Selena said, "But this engagement is not normal. In fact, if you want to… you don't actually need to marry them."
Akira froze.
His confused voice echoed in their heads.
"…What do you mean?"
Selena nodded.
"Don't worry, brother. I'll explain, but… can you turn back to your human form? We can have a serious talk."
Akira, still in his direwolf puppy form and being hugged by Erika, immediately replied,
"No."
Selena blinked.
"But—"
"I don't feel like it."
He leaned closer into Erika.
"We can talk like this."
Erika sighed, then adjusted her hold, hugging him more comfortably.
"Then stay like that and listen."
Selena looked at them.
"Erika-chan, you spoil him too much when he's in this form."
Erika replied without hesitation,
"But look at him. He's cute and fluffy."
Akira's impatient voice echoed in their heads again.
"Forget that. Tell me everything first."
Selena let out a small sigh.
"…Fine. I will."
She straightened, her expression turning serious.
"It all started when we were six years old."
Akira questioned,
"…Six years old?"
Selena nodded.
"Yes. I told you how I grew up reading your memories, right? Because of that, I matured much faster than anyone else."
She paused slightly, as if recalling something.
"Because I can read your memories, I know the most about you in this world. I know your talents… and I also know your flaws."
She looked directly at him.
"And I also know you wouldn't be able to use Stellar Radiance."
Akira asked,
"So you already knew I couldn't use it?"
Selena nodded.
"Yeah. Back then, you were locked inside the house by our parents. You didn't go out or meet anyone. And I also knew you wouldn't normally form any connections or make friends."
She continued calmly,
"You would rather stay in your room, do experiments, and watch anime than go out and meet people."
Erika spoke up,
"But he always comes out to play with me."
Selena shook her head slightly.
"That was after meeting you. And even then, it's mostly because he considered you his first friend. And because you always dragged him out to play."
She added,
"He changed a lot after meeting you."
Leaning back, she continued,
"But before that, he was very different. He would never go out of his way to form connections with anyone. And without connections… there's no change. No love. And without that… no Stellar Radiance."
Akira interrupted,
"I see now. You made me get engaged to all these girls so I would form more connections?"
Selena nodded slightly.
"Well… that was part of the plan. There's actually more to it than that, but yes, you could say that."
Akira frowned.
"But I already made connections, right? I have friends."
Selena shook her head.
"I told you, this was before you met Erika. Back then, that was the best plan I could think of to help you form connections and get closer to others."
She sighed.
"It was a crude plan. I wasn't even sure if it would work. But as long as you fell for even one of them… it would have been a success."
Selena's expression turned serious.
"But everything changed after you and Erika met."
Selena continued,
"After meeting her, you actually made friends, became more outgoing, and eventually fell in love. You even awakened Stellar Radiance."
Akira responded telepathically,
"So… that means I don't need this engagement, right?"
Selena shook her head slightly.
"Don't celebrate too soon. It's true you awakened your Stellar Radiance, but did you forget how weak it was compared to mine and our parents'? Your emotions are still not fully developed. Your Stellar Radiance is even weaker than the children of our family."
Akira frowned.
"That's not true. I'm sure it has become stronger now. Let me show you."
Still in his puppy form and in Erika's arms, Akira closed his eyes and activated his Stellar Radiance.
A thick purplish aurora of starlight erupted from his body—far stronger than the last time he used it.
He looked at Selena.
"See? What did I tell you?"
Selena smiled calmly.
"Congratulations. You finally reached the same level as our family's children."
Akira immediately deflated and turned it off.
He then turned to Erika, giving her his best puppy eyes.
"That's not true, right? I did good, right?"
Erika, unable to resist, nodded.
"That's right. You did great."
Selena sighed.
"Seriously, stop playing around."
She stood up, walked over to them, and said,
"Give him to me."
Then she picked Akira up from Erika, forcefully.
Erika reached out.
"Wait—"
Akira struggled.
But Selena simply used her magic, forcing him back into his human form.
"Now sit there and listen."
Akira looked at her in shock.
"Wait… how did you do that?"
Selena waved it off.
"I can do many things. Don't worry about it. We're having a serious conversation."
Akira sighed and sat back down.
Selena continued,
"Your Stellar Radiance has increased, but it's nowhere near enough."
Akira leaned forward.
"But it can increase, right? It already grew to this level. And Erika can boost me like last time, right?"
Selena nodded slightly.
"She can. But it's still not enough."
She raised her hand.
"Let me show you."
Then—
She released her own Stellar Radiance.
The entire terrace—
No, the entire castle—
Was engulfed in a vast, purplish, starry aurora.
Both Akira and Erika stared in shock.
Erika might not fully understand it.
But Akira did.
Not even someone as strong as his mother had this much power.
Akira muttered,
"Is it even possible to get this strong with the power of love?"
He paused as if he realised something.
"Wait… who do you even love this much?"
Selena slowly closed her hand, and the Stellar Radiance disappeared.
"Brother, I told you, right? Stellar Radiance is not exactly the power of love. Our ancestors used to use it like breathing."
She sighed. "The only reason we rely on positive emotions to activate it is because of how weak we've become after cross... Cough, marrying with other species and diluting our bloodline and soul."
She continued calmly,
"But the Destined One, with a pure bloodline and soul, should be able to use that same level of Stellar Radiance as our ancestors."
Akira frowned.
"So what you used… is it like our ancestors?"
Selena shook her head slightly.
"Yes and no. Mine is still weaker. I'm not complete."
She looked at him.
"I told you, right? We were supposed to be born as one person. But we were born as twins, you took the pure bloodline, and I took the soul. Because of that, neither of us can reach our full potential for now."
Her voice grew quieter.
"And because of that… we cannot fulfill what we have to do. We cannot end this war or save our family."
Akira paused.
Then suddenly,
"What if we do a fusion dance? Wouldn't we become one person?"
Selena stared at him.
"Do you think it's that easy? We're not even on the same power level."
Akira sighed.
"Then what else should we do? I can't use Stellar Radiance on your level."
Selena nodded.
"That's the second reason these engagement contracts exist."
Akira looked at her.
"…What is it?"
Selena took out a beautiful ring.
It was made of white crystal, with a purple crystal embedded in it—the same color as Akira's eyes.
Erika leaned forward slightly.
"Wow… it's a beautiful ring."
Akira narrowed his eyes.
"Wait… is that ring made from Lunite and Astrite?"
Selena nodded.
"Yes. This is a Ring of Resonance. All the girls who are your fiancées have been given one to wear. It works the same way as Erika and the Sacred Gear inside your heart."
Akira blinked.
"Wait… are you telling me they can amplify my powers?"
Selena nodded.
"Exactly. When they feel positive emotions toward you, it's transmitted through the ring."
She then took out another ring—a simple golden ring with no design.
"When you wear this ring, you will be amplified by their emotions, and the power of your Stellar Radiance will increase."
Selena placed the ring on the table.
"So what you have to do is get close to them and form connections. Relationships—not just lovers, even friends can work. But you need to form some kind of bond for this ring to activate."
She looked directly at him.
"One-sided connections or one-sided emotions won't work. It has to be mutual. Did you get it, brother?"
Akira picked up the ring.
"So you want me to just become friends with them… not marry them?"
Selena nodded.
"Yes. Exactly. But it has to be real friendship."
Akira thought for a moment.
"So it's like using the power of friendship instead of the power of love?"
Selena gave a small nod.
"You know what, brother… it's exactly that."
Akira understood now.
If it was just becoming friends, he was fine with that.
Still, he turned to Erika, her opinion is what mattered here most.
"What do you think I should do?"
Erika looked at him calmly.
"I already made my decision. Akira, as long as you're fine, I'm happy."
Akira hesitated.
"But me getting close to those girls… won't that make you sad?"
Erika gently held his hands.
"I'm not that insecure, okay? I've already thought about this for a while. Just promise me one thing—love me the most. If you ever stop loving me… only then will I be sad."
Akira looked at her.
"You are my heart. I don't need a second one. That, I promise you."
Both of them looked at each other as if they are the only thing in this world.
Selena sighed.
"Guys, I know you're having a moment, but we are still talking, alright?"
Both of them immediately let go of each other's hands and backed away.
Akira and Erika both sat back in their seats, looking away, trying to look anywhere but at each other.
Akira's gaze eventually drifted to the golden ring. He picked it up and examined it.
"You know what, sister… this ring looks exactly like the One Ring."
Selena nodded.
"Oh, of course it does. I designed it exactly after the One Ring."
Akira blinked.
"Really?"
Selena shrugged slightly.
"Yeah. I made it when I was six, so I just designed it based on what you would like."
Akira nodded.
"…Yeah. I like it, alright."
Selena gestured toward it.
"Try wearing it and use your Stellar Radiance on it a bit."
Akira nodded.
"Sure."
He tried to put the ring on his ring finger.
Erika immediately grabbed his hand.
Akira looked at her.
"…What is it?"
Erika spoke seriously.
"Use some other finger."
Akira frowned.
"Huh? Why?"
Erika tightened her grip slightly.
"Just do it."
Akira paused, then nodded.
"…Alright."
He slid the ring onto his index finger instead and activated his Stellar Radiance.
Immediately, a purple engraving appeared on the ring, written in a strange language.
But Akira recognized it instantly.
The characters were Tengwar.
But the language itself was the Black Speech of Mordor.
"Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul."
Akira's eyes lit up.
"This is so cool."
Selena smiled.
"I know, right?"
Erika tilted her head.
"What does it say?"
Akira answered,
"One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. It's from Lord of the Rings."
Erika went silent, then with a complicated expression said.
"…You know… I know it's a reference, but… in this context, it sounds really bad."
Akira and Selena both paused.
"…Yeah, it does sound bad here."
Akira turned to Selena.
"Hey, sis… it doesn't work like the real One Ring, right?"
Selena waved it off.
"Oh, of course not. It's just for the aesthetics."
Akira let out a small breath.
"That's good."
He relaxed slightly.
Almost all his problems felt solved.
He could relax now.
Peace had returned to the world.
Then—
Like cold water suddenly poured over his head—
Selena spoke again.
"Oh right, brother."
Akira looked at her.
"…What is it, sister?"
Selena smiled faintly.
"You see, even though we're going for the friendship route, they are still your fiancées right now. The contract still exists, after all."
Akira blinked.
"…Huh?"
Selena continued calmly,
"So if you want to get out of it, you'll have to go talk to each of them and dissolve it yourself."
She added,
"And also remain friends with them after that."
A small pause.
"So... Good luck, brother."
It felt as if time itself had paused.
Then, after a moment—
All Akira could say was,
"…Huh?"