Ch.33After the Wedding

*Knock knock*

“…Chloe, are you there?”

That night, I slowly knock on Chloe’s door.

There’s no answer.

“I’m sorry for coming so late.”

Even though Chloe had disappeared, I couldn’t immediately go after her.

If I had left the wedding reception, my wife would have been left alone and very sad, having lost her groom at the celebration.

Finally, only after the wedding reception had completely ended could I come looking for Chloe.

“I heard you haven’t eaten. I brought beef cream soup, your favorite.”

It’s the food Chloe used to sing for and love every day when we lived outside the castle when we were young.

The chef must have heard rumors around the castle about Chloe not eating and staying in her room, so he made this out of concern.

I had casually mentioned Chloe’s favorite food to the chef before, and he remembered it well.

“…”

“Haaa…”

But still, there’s no answer.

The door is locked, and I can hear rustling sounds from inside, which clearly indicates Chloe is in there despite her silence.

“…Do you hate that I got married that much?”

The old Chloe occasionally looked at me with eyes that saw me as a man, but most of the time, she looked at me with eyes that saw me as a reliable older brother.

However, that gaze has been unified into one since not long ago—since my third brother died. The gaze that sees me as a man.

So the current Chloe must feel like she’s experiencing heartbreak, having to let go of her unrequited love. Toward me, her brother.

How should I speak to soothe Chloe’s heart—

“…No.”

“Chloe!?”

Chloe, who had been silent all this time, finally answers.

But… no? Is Chloe saying this isn’t because I got married?

“In the past, I hated the idea of Master getting married. Having someone new for Master to lean on emotionally… meaning the feelings coming to me from Master would decrease.”

“Uh…yeah?”

I had no idea Chloe felt this way.

I thought she was simply hostile toward Ines because of her feelings for me… but was it because Ines took away the emotions that would have come to her?

Certainly, until Ines came to Dijon, the only people I could emotionally rely on in this world were my late mother and Chloe.

After my mother passed away, Chloe monopolized my emotions and attention, so she would easily notice even the slightest decrease in what came her way.

…Wait a minute.

“In the past?”

That means not anymore?

“Yes, in the past. If I still hated it that much, I wouldn’t have attended your wedding, would I? Of course, I still dislike it, but less than before.”

“Then why on earth—”

*Creeeeak*

The squeaking door sound interrupts my question.

“—Chloe.”

“Come in… let’s talk.”

Beyond the door appears Chloe, her eyes reddened and looking slightly gaunt, smiling awkwardly as she looks at me.

She’s still wearing the dress she wore during the day. It’s quite wrinkled now.

I wonder what I should say first—

*Growl*

“Eep!?”

“…Haha, let’s eat first.”

In the midst of a slight silence, a growling sound emanates from Chloe’s stomach.

That’s fortunate. Chloe’s stomach growled cutely at just the right time.

Thank you, Chloe’s stomach. I’ll put something in you right away.

“Th-that… um…”

Unlike my relief, Chloe seems extremely embarrassed, not only her eyes but her cheeks turning bright red, with a “gyaaaa” sound of empty breath escaping her lips.

Well, I like dignified Chloe too, but I prefer Chloe who shows her emotions like this. I wish she was always like this.

……….

“Come here, you’ve got soup on your mouth. Let me wipe it.”

“Uugh… I-I’ll do it myself…”

“Just stay still at times like this.”

At first, Chloe was too self-conscious to eat comfortably, but when I started feeding her myself, she quickly put on a happy expression and finished all the soup.

…It’s nostalgic. We used to do this often when we were young, but since coming to the castle, it hasn’t happened.

“Hehe…”

Chloe, who had been squeezing her eyes shut and turning her head this way and that to refuse my handkerchief, now smiles contentedly when I forcibly wipe her mouth.

It seems she had a strong aversion to showing embarrassment, but once it was over, she was filled with relief at being cared for by me.

“Are you feeling better now?”

“Yesss…”

Her gaunt skin has regained its vitality, and her bright expression has returned. Indeed, eating something really helps when you’re feeling down.

“So, why did you act that way?”

“…The ring.”

“Ring?”

“You’ve never given me a gift like that.”

“Ah…”

So that was the reason?

Well… I’ve given Chloe many gifts, but never something as lavish and extravagant as the wedding ring I gave to Ines.

“Give me one too, a ring.”

“But that symbolizes the bond between spouses…”

“Huh…? Rings have such meaning?”

Oops.

As I mentioned before, in this world, there’s no custom of couples or spouses wearing matching rings.

So even if I explain that rings have such meaning, it would seem somewhat unfamiliar to most people.

“Is it… not possible?”

Chloe pleads with me, wearing an expression that looks like she might collapse at any moment. Her eyes are welling with tears, and her voice is trembling severely.

“…Alright, just wait a bit.”

“Thank… you…”

How could I possibly refuse in this situation?

Even if I explained the meaning, Chloe wouldn’t understand at all.

…Still, it’s a wedding ring, so giving the exact same one to my little sister feels a bit wrong. I should give her one with a slightly different design.

“And… Master, I’m truly… sorry for leaving the reception hall on my own. Everyone was looking for me…”

“It’s okay. What you’re worried about didn’t happen.”

When Chloe, who had been showing off her presence in a beautiful dress, disappeared, some people were puzzled, but thanks to my smooth talking, no one’s reputation was damaged.

Of course, explaining this in detail might ruin the mood, so I simply tell Chloe that everything is fine.

“But…”

“I said it’s fine, didn’t I? You don’t need to worry.”

“But… Master, just a moment— eep.”

“Get some good rest tonight.”

Chloe, her emotions now resolved, apologized to me with a very sorry expression, and I reassured her.

Yet, as if she still had something to apologize for, she kept hesitating, but when I patted her head and guided her to lie down on the bed, she obediently did so as if nothing had happened.

“Sweet dreams.”

“Um… Master.”

“Yes?”

“I can’t sleep while wearing a dress…”

“…Ah.”

Oh no.

Chloe is looking at me with an excited expression, her cheeks flushed, smiling awkwardly.

“W-well then, I’ll be going now, so change into your nightclothes and get some good sleep.”

“Y-yes…”

Feeling slightly embarrassed, I hurriedly straightened up and stood from my seat, while Chloe, who had been lying on the bed, sat up and adjusted her clothes.

Is she already thinking of changing? I should leave quickly.

Hearing rustling sounds behind me, I hastily opened the door and went outside.

“…Master.”

“Yes?”

Chloe stops me with her words as I’m about to close the door.

“Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. It’s what I should do.”

With those words, I closed the door.

“…And the ring has to be exactly the same.”

“—Huh?”

*Thud*

But just as the door was closing, Chloe said something unexpected.

I can’t go back in and talk… she’ll be changing clothes.

It would look bad to reopen the door after closing it dramatically, or to shout through the door.

…This is a problem.

……….

“Haaa…”

It’s late, and since I couldn’t speak right there, I’ve come to my room for now.

I was planning to pretend to give her a ring but actually give her one different from Ines’s, but she said that at the end.

If she had said it earlier, I could have calmly explained.

…Could she have planned this? To make it so I couldn’t refuse?

Hmm… Chloe is smart and perceptive, so it’s possible. She probably sensed that I would refuse if she asked for the exact same ring.

“I thought she’d be satisfied with receiving a ring like Ines’s, but to come out with this…”

Hmm… explaining the meaning of wedding rings was a mistake. If I had just given her a ring from the beginning, this wouldn’t have happened.

No one except me, Ines, and Chloe knows the meaning of wedding rings, so even if Chloe wears one, others wouldn’t think anything of it, but… I would be uncomfortable. What brother gives his sister a wedding ring?

Alright, Chloe dislikes Ines, so I should focus on that.

I’ll argue that wearing the same ring as Ines would remove its uniqueness and make her copy Ines—would she really be okay with that? Wouldn’t she prefer a ring designed just for her? With this approach, Chloe should understand.

Having made this plan… it’s late, so I should go to sleep—

*Knock knock*

“Yes?”

Just then, I hear a knock on the door in the Lorel style.

What could it be at this hour?

“Husband, are you asleep?”

“Ah, Ines. I’m not sleeping yet, what’s the—whoa…?”

I quickly opened the door, not wanting to keep Ines waiting outside, but there stood Ines in her nightclothes, her face flushed.

I’ve seen Ines in nightclothes a few times before, but this time is completely different.

Ines walking down the hallway in nightclothes and Ines standing in front of my bedroom in nightclothes carry entirely different weight.

“As I mentioned before… I’ve come to share the same bedroom.”

Saying that, Ines shrinks her body slightly, bows her head a little, and looks up at me with a shy smile.