Observing Hozuki Nozomi move from one dance partner to another, his composure unshaken and not a hint of fluster on his face, Haruhiko Yukinoshita couldn't suppress a twinge of envy. This kid's stamina is something else. His gaze drifted to his wife, Mrs. Yukinoshita, who stood beside him with a serene, gentle smile plastered on her face for the benefit of their guests.
"Um, Madam," he ventured, lowering his voice. "It's a joyous occasion. Shouldn't we… also share a dance?"
Upon hearing his suggestion, Mrs. Yukinoshita's beatific smile froze for a fraction of a second. When it returned, it was noticeably more fixed, a thin veneer over something colder. "Yes," she whispered back, the words sweet but edged with frost. "On such a happy day, you certainly should dance to celebrate. Why don't you go find your… little woman? I'm sure she's far more to your liking than I am."
"Madam…" Haruhiko's expression stiffened, the brief spark of hope extinguished.
She turned her head away, ignoring him completely.
Sigh… why is the disparity between people so vast? He watched his soon-to-be son-in-law, Hozuki Nozomi, navigating the sea of beauties with effortless charm, and felt a profound, personal sense of inadequacy.
As he wallowed in this private gloom, a newly elected member of the local assembly—Councilor Arata, father of Aragaki Ayase—approached with a glass in hand.
"Councilor Yukinoshita, a word, if I may?" he began, his tone polite but pointed. "Regarding today's announcement… I wonder about your views on the legal standing of bigamy?"
Haruhiko Yukinoshita's brow furrowed. "I thank you for your concern, Councilor, but I don't believe it's an issue that requires worry. After all, this is merely an engagement ceremony."
"Even an engagement carries significant social and symbolic weight," Arata pressed gently. He was a stickler for rules, not an enemy, and saw this as a friendly warning to an ally. "If political opponents were to use this as a point of attack, how would you respond, Your Excellency?"
Haruhiko, however, misread the intention entirely, sensing only criticism and trouble. His face hardened. "That, Councilor, is my affair. As a member of the upper house, I don't believe a local assemblyman needs to oversee my personal matters."
Councilor Arata fell silent, realizing he was speaking to a brick wall. Still, he felt compelled to offer a constructive path. "Councilor Yukinoshita, I mean no offense. Perhaps, instead of courting controversy, the solution lies in amending the obstacle itself. For instance, proposing legislation to… legalize polygamous unions under specific, recognized circumstances."
Haruhiko's eyes immediately lit up. He had just been utterly rebuffed by his wife, leaving him frustrated and powerless. This suggestion, which seemed to legitimize his own secret desires, felt like a lifeline. My secretary… my little lover… she truly is more understanding. Perhaps Arata was onto something.
"Haha, Councilor Arata!" he said, his demeanor shifting to one of sudden camaraderie. "You raise a fascinating point of jurisprudence. Why don't we step over here and discuss the legal intricacies in more detail?"
Of course, such a proposal was destined to fail. The reasons were fundamental. It threatened social stability. While certain patriarchal undercurrents persisted in Japan, and women's equality was still a work in progress, the modern era had undeniably dawned. Women held up half the sky. A proposal to formally legalize polygamy would be seen as a massive, regressive insult, galvanizing fierce opposition and likely triggering significant social backlash. Any politician championing it would be committing career suicide.
As for Hozuki Nozomi? He existed in a separate category. Ancient, unwritten rules and a status that transcended modern law applied to him. Once he fully reclaimed his capacity as a "Divine Child," the very politicians who might now whisper criticisms would be the ones lining up to seek his favor.
Several hours later, the grand banquet finally drew to a close. The young men who had failed to secure dances with the most sought-after ladies had long since redirected their efforts. There were, after all, many other young women in attendance. It would have been a profound embarrassment to leave without a single dance partner. Thus, their jealousy toward Hozuki Nozomi had gradually dissipated, replaced by a pragmatic scramble to achieve their own romantic objectives for the evening.
When the last guests departed, Hozuki Nozomi, flanked by the Yukinoshita sisters, returned with the family to their estate—specifically, to the floor of the villa where Yukino had her private quarters.
They settled onto the large living room sofa. Notably, Mrs. Yukinoshita did not summon Haruhiko, seemingly having no intention of including him in this familial moment. Hozuki Nozomi understood implicitly: Mrs. Yukinoshita had emotionally written off her husband. He had been rendered irrelevant in her eyes.
Finally able to rest after a marathon of social performance, Nozomi sank into the plush cushions with a groan, looking utterly spent.
Yukinoshita Haruno sat down snugly beside him, looping her arm through his with an amused chuckle. "So tired? You seemed to be having the time of your life, taking advantage of the situation! All of my friends are top-tier young ladies, you know."
Hearing this, Nozomi could only roll his eyes heavenward. "Yes, far too 'top-tier.' Several of them were practically glued to me during the dances. It was a minor miracle I maintained my composure."
When a beautiful girl deliberately presses her advantages during a waltz, resisting requires superhuman willpower.
"Pfft… Isn't that exactly what you wanted?" Haruno teased, her eyes glinting. "I saw you inviting so many lovely girls, even Sawamura-san's mother! I assumed you were in your element."
"Then I thank you for your thoughtful arrangement," Nozomi replied, shooting her a look that promised retribution. The flames she had fanned throughout the evening would now be hers alone to contend with.
On his other side, Yukino Yukinoshita quietly took his other arm. Unlike her sister, she offered no verbal teasing. Instead, her small hand had found its way to his side, where her fingers were currently administering a series of gentle, pointed pinches. It seemed the Second Miss, for all her quiet composure, harbored a touch of jealousy after watching him dance with half the eligible women in the prefecture.
Seeing her two daughters nestled so intimately against him, Mrs. Yukinoshita, who had been observing quietly, let out a soft sigh.
"Hozuki Nozomi," she began, her tone formal yet laced with deep emotion. "My two daughters… I am entrusting them to you now."
"From this day forward, you must treat them well. If you do not…" Her gaze sharpened momentarily. "Their mother will be there to hold you accountable at any time."
"I will, Madam!" Nozomi responded immediately, his voice solemn and earnest. These two remarkable young women were now his officially recognized fiancées. He would naturally cherish them. While he might be greedy and his heart capacious, Hozuki Nozomi took absolute responsibility for the girls he loved.
Satisfied by his sincerity, Mrs. Yukinoshita gave a slow, approving nod. If only that Haruhiko could muster a fraction of such honesty. The thought of her husband's ongoing infidelity, his furtive behavior, soured her mood once more.
"I will retire for the evening," she announced, rising gracefully. "You three… be mindful. Don't stay up too late."
She paused at the doorway, looking back with a meaningful glance at her blushing daughters. "Also, Haruno, Yukino… you are both still young. There is absolutely no need to rush into giving me a grandchild. That is your mother's only request on the matter."
Her parting words painted both sisters' cheeks a brilliant shade of rose.
"Mother! What are you saying? We wouldn't just… play with him like that…!" Yukino protested in a flustered murmur, immediately releasing Nozomi's arm as if it had grown hot.
Mrs. Yukinoshita merely arched a knowing eyebrow. "Don't play innocent with me, little Yukino. I'll leave you to it. Just remember what I said."
With that final, slightly melancholic admonition, she left the room. She had, of course, noticed the hopeful, conciliatory look in Haruhiko's eyes earlier. But her heart had grown cold toward him. Disappointment had long since curdled into indifference, and she had no desire for his touch. The hollow space he left was one she had learned to live with.