Chapter 112: Orihime and Isamu

“Hey Nico, is it okay for us to listen to this together?”

“Oh, come on, it’s too late for that. This is also Isamu-san’s consideration, you know? He proposed to our daughter in front of us without hiding anything because he loves her. He’s quite the man, isn’t he? Really handsome.”

Seeing that Isamu’s proposal has settled down, the two in the gallery start whispering to each other.

“… “

Perhaps it was too stimulating for Julius, as he just stands there with his mouth agape.

“Ah, sorry, we can hear everything…”

“Really, Father, Mother…”

Isamu and Annemarie look at the gallery with incredibly solemn expressions.

“Haha, sorry about that. Hey, you, say something!”

“Yeah, um… well. What can I say. Our daughter, Ann, is truly a good girl. She hasn’t complained once, honed her magic skills, and even helped us with managing the territory. So, I have only one wish. Please, don’t make our daughter sad. I can’t say that I don’t want her to have physical happiness, but above all, please cherish her feelings. Can you promise me just that?”

“Father…”

At first, he seemed a bit embarrassed, but it was a typical request from Selfers, who cherishes his daughter above all else.

“Yes. Of course. I swear I’ll never do anything to make Annemarie-san sad.”

Isamu also looks Selfers in the eyes and answers firmly.

“I see… understood, thank you. Please take care of my daughter, Isamu.”

Selfers, who spoke as if chewing on his words, slowly bowed his head to Isamu.

“Yes, definitely. Thank you for your continued support, Father-in-law.”

Isamu, on the other hand, straightens his back and bows neatly.

“Hehe, Ann, isn’t it nice? Since you’re so shy, I was worried you might never get married…”

“Ah… I’m sorry for worrying you.”

“It’s good that Isamu-san is a reliable person. Make sure not to make him sad, okay?”

“Yes. Of course! I’ll never do such a thing.”

In response to her mother’s inquiry, Annemarie answers with determination in her eyes.

“Um… does that mean, by any chance, Isamu-sama will become my older brother?”

Finally regaining his composure, Julius asks Isamu a question.

“Yeah, that’s right, Julius. I’m counting on you from now on!”

Smiling, Isamu answers while placing his hand on Julius’s head.

“Wow… amazing… Isamu-sama is going to be my older brother! Isamu-niisama, please continue to teach me many things in the future!!”

Upon hearing that, Julius looks up at Isamu and says happily.

“Well then, shall we reschedule to submit the engagement notice to the church and officially announce the engagement within the territory? However, when the eldest child of a noble family gets engaged or married, there’s a rule that it doesn’t become official until it’s submitted to His Majesty the King. It’s customary to submit it at the Grand Council, but is that okay with you?”

When the eldest son of a noble family gets married, it’s a crucial matter that determines the future of that family, whether or not there will be an heir, so it can’t be decided by just the parties involved.

“Yes, of course it’s okay. However, in terms of timing, I’d like to make it official before the joint exercises.”

“Oh, that’s fine. There’s a time set aside at the end of the council meeting for each noble family to submit their notices, and they’re accepted collectively. Many are also appointed as the leaders of the knight orders after their engagements. So, it’s planned that the royal trials and joint exercises will be held afterward as the first public event after the engagement.”

“I see.That’s a rational system. I’m relieved to hear that!”

Wanting to make the engagement official before the joint exercises so he could show his strength without any worries, Isamu was relieved that things were going smoothly.

“Well then, sorry, but may I leave for a moment? …I’ll go check on Orihime.”

After discussing the future procedures, Isamu brought up the topic.

“Ah… now that you mention it, Orihime-chan left in the middle, didn’t she… Is she okay?”

Annamarie asks Isamu with concern.

“Yes, she might be surprised, but I think she’ll be fine. Well then, I’ll be back in a bit.”

With a smile, Isamu answers, then leaves the parlor.

When Isamu returns to the bedroom, Orihime is curled up on the pillow. Her eyes are closed, but her ears are moving, indicating she’s not asleep.

Isamu walks slowly and sits on the bed. Looking out the window at the night sky, there’s a large bluish crescent moon and a small reddish half-moon.

“Hey, Hime, do you remember when we first met?”

While gently stroking Orihime’s head, Isamu asks. Instead of answering, Orihime wags her tail twice.

The meeting between Isamu and Orihime was about seven years ago.

It was when Isamu casually peeked into the large pet shop in the home center while shopping.

Among many kittens lined up, there was one noticeably large cat, so he stopped by the display out of curiosity.

Looking at the sign posted outside the display, he found out it was a British Shorthair female cat who was about seven months old.

Considering that the other kittens were all about 2-3 months old, she must be quite large indeed.

Not knowing much about cats, Isamu was curious about the unfamiliar breed and was watching her, even though she had her back turned to him and was sleeping, when a clerk approached him.

According to the clerk, when she was about three months old, someone paid a deposit and went as far as making a reservation, but the person suddenly got a job overseas and canceled, and since then, they couldn’t find a buyer.

After watching for a while, she finally stretched and turned around.

Enchanted by her round and adorable face and her beautiful golden and white fur, Isamu stared at her without thinking, and she noticed him and let out a “meow” and scratched the glass of the showcase twice.

After that, to be honest, I don’t remember much. I think I immediately called the clerk and asked if I could take her home right away.

After about six months, it seems it becomes quite difficult to sell, so they said they could further discount the price, which was already less than half of the initial price, but honestly, I didn’t care about the price at all.

Without much confirmation, I signed the contract, bought everything they said was necessary on the spot, and then realized that I had come by train.

I hurriedly went through the procedure to rent a light truck at the home center, put her, who I had just bought, in the carrier, and headed home with her on the passenger seat.

While driving, I heard on the FM radio from the light truck’s car navigation system that it was Tanabata today, so I decided to name her “Orihime.”

By the way, I still can’t remember at all what I originally went to the home center to buy.

“I don’t know what Hime said at that time, but it sounded like she was saying ‘take me with you’ to me. Meeting Hime that day at that store, I still think it was fate. No, maybe that feeling has become even stronger since coming to this world… I never imagined that I would come to another world with Hime and that she would become a messenger of the goddess.”

While petting Orihime, who had somehow moved onto his lap, Isamu continues speaking.

“Since that day, Hime has undoubtedly been my most important family member. Even when I came home tired from work, I could feel better because Hime was there. Even after coming here, I’ve been able to get through because Hime was by my side. That won’t change in the future. But now, I have one more person who is very important to me, someone I can consider family. So, as a senior member of the family, as a big sister, won’t you welcome Anne?”

As Orihime curls up on his lap and keeps moving her ears, Isamu asks.

“Nyafoo~”

Orihime stands up as if to say “oh well, it can’t be helped” and then bumps her tail against Isamu’s face.

“Nyanyan”

After gently licking Isamu’s nose once, Orihime jumps down from his lap.

“Hime…”

“Nyan nya~”

Then, with her tail held up high, she walks out of the bedroom.

A few tens of seconds later, Annemarie’s delighted voice is heard from the adjacent room.

“Orihime-chan!!!”

“Sigh, Hime is really too good of a girl… Thank you. And please continue to take care of me forever and ever.”

Isamu’s murmured words slowly dissolve into the air of the room illuminated by the faint moonlight.

Previous chapter | TOC | Next chapter