‘J, just when I was speaking seriously…!’
Is it amusing? Well, I guess it is…
Even though I couldn’t see it, I could feel my face burning in embarrassment.
“… I’m already embarrassed to even say this, so could you please stop laughing at me so mockingly?”
As soon as he heard my words, Ludger’s eyes widened in surprise.
“That’s not true. I never laughed at you mockingly.”
“… But you did laugh.”
“Well, it’s because Captain looked cute.”
“……”
I really wish he wouldn’t just casually say things like that and come at me so suddenly. It felt like he was breaking some unspoken rule.
“Anyway, I understand. We can just say that the two of us were secretly in love with each other….. and then, something unexpected happened, and we ended up realizing our feelings.”
“Yes…”
The mere act of articulating this made my embarrassment deepen.
“When would be a good time period? When Captain collapsed and stayed at my house?”
“… Ah. Actually, it was after that when I confided this to my friend.”
“I see.”
“Well, then….. when the Duke made that outrageous proposal…?”
“An outrageous proposal?”
“You misunderstood that I liked you, so you suggested that we should start dating.”
“……”
As soon as he heard that, Ludger’s face turned red. It seems like he recalled the disgraceful (?) behavior he had shown when he misunderstood my feelings at that time.
“….I don’t think it’s necessary to emphasize that.”
“The Young Duke teased me too, so I think it’s only fair.”
“I wasn’t really teasing you.…”
Ludger’s voice held a hint of grievance, but I didn’t buy it. Calling someone ‘cute’ who doesn’t even have an ounce of cuteness is teasing, no matter how you looked at it.
“Well… let’s stick with that setting. It’s better to announce the engagement once things have settled, right?”
“Yeah. Of course, you can inform those around you in advance.”
“All right.”
It seems like… I’ll need to prepare myself a bit.
Especially when thinking about how much Lionel is going to tease me, I already have a headache.
“Then… let’s discuss the details later. I almost forgot something important, I guess I need to do that now.”
“Is it urgent?”
Ludger slowly rose from his seat. Thinking he was about to move, I attempted to awkwardly get up from my seat as well, but Ludger gestured for me to stay seated.
‘……?’
At Ludger’s next action, I was so stunned that I couldn’t even let out a gasp and just froze.
I watched in bewilderment as Ludger knelt before me, like a knight pledging loyalty to a princess.
“…Y, Your Highness?”
“Lady Clara.”
With a softness I had never heard before, Ludger called my name with a title I had never heard before, and slowly produced a small box from his pocket.
When he opened the lid of the box, what appeared was… a pair of rings embedded with small rubies.
“I, Ludger of Kassen, earnestly request to Lady Clara, to accept this betrothal from me to become my fiancèe.”
My mind went blank.
I could understand that this was the customary etiquette for a marriage proposal among nobles.
‘But it’s not like that, we’re just pretending…’
Ludger’s expression was serious. It didn’t seem like he was teasing or playing a prank.
I extended my trembling hand, trying not to embarrass him.
“… I will gladly accept it.”
Ludger took my left hand, the warmth of his touch transferred to my hand, which had grown cold from the tension.
The feeling of the ring sliding down my ring finger was less noticeable than Ludger’s careful touch, which lingered on my skin more sensitively.
Then he presented me with a ring box containing a matching set of men’s rings. I cautiously slipped the ring onto his finger, being very careful as to ensure not to drop it.
As soon as it was in place, I felt an unexpected wave of relief. It had been an incredibly tense moment.
“I will remember this moment as one of my life’s joyous memories.”
“I am the one…”
As I looked down at his face, to give a formal response, I suddenly found it hard to breathe.
Ludger had a bright smile on his face.
It was indescribable.
A laugh with a somewhat shy emotion that couldn’t be contained, giving off a somewhat boyish vibe.
I had seen him smile many times, but this was the first time I had seen such an unrefined smile on his face.
I was almost mesmerized, staring at his face without realizing it, but I quickly managed to continue with the rest of my response.
“… I am the one who should thank you for bringing happiness into my life.”
My whole body tingled, and my heart pounded. I really wanted to run away. I didn’t want to feel this awkward emotion.
Yet, at the same time…
I wanted to gaze at Ludger’s smile for a long while.
* * *
“I don’t think it was necessary to go this far…”
As soon as the awkward moment ended and Ludger returned to his spot, I mumbled softly while lowering my fidgeting hands.
“Well, no matter how formal it may be, it holds meaning for me.”
“……”
“Even if it’s just a formality, in the end, to others, Captain is my fiancée. That means you have someone important to me.”
Contemplating those words, I fell silent.
It’s true that a gift is necessary, but I couldn’t really understand the psychology behind doing something like a proposal when a simple ring would suffice…
Perhaps because they are nobles, they place great value on formality, even when it goes unnoticed by others.
“It’s not the official wedding gift, so I decided on a ring with a colored gemstone. If you don’t like it, it’s okay to change it.”
“No! It’s really beautiful.”
I glanced down at the ring, its light reflecting brilliantly under the chandelier.
They say the purer the ruby and the clearer its color, the more expensive it is, and even to someone like me, who knows nothing about it, it was terrifyingly beautiful.
‘But if it’s ruby…’
“Your Highness.”
“Hmm?”
“Could it be… that you chose a ruby on purpose, because of the name of my knighthood’s order?”
“There’s that reason too… but I chose it because I thought it would suit you well.”
“……”
I blinked, surprised by his unexpected response. I had assumed it was just a formal gift, so it was astonishing that Ludger had selected it himself.
“Did you really choose it yourself?”
“Yeah. Don’t you believe me?”
“It’s not that I don’t believe you, but… you once told me that red doesn’t suit me. That’s why it’s so surprising that you chose red for the gift.”
“……”
Ludger lowered his gaze. It was just a slight drop of his eyes, but it created a melancholic atmosphere, almost like a scene from a painting. How could someone with such a handsome face appear so vulnerable?
“I was careless back then.”
“……”
“Please understand that I was flustered, and those words slipped out. It’s not that red doesn’t suit you.”
He lifted his hand and gently held my hand which was adorned with the ring.
“If I offended you in any way, I apologize once more.”
It was meant as a joke, but his serious tone made me feel embarrassed.
“… No. I just thought for a moment, ‘Does red really not suit me?’ but I wasn’t particularly offended.”
“…If that’s the case, then I’m relieved. I hope the misunderstanding gets cleared up. Red suits you really well, Captain.”
“Yes, well… red suits too, Your Highness. Of course, there’s no color that doesn’t suit your face.”
I slowly withdrew my hand from his to dissipate the awkwardness and said this with a smile.
Ludger chuckled, taking it as a joke. But I was serious.
I felt that if I continued to get caught up in his pace, I would only grow more embarrassed. I needed to head home soon.
“Nevertheless, about the engagement…. I’ve already conveyed my thoughts regarding the ceremony to the butler. Now all that’s left is the contract, right?”
“Yes. I will draft it according to your wishes and send it to you shortly for your review.”
“Okay, then. Well, that’s all for today…”
As I spoke, a loud growling sound echoed, interrupting our smooth conversation.
“……”
“……”
For the record, the sound came from my stomach. My face instantly heated up.
“I-I haven’t eaten dinner! That’s why!”
“…… Even at this late hour?”
Ludger’s gaze shifted to the desk clock. It was almost 10 p.m.
“I guess you came here in a hurry after working. It would have been fine if you had taken your time.”
“No, then… it would be too late.”
“It doesn’t matter when the Captain arrives. You needn’t worry about that from now on. Even though it’s a contract between us, in the eyes of others, Captain is my proper fiancée.”
“Um, yes.”
“Anyway, in that case, it’s better to prepare the meal right away.”
“Ah, it’s fine! If I have a meal now, it’ll get too late for me to go back home…”
Hearing this, Ludger blinked slowly and tilted his head.
“Then why don’t you just stay the night here?”
Yay.stay..