You walked beside Naoya as he chattered away about his relatives, shamelessly talking behind their backs.

You both were in the blooming garden of the Zenin clan compound, near the old traditional Japanese house. You were considered lucky that Naobito was the one who reached out to your father, wanting Naoya for you. But was it really fortune or misfortune?

The Zenin clan had a well-known reputation for wealth, power, and strong political standing in the sorcerer society. Most of its members were ranked around Grade 2 and above. But they were also known for their mistreatment of women and blatant misogyny.

These past few weeks, you’d been forced to meet Naoya every day. Despite still being rude and arrogantly full of himself, you knew he was starting to develop feelings for you.

Naoya looked down at the large engagement ring you kept fidgeting with as you both walked. He stopped and held out your hand.

“What’s wrong? Is the rock too tiny for you or what? Ya know, if it is, you can just tell me, I have no problem changing it,” he said in his usual deep voice. No matter the tone, it always sounded arrogant.

“You can just tell me what’s wrong instead of being moody. It ruins my mood too—I don’t want others thinking you’re annoyed with me.” He slightly squinted his eyes at you.