---
The journey to Mikako's temple wasn't difficult.
It was frustrating.
Mostly because Kaida and Yurei couldn't agree on which way was faster, safer, or involved fewer attempts on my life. At one point, Yurei suggested we take a narrow cliff route guarded by what she casually called "sky wolves." Kaida nearly roasted her.
We settled on a forest trail. Quiet. Green. Suspiciously peaceful.
"Don't trust it," Kaida muttered, claws extended. "Peaceful places like this usually have man-eating flowers or cursed deer."
"Or people who aren't obsessed with my death," I offered.
Yurei raised an eyebrow behind her mask. "Still obsessed. Just… quietly."
Nice.
By noon on the second day, we reached the edge of a wide river, glistening in the sunlight. Beyond it stood a grand staircase of white stone leading up a lush hill, where a temple shimmered like a mirage.
The air smelled like lilies and divine judgment.
> [Bride of Fate Detected: Mikako Amane – Divine Priestess of the Celestial Path.] Compatibility: 91% Emotional Bonding Required: High Touch Sensitivity: Extreme Suggestion: Do not grope.
"Thanks for the warning," I muttered.
We crossed the bridge. Kaida immediately frowned.
"I feel… itchy. Magic's thick here."
Yurei nodded. "Barrier runes. Old ones."
Then a voice rang out.
"State your purpose."
A line of robed priestesses stood at the top of the stairs, all serene, glowing faintly with divine aura. One among them stepped forward—taller, glowing brighter, and with the kind of presence that made your knees feel guilty for existing.
Mikako Amane.
Her long silver hair shimmered in the wind, and her eyes held the soft glow of distant stars. She wore flowing white robes that clung gently to her body, sheer in places but layered enough to make you want to look harder. Her bare feet hovered slightly above the stone.
I cleared my throat. "Uh. Hi. I'm Riku Asahiro. I died. I came back. And the system says I have to bond with you."
Yurei audibly facepalmed.
Kaida muttered, "Smooth."
Mikako didn't blink. "I know who you are."
She floated down the steps. Her presence grew heavier with each movement, like gravity itself bowed to her.
"You carry a cursed seal. You attract chaos. You bring danger to holy ground."
"…Also, I brought snacks?"
No smile. No reaction.
Yurei leaned in. "This one's immune to dumbassery."
Mikako stopped in front of me, gaze calm but unyielding.
"You seek to bond with me?"
"Yes."
"Then prove your worth."
> [System Alert: Trial of the Temple Initiated. Pass Mikako's three tests to begin bonding.]
I turned to the girls. "Three tests. That sounds reasonable, right?"
Yurei shook her head. "You'll probably die on the second."
Kaida folded her arms. "I give you until halfway through the first."
Fantastic.
---
Test One: Silence
Simple in theory.
We were placed in a chamber of wind chimes, incense, and meditation pads. Mikako sat across from me, eyes closed, legs crossed, hands in her lap.
"Sit," she said. "Breathe. Empty your thoughts."
I sat.
I breathed.
I tried to empty my thoughts.
Except my thoughts were loud.
Loud thoughts like:
Don't sneeze.
Her robes are definitely see-through in this light.
I wonder if Kaida snores.
I want fruit. Do they have fruit here?
Am I… bonding yet?
> [Warning: Mental Chaos Detected.]
I peeked.
Mikako opened one eye. "Fail."
---
Test Two: Purity of Intent
I was asked to stand in a sacred spring, shirtless, while Mikako read my aura.
Kaida snickered. Yurei looked... interested?
I waded into the water.
It was freezing.
"Focus on your desire," Mikako said. "Why do you seek this bond?"
"To survive," I answered honestly. "To stop whatever killed me the first time. To reclaim my throne. And… to not die alone this time."
Mikako blinked. For a second, her expression softened. Then—
> [System Alert: Sincerity Level – 78%. Bonus Affection Triggered.]
She nodded. "Acceptable."
Progress.
---
Test Three: Restraint
This one was unfair.
We were placed in a private chamber. Low light. Soft cushions. Incense.
Mikako sat beside me, closer than before. Her aura was calm… but her proximity was very, very distracting.
"You must not touch me," she said.
"Not even by accident?"
She raised a brow. "Try."
I sat stiffly, hands glued to my lap.
Ten minutes in, she leaned closer.
"My power reacts to intent," she whispered. "Even a thought too loud could shatter this room."
> [Lust Level Rising.] [Restraint: Holding at 61%.]
Focus, Riku. Think of swords. Taxes. Frogs.
> [System: You are now thinking about frogs in lingerie. -10 Willpower.]
She leaned in again. "Do you desire me?"
I swallowed. "Yes."
"And will you wait?"
"…Yes."
Her expression changed—just slightly. A flicker of approval.
Then she stood.
"You pass."
I collapsed backward.
> [Bond Initiated: Mikako Amane – Divine Priestess.] System Bonus: +5 Willpower, +Celestial Affinity, +Holy Resistance]
---
As we left the temple, Mikako walked beside me. Still distant, still untouchable—but there.
"I will travel with you," she said. "But know this: I do not serve lust, or chaos, or ego. If you stray…"
Yurei cut in. "He strays hourly."
Kaida chuckled. "He's like a confused puppy."
I groaned. "This harem thing was supposed to be fun."
> **[System Warning: Next Bride – Beast Tamer – Detected. Emotional Resistance: 99%. Approach with caution.]
"Can I get a break?" I asked.
No answer.
Just three women walking beside me.
One silent.
One smirking.
One glowing faintly with holy light.
And me, the idiot prince with a system and way too much destiny.
Onward we go.
---
The others were already ahead—Kaida riding hard, Yurei ghosting through the trees like a jealous shadow.
Only one horse was left tethered beneath the temple's edge.
Mikako said nothing, just walked toward it in her usual divine silence. Her robes flowed behind her like a ribbon of light. Without a word, she mounted.
And then… turned to me.
"Well?" she asked softly.
"You're taking the front?" I blinked.
"I'll guide the reins. You hold on."
Her tone left no room for argument.
I climbed up behind her, awkwardly settling in.
Too close.
Way too close.
Her back pressed against my chest, and every step the horse took made her shift in my lap—soft, warm, maddeningly graceful. The fabric of her robes teased my fingers where they rested on her hips.
"Hold tight," she said.
I already was.
> [Lust Suppression Attempt: 68% Effective.]
[System Advice: Think of taxes.]
Her scent—incense and starlight—wrapped around me.
And then she leaned back. Just a little. Just enough.
"I can feel your heartbeat," she whispered.
"I can feel your… everything," I muttered before I could stop myself.
She paused. Then—gently—reached down and flicked the reins.
"I'll pretend you didn't say that," she said, voice almost amused.
> [Affection +2 – Mikako Amane]
[Restraint +1]
As we rode through the forest path, her figure swayed in rhythm with the horse. My hands gripped the saddle tighter, trying to behave. But with every bump and lean, it became less like a divine journey… and more like a slow form of priestess-sanctioned torture.
By the time we reached the clearing, I wasn't sure if I'd passed another test…
Or barely survived it.
---