Chapter One: The Bride of the Masquerade Ball

Who would have imagined that on their seventeenth birthday, they would become a "product"?

That morning, I intended to go to school as usual. I ate the omelet my mother had made for me and said goodbye to my father. But the moment I stepped out the front door, I saw a black car I'd never seen before parked in front of the house, and three tall men in suits were silently staring at me.

"You must be Riko Amano. Please come to your car."

I didn't have time to resist. It was in the car when they mentioned my father's name, and I learned for the first time that his company had gone bankrupt and that he was heavily in debt. My father hadn't told me anything. I realized then that he probably never had the means to celebrate my birthday in the first place.

I was taken to an old Western-style mansion on the outskirts of town. The moment I stepped through the gate, I felt an atmosphere different from the outside world. The roses in the garden were as vibrant as midnight, and the hall I was led to was adorned with a magnificent chandelier unlike anything I had ever seen. Masked gentlemen and ladies, champagne glasses in hand, were staring at me. Their scrutinizing gazes pierced my skin.

"Riko, please come this way."

I was led by the hand by an elderly man who appeared to be a butler and made to stand on the platform. Not knowing what was happening, I listened as my name and the amount of my father's company's debt were read aloud.

"This debt will be settled upon repayment to the Midoji family. As a method of repayment, Amano Riko will be handed over as the 'contract bride'."

The contract bride. Before I could even comprehend the meaning of those words, the venue erupted in murmurs. Some laughed, others gave me pitying looks. I could barely stand on my own two feet. I wanted to run away. But even if I ran, there was nowhere to go.

A man walked out from the back of the stage.

He was tall, dressed impeccably in his black suit, and walked straight towards me. I could see the guests naturally making way for him. Everyone was paying attention to him. He looked about the same age as me, but the aura he exuded was clearly different.

He stopped in front of me and held out his hand. There was no way I could refuse. When I placed my trembling hand on his, his fingertips were chillingly cold.

"I'm Midoji Ryo."

Even after he introduced himself, I couldn't find the words to reply. He didn't seem to be sizing me up; he just stared at me intently.

"I'm sorry, but I can't have you dying."

It was a statement I didn't understand. It didn't sound like a joke. On the contrary, it was said so seriously, so matter-of-factly, that I couldn't even ask for clarification.

"what do you mean"

"I'm not ready to talk about it right now."

His reply was curt. He let go of my hand and raised his voice towards the audience.

"Starting tonight, Amano Riko will be welcomed into the Midoji family as my contract bride. Anyone who objects should come and speak to me directly."

No one said anything. Only a sound that was neither applause nor sighs filled the venue.

I don't remember much of what happened after that. When I came to, I was sitting in the back seat of a luxury car, with Ryo sitting beside me, silently staring out the window. No matter what I asked, he didn't answer.

It was late at night when I arrived at the Midoji family's main residence. The room I was shown to was larger than the entire first floor of my own house. A soft bed, a clean bathroom, and carefully prepared clothes. Everything was perfect, but then I noticed that the room door had a mechanism to lock it from the outside.

It's a cage. No matter how luxurious it may be, it's still a cage.

I collapsed onto the bed and, for the first time, tears welled up. I was terrified of everything—my father, my mother, the unknown life that was about to begin—and my mind was a mess.

I must have fallen asleep from exhaustion after crying. I had a dream. An old Western-style mansion I'd never seen before. In a dimly lit room where only candlelight flickered, someone was touching my cheek. When I turned around, a man who looked very much like Ryo was looking at me with sad eyes.

"Am I going to lose you again?"

That voice wasn't Ryo's. It was lower, drier, and yet, for some reason, it felt familiar, even though I shouldn't have heard it before.

When I woke up, my cheeks were wet with tears. I didn't know if I had cried in a dream or if I had cried in reality. It was still dark outside the window, and I could hear the sound of an owl in the distance.

I wonder what kind of trouble I'll get involved in next.