Her chest is as big as her build, and her n*pples seem large too—judging by how clearly they show through her clothes.

‘Is she a virgin? Of course she must be. With that face… No, wait. She’s a mercenary, so maybe she’s fooled around a bit. Women are rare in those places. Aren’t mercenaries all men?’

He’d heard mercenaries were generally rough. The kind of guys who’d jump anyone wearing a skirt. They were on a completely different level from the prim and proper palace knights he usually dealt with.

For a moment, he imagined Kali with her legs spread, being taken by a crowd of mercenaries. Suddenly, he felt himself hardening below. He lowered his foot from the table.

‘D*mn… without even realizing it.’

Cliff swallowed hard. Even though she wasn’t his type at all, her appearance—so different from other women—sparked his imagination.

Before long, Kali’s turn arrived. She curtsied to the Empress and Crown Prince Cliff. The dress was so short that even when she grabbed it, her posture looked awkward.

“I greet Her Majesty the Empress and His Highness the Crown Prince. My name is Kali Lopez.”

Her voice was raspy. With that cracked, hoarse tone, anyone listening might think she was some beer-guzzling vagrant wandering the streets.

The Empress’s face twisted in displeasure. Cliff smirked and asked her a question.

“Your clothes look too small. You’d look better with them off entirely.”

“…Would that be alright? I’ve been finding it hard to breathe anyway.”

At Cliff’s words, Kali’s face brightened. Seeing this, the Empress slammed the table in front of her. She pointed her fan at Kali.

“What is this in such a sacred palace! Crown Prince, you shouldn’t say such things either.”

“Mother.”

Cliff met the Empress’s eyes. He whispered to her.

“A woman like that might have tattoos on her body. She could have major scars. I need to see whether the woman who will be my wife has any defects. Isn’t that what this competition is for?”

Cliff desperately wanted to see Kali n*ked. And the other women too, for that matter.

But no well-bred noblewoman pretending to be demure would carelessly show her body to a man.

Kali, though, was different. Hadn’t she just said so herself? That she was finding it hard to breathe?

The Empress thought Cliff’s words had merit. Fortunately, they were inside the palace with walls on all sides, and only maids were nearby.

‘Looking at Cliff, he seems interested in that mercenary. If he sees her n*ked body here, he might lose interest. Ugh. How did a woman like that end up here?’

She’d been trying to get rid of that fox Violet, but now she worried some strange bear-woman might become her son’s Consort instead.

Standing next to Kali was a Count’s daughter with blonde hair and golden eyes, Anica Bever, who had doe-like eyes. The Empress had already marked her as her son’s Consort.

‘Someone that pretty could stand up to Violet. The Bever Count family is impeccable too.’

But unfortunately, Crown Prince Cliff’s interest seemed directed not at the doe-like Anica, but at the fierce bear.

A ponytail tied like it was bound with rubber bands. Coarse black hair and eyes burning red.

Definitely not a face she wanted to see often as a daughter-in-law. She didn’t seem like she’d be obedient either, so the Empress frowned.

“Forget it. She won’t become a Consort anyway, so why bother looking at her body?”

Even if the maids nearby kept their mouths shut, what about the noble daughters participating? Those who didn’t become Consorts would badmouth the palace.

And the Empress, who had planned to bring in many Consorts, changed her mind.

Cliff just kept yawning and showed no interest. She didn’t need daughters-in-law who would just drain the palace’s resources.

‘Anica alone should be enough.’

Still, if she only chose one person, the women’s complaints would explode. The Empress called for a maid.

“Take the women to another room. I will deliberate with the Crown Prince.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The maids took the noble daughters to another room. The Empress glanced at the Crown Prince.

“I’ve decided on a woman. What about you, Crown Prince?”

“I have too.”

Cliff was still curious about Kali’s n*ked body. If he couldn’t see it now, couldn’t he just select her as a Consort?

Once she became a consort, he’d have to consummate the marriage with her anyway, and then he could see her unique body. He told the Empress.

“But if we end the competition like this, others won’t accept it. They’ve only introduced themselves. Let’s proceed with a second evaluation, Mother.”

“…Very well, Crown Prince.”

The Empress wondered if a second evaluation was really necessary.

But the Crown Prince’s words made sense. And she wanted Cliff to meet more women, so she decided to proceed with the second evaluation.

“Her Majesty the Empress has announced that you will demonstrate the special skills you’ve prepared. Please show your skills within five minutes.”

When the maid spoke, the noble daughters hurriedly began preparing. Some women showed embroidery, others displayed flower arrangements.

Various dances began, and some brought instruments to play. Cliff yawned again. Boring as expected.

Anica Bever also displayed excellent dancing skills. This time, instead of a heavy dress, she wore a form-fitting one that revealed her figure.

So Cliff watched with pleased eyes. Seeing her son show interest, the Empress was satisfied.

‘Hmm. It seems Cliff likes Anica too.’

Cliff liked the slender body in tight-fitting clothes. It had been dull and boring, but now it seemed a bit more entertaining.

Of course, if it were Violet, she’d dance even better than this.

‘…I should go to Violet after this is over. I’ll have to ask her to show me a dance.’

Not a boring dance like this—Violet’s dances were provocative. Most importantly, the outfit was different.

When she danced, her clothes covered only her chest and that place, exposing everything else.

Then Kali’s turn came. Kali strode forward carrying a large rock and placed it in front of her.

Thud!

The Empress and Cliff both jumped at the weight. The other women also gathered around her in surprise. The Empress said.

“You’re strong. Is that your special skill?”

At the Empress’s words, Kali shook her head.

“No. Hup!”

Kali gathered strength in her fist. Then a flash crossed her red eyes and her fist struck the rock.

Crack!

In an instant, the rock split in two. The Empress opened her mouth in surprise again, and Cliff was shocked too.

He clenched his fist. Compared to Kali’s large fist, his own suddenly seemed pathetic.

‘Ha. But she’s still just a woman… I could split a rock like that too. Yeah.’

Cliff thought that once Kali left, he’d try splitting a rock with his fist.

If a woman can do it, why couldn’t he, a man? He thought.

He stood up and clapped. He needed to show that he liked Kali.

“Magnificent! Magnificent, Kali! I heard you were a mercenary—how difficult it must be in a woman’s body! To shatter a rock like this! If you become my Consort, you’ll be incredibly reliable!”

When Cliff said this, both of Kali’s cheeks flushed red. Kali touched her reddened cheeks, embarrassed.

“…Thank you for saying so, Your Highness.”

Seeing that hulking woman act shy, Cliff’s lips curved upward.

‘As expected… no matter how strong, a woman is still a woman.’

This must be the first time a woman like Kali had heard such words from a man.

No, had she ever received any favor from a man at all? Men must have all disliked her appearance.

Cliff felt like things would proceed very smoothly.

Watching Cliff and Kali, the Empress’s expression hardened. Looking at her son Cliff, he seemed very interested in Kali.

“Now that we’ve seen everyone’s special skills, I’ll select the Consorts. Wait until the results are announced.”

When the Empress called for a maid, the maid took the women to another room. Kali frowned watching this.

‘If it’s just the two of them, they could go somewhere else to deliberate. Why do thirty people have to keep going back and forth?’

Really inefficient people. Did they think sitting on their behinds made them something special?

Still, looking at the handsome Crown Prince Cliff made her complaints melt away like snow.

‘Well, whatever. I’m the one moving anyway.’

Kali went to another room with the other women. Seeing her just split a rock, the frightened women cleared space for her.

Kali somehow easily claimed a space meant for three people all to herself.

After sending the women to another room, the Empress and Cliff faced each other in the evaluation hall.

“Then let’s each select two women we want, Mother.”

This way, Mother wouldn’t feel dissatisfied. And Cliff had planned to do this from the start.

A shield to block Violet. He’d been thinking of Kali from the beginning, with her sturdy body and sword skills.

The Empress nodded.

In fact, she was very satisfied that Cliff, who she thought would oppose the competition from the start, had shown interest from the first evaluation documents.

‘Cliff must have a woman he wants too. Excellent.’

“I like Kali. A bold, strong woman. Magnificent, Mother.”

“…What did you say?”

Hearing Cliff’s words, the Empress’s neck stiffened. As expected, her son had terrible taste. How could it be so terrible?

Cliff looked at his mother, the Empress, and smiled. He looked at the resume in the Empress’s hand.

Anica Bever—blonde with golden eyes and quite a beautiful figure. She had beauty that could rival Violet.

But the Empress was overlooking something: Violet wasn’t just pretty—she was exceptional in bed.

Once you slept with her, you couldn’t be satisfied with an ordinary woman.

“Anica is quite a beautiful woman too, Mother.”

“Yes, Crown Prince. But not Kali. That woman isn’t even feminine, and I simply can’t…”

The Empress couldn’t believe it. Her son wanted Kali. That unfeminine bear-woman. No, maybe an actual bear would be better.

‘Well, it might just be momentary curiosity. Kali is such a unique woman.’

“…Fine. Then let’s make both of them the Crown Prince’s Consorts.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Cliff smiled with satisfaction, and the Empress nodded. There were many consorts forgotten by Crown Princes and Emperors anyway.

Right now Cliff was the Crown Prince so he couldn’t have many consorts, but once he became Emperor, he’d have many. Right now there were only three, but that number would grow.

The Empress could meddle in consort matters because Cliff was the Crown Prince. Later, when he became Emperor and she became Empress Dowager, she’d have no right to interfere.

The Empress called a maid and said, “The successful candidates are Anica Bever and Kali Lopez. Assign each of them a consort’s quarters. Send all the other women home. Ah, Kali is…”

The Empress whispered to the head maid. The head maid nodded.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The maid went to the room where the women were waiting and relayed the message. The noble daughters couldn’t hide their shock. Even Kali looked dazed, not expecting to pass.

‘I… became Lord Cliff’s Consort? Me?’

She never thought she, a fallen noble, would become a Consort. Of course, she’d aimed to pass, but she never thought she’d actually get married. Kali was so happy she let out a battle cry.

“Hiyah!”

Kali scratched her head.

‘Zeki should become the leader of the Kali Mercenary Corps, right?’

Now that things turned out this way, she worried about leaving things half-settled. The assigned maid who’d been waiting for Kali said with a stiff face.

“Lady Kali Lopez. Let’s go to your assigned quarters now.”

“Ah… okay.”

Looking around, only Kali remained. The other women seemed to have already left. The assigned maid introduced herself.

“I am Anna Greco. I’m the daughter of Viscount Greco. I’m also the same age as you, Lady Kali—twenty-five.”

‘How about that? I’m also a Viscount’s daughter. We’re the same age too.’