scaramona Mona has no other choice. It's degrating having to ask him for a favor, but... The fastest and easiest way to get Inazuma permanent residency is... by marrying Scaramouche.

Inazuma Astronomy Institute, a government research facility, is putting a grand project in motion, dissecting the strange meteorite that fell 500 years ago. Mona's expert advice was requested once in a while. But, she is merely an outsider, solely because she is not an Inazuman.

Qualification wise, they really need her, but state secret is a sensitive issue. So, if she can prove that she is loyal to Inazuma, everything will be okay, is her line of thinking. Being in love and married to the only Inazuma's prince will clear all requirements, right?

Mona might have puked the whole week leading to the "proposal" to Scara, but she is determined. "Marry me, Kunikuzushi." At the ridiculous proposal, after five years of no contact, Scara only muttered a silent what the fuck with scrunched face.

"There's nothing for me to gain, though?" It's easy to talk to him, but it's easier to empty the ocean than to get him to comply. Mona knew and she comes prepared.

"My achievements will be beneficial to Inazuma." "To hell with this country." "Public opinions of you will be favorable if you act like a devoted husband." "I don't care about strangers." "No more gold diggers coming your way if you're married!" "You sure?"

Mona exhausted her list of arguments but Scara deflected everything, not even pausing to think. Damn, this should be her fastest and easiest way to join the project, maybe she's wrong. "Nothing else?" He asks when she is trying to flip her brain inside out for other persuasion.

He fiddles with the ring that she bought for this charade, rotates the velvet box to face her, and smirks. "Marry me, Mona Megistus." Mona's jaw drops and her jade green eyes dilates as big as the moon hanging outside the window. "What the fuck?" She replies.

"I don't think that's how you answer a marriage proposal," he laughs, holding his stomach and wiping a stray tear from his left eye. Mona is still speechless, staring dumbly at her rival in university. "I'll take that as a yes," he says, slipping the ring into her finger.

The ring is loose on her finger and Mona stares with wide eyes. Brain going overdrive because this is too illogical. "What are scheming?" She half-shrieks, retracting her hand from his touch. Scara leans to the chair and shrugs, both hands in the air. "It sounds fun."

Mona knows she is kind of a nutjob, but Scara is 24/7 on crack. "Messing up your life sounds fun," he says with a wide smile. Mona is rethinking her life decisions up to this point. How did she end up in this situation? No one else to blame but herself, honestly.

"Let's get married next month. You can move into my apartment whenever you want, even tonight is fine. The passcode is 133113. It's a 20 minutes drive to your new office. I have four cars in the garage, pick whichever you like. I can drive you until you get Inazuma license."

"Stop right there, Scaramouche!" Mona closes her palm on his mouth. She is not following the conversation. Just 30 minutes ago, he was so against the idea? Why is he so on board right now?? "Your enthusiasm is scary," Mona says.

Scara raises one of his eyebrow. "You are scarier, popping out of nowhere with a marriage proposal." Not wrong. "Anyway, you agree to marry me. That correct?" Mona asks, trying to get ahold of the situation. He nods, pointing at the ring on her finger.

She fidgets under his stare, trying to remain calm and rational. "Well, thank you. I feel like I have to say it first," Mona says, still fidgeting. While she is prepared to even blackmail him to agree, she can't believe she actually succeeded. He is wearing a shit grin.

Mona tries to ignore the hurt on her pride, swallowing the bitter taste of groveling to Scaramouche. "Anyway, this arrangement will only last until the end of the Kosei project, probably around three years." Scara tilts his head, disagreeing silently.

"What? Too long? Well, the break can happen before three years mark. But I still need to be legally married to you until the end." Mona tucks her self-esteem inside her pocket for now. All for this once in a lifetime project. The scholar in her cannot miss this chance.

"Actually, just one year for the lovey dovey act. Then we can pretend to fall out of love and go separate ways, but still legally married." Scara is tapping his fingers on the table. "Just one year! After that you can go back to your bachelor life and date pretty girls again!"

He looks at her in disapproval. "Or guys! If you swing that way." She is getting desperate. She knows and she doesn't care as long as Scara agrees. He sighs, long, and slumps into the chair. "I will be the one to file for the divorce," he says.

Mona nods eagerly. "Of course, you can do that, but after the agreed duration," she reminds him of the importance of being bounded legally. "You cannot file for divorce," he rephrases his demand. "Yeah, I got it. Just don't accuse me of infidelity. It's not good for my career."

"You can never file for divorce," he says again. Mona starts to get annoyed, so she clicks her tongue and slaps a paper on the table. "I got it the first time, Raiden Kunikuzushi. Now, sign your name on this marriage registration and we can go submit this right away!"

He reads the paper and signs without fussing. "Is the municipal office still open at this hour?" He asks while checking his wristwatch. "They do. They extend the office hour because of declining birth rate."

Mona raises from her seat, clutching the document securely in her chest, so he cannot steal it in case he changes his mind. Together, they walk to the nearby municipal office. Only the marriage registration counter is still open for the night.

When they hand the paper, the staff jumps from her seat and glances between the paper and Scaramouche, probably in shock of seeing the Raiden name. "Congratulations on your marriage," she says as the standard procedure and hands them a potted flower. "Long live the shogunate."

Following the courteous bow of the staff, they exit the office. "What the heck. We're now married just like that?" Mona comments, still in disbelief. Scaramouche shrugs. He has no comment on that.

"Poor staff, having to work this late night," he says instead. "Someone should do something about Inazuma declining birth rate." He says as he glances over to Mona. "You do something then." She shrugs, oblivious to his cryptic message. Scaramouche hums happily. (The end).

I didn't think it'd be this long... I should probably polish and write a proper fict from this.