Hearing that gentle yet faintly sarcastic voice, Luo Yun felt an odd surge of happiness and almost blurted out, "Ayaka, step on me!"
Of course, saying something that outrageous would be wildly inappropriate—especially right now.
He was already socially destitute, having just been caught in the awkward position of appearing to speak behind someone's back. Wait… technically, he hadn't even said anything bad.
'I've been waiting for you to lift the red veil for so long, but you never came. I grumbled a little, and then you showed up.'
Although he felt helpless, he had to face what was in front of him.
With a wry smile, Luo Yun greeted her. "Hello, Miss."
Without waiting for Kamisato Ayaka to lift the red wedding veil, Luo Yun reached up and pulled it aside himself. The White Heron Princess wasn't likely to do it anyway, so rather than prolong the awkwardness, it was better to act first.
Besides, covering a man's head with a red bridal veil was a humiliating gesture. He was a son-in-law, yes, but still a man of dignity. How could he be draped in a woman's veil?
The moment his eyes fell on Ayaka in her pure white ceremonial wedding attire, they lit up instantly.
An insult? This is a reward!
Step on me, my lady—this is beauty incarnate!
Luo Yun was completely stunned.
Her silver-blue hair was tied back neatly, enhancing her grace. Light makeup accentuated a face that balanced noble elegance with the playful innocence of youth. Her curved brows framed eyes like shimmering pools of autumn water, and a faint, gentle smile warmed her features like a spring breeze.
She was neither a fragile beauty sheltered away from the world nor a battle-hardened warrior. She was simply herself—the White Heron Princess of Inazuma, the Kamisato Clan's treasured daughter, and the dream goddess in the hearts of countless Inazumans. Every movement was refined, every gesture dignified.
"I wonder," she asked softly, "where my husband's sea of stars points to. Mondstadt? Liyue? Sumeru?"
The gentler her voice became, the more Luo Yun felt his scalp tingle.
"Mr. Luo," Ayaka continued, "do you feel that being the Kamisato Clan's son-in-law is… somewhat beneath you?"
Sensing the hidden challenge in her tone, Luo Yun froze for a moment. But quick thinking was one of his strong suits.
After a pause, he met her gaze and sighed lightly. "Miss Ayaka, you and I both know this marriage is merely a performance for the Tri-Commission's benefit. Though I, Luo Yun, am of humble birth, I am ambitious, and have never intended to use this marriage as a ladder to climb higher."
"We have never met before. You are a crane soaring freely in the sky—how could you possibly be interested in someone like me? Just as you hold no feelings for me, I hold only admiration for you."
"Though my origins are low, I have my own dreams. When I was a child, my grandfather told me: 'A true man's ambition should reach beyond the horizon.' From then on, I dreamed of poetry and faraway lands. After he passed, I set out to follow his path and see the sea of stars with my own eyes. At the village gate, a girl my age named Xiaofang gave me a sachet and asked me to bring back a star for her."
"But years passed, and I never found where the stars pointed. The people were gone, and old friends had faded. When I heard the Kamisato Clan was in difficulty, I gave up my journey and agreed to this marriage—not for gain, but because I could not bear to see the White Heron Princess suffer. I may be your son-in-law, but I will conduct myself with integrity. My only wish is to repay your kindness."
Of course, in reality, Luo Yun had imagined a dozen more flattering speeches, but this version was the safest.
Ayaka hesitated, a flicker of guilt in her eyes. She had assumed Luo Yun was talentless, marrying in for ulterior motives. In truth, the Kamisato Clan had its own reasons, and she believed they could simply use each other.
She hadn't expected that he had no hidden schemes—and had even given up his own dreams for her family. Realizing she had misjudged him, Ayaka felt a pang of shame.
"…I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I was not thoughtful enough. But the Yashiro Commission is in crisis. Once it's resolved, I will ensure we divorce. By the way, this Xiaofang… should we arrange to take care of her?"
Luo Yun's mouth twitched. Are you kidding? I just made that up. There is no Xiaofang.
And besides, the Luo family's sword hall had once been glorious—he'd never actually lived in a small village. If Ayaka started digging, the truth would come out.
"No, that was long ago. She has her own life now. There's no need to trouble her. Besides, now that I'm married to you, I'm part of the Kamisato Clan. I'll play my role well."
Ayaka studied him, but his words revealed no flaw.
After a moment, she said, "Very well, Mr. Luo. Since you've married into the Kamisato Clan, you are technically part of the Yashiro Commission. As your dream is to see faraway lands, perhaps we can give you a secure position in the Commission?"
"That would be wonderful. And please, call me Luo Yun. Although we are husband and wife in name only, the title 'Mr. Luo' feels distant."
"Then you may call me Ayaka," she replied with a faint smile. "There are some rules I trust you'll understand without explanation. If you have questions, ask Thoma. He may be a retainer, but to my brother and me, he is family."
Luo Yun nodded. Of course he knew—Thoma might be a four-star, but in Kamisato House, even the servants probably outranked him. Still, on paper, he was one of the household's masters.
"You may sleep here," Ayaka said, "My room is next door."
She performed an elegant exit bow before leaving.
Luo Yun sat stunned. So… was this marriage missing the most important step?
…Forget it. No point dwelling on it.
His mind wandered—thinking of Inazuma's other beauties: the disciplined Kujou Sara, the sly fox Yae Miko, the spirited fireworks maker Yoimiya, the elegant strategist Kokomi, the scholarly Kuki Shinobu, the elusive Sayu, and even the most dignified and tolerant Raiden Shogun herself.
The future looked bright.
Lying in bed, Luo Yun decided not to dwell on the "nominal couple" situation.
As the saying goes, even if the heavens seal your door, they'll never seal your window. He might be weak and from a modest background, but he was handsome—and he'd just earned a sliver of Ayaka's goodwill.
With the system's help, he believed he could one day become Ayaka's true husband.
***
"System, I was delayed just now, and I still have some questions. What exactly is a representative place?"
[Host, please explore freely!]
"Kamiyashiki is definitely a representative place. All of Inazuma's reputation quests pass through here. It should count, right?"
[Location detected: Kamisato House. Do you want to sign in?]
Sign in! I have to sign in!
Luo Yun hadn't expected that his casual suggestion would trigger a sign-in, but he wasn't sure what kind of reward the system would provide. After all, it was a system—it had to be fair, right?
[Congratulations! You have obtained: Kamisato-ryu Tachijutsu (Novice Level)]
"Novice Level?"
[Skill proficiency levels are: Novice → Entry → Elite → Master → Grandmaster → God. Skills must be continuously practiced to improve.]
Damn it!
Luo Yun pinched his scrawny arm. He was winded just from walking, and now he was expected to practice swordsmanship? "Fine—I'll train you like a hammer!"
[Sorry, no entry related to weapon 'hammer' detected.]
Damn! Still searchable though…
"Let's see… Kamisato Ayaka's measurements."
[Sorry, no entries detected. Entries related to Kamisato found.]
[Shirayuka - Kamisato Ayaka. Vision: Cryo, Constellation: Snow Crane]
[Ordinary Merchant from Hanamizaka: Although Miss Ayaka is the Kamisato family's eldest daughter, she is incredibly considerate and personally handles difficult tasks for everyone. Few noble ladies in the world would do the same!]
[More description (folded)]
[Character Stories 1–5 (folded)]
[Favorite food: Ochazuke | Disliked food: Animal fat or offal]
[Hobbies: classical music, poetry, chess, dance]
The flood of information made Luo Yun's head spin—but he was thrilled. A small test had provided such a huge amount of insight. With experience from countless romance games and all this data, capturing the character seemed almost trivial.
"By the way… is there a limit to how many times I can sign in?"
[Host, please explore on your own!]
The sash reaches the Kamisato mansion… Luo Yun considered signing in repeatedly to improve his swordsmanship proficiency.
[This venue has completed check-in. Please do not check in again!]
'Ugh, your system isn't smart at all! Other systems give 10,000x rewards, love strategies, fertility boosts… and you just let me wander around? If I could walk normally with my broken body, why would I be stuck here as a son-in-law?'
He asked several more questions, but the system remained silent.
"Then… there should be a newbie gift pack, right?" Luo Yun said casually.
[Congratulations, Host! You have received the Novice Gift Package. Open it?]
So there really is one? Why didn't you tell me earlier?
After accepting the system's setting as an artificial idiot, Luo Yun opened the gift package:
[Rewards Obtained:]
Weapon: Mist Cutting Return of Light
Talent: Max Level of Understanding
Talent: Photographic Memory
Kung Fu: Vajra Kung (God-Level)
Luo Yun was ecstatic. Mist Slasher—the top-tier weapon of Linghua Keqing—both talents, and the god-level Vajra Kung Fu were perfectly suited to him. The Kung Fu set was ideal for strengthening his weak body, just what he needed at this stage of his journey.
***
Bro fumbled so hard…💀