The Yokai’s Bride

Leyla sat at the enormous table full of food she didn't recognize, while the court advisors sized her up as if they were debating whether it would be more fitting to throw her out the window or simply ignore her.

Naru, of course, didn't seem the least bit bothered. He sat next to her, smiling, casually turning his ring between his fingers, enjoying her obvious discomfort.

"So," spoke one of the advisors, a tall, slender yokai with a sharp face and long white hair. "Is this… your wife?"

"Yes, isn't she lovely?" Naru said cheerfully, resting his arm on the table.

Leyla nearly swallowed her own tongue. "Excuse me?"

"A truly unconventional choice," said the second advisor, tilting his head as if analyzing a rare species of insect. "We've never had a human princess before."

"Oh, excuse me," Leyla said sweetly, smiling in a way that could be interpreted as both polite and threatening. "I'm not a princess. I'm a lawyer. In fact, I'm here by mistake, because your beloved prince tricked me."

"Technically," Naru interjected with a mischievous grin, "you signed the contract yourself."

"Yes, because you shoved it in front of me!"

"Details, darling, details."

One of the advisors raised an eyebrow. "A human woman who didn't want to marry the prince? That's new."

"She's just modest," Naru said, winking at her.

Leyla clenched her jaw tightly and imagined throwing a bowl of rice at him.

"So what now?" asked the third advisor. "What are you planning to do with her?"

Leyla blinked. "Wait… 'what are you planning to do with her'?! Am I some kind of property here?!"

"Of course not," Naru said calmly. "She's my wife, and she stays here."

An awkward silence fell over the room.

"But, Prince…" the first advisor said cautiously. "She's human. She can't stay in our world forever."

"Who says she can't?" Naru replied cheerfully.

Leyla opened her mouth to say something but closed it again when she realized she had no idea how to get out of this situation.

"This is not normal," one of the advisors said. "This is unacceptable."

"Well, neither is stealing an artifact from the imperial vault, but hey, it happened," Naru said nonchalantly, sipping his tea.

The advisors flinched, and Leyla raised an eyebrow.

"In any case," Naru continued, "Leyla will stay here until we sort out our little problem with the stolen artifact."

Leyla took a deep breath, trying not to jump across the table at him.

"Great," she said through gritted teeth. "I'm so excited."

Naru laughed. "I knew you'd like it."