"Umm... are you joking?" Victor said, a bead of sweat dripping from his forehead.
"Because this young lady here is barely the age of a middle schooler, not of marriage!"
But the old man just laughed heartily.
"What do you mean? She's sixteen a perfect age to marry. Though she has yet to go through her growth spurt Besides, I'm not asking you for my great-great-grandchildren yet," he said with a serene smile.
He was giving poor Victor no way out.
'She is sixteen She most certainly don't like it Fuck! Why?! So I have to wait until a miracle growth spurt before I can get laid? Fuck, damn it!' Victor's mind screamed.
He was still a virgin.
Unlike his buddy, he didn't have a sexy milf for a mom, and because of Isabella, he hadn't even had a decent college life.
The last time he even kissed a girl was in high school, and she was a damn gold digger.
"Now, now, I should leave you young ones to talk," the old man said, and with a light tap of his staff, he disappeared.
Leaving Victor alone with his supposed new wife.
"Sooo~ you're my husband, huh? Nice to meet you. I'm Mariabell, but you can call me Maria," Mariabell said cutely, her voice as sweet as a song.
'Well, at least she's cute,' Victor thought.
He was in too deep now.
He didn't have a choice.
'I hope the FBI doesn't find out about this,' he prayed internally.
He straightened up as much as he could while still being bound and introduced himself.
"I'm Victor Evans, and somehow, your husband."
Mariabell's eyes sparkled at his words.
"Victor! Such a cool name! Hey, how is life in America? Is it as free as they say in the movies?" she asked curiously, her head tilted to the side.
"Yeah, I live in New Orleans, in America," Victor said, a bit of his normal confidence returning.
"And about freedom... well, it's a democracy, so yeah, it's freedom, I guess.
Though the world is still ruled by money, and now I know by magic as well." He laughed, a nervous sound that was all his own.
"But why are you asking that? It's not like we're outside the states, right?"
But Mariabell only nodded and pointed toward the window.
Victor's heart leaped into his throat.
He could see the Big Ben right outside.
He was in London.
"Um... is that supposed to be an illusion? If so, I don't really like those," Victor said, trying to deny the reality he was seeing.
Mariabell tilted her head, a confused look on her face.
"Why would I use an illusion when we're already in London?" Her voice was so innocent, so cute, that it only made the situation more terrifying.
"So you're serious?"
"Uh-huh, yeah. After all, England is where the headquarters of the Mage's Association is," she explained calmly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Then... what about my family? My friends? My home? I booked an expensive car and planned a huge party!" Victor said in disbelief, the full weight of what had happened crashing down on him.
"About your previous family," Mariabell said calmly, her voice belying her petite frame.
"Since they don't have any magical talent or awareness, all of them will have their memory erased and forget about you to protect them from harm. But about that car? We can transport it here."
"Well, at least I'll get my car," Victor sighed in relief.
You expected him to worry about his friends and family, didn't you?
Why should he worry about those bitches who sold him off to a richer young lady when he least wanted it?
The only true friend he had was Valerian, and God knows how strong their friendship is.
He'd never forget him... right?
....
Valerian's Side
"Are you sure you don't want to stop them?" a worried voice whispered in my ear.
I looked behind me to see Liliana, her expression one of genuine concern.
"You finally appeared," I said with a sigh.
"Just what were you doing in that apartment of yours? Don't tell me you were still sleeping."
Liliana immediately blushed at my words, recalling something shameful that made her turn her face away.
'What could it be?' I wondered, but decided not to pry.
"Anyways, don't you want to stop them? What if they kill each other? That would be a disaster," she asked, deftly avoiding my question.
"Don't worry about them. If it gets too dangerous, I'll step in," I said, my eyes fixed on the two women.
"Besides, shouldn't you be joining in the fight, you know, to lessen the competition?"
Liliana vehemently shook her head, sweat forming on her beautiful face.
"Don't be crazy! I'm the weakest when it comes to fighting. I've never even killed a cockroach before."
"Is that so? Huh. I didn't get that feeling when you teleported me to a different country altogether," I said, a look of confusion on my face.
"Teleportation costs extreme mana. Shouldn't you have enough to one-shot anyone then?"
She denied my thoughts with a wave of her hand.
"No, besides that, it was a demon's inherent transportation ability, which costs next to no demonic energy.
And besides, I never learned any offensive abilities. Dad never let me touch a weapon."
She pouted, and I sighed, understanding her situation.
'So she's basically overprotected, huh?'
My attention turned back to the two women facing each other.
Eleanor was already ready, her vines poised to strike.
Iris was fully in her lightning-clad form, with a huge broadsword resting on her shoulder.
'Swinging that must be rough, huh? I guess that's how she got those impressive abs,'
I whistled internally, impressed by her physique.
But I soon noticed Eleanor taking out a circular, globe-like thing.
"What is that?" I muttered in curiosity.
The answer came soon after my question but not from Liliana
"That's a Battle Sphere. It's an item developed by witches so supernatural fights don't get revealed to the human world," It was a familiar mature voice said from above.
"Alicia," I muttered, turning to see her coming towards me, flying on a broom.
'Woah, so witches do use brooms to fly,'
I thought, my mind was momentarily distracted by the classic fantasy trope.
"Alice! Hi," Liliana greeted her with a warm smile, but Alicia looked at her with a scowl.
"Don't act so familiar with me. If it weren't for you, this situation wouldn't have come to this," Alicia said, her voice filled with a cold accusation.
"Mou! Don't be so cold," Liliana pouted, her arms crossed over her chest.
"And don't say you don't like Valerian. I know you do, with how I don't smell your chastity anymore."
Liliana's words were a low, mischievous whisper, meant only for Alicia's ears, but I heard them perfectly.
Alicia's face immediately turned a furious shade of red.
"I am not here to talk to you," Alicia hissed, ignoring Liliana completely and turning her attention to me.
She held my hands, her eyes filled with a worried, doubtful expression.
"Valerian, I have something important to say to you."
"What is it?" I asked, curious about what was bothering her.
"Do you really have no problem with the marriage? Like, absolutely fine with us?" she asked, her voice laced with worry.
I was about to point at the two women preparing to fight and joke that I'd be happy to break off this marriage at any time.
But I saw how seriously worried she was about me.
'I guess that's why I like her the most,' I thought.
She cared about others more than she cared about herself, and I found that incredibly endearing.
"Don't worry," I said, my voice softening as I gently squeezed her hands.
"You five belong to me, and I feel like every cell of my being would go crazy if I lost you guys. Though I still haven't met the last one," I muttered, shaking my head and looking towards the two who had already activated the sphere.
"Hopefully, these two quickly resolve their argument."
The circular globe in Eleanor's hands glowed brightly, and the sky above us changed to a dark purple, swirling like a galaxy.
A strange, otherworldly pressure settled over the area.
'So this is a different dimension, huh?'
I wondered, my internal thoughts in awe of the magic on display.
Eleanor immediately unleashed the full force of her Briar Vines, sending a torrent of living, thorny whips hurtling toward Iris.
But Iris was faster.
She dodged the attack with a single, lightning-quick leap, her huge broadsword ready to cleave Eleanor apart.
However, before the blade could connect, Eleanor's form dissolved into a swarm of countless bats.
The bats flew around Iris, emitting a collective, high-pitched shriek.
The sound waves were designed to disrupt her focus, and they worked perfectly.
Iris bled from her ears and was thrown into a state of confusion, her enhanced hearing now a painful liabilty.
But she bit her lip, forcing herself to focus.
She slammed her broadsword onto the ground, and lightning erupted from the blade, creating cracks in the earth and sending rocks exploding outward to hit the swarm.
Eleanor returned to her normal form, but due to the hits on her bat form, her body was also injured.
Now, both of them were bleeding and bruised.
"I have to say, Eleanor, I didn't know you could do more than just rely on your family's ability," Iris praised, wiping a trickle of blood from her lips.
"Same here, mutt," Eleanor retorted, a mocking grin on her face.
"I didn't know you could withstand that attack, which works perfectly against dirty dogs like you."
Iris obviously didn't like her tone.
"Bitch!" she cursed, and lunged at Eleanor again.
Eleanor prepared to defend herself, but this time, something unexpected happened.
"Begone, you vile creatures!" a voice boomed, and a wave of pure, holy light came attacking them both, taking them completely by surprise.
....