Betrothed to My Sister's Ex

Early morning. I was crawling on the floor of the closet.

"Heave-ho..."

After stacking heavy wooden boxes, I let out a sigh.

"Alright. Now, I can somehow put a few more things here..."

Just then, there was a soft knocking on the door. I stepped out of the closet, wiped the sweat from my brow, and opened the door. There stood Lord Cyrus, lightly raising his hand and smiling.

"Good morning, Marie."

"Good morning."

I greeted him politely, and Lord Cyrus handed me a bag roughly the size of his embrace.

"This is a gift for you, Marie. A souvenir from the place I mentioned visiting."

What...? I stiffened involuntarily. But as I untied the ribbon and looked inside, I couldn't help but exclaim with joy. A realistic cat plush made from red yarn... it looked just like the "Tattered Red Cat"!

"Wow! It's so cute...!"

"Looks just like that 'Tattered Red Cat,' doesn't it?"

"Yes, really... Amazing. You said you went to the town of sculptures, but they had things like this too?"

When I said that, he made a complicated expression — a wry smile, as if trying to cover up a slip of the tongue. I tilted my head slightly but continued to cherish the plush.

It was my first time holding a plush toy. These things are quite expensive, you know. When I became aware of things, the Shadelan Family's business was already in decline, and before that, I was too young to be given such things.

"...I'm so happy. Plush toys are so cute and warm. Thank you. I'm truly happy..."

I hugged it tightly. Lord Cyrus just smiled silently.

I turned around to invite him into the room, but he immediately grabbed my shoulder and stopped me.

"Marie, sorry, but there's somewhere I want you to come right now. Leave the plush there and let's go together."

There was a serious atmosphere somehow. Though confused, I decided to put the plush away as he said.

I placed it back into the wrapping bag I had just removed, tied it again with the ribbon as it was when I received it, and hugged it carefully so as not to crush it. Then I opened the closet door at the back of the room—

"Are you going to store it there?"

"Ah!"

A voice came right next to my ear, and I jumped. Lord Cyrus was suddenly right behind me. Through my shoulder, he peered into the closet. Wha... what?

His green eyes stared intently at the dresses lined up and the piles of boxes stacked high from the floor. Then he sighed.

"...I thought so... just as I expected."

"W-what is it? It may look a bit cluttered, but all the boxes are labeled, and I remember their positions. I can get anything out immediately if needed..."

"That's the problem."

"Which one?"

Lord Cyrus sighed again deeply. Holding his head lightly, he whispered to me in a low, growling yet gentle voice.

"Marie. Why don't you display these? On top of the cabinet, beside the bed—there were plenty of places to put them. Not just this plush, but all the souvenirs and gifts from people other than me."

"...Eh... but..."

I tilted my head.

"I didn't want my personal belongings to get mixed up with the furnishings of this guest room and become unrecognizable. If I accidentally left something behind, it might cause trouble for the next guest staying here."

As I spoke, Lord Cyrus visibly deflated and sank down on the spot. W-what? I didn't understand the meaning of his reaction. I knelt down to peer at his expression. Then he grabbed my shoulder firmly and said calmly:

"Marie. This closet is yours. All the dresses and jewelry inside were made for you. You understand that, right?"

"Yes, Mio told me that when I just arrived here."

"This entire room is yours too."

"........"

For a moment, I was confused and tilted my head. Then Lord Cyrus caught my head with his hands and gently pushed it back to its original position. I tilted it the other way.

"Isn't this a guest room?"

"Well, yes. Originally. But it was renovated to welcome you as my wife. Most of the furnishings were acquired this spring."

"...And when the next important guest comes?"

"There won't be one. There is only you."

Lord Cyrus tilted my head back once more. His green eyes squinted in a wry smile.