The First Patriarch: Streaming My Cosmic Harem

Chapter 70: Chapter 70: For You, My Duchess

The lower market was alive in a way the upper district could never hope to emulate.

Every turn brought a new wave of noise, light, and energy.

They passed by an open-air gaming pavilion where colorful holographic targets spun rapidly through the air, surrounded by a cheering crowd of young commoners trying their luck at winning enchanted prizes.

Rosalind slowed her pace, her sharp green eyes tracking a massive, floating plush chimera suspended above the stall’s top display tier.

"A target range," she observed smoothly, her tone carrying a faint glint of innate competitive instinct.

"Though those wooden mana-pistols look terribly unbalanced. The trajectory calibration must be off by at least three degrees to force repeated attempts."

Azriel glanced down at her, catching the subtle twitch of her black feline ears as she stared at the giant plush toy.

"Want the chimera, Rose?" he asked, a lazy smirk tugging at his lips.

Rosalind immediately cleared her throat, shifting her eyes away to reclaim her dignified composure.

"Don’t be ridiculous, Azriel. I am a Duchess. I have no need for an oversized stuffed beast."

[LIVE CHAT]

[Angelic_Sword_Valerius] (Red): SHE WANTS THE CHIMERA! LOOK AT HER EARS! SHE IS LITERALLY STARING AT IT WITH HER WHOLE SOUL!

[Sadistic69] (Red): GrandMaster Duchess by day, soft cat-girl who wants a fluffy plushie by night. The gap moe is lethal!

[Ice_Witch_Lyra] (White): Win it for her, Azriel! Show those commoners how a real king shoots!

[Crimson_Fury] (Cyan): He’s going to embarrass himself. Those carnival runes are surely rigged by them.

[Star_Gazer_Yuna] (White): Bro... he literally has Warrior’s Insight. Rigged physics are basically a cheat code for him. Watch this.

Without saying another word, Azriel pulled Rosalind over to the booth, tossing a silver coin onto the merchant’s wooden counter.

The stall owner, a sharp-eyed badger-beastkin, gritted her teeth into a wide smile, handing him a heavy, rune-engraved wooden pistol.

"Ten shots, handsome!" the merchant barked merrily.

"Hit all ten moving cores on the top tier, and the mega-chimera is yours!"

Azriel lifted the pistol.

His Warrior’s Insight activated instantly, translating the slight air resistance, the artificial trajectory bias embedded in the gun’s barrel, and the exact speed of the moving targets into a clear, glowing vector map in his mind’s eye.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

He didn’t even pause to aim.

With effortless, mechanical precision, Azriel pulled the trigger ten times in rapid succession.

Ten cyan mana-bolts fired in a blinding sequence, ricocheting slightly off the rigged air currents before slamming dead center into all ten target cores.

DING! DING! DING! DING!

The carnival booth erupted in a cascade of bright flashing lights and victory chimes.

The merchant’s jaw dropped in absolute shock as the automated mechanism released the giant plush chimera, letting it drop heavily onto the counter.

Azriel casually caught the massive toy, turning to a wide-eyed Rosalind with a broad, arrogant grin.

He held out the plushie. "For you, my Duchess."

Rosalind stared at the fluffy, oversized creature, her green eyes shimmering in the lantern light.

She tried to maintain her stern face for about two seconds before giving up entirely, wrapping her arms around the soft chimera and burying her face against its plush fur to hide her brilliant, unstoppable smile.

"You really are a show-off," she muttered, her voice muffled against the toy, though her black tail was practically spinning in circles behind her dress.

"Only when I have a good audience," Azriel laughed, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her, and the massive plushie flush against his side as they strolled onward into the glowing night.

They spent the next few hours thoroughly enjoying the unscripted freedom of the lower district.

They wandered down narrow alleyways illuminated by glowing mana-vines, stopped to watch street performers conjure dazzling elemental illusions, and browsed through quirky, uncertified artifact shops where Azriel picked up a few useless trinkets just to tease her.

Rosalind clutched her giant plush chimera to her chest the entire time, her black cat ears twitching with quiet happiness whenever Azriel pulled her close to navigate a tight crowd.

By the time late evening set in, the bustling market had transitioned into a warm, amber-lit nightscape.

Their stomachs were growling, prompting them to slip into a lively, stone-built tavern nestled near the riverbank.

The tavern was packed with local couples, adventuring guilds, and merchants unwinding after a long day.

Sitting at a secluded corner booth, they ordered a massive spread of roasted meats, seasoned potatoes, and foaming mugs of spiced ale.

Freed from her strict imperial diet, Rosalind ate with genuine gusto, a soft, satisfied glow settling across her face.

As they cleared their plates, the tavern’s house band, a lively group playing acoustic strings, drums, and a whistling flute, struck up a fast, rhythmic melody.

The central wooden floor quickly filled with couples stepping up to dance. In accordance with local tradition, the women took the lead, guiding their partners through structured, fluid steps.

Azriel leaned back in his chair, watching the lively scene with a sharp, entertained glint in his blue-illusion eyes.

He turned to Rosalind, extending a hand across the table.

"Come on, Rose. Let’s show them how it’s done."

Rosalind glanced at the dance floor, her feline ears flicking backward as a faint flush returned to her cheeks.

She held the plush chimera tighter.

"Absolutely not, Azriel. I don’t... want to dance, here."

Azriel didn’t argue or try to convince her. Instead, he just gave her a lazy, crooked smirk, pushed his chair back, and walked straight toward the center of the floor alone.

[LIVE CHAT]

[Sadistic69] (Red): NO WAY! HE JUST LEFT HER AT THE TABLE TO SOLO DANCE ON THE FLOOR?!

[Nine_Tailed_Vixen] (Cyan): Wait, look at how the women on the floor are reacting! A male stepping onto the dance floor alone without a partner leading him is basically unheard of here!

[Lusty_Sera] (Golden): He’s about to completely shatter their local culture with modern rhythm. Watch him work!

[Moon_Priestess_99] (Cyan): Go Get it, Azrieal! show them what a real king looks like on the floor!

[Crimson_Fury] (Cyan): He’s going to make an absolute fool of himself... wait, what is he doing with his feet?!

-x-

A/N:

Hey everyone!

Just a heads-up that I will officially be locking Chapters starting tomorrow.

If you’ve been following along, now’s the perfect time to catch up on the free Chapters!

Going premium is a huge milestone for the book, and your unlocked Chapters, privilege support, and daily votes mean more now than ever.

Thank you all so much for reading and helping us reach this stage!