Book 8: Chapter 9: Lets put a ribbon on the kitten. (1/2)
She felt like she was having a pleasant dream. While the content of the dream is hard to remember, she did remember her father smiling calmly at her.
”…dad.”
Monica, who had been sleeping in a blissful dream, shivered from the chilly weather. The early morning wind when the winter approaching penetrated even through the slightest crack in the blanket. Crawling into the depths of the blanket, she noticed that there was something warm nearby and unconsciously approached it. When she put her body against it, it felt warm and cozy.
But he does seem rather large for Nero… hmm…
I don't know what it is, but it's warm, so it's okay, thought Monica, abandoning her thoughts and falling asleep. A soft hand stroked Monica's hair, and then something softly touched her cheek.
Monica was familiar with this pleasant feeling.
”…Paw… Good morning, Nero…”
”Nero?”
Monica was instantly arisen by a voice that came from close by. Opening her eyes to the limit to stare at the voice revealed jewel-like blue eyes staring tenderly at Monica.
Monica squealed inaudibly and rolled off the bed. Which followed by dynamic rumbles after.
As she crawled on the floor, the prophecy of Mary Harvey, the [Star Oracle Witch], flashed through her mind.
—I can foresee your love life is on a roll right now! Moreover, you might end up spending a passionate night with a nice gentleman~☆
Could this be the kind of thing where maybe, just maybe, I have crossed the line? thought Monica as she rubbed her forehead on the floor before saying in a shaky voice.
”Exe…”
”Exe?”
”Will I be executed…?”
Felix chuckled at the deathly look on Monica's face as he raised his upper body on the bed. He's not wearing anything on his upper body, completely naked. She had snuggled against that chest, after all. Having her head chopped off wasn't something she could complain about.
”Do you think I'd kill a cute little kitten just because it got into my bunk?”
”Eh? A cat?”
Monica brought her face up and glanced around. Yet, she could not see any cat in the room. Where's the cat? thought Monica as she tilted her head, at which Felix looked with amusement.
”You drank a glass of wine last night, then all of a sudden you took off your clothes and fell asleep.”
Monica finally realized why she was in her underwear. No wonder she felt so cold. At least, she didn't cross the line and breathed a sigh of relief at that fact.
”Don't you feel cold in that outfit?”
”Oh, yes. I apologize for showing you something embarrassing. I'll get changed soon… Huh?”
Feeling a strange sensation around her neck, she touched it with her fingers and felt thin chains that felt like a necklace. As she lowered her gaze, she saw small greenstone glittering on her chest, reflecting the morning sun.
Monica gave Felix a puzzled look to which Felix rested his cheek on his propped-up knee and narrowed his eyes.
”It resembles the color of your eyes, after all. They look good together.”
”This is…”
”You told me you wouldn't be as happy as that time if I gave you jewelry.”
Monica lowered her eyebrows and gave a small nod. But looking at her response, Felix felt a bit lonely before giving her a sad smile.
Monica silently studied the necklace. Hanging at the end of the thin golden chain was an olive green stone, slightly larger than her pinky nail. The bright green color with a slight golden tinge was probably peridot. The modest and cute design must have been chosen with her personality in mind. Nevertheless, she, not accustomed to accessories, looked up at Felix in confusion.
”Um, I know you've been paying for this room, and you also paid for the book for a huge sum, but I can't receive any more than this…”
Monica would feel bad if she received any gifts more than that. So she reached for the clasp on the back of her neck to take the necklace off and return it to him. But not familiar with this kind of thing, she didn't know how to take it off.
As she clumsily moved her fingers, Felix got off the bed to hold her hand from above. But, the moment he touched her, Monica's body tensed up.
Growing up with her father's personal medical books and models of the human body, the idea of seeing or being seen naked was not a concern for Monica. But being touched by people is scary. Recalling how unreasonably violent her uncle was, her body unconsciously tensed up.
Felix brought Monica's hand down from where it was trying to remove her necklace when she was shivering for a different reason than the cold. After which, he ran his fingertips along the gold chain that adorned Monica's neck.
”I know you were thinking that this necklace is too early for you… But I didn't give this necklace to you. I'm giving it to you for my own satisfaction, for my own sake.”
Unsure of what Felix was trying to say, Monica looked up at him with a confused look in her eyes.
Felix gave a slightly bitter smile and plucked the peridot with his fingertips, pulling it lightly. The thin chain dug into Monica's skin just a little.
”A tangible gift—especially a wearable one—is a good way to hold people's hearts together, right?”
Holding people's hearts together with things. That's a very proud aristocrat thing to say.
So why does this person look so lonely?
Felix's exquisite fingertips lifted the peridot. His shapely lips drop a kiss to the olive green jewel which's much like Monica's eyes.
”I want you to remember these memories. The memories of [Eig] who's been hanging out with you.”
At first glance, the scene would have looked like a man and a woman who had spent the night together vowing their love to each other in the morning light, with their clothes in disarray.
However, as she gazed at Felix's long eyelashes in front of her, Monica was quietly thinking.
—I will probably never be able to hang out at night with [Eig] again.
That's why Felix gave Monica so many gifts, to the point of being excessive. To preserve as many memories as possible of the young man named Eig.
Once Felix took his hand away from the peridot, the beautiful olive green reflected against Monica's pale skin. The peridot shone beautifully in the colors of the meadow as the morning sun glimmered through the window. Her eyes, which usually looked brownish, likewise turned a little darker green in the bright light.
”Peridot glows beautifully, even in the slightest light on a dark night. I'm sure I can find you easily if you wear it.”