Unchanging
Days and Changed Things 2
Author's
Note:
At the end of Volume 1, Layla asks Ashren for an engagement period of one
year. In the Kanista Kingdom, an engagement period of a few months is
normal, but in the Jilgista Kingdom, several years is the standard. At
that time, she confessed to a reluctant Ashren, "I want to enjoy doing
things like lovers do." Taking advantage of this, Ashren began
touching and teasing Layla at every opportunity.
While
harboring gloomy feelings, we were having dinner as usual at the separate
estate of the Naturi Marquis family. Ashren-sama, who had
finished eating first, brought the subject up as if he had just remembered.
「Tomorrow is our day off; do you have
any plans?」
「No, my wedding dress measurements
were finished last month, and we decided on the design for the rings, right?」
Preparations
for the wedding ceremony a few months from now were progressing steadily. On my
finger sat the blue diamond ring I received half a year ago. It is so large
that I attach it to a chain and wear it as a necklace while working, and I have
finally gotten used to its weight recently.
Apart
from that, we invited a peddler last month and ordered matching wedding rings
as well. These are engraved platinum, with a single small blue diamond attached
only to my ring. I chose a simple design that I could wear even while working.
「In that case, there is somewhere I
want to go with you; is that alright?」
「Yes. Where are we going?」
「To get furniture for the estate.
We'll need it, won't we?」
Eh,
do we need it?
It has already been a year and a half since I started living in this estate, so
I don't think there is anything we formally need anew.
I
thought we would move out once we got married, but Marquis Naturi asked
us to continue living in the separate estate. Because he is often away, he
feels uneasy leaving only the Director and Karin-chan behind, so
he wants Ashren-sama to be here. As I tilted my head in confusion, Ashren-sama
shook his head and sighed.
「Could it possibly be that you intend
to continue living in the guest room?」
「...Ah.」
Being
told that, I finally realized what he meant.
Even
though it is a separate estate, the mansion is large, as expected of something
belonging to a Marquis family. The first floor has the dining room, salon, and
living room, as well as the rooms for live-in servants. The second floor has
guest rooms, an office, and a library. The third floor consists of private
rooms. Naturally, Ashren-sama's room is on the third floor, and I am
using a guest room on the second floor.
「Could it be that my room will change
to the third floor?」
「Yes, it will. Because you are going
to be my wife.」
He
smiled sweetly, but the corner of his thin, beautifully shaped mouth was
twitching slightly. He is angry.
「R-Right, I see.」
「The room next to mine will be the
marital bedroom. The one next to that will be your room, Layla. We have
to get furniture, curtains, and various other things to put in those two rooms.」
「That is quite an undertaking, isn't
it.」
「If we're going to have them
custom-made, we're cutting it close. Therefore, tomorrow will be busy.」
「Understood.」
I
swallowed the words, 'They don't have to be custom-made, though.' My
room aside, that wouldn't do for the marital bedroom... I thought, and then
suddenly realized.
「I have never been to the third
floor!」
「You finally noticed? I have been
waiting with anticipation, wondering exactly when you were going to come.」
「T-That is...」
Even
if he looks at me with suspicious eyes, I'm at a loss.
Ashren-sama's office on the second floor
is relatively close to the guest room I am using, and I have entered there many
times. Since he is usually in either the living room, the office, or the
library, there was no need for me to visit his room on the third floor.
「You have hardly ever come into the
guest room I am using either, Ashren-sama.」
「Oh, would it have been fine for me
to enter? In that case, I will visit you tonight.」
「...No, it is messy, so please don't.」
His
narrowed eyes are even scarier. When I hurriedly declined, he shrugged his
shoulders and said, "I wouldn't mind, though," and even grumbled,
"The servants under my mother's influence are too excellent, it's a
problem."
「Right, seeing the rooms before we go
choose furniture will help you get a better image of them. Let's go now.」
Saying
so, Ashren-sama stood up from his seat and held out his hand to me with
a smile that allowed no argument. Right now? I thought, but figuring it
made sense, I took his hand, stood up, and set foot on the stairs leading to
the third floor for the first time.
「Just going up one floor really
changes the view you can see, doesn't it.」
「Because the ceilings are high. Now,
this is your room, Layla.」
Proceeding
down a corridor that looked the same as the second floor aside from the view, Ashren-sama
opened a door for me. The room, located almost directly above the guest room I
am using, was dim, with the moonlight casting shadows of the window frame onto
the carpet on the floor.
Ashren-sama lit the candles on the
candelabra fixed to the wall, making it possible to see the entire room
clearly.
「It is spacious, isn't it.」
The
guest room I am using now is also surprisingly large, but perhaps because there
is no furniture, this one feels even bigger. Wondering if it's really okay for
me to use such a magnificent room, I stood frozen at the entrance, and Ashren-sama
put his hand on the door attached to the far wall and opened it.
「I went ahead and filled the closet
for you. Though, there is still plenty of room if you pack them in, so you can
put whatever you like in the remaining space.」
Eh? Jogging over to Ashren-sama,
I saw that two-thirds of the closet, which covered an entire wall, was already
filled with dresses.
「T-These are... did you choose these
for me, Ashren-sama?」
「It is only natural to prepare
dresses for one's fiancée, isn't it? I have gathered the bare minimum
necessities.」
「Thank you very much. Furthermore,
they are all to my taste.」
「I commissioned the tailor where we
ordered your wedding dress, so the sizes should be correct. The summer clothes
are all there, so let's go buy autumn and winter clothes together.」
I
was told a dowry wasn't even necessary, so to have him prepare things this far
for me honestly makes my heart ache, but at times like this, Ashren-sama
is happier if I honestly say "Thank you very much."
The
fact that there are many light-blue dresses is probably considering that we
will be attending evening banquets as a married couple from now on. On a small
built-in shelf inside the closet sat an accessory case, and inside, jewelry
matching the dresses was lined up.
There
were also day dresses for everyday use, but they were clearly of better quality
than what I usually wear.
「Thank you so much for all this.
Moreover, they are so luxurious it is a waste on me.」
「Is that so? Upon marriage, I will be
granted the title of Earl, so I chose items befitting of that. As a
Marchioness, you would need even more expensive things.」
As
expected of Ashren-sama, born and raised as a member of the Naturi
Marquis family. He is nonchalantly poking at the jewelry. Those diamonds are
several levels larger and have higher transparency than the ones my mother had,
you know. As I closed the lid of the accessory case with slightly trembling
hands, Ashren-sama chuckled softly. But I just can't get used to this,
so it can't be helped.
Leaving
me dumbfoundedly staring at the dresses, Ashren-sama headed to the
opposite wall and opened another door there.
「The bed is this way, and my room is
beyond that.」
In
other words, the marital bedroom. Ashren-sama's figure disappeared into
the darkness, and before long, lights began to turn on in the room one by one.
I carefully closed the closet and, feeling a bit tense, stepped into that room.
「...There is nothing here, is there.」
It
was so bleak that my heart stopped pounding. Seeing me like that, Ashren-sama
was exasperated.
「Of course there isn't. That is why
we are going to buy things tomorrow.」
「R-Right, of course.」
Half
of the wall facing the garden was a window leading to the balcony. It's a size
that would require custom-made curtains.
「What this room needs is a sofa set,
shelves, and a bed, I suppose. Is there any other furniture you want to put in
here?」
「No, nothing comes to mind.」
I
can just put the dresser and desk in my room. What else could we need? I
wondered.
「I see. In that case, it looks like
we can place a large bed.」
「!!」
「Let's put it around here. A canopy
bed...」
Ashren-sama spread both his arms. Eh,
isn't that too big? I actually sleep quite still, you know.
The
more specifically Ashren-sama explained, "from here to here,"
the more restless I became. Unable to bear it, I cut across the space where the
bed was planned to be placed, opened the window leading to the balcony, stepped
outside, and took a deep breath of the night breeze.
Haa, the cool breeze feels good on my
hot cheeks. Hearing a chuckling voice behind me, it seems I was being teased
after all.
「The light in Karin-chan's
room is out. The Director seems to still be awake. Come to think of it,
I heard that Marquis Naturi will be returning soon.」
The
Marquis and his wife always return with an unmanageable amount of souvenirs. On
that day alone, Karin-chan doesn't come to the separate estate and
sticks closely to her parents. Or rather, it seems the doting Marquis won't let
go of Karin-chan. Suddenly, I was gently embraced from behind.
「W-What is the matter, so suddenly?」
「Thinking that the time we can enjoy
doing things like lovers is coming to an end, I feel reluctant to part with it.」
An
exaggerated sigh fell on the nape of my neck, and the cheeks that had finally
cooled down from the night breeze grew hot again.
「I think you have enjoyed yourself
more than enough.」
How
much I regretted ever saying those words. This two-faced man uses it as an
indulgence to tease me at every opportunity. Even as we stood there, the weight
pressing against my back increased.
「True enough. However, we still have
a few months left, so I'll enjoy it to the fullest...」
「You've had enough already, haven't
you!?」
When
I forcefully turned around, his handsome face was closer than I thought. His
silver hair shone bathed in the moonlight.
By
the time I thought 'Oh no', it was too late. His ice-blue eyes narrowed
sweetly, and his long fingers touched my chin.
The scent grew stronger as he drew closer, and I closed my eyes. I have never said it out loud, but I am also enjoying our time as lovers. I'm keeping it a secret, though, because if I told him, a level of doting that I couldn't handle would surely be waiting for me.