Investing In My Four Crippled Yandere Wives Get 1000x Returns
Chapter 37|Fallen Crown, Risen

Chapter 37: 37|Fallen Crown, Risen

The founding ceremony took place three weeks later, in a modest but genuine headquarters building the Association had helped secure — a renovated warehouse on the edge of the city, close enough to Hegeville that Allen had insisted on keeping regular ties to the neighborhood that had first taken them in, but spacious enough to finally accommodate proper training facilities, living quarters, and, at Everlyn’s quiet but firm insistence, an entire greenhouse wing dedicated to her rapidly expanding garden.

Halden presided over the ceremony personally, standing before a modest gathering of Association officials, a handful of curious press representatives, and, somewhat to Allen’s continued surprise, several guild leaders who’d expressed genuine rather than opportunistic interest in the past few weeks.

"By full Association authority," Halden announced, voice carrying clearly across the assembled crowd, "I hereby recognize Fallen Crown as an independent, fully sanctioned Hunter guild, entitled to all rights, resources, and protections afforded under guild law."

The small crowd’s applause felt considerably more genuine than the roaring, chaotic energy of the duel weeks earlier — quieter, but somehow more meaningful for its sincerity.

Allen stepped forward to accept the formal guild charter, glancing back at his wives gathered proudly behind him — Myria in a simple, elegant outfit that somehow still managed sharp professionalism despite her wheelchair, Irene practically vibrating with restrained excitement, Everlyn’s soft, radiant smile, Vivian’s quiet, satisfied composure.

He hadn’t planned on speaking beyond the formal acceptance, but standing there with the charter’s weight settling into his hands, the words came anyway, unplanned but entirely genuine.

"Two months ago," Allen said, addressing the small gathered crowd with words he’d carefully considered over the preceding days, "I was disowned by my family, married off alongside four women the world had already decided were worthless, and left in a house nobody else wanted." He paused, glancing back at his wives once more. "The world called all five of us broken. Discarded. Not worth the investment."

He held up the guild charter, sunlight catching the official seal.

"I think we’ve proven that assumption wrong."

The applause that followed carried genuine warmth, and Allen felt Myria’s hand find his moments later, her quiet pride unmistakable despite her composed exterior.

---

The celebration that followed carried long into the evening, considerably more relaxed than the formal ceremony itself — guild members Fallen Crown had slowly begun recruiting over recent weeks mingling comfortably with Association officials, Irene animatedly recounting increasingly exaggerated versions of their recent A-rank clear to an audience of genuinely impressed listeners, Everlyn proudly showing off her greenhouse’s early progress to anyone who wandered close enough.

Even Halden lingered longer than protocol strictly required, sharing a quiet drink with several of the newly curious guild leaders while pointedly steering conversation toward Fallen Crown’s legitimate accomplishments rather than the lingering scandal still unfolding around Damien Veton’s fall from grace. Reginald, invited at Allen’s own tentative suggestion, stood somewhat awkwardly near the refreshment table, clearly uncertain of his welcome, though Everlyn had made a point of bringing him a plate regardless, an unspoken gesture of the tentative truce still forming between them.

Allen found a quiet moment alone with Myria near the edge of the gathering, watching the celebration unfold with a contentment that still felt occasionally unfamiliar after everything they’d survived to reach this point.

"You gave a good speech," Myria said, settling beside him.

"I meant every word."

"I know." She studied him for a long moment, something warm and thoughtful behind her sharp blue eyes. "Do you realize how far we’ve actually come, Allen? Two months ago, none of us believed we had anything left worth building. Now we’re standing in our own guild headquarters, celebrating with people who genuinely respect what we’ve accomplished."

"I realize it," Allen said quietly. "Every day, honestly. Sometimes it still doesn’t feel entirely real."

"It’s real," Myria said firmly, reaching for his hand. "All of it. We made it real, together."

Vivian joined them a moment later, having navigated the crowd with her usual effortless precision, followed closely by Irene and Everlyn, the five of them gradually finding a quiet corner away from the main celebration, content simply to exist together amid the milestone they’d achieved.

"Guild leader Allen Veton," Vivian said, testing the title with evident amusement. "Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?"

"Feels strange," Allen admitted. "Considering I spent most of my life being told I’d never lead anything worth mentioning."

"Their loss," Irene said firmly, looping an arm around his shoulder. "Our gain."

"For what it’s worth," Vivian added, "I’ve led operations before, back in my old life. Different context, obviously, considerably higher body count. But I recognize genuine leadership when I see it, Allen. You’ve got it. The kind that comes from actually caring about the people following you, not just commanding them."

"High praise from a former elite assassin," Allen said, echoing an old joke between them.

"Only the highest," Vivian confirmed, a fond smile touching her lips.

Everlyn’s notepad appeared, her expression warm and content.

’What’s next for us, do you think?’

Allen considered the question carefully, glancing around at the modest but genuine celebration surrounding them, at the guild headquarters that now bore their name, at four women who had transformed from cautious, guarded strangers into the very center of everything he cared about.

"Whatever comes next," he said finally, "we face it exactly like we faced everything else. Together, and on our own terms."

Myria’s soft, satisfied smile confirmed the sentiment completely, and as the celebration continued around them late into the evening, Allen found himself, for the first time since his family had discarded him months earlier, entirely certain of exactly where he belonged.

[Investment Detected: Milestone — "Achieved full guild recognition through unified growth and unwavering partnership."]

[Sincerity: High. Emotional Impact: High.]

[Reward Generated: +1,000 Investment Points.]

[Total Investment Points: 47,120]

’Fallen Crown,’ Allen thought, watching his wives celebrate together amid a headquarters that finally, truly belonged to all of them. ’Risen, indeed.’

Outside, the city lights were just beginning to flicker on against the darkening sky, and somewhere beneath that same sky, Allen knew, the next challenge was already taking shape. But for tonight, at least, that could wait.