The Arrangement Pt.3

Sleeve, the butler, carefully adjusted the suit piece by piece. With a curious-looking iron, he pressed the fabric as I put it on, making sure not a single wrinkle dared to appear.

"Thank you, Mister Sleeve. I’ve never worn such an expensive suit before. So many layers of clothing…"

Indeed, it was a strange suit, made up of several separate parts.

"It’s my pleasure, young master Zero. Ever since you were born, I’ve been dressing you. Today, on your wedding day, would be no different."

Wedding.

The word dropped into our minds like an atomic bomb.

The next day had already come.

After the fainting incident, Zero had been brought back home safely. But the conversation with our aunt was… less than friendly.

"I can’t get married! I haven’t even finished school, I don’t really know this girl, and worst of all, she’s literally part of a cult!" Tadashi protested.

"A week ago you seemed quite pleased about being chosen as the groom. Originally, it was supposed to be Bourne, but that boy is far too unpredictable to be trusted with the family’s plans," our aunt replied, arms crossed, her mind sealed tight.

"So this is what I get for being obedient? To marry a stranger?"

"A stranger with a bright future, mountains of money, strong political capital, and a powerful institution backing her. And on top of that, she’s beautiful."

"…That part I’ll admit," Tadashi muttered without meaning to. "But still, that institution is basically a creepy cult!"

"There’s no point in complaining to me. I only handled the arrangements — the decision came from above, from the heads of House Zero." She stood, stroking our cheek tenderly. "This will be better for you. The Zeros gain a strong new ally, and in return, they get the noble name they’ve been longing for. You’re buying your own freedom."

"…I don’t feel free."

That was when I understood.

Why else would rejected nobles live in a city like this?

We were here to be sold. The high nobles exchanged their unwanted heirs with the rich. Attending that school was nothing more than being displayed in a showcase.

With no answers and no resolve, we simply walked away from our aunt. Night fell, and the wedding knocked at our door — literally.

The door opened without waiting for permission.

“Are you ready?” Aunt asked.

I wore an all-black suit: shirt, tie, blazer. More fitting for a funeral than a wedding, but it was what I had.

"Yes, ma’am. Young Zero is ready," Sleeve said, massaging my shoulders as if to calm me down… though he was clearly the nervous one.

I headed toward the car waiting outside. My aunt raised her arms as if to embrace me, but we walked past without giving her the chance.

Through the window, the butler waved tearfully, while several servants bowed in respect to the occasion. Waiting by the car, arms crossed, Linsley stood.

"Bourne’s probably out partying, but I’m sure he’ll drink something in your name tonight… Good luck, Zack."

"Huh… thanks."

A black limousine awaited us. Tossed into the leather seats, we headed toward the mysterious wedding venue.

"Hey, Tadashi, it’s fine." Sitting beside him in my skeletal form, I tried to sound cheerful, but he only ignored me. "We don’t need to talk telepathically, you know! No one else is here."

A dark divider kept the driver from seeing or hearing us.

"I’m not in the mood to talk, Shi-nii."

He looked rather downcast. Didn’t he think she was beautiful? From what I knew, one of this young otaku’s dreams was to have a girlfriend — wasn’t a wife basically the upgraded version of that?

Staring out at the passing scenery, Tadashi only sank deeper into his frustration.

“Tadashi—” I tried, but he cut me off.

“Harems. Always thought they were such a boring theme. Annoying and inconclusive. To keep a harem without settling any romance, the story keeps everything at the edge of romance… which in the end is the same as nothing.”

“Mm. Agreed.”

I never liked romance myself — only the drama that came with it.

"Thinking about it now though… maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. A bunch of girls falling in love with me… could be interesting."

"You’re such a pervert, Tadashi…"

"I think you’re not getting it. It’s not about the harem itself — it’s the possibility. A sense of adventure, that’s what I wanted. Marriage wipes that away completely. When I chose to abandon my old life, I was searching for adventure. In my mind, marriage and adventure don’t mix. Mysteries, journeys, an endless river of possibilities to lose myself in — that’s what I am after."

"…I think I get it now."

He was right… but I had no way of helping him with those feelings.

"Thinking out loud is fine, but not that loud. The divider isn’t soundproof, Zero," said the driver, sliding it open.

"Master… it’s you."

Master Zyg revealed himself as the driver.

"I wanted to have a word with you. From what I see, like a pendulum, you swing too quickly to extremes. One day, indifferent to everything; the next, rejecting it all. One moment unresponsive, the next consumed by anger."

That’s when Tadashi noticed our reflection in the tinted glass. Our eyes were glowing. Even though I was controlling the mana, Tadashi’s frustration leaked out so intensely I couldn’t keep the flow steady.

"The eyes are the mirror of the soul. Here." The master tossed a pair of sunglasses into our hands. "Remember, neither you nor the girl had a say in this arrangement. She’s not to blame. Use this, and at least give her a somewhat decent moment."

"…This whole situation feels hopeless. Like I have no control over my life."

"Yeah, unfortunately, there’s no way to escape right now. Unless you’d like to run for it — but that would get ugly fast." The master chuckled dryly. "Still, even if it’s not what you wanted, I think it’s a chance to learn a lot. Miss More is very intelligent. She can teach you not only about magic… but also about the parts of this world you don’t understand."

"You're not talking about dirty stuff, are you, old man?"

"Come on! Of course not... but you definitely are. HAHAHA." Holding a pipe in his mouth, he laughed. "She's a prodigy, the kind whose talent spills over to those around her. If I were young, I wouldn't miss the opportunity you're getting."

"It seems like everyone sees opportunity in what should be just my life."

The car stopped. We had arrived.

“Understand this: among nobles, convenience is like turbulent waters. Right now, marriage is favorable. A few months from now, maybe not. And divorce has never been more fashionable. Try to see this for what it is… the present, not the future."

"What should I do? Just be content?"

"I’m not saying that. Keep your eyes on the future you desire, and fight for it. But don’t forget the present, and the tools it gives you—they can be crucial in getting you where you want to go. Just as the beginning of a marriage is made by two, its end is also shared by two."

We stepped out of the car, tossing the sunglasses back.

“Thanks for the advice, but I’ll pass on the sunglasses. I can handle myself.” Facing the location, something didn’t add up. “Wait… that creepy portal is the place?”

“Yep…”

“So I just walk in and…?”

“You seriously didn’t prepare at all, kiddo?”

“Nope… sorry.”

“Well, the girl definitely did. Just follow her lead and try not to embarrass yourself. Now hurry, you’re running late!”

The entrance was nothing more than a black rectangle in the middle of nowhere — a portal ripped open in the sidewalk, with no building, no church, not even a doorframe. Just a fissure hanging in the air.

Weird… where’s the chapel?

I remembered hearing something about the marriages here while Tadashi, arms crossed, was seriously plotting ways to escape.

The whole ceremony was built on privacy and emptiness.

No party, no guests. Only the two people involved.

A dove flew toward us, passed us, and...BAM.

It crashed into an invisible surface.

“Ah...I get it, an invisible church.”

Tadashi took a few steps, and I was there for him:

“Don’t worry, Tadashi. I’ll be right by your side,” I said, giving him a bony thumbs-up.

“Thanks, Shi-nii. But… maybe turn off your projection. I think I want to experience this one a little more on my own.”

“…Fine then.”

Facing his future, Tadashi took the first step.