Reincarnated as a step-dad in a fantasy world - Chapter 368

Chapter 368: Wives (1)
‘He went and did it again,’ Freya thought, feeling a touch of frustration.

When the Earl revealed his identity during the auction, she had been just about to instruct Alex not to provoke him further. That didn’t mean she wanted him to give up on the sword, but rather to continue bidding discreetly, without exposing who he was.

No matter how much power or prestige the Earl held, it couldn’t compare to Freya’s influence here in Drisidd. She could have easily kept Alex’s identity hidden, and the Earl would never have known who he had been competing against. But that possibility was gone now though—thanks to Alex revealing himself anyway.

Letting out another sigh, Freya shook her head. ‘He only ever does what he wants,’ she thought, slowly coming to grips with Alex’s nature. ‘Still… that stubbornness of his does make him a little more endearing,’ she added, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

She turned toward Alex, her expression softening. “Congratulations on acquiring the treasure you wanted,” she said brightly.

Watching her radiant smile as she spoke, Alex couldn’t resist the urge that bubbled up inside him.

He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close until their bodies were flush against each other. Then, leaning in, he captured her lips in a deep, possessive kiss. As their mouths met, his free hand slid down without hesitation, cupping her ass boldly, kneading and molding it to his liking, as if claiming every inch of her.

Caught off guard at first, Freya soon melted into his embrace as she kissed him back, their tongues dancing together in a feverish rhythm, each tasting the other with growing intensity. Her hands clutched at his shoulders while a soft moan escaped her lips, betraying how much she was enjoying the moment despite the suddenness of it.

After a moment, they slowly pulled apart, breathless, though Alex’s hand remained firmly on Freya’s bum, his fingers kneading the soft, pliant flesh with deliberate attention.

“What was that for?” Freya asked after regaining some of her composure.

“Well, considering how difficult it was to get that sword, I figured the least way to celebrate my win was with a kiss. Don’t you think that was fair?” he replied with a mischievous smile tugging at his lips.****

“No, you’re right,” Freya admitted with a smile of her own, a faint but noticeable blush blooming across her cheeks. “In fact… I’d say you deserve even more,” she added, her breath quickening as the atmosphere between them grew thicker.

“Is that so?” Alex’s smile widened into a pleased grin.

Freya nodded slowly, her gaze locked onto his. “Of course. And I will… congratulate you properly later,” she whispered.

Hearing this, Alex leaned in again, ready to capture her irresistible lips once more, but she pressed a hand gently against his chest, stopping him just before they touched.

“I said I will congratulate you,” Freya said, “but not right now. For the moment, we should stay focused on the auction. That’s the reason we’re here, remember?”

Alex let out a small grumble but ultimately gave a reluctant nod. After all, judging by the first item alone, he couldn’t help but wonder what other treasures might await them.

Unfortunately, the rest of the items later auctioned didn’t quite match the grandeur of the sword. That was to be expected, of course—Frieda had already explained that the first item was always something truly special. Still, Alex hadn’t anticipated just how wide the gap in quality would be.

That said, it wasn’t like the other treasures lacked value.

Even if none held the same allure as the sword he’d won, Alex—and everyone else present, for that matter—had to admit that the rest of the items being auctioned were truly top-tier artifacts. They were exceedingly rare, the kind of treasures one couldn’t simply stumble upon in the markets or even find through high-end merchants. The auction house had clearly gathered items of immense worth, even if the initial excitement was hard to replicate.

Alex had even ended up purchasing two additional treasures.

The first was a map leading to a high-grade dungeon, while the second was a footwork technique.

There were a few other items that caught his eye, but none were things he desperately needed. Rather than spend more just for the sake of collecting, he chose to save his funds for the true stars of the auction—those exceptional treasures Frieda had hinted at earlier.

“It seems that you no longer wish to participate in the auction,” Freya noted after a while, noticing that Alex was now lazily observing the proceedings.

“I think I’ll be keeping my money for these star treasures of yours,” Alex replied.

“In that case, we can talk now, right?” Freya inquired.

“Of course, you don’t even need to ask,” Alex answered with a smile, turning his full attention to her.

“The thing is, I’ve been a little curious about you and your family,” she said.

“What do you want to know?”

“Well, for starters, I was wondering how many wives you actually have,” Freya said, her tone calm. “From what I found during my investigation, it seems like you only had one. But last time we spoke, you mentioned having several.”

“So you investigated me?” Alex asked, still wearing the same smile.

“Ah,” Freya blushed a little in embarrassment, “I’m sorry if this offended yo—”

“Don’t worry, I’m not mad,” Alex chuckled. “If anything, I find that wise on your part. That means you’re not someone who’s easily led on by her feelings.”

Alex’s expression turned a little more serious as he continued, “About your earlier question—yes, I do have several wives. Three, to be precise.”

There was actually a fourth one—Iris, the “wife” of his former friend Felix, with whom he had four daughters. But he avoided bringing her up, at least not until he had managed to get them out of where they were.

Hearing his answer, Freya gave a small nod, encouraging him to continue.

“If you’ve truly done some digging on me, then you probably know my first wife is Lilia, and that we have four daughters together,” Alex said calmly.

‘So he does consider the first three as his own daughters,’ Freya thought in amazement.

When she had looked into who Alexandre Eswald really was, she had, of course, come across the name of his wife, Lilia. She had also learned that Lilia already had three daughters before being with him—daughters that Alex had adopted. Still, hearing him refer to them as his daughters surprised her.

‘It’s a good thing, I guess,’ she thought to herself. After all, she too had a daughter from a previous marriage.

Without Alex even realizing it, Freya’s respect for him had just risen severalfold.

“Lilia is a very smart and strong woman. She’s actually the one who takes care of everything related to our home and household,” Alex said, a hint of warmth in his voice as he thought of her. “She’s also very kind… though she can be a little harsh at times, so I’d advise you not to cross her,” he added with a chuckle.

Freya nodded, silently taking mental note of Lilia’s character through Alex’s words.

“My second wife’s name is Annaline,” Alex continued. “She may come across as cold and indifferent at times, but she’s actually very gentle… and also very obedient,” he said, a soft smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Oh, and she’s also my assistant, by the way,” he added casually.

‘Annaline, huh?’ Freya thought, committing both the name and the brief description to memory. It was the first time she had ever heard of this woman.

“As for my third wife…” Alex hesitated for a moment. His third wife was none other than Amelia—his little sister. He wasn’t entirely sure how Freya would react upon hearing that. In the end, he decided it was better to speak now rather than let the matter come up later in a less controlled setting. “You’ve already met her. Her name is Amelia.”

Freya, who had been nodding along thoughtfully, suddenly paused. “So that’s why you asked for the two of you to be placed in the same room,” she said, a flicker of realization crossing her features.

Alex raised an eyebrow at her comment. “Wait. You said you did some digging on me, right? Then surely you know what our relationship is beyond just being partners?”

“You mean the fact that she’s your sister?” Freya replied in an unexpectedly calm tone.

“Yes,” Alex confirmed, watching her reaction closely. “And yet… you don’t seem outraged—or even surprised—about the fact that I’m in a relationship with my own sister?”

Freya lifted her hand and raised a single finger. “First of all, I already had my suspicions. The way she looks at you—let’s just say it’s not how someone normally looks at their brother.”

She raised a second finger and went on, “Secondly, we might be from different branches, but at the end of the day, my late husband and I were from the same bloodline. We were technically distant cousins, if I may say so. So I’d have no right, and it would be more than a little hypocritical of me, to judge you for being romantically involved with someone from your own family.”