When Noie returned home, she was faced with the fact that he had already come back before her.
Ever since they became unable to hold proper conversations, he had started spending more time at the castle. She wondered many times if her own words were at fault, but she was too scared to bring it up. So recently, she had been rushing home to finish everything quickly and run into her room… but today, she couldn’t do that.
Noie ate her dinner slowly and took a leisurely bath, despite her confusion.
If she stayed too long, the water would get cold, and she felt sorry for the maids who would have to use the leftover bathwater. Knowing this, Noie struggled internally but eventually got out of the bath, feeling reluctant to leave.
She walked as slowly as possible and stood in front of the bedroom door.
The only plan she could desperately come up with was: Enter the room. Jump into bed. Sleep. Those three steps.
Putting her plan into action, she opened the door, entered the room without hesitation, and jumped onto the bed. However, she ended up headbutting his stomach as he was sitting on the bed… and Noie ended up sitting on the bed, crying.
-0-
Noie-san… I didn’t calculate that you would jump in without looking.
Clutching my stomach where I had taken the full force of her headbutt, I rolled around on the bed.
Cold sweat of a dangerous nature began to pour out, but I endured it and sat up… only to see Noie sitting at the edge of the bed, tears streaming down her face.
I wanted to cry too, but… Noie must have reached her limit as well.
『From what I hear, your wife must be a very honest and kind person.』
For some reason, the vicious Head Maid’s words crossed my mind.
I prayed to God that this wasn’t some strange foreshadowing. Did God even exist in this world?
But yes. Noie was honest, pure, and kind. That was why she couldn’t forgive my attitude…or rather, my words.
Yes… she was also stubborn to an extreme degree.
Following her example, I sat up and knelt properly.
As I looked straight at her, Noie, who had wiped her tears, showed a somewhat frightened expression. Even her ahoge was trembling violently.
「Noie.」
「……」
She didn’t answer. But that was fine. My resolve was set.
『You only need to tell her what you can and make a promise. That you will tell her everything someday.』
I’m trusting you, Head Maid?
「I’m sorry.」
「……」
Tears spilled from her eyes again, even though she had stopped crying.
I understood. She didn’t want me to apologize.
But I wouldn’t feel right unless I apologized first. It was just my own ego, though.
「There is something I am keeping secret from Noie.」
「……」
She looked at me, tears overflowing. Her gaze was steady and unwavering.
「But I cannot tell Noie about it.」
「……Why?」
「Because I cannot give you the answer to that question.」
I couldn’t possibly tell her that she herself was being held hostage. If she knew, given who Noie was… scary things would likely happen just from thinking about it, so I stopped my thoughts there.
But her dark red eyes, unconvinced, stared straight at me.
I understood. Stubborn Noie wanted to know 『that answer』.
So, I would stand my ground. She had misunderstood my stubbornness as dislike… If it turned out that was wrong, I was prepared to face the Head Maid’s counterattack and get some revenge.
「So, Noie.」
「…Yes.」
「I promise.」
「Pro…mise?」
She tilted her head slightly, looking incredibly cute. But I had to endure various things right now.
「Yes. I can’t say it now. But I will definitely tell Noie. Why I called someone else by a different name… Even if it’s impossible now, I absolutely will.」
Noie’s ahoge, which had been trembling, swayed softly.
「Really…?」
「Yes. So, from now on, I will think hard about how to tell Noie the truth. Otherwise, Noie wouldn’t like it, right?」
She gave a small nod.
「Because I told Noie, right? 『If you don’t say what you don’t understand, I won’t know.』 Noie doesn’t know the reason for this lie of mine, does she?」
She nodded.
「So I promise Noie. 『I will definitely tell you this thing I cannot say now.』 It might take some time… but will you wait for me?」
「…Yes.」
「Thank you, Noie.」
I reached out and ruffled her hair vigorously.
Then, she stretched out her arms and hugged me. Just a bit too much force… as expected, I was pushed over.
As a man, how should I feel about this?
Being pushed down by a woman… Well, the only one who could stop Noie’s serious charge would be the large women from the Empire, I suppose.
She rubbed her face against my chest, just like a cat.
When I petted her cute head as much as I could, she gently placed both arms on my body and peeked up at my face.
「Arg-sama.」
「Yes.」
「Promise.」
「Yes, I promise.」
「…Definitely tell me.」
「Yes.」
「…………Before you forget.」
「I will do my best. No, I will really do my best.」
Wasn’t it unfair of Noie to look like she was about to cry?
My wife is truly honest, pure, cute… and stubborn.
Then, her ahoge, which had been swaying gently, suddenly stood up straight as if she noticed something.
「Arg-sama.」
「Yes.」
「Until you say it, we won’t.」
「Won’t what?」
Her cheeks turned slightly red, and expressionless Noie trembled.
What was this cute creature? I wanted to eat her up right now.
「We won’t. Until you say it… making children.」
「……」
I emergency-stopped my hand, which had been reaching out.
In other words, Glodia had taken Noie hostage, and now Noie had taken herself hostage to threaten me.
Just how much were you going to use yourself as a hostage to threaten me? But since I was deeply in love with you, I had no choice but to surrender completely.
「…Understood.」
It was a bitter decision. I would never forget this bitterness! Noie!
Noie tilted her head, looking at me with curious eyes as I trembled with endurance.
「Arg-sama.」
「Y-yes!」
「…Do you want to?」
I shook my head vigorously up and down. I was definitely not mistaken.
Then, Noie’s face turned bright red… and she collapsed onto me with a soft ‘pof’.
「Only today. But from tomorrow…」
I cut off Noie’s words and hugged her with all my might.
Alright! I’ll think about tomorrow when tomorrow comes! For now, I’ll give it my all in the present! I’ll go until I’m nothing but ash!
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