Tatsuya and Miyuki were in the middle of discussing wedding preparations when Miyuki seemed to have a sad expression on her face. They were discussing the guest list. On the terminal, they had listed down their friends' names. These names included Honoka and Shizuku and Miyuki was saddened when she saw their names being typed in by Tatsuya. Tatsuya put his hand on Miyuki's head and stroked her hair. She instinctively looked up at him and Tatsuya smiled warmly, meeting her gaze.
"It's okay, Miyuki. Honoka and Shizuku are your friends, I'm sure they will come around eventually. Honoka agreed to be your rival so losing was always a possibility, and while I can't say that Honoka is not hurting, I'm sure she knows just how deep your feelings for me are and how deeply I feel about you as well. Honoka is also aware that I can't love her. I've told her this much on the beach a few summers ago so she can't be too upset." Tatsuya tried to reassure Miyuki. He was aware that Honoka and Shizuku have not been in contact with Miyuki since the graduation party, they also haven't been active in any of the group threads. He wasn't sure what they were thinking so he hesitated to reach out to them. The ways of the human heart have always perplexed him and if it wasn't a matter of life and death, he wasn't going to risk adding fuel to the fire. Honoka was also aware that he was engaged to Miyuki. The situation should have resolved itself when their engagement was announced. Tatsuya didn't think there was anything else left to say to Honoka.
Miyuki looked up at Tatsuya and blushed lightly. She nodded and leaned her head into Tatsuya's chest taking his hand in hers. "I suppose you're right Tatsuya-sama. I will just give it more time." Miyuki said as she softly nuzzled her face against his chest.
Tatsuya smiled warmly. These tender moments with Miyuki brought him more peace and joy than anything else in the world. Tatsuya stroked Miyuki's hair with his free hand. He wished time would stand still; to live peacefully with Miyuki. He smiled to himself and shook his head to dispel his wishful thinking. The real world was cold and cruel, he already knew that. He already considered himself to be extremely lucky to be able to stay by Miyuki's side, to wish for such peace when he himself was weapon that wielded enough power to destroy the world, it was nothing but a dreamer's folly. He wasn't going to push his luck by asking for more but instead, he savored the peace he had with Miyuki now. He had already vowed to protect her and the happiness they have created. He wasn't going to wish for the world to be peaceful, he would instead destroy anything that stood in the way of their peace.
"Well, then should I send these lists to Hayama-san?" Tatsuya asked and Miyuki nodded. Tatsuya sent an email to Hayama and waited for his reply.
Hayama received Tatsuya's email and did a cursory read through. It didn't seem like Miyuki was asking for too much. It looked as if she was considerate of the fact that her request to marry Tatsuya "as soon as possible" was a bit unreasonable and she restrained herself. She only had simple requests in terms of the venue and decorations and gave much leeway for Hayama to make decisions on their behalf. All the things she asked for could be done within a month. Hayama only needed to confer with Maya regarding the guests that Tatsuya and Miyuki wanted to invite.
Maya was currently reading reports in her study. Yuuka from the Tsukuba branch family had been in charge of continuing the development of Tatsuya's magic, "Gatekeeper", into something that the Yotsuba magicians specializing in Mental Interference Magic can use. Maya seemed to be pleased with the progress and was eager to add it to the Yotsbua's magic repertoire. This would essentially allow Yostuba magicians to render all other combat magicians powerless, the Yostuba's strength would only increase exponentially from here. She was pulled out of her thoughts when Hayama knocked on her door.
"Excuse me, madam" Hayama bowed as he entered the room.
"Miyuki-sama and Tatsuya-sama have sent over their requests for their pending nuptials. All of it seems to be doable within 30 days." Hayama said politely as he handed Maya his terminal to allow her to look over the email.
Maya scrolled through the email. Nothing was out of the ordinary and the couple didn't request for anything too extravagant, or anything extravagant at all. It seemed to be a very simple ceremony.
"Hayama-san, I approve all of their requests but do take care to add a bit more grandeur. I can't allow my only son to have a mundane and forgettable wedding." Maya smiled
"Of course, madam. May I also ask for your advice regarding the guest list? It seems that Miyuki-sama and Tatsuya-sama would like to invite a few of their friends."
"They're welcome to invite anyone they want. It is their wedding after all." Maya said frivolously.
"I understand. I will come later with the complete guest list for your approval. Excuse me" Hayama bowed and exited the room.
The next morning Tatsuya received an email from Hayama regarding their wedding. It was a file full of the wedding preparations they have completed so far. It included a suggested menu, vendor and venue suggestions, a guest list and available dates. Hayama had requested that Tatsuya and Miyuki look over the details so far and to call him afterwards for confirmation and for any questions that they might have. "The devil works hard but Hayama-san works harder." Tatsuya thought to himself and chuckled. Tatsuya showed Miyuki the email and they chatted over the details during breakfast.
Lina was having breakfast with the couple as usual and was giving her opinions on the wedding as well. Though Lina wasn't officially part of the bridal party, Miyuki thought that having a bridal party would only complicate the wedding preparations, but due to the nature of her and Miyuki's friendship she would inevitably be Miyuki's de facto maid of honor. Lina also didn't have a shy personality and perhaps due to her Western style upbringing she wasn't afraid to interject and voice her her opinions regarding the wedding planning.
"Miyuki, I really think you should add more dessert options to your menu. Everyone will have different preferences and it would be good to cover all your bases." Lina had a bit of a sweet tooth and perhaps this comment was a bit self-serving.
"Lina, before we discuss the menu, Tatsuya-sama and I need to decide on a date and venue first." Miyuki giggled as she said this. Miyuki was giddy with excitement at the thought of her pending nuptials with Tatsuya.
"Oh you're right. Hayama also gave you a lot of options. Hmm..."
Hayama had narrowed down the venues to four luxury hotels all of which were owned by shell companies of the Yotsuba clan. The Yotsuba owned multiple hotels across the country and they varied from luxury to midrange. The ones suggested by Hayama were among their most high-end 5-star luxury hotels and resorts. The service at these hotels were nothing short of excellent and even the most discerning international traveler would want for nothing if they stayed here. The hotels suggested were located in Okinawa, Hokkaido, Tokyo and Nagano. These locations were chosen not only due to the fact that they were luxurious but also because they were strategically located near secret bases that the Yotsuba had across the country. Should the need arise, they would have a ready fighting force housed nearby in case of an emergency.
"Miyuki, what do you think? Where would you like to hold the wedding?" Tatsuya asked warmly
"I think I would prefer to have it here in Tokyo, Tatsuya-sama. I wouldn't want to inconvenience our guests with a destination wedding on such short notice." Miyuki said plainly. It was true. Miyuki had requested they be married soon and it would have been unreasonable to asks guests to travel for their wedding. They would not only need to arrange for transportation and accommodations but they would also need to check their schedules and ask for time off if necessary. Miyuki didn't feel the need to inconvenience their friends and family over this, besides she was happy as long as a wedding ceremony with Tatsuya was going to take place.
"Alright, it looks like with that venue, we can get married in a month's time. Hayama-san even sent over a timeline for the preparations for each venue and the suggested vendors." Tatsuya couldn't help but smile. Although Tatsuya expected nothing less from the head butler of the Yotsuba clan, he was still nonetheless thoroughly impressed by Hayama's efficiency.
"Why don't we give Hayama-san a call later to tell him what we've decided?" Tatsuya asked Miyuki and she nodded with a brilliant smile on her face
Hayama, Tatsuya and Miyuki were already in the middle of a call discussing the couple's pending nuptials. They have already decided the date and venue. Vague ideas for the decorations and theme were already decided and a specific list of preferences would be presented to a wedding planner who would advise them regarding feasibility given their situation. Hayama had already sent them a list of professional wedding planners in the email he sent earlier and was confirming the couple's availability for interviews with them to decide who they will be hiring. The meeting was wrapping up with the last topic being the guest list.
"I have sent over the final guest list which has already been approved by Toushu-sama. If everything is in order, I can send the invitations out by this afternoon. I would like to request the addresses of your friends so that I may send them their invitations as well."
"Yes, everything is in order Hayama-san. Thank you very much, but regarding our friends, we would like to hand some of them their invitations personally so if it would not be too much of an inconvenience could you please send their invitations to our apartment in Chofu?"
"Yes, of course Tatsuya-sama." Hayama bowed politely.
"Thank you Hayama-san. That will be all and thank you very much for your hard work." Tatsuya bowed politely and the screen went blank.
"Tatsuya-sama, why did you want to send the invitations personally?" Miyuki asked seemingly puzzled. It only seemed like extra work and invitations were usually sent via mail so it wasn't impolite. Miyuki wasn't sure what Tatsuya was trying to accomplish by personally handing out invitations. She stared at Tatsuya's face trying to discern his thoughts. Tatsuya mentally waived the white flag. He wasn't even going to attempt hiding anything from Miyuki.
"I wanted to have a small get together with our friends before we got married, like an engagement party, and I was going to hand out the invitations then." Tatsuya said warmly and Miyuki blushed.
"We didn't have a proper time to celebrate our engagement since it was all very sudden and I was still sorting out my feelings. I wanted to surprise you with a chance to celebrate our engagement. I have already invited Erika and the others and reserved Cafe Einebrise for a private dinner party."
"An engagement party? That sounds lovely. Thank you very much, Tatsuya-sama." Miyuki could barely hold in her excitement. After everything that has happened so far, she had only retained her composure through sheer willpower and muscle memory due to her years of ojou-sama training.
"We can leave around 5:30 pm. Is that alright with you Miyuki?"
"Yes. Lina and I will be ready by then."
Tatsuya turned to Lina and she instinctively straightened her posture. While she wasn't afraid of Tatsuya per se, she knew he wielded incredible power and the fact that she was guarding the most important person in his life weighed on her as if she was the mythical titan Atlas who carried the sky. Miyuki's safety was the only thing that kept Tatsuya from destroying the world and Lina felt immense pressure by being her bodyguard.
"Lina, I leave Miyuki in your care."
"Yes, leave that to me." Lina nodded.
They were finished with breakfast and already dressed. Tatsuya had left to run some errands and Miyuki and Lina saw him off at the door. Tatsuya arrived a little later in the afternoon, at round 4:30 which gave him ample time to prepare. Miyuki and Lina were waiting at the door to greet him.
"I'm home."
"Welcome home, Tatsuya-sama." Miyuki beamed. She was excited for tonight's engagement party. Though they called it a party it was really just an intimate get together of their inner circle, namely it would just be their friends from First High in attendance.
"Why don't you go an get ready Miyuki. I'll make preparations as well." As Tatsuya walked past Miyuki to enter their apartment, Miyuki could feel something was different about Tatsuya. While Tatsuya seemed to be the same on the surface, Miyuki could tell something was off. Perhaps one could call it a "woman's intuition."
"Tatsuya-sama is something the matter?" Miyuki asked apprehensively
"No. Everything is fine, Miyuki." Tatsuya smiled reassuringly. Miyuki wasn't completely convinced and though she promised Tatsuya that she would be more open about her feelings, she judged that now would not be the right time to voice her suspicions. She could not feel any immediate danger and nor did she sense any errant lingering psions from Tatsuya. He had not been in a fight and he didn't seem to be in any physical danger. If it was something she needed to know, she knew Tatsuya would tell her and she was scared that she would only get in the way if she tried to involve herself. Tatsuya always acted in her best interest so if he was keeping something from her, he must have had a good reason.
Miyuki merely nodded and went to her room to prepare.
Tatsuya went into his room to prepare as well. When he was inside he clutched his left breast pocket and a sigh of relief escaped his mouth. "Miyuki almost caught me." Tatsuya chuckled to himself. He took the item out of his breast pocket an a small jewelry box was in his hand. He opened it to inspect its contents again. It was a simple but elegant engagement ring. It had a beautiful 3-carat blue emerald cut diamond set on a thin white gold band. Tatsuya had always thought blue looked good on Miyuki and he also knew Miyuki was fond of that color as well. He also didn't want to get anything too gaudy as that would only serve to undermine Miyuki's beauty and elegance. Understated but elegant pieces also worked best for everyday wear, Tatsuya didn't want to get a ring that would inhibit her movement or cause any discomfort. The ring also had two small white crystals flanking the diamond on either side. Crystals were thought to enhance a magician's ability so Tatsuya thought it appropriate to incorporate them into the design of the ring. Tatsuya had put a lot of thought into designing this ring and an engagement ring was long overdue in his opinion. He closed the jewelry box and clutched it tightly.
Miyuki, Tatsuya and Lina had already left the apartment and were on their way to Cafe Einebrise. Hyuogo was dropping them off and he would also be picking them up later. As Tatsuya sat next to Miyuki, she still couldn't let her hunch go. Though she couldn't feel that there was any immediate danger surrounding them she could still sense that Tatsuya was slightly off. She couldn't point her finger at anything he did in particular that seemed to be out of the ordinary but she could feel like he was not completely like himself. As they sat together, she noticed that Tatsuya seemed stiff and he seemed to breathe a small sigh of relief when he clutched his left front breast pocket. "Is he nervous?" Miyuki thought to herself.
Tatsuya was not one who scared easily. He had always been calm and composed. Miyuki had never seen him break this facade unless it had something to do with her. Miyuki didn't think she did anything differently today or acted strangely so she could not understand what would make Tatsuya so nervous. Miyuki watched Tatsuya with concerned eyes. Tatsuya picked up on Miyuki's gaze and turned to face her.
"Don't worry about me. I'm perfectly fine, Miyuki." Tatsuya squeezed Miyuki's hand and smiled warmly.
Miyuki could see the sincerity in Tatsuya's eyes. She squeezed Tatsuya's hand back and relaxed her shoulders. Her worry seemed to be for naught. She rested her head against Tatsuya's shoulder and caressed the back of his hand with her thumb tenderly. Lina coughed to dispel this sickeningly sweet atmosphere.
"You guys should get ready, we'll be there soon." Lina said in a stiff voice as she tried not to make eye contact with the couple.
The trio arrived at Cafe Einebrise and their friends welcomed them as they entered. Those in attendance were Erika, Mizuki, Mikihiko and Leo. Though they also invited Honoka and Shizuku, they did not respond and it seemed like it would be best to leave them alone for the time being. Though some of their friends were missing, there was no awkward atmosphere. There seemed to be an unspoken agreement amongst themselves not to bring it up and Miyuki was in high spirits upon seeing their friends. Erika was the first to greet the couple.
"Eh Tatsuya-kun, what's this party about? Don't tell me after that declaration of love you eloped with Miyuki and this is your way of telling us you guys are married." Erika teased. Mizuki's and Miyuki's faces both flushed.
"Erika-chan...that's really...erm...inappropriate." Mizuki could barely finish her sentence as her face shone brightly red. Tatsuya only chuckled.
"I guess you could say that this party is something to that effect." Tatsuya's mouth curled upwards in a wry smile
"Miyuki and I are getting married next month and you're all invited." Tatsuya pulled out wedding invitations from his jacket and handed them to their friends. Everyone seemed to blink in confusion as they opened the envelops to read its contents. Erika was the first to regain her wits and let out a sigh.
"I guess that's Tatsuya for you. I was only joking but you always take things too seriously." Erika quipped.
"But seriously though congratulations. I can't wait to attend your wedding." A genuine smile ran across Erika's face. While Erika tended to tease her friends, she cared about them deeply. Seeing Tatsuya and Miyuki getting married made her genuinely happy for the couple.
Leo was also quick to recover from his initial shock and put his arm around Tatsuya's neck.
"Congrats Tatsuya! I knew you guys were getting married but I didn't know it would be so soon. I'll definitely come back to Tokyo for wedding." Leo smiled enthusiastically. Leo was going to rescue school outside of the city and would barely see them once school started. This party would most probably be one of the last times they could all be together before the wedding. Leo's departure was a tough pill to swallow for everyone in the group since they have all gotten so close in the last three years. It was especially tough on Erika and there seemed to be more tension between the two of them than usual.
"You can also not come to the wedding. I doubt a wild man like you could fit in at such a fancy party." Erika teased Leo with a hint of irritation in her voice.
"Why you..." Leo was gearing up to enter a verbal sparring match when Tatsuya put his hand on Leo's shoulder. They looked at each other and laughed. It felt just like old times. The group happily chatted away as they ate their meal. The girls huddled together to ask Miyuki about the wedding details when the cafe owner came to their table and presented a large chocolate cake in front of Miyuki. On top, written on a piece of tempered chocolate were the words "Will you marry me?" Miyuki's eyes were filling with tears as she turned to look at where Tatsuya was seated but he wasn't there. Tatsuya coughed and Miyuki found him kneeling before her with an open ring box in his hand.
"Miyuki, I know this is a little late and it might be a bit redundant, but will you marry me?" Tatsuya asked sheepishly. Tears ran down her cheeks and her face blushed lightly. She nodded her head as she covered her mouth with her hands.
"Yes, Tatsuya-sama." Miyuki was now sobbing as she threw her arms over Tatsuya in an embrace. Her ojou-sama training had barely restrained from planting a kiss on Tatsuya in front of all their friends. Instead, Miyuki moved to press her forehead against Tatsuya's as they lovingly gazed into each other's eyes; their faces both lightly flushed. Their friends could not help but blush witnessing this touching scene as they clapped their hands in approval. Tatsuya slipped the ring on to Miyuki's finger and Miyuki beamed brightly.
"It's a perfect fit." Tatsuya whispered softly into Miyuki's ear.
The engagement party continued in even higher spirits. Miyuki cut the cake and was serving everyone a slice, making sure to serve Lina a slightly larger piece than everyone else. Miyuki knew and remembered her friends' preferences. The mood was light and the impromptu proposal seemed to be perfect canon fodder for Erika as she was now teasing Miyuki and Tatsuya relentlessly. In fact no one was safe, as Erika even seemed to tease the beet red Mizuki and Mikihiko. She "encouraged" Mikihiko to man-up like Tatsuya and finally ask Mizuki on a date or at the very least call her by her first name. Erika's earlier tension with Leo also seemed to dissipate as she enjoyed herself at the party with no reservations even teasing Leo like she normally did with no hidden resentment.
During the engagement party at Cafe Einebrise, there were two people who were not in attendance. Honoka had been staying at Shizuku's house since the graduation party. There were two opened wedding invitations on Shizuku's desk. Tatsuya had been informed by Mizuki that Honoka was living with Shizuku for the time being and made the judgement call to have the invitations sent over to Shizuku's house since he guessed that they would probably not be attending the party he planned. His guess proved to be correct. Honoka was hunched over sobbing into Shizuku's chest.
"Why? Why is it so soon? I thought I had more time. I thought I could..." Honoka wailed as she stained Shizuku's blouse with tears. Shizuku gently patted Honoka's head. Shizuku wanted Honoka to let all her feelings of frustration out. Shizuku continued to pat Honoka's head as she herself drifted into deep contemplative thought.
Shizuku wanted to help her best friend but she did not know how. It was not like Shizuku was going to actively attempt to break Miyuki and Tatsuya up. Not only would that have been impossible, Tatsuya and Miyuki were still her friends and Honoka would never approve such underhanded tactics. She didn't want to hurt her friends. She was also aware that asking Honoka to give up was not going to go over very well. Honoka, as an elemental, had fierce loyalty ingrained into her genes. Shizuku had already advised Honoka to give up when Tatsuya and Miyuki's engagement was publicly announced, but Honoka refused. But at this point, there was no other choice but to give up but she knew Honoka better than that. She knew that Honoka was going to fight up until the very end, unless the ink on the marriage certificate was dry, Honoka was still going to try to win Tatsuya's affections. That was just the type of person she was. Shizuku wanted to spare her friend from the additional heartache and possible embarrassment. She wanted her friend to give up now but she didn't know what she could do to convince her. All Shizuku could do was be there for her friend. She sat still as she let Honoka continue crying into her chest.
When Tatsuya and Miyuki got home from the party, Miyuki was still beaming brightly as she clung on to Tatsuya's arm. She held her left hand up to her face and squealed with delight seeing the ring on her finger. Tatsuya smiled warmly at Miyuki's joyful disposition.
"I'm glad you like it. I was hoping to give it to you right after graduation to double as a graduation present but the jewelry store incurred some delays in procuring certain materials and in executing the design I specified."
"There's no need to apologize Tatsuya-sama. Things like that are out of your control. Miyuki is very grateful to have Tatsuya-sama think of her and give her such a beautiful gift." Miyuki beamed brightly. "When you say you specified the design..." Miyuki said as she just realized what Tatsuya meant by his last sentence. She didn't think Tatsuya would have gone so far as to design the ring.
"Yes, I had the engagement ring custom made. I designed it with the help of the manager of the jewelry store we visited on our first date." Miyuki's eyes widened in realization. Tatsuya had chatted with the store manager in hushed tones when they were last there, the manager was probably informing Tatsuya of the ring's progress.
"I chose an emerald cut for its symmetry and timelessness but to achieve the desired effect they needed to find a high quality diamond with no imperfections and excellent clarity. This proved to be difficult task. I also specified that the crystals on the side be of the highest quality and had our names micro engraved on them. The one on the left has my name, 'Tatsuya', and the one the right has yours, 'Miyuki'. I also made sure that adding more crystals in future would be possible. I was planning on adding a crystal for each child we have and having their names micro engraved on the crystal as well." Tatsuya smiled with lightly flushed cheeks at the thought of having children with Miyuki.
Miyuki saw how much care and attention Tatsuya had put into this ring. She completely understood why its completion did not make it in time for graduation. She was also extremely touched by the amount of time and effort Tatsuya put into designing the ring. She knew that designing jewelry wasn't exactly Tatsuya's forte and thought he would just buy an ordinary off the rack engagement ring, even if he had done so Miyuki would not have been disappointed. Even at FLT Tatsuya was more involved with software and rarely touched hardware design unless it was for notes on final approval, so the fact that Tatsuya put so much effort into this ring moved her deeply. She could feel every ounce of love Tatsuya had poured into designing this ring and beamed brightly.
"This ring is perfect Tatsuya-sama. I love it." Miyuki pressed herself deeper into Tatsuya's arm. Tatsuya only smiled warmly. He liked being in close physical contact with Miyuki and was delighted to hear that she loved the engagement ring he designed. He squeezed Miyuki's hand tightly. The atmosphere that this lovey-dovey couple created quickly overtook their whole apartment and had no signs of dissipating anytime soon.
Ichijou Gouki had gone home relatively early today, it was 6 o'clock pm and unbeknownst to him the Shibas private engagement party had just started. Gouki had gone into his study to check if anything had arrived for him while he was at the office when he saw a beautifully made envelope bearing his and his wife's names sitting atop his desk. The envelope was of high quality and the calligraphy of his and his wife's names was exquisite. He opened to see its contents and his eyes widened in shock. It was an invitation to Tatsuya and Miyuki's wedding. Gouki's face contorted into a mix of anger, confusion, shock, and frustration. He wasn't sure what to make of this invitation. The Yotsubas have yet to make a formal reply to their proposal for his son Masaki to marry Miyuki. This invitation was a slap in the face to the Ichijou family, it was tantamount to the Yostuba ignoring their proposal at the very least and at most, it could be seen as the Yotsubas taunting them, as if to say that the Ichijou family was beneath them and they deemed it inappropriate to even dignify them with a formal response. Gouki was also concerned with the power of the Yotsuba. He knew that the Yotsubas alone had long since surpassed the power of the Ten Master Clans combined even before Tatsuya and Miyuki were publicly acknowledged to be members. After seeing Tatsuya beat Masaki at the Nine School Competition a few years ago and the subsequent announcement that he was Yotsuba Maya's son, he knew that allowing Tatsuya to remain in the Yotsuba would be push the Ten Master Clans system over the edge, but now things were even more dire. Tatsuya had just identified himself to be the most powerful magician in the world. His power far surpassed a Strategic Class Magician, he could even be said to be an Annihilator Strategic Class Magician or Super Strategic Class Magician for lack of a better term. Tatsuya had for more power than Gouki could have imagined, and Gouki still did not even know the full breadth of Tatsuya's power, Gouki could not allow Tatsuya to remain under the Yotsuba's control for the sake of the Ten Master Clans. Another clan needed to have control over Tatsuya to have some semblance of balance within the Ten Master Clans. While Gouki was not the most cunning of the heads of the Ten Master Clans, that title belonged to Saegusa Kouichi, he was still politically savvy enough to know that the situation was dire and he needed to act fast. Gouki for lack of better judgement called Maya in a fit of desperation.
Maya was leisurely scrolling her through her terminal checking expense reports and budgets when Hayama knocked on her door.
"Excuse madam, but Ichijou Gouki-sama is on the line asking to speak with you" Hayama bowed as he entered.
"Ichijou-dono?" Maya's tone was disinterested. She already knew what this phone call was going to be about. Gouki had insisted that Masaki marry Miyuki and even offered to have Masaki join the Yotsuba. She knew Gouki wanted to chip away at the Yotsuba's power by separating Miyuki and Tatsuya and strengthen his own clan through the strategic marriage of Miyuki and Masaki but she also knew that this would never happen. Not only would she not allow it, Maya was adamant that Tatsuya marry Miyuki, she also knew the couple themselves would not allow it. She thought about rejecting his call but she knew he would only call again. She decided it was better to swat this fly than waive it away now only for it come back later. Maya decided to answer the call.
"Hayama-san, I'll answer the call. Please patch him through to the videophone in this room."
Gouki had calmed down after being put on hold for a few minutes. He still wasn't sure what exactly he wanted to say to Maya but he had a vague idea of his goal. He wanted Miyuki to marry Masaki and for that to occur Miyuki had to give Masaki a chance. Perhaps it was parental love for his son or blind nepotism, but he didn't see any reason why Miyuki would reject Masaki. Masaki was good-looking, definitely better looking than Tatsuya. Gouki slightly chuckled to himself after he remembered Masaki took after his wife and not himself. Masaki was also powerful. Masaki was a nationally recognized Strategic Class Magician with live combat experience, if strength was a factor for Miyuki then Masaki also did not fall short in that area. Masaki's pedigree was also impeccable since he was not only a direct descendant of the Ichijou family but the blood of the Isshiki family of the 18 assistant houses also flowed through his veins. Masaki also had a bright and pleasing personality. By all objective measures, Masaki was a perfectly suitable groom for the heir to the Yotsuba. Gouki was also speculating that Miyuki must have found the arrangement to be a bit awkward. Even if the Shibas had known since birth that they were only cousins and not siblings, they had presented themselves as such to the world for most of their lives. It must have caused at least some cognitive dissonance for them to suddenly present themselves as an engaged couple overnight. Gouki banked on this speculation to give Masaki an edge over Tatsuya. Gouki was pulled out of his thoughts when the smiling visage of an alluring woman in her 30s greeted him on the monitor.
"Good evening, Ichijou-dono. Sorry to keep you waiting." Maya said with a smile but her eyes were cold and emotionless.
"Good evening, Yotsuba-dono. I am very sorry to call you so abruptly." Gouki apologized but Maya's cold gaze never faltered. Gouki coughed to clear his throat but also to regain his composure. This was the first time he has ever had a one-on-one call with Maya and he did not know she could exert this much pressure through a screen. Gouki seemed to finally comprehend how this woman earned the nicknames "Queen of Night" and "Demon King of the Far East". Her presence alone via video call could exert this much pressure, what more could she do in a serious battle Gouki thought to himself.
Maya remained quiet, waiting for Gouki to state his business. She did not even try to hide her disinterest. Gouki picked up on this and quickly stated his reason for the call.
"Yotsuba-dono, I have recently received an invitation for your son's wedding. I would like to voice out my concerns." Maya nodded, signaling for Gouki to continue.
"I thought we had an agreement? I thought my son would be allowed to pursue Shiba Miyuki-dono. Having a wedding this soon is an underhanded tactic that undermines our agreement. Masaki was not given nearly enough to get close to Shiba Miyuki-dono. Also, the Yotsuba family have yet to send us a formal reply regarding our engagement proposal. Surely you must understand how it looks when an unanswered marriage proposal is met with a surprise wedding invitation. The Ichijou family surely deserved more respect than that." Gouki said with a firm tone.
Maya's lips curled upwards and a sickeningly sweet voice flowed forth from them. She put an index finger to her chin as if to convey that she was deep in thought.
"Ichijou-dono, I do not recall ever agreeing to a specified time period to allow Ichijou Masaki-dono to pursue my niece. Besides, those terms were given by me as a courtesy to your family. I had no obligation to allow Ichijou Masaki-dono to pursue Miyuki-san." Maya smiled fiendishly.
"And if we are to talk about disrespect Ichijou-dono, it was your family that dealt the first blow. You immediately sent a counter marriage proposal when we had already announced the engagement of Tatsuya-san and Miyuki-san. You even went so far as to insinuate that my son Tatsuya was inferior to Ichijou Masaki-dono during the conference. I do not take slights against my son lightly." Maya's gaze seemed to sharpen as she spoke her last two sentences. Panic danced in Gouki's eyes, all of what Maya said was true. It was completely inappropriate for him to have sent a counter proposal but as a father he wanted to support Masaki and as a magician the match seemed ill made given that the couple had such a close genetic relation.
"I apologize for the disrespect but as a parent you must understand that I was acting on behalf of my son. He seems to be in-love with Shiba Miyuki-dono. Moreover, it would be in the best interest for the magic community to allow my son to marry your niece. Even you cannot deny, Yotsuba-dono, that Shiba Tatsuya-dono and Shiba Miyuki-dono are far too genetically similar to be allowed to wed. Their offspring would be more likely to have weakened dispositions at the very least. Shiba Tatsuya-dono and Shiba Miyuki-dono's genetic material are a national resource and it would be far more advantageous to the country if they wed and produced heirs with others from the Ten Master Clans." Gouki was firm and resolute. He knew he had the logical advantage. It was even brought up during the Clan Conference that even if everything was true, given that Miya and Maya were monozygotic twins, Tatsuya and Miyuki would be half-siblings at the very least.
Maya's eyes did not waver as she continue to smile. She calmly answered Gouki.
"Even if Ichijou Masaki-dono is in love with Miyuki-san, I am afraid that Miyuki-san is in love with my son. I do not wish to be cruel to her feelings and seperate them against their will. And regarding the business of heirs..." Maya's tone turned sharp "You need not concern yourself with these issues. The business of heirs and their future children is an internal affair for the Yotsuba family to handle. I am certain that our family will be blessed by their union." Mischief danced in Maya's eyes. Gouki heard the certainty in Maya's tone. She knew something he didn't and he wanted to press her for information.
"Yotsuba-dono, how can you be so sure? May I ask you to please reconsider." Gouki stood firm on his stance. Maya seemed to be getting irritated. This conversation was going to go in circles.
"Ichijou-dono, as I said before, I will not force my niece to marry someone she barely knows. She has already made it clear to me that she is in love with my son and I will not stand in their way. But if you feel so strongly about your son's feelings, as a parent I cannot ignore your plea" Maya smiled mischievously. "I will acknowledge that our agreement is still in place. If your son can win Miyuki-san's heart, I will not object to her marrying him. The only caveat is that this time Ichijou Masaki-dono will be working with a timeline of one month. He may even have until the second before the wedding starts to try to win Miyuki-san's heart if he so wishes. But..." Maya's tone remained sharp "Once the ceremony begins, neither Ichijou Masaki-dono nor you will be allowed to interfere with Tatsuya-san and Miyuki-san's private life." Gouki nodded in approval to these terms. Gouki had initially made this call to ask that Masaki and Miyuki be engaged but it seems like Maya was not going to concede on this point. This was the best situation he could hope for. Gouki had no other choice but to believe that Masaki could win Miyuki's heart.
"Thank you for consideration, Yotsuba-dono. I'm sorry to have taken up so much of your time." Gouki bowed signaling the end of their conversation. Maya returned his pleasantries and smiled back as the screen turned off. Gouki proceeded to have dinner with his family where he asked Masaki to join him in his study afterwards.
After dinner, Masaki cautiously followed his father into the study. Masaki did not know why he was being called to the study. It was also rare for his father to discuss things concerning the family this late at night. Gouki gestured that Masaki sit on the sofa while he sat across from him.
"Masaki" Gouki called out in a firm assertive tone. This signaled to Masaki that Gouki was talking to him as a member of the Ten Master Clans and not as his son. Masaki instinctively straightened his posture and waited for Gouki to continue.
"I have recently received an invitation to Shiba Tatsuya-dono and Shiba Miyuki-dono's wedding. It will be happening within a month's time." Masaki's face went pale. He thought he still had more time to win Miyuki's heart. He thought that by being in close proximity with her at Magic University he could steal her away from Tatsuya. Proximity was the first step to attraction and later to love. Masaki's head was spinning, he had a plan but it seems like that was no longer an option. Masaki was frozen by shock, he did not know what to say. He had no idea that he was out of time. He quickly tried to regain his bearings since he still did not know why his father called him to the study. Masaki took a deep breath and refocused his eyes on Gouki.
Gouki watched the dizzying array of emotions dance across Masaki's face. There he understood how deeply Masaki felt about Miyuki. His son was in love and he was going to help him. It may also be said that Gouki had ulterior motives for helping his son but it seemed like his love for his son was the main motivator and the rest only supported his resolve. Gouki waited patiently as Masaki regained his bearings.
"I have already spoken to Yostuba-dono and she will not be cancelling the wedding. I told her that you would be a far better match for Shiba Miyuki-dono but she declined to listen to reason." Masaki's eyes were downcast. "However, she has acknowledged that our current agreement is still in place." Masaki looked up at his father anticipating what he would say next. "Masaki, you have until the second before the wedding ceremony starts to win Shiba Miyuki-dono's heart. I understand that you love her and you have my utmost support in your pursuit." Gouki said firmly. Masaki looked at his father with determined eyes and nodded. This was his last chance and he was going to fight with everything he had.
"Don't embarrass me, Masaki" Gouki smiled at his son.
Masaki and Gouki continued to chat amicably in the study. Gouki showed Masaki the wedding invitation and talked to him about what he and Maya discussed. Gouki also vaguely talked to Masaki about his ulterior motives and Masaki concurred that a marriage between himself and Miyuki would be far more advantageous than one between the Shibas. Masaki was confident that he loved Miyuki more and that the children they would produce would be far superior to those Miyuki would have with Tatsuya. Masaki saw it as his duty as a magician to win Miyuki over.
Masaki left the study with new found determination and a sense of urgency. Thirty days was not a lot of time to make someone fall in love with you. Contrary to the romcom classic of centuries past "How to Lose a Guy in 10 days" thirty days was hardly sufficient to make someone fall deeply in love with you let alone ten. Masaki needed a plan of attack, so he called his best friend and strategist Kichijouji Shinkurou, also known as Cardinal George, for help. This conversation would prove fruitless since both of them had no experience when it came to dating and love. They might have been fearsome combat magicians but underneath they were still teenage boys who had no idea how to court a girl so acting on George's advice, Masaki reluctantly asked his younger sister Akane for advice on how to win a girl's heart.