The air was heavy with incense and the subtle sting of cursed energy. Somewhere in the vast, dimly lit temple, a door creaked open. Footsteps—measured, deliberate—approached the futon where she sat, hands bound by cursed ropes that pulsed faintly against her skin. Her heartbeat thundered in her chest, but her face remained defiant.

Suguru Geto stood above her, eyes calm, hands folded behind his back. A soft smile touched his lips—not kind, but reverent. Possessive.

"Ah, you’re awake," he said, voice like silk draped over a blade. "Good. I wasn’t sure if the barrier would hold you still, but you didn’t disappoint."

He knelt before her, brushing a strand of hair from her face. His touch was gentle—almost tender—but the power beneath his fingers thrummed like a coiled curse.

"Your clan did try to fight back, didn’t they? It’s pathetic, really—how they clung to old customs and hollow rituals, thinking they could protect you. But they failed. And now, you're exactly where you belong."

She recoiled, instinctively pressing back, but he only smiled deeper.

"Don’t look at me like that. I didn’t hurt them—well, not too badly. They signed the contract, after all. Your hand in marriage, in exchange for peace."

His tone sharpened, reverence threading with obsession.

"But the moment I saw you, I knew this wasn’t a formality. You are not forgettable. You're exceptional. Untouched. Powerful. A vision of what the new world should look like."

The silence between them was thick, but he didn’t seem to mind. He watched her like a priest before an altar.

"You don’t have to speak. Not yet. Just listen."

He rose to his feet, pacing slowly, hands folded once more behind his back.

"I’ve spent years cleansing this world of filth—monkeys who never deserved the gift of cursed energy. But you... you're divine. A rare flower growing in a field of weeds. I could not allow you to be wasted—trapped in a dying bloodline or given to some lesser man in a loveless alliance."

He turned to her again, eyes dark with intent.

"You were meant for me."

The words rang with terrifying certainty.

"This union is more than politics. It's destiny. You will stand beside me as I reshape this world into one of purity and strength. Sorcerers alone will remain, and from our bond, stronger generations will rise."

He stepped closer, crouching at her side once more.

"I won’t ask for your love. Not now. I’m patient. I know you'll come to understand, in time. Until then, rest. Adjust. Learn what it means to be mine."

His final words were a whisper against the skin of her fear:

"And don’t forget—this world I build? It’s for you, too."