"Young Master, Lady Ayaki has denied your request to go out today," Nami reported as she returned to Hazane's room.
Hazane had just finished dressing himself. He had asked one of the housemaids to buy him a simple, inconspicuous outfit—something that wouldn't immediately scream rich kid. His usual wardrobe was filled with designer brands that practically announced his family's wealth. And with his naturally refined aura, Hazane was always slightly worried someone might try to kidnap him if he stood out too much in public.
"Mom refused?" Hazane paused mid-button. "That's… unusual. Something important must be going on. She never says no otherwise."
Indeed, his mother rarely refused his requests. She doted on him endlessly, and something as trivial as a shopping trip wouldn't normally earn a rejection. Which meant… today was not a normal day.
"Yes. Lady Ayaki said something important is happening today. Your fiancée will be visiting, and you'll need to meet her," Nami explained. She subtly emphasized the word fiancée.
Hazane gave her a curious look but said nothing. Of course, he noticed the change in her tone—he wasn't actually six years old, after all. He just looked like one.
"A fiancée, huh? So it's happening again… Grandma really is obsessed with arranging marriages. I know Mom hates these kinds of traditions—she told me once that she was forced into an engagement herself. So if she's going along with it now, it has to be Grandma pulling strings again."
"That's correct. This was arranged by the family matriarch," Nami confirmed.
Hazane let out a soft sigh. "I don't get it. I'm six. Six. What's the point of an engagement at this age?"
"I'm not sure," Nami said, shaking her head. "But Lady Ayaki mentioned that this girl is someone you once asked her about."
Hazane's eyes widened slightly, his irritation quickly replaced by surprise—and then genuine delight. Of course he remembered. There was only one girl he had ever asked his mother about.
Kaguya Shinomiya.
The moment he realized it, he caught the subtle shift in Nami's expression. Her usually composed face flickered with something unreadable. Ah… so that's what it was.
Hazane stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her slender waist, though he could barely reach past her hips given his current height.
"Nami-nee, I'm not going to forget you just because I have a fiancée now," he said warmly. "You'll always be my Nami—my personal maid. Maybe even…"
He trailed off, but the look he gave her said more than words could.
Nami couldn't help but smile. Her rare expression of vulnerability lit up her face, and Hazane realized once again how beautiful she was when she smiled.
"I believe you, my young master." She bent down and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek, before reluctantly stepping back. She hid her flustered state well, but Hazane knew her too well not to notice.
"Of course you can believe me," he replied casually. No grand promises—he was still a child, at least in everyone else's eyes. He knew words meant little now. It was his actions, over time, that would matter most.
"I'll be waiting," she whispered.
Hazane entered the dining room with Nami quietly walking a step behind him. He had changed into a crisp, formal outfit—nothing too flashy, but enough to look presentable when meeting someone important. With his refined features and poised demeanor, he didn't need anything more to make an impression.
"Hazane, there you are. I made your favorite today—ham and egg sandwiches with a glass of milk," Ayaki greeted him warmly from across the table.
Despite being the daughter of a noble family, Ayaki had made it her mission to personally prepare breakfast for her son every morning for the past six years. Her culinary skills had improved gradually—while she wasn't a natural chef, her efforts were more than enough to warm Hazane's heart.
"Thanks, Mom," he said with a smile.
He sat down to eat, savoring each bite while Nami stood behind him like a silent guardian. Ayaki sat across from them, a soft expression on her face as she watched her son eat with visible joy.
Even after all these years, I never get tired of watching him, she thought. He really is the greatest decision I've ever made.
"Nami must've told you about your fiancée, right?" Ayaki asked, glancing between them with a teasing tone. "Did you figure out who it is?"
Hazane swallowed the last bite of his sandwich, and Nami gently dabbed at his mouth with a napkin—even though he'd told her countless times he could do it himself.
"Kaguya Shinomiya. I'm guessing I'm right."
Ayaki nodded. "Correct. Smart as always, my little Hazane."
"So this is really happening…" Hazane leaned back slightly in his chair. "Honestly, I don't mind. I do like her. And let me guess—this whole engagement thing happened because I once asked you about her, and that somehow got back to Grandma?"
Ayaki laughed softly. "Exactly. You asking about her was all the excuse your grandmother needed. She probably thought you were deeply interested and immediately pushed the idea forward."
Hazane sighed, then grinned. "Well… to be fair, I do think she's a great match. And this kind of union benefits both families, doesn't it? I'd feel bad turning it down when it's clearly a win-win."
Ayaki smiled knowingly.
My son really is growing up.