With a heavy thud, Prince Nariwa lost consciousness.
He had been directly knocked out and sent flying.
Hayasaka seemed to have anticipated this. She calmly stepped forward to check and then said impassively, "His Highness Nariwa has lost the ability to fight. Kazami Yusei wins."
Kaguya's happy eyes curved like crescent moons as she smiled at Yusei.
"Congratulations."
Yusei teasingly scratched her palm, "Why are you happier than I am about my win?"
Kaguya blushed, shot Yusei a glare, but didn't speak, her delighted expression still evident.
Yusei smiled slightly and didn't continue teasing her. Instead, he looked toward the stunned Imperial Family's members who couldn't believe what had happened.
"Please remember the terms of the bet, everyone. Deliver the Yata no Kagami as soon as possible."
Kaguya beside him added, "I will send Shinomiya Family's appraisers. We must ensure the authenticity of the bet's contents."
"You..." The Imperial Family's members wanted to say something, but the facts were clear. They had lost, and they couldn't find any reason to renege.
Finally, Prince Nariwa's uncle, his face flushed, said in a muffled voice, "The Imperial Family will naturally keep its word. However, Shinomiya-san, if you insist on choosing this young man, the Shinomiya Family might decline in the future. I urge you to consider this issue carefully."
Kaguya's face turned cold. She was about to retort when Koken's voice came from behind her.
"The fate of the Shinomiya Family is none of your concern. This is my granddaughter's choice, and it is also my choice."
Koken, wearing a wide kimono, stepped forward with an imposing aura even without showing anger.
Seeing Koken approve of her choice, Kaguya breathed a sigh of relief and called out sweetly, "Grandfather."
After calling out, Kaguya looked expectantly at Yusei.
Yusei had no choice but to shrug and follow suit, "Hello, Grandfather."
Hearing this, Koken laughed heartily, stroking his beard as he looked teasingly at Yusei.
"This is the first time I've heard you call me Grandfather. It sounds quite pleasant to my ears."
Seeing the old man's smug look, Yusei muttered inwardly, 'Old Man Koken, thank your lucky stars you have a precious granddaughter. Otherwise, I wouldn't call you Grandfather so willingly. At most, 'Shisou' or 'Old Man'.'
The Imperial members, witnessing this scene, were already pale-faced. They understood the Shinomiya Family's choice.
It's likely that from the very beginning, this young man named Yusei had already entered Koken's sights and was approved.
From the very start, they were played for fools. They never stood a chance.
The Imperial Family's elders' faces were dark. Not only had they failed in their marriage proposal, but they had also lost the Yata no Kagami from the shrine. It was a massive loss.
But currently, they were at the Shinomiya Residence. They couldn't show rage, in fact, they couldn't show any negative emotion.
"Since the Shinomiya Family has already found a suitable son-in-law, we shall take our leave." The Imperial Family's members forced a smile, then quickly carried the prince away from the Shinomiya Residence.
With the group gone from the main hall, Kaguya snorted lightly and said with great relief, "They're finally gone. That should reduce the number of annoying pests in the future."
"Reduce?" Yusei looked at Kaguya, puzzled.
Kaguya gave him an exasperated look and explained, "After they return, the news that I have a boyfriend and the Shinomiya Family has a son-in-law will spread. Those without a clue won't keep coming."
"Ah, I see." Yusei had a sudden realization. But he still looked teasingly at Kaguya, "But weren't we just a temporary couple today? I could help you block them today, but in the future..."
Kaguya naturally heard the teasing in Yusei's words, clearly, he was messing with her.
Immediately, Kaguya surprisingly pouted, which is a rare sight, and put on a wronged expression.
"Grandpa, he's bullying me."
Yusei's expression froze. He hadn't expected the Shinomiya young lady to have the skill of acting wronged and acting cute.
Koken's face remained stern, but he didn't seem to mind. Instead, he asked Yusei, "Let's set that aside for now. What do you think of my granddaughter? You've spent so much time with Kaguya, so you should see her quite clearly by now, right?"
"Kaguya? Kaguya is a wonderful girl. Beautiful, gentle, strong..." Although unsure why Koken was asking him this, Yusei still answered.
Hearing Yusei's praise, Kaguya's cheeks flushed slightly, seemingly surprised that she was viewed so positively in his heart.
Koken chuckled but didn't speak, instead looking at Kaguya.
"Kaguya, what do you think of Yusei?"
"Yusei-kun is very handsome, very gentle, and also very strong."
Koken looked playfully at the two.
"No wonder you two can use combination sword techniques together. You even use the same words to describe each other."
Kaguya's face reddened. She secretly glanced at Yusei, saw his helpless expression, and couldn't help but give a slight smile.
It was probably this somewhat 'lazy', resigned attitude toward things that attracted her.
He seems lazy, as if he can't accomplish anything, but when he gets serious, he can achieve anything.
True strength is like that.
Koken looked satisfied at the two youngsters and said solemnly, "You both think very highly of each other. You've gotten to know each other well enough. So now, I want to arrange your engagement. What do you think?"
His words were too sudden, leaving both Kaguya and Yusei momentarily unable to react.
"En... engagement?" Kaguya looked at her grandfather in disbelief.
"Yes, engagement." Koken smiled slightly.
Seeing her grandfather's serious expression, Kaguya fell silent. She felt her heart pounding.
She very much wanted to nod in agreement, but she was afraid Yusei might refuse. So she froze for a moment.
Seeing Kaguya's expression, Koken already understood her choice. He looked at Yusei.
"Yusei, what do you think?"
Yusei didn't answer directly. Instead, he asked, puzzled, "While finding a girlfriend is my own business, engagement usually involves discussing it with one's parents, right?"
"Your parents? I've already spoken with them. They fully approve of your marriage. To show our sincerity as in-laws, we gave a significant discount when your parents bought the house."