Shout out to Prashant Jay for the pledge. 2 bonus chapters on Sunday.
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Despite being thoroughly scolded by her mother, Yukinoshita Yukino stood her ground and looked up, her sapphire eyes filled with resolve.
"Why not?"
"You..."
Madam Yukinoshita blinked, caught off guard.
"Are you seriously willing to share a marriage with Haruno?"
Yukino's cheeks turned faintly red, but she gave a small, determined nod.
"Haruno, what about you?"
"Yes, Mother. I'm sorry, but it's already a done deal." Haruno giggled, shooting Nozomi a playful look. "I wanted to leave, but this overbearing guy wouldn't let me go."
That teasing tone of hers carried its usual charm, but her eyes held sincerity.
Madam Yukinoshita's sharp gaze bounced between her two daughters, her expression shifting from disbelief to confusion and then to reluctant acceptance.
Finally, she let out a long, exasperated sigh.
Her eyes landed on Nozomi's face again, this time with a colder edge.
"And you... can you promise never to neglect either of my daughters?"
"Yes, I promise!" Nozomi answered without hesitation, his tone earnest.
"Hmph, promises are easy to make." Madam Yukinoshita's voice was calm but laced with steel. "You think it's such a pleasant thing to have both sisters. But what if I cancel the engagement altogether?"
Nozomi's eyes didn't waver.
"If Madam doesn't agree... then I'll just elope with Yukino and Haruno and live in Sakurasou. Eventually, it'll become a fait accompli. At that point, you won't be able to oppose it."
Madam Yukinoshita's mouth twitched.
This boy...
He wasn't just shameless—he was ridiculously shameless!
"Absolutely not! You can only marry one!" Her tone turned sharp, her words clipped.
"You want to take both of my daughters away in one sweep? What about me? Should I live alone? Do you realize how ridiculous it would sound to outsiders that the Yukinoshita family married off both daughters to the same man? What face would we have left?"
Her tone turned deceptively gentle, but everyone in the room could sense the storm behind it.
"So choose. Yukino or Haruno. Just one."
She looked at Nozomi expectantly, clearly setting a trap. No matter which name he picked, it would hurt the other.
Yukino's fingers clenched nervously at her side, her heart racing. Haruno gave Nozomi a half-smile, a rare flicker of unease in her otherwise confident eyes.
Nozomi looked between the two sisters, then turned toward Madam Yukinoshita with a mischievous grin.
"If I can only choose one... then I choose—"
Everyone held their breath.
"—you, Madam."
The room froze.
Madam Yukinoshita stared at him blankly. "...Eh?"
"I choose you, Madam," Nozomi repeated without missing a beat.
Yukino's face turned beet red. "B-baka! That's my mother! What, do you want to be my father or something?!"
Haruno blinked in surprise, then let out a low laugh, clearly amused. She didn't comment but seemed to seriously ponder the idea for a moment.
Madam Yukinoshita's icy composure cracked. Her elegant features flushed slightly as she glared.
"You really are fearless, aren't you? Explain yourself!"
Nozomi looked at Yukino and Haruno with gentle eyes, then turned to face Mrs. Yukinoshita with a rare seriousness in his tone.
"I know I'm being greedy," he began, his voice calm but filled with conviction. "I like Yukino deeply, and I care for Haruno just as much. The thought of losing either of them—it tears me apart."
He paused briefly, allowing the weight of his words to settle in the room.
"If choosing one means giving up the other, then... why not be honest with myself and admit I want both? Maybe it's selfish. But when I said I chose you, Madam, I meant that I want to become a part of this family, to try and earn your acceptance. I want to prove I have the strength to make Yukino and Haruno happy, together."
Mrs. Yukinoshita narrowed her eyes, her expression unreadable.
Yukino, meanwhile, let out an exasperated sigh, cheeks tinged red. She glared at Nozomi.
"Baka... you're always saying stuff that sounds good, but I still feel like you're trying to flirt with my mother," she muttered under her breath.
Haruno, on the other hand, wore an amused expression, her lips curling into a teasing smile as if enjoying the sudden drama.
Mrs. Yukinoshita, who had been briefly caught off guard, regained her composure. But there was a glint of curiosity in her eyes now, not just coldness.
"Family, huh?" she murmured. "So, you already think of my daughters as family?"
Nozomi smiled sheepishly. "Well, it's a bit late to deny it. After all, what's done is done."
Mrs. Yukinoshita stiffened.
Her gaze shot over to her daughters, sharp and probing. Yukino averted her eyes immediately, while Haruno gave a playful shrug.
The older woman's brow twitched.
She sighed heavily.
"I... I truly must have failed in raising you two. To think both of my accomplished daughters would be... swayed by the same boy."
Haruno gave a short, embarrassed laugh and looked away.
"He said he wanted to take responsibility," she mumbled. "And... well, he didn't give me much of a chance to say no."
Nozomi scratched his cheek awkwardly.
Mrs. Yukinoshita shook her head with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. "Girls grow up so fast..."
Then her tone turned sharper.
"Listen, brat. Don't go around bragging about what's already happened. The Yukinoshita name carries weight, and we can't let our reputation be dragged through the mud by some impulsive romantic declarations."
Her eyes, however, had softened slightly.
"I'm not so close-minded to insist you can only love one. I know about your... unique background. If you're serious about protecting them and staying true, then I can accept it in my heart. But not publicly—not yet."
She crossed her arms, her voice firm.
"We cannot hold a dual engagement. That would invite scrutiny from every traditional family in the country. Let the world see a proper engagement first. Once your own power matures and you've proven you can protect this family, then we'll speak of the second."
Nozomi frowned, unwilling to yield. "But I want to make it official now. It's time to show the ancient families that the Son of god has returned!"
Mrs. Yukinoshita blinked.
Yukino looked confused. Haruno's eyes sparkled with intrigue.
Nozomi took a step forward, his presence suddenly growing heavier.
"Madam, you speak of protection as if I don't already have the power to defend this house."
He raised his hand.
With a quiet whoosh, a glowing flame—pure, brilliant, and divine—ignited in his palm.
The room heated subtly, the air shimmering around the fire like a sacred aura.
Mrs. Yukinoshita's eyes widened.
This was no ordinary flame.