Tyranny of Steel

Several days had passed since Berengar, and his host had begun their journey. Throughout the entire trip from Bohemia to Austria, Veronika had sat in front of Berengar on his horse. She had personally witnessed the vast difference in agricultural technology and military fortifications between her former Kingdom and Berengar's.

Star forts were constructed on Berengar's borders, allowing for good defense; these forts were staffed by many cannons and small garrisons of a couple of hundred men each. Regular patrols were sent out between the various fortresses to ensure safe borders.

Upon entry into Austria, the young princess noticed the vast fields operated by very few men. However, these men utilized advanced horse-powered machines the likes she had never seen before to tend to their crops. Strange metal pipes existed throughout the fields that provided water to the plants that grew in abundance. So much so that Veronika truly believed that God had blessed Austria.

As they passed through towns and cities, the exceptional baroque Architecture that had begun to prop up across all of Austria during Berengar's reign truly astounded the girl. The people were dressed in luxurious clothing, largely still in the previous style Berengar had implemented, where they seemed to be perfectly healthy. Very few, if any, citizens were malnourished, unlike the poor masses toiling the fields in Bohemia.

As they continued their journey, Veronika asked more and more about how Austria had managed to develop to such a state, and Berengar was not afraid to exaggerate his tales of how far he had come as a Ruler. The more she listened to Berengar's marvelous adventures, the more she came to respect him and feel safe by his side.

Finally, after several days of travel, Berengar and his host arrived within Kufstein; out of all the cities she had seen up until this point, it was by far the most advanced. The smoke of the burgeoning industry filled the air, but not to the point where it would harm one's health. The hemp fields growing outside the city soaked up more than their fair share of carbon in the air.

The Capital of Austria was the most advanced and prosperous of all the regions of the Kingdom, and for the first time in her life, Veronika had seen what an industrialized city could look like. However, most impressive were the significant monuments and constructs in the city forever glorifying Berengar and his achievements.

From the personal statue of Berengar overlooking the city to the luxurious Grand Cathedral to the Royal Palace of Austria, feats of supreme art and architecture ruled over the city and its uniquely Austrian landscape.

The advanced plumbing systems used in Kufstein that had begun to spread to the rest of the realm meant that there was very little waste or refuse in the street. After all, littering was a misdemeanor, one with harsh penalties.

Eventually, Berengar made his way to the Royal Palace, where his family was ready to meet him. However, when his girls saw the strange foreign beauty in his lap, they immediately began to scowl. Adela was the first among them to directly inquire about the nature of Berengar's relationship with the girl who appeared even younger than she was.

"Darling, I don't mean to take away from your triumphant return, but who exactly is that girl sitting in your lap?"

Veronika immediately began to hide her face in fear after seeing the less than welcoming expressions on Berengar's womens' faces; she did so by retreating into Berengar's chest, which had become her safe place. This only further created a misunderstanding in the minds of Berengar's wife and lovers.

Berengar had an awkward smile on his face as he tried to ease the tension that was rapidly increasing among his family's faces. Ultimately, Hans made the situation worse; with an excited expression on his face, he gazed up at the young princess and blurted out his thoughts on the matter.

"Did father bring home another mommy!?!"

Veronika instantly looked up at Berengar's awkward expression with a questioning gaze. Just what exactly did this kid mean by "another mommy"? As for Adela, Linde, and Honoria, they gazed at Hans with frightening expressions, instantly shutting the boy up. Seeing how the situation was only getting worse, Berengar immediately proclaimed his innocence and attempted to control the damage that had already been dealt.

"This is Princess Veronika Brezinova from the Kingdom of Bohemia; from this day forward, she is my ward!"

Upon hearing this, Berengar's trio immediately glared at him, giving him further pressure, however after seeing the startled expression on the girl's doll-like face, they immediately began to gaze at each other with suspicion. As if they had somehow communicated telepathically, they unanimously came to a decision and sighed before speaking at Berengar in unison.

"Fine, but make no mistake, we will be keeping an eye on her!"

Though Berengar's harem might be cautious about the new arrival of a pretty young girl, at the end of the day, they knew Berengar was not a lolicon, and as such, they came to the conclusion that she could stay. Upon seeing that his girls had calmed down, Berengar got off from his seat; while placing Veronika on the ground, he petted the girl's hair as he introduced her to his family.

"Veronika, this lovely little blonde is my wife, Adela. This charming redhead is my spymaster and mother of my two children Linde. As for this purple-haired vixen, she is the princess of the Byzantine Empire and my lover. The girl who is roughly your age, hiding in the back, is my little sister Henrietta, I think you two will get along just fine, and this little rascal who can't seem to keep his mouth shut is my son. Hans."

Veronika gazed at Berengar intently for a few moments with a curious expression; after a few moments of silence, she innocently asked the question on her mind.

"Your majesty, are you some kind of playboy?"

Berengar chuckled awkwardly as he heard this; he did not expect a girl her age to ask such a question. As such, he had a hard time looking into her eyes as he cautiously dismissed her accusation.

"I don't think it is appropriate to discuss such a thing with a girl your age..."

The moment he said this, Veronika began to pout in silence. As for Berengar's girls, they began to flush with embarrassment and refused to comment on the matter. Noticing the uncomfortable atmosphere, Henrietta approached Veronika and grabbed her hand with a friendly smile.

"So you're going to be living with us from now on, huh? Allow me to give you a tour of the palace; I am sure you will love it here."

After Henrietta walked off with Veronika and Hans in tow, Berengar was left alone with his three women, who were staring at him with vicious gazes while crossing their arms. Berengar knew at this moment that he had fucked up by bringing another chick into the hen house. As such, he immediately began to switch the conversation to something else.

"So... How were things while I was gone?"

Despite his attempt to do change the topic, the girls weren't buying it, and Linde immediately shifted the conversation back to the matter at hand.

"So... you disappear for over a week on short notice so that you can seize the Kingdom of Bohemia, and you come back with a princess in your arms? Why am I not surprised?"

Berengar sighed when he found out that his attempt to change the conversation had failed and immediately defended himself. He spent some time telling the girls everything that had happened during his absence, and after it was over, both Adela and Honoria were practically in tears.

They could only imagine the pain and suffering Veronika had gone through in her life. As for Linde, she was less perturbed than before, but she was pretty obstinate; she maintained a stern expression, only saying one phrase before returning to the Castle.

"I'll look into the little bitch's background for myself. If she even thinks about harming a hair on your head, I will have her eliminated!"

After everything was said and done, Berengar let out a sigh of relief; at the very least, he had managed to convince two out of three of his girls to accept Veronika as a ward of his house. As for Linde, he knew she would come around eventually. After all, it was not as if he had plans to marry the girl as his fourth wife; after all, she was way too young to capture his interest.

However, Berengar immediately considered the idea of betrothing the girl to his son Hans when he got the chance. Though she may be something like seven years older than the boy, ultimately, it was her position as the last Princess of Bohemia that made the idea appealing.

Berengar was sure that even Linde would eventually approve of the idea; after all, if Veronika married Hans them, he would inherit the Kingdom of Bohemia from Berengar after he retired or passed away. In this way, the boy's future as a monarch was guaranteed even if he did not inherit the main title as King of Austria. As such, he had great hopes for this girl he had picked up by random chance.