Short Story | Seven Lucky Gods Series 6 | [Chapter 3: The Weight of Destiny as the Future Emperor's Consort]

"Be aware of your position as the daughter of the Minister of the Left! If you do not become the future Emperor's consort, our clan will have no prosperity!"

My father's stern voice echoed through the spacious room. Piled up before Aoi was an even more difficult mountain of classics. To a girl at the age when she wanted to play, the words "prosperity of the house" felt like lead that was far too heavy.

"...Yes, Father. I will apply myself."

After squeezing out the best voice she could and her father had left, Aoi hid her face behind the bamboo blinds. Inside the cage known as education, her heart finally let out a scream.

"I just want to be Aoi. ...I just want to play with my teddy bear..."

Drip, drip, tears fell onto the beautifully arranged tatami mats.

At that moment, a jarringly cheerful voice came from the shadows: "Whoa there, little lady. If you keep that face, good fortune will run away!"

Wiping her tears and looking up, she saw a fat man with large earlobes carrying a big sack... Hotei was standing there.

"...Who are you? Please leave."

Aoi tried to shoo him away in her usual young lady mode. But as soon as Hotei said, "Well, just watch," he opened his kimono and began to pat his magnificent potbelly.

"Don-doko-doko-doko, belly dance! Fortune comes to those who laugh!"

The god began to dance with comical steps, his large belly rippling. Beside him, Agyo and Ungyo were also shaking their hips, serving as backup dancers.

"...Hehe, hahahahaha!"

The sheer absurdity of it made Aoi's tears stop. The princess of the proud Minister of the Left's house had laughed out loud for the first time in her life.

"It's so strange, are gods really this amusing...!"

Hotei's belly dance was the best medicine of all. The gods watched over Aoi with satisfaction as the weight on her heart lightened just a little.

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