Chapter 1
Prologue
Izaya, will you marry me?
The boy suddenly made the proposal to the girl beside him.
. . . ?
The girl halted, turning to him with a puzzled look on her face.
They were surrounded by the lush green embankment, a vibrant river flowing nearby, and the sunset painting the western sky in warm hues.
The two of them were on their way home, having just slipped away from the attendant who had come to pick them up after school. The boy's sudden marriage proposal left the girl bewildered.
Right now?
There's no rush. It can be in eight years. In our country, individuals can enter into a marriage contract at eighteen.
I see.
The girl looked down, lost in thought for a moment, then set her lips in a firm line and raised her gaze, her expression turning serious.
Kuroto, are you saying you're in love with me?
Clad in a white shirt with suspenders holding up his shorts and a black schoolbag slung over his shoulder, Kuroto Kuronomiya from Kitagawa Royal Academy kept his hands on the straps of his bag as he responded.
Don't get the wrong idea. I don't harbor any romantic feelings for you.
Hmph.
Izaya, the first princess of Shironomiya, who appeared far more mature than her years, replied shortly. She raised her chin with her thumb and index finger, her silvery hair—the rarest of hues among the Hinoh people—swaying gently in the evening breeze. Her attire—a white shirt with a ribbon at the collar, a navy skirt, and a pink backpack—was simple, but her composure suggested an inner strength.
They had been playmates for as long as they could remember. Izaya and Kuroto were both distantly related royals, each possessing unique abilities common to their nobility.
Kuroto, with his exceptional intelligence, spoke like a thirty-five-year-old man even at ten. Izaya, gifted with the ability to freely detach her perspective from herself, had a distinct way of viewing the world. It was difficult for them to make age-appropriate friends, so naturally, they spent a lot of time together.
However, they weren't close enough for Izaya to expect a sudden marriage proposal.
Why do you want to marry me if you're not in love with me?
You're asking a lot of questions. What's the issue?
Because this is a matter that will affect my entire life.
Kuroto rubbed the back of his head in irritation and shrugged.
I'm destined to be this nation's Emperor.
. . .
But being from the collateral line of the Kuronomiya family means the throne will likely pass to my brother, Kazuma.
. . .
However, if I marry you, and find a way to displace Kazuma, I could ascend to the throne.
. . .
I don't want you. I want your lineage. Marry me, Izaya, and I'll become the Emperor.
Kuroto . . .
Yeah?
A sharp sound echoed across the embankment.
Kuroto's head whipped sharply to the right. As the same sound echoed again, his head intensely snapped to the left.
After delivering a picture-perfect double slap to Kuroto’s face, Izaya pulled her right knee up to her chest and aimed the sole of her shoe at his midsection.
Here's your answer.
A dull thud sounded as Kuroto momentarily went airborne before crashing back-first into the embankment's slope.
Izaya, her expression icy, watched as Kuroto tumbled down the embankment. With his backpack still on, he ricocheted erratically left and right before coming to a halt at the base of the slope, lying on his back, staring blankly into the sky.
Stay away from me, you lowlife!
She straightened her back and roared.
I don't consider you a friend, or even family anymore. If you dare approach me, I'll kill you!
Overflowing with the dignity of Hinoh's first princess, Izaya reduced Kuroto, a son of the imperial family, to a mere servant. She adjusted the backpack straps in her hands and ran, fueled by her anger.
Ugh! That idiot!
While running, she looked up at the twilight sky, hurling insults.