After a honeymoon photo book turns him into a global sensation, Atem accidentally becomes an idol.
Fans adore him, social media worships him, Kaiba Corporation's products sell out whenever he touches them, and the Afterlife somehow ends up with its own corporate branch, café, and cultural boom.
Kaiba tries to maintain order. Atem accidentally conquers the world.
Again.
A humorous post-marriage story about fame, business, quantum marriage, and the unstoppable power of love and logic.
This is a translation of an original work on Pixiv.
Original Title: 愛と理論 13 王、アイドルになる
Original Author: 葉人(@Hathor₋yuki)
Personal site: https://prideshipping.sakura.ne.jp
The heat from the afterlife travel coverage hadn't even cooled before Atem had, inadvertently, become a celebrity.
On social media, he was spreading as "the beautiful king model."
Walk down the street and someone would turn and say "wait, is that—?"
But the person in question had no idea.
Or rather — he'd noticed and simply didn't care.
One such day, Yugi came to visit for the first time in a while.
The meeting place was, naturally, a café.
The moment Atem appeared:
"Atem?! W-wait, wh— WHAT?!"
The passersby stirred; several pulled out their phones and started taking photos.
The whole scene had the feel of a celebrity sighting.
Atem smiled at him with complete composure.
"Hey, partner!"
"Don't hey me! Why are people pointing cameras at you?!"
"Who knows. Maybe everyone was moved by our afterlife diplomacy."
"Only people who read the article would even know that!"
While the crowd buzzed around them, Yugi hurriedly grabbed Atem by the arm and shoved him into a taxi.
Destination: the only safe zone — the Kaiba mansion.
The moment they arrived in the main hall, Yugi dropped onto the sofa and held his head in his hands.
"Atem. What on earth are you doing?"
Atem answered, sipping herbal tea, looking entirely self-satisfied.
"I'm an employee of Kaiba Corporation. They haven't fired me yet."
"That's not the issue!"
"Then what is the issue?"
"You're famous! You! People who saw you in the news were screaming 'it's him in real life!'"
Atem paused a beat —
"…I see," he said, with an easy nod. "Well, it's fine. Seto gets looked at all the time too."
"That's because Seto has always been like that…!"
At that moment, Seto appeared from the back of the house.
A pale grey suit. An expression that gave nothing away.
Entirely in "usual president mode."
"Yugi. What's all the noise about."
Yugi jumped to his feet.
"Seto! Atem's changed!"
Seto set down his coffee quietly and looked at Atem.
"Changed? He's always been like this."
"Huh." "Right?"
Yugi and Atem spoke at the same time.
Seto continued.
"Conspicuous, composed, entirely indifferent to others' reactions. And no malice whatsoever. Not one thing has changed since we first met."
"But Seto — you're plenty conspicuous yourself."
"I'm aware of mine. You're accidental."
"…I'll take that as a compliment."
"The fact that you take it that way is precisely the problem."
Watching the two of them, Yugi held his head in his hands — and accidentally laughed a little.
"…Oh, I see. That's actually a relief. He hasn't changed — he's just always been this way."
"Of course."
Atem smiled and settled beside Seto.
Seto shrugged and wordlessly passed him a cup.
Yugi exhaled.
"Honestly… Atem is still the King, and Seto is still the President."
Atem laughed, easy.
"And you're still the worrywart hero, as always."
Yugi gave a tired smile.
"…I'll take that, I suppose."
That night, the top headline on the internet news read:
"Hero of Afterlife Diplomacy, Atem, Gives Perfect Fan Response in the Street!"
And beside it, a single short comment attributed to Seto:
"He has no awareness of having 'responded' to anything."
As more days passed, Atem evolved from "accidental celebrity" to "full-blown idol."
Walk down any street:
"He's so small… so cute!"
"Precious…!"
Voices drifted from nowhere in particular.
The man himself paid not the slightest attention to any of it, and simply walked on — unhurried, entirely at ease.
For the record: Seto walked beside him and was exasperated. He didn't notice — or chose not to notice — that he was the implicit comparison being made.
One day. Kaiba Corporation's PR department.
In the center of a buzzing conference room, a single agenda item had been placed on the table.
"Proposal: Positioning Atem as Brand Ambassador"
"I mean, he's basically already half a brand ambassador by accident!"
"The '#SamePhoneCaseAsAtem' tag is trending every single day!"
"The viral rate for '#PreciousKaibaCorporationProduct' is completely off the charts!"
The department head groaned.
"…But final approval goes to the President. We have to get it."
Silence spread through the room.
Everyone was thinking the same thing.
(…He's absolutely going to say it's a nuisance.)
The prediction was, of course, correct.
Seto listened to the PR department's report, leaned his elbows on the desk, and said quietly:
"…Leave him alone and the promotional effect appears automatically every time he uses a company product."
He had understood this, painfully well, for some time.
On multiple past occasions, the mere fact that "Atem used it" had brought servers crashing down.
But this time was different.
The PR department's enthusiasm was overflowing.
And what's more — resignation had crept into Seto.
And so.
"…Do as you like."
Seto gave his approval.
That night.
Atem looked over some materials in the living room, then said, looking pleased:
"Seto — I heard. I'm going to be a brand ambassador."
"Before you even knew about it, apparently."
Atem smiled.
"I'll be a brand ambassador. You do it, so I'm sure I can too."
"…You seem motivated."
"Naturally. I have a track record. The Love & Logic series — that name was mine."
"The name that was quietly dropped is the one you should be citing."
"Quantum marriage? I refuse to let that one go."
"…Even if I tried to silence you, you'd let it slip by accident. Fine, do as you like."
Several weeks later.
Kaiba Corporation's new commercial began airing.
The screen filled with particles of light.
Swirling like quantum, with Atem standing at the center — speaking in a gentle smile.
"Love and theory both lie in the palm of your hand."
Kaiba Corporation — the Love & Logic series.
Behind it, Seto's low narration layered over the image.
"Theory can be proven. So too can love."
At the final moment, a shot of the two of them side by side, eyes meeting, as the screen faded out.
Social media was trending within moments of broadcast.
#QuantumMarriageCM
#TooPreciousTheoryCollapses
#KaibaCoupleGoals
The tags had reached astronomical numbers.
The next morning's company chat.
A member of the PR team typed with trembling fingers.
"Sir… Atem's follower count increased by one hundred million overnight…"
Seto replied, briefly.
"Already aware. The servers are screaming."
And Atem, entirely oblivious to the internal chaos, came into the office that day as he always did.
"Good morning. Another fine day for love and theory promotion."
"…You walking in is already promotion enough."
Seto exhaled — but the corner of his mouth, just slightly, was smiling.
The title of brand ambassador was uncharted territory for a king.
Atem had accepted it with composure at first, chest out, declaring "I can handle this" — but he quickly discovered it was considerably harder than he'd imagined.
First: he was not permitted to project any sense of seikatsu-kan.
Not just "the King's breakfast" — even "the King's bed hair" was off-limits.
But the man himself would show up to work in the morning with his hair in mild disarray, as a matter of course.
"Atem — your hair is slightly off. Fix it."
"Seto — don't you think the King's bed hair has its own divine quality?"
"…That way of thinking is exactly the problem. Come here, I'll fix it."
And: naturally charming as he was, he was not permitted to be too unguarded.
During a shoot, the moment the photographer asked for "a slightly softer expression" — Atem looked at Seto.
His expression instantly transformed.
Past soft — straight into unmistakably lovestruck.
"…Cut. Well — I mean it works, but… that's some firepower…"
(The next day, "King whose expression changes the moment he looks at Seto" was trending.)
Then there was the idol-level popularity. That was its own problem.
On the way to work, fans would catch him.
"Atem! Please grant us the King's blessing!"
"Atem! Do the quantum marriage pose with us!" (Note: the quantum marriage pose — a gesture he had made as a joke, now firmly established among his fanbase)
The result: he nearly arrived late to work.
"Your only employee in history with 'surrounded by fans' as a reason for tardiness. Stop walking."
"It's a king's duty. I can't refuse."
"Right now you're a company employee."
Seto exhaled — but when he saw how happily Atem talked about it, he couldn't say another word.
And then: one more challenge was waiting.
Explaining products.
As brand ambassador for Kaiba Corporation, Atem received thorough training from the PR department on the features of each product.
His memory: flawless.
His grasp of the theory: complete.
His output, however, was uniquely his own.
"This smartwatch gives you the sensation of transcending time."
"Wrong. Say 'keeps precise time.'"
"These earphones are for hearing the voice of the soul."
"Wrong. 'Reproduces natural high-quality sound.'"
"This air purifier is the same as a priest's prayer."
"…Fine, leave that one. It does and doesn't explain it at the same time, but—"
Without Seto there to translate in real time, the gap couldn't be bridged.
There was, however, one problem.
The products sold anyway.
Few people understood what Atem was actually saying.
But the number of people who "didn't understand it but wanted it" was enormous.
The result:
Kaiba Corporation product sales — both in the sectors Seto advertised and the sectors Atem advertised — recorded an abnormal and consistent upward trajectory.
Social media voices:
"Seto's CM = I buy two"
"The King's CM = I buy it in every color"
"Their couple CM = I buy one to use, one to display, one as backup"
Seto looked at the report and said, quietly:
"…Either way, they sell."
Atem laughed.
"Seto — rising sales is a good thing, isn't it? My explanations worked."
"A world where 'earphones for hearing the voice of the soul' sells is a world in terminal decline."
"Which means theory has surpassed love."
"The opposite. Love is distorting theory."
The PR department said nothing more.
The conclusion was clear.
As long as these two were here, Kaiba Corporation was invincible.
Concert.
The word reached Atem's ears one day.
"Atem — when are you doing a concert?"
"Imagine him on stage with that kingly aura — it would be incredible!"
"A music event connecting the afterlife and the living world — wouldn't that be amazing?"
The more the enthusiasm swelled around him, the more Atem tilted his head.
"What is a concert?"
Seto, standing beside him, exhaled deeply.
"…A setting where songs and performances are presented to an audience."
"How is it different from showing yourself before your people?"
"The difference is the sound system, the lighting, the staging, and the cost."
"I see — so it costs money."
"Don't reduce it to that."
Meanwhile, Seto had larger concerns.
The quantum marriage effect.
Love & Logic had shaken the market, and Kaiba Corporation's production lines were approaching their limits.
Orders had no ceiling. Warehouses running at full capacity.
"…At this rate, the living world alone can't sustain it."
Seto operated his terminal and made the decision, quietly.
"Kaiba Corporation Afterlife Branch — full activation."
The priests had already been trained.
Protocol, theory, technique — all of it drilled in, Seto-style.
(Their loyalty placing the King's word above all else, however, remained fully intact.)
The opening ceremony of the afterlife branch.
The site was orderly, exactly as the reports had described. Perfect.
Seto confirmed the footage via terminal and gave a small nod.
"No issues… presumably."
And then the moment arrived.
Atem said:
"Seto — let me go. As your representative."
Seto raised one eyebrow.
"…Knowing full well that sending you will cause problems — should I send you anyway."
"I'll take that as trust."
"It's observation of learning outcomes."
"So I'm a test subject."
"Correct."
When Atem arrived in the afterlife, the branch's priests were lined up and waiting.
"Your Majesty — the branch is running at one hundred and twenty-eight percent capacity!"
"Logistics are flowing without delay!"
"The Love & Logic sweets are already sold out!"
Perfect.
Impossibly perfect.
Which was only natural — Seto had trained them.
Atem put a hand to his chin and thought.
"…Something's wrong. There's nothing for me to do."
After a brief silence, Atem said:
"Then let's build a KC Café afterlife branch."
The priests erupted in an instant.
"As expected of the King!"
"When the King moves, the afterlife moves!"
"Once more, light illuminates the afterlife!" (Note: this time it was not a metaphor — they were referring to the actual glowing sweets.)
And so, the King's spontaneous idea immediately became reality.
The priests sourced materials for the café and began prototyping "luminous beverages."
The lighting team, at an unusually elevated level of intensity, began researching "divine illumination."
Atem made his rounds of inspection, visibly pleased.
"This is good. The feeling here isn't 'calming down' — it's 'floating.'"
"We are honored by your words!"
"What is floating?"
"In theoretical terms — the phenomenon of the soul becoming lighter."
"We don't understand it, but it is precious!"
"That will do."
The living world. The Kaiba mansion.
Progress reports from the afterlife branch arrived on Seto's terminal.
'King personally overseeing operations'
'Luminous café established at branch'
'Sweets development, led by the King'
Seto held his head.
"…The problems arrived on schedule."
Which was exactly as predicted. In fact, faster than predicted.
The notification sounds continued.
'King conducting recipe lectures for local residents'
'Nefer-Link trending: "Divine King Café"'
'Afterlife branch overwhelmed by excess visitors, situation unstable'
"…Atem — you really are enjoying yourself."
Seto laughed, half exasperated, and moved his finger across the screen.
'Afterlife branch: temporarily approved under President's authority'
Then murmured:
"Stopping him is pointless anyway. In that case — might as well let him do it perfectly."
The corner of his mouth held just a trace of satisfaction.
It didn't take long for word of the afterlife branch to reach the living world.
Social media overflowed with "I want to go to the afterlife" and "I want to visit Atem's café" — and inquiries arrived including, remarkably, "Is a post-death tourism tour possible?"
The practical reality was that no living person could go to the afterlife. And even if they could, there was no guarantee of return.
Kaiba Corporation's afterlife liaison department found itself fielding inquiries every single day.
"Where exactly is Atem's café?"
"What's the transportation from the living world?"
"Can I visit with just my soul?"
The staff were slowly being worn down.
It was around this time that Seto received the report.
"In other words — busy again because of Atem."
He leaned his elbows on the desk and closed his eyes, quietly.
The afterlife branch: running smoothly.
The afterlife café: explosively popular.
And in the living world, ancient Egypt special features were dominating media in every country.
Mention the King's name and the ratings go up.
Quote the King's words and it goes viral.
Put the King's smile on it and it sells.
"To think that a king with no concept of commercial use is generating the greatest economic impact."
After a brief exhale, Seto operated his terminal and said:
"Build an underworld museum."
His staff stared.
"A… museum, sir?"
"Correct. If they can't go to the afterlife, they can learn about it."
"And the location?"
"Everywhere."
"…Everywhere, sir?"
"It's a nuisance — might as well do it all at once."
That particular "nuisance" carried a formidable weight of conviction.
After all, when Kaiba Seto called something a nuisance, it was the other side of "worth doing."
Several weeks later.
In cities across the world, sleek buildings in black and deep blue appeared.
KaibaCorp Underworld Museum.
Solid vision figures of Atem and Seto greeted visitors at the entrance.
Inside: faithful reproductions of afterlife culture, technology, and the priests' work.
The afterlife branch's café menu was offered in limited quantities, and visitors held "soul-foam cappuccinos" and smiled.
And the unofficial "Atem merchandise" and "President merchandise" that had been flooding the market were now launched through official channels — openly and unapologetically.
Kaiba President figure set ("Composed Ver.," "Lecturing Ver.," "Rare Smile Ver.")
Atem Royal Teacup Set (priest-supervised)
Afterlife Branch Café Perfume (actually glows)
Sold out. Same day. Worldwide.
Opening day of the museum.
News outlets across every country covered it simultaneously.
"You cannot speak of the living world without knowing the afterlife."
"King Atem and President Kaiba move the world again."
And many people, seeing the solid vision figures of the King and the President standing side by side, were moved to tears.
"I felt like I'd seen the real thing."
"I'm glad to be alive."
"Next time I actually want to go to the afterlife."
Night.
Seto sat in his private room and looked over the data, quietly.
Ten million visitors on opening day alone.
Revenue at twenty times projections.
Perfect.
Results no one could find fault with.
And yet Seto's expression was calm.
"This should keep things quiet for a while… as long as Atem doesn't do anything."
Several weeks after the afterlife branch had settled into stable operations.
The quiet Seto had finally reclaimed didn't last long.
His terminal lit up — just once.
'Report from afterlife branch. The King is considering hosting an afterlife festival.'
"…Five minutes."
Seto held his head without a word.
And then laughed, quietly.
'Urgent update from afterlife branch. The King has announced plans to hold a "festival."'
"Two minutes to announced plans?"
Seto narrowed his eyes, composed.
"A music event…?"
'Yes. The stated purpose is: "to share love with everyone."'
Silence.
A strange tension ran through the Kaiba Corporation conference room.
"…Left alone, he'll actually do it."
'What would you like to do?'
"I'll look into it."
Seto departed for the afterlife immediately.
At the temple ruins designated as the planned venue, the priests were already installing sound equipment.
The "afterlife's first music festival" was one step away from becoming a fait accompli.
"Atem — can you sing?"
"Singing is the heart."
"Can you dance?"
"Leave dancing to me. When I hear music, my body moves."
Which meant: no prior experience.
Seto exhaled deeply, gathered staff, and assembled a trial stage.
Then he put Atem on it.
The results:
When he sang, the afterlife's air trembled.
When he danced, the priests were moved to tears, bathed in light.
A quality of loveliness that belonged to neither the living world nor the afterlife.
But at the same time, Seto understood something.
"…Training him to a point where he can perform on a proper stage is impossible."
Because the moment Atem had an audience, he entered — one hundred percent of the time — individual engagement mode.
He tried to return love to every single gaze directed at him, making it impossible to maintain the overall production.
Atem, sitting in the afterlife branch café with a cup of herbal tea, murmured idly:
"If the festival's off the table, I hear a handshake event might work."
One of the priests nearby quietly picked up a brush. And began writing what appeared to be a final testament.
"Your Majesty — forgive my impertinence. …For anyone to touch Your Majesty — it is utterly beyond consideration…!"
"We'd be sharing love, wouldn't we?"
"I— yes, but — to touch you—!"
"Permission to touch is mine to give."
"No, please, at the very least — some guarantee of survival for those who do touch—"
In the end.
The handshake event was rejected.
But Atem didn't give up.
"Then let's hold a gathering to speak of love."
In one of the temple rooms, several hundred afterlife citizens selected by lottery gathered together. Those who hadn't won the lottery waited outside the venue for the sound to carry through. The event ended up on the scale of the entire afterlife.
Atem stood at the podium and spoke.
"Love is like observation. It takes shape through the act of being seen. But if the heart of the one seeing it trembles, love trembles too. Love and quantum mechanics resemble each other."
It began as a philosophical lecture.
The questions were theoretical, the priests taking notes in earnest.
But then:
"Your Majesty — what is your daily life with Seto like?"
"Your Majesty — when did you first say 'I love you'?"
"Your Majesty — what is the President like in the morning?"
The current shifted.
Atem considered for just a moment — and answered, as directly as he always did.
"He's in a bad mood in the morning. But when he sees me, he settles."
"I realized I was in love after we reunited in the afterlife."
"Seto is gentlest when he's angry."
The afterlife shook.
The next day, it was splashed across the top of the afterlife news in full.
【The King Speaks of Love】
【President Seto in a bad mood every morning — smiles only for the King】
And it leaked directly into the living world.
The pink-covered magazine's editorial team saw it immediately.
"The King apparently talked about how he and Seto met!"
"We want to do a living-world special feature!"
Special feature title:
"Quantum Marriage, Once More — The Love Equation That Shook the Afterlife"
The article swept the world in moments.
Sold out on day one at every bookshop.
"The King's quotations" spread online as a collection of memorable lines.
And a new notification arrived for Seto.
'【Report from afterlife branch】The King has announced his vision for a next event: "A Duet Live of Light and Love"'
Seto closed his terminal, quietly.
"…Stopping him is pointless at this point."
But the corner of his mouth had relaxed — into something that looked, unmistakably, pleased.
