"Return to the palace, Rin."
Rin leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, eyes half-lidded with exhaustion.
"Not yet. I still have unfinished business at the White Flower Palace."
Kazuo frowned, concern threading through his otherwise composed features.
"For how long?"
Rin shrugged.
"Until I decide I'm done."
Kazuo exhaled through his nose, closing his eyes for a moment before nodding in reluctant acceptance. But as he turned toward the four consorts, his gaze caught on one in particular.
Suzuki.
She was staring at Rin—not with confusion or shock, but with an intensity that made even Kazuo blink.
Her eyes held no hesitation.
Only obsession.
Rin, feeling the weight of that gaze, trembled slightly. He reached over, pinched Kazuo's sleeve, and whispered through gritted teeth:
"We need to talk. Alone. Now."
Kazuo glanced between Rin and Suzuki.
Suzuki looked like she had chosen her prey, and Rin looked like he'd rather face another demon lord than that expression.
The Crown Prince cleared his throat and turned to the consorts.
"Give us a moment alone."
Suzuki didn't move. Her eyes didn't waver.
"But—"
"We'll talk later," Rin said, forcing a weary smile. "I promise."
That promise cost him.
Suzuki hesitated for a beat longer… then finally turned away. She walked out with the others, but not before casting one last look over her shoulder.
A look that seared.
Once the tent flap settled, Kazuo slowly turned back to Rin, leaning in with a narrowed gaze.
"…Alright. What the hell happened for you to make a consort look at you like that?"
Rin groaned and buried his face in his hands.
"Do you want the short version or the soul-crushingly long one?"
Kazuo didn't blink.
"Oh, we're doing this properly. Start talking."
Rin sat across from Kazuo, arms folded, back straight, and lips drawn into a deep frown. He looked like someone being scolded for a crime he didn't commit—which, in this case, wasn't too far from the truth.
"It's not funny, Kazuo," he muttered darkly.
Across from him, the Crown Prince of the Hoshimi Empire was very clearly trying—and failing—not to laugh. His shoulders shook ever so slightly, and a faint, smug grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"You're telling me," Kazuo said between chuckles, "that Suzuki—the** Azure Princess Consort, my fiancée, the empire's most elegant and aloof noble—has been chasing you this entire time?"**
Rin didn't respond right away. He merely stared.
Flatly.
Deadpan.
Dead inside.
"Yes," he said finally. "And she's your fiancée. Control her."
Kazuo burst out laughing now, fully leaning back in his chair with one hand over his stomach.
"I always knew you were popular, Rin," he wheezed, "but stealing a royal consort during the Imperial Courtship? That's bold—even for you."
Rin's eye twitched.
"I didn't steal anyone," he growled. "I've been avoiding her for days. She found me hiding on a rooftop, Kazuo. A rooftop. Who even thinks to search there?"
Kazuo wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, still grinning. "She knows you well, I suppose. That's romantic, isn't it?"
"No. It's terrifying."
Kazuo's amusement didn't fade. If anything, the idea seemed to genuinely please him.
"Well, what about the other three? Are they after you too?"
"No."
"Really?"
"Just her."
Kazuo's smirk widened into something more dangerous. "Well then, if it's just one… why don't I just give her to you?"
Rin's eyes went wide. His whole body stiffened.
"NOPE. NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT. I AM OUT." He stood halfway up from his seat like a startled cat. "Do you hear yourself?!"
"Come on," Kazuo said, chuckling again, "it solves two problems at once. I get rid of a consort who clearly isn't interested in me, and you get someone who's very, very interested in you. Win-win, right?"
Rin slumped back into his seat like the soul had left his body.
"Don't you dare call this a win-win."
"Rin, be serious. She's smart, beautiful, powerful, and—"
"—a menace," Rin interrupted.
Kazuo waved a hand dismissively. "She's not that bad."
Rin shot him a look. "Kazuo. She tried to elope with me."
That gave the Crown Prince pause.
"…Did she really?"
Rin nodded, hands gripping the edge of the table like he was bracing for war. "Verbatim: 'Say the word and I'll run away with you.'"
Kazuo blinked.
Then snorted.
Then burst into full-blown laughter again.
"Oh gods, Rin. You've got yourself a romantic tragedy protagonist on your hands."
"She's not even subtle about it anymore," Rin continued, ignoring Kazuo's laughter. "She stares at me like she's trying to memorize my soul. Do you know how hard it is to exist when someone looks at you like that?"
Kazuo, still chuckling, leaned forward and propped his chin on his hand.
"Well, I don't mind giving her to you."
"Stop saying that!" Rin snapped. "She's a royal consort! Your consort! I'm not about to snatch someone who was handpicked to become Empress one day!"
"Technically, I don't have to marry all four," Kazuo mused. "It's a political arrangement. If one of them clearly doesn't want the role, then…" he shrugged.
Rin narrowed his eyes. "You're seriously trying to offload your fiancée onto me like she's some unwanted piece of furniture."
Kazuo grinned. "Only because you look like you're about to lose your mind, and I find that hilarious."
Rin let out a long, suffering sigh and slumped back in his chair, rubbing his temples. "I can't believe this. I fake my identity, survive demons, get dragged into a courtship I don't want, and now I'm stuck in a reverse harem anime where I'm the main love interest."
"You poor thing," Kazuo said, utterly unsympathetic.
"Don't make me punch you."
"Wouldn't be the first time," Kazuo replied casually. "But look, if she really does love you, what are you going to do about it?"
Rin hesitated.
The question lingered.
"...Nothing," he said quietly. "She deserves someone who can give her the future she's supposed to have. Not someone with a fake name and too many secrets."
For once, Kazuo didn't laugh.
He watched his younger brother closely, the weight of the crown briefly forgotten.
"She already saw past your fake name, Rin. Maybe the only one trying to keep the secret now… is you."
Silence fell between them, stretching long and heavy.
And yet, in that moment, the brothers—once fractured—shared something deeper than words.
A history.
A bond.
And, unfortunately, a consort problem neither wanted to deal with.
And so, the two brothers bickered peacefully, one trying to shove away a fiancée and the other trying to hand off a political headache in the form of a very determined woman.
After their private talk ended, Kazuo stood and stretched before calling out to the nearby guards. "Send in Princess Consort Suzuki."
The guards outside bowed and relayed the order. Moments later, Suzuki entered the tent with uncharacteristic hesitation. Her usual grace was present, but it felt subdued—her steps slower, hands tucked neatly in front of her dress, fingers nervously intertwined.
Rin was already gone by then, giving them space.
Kazuo sat alone now, expression unreadable, his imperial robe slightly disheveled from laughter earlier, but his presence regal once more. He observed Suzuki silently for a few seconds as she approached. The flickering lantern light in the tent cast soft shadows across her face, making the tension in her eyes all the more obvious.
"Suzuki," Kazuo finally said, voice low and even.
She stopped a few feet in front of him and bowed respectfully. "Your Highness."
He studied her, then gestured lightly toward the seat across from him. "Sit."
She did so, gracefully, but her back was stiff. The air between them held a quiet tension, thick with the unspoken.
Kazuo took a breath and asked bluntly:
"Do you love Rin?"
The question dropped like a stone in still water.
Suzuki's breath caught in her throat. Her composure cracked slightly—just a flicker—but it was there. Her lips parted as if to deny it instinctively, but the calm, unjudging look on Kazuo's face halted her.
She hesitated.
Then Kazuo added, "Be honest. I'm not asking as your fiancé. I'm asking as Rin's brother."
Suzuki looked down, her gaze focused on her folded hands in her lap. Silence stretched for several moments as she weighed her answer—her duty, her upbringing, the consequences.
But in the end, she spoke.
Softly. "Yes. I do."
Kazuo didn't flinch. He nodded like he had expected it.
"Good," he said calmly. "Then pursue him."
Suzuki's head shot up, eyes wide with disbelief. "What?"
Kazuo leaned back in his chair, exhaling. "You heard me. Chase him, win him over. If you truly love him, don't hesitate. Rin's always running from things—but if someone's going to catch him, it might as well be someone who genuinely cares for him."
Suzuki stared at him, stunned. "But… I'm your fiancée."
"And you still will be," Kazuo replied, almost bored. "Officially, you'll remain the Azure Princess Consort. Future Empress, symbol of unity, magic, and diplomacy. All the things the Empire needs you to be."
Suzuki frowned slightly. "But wouldn't this—wouldn't I be betraying that engagement?"
Kazuo gave a small, sardonic smile.
"Do I look betrayed?"
Suzuki's lips parted again, but no words came. Her confusion was genuine now, not the act of a calculating noble. She searched his expression for any trace of sarcasm, bitterness, or even passive resentment.
There was none.
Kazuo's smirk shifted into something more amused, even self-deprecating. "Frankly, Suzuki, you're one less consort I have to worry about. And if it means Rin will stay near the palace—where I can keep an eye on him and maybe even convince him to take what he deserves—then I consider this arrangement a win."
Her heartbeat quickened.
"You'd really be okay with me…" she trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.
Kazuo raised a brow. "Loving him?"
She nodded silently.
Kazuo stood, his tone shifting from casual to firm—not as a brother, but as the future Emperor. "I'm not a man who needs four women bound to me by tradition. I need allies. I need people who will protect this Empire, people who can guide Rin back to the place he belongs."
He looked at her seriously.
"You're one of the few people who sees Rin not as a tool or symbol, but as a man. That's rare. So if your heart truly belongs to him… then don't let protocol or my title stop you."
Suzuki's lips trembled slightly. "You're really… giving me permission?"
"Not permission," Kazuo replied, crossing his arms. "An opportunity. Take it, or don't. But know this—Rin won't make it easy. He thinks loving someone is selfish. He believes his happiness is a burden to others. You'll have to prove him wrong."
Her shock slowly transformed—into clarity, into purpose. The dimness in her eyes faded, replaced by a determined glow. This wasn't a dream. This was her chance.
"…I'll do it," she whispered, almost to herself. Then louder, steadier, "I'll win him over. Not just as a consort. As the woman who won his heart."
Kazuo nodded approvingly.
"Then go. Just… try not to traumatize him further. He looked like he was about to climb out the window earlier."
Suzuki smiled faintly, and for the first time in a while, it wasn't laced with nervousness or restraint.
It was hope.
As she stood and bowed once more, her heart pounded—not from anxiety, but anticipation. She had just gained something she never expected: a powerful ally in her pursuit of Rin's love.
And Kazuo, watching her leave, smiled faintly to himself.
"Good luck, little brother," he muttered. "You're going to need it."
Time had passed. The sun dipped below the Imperial skyline as golden rays spilled across the towering walls of the Hoshimi Palace. After everything—the chaos, the ambush, the secrets laid bare—Rin finally returned.
The grand gates opened, and Rin stepped inside, his familiar white cloak fluttering slightly with the breeze. He barely made it three steps into the main hall before—
"RIIIIIIINNNN!"
A blur of motion crashed into him. No, two blurs.
"Wha—ACK—!"
Princesses Izumi and Aya tackled him simultaneously, arms flung around his neck, waist, wherever they could latch on. The force nearly knocked him over.
"Finally!" Izumi grinned, squeezing him so tightly it was a miracle his ribs held.
"You were gone for so long I almost forgot what you looked like!" Aya added, her lips curled into a pout—but Rin felt the way her fingers clutched at him, trembling ever so slightly.
For all their teasing and antics, the twins had genuinely missed him.
"Okay—okay, I'm here," Rin managed, patting their heads awkwardly. "I'm not a ghost."
"Could've fooled us," Izumi muttered into his shoulder.
Then came a presence more composed—fierce, regal, yet warmer than any fire.
Azure Empress Hoshimi Nao stepped into view.
She did not run. She did not shout. But the sheer presence she carried made both princesses pause and step aside.
She stood tall, dressed in her imperial robes of deep azure silk and silver thread. Her mana eyes glowed faintly, scanning Rin as if verifying his very soul was intact.
"Rin," she said softly.
That was all. Just his name.
And then, in a rare break from her usual stern dignity, she walked up to him and pulled him into a firm, motherly embrace.
"Welcome home."
Rin stood frozen. Her arms were strong—gentle but unyielding. Like the ocean hugging the shore after a storm. For a heartbeat, he didn't know what to do.
But then… something inside him gave way.
His arms slowly rose, wrapping around her. His head dropped to her shoulder.
"…I'm back, Mother."
That moment, in that embrace, the grandeur of the palace faded. The burdens of his dual lives, the weight of his secrets—they all fell away for a single, sacred breath.
This wasn't just the Imperial Palace.
It was home.
Later that evening, after the welcome commotion died down, Kazuo gathered the family in one of the side chambers.
The topic? Rin's very specific situation with one azure-haired pursuer.
Rin was seated at the edge of a cushioned divan, arms crossed, lips pressed into a thin line. Across from him sat the Four Empresses, Kazuo, Izumi, and Aya—each with varying levels of amusement, curiosity, or barely suppressed laughter.
Kazuo cleared his throat. "So. As I was saying. Suzuki is in love with Rin."
Rin groaned, immediately interjecting. "Could you not phrase it like that—"
"And she's been following him around like a lost puppy," Kazuo continued smoothly, ignoring him. "But a very determined puppy who's decided Rin is her entire world."
Izumi smirked. "Awwww."
Aya giggled. "That sounds adorable. Why are you complaining?"
"Because she's your brother's fiancée!" Rin snapped, pointing at Kazuo.
"Was," Kazuo corrected, sipping tea. "We've agreed to downgrade her from 'fiancée' to 'persistent stalker with imperial permission.'"
"KAZUO!"
Nao, meanwhile, folded her hands in her lap and spoke with a calm finality.
"I approve."
Rin stared at her in horror. "…You what?"
"Suzuki is strong, intelligent, and deeply loyal," the Azure Empress said. "More importantly, she's patient. If she's decided to love you, she will endure no matter how far you try to run. That kind of devotion is rare—and needed."
"I never said she makes me happy!" Rin argued, half-rising from his seat.
Izumi leaned on the table, chin in hand. "You never said she didn't, either."
Aya winked. "And she's totally cute when she's flustered around you."
Rin turned to Kazuo with betrayal painted across his face.
Kazuo shrugged, utterly unapologetic. "One less headache for me. I call that a win."
"I hate all of you," Rin muttered.
"You'll love us again in five minutes," Aya chirped.
"Maybe six," Izumi added.
And that was how it happened. No debate, no chance for Rin to mount a proper defense. The Imperial Family had spoken.
Just like that, the future Azure Empress Consort—who was now, somehow, unofficially his—had been handed over.
He hadn't even agreed to it.
And yet, Rin somehow knew...
This was only the beginning of his real problems.
Now that Rin had returned to the Imperial Palace, the balance of the consort dynamics shifted subtly… and unmistakably.
It didn't take long for the other princess consorts to notice something was off—or rather, different.
Among the four of them, there had always been a quiet, if tense, competition. Whether it was for political influence, affection from Kazuo, or simply the prestige of being crowned the Empress, each consort played her role carefully.
Except now… Suzuki was playing a completely different game.
While the others remained poised and formal in public, walking the thin line between dignity and diplomacy, Suzuki had abandoned all of it.
She no longer cared about gaining favor from Kazuo. She didn't attend his court sessions, didn't linger by his side during events, and didn't even make an effort to dress in a way that would appeal to his tastes.
Instead, her attention was laser-focused elsewhere.
On Rin.
Openly. Brazenly. Shamelessly.
It would have been scandalous if the public caught wind of it. But the Imperial Family had already briefed the four consorts in private.
"Suzuki will no longer be pursuing Kazuo as a future Empress," they'd been told.
"Her future lies with Rin, should he accept it."
One less rival for the highest seat in the empire?
None of them were going to complain.
Still, it was amusing—hilarious, even—to watch Suzuki's relentless pursuit unfold.
So, they observed.
From gardens to training halls, from libraries to courtyards, the Azure Consort was like a shadow—except shadows didn't flirt, steal glances, or "accidentally" brush hands every time they shared documents.
Rin, for his part, wore the look of a man steadily descending into madness. A quiet, resigned madness. One born not from panic… but from the impossible weight of duty.
He didn't run. He didn't fight.
He endured.
Because as much as he wanted to escape, Rin was too responsible to push her away. She was now "his problem," and he handled problems the same way he faced demons—head-on.
Even if this one wore a pretty smile and called him by his name with just a little too much warmth.
One afternoon, the four consorts gathered for tea under a shaded pavilion overlooking the Imperial lotus pond. A common spot for quiet observation… and subtle scheming.
They sat together, each with a steaming cup in hand, watching the chaos unfold beyond the trees.
There, across the courtyard, was Rin—cornered yet again.
Suzuki stood beside him, notebook in hand, discussing something that looked very not urgent.
Rin's back was ramrod straight. His eyes screamed help.
"His expressions are getting funnier each day," Miharu said flatly, sipping her rose blossom tea. "Yesterday he flinched when she called his name in the hallway."
"We should take notes," Akane added, tapping a finger against her cup. "Her method is clearly effective. It's a long-term siege, not a frontal assault."
"She's timing everything well," Rei observed. Her sharp eyes followed Suzuki's movements. "She shows up when Rin's most vulnerable—tired, unfocused, or just finished training."
"Like a cat sensing weakness," Miharu murmured.
"A very determined cat," Akane quipped.
"One that sleeps on the book you're trying to read," Rei smirked.
They all chuckled.
But beneath the amusement was a strange respect. Suzuki wasn't flashy. She wasn't domineering. She didn't try to provoke jealousy or flaunt her presence.
No, she did something far more dangerous.
She blended in—seamlessly becoming part of Rin's daily life.
She studied magic with him, always asking questions just difficult enough to keep him talking.
She trained in sword versus magic drills, letting herself get hit every now and then—just enough for Rin to feel guilty and offer correction.
She listened intently during imperial discussions, using Rin's guidance to grow more competent, more capable.
She made herself useful—indispensable, even.
And through it all… Rin never pushed her away.
Not because he wanted her there.
But because Rin was Rin. And Rin never abandoned someone who genuinely sought his help.
Especially not someone who looked at him the way Suzuki did.
Suzuki knew it.
She could see it in the way Rin sighed when she approached… and how he still answered her every time.
She noticed how he tried to hide behind his responsibilities… but still showed up to every meeting she requested.
She knew she wasn't loved yet.
But she also knew one thing for certain—
She was always by his side.
And that alone made every minute of this slow, steady pursuit worth it.