While his parents talked to him, he looked at the car curiously. It was a luxurious black sedan, but it was kind of low-key. There was nothing special about the exterior, but the interior was luxurious.
Yet, this was also a car usually used by the rich in this country.
Mercedes? BMW? Lamborghini?
The real rich had never used those types of cars. Instead, they used custom-made cars from Toyota, Suzuki, or other domestic brands.
As for the real reason?
While many thought it was used to support domestic brands, the real reason was that those cars didn't attract much attention. It was the type of car that usually would be ignored when you saw them on the street.
He knew that it was a kind of a joke, but the importance of people in the world could be easily seen from the danger which lingered around them. The more danger this person encountered, the bigger influence and importance that this person had, which was ironic.
The car that was used by his parents was a Toyota Century, the car which was usually used by the Imperial Family.
Naturally, this wasn't his parent's car but his grandpa's car.
If he had to give a comparison, it was like a local Royal Royce.
"Shishio, did you listen to me?" Shioriko asked.
"I heard you, mother." Shishio sighed.
Shioriko looked at her son, who showed a solemn and respectful expression, which caused her lips to twitch. She knew that he had an actress as his girlfriend, and it made her wonder whether she had taught him how to act.
"Shishio, are you sure you want to reject this engagement?" Takumi suddenly asked.
"I have decided to reject it, father. I don't want to marry someone I don't know after all."
If he was in his 30s and was too lazy to search for a partner, he might agree with this arrangement, but he was still young, and he had a lot of girlfriends. How could he agree to this engagement?
Especially when he had promised to reject this engagement.
Still, he was curious. "I have never asked this, but what kind of family is my fiancee candidate from? Is she coming from a politician, wealthy, or also a noble family?" He had never asked this question before since he dismissed this matter, but as they were about to go to the party and meet his so-called fiancee, he couldn't help but ask.
"Her family is also similar to ours. During the era of the Empire of Japan, her family was a Baron and a famous samurai family. That should be all, right?" Shioriko looked at her husband.
"They also have a construction company. It is quite well-known around Tokyo and other nearby areas." Takumi answered.
"Construction, huh?"
"Honestly, business or the influence of her family in politics doesn't matter to our family," Takumi said frankly. "After all, even if you don't marry her, our family is still well-off."
"Then, why?" He was confused about why his family set up this engagement.
"Naturally, it is because of the significance of this marriage."
"Significance? What kind?"
"It's an imperial sanction."
The number of noble families had decreased, and many families had lost, ruined, or gone bankrupt along with the time. Only a few remained, and each of them was powerful since they were able to stand still until now. Many had businesses that monopolized a regional area, worked as an executive of famous companies, held important positions in government institutions, became head priests of a famous shrine, or were famous politicians. In other words, each of them held an important position in this country.
Naturally, if they married each other, it would strengthen the power of their family. However, more than that, the symbolic meaning when two noble families together held more significant meaning.
In a time when money governed everything, as long as they were lucky enough or smart enough, they could live a comfortable life.
However, the noble family was different. Their money might not be as much as those rich upstarts, but their connections were scarier. If they wanted to, they could use this connection to make money. Unfortunately, they had so much money that they didn't really need to do anything troublesome. Some people even wanted to give them even if they didn't do anything.
As for why many wanted to give them money, it was because of the connection.
These upstarts lacked anything but money, so they gave money to noble families, so they could marry their daughters and gain their connection to enter the noble circle.
If the noble family lacked money or this marriage would give a great benefit, the noble family would accept reluctantly. However, if they didn't, they wouldn't allow the blood outside of their circle to enter.
In other words, it was like a close circle.
The majority of the noble family was like this.
If he gave the closest example, it was like the movie of Titanic, where Rose was told to marry Caledon Hockley. Rose came from an old but bankrupt noble family, but Caledon Hockley was the son of an upstart millionaire steel tycoon. Even if they had decided to marry each other, one could see how Rose's mother didn't seem to like Caledon even though she was the one who told Rose to marry, right?
It was something like that.
While many thought it was a drama, it happened in reality, and in reality, it was often even more messed up.
Fortunately, his family was a rare one, and they had never thought much about this matter, and they were rich.
However, naturally, if two nobles married together, they were more than happy since their class was the same and they were from the same circle, especially if there was a great benefit when the two families were together.
If the daughter of the opposite noble family married him, then it would greatly benefit their family. On the other hand, his family didn't care about this benefit. Instead, his family was more cornered about the imperial sanction.
As he had said before, the number of noble families that still existed until now had decreased. Each of them was precious since each of them could strengthen the power of the noble circle. Naturally, when two noble families married each other, they would receive an imperial sanction.
Now, what is an imperial sanction?
It was like permission given by the imperial family. Naturally, it had a lot of meaning, especially in the current era. It was like a symbol of the nobility circle.
He knew that as long as he agreed to this engagement, his future would be secured.
"You have told me you want to become the mayor of Kyoto, right? If you accept this engagement, everything will be easier. Even if you don't do it, everyone will pave a path for you, especially with your popularity as a writer," Takumi said freely, talking about the advantage as long as Shishio accepted this engagement.
Shioriko didn't say anything, watching her son, who seemed to be in the middle of a thought.
"It's an amazing temptation, but I have to refuse."
His answer didn't change.
Even with how amazing the advantage that it could bring from this engagement, he had decided to reject it. He knew that this was something normal in this circle and that everyone had undergone this process. In the eyes of people, he might seem spoiled for rejecting this engagement, especially when it could bring many profits to two families.
Yet once again, he had to reject it since he felt the sacredness of marriage had been lost once again because of the deal under the table. If he only thought about his career and never thought much about marriage, he would take Hana Yuigahama directly.
Unfortunately, he couldn't become one.
He had also made a promise to his girlfriends, so he had rejected this engagement.
"Also, father, haven't you received this type of engagement too? What did you do in that past?" Shishio knew that his father should have something similar.
"Haha..." Takumi laughed and said, "I rejected it since I wanted to be with your mother, and I was glad about my decision since I could be together with your mother."
"Dear..." Shioriko's eyes were misty, staring at her husband.
"I only love you, Shioriko."
"Me too! I only love you, Takumi!"
"....."
Shishio looked away with a sigh since watching his parents flirt definitely wasn't something that he loved to see. If Roberta was around, he would be okay. Unfortunately, she stayed on the Sakurasou.
Takumi and Shioriko didn't flirt too long since they were still in the middle of driving. If an accident happened, they couldn't laugh, right? Still, once they went home, they would go all out, especially when Shishio's apartment was so lovely.
"By the way, Shishio, does Chihiro have a boyfriend or something?"
Shishio was stunned by his mother's question, but he quickly recovered and answered, "No, from what I know, but why did you ask such a question so suddenly?"
"Well, I offered her a blind date, but she didn't seem interested." Shioriko let out a long sigh, feeling helpless about her little sister.
"Oh..."
Shishio felt complex at that moment. He knew they shouldn't be together since they were an aunt and a nephew, yet knowing that she might be taken away from him and marry someone else, made him restless and furious. His feelings told him to take her away, marking her as his, so no one but him could own her, yet his reasoning also forced him to stop since he knew it was almost impossible for them to be together, especially when they were in the modern time.
Was it possible for them to be together?
The good thing was that Chihiro didn't seem to have an interest in the blind date.
Yet he also questioned himself about what he wanted to do with Chihiro.
As he drowned in his thoughts, they arrived at their destination, and he met the so-called fiancee.