Path To Godhood Begins With Marrying Wife And Gaining SSS Rank Skill Chapter 846:Choose Among Them

The message about Ethan's arrival had already been sent to the Empress.

The next day, Ethan was immediately summoned for a personal meeting with the Empress.

He was led inside the Imperial Palace by the palace servants. As he walked through the inner section, Ethan noticed that most of the inner guards were women. They were all dressed in neat armor and stood straight with serious expressions. Even without releasing their aura, Ethan could tell that they were very strong.

These were the forces cultivated by the Empress when she was still a Princess.

Ethan's eyes moved across them for a moment before he continued walking. The atmosphere here was different from the outer parts of the palace. There were fewer people, but every person he saw seemed to possess considerable strength.

Soon, he was led to the inner chamber.

When the doors opened, Ethan stepped inside and saw the majestic woman sitting on a rectangular seat.

Empress Ophelia had a beautiful and dignified appearance. Her long golden hair fell over her shoulders and reached down her back. Her skin was fair and smooth, while her sharp yet beautiful eyes carried a calm and powerful presence. She wore a long white and golden dress that perfectly suited her position as the ruler of Eldorian. The simple golden ornaments on her head added to her noble appearance without making her look overly decorated.

Even while sitting quietly, she gave off an imposing feeling that made it difficult for anyone to treat her casually.

Her eyes brightened slightly when she saw Ethan.

"Please grant him a seat."

The servant immediately stepped forward and gestured toward the seat prepared for Ethan.

"Thanks for the Grace, Your Highness!"

Ethan gave a slight bow before taking his seat.

"No need to be overly polite." Empress Ophelia spoke while waving her hand. Her expression relaxed slightly as she looked at him. "How have you been? Have you been coming to terms with being the Duke?"

Ethan settled into his seat and nodded.

"I am doing fine. As for becoming a Duke, I am still getting used to it. There are quite a few things that I need to learn."

Ophelia smiled faintly.

"That is normal. You have suddenly been given a large territory and a noble title. It would be strange if you could immediately handle everything without any trouble."

Ethan nodded.

"Thankfully, I have people helping me. So far, things have been going smoothly."

"That's good to hear."

Ophelia leaned back slightly against her seat and looked at Ethan with a more relaxed expression.

"I heard your wedding also went well."

"It did."

Ethan's expression softened slightly when he mentioned it.

"It was quite pleasant. We also used the occasion to celebrate Blanks becoming a Duchy."

"I heard about it. It seems you had quite a lively celebration."

"There were quite a few people."

Ethan smiled slightly as he remembered the wedding.

The two talked for a while about the recent events. Their conversation was quite casual compared to the serious discussions they usually had. Ophelia asked about Blanks and how Ethan was handling his new responsibilities, while Ethan answered honestly and also asked about the current situation in Eldorian.

For a while, neither of them brought up anything particularly serious.

It felt more like two acquaintances having a casual conversation rather than an Emperor and a newly appointed Duke discussing matters of state.

Amidst the talk, Ethan felt a subtle sense of unease that stemmed from Ophelia's roundabout way of talking.

It was like she was going around in circles, wanting to say something but wasn't able to. At the end, all of her talks fell on about the woman.

'Why is she peering into my personal life?'

The more he thought about it, the more he wasn't able to figure it out. It lingered in his mind until Ophelia finally asked.

"Ethan, do you have any personal requirements when it comes to marriage?"

The question made Ethan understand the subtle implications. His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at Ophelia, but he didn't immediately answer. Instead, he thought about her previous questions and the way she had been slowly bringing the conversation toward this subject.

"At present, it's only about the strength aspect. I don't care about external appearance. I just want someone who is strong and has high potential."

Ophelia then smiled and clapped her hands.

Following the clap, several women appeared one by one.

Few of them were in knight armor, while others seemed to be maids. The others had that cold, inhuman expression. They stood quietly without showing much emotion, but the strength they carried could not be hidden from Ethan.

Ethan gave them a deep look and then looked at Ophelia, who spoke.

"The power and rights you have as an outsider is too large and that is causing political disturbances."

Ethan rubbed his chin and looked at the women again. He understood what Ophelia was trying to say, although he still found the situation a little strange.

"So you want to plant them in my harem so that others guess that you are putting a spy," Ethan said, rubbing his chin.

"Yes. It would make them feel that I am keeping tabs on you." Ophelia answered straightly.

Her expression remained calm as she said it. There was no hesitation in her voice, as if she had already thought about this matter carefully.

While this meant that it was an act, who knew if this was an act for real?

What if she really wanted to control him?

Ethan glanced at Ophelia before looking back at the women standing before him. Such a grace, it's better without having it, but he didn't know the consequences he had to bear if he refused.

'Ahhh!'

'It's just a few beauties.'

'If I can't even win their heart, what does it matter?'

Ophelia could see Ethan pondering about it and didn't disturb him. She simply waited patiently while watching his expression change slightly as he considered the proposal.

"Fine. I accept."

"Then choose!" Ophelia spoke.

Ethan eyed the dozen people standing there.

"How many can I choose?"

The question made Ophelia's lips twitch.

"As much as you like. If you have capability, you can choose everyone. However, they aren't easy to take."

'Hmm! Questioning my manhood.' Ethan snorted inwardly.

If he wasn't trying to appear modest, he would have chosen all of them.