She continued, "My family, much like yours, has its own complexities and issues. They're putting pressure on me to go through with this engagement, but I'm not entirely enthusiastic about it either. However, I've been thinking, what if we make a deal?"
Ichiro arched an eyebrow, curious about her proposal. "A deal? What kind of deal?"
Omori hesitated again, choosing her words carefully. "What if we agree to go through the motions of this engagement publicly, but behind the scenes, we help each other out? We can find a way to nullify this engagement without causing a scandal, and in return, we both get what we want."
Ichiro's expression contorted into an ugly grimace as Omori revealed her true intentions, trying to nullify their engagement for financial gain. The polite and gentle facade she initially presented had shattered, and Ichiro was no longer willing to tolerate the charade.
"As if, to do that you must want something in return?" Ichiro snapped, his frustration evident.
"Well, as we are properly engaged, we must properly nullify the engagement as well, meaning…" Omori began to explain, but Ichiro cut her off.
"What's with all the bullshit, just say you want money." Ichiro's patience had run out, and he was not mincing words. The pretense of respect and courtesy was no longer necessary in his eyes.
Omori, taken aback by Ichiro's sudden change in tone, decided to abandon her gentle approach. "Fine, of course I want money. Do you think I'm marrying you for love? What bullshit do you think you are? You're just a bastard, remember that!"
"That's right, you should have spoken to me like this in the first place. You acting all nice isn't cute at all. You look better like this," Ichiro responded bluntly, unfazed by Omori's outburst.
"Bastard!" Omori seethed, but she knew that retaliating physically would only invite consequences from her own family. "Ha- you don't even have a clue why you're getting engaged, do you?"
The tension in the room escalated, leaving both parties with a bitter taste of resentment and deceit.
Ichiro responded to her question with a speculative guess. "Let me guess, since I plan to leave, they plan to tie me up with you. Truthfully, this is all about money."
"That's right, but how do you think they'll be able to get the money since you'll be legally an adult soon?" Omori asked with a smirky smile, proud to see Ichiro seemingly clueless about everything.
"Through you, of course," Ichiro answered, aware that once she becomes his legal parent, she technically has legal rights to the wealth.
"Anything else..." Omori continued to play hard to get, not revealing much to Ichiro.
"What more can there be? In the end, they all want my money, nothing more," Ichiro stated, feeling that something was odd. So what if he gets married? He'll still leave no matter what. If she wants the money, she can have it, as long as he pays Akihiko back. "Ah, are you thinking about them trying to kill me? I'm well aware of that."
"So, it's true," Omori looked dumbfounded, not expecting that the rumors she heard from her mother were true. The man in front of her isn't the real Ichiro. "What did you do with the real one?"
"Huh? What are you talking about…" The atmosphere in the room became tense as Omori posed the unusual question. Ichiro, puzzled by her words and awkward expression, couldn't fathom what she meant. He responded with genuine confusion, trying to understand the nature of her inquiry.
Omori, however, sensed that something wasn't adding up. The person in front of her didn't seem like someone who was playing a prank or pretending; he genuinely appeared to be clueless about her question. As she considered the possibility that this might indeed be the real Ichiro, doubts crept into her mind. To prepare for any unexpected turn of events, she decided to implement a backup plan.
"Could the rumor be true that you've changed?" Omori cautiously asked, searching Ichiro's eyes for any sign of deception.
"Huh? Change? I mean, it seems I have..." Ichiro replied, still in the process of packing his belongings, his voice barely audible.
Not saying much, Omori continued to observe Ichiro. Seeing that he was occupied with his preparations to leave, she silently decided to make her exit as well. Ichiro, left behind, was now even more perplexed by her sudden departure, wondering if he had unintentionally said something wrong. The air was thick with uncertainty as both individuals tried to make sense of the situation.
In the end, Ichiro slipped away from the Takahashi residence unnoticed, leaving them frustrated and clueless about his whereabouts. Meanwhile, Omori and her family returned to the hotel, and she shared her suspicions and concerns about the plan with them. They realized that marrying Ichiro might not be a problem, but the challenge lay in attempting to eliminate him, a task that had failed several times.
As the days passed, Omori took on her role seriously, staying at Ichiro's place and tidying up despite his absence. When he would visit, he was initially startled but eventually grew used to her presence. Her determination to play her part annoyed him, knowing it would make nullifying the engagement more difficult.
"Why are you even here?" Ichiro asked with irritation.
"To take care of you, of course," Omori replied, unfazed by his rudeness.
"Whatever."
Ichiro chose not to bother with her, focusing on the approaching trial. He needed to stay focused and away from his family. However, Omori proved to be persistent. "Damn it, I need to find a legal guardian."
Being underage and from a prestigious family, Ichiro understood that breaking an engagement within such a family required a legitimate reason. He needed to find a legal guardian, even as an adult, to help him navigate the situation.
"I can just kill her," he grumbled to himself, catching Omori's attention. Her brief glance at him revealed fear. "What?"
Omori and Ichiro were engrossed in their own thoughts when they heard footsteps approaching outside.
"What could they want now?" Ichiro muttered, clearly irritated. The constant stream of servants interrupting them had become an annoyance.
"Can't you just go? This has become annoying," Omori agreed, sharing Ichiro's frustration.
"Why don't you go? You know the reason why they want to see me," Ichiro replied, not interested in meeting his family.
"The trial is in two days. I'm sure you'll win, but what's next?" Omori raised a valid point. Winning the trial was one thing, but the aftermath required careful consideration.
"What else? I'll leave and find a place to stay," Ichiro replied, contemplating where he would move once he gained his freedom. The decision would depend on the money he received and had left.
"Hey, what affinity do you have?" Omori questioned, shifting the conversation to a more serious topic.
"None," Ichiro answered honestly. Despite the month that had passed, he hadn't developed a single affinity. Moreover, the system indicated that the likelihood of him gaining one was low.
"So, you're a late bloomer," Omori declared, thinking that could be the reason. She recalled that one of the greatest heroes had also been a late bloomer.
"I don't know," Ichiro replied, unsure if he fit that category. Everything he had become was thanks to the system.
"If you do get an affinity, do you plan to fight..." Omori hesitated, sensing a shift in Ichiro's expression. She decided to drop the question.
"Never mind," she added.
"Hmm, since I am supposed to fight, I must do so even if it means dying in the battlefield," Ichiro stated firmly. His decision was made long before these recent events. He had promised Akigiko the same— to fight on the battlefield and repay his debt.
Omori left the room without saying anything further. She turned to Ichiro before heading out and simply stated, "I'll be going then."
Ichiro remained silent, offering only a nod. The atmosphere between them had soured, and despite Omori's desire and prideful demeanor, Ichiro knew that she hadn't always been like this. It seemed that her transformation began after her brother's death in the battlefield, leaving their family in disarray.
Soon after, Ichiro received messages from the lawyers and Akihiko, reminding him to rest and be prepared. He understood that this marked the beginning of his journey toward freedom. Once he finalized this legal process, his next target would be to nullify the engagement. To achieve that, he needed to find a guardian—someone willing to take him into their family without exploiting him.
Akihiko and Emi had refrained from suggesting certain families, concerned about Ichiro being used for their own gain. Even the Fujimoto brothers had declined the role of guardian, knowing the ambitious nature of their family head and wanting to spare Ichiro from a potentially miserable life. The search for a trustworthy guardian would prove to be a crucial step in securing his newfound freedom.
"I guess, I'll start my own clan then."