Surviving marriage in yandere world

Royal Magic Academy – Church Garden of Eternal Blessings. The garden was too perfect. That was Rei's first thought the moment he stepped into the courtyard.

Birdsong, flowery arches woven in suspiciously bridal white roses. Stone benches arranged in neat rows like… pews. And at the far end, a raised dais that could only be described as a budget altar.

Rei froze.

"…Nope. Not today. Not falling for this."

He spun on his heel to leave—only to collide face-first with a wall of soft, innocent blond curls. Emilia blinked up at him, a shy smile playing at her lips.

"Ah, Rei. You… you came here too?"

"Don't sound so happy about it," Rei muttered, eyes darting around for exits. The wrought-iron gate behind him had already sealed shut with a holy shimmer. "…Damn it."

From the far end, a familiar hymn drifted through the air—each note dripping with sanctimonious menace.

And then she appeared.

Seraphina, the Holy Princess, stepped gracefully onto the dais, her robes gleaming like freshly laundered threats. In her hands she held not a bible, but a gilded microphone.

"Beloved flock!" she announced, her voice echoing like divine reverb. "Welcome to the sacred ceremony of truth and devotion! Today, destiny itself shall declare the rightful bride of Duke Rei~"

Rei clutched Emilia's arm. "No. Nononono. This is bad. This is super bad."

Emilia tilted her head innocently. "But… it seems romantic?"

"That's exactly what makes it dangerous!" Rei hissed.

[System Notification]

[Alert: Detection of "Confession Trap" Event]

[Special Condition: 'Unavoidable Romance Flag' has been triggered]

[Survival Tip: Try not to get married in the next 30 minutes. Failure rate: 99.9%]

Rei's eye twitched. "Why is there even a survival rate attached to this?!"

The princess spread her arms like a benevolent archangel.

"Rei, my destined husband! Emilia, my temporary rival! The heavens shall decide between us this very day!"

"…Did she just call me temporary?" Emilia whispered, her lips trembling.

"Yes," Rei whispered back. "Yes she did. Don't rise to the bait—"

Now it's too late then Emilia's fists clenched. The garden air dropped five degrees.

Without warning, the clouds above parted with blinding radiance. A ray of divine light pierced the altar. Something golden gleamed in the heavens…

…and then plummeted.

"Behold!" Seraphina declared. "The Sacred Engagement Ring of Saint Auriel! He who catches it shall be forever bound in holy matrimony with the purest maiden present!"

The crowd gasped. Wait Crowd did what?

Rei's head snapped around. Every bench was suddenly full—yanderes disguised as "students." Drakana gnawed a turkey leg in the second row. Rosette polished a dagger under her veil. Lilia had somehow erected a pulpit with glowing runes declaring "This Marriage Is Pre-Approved by Heaven."

Rei's stomach dropped. "…This is an ambush."

Rei's reflexes screamed 'move'.

"Not today!" he shouted, ducking and rolling out of the way just as the golden circle of doom whistled past his head.

It should've hit the grass and It didn't.

Instead—Emilia, startled, raised her hands. The ring landed perfectly in her palms.

Click.

It resized itself instantly, glowing snugly on her finger.

The garden exploded.

Drakana's roar shook the roses. "SHE STOLE THE TREASURE DROP!"

Rosette's drones immediately swarmed overhead. "Target Acquired: Emilia. Crime: Loot Theft + Husband Fraud."

Lilia slammed her pulpit. "I HEREBY DECLARE THIS AN ILLEGAL UNION. PUNISHABLE BY—"

Seraphina clutched her chest, staggering back in shock. "T-The heavens… chose her?"

Emilia blinked down at the ring, cheeks pink. "I… I didn't mean to catch it. Rei, I—"

Rei's soul left his body. "Why do these things always happen to me?!"

[System Emergency]

[Achievement Unlocked: "Unwillingly Betrothed #37"]

[Warning: Affection Shockwave Detected. Emotional stability of all wives: CRITICAL.]

[New Title Acquired: "The Man Gravity Ships For."]

"Emiliaaa~" Drakana cracked her knuckles. "Time to duel for mate rights!"

Rosette's eyes gleamed scarlet. "Execution by butterfly dissection is merciful, don't you think?"

Lilia raised a hand to the heavens. "By divine sanction, Emilia is now excommunicated from breathing near my husband."

Seraphina's holy glow twisted darker. "No… no! This is a mistake! That ring was meant for me!"

Emilia, trembling, backed into Rei's side. "I… I didn't do anything!"

Rei grabbed her shoulders. "Listen to me carefully. Drop the ring."

"I can't—it fused!"

"OF COURSE IT DID!"

Then chaos erupted. Drakana leapt from her bench, summoning a flaming axe the size of a carriage. Rosette's butterflies screeched into assault formation. Lilia called down holy lightning in dramatic Latin. And Seraphina… started chanting a marriage spell at max volume.

Rei dragged Emilia into a sprint through the flowerbeds.

"WHY does every path in my life end with me running for my sanity?!" Rei screamed.

"Because you're popular?" Emilia offered meekly.

"THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING HERE!"

The garden itself transformed as if conspiring. Hedges twisted into labyrinth walls. Statues of saints sprouted glowing swords. Rose vines whipped at Rei's ankles.

[System Notification: Area Converted into 'Trial of Holy Matrimony' Dungeon.]

[Difficulty: S+ (Hopeless)]

[Win Condition: Survive until midnight without consummating anything.]

Rei tripped over a decorative swan. "WHY DOES THIS SCHOOL KEEP TURNING INTO DUNGEONS?!"

Just as a vine lashed at Rei's throat, Emilia stepped forward. Her eyes glowed faintly—holy magic responding to the ring. A barrier flared around them, shattering the vines.

"Rei… stay behind me."

Rei gawked. "Since when are you tank-class?!"

"I… I don't know! The ring is boosting me!"

[System Notification: Emilia has temporarily equipped Artifact: "Saint Auriel's Engagement Ring."]

[Passive Buff: Eternal Waifu Protection Aura Lv.999]

[Warning: Side effect – increases possessiveness radius by 500%.]

"Oh gods," Rei muttered, "she just became a raid boss."

The four other yanderes circled the couple, eyes blazing, weapons drawn.

Drakana: "Hand him over."

Rosette: "Upload his loyalty into my servers."

Lilia: "Submit thy vows to divine certification."

Seraphina: "The ring deceives you. Return it… or face holy annulment!"

Emilia shook her head, voice trembling but firm. "No. Rei chose me. Even if it was by accident…Now I'll protect him."

Rei flinched. "WAIT, don't say it like that—"

The yanderes froze then smiled. That was worst kind of smile.

[System Catastrophic Warning]

[All Affection Levels: SPIKING]

[Unified Condition Triggered: Yandere War Protocol]

[Danger: MULTIPLE MARRIAGE BATTLES INCOMING]

Rei grabbed his head and screamed to the sky:

"I JUST WANTED TO ATTEND A SCHOOL FESTIVAL!"

And the holy garden descended into chaos.

Rose petals swirled through the air as if mocking Rei's suffering. The scent of lilies and incense should have been romantic, but all Rei smelled was doom.

"Emilia," he panted, dragging her deeper into the twisting hedge maze. "Listen carefully: this is not a confession, this is a death trap."

"But… but it feels kind of like one," Emilia said softly, looking down at the ring again. The golden band pulsed with holy warmth. "It's beautiful."

"SO IS A LANDMINE," Rei snapped.

Behind them, Drakana's roar split the air.

"YOU CAN'T OUTRUN A DRAGON, BOY!"

The flaming axe came down, slicing a hedge into barbecue. Fire spread instantly, curling the roses into black ash.

From the opposite side, Rosette's mechanical butterflies zipped overhead, projecting live feed onto conjured crystal screens.

"Behold: HusbandVision! Exclusive coverage of Rei's escape attempt, now in 4K with commentary!"

The screens showed zoom-ins of Rei sweating, Emilia blushing, and his despair reaching maximum resolution.

"DELETE THAT FOOTAGE!" Rei screamed, throwing a rock.

The rock bounced uselessly.

[System Notification: Attempted Privacy.] [Result: FAILURE.]

Meanwhile, Lilia had climbed atop her glowing pulpit, scripture blazing around her.

"Hear me, ye sinners! No vows shall pass without my approval! For I AM THE NOTARY OF DIVINE MARRIAGE CONTRACTS!"

She slammed her staff, and contracts rained from the heavens like confetti. One paper smacked Rei in the face.

He peeled it off, eyes scanning. "Wait… this literally says 'Sign here, Husband.' …WHY IS THE INK MY BLOOD?!"

The paper pulsed eagerly, pricking his finger.

"NOPE!" Rei ripped it apart, but two more fluttered into his pockets.

And then came Seraphina.

The princess levitated above the altar, her golden microphone glowing like an archangel's lightsaber. Her voice thundered through the garden, amplified by holy autotune.

"REI! ACCEPT THE RING OF DESTINY! LET OUR SOULS UNITE BEFORE THE ETERNAL CHOIR!"

Her hymn was so intense, doves fainted mid-air.

Rei shielded his ears. "EMILIA, SHE'S TRYING TO SONIC MARRY US!"

But instead of panicking, Emilia stepped forward, the ring's aura glowing brighter. Her shy eyes hardened.

"Stop it," she said, her voice trembling but louder than usual. "Rei is mine. Even if you all disagree… I'll protect him."

The barrier around them surged again, holy runes spinning like halos.

The yanderes stopped for just a moment and then… they grinned.

[System Mega Alert]

[All Affection Levels: PEAK MAXIMUM]

[Emotional State: Unified Murderous Jealousy]

[Status Effect Applied: "Waifu PvP Arena"]

[Tip: Recommend immediate crying, bargaining, or fainting to reduce threat level.]

Rei groaned. "Not even fainting will save me. They'll just drag me to the altar unconscious!"

The hedges themselves twisted under the influence of the dungeon. Vines coiled into spears, petals sharpened into blades. Statues of saints leapt down with glowing swords.

"Even the landscaping is trying to get me married?!" Rei yelled, dodging a rose-dagger.

Emilia smacked the statue aside with her barrier. "Stay behind me!"

"Don't sound so happy about it—WAIT YOU'RE SMILING!"

The four rival wives closed in, circling like predators around prey. Their weapons shimmered with lethal devotion.

Drakana: "Trial by combat!"

Rosette: "Trial by surveillance!"

Lilia: "Trial by scripture!"

Seraphina: "Trial by divine karaoke!"

Rei collapsed to his knees, hands clutching his head.

"STOP MAKING EVERYTHING A TRIAL! THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SCHOOL FESTIVAL!"

The roses exploded into confetti. Fireworks shot overhead. Somewhere, the school announcer blared cheerfully:

"And that concludes the opening act of the Romance Arena Games! Don't forget to buy festival snacks!"

Rei sobbed into his hands.

To Be Continued…

The church garden was no longer a place of prayer. It had become a holy warzone—one man, one unwilling ring-bearer, and four yandere wives sharpening their love into weapons.

And Rei, poor Rei, was the prize they were all willing to kill for.

[System Catastrophic Warning: The Marriage War Begins NOW.]