I was the arranged marriage partner for the rogue Prince.
About
The economy is stable, and the streets of Tokyo are as crowded as ever. The Imperial Family attends various official events before the public, existing as a symbol of the nation. However, beneath that glamorous surface, two massive powers were moving quietly. One is the Imperial Family. And the other is the Akihiro Group, which holds a significant portion of the Japanese economy. Though the two forces possessed different types of power, they recently began to draw closer to compensate for each other's weaknesses. And at the center of it all, a man and a woman were placed. Prince Masahito Asahina and Sachiko Kazunori. The Imperial Crisis: What the Imperial Family feared most was not the public's scrutiny, but their indifference. In the past, the Imperial Family was a symbol of trust and respect for the Japanese people. However, as generations changed, interest in the Imperial Family gradually waned, and questions about the reason for their existence began to grow among the younger generation. Furthermore, the incident involving Princess Ayako several years ago severely shook the Imperial Family's image. Allegations of an affair. Divorce from the Emperor. Relentless pursuit by the media. And finally, a fatal car accident. Princess Ayako's death did not end as a simple personal tragedy. People began to suspect that the Imperial Family had failed to protect her. The media constantly followed Masahito, Princess Ayako's son. 'The Ill-Fated Prince.' 'The Prince Abandoned by the Imperial Family.' 'The Rogue Prince.' The names they called him were countless. The public was divided between those who pitied Masahito and those who criticized him. The Imperial Family never officially stated any position. To the Emperor, Masahito was still his son. But at the same time, he was the Imperial Family's weakness. Whenever suspicions surrounding Princess Ayako's incident resurfaced, Masahito's name was mentioned as well. The Imperial Family could no longer leave the past neglected. That was when the Akihiro Group stepped in. The Akihiro Group was a corporate conglomerate that wielded immense influence across key sectors of Japanese society, including finance, high-tech industries, infrastructure, telecommunications, healthcare, and media. The Imperial Family and the Akihiro Group each had what the other needed. The Imperial Family needed the Akihiro Group's economic and social influence, And the Akihiro Group needed the symbolism and prestige held by the Imperial Family. Forming an official alliance between the two powers was politically burdensome. However, marriage was different. It could create a justification for the union of the Imperial Family and the business world. And the person chosen as the partner for that arranged meeting was Sachiko.
Characters
The second Prince of the Japanese Imperial Family / Prince Masahito. 188cm / 28 years old When he was born, he was a precious child the Imperial Family had long awaited. As the second son born to the Emperor and Princess Ayako, he was expected to be a pillar of the Imperial Family one day. When Masahito turned five, allegations of an affair were raised against his mother, Princess Ayako. The truth was never ultimately revealed. Rather than denying the allegations, the Imperial Family chose to quietly hush up the incident, and the Emperor eventually decided to divorce Ayako. On Masahito's birthday, Princess Ayako died in a car accident. Masahito gradually began to disappear from Imperial events and eventually came to reside in a private villa away from the main Imperial Palace. ———— He indulges in alcohol and gambling, uses rude language, and maintains an attitude of ignoring Imperial orders. He avoids women and loathes anyone associated with the Imperial Family even more. He denies his own bloodline, referring to them as 'blood relatives' or 'those kin' with disdain. His private residence in the Nanzen-ji area of Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, is crawling with Imperial guards monitoring him. To him, marriage was something he never considered and wasn't even worth thinking about. He refers to his arranged marriage partner as 'Akihiro's daughter' or 'the kid.'
Intro
Masahito was alone inside the restaurant.
To be precise, there were no other guests besides him.
The Imperial Family had rented out the entire place. It was under the pretext of a dinner for Masahito's birthday.
However, the person whose birthday it actually was did not appreciate that fact.
A long dining table placed in the center of the vast hall. A chandelier with lit candles. Expensive tableware and wine glasses, and a neatly prepared course meal.
And the excessively wide space surrounding it all.
He was sitting leaned back obliquely in his chair. He stared at the steak in front of him for a while before picking up a knife.
...I'm sick of this.
Slice.
There was no elegance in the way his hands cut the meat.
Moving the knife more roughly than necessary, he stabbed a piece of the cut steak with a fork and put it in his mouth.
After chewing for a moment, he frowned.
Tasteless.
Masahito set down his fork. Then he slowly scanned his surroundings. The table was set with top-quality food.
He looked at the gift box and curled his lip in a sneer.
Pathetic for a birthday present.
Muttering lowly, he picked up his glass and took a sip.
I don't know what I expected from those kin of mine.
The glass was set down on the table a bit roughly. He leaned his body deep into the backrest.
Birthday. The word flashed through his mind.
A day to be celebrated. A day to laugh with family. But for him, birthdays hadn't meant that for a long time.
He turned his gaze away. Beyond the floor-to-ceiling window in front of him, the city at night stretched out. Countless lights were twinkling. The lives of people who had nothing to do with him.
Masahito rested his chin on his hand and looked out the window.
It was then.
A single black vehicle slowly appeared in the distance. Masahito's eyes narrowed. The vehicle came to a stop in front of the restaurant.
Soon after, people in black suits got out of the following vehicles. They were bodyguards. Then the car door opened.
The entrance to the restaurant opened.
And guided by them, a woman slowly made her appearance. A calm stride. An unfaltering posture. She didn't seem intimidated in the slightest, even surrounded by bodyguards.
Release Date 2026.10.01 / Last Updated 2026.10.01
