Will You Cherish Me?
My words must have surprised him.
Lord Runken’s eyes widened slightly.
And after a moment of silence, he answered, his cheeks faintly flushed.
“… I do like cats.”
(You kissed my ring finger, and this is what embarrasses you? I don’t understand your standards…)
Apparently, declaring his love for cats is something that embarrasses him.
And yet, he's dressed like a walking billboard for feline adoration.
I found it amusing, but continued the conversation.
“… When I remarry, I was thinking I’d like to keep a cat in my new home.”
“I could arrange a room in the castle for that. It's dangerous outside… so unfortunately, they wouldn’t be able to go outdoors.”
It seemed Lord Runken had taken my words as a request.
Seeing him immediately start considering logistics made me chuckle.
Marriage is a contract.
And a contract requires trust.
And I—trust him.
I searched for the right words and looked up.
But even now, I couldn’t bring myself to be fully honest.
Still, I spoke.
“… Will you cherish me?”
I didn’t name a clear subject, but it didn’t matter how he interpreted it.
I just wanted to hear the answer.
Even though, by this point, the answer was practically decided, I still couldn’t take that final step.
Because—
(It’s just too embarrassing!!)
Up until just recently, I’d thought of him as nothing more than my boss!
To suddenly pour my heart out to such a person—it’s not easy.
Lord Runken smiled softly at my words.
“… Of course.”
And then, he continued gently,
“You, and the cat—I will cherish you both. So, your hand, please.”
He reached into the pocket of his jacket.
(What is he taking out…?)
I tilted my head curiously and held out my hand.
But he said, with a hint of exasperation:
“Not your right hand. Your left one.”
“Oh—ah, yes! Like this…?”
My voice trailed off at the end.
Because I finally realized what he was about to do.
As I held out my left hand, a wave of embarrassment hit me.
What should a woman do at a time like this?
I didn’t know where to look, and my eyes wandered.
In the lush green forest, ripples spread across the lake’s surface one after another.
(… Are they having fun?)
If those ripples were caused by the spirits, then they seemed quite lively.
While I was watching them absentmindedly, Lord Runken called to me.
“Lady Clementina.”
“Y-yes.”
Before I realized it, he was kneeling.
In the middle of the forest—his clothes would get dirty!
For someone as seemingly fastidious as him to kneel without hesitation… it surprised me.
In his hand was, as I expected, a small velvet box.
As he opened it with a soft snap, a ring appeared inside—just as I thought.
“This is for you.”
“…………”
He slipped the ring onto the ring finger of my left hand.
And I—did not stop him.
That, more than anything, was my answer.
I stared at the ring now adorning my finger.
This must be… an engagement ring. That thought stirred emotions in me—
—but then my eyes widened at the design.
Set into a delicate silver band, small diamonds sparkled beautifully.
At the center was a large diamond, and flanking it were a brown gem and a black gem, perched delicately on either side.
(This looks just like…)
As I stared in disbelief, Lord Runken noticed and gave a small, wry smile.
“Amber and onyx. I originally considered using diamonds throughout… but I thought the meanings behind these stones were lovely.”
“This design… um…”
I hesitated.
If I was wrong, it would be so embarrassing.
But—I was sure of it.
I asked, and he replied without hesitation:
“Yes. It’s a calico cat.
You seemed especially fond of calico cats, even among all the others.”
Yes.
The way the amber and onyx were placed above the central diamond made it look just like the fur pattern of a calico cat.
“No way…”
I whispered.
The calico cat—was a cat I had raised in my previous life.
She had been my family. My one and only.
But I had never told him that.
How did he know?
As I stood there stunned, Lord Runken tilted his head.
“… Was I wrong?”
“No. You’re exactly right. But… how?”
My words were brief, but he seemed to understand perfectly.
He answered simply:
“Right after your social debut… you dropped a handkerchief with a calico cat embroidered on it, didn’t you?”
At that, I truly was at a loss for words.
What do you think about this chapter?
