To (Y/n)'s disbelief, Takuya had slept in. Though she and Akiko had woken up bright and early to goof off some more and snap pictures of one another, he hadn't come to look for her. She had to check on him out of the concern that he hadn't even come down for pancakes, only to find him slumbering away. Kota sat on the edge of the bed with great pride in himself, no doubt having been the cause for his sleepiness.

"Aren't I the best?" the baku giggled, pressing a finger to his cheek before smirking wider, "No, it's not really a question. I am the best."

The younger girl glanced down at her boyfriend's sleeping form. Normally, with the discomfort of his nightmares came uncomfortable sleeping positions. However, there, he was curled up and hugging his pillow tightly, only to somehow sense her presence and sleepily glomp onto her hand. A small smile was on his features, too, as he nuzzled her, the male quietly breathing in peace for once. She had to give Kota credit.

"Thank you."

"I didn't do it for you, you stupid fae. Besides, there were less nightmares last night, so I wasn't throwing up like last time."

"Did you...find out how to cure him?"

"Hm?" A pause before the male lit up, "Yeah, for sure! At first, I couldn't ask anyone 'cuz they were still super mad at me for breaking the rules or whatever, but I realized I didn't need them anyway since I'm a genius. So, I came up with a solution! We just have to get rid of the root. That's it. Easy peasy!"

A little sign of confliction passed over the girl's face. That was what she had been trying to do since the moment she started to care for Takuya. But she also knew that it wasn't a simple matter of just snapping his mother away from him. She was firmly buried in his subconscious, part of each and every nightmare, and, ultimately, part of him as a person. That was exactly why she had reservations about killing Ichika. She didn't think that was what Kota was referring to, but it felt roughly the same.

Taking Ichika out of Takuya's life was roughly the same as ripping a leech off. The vicious creature suckled at the blood of its host, feeding off of its misery and surviving off of its life. In all aspects, it was a wicked thing. But, the moment someone tried to remove the disgusting leech, it pulled and pulled at its host's skin, threatening to take a chunk of their flesh with it. The process was painful and bloody, and though the host may have survived just fine on the surface, there was still a surge of pain flooding through their body that overcame the sense of relief. Bad always tended to linger more than good.

Takuya woke up on his own after they let him sleep in. He felt far better rested than he had in a long while, which was odd to him since he didn't sleep with (Y/n). Still, he was happy about it, starting his morning by getting ready in the bathroom. It didn't miss his notice that his smile never faded, a special feeling welling up in his heart. He had been waiting for that day for so long but now he was going to confirm his dreams would come true.

"There's the man we've been waiting for," Akiko whistled, flustering Takuya greatly, "All dressed up fancy and stuff. Did you do something with your hair, too?"

Concerned that it looked bad, the male twisted around a loose strand, turning a bit pink in the face. He only flustered more as (Y/n) observed the change in his normal dailywear. Typically, he dressed in a simple-looking suit to go to work, not doing anything else to his appearance. However, though it was one of his days off, he was still dressed to impress. Though, more notably, he was wearing far more traditional clothing for some odd reason - something that would usually be worn for holidays or festivals.

"Wow, I know what that is!" Kota squeaked, excitedly snapping pictures of his friend, "A kimono or something, right? So pretty! It matches your eyes! I want one!"

"Actually, I have one for you," Takuya mumbled, shyly holding a gorgeous pink kimono up.

Of course, Kota wasted no time in snatching it out of his friend's hands, running off to try it on as soon as possible. He wasn't the one that questioned why he had something like that prepared. (Y/n) was. Akiko might have stared weirdly at the outfit, impressed but confused about the occasion, but the younger girl was the one to furrow her brows, trying to figure her boyfriend out. She was even more thrown off as he lifted another one behind his back.

"I was torn between red and black, but I thought red would be nice for you. Um, just because you look good in it and it would bring out your eyes. Also...you would match with me."

"It's...very pretty, but - "

"I-I also bought some new jewelry and hairpieces for you to try on. You can wear whatever you want since they'll all match."

"Don't think that's what she's worried about there, bud," Akiko hummed, "I think we're both thinking 'why'."

"It's...a surprise."

The shy look on the male's face told the girls he wasn't thinking of anything bad. Still, he did have a bit of desperation about him that was different from the usual. Of course, at any given point in time, the bunny-like male had at least some level of desperation, but, that time, it seemed more like excitement. Especially as he handed over the kimono, a gentle smile was plastered on his face, followed by his anticipation to see her in it. Akiko watched him carefully the entire time they were kept waiting, wondering just what he was up to.

His one-track mind kept him silent up until the (h/c) haired girl came out again, the male standing up to admire her all the better. He even rushed to her side in order to help fasten on the modest necklace she'd chosen. She really did look like a princess. He'd always known that. So, when he stepped back again to melt, his heart started beating all the faster, practically jumping out of his chest.

But before he could even think of a compliment to give her, Kota came rushing out, clearly at a loss for how to secure the article of clothing. Thanks to that, he was given a bit more time to think as he helped tie the baku's obi, darting his eyes over to the younger girl the entire time. The pink-haired male, of course, spun himself around and gawked at how perfect he looked, blabbing to everyone else about his beauty. Even so, as he spat out compliment after compliment to himself - any and all of which could also apply to (Y/n) - Takuya still couldn't think of any words to say to her that would do her justice. Instead, he softly pressed his forehead to hers, just barely nuzzling her out of pure affection.

Afterwards, Akiko took her cue to leave, walking with the younger girl as her escort. The two talked as much as they could while Isao fetched the ravenette's car for her. Takuya, if only because he was told to, stood at a distance, clearly watching the two while Kota hung off of his shoulders. The ravenette took that weirdly, analyzing the white-haired male's facial expressions once more before deciding to voice her concerns.

"He's planning something weird. I mean, he's always planning something weird, but, this time, I think it's really...serious."

"What, you think he'll kill me?"

"You know that's not what I meant!" Akiko scoffed, playfully punching the girl's arm, and seeing her boyfriend flinch from the corner of her eye, "I just meant he's worked up. You've said he's being possessive lately. It might not seem that different to you, but it is to me."

"Yeah. I picked up on a bit of 'weirdness'. I don't like that Kota is somehow involved in whatever this is either."

"To be honest with you," A pause as the girl leaned in to whisper, "I think he might propose or something."

(Y/n) scoffed, and Akiko understood why. It hadn't even been a month since Takuya became her official "boyfriend", so, for a normal person, marriage should have still been years away. But he wasn't a normal person. Just getting the tiny taste of exclusivity was making him act off, enough for him to twitch at something as little as a playful gesture of friendliness. At any point, he seemed like he was one step away from a breakdown about his position with her. And Akiko didn't know exactly what he truly wanted deep down, but she had to imagine "husband" was a much more secure title to him than "boyfriend".

"I mean," the ravenette shrugged, rolling her eyes to boot, "it's a shitty proposal if he's going to do it with his jealous friend you clearly hate. But think about it. It's possible."

The younger girl didn't say anything more, largely in part because Isao brought the car around. Akiko said a few more words of encouragement, letting her know that she would keep an eye on her phone in case anything happened. And with one reassuring hug from the ravenette, she departed, once again alerting the younger girl to the odd flinch Takuya had made because of the gesture of friendship.

Takuya gave no hints about where they were going, clearly intent on keeping the surprise. He just cuddled up next to the younger girl in the car, doting on her and watching her carefully. It made her think. At least, she tried to think as much as she could with Kota's whining about the unequal treatment. It wasn't as easy a task as it sounded.

There had only been one instance where Takuya had brought up marriage with her specifically. He'd rambled before - mostly to himself - about how he wanted his wedding to be, and she'd caught glimpses of a few of his journals, all of which had something to do with his desire to be a husband. But the first and only time he had brought up marriage to her was...unsettling at best. That brand of desperation that was only his was written all over every little thing he'd say or do. All the while he begged for a chance to earn the paradise he thought it was to be married, he would not let go of her hand, nor would he stop stroking her fourth finger.

Back then, she had to stop the conversation by yelling at him. It wasn't, by any means, a good way to stop him from acting that way, but it was better than letting him think all he was good for was being a "designer" husband. He hadn't brought up the topic directly since, nor had he stroked her finger like that. However, the male had snuck glances at it, probably fixated on what ring she would accept.

As they got closer to their destination, the older male insisting she and Kota wear a blindfold to keep the surprise, she could only think about what Akiko said. If Takuya really were to propose, what would be her answer? She had no doubts it would be "no". It was just the way she would have to put it that she was concerned about. Marrying Takuya when his mother's lessons were fully ingrained into his every motivation was a recipe for disaster. He would have broken no matter how happy he thought he was.

But what about after he defeated his mother's influence? She...didn't know.

"Okay," Takuya finally ended up saying, an undeniable excitement in his voice as she felt him fiddling with her blindfold, "Surprise!"

The palace. Of all places the male could have brought her to alleviate her worries, Takuya went and brought her to meet the emperor. Kota was freaking out, rightfully so, but she could only stand in shock. There was absolutely no other purpose the older male could have had to bring her there for the first time if not to ask for permission. The younger girl gritted her teeth, trying with all of her might not to let Takuya see her distress. He would have lost the biggest smile he'd had in a while if she did.

The empress was the one to come and greet them personally, the woman rushing out with the realization that she was late. She apologized profusely to the white-haired male, begging him to forgive her for making him wait. Oddly enough, though he may have phrased his response to sound understanding, he never promised to actually forgive her, merely implying that he wanted to "talk about it later". It made shivers run up (Y/n)'s spine.

She didn't end up listening as the empress tried to introduce a bit of history to entertain her guests. Though Kota had his eyes wide, scouring the place with absolute curiosity, (Y/n) couldn't muster up the energy. Takuya had gone and started holding her hand, clearly showing the purpose for the trip off to every person they passed.

(Y/n) knew quite well that, of all the noble families in Athain, only the Miyahara and Yasojiro families had close ties to the emperor's family. They had been close for generations, mainly because, besides being one of the founding families, they were avid supporters of the crown, providing funds and boosting the royals' reputation to prove their loyalty. They even helped with foreign diplomatic issues.

With such support to the emperor, both families earned many, many privileges no other families had. They were exempt from countless crimes, given consideration for newly acquired materials, and were always, always, always seated next to the royal family at every event. Another privilege they had was to demand the honor of a royal name - a name of affection the empress bestowed on a young lady. In the past, receiving a royal name was the equivalent of being an honorary knight. It provided emphasis of one's importance in the country. That was because any lady who received a royal name had the unofficial status as an adopted princess.

There were far more reasons why both families were prioritized and cherished by the emperor but (Y/n)'s mind lingered on the idea of that closeness. After all, because the noble families were close, they were expected to follow a few more formalities, including introducing those they planned to marry. No doubt that was at least one thing Takuya was attempting to do by visiting, only further validated by the fact that the empress kept glancing back at her.

Before she knew it, she was meeting the emperor. The man started by eagerly welcoming Takuya, even hugging him like he was a close friend. They talked about a few inconsequential things, the younger girl mainly tuning it all out until she felt the white-haired male place his hand on her back. She took that as a sign to pay attention, bowing respectfully to the man and doing her best to say as few words as possible. Thankfully, the emperor didn't push, letting her get away with a small greeting alone. That must have been because of Kota.

The baku immediately started rattling on and on about how happy he was to get to see such a big "house" and meet a "chief". Clearly, he was thinking of his leader back in the spirit world as the norm and this "emper or" as a super powerful chief that had lots more land and people. She was impressed at the extent he held himself back from saying all of that though, the male sticking to relaying his excitement alone. Takuya also stopped him whenever he was close to committing an offense.

(Y/n) merely went along with whatever the emperor and Takuya decided to talk about. Occasionally, she would add something to the conversation, if only because she had to. Still, up until the point the man asked the white-haired male to join him for tea outside, everything seemed normal. She remained there with Kota, the both of them behaving and enjoying some snacks. At least, she was behaving.

"She's a lovely young lady," the emperor smiled, bringing up the cup to his lips to take a small sip before continuing to add, "Even if it is just a formality, you have my permission."

Takuya was relieved by the news. But he already knew that. There had never been a case of the emperor denying a request of marriage by the Miyahara or Yasojiro families. An awkward silence washed over them, the white-haired male clearly waiting for them to bring up something first. The empress turned to her husband, tilting her head just a bit before whispering in his ear. They must have come to an agreement.

"Then, a royal name is in order," she hummed, pausing again with a smile, "In the past, there were a lot of Miyahara men who wanted to be involved in the name choice. Is that something you would - "

"Yes," Takuya sparkled, placing his hand next to his thumping heart, "I want to choose."

"I thought you might. I could see it in your eyes."

"A-And...I want to ask for something else, too. I know it is an unusual request and that it may come across...poorly, but it's very important to me, so...for our wedding, please let (Y/n) wear a crown. I-I don't need one but I...I need her to have one."

The request was odd. And sudden. And, above all, rendered both royals speechless. It wasn't a difficult request per se, but they were more fixated on why Takuya would have wanted his bride to wear a crown. He was practically pleading with them, too, going on and on about how much it meant to him and how he would do anything if they would just let her wear it for one day. And, very softly, the empress let the elephant in the room slip.

"Is this...about Princess Ceta?"

"No? No! It has nothing to do with her. I know you probably don't believe me and it sounds weird, but I really...I really need it to happen. I want our wedding to be like a fairy tale, so...so she needs a crown. A-And if you're worried because of the princess and how it might insult or hurt her, I'll go down to Afrua and fix it! This won't hurt you in any way; I swear!"

Truthfully, that was not a favor the royal couple wanted to grant. Their own children had already been married for a long time, so it wasn't about upshining them, but something about the request rubbed them the wrong way. Letting the (h/c) haired girl wear a crown gave a message they weren't sure they wanted to endorse. Though, ultimately, if only because Takuya was making the request, they decided to oblige him for just the one day.

"Thank you," he shivered, holding back his tears of relief, "I'll have to use the best gems we have. A-And I'll send you some, too, as appreciation!"

The empress smiled. The Miyahara family had their fingers in lots of different businesses, but, most renowned were their gem businesses, including every facet of the industry from the mines to the polishers, cutters, designers, and so on. And, with their newest expenditure, they would soon hold the reins on pearls as well. They had the most sought after jewels in the world, so, of course, the empress was delighted to be gifted some as a show of good faith. She also expected to receive gems in the gifts guests would receive at the wedding.

(Y/n) didn't confirm even one of the white-haired male's purposes for the trip until the next day. She merely accepted a few words of praise from the empress and emperor when they returned before leaving, noticing the uncontrollably smile on Takuya's face. The pieces only clicked together when she received an invitation from the empress to a ceremony she was to star in. Up until the empress actually conferred the royal name of Lady "Azalea" to her, she had no idea what was happening.

It was unprecedented for the empress to bestow a royal name before marriage. That was exactly why Takuya had pleaded for it. Akiko was both wrong and right about her suspicions. The male didn't propose to her, but he was trying to get his hands on any possible way to keep her from leaving his side. The entire reason he had begged for her to receive the royal name early was to ensure that she couldn't legally marry anyone else.

After all, they gave the name early out of trust that they would marry. Should (Y/n) have chosen not to have been part of the Miyahara family, she was essentially betraying the royals' trust. It was no better than stealing or breaking a promise, and, as a result, she would have faced severe consequences for it. Takuya played dumb about it, but it was clear he was overjoyed with the handcuffs he managed to put on her. His mother, however, was not.