The day went by quickly as Akira, Erika, and Selena spent the entire time discussing what to do.
And at night as usual, Akira got busy with his experiments, but he was forcefully put to sleep.
The next morning, Erika woke up by herself for once and decided to help Akira choose his clothes.
She couldn't trust his taste, what if he wanted to dress as Goku or Naruto or something.
So she quickly put on her uniform and went to his room.
She slid open the door to his room and stepped inside.
"Akira, are you ready—"
Then she stopped.
Akira was standing in front of a mirror.
Dressed properly in a tuxedo.
Erika blinked once.
"…Oh. Thank goodness."
Akira turned to her and frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Erika walked closer, circling him once like she was inspecting something suspicious.
"It means you're not wearing anything weird for once."
Akira looked dissatisfied.
"I always wear normal clothes."
Erika crossed her arms.
"Did you forget? Just recently you tried to wear a cloak to the mock interview—"
Akira cut her off.
"Fine, fine, I know. But see? I'm wearing normal clothes now."
Erika nodded slightly.
"Well, a tuxedo is a bit too much, technically… but I guess you can make anything work."
Akira struck a pose.
"Well, it couldn't be helped. I'm just too handsome."
Erika stepped closer and fixed his tie.
"So, are you completely prepared for the meeting?"
Akira nodded.
"Yeah. I have everything I need in my inventory… even shark repellent."
Erika blinked.
"Why do you even need shark repellent for?"
Akira shrugged.
"You never know."
Erika sighed, finished fixing his tie, then stepped back.
"So, did you prepare the gifts for them?"
Akira nodded.
"Of course I did."
He took out a wooden basket. Inside were a few small bottles filled with a fine powder.
Erika leaned in slightly.
"Wait… is that—?"
Akira nodded.
"Yes. Silphium. I'm sure for someone like him who likes food, this is the best gift."
Erika frowned slightly.
"Are you sure it's safe?"
Akira waved it off.
"Don't worry. I ran some tests last night. It doesn't have any special effects. It's just tastier hing, that's all."
He looked annoyed as he raised his hand.
"Those ancient philosophers lied to us again."
Erika sighed and shook her head.
Just then, Erika's phone rang.
She took it out.
"Oh, looks like the car is here."
She looked at Akira.
"Alright. It's time for you to go. Good luck, okay?"
Akira looked at her with a sad expression.
"…Do I have to go today?"
Erika nodded.
"Yeah."
Akira looked at her with his big, beautiful eyes and activated his secret technique—
Puppy Eyes Persuasion.
Erika took the full force of the attack.
But after a moment, she steadied herself.
Her training with Selena had not been in vain.
She looked at him firmly.
"No. You have to go."
Akira stared at her in shock.
"…How did it not work?"
This was a secret technique that had never failed him.
But somehow—it failed.
Erika didn't answer.
"Don't waste time. Come on, let's go."
Akira suddenly spoke,
"Wait, at least come with me. I don't want to go alone."
Erika looked at him incredulously.
"You want to bring your girlfriend to meet your fiancée?"
Akira frowned.
"She's not my fiancée—wait, don't drag me—"
But Erika didn't listen.
No matter what he said, she dragged him outside.
Under the shocked gaze of the chauffeur, she pushed him into the car and closed the door.
Then she said to the driver,
"Please take him there safely."
The chauffeur nodded and started the car.
As it drove away—
Akira's voice echoed out,
"NOOOOOO!"
Erika simply waved at him.
"Goodbye."
Inside the car—
Akira pressed himself against the window.
"NOOOOO—"
He didn't move until they turned the corner.
Then—
Silence.
He sat back, adjusted his sleeve, and said to the chauffeur,
"…Alright. Please make sure we get there on time."
The sudden shift was so abrupt that the chauffeur instinctively glanced at the rearview mirror.
The boy who had been shouting just a second ago—
Now sat calmly, looking out the window.
As if nothing had happened.
"…Yes, sir," the chauffeur replied, thinking he wasn't paid enough to think about this.
Akira looked outside at the passing scenery, thinking about his next steps.
Then—
Selena's voice echoed in his head.
"Brother, did you like playing the spoiled child that much?"
Akira replied,
"What's wrong with that? I like acting spoiled."
Selena let out a small sigh.
"Well, as long as you're happy, I guess. So anyway, how are you going to deal with this fiancée?"
Akira frowned slightly.
"Didn't I say we shouldn't call them fiancées? Call them ring bearers."
Selena replied,
"But they are still technically your fiancées, right?"
Akira didn't respond.
He just grumbled quietly.
Selena continued,
"So, did you think of a plan to fulfill the contract?"
Akira sighed.
"The contract itself is simple. I just have to protect them from other supernatural forces, and in exchange they'll help me with whatever I want. That part is easy."
He paused.
"The hard part is… they want me to help Nakiri Erina with her problem. And she'll be one of my wives. That's…"
Another pause.
"…First, I don't want to marry her. Second, what's wrong with her God Tongue?"
Selena replied,
"You know her mother, right? She appeared near the end of the anime."
Akira nodded slightly.
"I know. Nakiri Mama, right?"
Selena corrected him,
"It's Nakiri Mana. Anyway… you know what happened to her, right?"
Akira answered,
"She became evil."
Selena paused.
"…I don't think 'evil' is the correct word. No… that's not it."
She continued,
"Her God Tongue affected her so much that she could no longer eat normal food. She found everything disgusting. To the point where she had to receive nutrients through IV injections."
She sighed.
"Senzaemon-san doesn't want that to happen to his granddaughter."
Akira frowned.
"If that's the problem, shouldn't we just turn her God Tongue into a normal tongue and be done with it?"
Selena shook her head.
"No. They want to keep the God Tongue… without being destroyed by it."
Akira sighed.
"I don't get it. Wouldn't reducing the sensitivity of her tongue be enough?"
Selena replied calmly,
"Brother, if you're not hungry, eating won't be fun anymore. And if you can't taste properly, it's even worse."
Akira argued,
"But she'll still have a normal tongue, right? She can still taste."
Selena paused, then said,
"It's similar to your Mystic Eyes. If you could replace them with normal eyes, would you do it?"
Akira hesitated.
"…No."
Then added,
"…But I deal with the consequences, right? My head always aches because of it."
Selena replied,
"You stopped feeling that pain a long time ago."
Akira shook his head slightly.
"I do feel it. I've just gotten used to it so much that it doesn't bother me anymore."
Selena responded softly,
"Same thing."
A brief pause.
"…Anyway, it's like that. You have to help her… somehow. That's the contract."
Akira groaned internally.
"How exactly am I supposed to do that?"
Selena replied casually,
"You're the miracle worker, right? Do something."
Akira frowned.
"What do you even mean by that?"
As they continued their telepathic argument—
The car arrived at its destination.
A place he hadn't been to in a long time.
Totsuki Resort Hotel.
The car slowed to a stop.
The engine went quiet.
The chauffeur stepped out first and opened the door.
"Sir, we've arrived."
Akira didn't move immediately.
He took a deep breath and glanced out the window.
The familiar forest.
The large buildings.
The refined, almost suffocating atmosphere of Totsuki Resort Hotel.
"…Yeah," he muttered. "It's been a while."
He stepped out.
The moment his feet touched the ground—
He looked ahead.
Standing before him was Nakiri Senzaemon.
Calm.
Radiating an intense aura—for a normal human.
A few staff members stood at a respectful distance behind him.
Silent.
Unmoving.
For a brief moment—
Neither of them spoke.
Then—
Senzaemon smiled.
"Kid, you've grown up."
Akira smiled back.
"Old man, you look exactly the same."
Senzaemon laughed, patting Akira on the shoulder.
"Come. Let's talk while we walk."
And so, the two of them walked into the hotel.
Senzaemon glanced at him.
"So, kid, how have you been doing?"
Akira nodded.
"I'm doing fine."
Senzaemon's expression turned slightly serious.
"What about your parents? How are they?"
Akira shrugged lightly.
"Oh, them? Well, they're strong, so I think they're doing fine too."
Senzaemon nodded.
"I see…"
Akira suddenly remembered something.
"Oh, old man, I almost forgot about the gift."
He handed him the wooden basket containing the small bottles of fine powder.
Senzaemon took it, inspecting it with interest.
"Oh ho… what is this? Some kind of spice?"
Akira nodded.
"Yes. It's from an extinct species I recently revived—Silphium."
Senzaemon nodded slowly.
"I see… I see…"
Then he paused.
"…Wait. What did you say?"
Akira repeated calmly,
"Silphium. You know, the one the ancient Romans used. The one that went extinct."
Senzaemon looked at him.
"And how exactly did you manage to revive it?"
Akira shrugged.
"That's a trade secret. I'll tell you later."
Then he added casually,
"Oh, by the way, it doesn't have any aphrodisiac effects. I tested it myself."
Senzaemon stared at him in shock, he could barely process it. All he managed to say was—
"…I see."
After a moment, Senzaemon's expression turned serious.
"Kid… you know about the contract between our families, right?"
Akira nodded.
"Oh, right. Old man, I'll be honest with you, I have a girlfriend."
Senzaemon nodded calmly.
"I know. You also have more than one fiancée."
Akira shook his head.
"No, not that. It's true I have more than one fiancée, but—"
Senzaemon cut him off.
"Well, it doesn't matter. But if you make my granddaughter unhappy, I will—"
Akira interrupted quickly.
"Wait, old man, listen to me. I love my girlfriend, and I don't want to go through with this multiple fiancée situation."
Senzaemon's aura sharpened.
"Are you going back on the contract?"
Akira shook his head.
"No. I'll fulfill everything… except the marriage part."
Senzaemon stared at him for a long moment.
Then—
He relaxed.
And smiled.
"If you don't want to marry her, it's actually fine."
Akira blinked.
"…Really? It's fine?"
Senzaemon nodded.
"Yes. When your parents made this contract, they specifically said that if both of you didn't like each other or didn't want to get married, it would be fine."
Akira leaned forward slightly.
"Really?"
Senzaemon continued,
"Yes. But they also said it shouldn't be immediate and it will only be acceptable if both of you agree to it."
Akira nodded slowly.
"…That's actually acceptable."
Then he asked telepathically,
"Sis, why didn't you tell me about this?"
Selena's voice replied immediately,
"I told you about the friendship route, right? He's just saying the same thing in his own way."
Akira thought back,
"Ah… I see."
As he processed that—
Senzaemon continued,
"The two of you can talk to each other, come to an understanding, and get closer. Alright?"
Akira nodded.
"Sure... wait. I'm meeting her now?"
Senzaemon nodded.
"Yes. Today's meeting is between the two of you, after all."
Akira hesitated.
"Will you be there?"
Senzaemon chuckled.
"Why would you need an old man sitting there? This is between you two young people."
He then guided Akira into a beautifully furnished room.
A dining table.
Two chairs.
Senzaemon gestured lightly.
"Just wait here. She'll be here soon."
He smiled.
"Good luck, kid."
Before Akira could say anything—
He walked away.
Akira stood there for a moment.
Then muttered,
"…The hell… what should I do now?"
Selena's voice echoed in his head,
"Don't worry, brother. Just say whatever comes to your mind. It usually works out."
Akira sat down slowly.
"Can I really believe you?"
Selena replied,
"Of course you can, brother."
Akira leaned back slightly.
"…Whatever…"
Then he fell silent.
And waited.
Like a player waiting for the boss to spawn.
Inside the corridor—
Nakiri Erina walked forward with steady steps.
She was dressed more elegantly than usual, following her grandfather's instructions.
Her expression was composed.
But her thoughts were not.
She slowed slightly and spoke without turning.
"Hisako."
Beside her, Arato Hisako straightened immediately.
"Yes, Erina-sama."
Erina's voice remained calm.
"Did you find anything?"
Hisako hesitated.
Then lowered her head slightly.
"…I'm sorry, Erina-sama. I couldn't find anything."
A brief pause.
"His family background, his address… even his name. We couldn't find anything."
Erina's brows furrowed slightly.
"…Nothing?"
Hisako nodded.
"Yes. Senzaemon-sama kept his information as a well-kept secret. We couldn't trace anything."
Silence.
Erina's fingers subconsciously tightened.
"…What is Grandfather thinking?"
Her thoughts drifted.
Yesterday, all of a sudden, her grandfather told her she had a fiancée.
It left her more confused than anything.
It wasn't unusual for arranged marriages to happen in powerful families.
But why tell her only yesterday… and schedule the meeting today?
And she couldn't even find out who that person was.
The only thing she knew—
Was the ring.
Her hand lightly touched it.
An unbelievably beautiful ring.
The one her grandfather had given her when she was six.
She never understood why.
Only that it was important and she had to keep it close to her always.
Only yesterday did she learn—
It was an engagement ring.
Erina sighed softly.
"…What even is happening?"
Hisako spoke carefully.
"…Erina-sama."
Erina glanced at her.
Hisako hesitantly asked.
"Do you really intend to go through with this?"
Erina stopped walking.
"…How can I?"
She turned slightly.
"How am I supposed to accept something like this… with someone I don't even know?"
A brief pause.
Then—
Her expression hardened.
"…At the very least, I need to see him."
She turned forward again.
"I'll decide after that."
Then she asked,
"Is it time yet?"
Hisako checked her phone.
"Erina-sama, he is here."
Erina took a deep breath.
"…Alright."
Then she began walking toward the private dining room.
"…Then let's go."
Each step—
Steady.
Controlled.
But inside—
Her thoughts continued.
Why did this engagement happen?
What kind of person is he?
Why was it hidden from her for so long?
As she thought about all of that—
She reached the room.
They stopped in front of the door.
Hisako stepped aside.
Erina reached out—
And opened it.
The door slid open.
Inside—
A quiet room.
A table.
Two chairs.
And—
A boy.
Snow-white hair.
Purple eyes that shimmered like stars.
An unbelievably handsome face.
And she immediately recognized him.
How could she forget?
It was the same boy she met all those years ago.
The same boy who ran wild in the kitchen.
The same boy who destroyed everything she believed in.
Yes—
It was him.
And then—
The boy turned to her.
A smirk forming on his lips.
"Hey there, runaway girl… where are my points?"