Chapter Text
Act l : A Hand Signed Away By Ink
Scene 1 :
(Flashback)
”“Nee-chan?” a timid voice called out from the hallway outside Baal’s doorway. “Hm?” The purple-haired girl’s eyes glanced towards the creaking door, revealing her little sister, Kunikuzushi.
“Akumu… (nightmare),” the little girl murmured loudly, clutching her stuffed doll tightly to her chest as she looked up at her elder sister, who was only three years older. “Can I sleep here today?”
Kunikuzushi’s eyes wandered around, seemingly embarrassed to make the request. After all, she was already six years old! She was far too old to sleep in a bedroom other than her own.
“Mhm,” Baal nodded, patting down the side of the bed she wasn’t sleeping on. Kuni walked forward and lay down, pulling a blanket over her. It was incredibly soft, as Miko and Haha (Mother) had gone out to Textiles and Kimonos last week to get cloth.
The little girl let her mind wander to the last time she and Mother had gone out together for quality time. Ever since Miss Yae Miko and Mama had gotten engaged three months ago, they had been almost never around the house. Kuni frowned thinking about that. Yesterday, she had tried to get Mother to bring her to eat out, but Mama had just ignored her.
Cuddling her stuffed doll, Kunikuzushi closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
That night, she dreamed of a timeline that once existed—a timeline where she, Haha, and Nee-chan all played together in the gardens by the lake. It was a timeline before Mama met Miko, a timeline where Mother was always home before lunch, and a timeline where they were all happy.
Scene 2 :
Lyney was utterly confused.
Suddenly, without warning, their father had summoned him, Lynette, and Freminet back home. They hadn’t been home since they started attending Guillotin International Institute, only returning during breaks or holidays. It was a random Wednesday, and he had to miss his and Lynette’s performance practice.
He sighed, staring blankly out the window of the limousine that their father had sent to pick them up. Lynette was scrolling through social media, while Freminet fidgeted nervously with his fingers.
The urgent tone of their father’s call made Lyney wonder what could have happened. Could they have gone bankrupt? It was practically impossible, but the thought lingered.
“We’re here,” Lynette’s monotonous voice announced as the limousine pulled up to a grand mansion. The three siblings stepped out, and a woman in a maid outfit, her head bowed low, opened the door for them. Lyney couldn’t see her face.
They walked up the stairs to the front door, where two men in suits opened it and bowed to them as they passed through. They kept their eyes forward as they moved through the hallways until they finally reached the family room.
In the room sat Columbina, their father’s wife, also known as “Stepmother.”
“Mrs. Damselette,” Lyney said with a smile.
“Do you happen to know where Father is?” he asked.
Columbina, startled, looked up. Seeing it was just the three of them, she relaxed and pointed down the hallway. “Arlecchino summons you all to her study. Don’t worry, it’s nothing too bad.”
Lynette’s eyebrows raised at that last sentence, but she kept her mouth shut as Columbina stood up and walked towards the study, signalling for the three of them to follow.
The doors to the study opened, and Arlecchino looked up from her papers with a cold glance. It softened at the sight of her wife and children. “Father,” the three children bowed down politely.
Scene 3 :
The dining room of the Hearth Estate was cloaked in a silence so heavy that even the rhythmic ticking of the grandfather clock felt like an interrogation. Their private cook, Maria, had outdone herself with a spread of Fontaine’s finest delicacies, but the enticing aroma of the roasted meats couldn’t dispel the palpable tension.
Father sat at the head of the table, her presence a commanding shadow. Lyney, Lynette, and Freminet ate with mechanical precision, their eyes darting toward her every time she adjusted her cutlery.
“Lyney,” Father finally said, her voice cutting through the quiet like a polished blade.
“There’s something I need to tell you.”
Lyney’s heart sank, a cold dread pooling in his stomach, but he maintained his stage-perfect composure. “Yes, Father?”
“As you know, the Raiden Company of Inazuma has been rivals with the House of the Hearth for decades. I have been in extensive talks with Mrs. Raiden Ei. To solidify our recent merger, we require a family tie. I’ve decided to marry you off to the Raiden family’s youngest son, Raiden Scaramouche.”
“Oka—wait, what?!” Lyney’s fork clattered against his fine china.
“The formal engagement will take place in one year,” Father said, ignoring his outburst. “But the 'courtship' begins immediately. Your stage will be Guillotin International Institute.”
Lyney blinked. He had already been attending Guillotin for two years; it was his territory, his social kingdom where he was the star of the performance department. The thought of his personal life being invaded there was suffocating.
“He is transferring from Narukami,” Father added, her gaze sharpening. “Furthermore, you will be mindful of his transition. Scaramouche is transgender, and he is looking for a fresh start at Guillotin, away from the suffocating traditionalism of the Inazuman branch. You will ensure he is respected—not just as a Raiden, but as himself. Any disrespect toward him is an insult to our House.”
Freminet turned as pale as a sheet, his head hitting the table with a soft thud.
“It gets more complicated,” Father said, standing to leave. “To convince the student body that this union is genuine, the Headmaster has agreed to a special housing arrangement. Scaramouche will be moving into the East Wing. He will be sharing your private suite, Lyney.”
Lyney felt the air leave his lungs. “Sharing a suite? Father, that is my only sanctuary at school. If the campus sees us coming out of the same door every morning, the rumors will be unstoppable.”
“Then make them believe it,” Father said, her heels clicking toward the door. “You have twelve months to secure this alliance. If the courtship fails, the consequences will be severe.”
As the doors shut, Lynette reached over, taking Lyney’s shaking hand. “A year of shared space,” she murmured. “Navigating Inazuman politics, school gossip, and whatever walls Scaramouche has built up. It’s a siege, Lyney.”
Lyney looked at the empty chair at the head of the table, his performer’s glint returning. “He’s coming all the way from another country for a fresh start in my school? Fine. Let him come. If he wants a show, I’ll give him one he’ll never forget