Yonin no Ikemen ni Kyuuai sarete Ore wa Namidamedesu Chapter 74

Unedited

74 The Vow of the Ring

As I stay in the room with the quiet Dy while waiting for Aleph and Ragna, the flow of time feels slow.

Even though he keeps talking nonsense no matter how much I stop him, only at this moment do I have trouble dealing with his silence.

Despite quickly disappearing willfully as soon he has nothing  to do, he's crossing his arms and motionlessly staring outside the window today.

Outside the window, a light blue bird that seemed was flying in the sky.

[Are you looking at something interesting?]

[Nothing in particular. I can only see people darting about here and there like ants.]

They probably have a lot to do like post-treatment. Resting in a place like this makes me feel guilty.

[Should I also go over and lend a hand?]

[Because we have a more important matter to attend to right now, don't do anything unnecessary, okay?]

Without looking at me, the demon unattachedly shrugs his shoulders. It looks like it's better to leave him alone for a short while.

Since I managed to spare some time, I will try sorting out the inside of the infinite s.p.a.ce.

There are quite a lot of things in it that I don't use, is this crystal fragment the one that were falling in Ragna's house?

It's pink so perhaps it's from Sati Eroica's room?

Oh, this richly colored bird's feather is the one Aleph found for me at the East-West road.

He said that it's being used as charm in some areas.

I found the body lotion that Ciel's father gave me. Suddenly struck with an idea, I try smearing it on Ciel…. his skin was smooth to begin with so nothing much really changed.

The air here is also quite dry, I'll just put some as well.

After  spending ten minutes of having no talking, Ciel finally woke up.

Rubbing his eyes that were hidden underneath his long lashes from sleeping, he vacantly raises his face.

[Fuaa… Rei, Diremolo, good morning.]

[Good morning. Or rather, it's already noon, though.]

Ciel looks like an innocent child as he yawns while withstanding his drowsiness, and the gap between his normal tsun self is amazing.

[Nh… Diremolo? It's unusual for you to show yourself at this time. Did something happen?]

I summarized everything that happened before Ciel woke up and told him that he's going to meet with King Egrald.

[If so then I'm going, too. In order for the king to cause a war, he definitely must have set something up in the border zone. We can't let our guards down until we expose that plan.]

Aleph came back just as the conversation becomes definite and knocked on the room's door.

[Rei, can I have a minute?]

[What is it?]

Ragna is partic.i.p.ating with the revolutionary army's soldiers' post-treatment inside the castle and his work break is near, so he said he will come then.

Before that, because he said has business with me, I follow Aleph inside a room nearby.

Aleph gently closed the door behind him with his hand and took out a small box.

As I watch while thinking that the box somehow looks like the one used when proposing while, a ring really did appear from inside it.

[I hope you'll accept this.]

E, eeeehh!? Can it really be a real proposal!?

[It's my mother's ring memento. It seems Yifa has been keeping it for a long time.]

Why is he giving his mother's memento that Yifa was holding on to me? Since it's a memento, isn't it better if Aleph keeps it himself?

[My mother told me that if ever I come to love someone with all my heart, that I will give it to that person…. She met with misfortune and I also fled from the castle, I thought I won't be able to honor our promise but-]

Aleph mocks at himself and formed his lips into a smile. It was an expression oozing of regret.

[By misfortune…]

[… Mother was poisoned. I don't know who the culprit is, but it was being rumored that it was plausibly a n.o.ble in Egrald-aniue's faction who did it. That n.o.ble was convicted long ago, so it's probably impossible to point out the mastermind at this point.]

That time when I heard about his circ.u.mstances, he said that he didn't have the courage to confront his eldest brother so he left the palace, but I guess he had other reasons as well.

[Although it has the same effect of protecting its owner like Ciel's and Ragndono's token of marriage, do you still need a ring with a shady history like this?]

Aleph closed his light blue eyes earnestly and waited for my words.

[That's not true! Isn't that the ring your mother prepared while thinking of you?]

The golden ring inside the box is adorned with transparent gem like aquamarine, a simple but cla.s.sy design.

She searched for a stone with the exact same color as Aleph's eyes and had it made, and I thought how she was filled with love for her son.

[If so then, will you accept it?]

[Yes. If you're alright with me.]

[Rei is fine. It's meaningless if it's not you.]

A sincere and earnest feeling directly hit my heart. Being pierced straight by those imposing eyes, my heartbeat goes on a rampage.

Kuuuh, this guy's so cool, d.a.m.n it! I love you!

After Aleph gently took out the ring from the box, he held up my left hand and slowly insert it on my ring finger.

[Rei, thank you.]

[Me, too, thank you, I will treasure it.]

The ring finger on the left hand doesn't really mean anything special in here, it seems he only put it on the finger which looked the most fitting in size.

However, as for me, because the left ring finger is the image of the wedding ring, it being on this finger is the most fitting.

The color of the jewel is exactly the same as Aleph's eyes, and it makes me happy when I stare at it.

[It seems to have the effect of automatically closing the wound if you receive one which can endanger your life. Ciel's is searching for enemy, Ragndono's has the effect of reflecting an attack, our tokens(of affection) each has its different effects which is perfect.]

[Hm? Wait a minute, there's something with the necklace I got from Ciel?]

As if I heard something strange from Aleph, I stare in wonder.

[Did Ciel not tell you anything? It's the Elve's wedding custom to give their spouse a necklace.]

[Eeh!? He didn't tell me a single thing about that, though! He just told me to wear it because I'm careless and easy to target.]

[Is that so, Ciel tends to be frugal with his words because he's shy after all.]

No no, even so, wasn't he being too frugal?

[This object I received from Ragna, too, I did hear about it being a proof of marriage but I never ever heard anything about it protecting its owner.]

And since there's never been a chance for it to activate, I totally didn't notice. In the first place, everyone will end up getting rid of the monsters before it can manage to hurt me.

The only decent pinch I was ever into was that time when the slime was stuck at me.

[According to Ragna's older brother, Michail-dono, it apparently possesses an effect of reflecting magic attacks.]

The slime's attack was dissolving, after all, it can't be helped that it didn't work.

I check the accessories on my body.

I've never worn any accessories when I was in j.a.pan, but I've gotten so used to it ever since coming here that I almost forget I'm wearing the things I received from everyone..

[Rei…]

Aleph hugged me as I checked the ring, anklet, necklace, and bangle one by one.

[I am truly happy that I met you.]

[Wha, what's wrong with you all of a sudden?]

I can hear his breathing near my ear. Aleph's voice sounding as if he's appealing at me vibrated in my eardrums.