CHAPTER 76: CHAPTER 75: WISHBONE

"Mimi..." Zaen croaked, blood draining from his face. "What did you just do?"

Mimi tilted her head innocently.

"The ceremony must proceed. After all, you accepted my proposal."

"I did NOT accept—!"

"You offered me your hand," she said.

"When did I...?" Zaen mumbled as his mind drifted to what had happened moments ago. "I didn’t offer you my hand! I did it to stop you two from attacking one another—!"

"Spoke like a true husband, see, woman, he already cares about me," Mimi smirked, the first bit of emotion she showed. "Besides, that’s how Cho family courtships traditionally begin. First, we fight outside the bedroom, and then inside."

"WHO STARTS A MARRIAGE WITH ASSAULT?!"

"Sister... what did you do!? That ring—"

Zaen glared at him. "Just the hell up, you fucking pig bastard, before I roast you and feed you to the anomalies! This is all your goddamn fault!"

Not wanting to be turned into a javelin next, Ben backed away, crawling with his elbows.

Meanwhile, Hina had gone completely still, her eyes fixed on the silvery ring on Zaen’s finger.

Her hand slid down from his shirt... hanging by her side. Zaen felt like the world might as well have cracked in half with her gaze.

"...Zaen," she mumbled. "What... is... that!?"

Zaen lifted his hands instantly, stepping back, nearly tripping over Ben in the process.

"Wait! Wait! I didn’t even notice it! She slipped it on while I was talking to you!"

"Oh... so it’s my fault?"

"Indeed. It wouldn’t have been possible without you," Mimi nodded. "He was distracted. His guard was lowered. It was the ideal moment to strike."

"Will you stop?" Zaen groaned in annoyance. "I already have too much on my plate. I do not need you to add fuel to the fire—ouch!"

Hina pinched his shoulder before glaring at him.

"Take. It. Off."

"Right!"

In all the chaos, the most obvious solution had flown past his head. Still, Mimi didn’t panic, her smirk only widened upon realizing what was about to happen.

Zaen thought she looked weird, but only then did he notice the static texture of the ring. It was an anomalous artefact!

Fuck it. I can’t even view its stats, so it must be useless... wait, why won’t it move?

Even though Zaen put all his might into removing the ring, it didn’t budge from his finger.

Of course it didn’t. It was the ring’s nature.

"It’s not... coming off..." Zaen spoke through gritted teeth.

"It cannot be removed, Mister Handsome. Not until one of us dies, which would also curse the other with an incurable disease," Mimi said, stepping closer and placing her hand on his. "The Cho Engagement Ring bonds to the chosen partner’s finger till death do us part. Isn’t it beautiful?"

Zaen couldn’t ignore the weirdo anymore, because she was sounding more and more unhinged. But that wasn’t what he was worried about. It was the solution Mimi handed to Hina on a silver platter.

As expected, Hina’s gaze was fixed on Mimi’s supple chest like she wanted to carve her heart out.

"It’s just an illness..." she mumbled, stepping closer to Hina. "I’m sure it’s not incurable. Even if it is, I can always carry your lineage ahead. We can preserve you, too, and resurrect you when a cure is found. Yes... it’ll all be fine."

As the dark aura enveloped Hina, Ben buried his face between his legs. The stench didn’t bother him half as much as the thought of death.

"We’re all going to die. This is it. This is how my academy life ends..." he kept mumbling while rocking back and forth.

Zaen raised both hands defensively, as if trying to hold back a tsunami called Unhinged Hina.

"Hina, I swear I didn’t agree to this! I didn’t even hear the proposal—!"

"You didn’t say no," Hina replied flatly.

"I didn’t get the chance to!"

"Don’t worry, little sister," Mimi bowed politely. "I will treat him well."

Hina’s head snapped toward her.

Zaen felt the temperature drop. He immediately lunged, grabbing Hina by both shoulders before she could pounce at Mimi because he knew the moment she did, Mimi would slice her head off.

"Hina! Baby! Sweetheart! Sunshine! Put the knife down—wait, where did you get that knife!?"

"I always carry one ever since the games," she answered calmly. "I... didn’t want you to get hurt because of me again. But this stupid bitch ruined it all!"

"That is not the answer to handle this situation!"

"You’re correct," Hina mumbled. "It’s the solution."

Mimi watched the scene with mild curiosity, unfazed by the growing murderous intent.

"Do not worry, Hina. I will share him fairly with you and others my fiance might have an interest in."

"FIANCE?!" Hina’s voice cracked like thunder. "I’LL KILL YOU—mm!"

Zaen slapped a hand over her mouth. "Nope! No! No killing! No stabbing! Let’s just talk this out—"

"But you accepted—" Mimi said, slipping the other ring on her finger. "Grandfather said a husband must stay with his wife even if he has others by his side."

Zaen pointed at her with wild, desperate energy. "Woman, I swear on all that exists, I did not accept anything! As for your grandfather, what kind of man is he? Teaching all this crap to you?"

"Grandfather is grandfather," Mimi shrugged. "I don’t question what he says. Though he said I would have to obey my husband, too."

"Stop calling him that!" Hina yelled after peeling his hand off her mouth. "And Zaen... you have ten seconds to get that ring off before I do it for you."

"WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!"

"It means I also have a pair of scissors."

"WHY DO YOU HAVE SCISSORS?!"

"For... personal use," she said, looking away.

Zaen groaned, dragging a hand down his face. His life had become a circus—except the clowns were armed, territorial, and trying to marry him by force.

He held up his cursed finger in defeat.

"I need... a blacksmith. Or a priest. Or someone who knows ancient Cho family magic."

"I do," Mimi raised her hand politely.

"Of course you do," Zaen muttered. "But you won’t take the ring off, will you?"

"Shall we begin the wedding preparations?" she asked, ignoring Zaen’s words.

"NO!"

Hina grabbed his other arm possessively, pulling him to her side.

"He belongs to me."

"No, he belongs to me," Mimi threw Hina’s words right back at her, pulling his other arm.

Ben watched from the floor, pale as a ghost.

"He belongs to doom."

Zaen screamed internally as the two women pulled him in opposite directions like he was a wishbone.

This was not how he imagined his first day would go.