Only with Your Heart

That night, I slept only for a few hours, and when the morning came, Chizuru woke up immediately.

The windows have thin water droplets, and the morning sun, which usually shines in gold, is also blue and cloudy. I could still hear the rain faintly from the outside and felt more secluded in the castle than usual.

Chizuru blinked somewhat and tasted the warmth of the man (one) holding his back tightly in the bed.

Sleeping in such a way as to wrap Thousand Cranes' backs is something of an old Luklov preference or a habit. This outfit makes it difficult to move around while you wake up and you can't see his face right away, but it also has the advantage of being surrounded by its darling hands and enjoying the view of the morning.

Last night, Luklov's master bedroom, which he first had let in, is not as slaughtered as he felt in the darkness of the night when seen illuminated by the morning sun.

It was a well-maintained stone room, like the rest of the castle, five times the size of a thousand cranes room. But surprisingly few ornaments, minimal furniture was needed, and all I could see was a large fireplace and four-pillar bed, as well as a display of armor and weapons that dominated the corner of the room.

It was a room that didn't make you feel much life or warmth, but the only thing is that two ceramic candlesticks are placed on top of the mantle pieces in the fireplace, in pairs. This beautiful ceramic is decorated in dark blue with a fine geometric pattern on the white, not flashy but elegant.

On the night of the Lone Welcome feast, Chizuru was one of my choices.

Feeling his eyelids getting hot, Chizuru chewed his lips with a whisper of breath.

How could you, even for a little while, have doubted Ruklov's affection?

No matter what he said in words, whether he was ostensibly cold or sometimes brutally held, a testament to his affection appeared in so many places that he didn't like it. Chizuru felt it and only had to believe it.

Last night, though it eventually subsided where it should have subsided, it would have done something embarrassing.

Chizuru, who softly brought his left hand in front of his face to keep Luklov awake, stared at the golden ring strapped to his pharmacopoeia.

The only ring with no jewels was gold, but it had a woven, mixed, linear edition pattern, a slightly thick design reminiscent of the Celtic style. Despite being supposed to be a complete handiwork, clutter is a delicate decoration that you won't see at all. I'm sure it would have been quite worth it if it had been done by a goldsmith with so much arm.

Remembering what Lone was saying, Ruklov had been bowing his head, Chizuru felt tears pouring in.

Then,

"What's up? You don't like it?

The faint voice of a sleeping luklov tickled the ears of a thousand cranes.

Chizuru looked back only at his neck and replied with a smile on his mouth.

"Yeah...... so pretty...... I didn't realize you had such a fine, lovely pattern last night, I was in love with it."

"You like that?

Ruklov's voice was somewhere satisfied, and Chizuru grinned.

"Of course. Because if you ask me to give it back, I won't give it back to you anymore"

"You're in trouble."

Luklov, who gently half-spinned Chizuru's body, smiled invincibly as he faced her in bed. "Apparently my bride is quite greedy. You have to remember that."

A low, masculine voice, a creeping sense of comfort ran all over Chizuru's body, shaking slightly.

"My Bride".

Yes, last night, Chizuru agreed to Luklov's proposal without one or two, so that's what happens... Though I knew it, I still didn't get a sense of it, and Chizuru felt the nickname.

This beautiful, hard man who smiles in front of you becomes his own husband. with him for the rest of his life, and maybe even have a family. It's so weirder not to feel high.

"Really beautiful...... Thanks, but I'm sorry I couldn't repay you for anything."

That's what Chizuru told Luklov as he twisted himself in his arms. Ruklov reacted quickly, thinking he immediately held a thousand cranes, lips to her neck and whispered along with a hot breath.

"If it pays back, let's get plenty on the bed. For the rest of my life."

After the two of us enjoyed the sweet mornings as they were, Chizuru, dressed up, went down to the dining room with Luklov.

Though I was prepared for once, Chizuru, who had just had one too happy moment, made his body stiff when confronted with various realities - yes, to a less thankless reality named Lady Exia.

"Good morning, Master Ruklov. I was worried that he was gone last night."

Lady Exia, with her shimmering blonde curly hair tied high above her head, had put together a luxurious dark green dress that looked like it would accentuate her thin, long neck, arranging a seat just next to Ruklov's top seat. Across Luklov, it becomes the seat just in front of Chizuru.

Is it because Chizuru's heart is narrow that he feels provoked?

No, you're not. This blonde countess is making a clear statement of intent that she won't give up Lucroff so easily.

Exia looked just a little older than Chizuru.

To the big blue eyes, the thin, curly nose is facing upwards, and the lips are thin. Feelings like the daughter of a spoiled good house of high pride seemed like every corner of her standing behavior, and even with the exception of the stories of Luklov and her marriage, she wasn't likely to have much of a fondness.

Exia, sitting in the seat next to Ruklov, carrying a silver cup of wine in her mouth with luscious tricks, ignores Chizuru as if on purpose.

Unfortunately, the loan isn't here yet.

Ruklov reached out to Chizuru, who was stiffening his shoulders one step back, and told him in a clear tone that he would face Exia.

"Lady Exia. This is Chizl. My fiancée."

Exia's hand with the silver cup stopped perfectly.

Blue eyes are beautiful when you're smiling, but they look terribly cold and cruel when you can turn your hostile gaze. Chizuru gently folded his knee as a courtesy and bowed his head just a little.

Of course, Exia ignored that greeting.

"You just said you were my fiancée?

Chizuru became more and more uncomfortable with the cold voice up there.

No matter how much Lucrov chose Thousand Cranes for me, Exia is the only daughter of his political enemies. I didn't think I could get a bad hips and stimulate it, and I didn't want to do anything that would disadvantage Ruklov's position.

So Chizuru was still silent.

"Exactly, Lady Exia. The wedding is going to take place before winter. I mean, I can't respond to your suggestion last night... although I think the loan already told me so"

"Surely the Duke of Lone said that. But until I heard it from your mouth, I couldn't believe it."

"Well, now you understand."

"Yes."

On the surface, Exia calmly interacts with Luklov.

Thousands of cranes weren't familiar with psychology, but maybe Lady Exia, not that she's not angry, is just too pride to disturb and rough up her voice in public. I'm sure you want to jump on a thousand cranes in your heart and scratch them around with those sharp, tidy nails.

To the evidence, the Countess's hand was trembling in small pieces.

Exia slowly snapped with a single-octave lowered voice as she turned her prickly gaze toward Chizuru.

"Yeah... okay. I'm so sorry to hear that. I believed my plan would bring peace to this land."

Ruklov replied that he would hold Chizuru's shoulder with one hand and draw it in front of his chest.

"There seems to be a disagreement about that, but let's thank you for the suggestion, Lady Exia"

And I mouthed the top of Chizuru's head, and I continued. "When the weather has recovered, I will bring you to your father. Until then, I hope you slow down in this castle."

Exhia's fierce gaze full of hostility is still sticking to Chizuru.

"Yeah, that would help."

The tone was unnaturally soft, which in turn made me feel malicious.

When Lucrov and Chizuru sat in the chair, Lady Exia took a seat because she was tired, leaving the dining room behind her early feet. Lucrov didn't even hold back, and naturally Chizuru didn't feel that way either.

Nadal shows up from somewhere and then starts serving meals to Rukrov and Chizuru. The squire boy grinned slightly as he poured grapes into Lucrov's cup.

"I was worried about you last night, but you seem to have made up properly"

Ruklov raised a single eyebrow at the boy to warn him.

"I wasn't making any other mistake. Lady Exia was the only one making a scene."

"But it won't be pleasant for Master Chizuru. Besides, it's the first time I've heard Mr. Ruklov call Mr. Chizuru his fiancée in public. Well, I didn't have to tell you, I knew you thought so."

That said, Nadal winks at Chizuru to show.

Chizuru accidentally dyed her cheeks red.

I didn't know that even Nadal, a boy still not old enough, understood Lucrov's sincerity that way. Ruklov deliberately ignored Nadal's allegations and issued a trouble-paying order, "Bring water to Chizl".

Nadal smiles and answers "Yes, yes" and disappears in the direction of the cooking area.

"He needs to be reworked."

And, Ruklov said in an ironic tone, he didn't seem angry. Chizuru smiles, overlapping his own hands on Lucrov's hand as he stretches from under the table to stroke his thighs.

"Can I do this while complaining about that kid's...?

"I would have had a good patience last night. If you don't let me do this, I won't be able to hold my teeth later."

Chizuru remembered last night, additionally imagining Luklov and himself unexpectedly after becoming 'toothpicky', making his face more and more red.

Ruklov's hand gradually breaks into the inner thigh of the thousand cranes, approaching the sensitive area.

"Le... croft..."

A suppressed, but uncut voice leaked out of Thousand Cranes' lips.

Conversely, Ruklov slips his fingertips further into depth with a satanic smile on his mouth as if to enjoy it. Chizuru turned his back against Biriri.

"What do you say?

"Here, in public like this..."

There is no one nearby right now, with Nadal in the cooking area, because both the previous seat where Exia was sitting and the seat next to Thousand Cranes are empty. Still, if you go through the side, if you're a good person, you'll soon realize what's going on.

Chizuru stared at Ruklov with his plea eyes.

I wasn't sure what you were looking for - whether you wanted me to stop it or give you more comfort - though I wasn't sure myself.

"Luklov......"

"A middle-aged man in love is an ugly thing to behave like a rambling bull in the morning, Ruklov"

Lone's voice was heard from behind, and Chizuru turned to reality all the time. When I look back in haste, a lightly dressed loan lays one hand on the back of Chizuru's chair at some point, standing with a pleasant grin.

Ruklov chirped his tongue and complained of his dissatisfaction.

"Who's middle age?"

"Oh, a man who said he was too old until a few days ago, but now he's here."

The red-haired big man continued as he ignored Ruklov's dissatisfied face and turned a smile toward Chizuru. "... though, can I say congratulations, Chizul? It's like this when it rains and it hardens."

"Huh."

Still blurring his head, he followed the end of Lone's gaze, his eyes on his drug finger. Until last night, there was a beautiful gold ring shining, and Lone says congratulations on it.

Even after he saw the scene of embarrassment, Chizuru stirred up. Lone grins satisfactorily and sits straight next to Chizuru.

When Nadal came back from the cooking area and gave Chizuru the water, he started talking to Ruklov about something. In that gap, Lone sneaks his ear into Chizuru.

"I told you. He's definitely still got it."

"Ugh, yeah......"

Chizuru remembered when Luklov took out the ring.

The ring was hidden in his chest.

of the heart, of the heart, right around the corner.

Just thinking about what it meant, Chizuru couldn't stop his own chest from getting hot.

I still care about Lady Exia.

The fact that he left the seat so lightly as to clap it out also reinforced his anxiety more than he felt safe. But even Thousand Cranes can fight for this thought. I didn't mean to lose.