“I actually intended for us to get married after we graduated from school. But we’ve withdrawn from school like this, and we probably won’t be able to graduate either, so… we can have it now, right? I’ve already waited plenty after all.”
“Achille?”
“I decided that after we came back from reclaiming the town, I’d properly tell this to you… After this there’s my job at the castle, and I’ll be busy with dealing with the villa too, so I thought that there was no time but now.”
Right, it seems that even after Achille’s back at the castle, he still has a lot of work to do.
On top of that, because of the effect of extremists, there’s the matter of their territory to deal with as well. That’s being taken care of by the family head Soleil, but as you’d expect, there’s probably no way that Achille doesn’t need to help out… I wonder what’s going on with the eldest son, Dominique. Achille didn’t mention his name even once, huhh.
“And so, your reply?”
He peered in one my face at close range.
“Uu…”
“Do you, dislike me?”
“Of course I don’t dislike you.”
Even though he gets it already… the reason that I’m hesitating with my reply.
Why, is he asking now?
Why is Achille this rushed…?
We all have our hands full with the extremist incident right now. Even though it would have been fine for us just to do it after this incident calmed down.
“I see. Then you’ll agree, right?”
“Eh-, ah-… B-, But,”
Achille quietly smiled. It kinda feels like I’m making a fuss on my own.
“Give me your hand?”
“Umm, um… Achille?”
For some reason, Achille was being pushy.
“Hurry.”
“YESH!”
Uuu, is this because we’ve been together all these years…? I obediently listen to his every word now. You might even say it’s already a conditioned reflex.
Just as I was told, I placed my hand on Achille’s palm like a dog.
Taking something out from his pocket, he took my left hand, and put something on my ring finger.
“Mn?”
That sparkly thing is…
“A ring…?”
“I didn’t give you one when we got engaged, after all.”
Is this one of those wedding rings? …It’s my first time seeing one. In the center of the thin ring with delicate decorations shone a pretty stone.
After having a good look at the ring, I tried to take it off my ring ringer… but,
“Huh? I can’t take it off.”
Even when I pulled at it, the ring wouldn’t move.
Even though it’s not as if the ring is all that tight. The ring fits it just right. I don’t recall telling Achille my size, though… I don’t really know the size of my fingers after all.
“It’s enchanted so that nobody except me can take it off.”
“…”
That sounds like something you’d find on a cursed item…
You often find that those type of items can’t be taken off by the wearer.
“Through the ring, I can confirm your location and status at any time. Even if something happen, I’ll be able to immediately tell.”
That’s like, a GPS from my old world, isn’t it… And moreover, to be able to even tell your partner’s status is…
I wonder if he was thinking that if I collapse from mana exhaustion, he could go and collect me.
“A-, Achille. No matter what, this is too…”
If I wear something like this, won’t my actions be hugely limited?
I won’t be able to do anything rash…
“You’ve managed to cause some sort of problem every single time, so just the worry alone feels like it’ll burn a hole through my stomach.”
“Uuu-! S-, Sorry…”
“So, wear this.”
Being told that, it’s hard to refuse.
“Even if I wanted to take it off, I can’t, you know…?”
“It’s crafted so that it can’t be taken off, but I get the feeling that if it’s you, you’ll be able to take it off before long…”
Achille said that the ring was crafted. Craftmanship of a level that can’t be undone even with my magic…
Could it be…
“…Is this something you made yourself, Achille?”