Reincarnate as the Villainess's Husband - Chapter 100

Chapter 100: Weakness is power
When Neonidas woke up, the naked bodies of the two princesses—who supposedly hated him and whose kingdom he had conquered—lay on either side of him. It was clear that both were exhausted, as if they had climbed the world’s tallest mountain without rest and then descended again.

Throughout the night, Neonidas had filled the wombs of these two princesses with his seed. To an outsider, what he was doing might have seemed unnecessary or simply an act of greed. But that was a misunderstanding.

Although Neonidas’ ultimate goal was to become an emperor, he also sought to grow as strong as possible. And as for why he wanted such power… well, that was a foolish question. Does a person always need a reason to seek strength? Must there always be some revenge story behind one’s ambition to reach the top?

Every man, even those who are gay, harbors the instinct to dominate, fight, and seek power when the conditions are right. Neonidas had no grand, philosophical motivation—at least, none that was known. But he didn’t need one. Strength was something to be attained, and attaining it did not require justification.

As for the princesses—and, by extension, all of Neonidas’ women—he desired them as part of his hunger for power. His future plans involved building a power dynamic through the children born from these strong women.

Particularly, sons are often attached to their mothers. There was no need to delve into Freud’s Oedipus Complex, but in general, boys develop deep attachments to their mothers. If Neonidas wanted to shape his empire the way he envisioned, he needed these women to love him—no, to be obsessed with him.

Through them, he would control his future children more easily. In short, keeping these two women close was not a deviation from his goal, but a part of it.

Neonidas, despite being a cold-hearted, cunning, and manipulative bastard… well, at the very least, he still had enough humanity to love his women and value them. Even if he intended to use them for his own desires, he was merciful(?) enough to show them the affection they needed.

In fact, he had already begun to genuinely love and cherish Solara and Velriona.

Neonidas sat up, feeling the chill of the morning breeze against his bare skin. The room still carried the heavy scent of passion, but he had awakened to a new day, standing on the threshold of a new plan. His gaze fell on Elenora and Celeste, who were still fast asleep beside him. Their exhausted yet satisfied expressions revealed everything about the previous night.

Neonidas did not see them as mere concubines. They were princesses of conquered kingdoms, but in his eyes, they were not just political tools. No, they were part of his grand plan—the mothers who would lay the foundation for his future dynasty. That was why he could not treat them the way an ordinary ruler treated his women. He had to make them obsessed with him. Love was stronger than loyalty; dependency was even more powerful than love.

Elenora’s bronzed skin gleamed under the golden morning light. There was something predatory about her beauty—she was a woman who seemed born never to kneel. And yet, there she was, lying in his bed, having surrendered all her resistance. Celeste, on the other hand, appeared more delicate and docile, but Neonidas had already glimpsed the fire in her soul. Each of these women was a storm in her own right, but he was the one who would direct those storms.

Neonidas slowly rose from the bed, his broad shoulders and muscular chest bathed in the soft morning light. As his bare feet touched the cold marble floor, he paused for a moment, thinking about what needed to be done today.

Soon, the emperor and empress, along with the nobles, would arrive. The new duchy would be formally declared, and the nobles of the Hindonpon Kingdom would swear their oaths of fealty. That was just the beginning—there would be trials, new laws, and the appointment of new nobility. Many significant events were about to unfold.

As the two women’s eyes slowly opened, Neonidas had already finished dressing. Elenora immediately sat up, pulling the blanket over her naked body. Celeste also woke but made no effort to cover herself—perhaps she lacked the energy to do so.

“So? Which one of us did you choose?” Elenora’s voice was sharp, yet there was an underlying bitterness to it, echoing against the marble walls.

Celeste rested her head against the pillow, watching Neonidas with expectant eyes. They both awaited his answer, but Neonidas had no intention of rushing. A man of power stirs curiosity in others and gives his answers when and how he pleases.

Slowly, he adjusted the family emblem on his chest and tightened his belt. Every movement was deliberate, measured—not just like a warrior, but like a ruler, or perhaps something in between. Finally, he locked eyes with Elenora and spoke.

“Choose?” His voice was cold, carrying a faint trace of amusement. “I conquer, Elenora. Choosing is for the weak.”

Both women stiffened at his words, their expressions a mix of shock and anger.

“What do you mean? You promised us! You swore you would set one of us free!”

“No, I never promised. But yes, I may have said something like that. However, I’ve changed my mind.”

Elenora’s eyes narrowed in fury, but when her lips trembled, it revealed another emotion echoing inside her—despair. Celeste, on the other hand, buried her head into the pillow, allowing the reality she didn’t want to hear to eat away at her.

Neonidas adjusted his cloak without the slightest hint of regret and studied himself in the mirror. He was strong—both physically and mentally. And most importantly, he was now the sole person deciding Elenora and Celeste’s fate.

“Why…?” A hoarse, weak voice came from Celeste’s side.

“For starters, only low-ranking nobles would buy a woman who has already been with another man. And to be honest, I’m a bit… possessive. I don’t want to sell you off to just any noble, especially not to those from the lower ranks. Secondly… I don’t actually want to separate the two of you.”

The last words came from Neonidas’ lips with sincerity—or at least, that’s how it appeared. Celeste slowly lifted her head, her eyes lost in a whirlwind of emotions—anger, disappointment, but also something else, something deeper, something she refused to acknowledge.

Elenora, however, reacted quite differently. Her lips pressed into a thin line, her fists trembled. But when she looked into Neonidas’ eyes, she saw an unyielding will, solid as stone. They would not change his words. They would not make him reconsider.

“You don’t want to separate us?” Elenora’s voice was sharp as poison. “Is this just your polite way of disguising your desire to own us both?”

“No, and yes. Believe it or not, after last night, I genuinely like both of you. Seeing how much you two care for each other, I don’t want to separate you. And yes, at the same time, I want you both.” Neonidas paused for a moment, then stepped closer, gently caressing Elenora’s cheek.

“I can assure you that not a single strand of your or your sister’s hair will be harmed. And I also promise to treat you both and possible.”

After those words, he leaned in close to Elenora’s ear, his voice dropping to a whisper that Celeste wouldn’t hear.

“But if I had to choose… I would choose you. Would you really want your sister to be claimed by some old, sagging noble?”

In fact Neonidas wanted them both all along, so it was a lie. But he knew that if he could convince Elenora, he could control Celeste, so he told this lie.

Elenora’s body stiffened at Neonidas’ whispered words. In that moment, amidst her fury, hatred, and helplessness, another feeling crept in—hesitation. Her eyes locked onto his, onto the man who now looked at her with a deceptively gentle smile.

“But that wasn’t the agreement. The one you didn’t choose was supposed to be freed… You never said anything about selling her.”

Neonidas watched the mixture of anger and despair flickering in Elenora’s eyes. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, struggling against emotions she couldn’t suppress. He could see the storm raging within her. But Neonidas knew women like her all too well—when they would break, when they would bend, and when they would kneel.

Sliding his hand from her cheek, he gently tilted her chin up.

“You do realize that right now, you and your sister are war captives, don’t you? Even if I wanted to free you, imperial law forbids it. Only the emperor can grant freedom to war prisoners. That’s precisely why I took your mother as a slave—which, I assume, must have angered the emperor… I’m sorry, but I’m sure you’ll both soon come to see that this is the best option for you.”

Neonidas’ voice was calm, but there was an undeniable weight of truth behind it. Elenora and Celeste’s fate had already been sealed. They could resist, hate him, even swear vengeance—but none of it would change the reality they were now trapped in.

Elenora clenched her teeth and lowered her head. Her fingers gripped the edge of the blanket so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She was not a woman meant to submit. But Neonidas’ words had planted a venomous doubt within her fury and despair. Could she really abandon Celeste to such a fate? If she remained in this man’s grasp while her sister fell into another’s, could that truly be called freedom?

Celeste, meanwhile, remained silent. She had listened to Neonidas’ every word with a pained heart, but with his last statement, something inside her had shattered. Her trust in herself, in Elenora, had wavered. The cold, bitter truth now settled against her skin.

Elenora reached out, gripping Neonidas’ shoulder, her eyes glistening with unshed tears as she pleaded, “Please… I only ask that you protect my sister.”

Neonidas studied the helplessness in Elenora’s gaze. She was strong, stubborn—but when it came to her sister, she became someone else entirely. This… this was her weakness. And as a ruler, Neonidas’ greatest skill was seeing people’s weaknesses and bending them to his will.

And now, he held Elenora’s most fragile point in the palm of his hand.

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Chapter 100! 🎉🥳 Thank you to everyone who supported me and read this novel. I hope you enjoyed the first hundred chapters.