"…"
Rowan simply watched Jean in silence, waiting to see how she would explain herself.
Jean hesitated for a moment, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
When she opened them again, her usual calm had returned.
She met Rowan's gaze head-on and spoke seriously.
"That night… it really was me."
"My King, it was my fault. I should not have seduced you."
"It was all my mistake. No matter how you choose to punish me, I will accept it."
"…Huh?"
Rowan's mind was immediately full of question marks.
As far as he remembered, that night had gone sideways because he'd gotten overconfident projecting Ea, and ended up draining his mana dry.
It definitely hadn't been Jean seducing him.
If anything, Rowan had been the one forcing himself on Jean.
In a sense, it was basically that.
So how had it turned into her "seducing" him in Jean's version of the story?
Rowan felt like his brain was overheating.
His thoughts were sizzling.
"Hold on, wait a minute. Let me get this straight."
"At the time, I wasn't the one who—"
Before he could finish, Jean cut him off.
"That time, I was the one who stepped forward."
"And I didn't resist. I can't blame you for that."
Now Rowan understood.
So she had known he was forcing her.
He'd thought maybe Jean's way of thinking was just a bit strange…
But no—she was perfectly aware of what had happened.
Then why was she taking all the responsibility onto herself?
Was this what she thought a subordinate should do?
Shouldering even this kind of blame?
Wasn't that a bit too much?
No.
He couldn't let Jean drag the conversation off track.
He had come here to resolve this properly today—
Not to draw a line between them.
"My King, no matter how you punish me, I, Jean, will accept it."
"I only beg that you do not involve my family."
Jean lowered her head, not daring to look at Rowan.
She could only hope he would consider how the Gunnhildr family had faithfully guarded Mondstadt for generations, and spare them from any retaliation.
Looking at Jean half-kneeling on the ground, terrified that he would pass judgment on her, Rowan couldn't help but smile.
He suddenly thought of a very interesting idea.
He coughed twice, then spoke in an extremely solemn tone.
"Then I shall reluctantly punish you… by making you my first royal consort."
"Ah?"
Jean froze.
She raised her head in disbelief.
She hadn't expected Rowan not only to spare her, but to draw her officially into his harem instead.
She might not be the Queen like Istaroth—
But the first royal consort was still his woman.
Did that mean she had been acknowledged by him?
Jean's thoughts were a complete mess.
She couldn't understand why Rowan wasn't blaming her at all.
"Do you understand?"
"Jean, do you accept this punishment?"
Rowan saw that she was still kneeling there in a daze, completely silent.
Afraid that she would snap out of it and refuse, he hurriedly pressed the question.
Jean hesitated, then drew in a deep breath.
She lifted the Favonius sword in both hands above her head and declared solemnly,
"I understand."
"I, Jean Gunnhildr, hereby swear that I will offer everything to you, my King."
"I shall be your sharpest sword against your enemies, your firmest shield in your defense, and I will obey your will."
Rowan's mouth twitched.
This was the first time he'd ever been treated like this.
Did accepting someone into his harem really need to feel like he was recruiting a death soldier?
But he knew this was just Jean taking things too seriously.
She knew it wasn't necessary—
Yet as the current Dandelion Knight of the Knights of Favonius, Jean had to lead by example.
The rites could not be neglected.
In the face of Jean's oath, Rowan also put away his usual playful attitude.
He knew that once Jean swore something, it was an oath for life.
She would not betray it.
Rowan solemnly took the Favonius sword from her hands.
He rested it gently against the top of her head and replied with equal gravity,
"Permission granted. From today onward, you are my first royal consort."
"This is my reward to you."
Then, with a casual motion, he tossed the Favonius sword into the King's Treasury—
And drew out a magnificent greatsword in its place.
If that wasn't the Contract Victory Sword, what else could it be?
"Th-this, My King, is far too valuable…"
Jean's eyes went wide when she saw the sword Rowan had taken out.
There wasn't a single Knight of Favonius who didn't recognize this weapon.
Back then, Rowan had relied on this very sword to leave Snezhnaya completely helpless.
And now he was actually giving it to her.
It was far too precious.
Jean didn't dare accept it.
"This isn't the original. It's a projection."
"It only has half the power of the real thing. You can accept it without worry."
"Since you're my woman now, you should at least have a proper weapon to protect yourself."
"Besides, this also serves as a declaration that you are mine."
Rowan placed the projected Contract Victory Sword, along with Avalon, into Jean's hands, not allowing any refusal.
Seeing that, Jean could only accept them helplessly.
Rowan really did intend for her to use the sword for self-defense.
With the Contract Victory Sword's power, as long as the enemy wasn't on the level of an Archon, they wouldn't stand a chance.
And people shouldn't forget—this sword was a Star Holy Sword.
If Jean managed to gain recognition from the Heroic Spirit dwelling within the Noble Phantasm, then once she fully unleashed the Star Holy Sword's true power, there wouldn't be a soul in all of Teyvat who could withstand it.
Even at just half strength.
If the Heavenly Principles ever woke up, they probably wouldn't dare try to block it either.
The reason Rowan had held back in Snezhnaya last time wasn't because he lacked power.
It was because he had never intended to obliterate Snezhnaya with a single strike in the first place.
He had gone there to apply pressure and force them to compromise.
And as it turned out, that decision had been exactly correct.
After Jean accepted the Contract Victory Sword, she rose to her feet.
She had just opened her mouth to speak when Rowan suddenly pulled her into his arms.
"Mm—"
"Mwah, mwah—"
After a long while, their lips finally parted.
Rowan looked at the slightly dazed Jean, who had been kissed dizzy, and smiled.
"From today on, you're my woman."
"Consider that… my seal of approval."
"I'll head off first."
"Pop."
With a light smack, Rowan patted her and left Windrise in a very good mood.
Jean was left standing there, her face as red as a Sunsettia, hands pressed over her backside as she stared blankly into space.
Only after a long, long time did she mumble under her breath,
"The King really is such a big pervert…"
"All he knows how to do is bully me…"
(End of Chapter)
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