Under the conditions that had just been mentioned, everyone was gathered in the hall.
Everyone stood there in shock—
Everyone except Kaji, who looked completely calm.
Kaji glanced around at them and chuckled.
Kaji:
"Are… are…?"
"Did my gift really shock you all that much?"
Everyone:
"… "
No one answered.
The hall remained silent.
Kaji waved his hand casually.
Kaji:
"You see, I even brought the images of my future grandson-in-law and granddaughter-in-law."
He pointed his finger into the air.
Suddenly—
A floating screen appeared in mid-air.
On it were the images of a boy and a girl.
Kaji proudly looked at everyone.
Kaji:
"Look."
"I personally like both of them."
"They are wealthy, belong to very respectable families, and most importantly…"
He smiled widely.
Kaji:
"They are the children of the Chief Minister of Naco Country."
"If this marriage happens, our family will have relations with both the CM and the Prime Minister of Naco Country."
"That's a very big thing, isn't it?"
He looked around again.
But the reactions he expected never came.
Everyone still looked silent… and shocked.
Finally, Pintu spoke.
Pintu:
"F-Father… I'm sorry… but Pretty and Khan can't have this marriage."
The moment those words were spoken—
The smile on Kaji's face disappeared.
His expression turned completely serious.
He slowly asked,
Kaji:
"Why?"
His voice was cold.
Kuku:
"Father… Pretty and Khan both love someone."
"And Pretty is already engaged."
Pretty slowly raised her hand.
A ring could clearly be seen on her finger.
Kaji stared at it.
Then his voice rose in anger.
Kaji:
"Why…?!"
"Why didn't you tell me?!"
Pintu:
"We thought we would tell you after you returned and surprise you, but—"
Kaji interrupted him loudly.
Kaji:
"Ha!"
"So Pretty is engaged. So what?"
"It's just an engagement."
"It can be broken."
His voice became even harsher.
Kaji:
"Pretty and Khan will marry exactly where I have arranged their marriages!"
He stood up from the sofa angrily.
But suddenly Khan spoke.
Khan:
"That's wrong, Grandfather!"
"I love someone else."
"And Pretty loves someone else too!"
"So how can this marriage happen?"
Kaji snorted.
Kaji:
"Hmph!"
"The marriage I arranged will make both of your lives much better."
"They are the children of the Chief Minister."
Pretty remained silent.
Tears had already begun forming in her eyes.
Kuku tried again.
Kuku:
"But Father… their lives are already good."
"How much better do they need to be?"
Kaji slammed his hand on the table.
Kaji:
"I have already made my decision!"
"No more arguments!"
Pintu:
"Father—"
Kaji:
"Pintu!!"
His voice thundered through the hall.
Everyone froze.
Kaji continued angrily.
Kaji:
"I don't care who the people you chose are!"
"They might belong to a rich family or a poor family."
"I don't care!"
"I might have even allowed the marriage…"
His eyes narrowed.
Kaji:
"But I have already fixed this marriage."
"So now—"
"Even if Tens himself comes and tells me to cancel it…"
"I will not listen!"
"This marriage will happen!"
"Do you understand?!"
For a moment—
Silence returned to the hall.
Then Pretty slowly spoke.
Her voice was quiet and calm.
Her eyes were closed.
Pretty:
"Even… if the ones we love are the nephew of King Bit of the Shin Kingdom?"
Kaji immediately answered angrily while turning toward her.
Kaji:
"Yes!"
"Even if they are the nephew of King Bit—"
He suddenly stopped.
His eyes widened.
Kaji:
"…What?"
Pintu spoke carefully.
Pintu:
"Yes, Father."
"Pretty loves Precious, the First Prince of the Shin Kingdom… who is King Bit's nephew."
"And Khan loves the First Princess."
He continued.
Pintu:
"And besides… King Bit's father, Sir Satu Fiz, is one of your old friends."
"So we thought—"
Kaji fell silent for a moment.
Then he snorted again.
Kaji:
"Hmph!"
"King Bit isn't even married yet."
"When he does marry, his own children will sit on the throne."
"Not some nephew prince or princess."
"And as for that so-called old friendship…"
His voice became colder.
Kaji:
"I haven't seen Satu's face for almost two years."
"Ever since his son became the king of this kingdom."
"So it doesn't matter to me."
He crossed his arms.
Kaji:
"In my opinion, marrying the CM's children will benefit both of them far more."
Kuku tried again.
Kuku:
"Father…"
"It's possible that Precious, the First Prince and Pretty's fiancé, might become the future king of the Shin Kingdom."
"After all, his elder brother Tall once sacrificed his own position for him."
"So King Bit might also give the throne to Precious instead of his own son."
Kaji looked at her with disbelief.
Kaji:
"And what are the chances of that?"
He shook his head.
Kaji:
"That was just a party leader position."
"This is the throne of a kingdom."
"The difference between them is like heaven and earth."
He sighed.
Kaji:
"Kuku… if you seriously think King Bit would give his throne to his nephew instead of his own child…"
"You really haven't seen how the world works."
Kuku lowered her head.
She had nothing left to say.
Kaji looked around once more.
Kaji:
"So if no one else has anything to say…"
"My final decision is that Pretty and Khan will marry the children of the CM of Naco Country—"
Pretty:
"Grandfather!!"
Pretty suddenly shouted.
Everyone looked at her in shock.
She ran forward and grabbed Kaji's legs, kneeling in front of him.
Even the servants and maids watching from the sides were stunned.
Pretty began crying.
Pretty:
"Grandfather…"
"I… I beg you…"
"Please give Eye and Big Sister Tain just one chance…"
Tears streamed down her face.
Pretty:
"Please, Grandfather…"
"Please…"
"Please…"
Her shoulders trembled as she cried.
Her head lowered as she clutched his legs.
Kaji's expression changed.
He looked both guilty… and shocked.
Kaji:
"Y-You know I can't stand seeing tears in your eyes, Pretty…"
Pretty tightened her grip.
Pretty:
"Then please give them one chance!"
Kaji sighed heavily.
Kaji:
"O-Okay… fine!"
"But can you please stand up first?"
Pretty slowly stood.
Her face was wet with tears.
Her expression still looked broken—
Yet strangely cute.
Kaji cleared his throat.
Kaji:
"So…"
"I will give them a test."
"And based on that test, I will decide."
He raised one finger.
Kaji:
"If they pass my test, they can marry."
"But if they fail…"
His voice became firm again.
Kaji:
"You will marry the children of the Chief Minister of Naco Country."
Khan bowed immediately.
Khan:
"Thank you, Grandfather, for giving us this chance!"
Kaji nodded.
Kaji:
"This Sunday."
"Bring them to the park on the north side of the city."
Khan and Pretty spoke together.
Khan & Pretty:
"Yes, Grandfather."
Pintu and Kuku also bowed gratefully.
Pintu & Kuku:
"Thank you, Father!"
Kaji snorted again.
Kaji:
"Hmph."
He began walking away.
But inside his mind—
He laughed coldly.
Kaji (thinking):
"Who cares about this test?"
"I'll make sure the test is so difficult…"
"That they fail on the very first attempt."
"Every test will be impossible."
Meanwhile—
Kuku, Khan, Pintu, and Pretty were smiling happily.
They believed they had finally gained a chance.