight order stepped back, horrified. Really, the CLC's aura was far too overpowering for normal people to look on with their naked eyes. They didn't look like people, but a gathering of obsessed fanatics.

How would he calm them down. It seemed like the slightest movement would set them off into violent protest… It was when the captain was looking around to get to grips with the situation.

"Atteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnntion~~~~~~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The loud shout that rattled the eardrums spread throughout the square. The captain that was racking his brains for a plan, the knights that facing down the protestors, the protestors that were crying b.l.o.o.d.y murder, everyone turned around with a stunned look on their faces. Ericia had her hands on her hips and had a smug smile befitting a heroine.

The captain blanched. What the h.e.l.l is this crazy b.i.t.c.h up to now.

"Ahhh… The heavens truly are helping me. To think I would have the opportunity to stand in front of this many people, this many soldiers!"

Looking on at Ericia whose body was quivering in joy, the captain's face turned blue. He could only think this. That crazy b.i.t.c.h couldn't possibly be…

And that 'possibility' became 'reality.'

"Now! Behold!! My people!!!! At my Womb Power!!!!!!"

The captain's panicked sprint was ever-so-slightly slower than Ericia tossing off her robe.

Silence fell over the land. It was colder than the coldest glacier, heavier than the mountains of the north, more chilling than an ice cube stealthily placed down one's back. Ericia bared herself to a crowd that might be hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands.

Her near-naked body wearing nothing but bikini armour.

Tadaaa- In her own delight, Ericia mistook the crowd's mutterings as a heavenly fanfare. She deluded herself that the sun on her bare flesh was a spotlight from the heavens. In her head, all she was thinking was that everyone must be in awe on seeing her Womb Power.

Ericia tightened up her lower belly, punched out her fist and yelled.

"The Womb Power the even Prince Clarice learned! Do you not wish to learn it as well?!!!"

Everyone could only think this.

Dafuq did this nutcase just say.

Author's Note

Hey churaichurai

Translator's Note

So who was the one that said that everyone was in the CLC a few chapters ago?

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(1) Characters that make up the word literally mean 'plentiful,' 'milk'(or b.r.e.a.s.t.s) and 'punishment.'
(2) 신부 can be translated as both 'bride' and 'priest' depending on context.