CH 11

Chapter 11

Today was our wedding anniversary.

Finally, the day had arrived. It would be our first and last wedding anniversary. Even though I couldn’t take Noah anywhere because I had to work on the weekend, I still want to give him the gift I prepared. It was so difficult to prepare this small villa!

During the months of preparation, I went to the guild during the day to avoid letting him find out before checking and decorating the villa myself. I believed that Noah would be surprised and very happy if I gave him this gift, but I didn’t expect it to be the last gift!

I never thought that we would end up like this after just one year of marriage, despite how unpredictable life could be.

I’ve come to realize that there was no such thing as a destined partner in this world.

Sob, sob.

First, let’s wipe away the tears.

Nevertheless, I still believe that this villa was a sincere gift for Noah, and I would convey that thought to him. I’ve heard that we should love our partner passionately so that we wouldn’t have any regrets later on.

Even if I have to give up everything, I should achieve a successful ending so that Noah wouldn’t cry and feel sad, even if he has to live alone later on. I had so many days ahead of me, and I couldn’t afford to do such a foolish thing.

Besides, this was my first proper gift for him, and it would also be my last.

Maybe he would forgive me more easily if I did it well, and I actually did it with that intention. Would he just tell me to leave and look down on me, feeling sorry?

…Or was I expecting too much?

If it didn’t work, there was nothing I could do.

By the way, it seemed like my assistant came urgently as soon as I got up earlier. It wouldn’t be that we couldn’t go today, right?

I kicked off the blanket and got out of bed, driving away the morning drowsiness.

After taking a bath and drying my hair with a towel, Noah suddenly came into the room and took the towel from behind. I saw his face in the mirror and asked.

“Noah, have you finished work? If it’s urgent, we can just go later in the evening.”

He had left earlier due to something urgent but has now returned.

“No, Hazel. I have finished everything.”

He replied as he skillfully dried her hair with his hands. As I sat there with my eyes closed, I felt a ticklish sensation around my neck.

When I opened my eyes, I saw a necklace.

“…Huh?”

A golden jewel was surrounded by transparent and sparkling diamonds, and each was intricately crafted. It was similar to my eyes. The necklace wasn’t too big or too small, it was perfect, just to my taste.

I examined it closely, admiring its unique design.

Hmm…This looks similar to what I said while fiddling with the necklace I wore on a date, I mentioned that if the necklace were designed like this, it would be even prettier.

“Noah, isn’t this pretty?”

“Yes, it suits you very well, Hazel’s eyes.”

“What if we use slightly smaller diamonds and spread them out a little bit to cover the neck like a shawl on an open shoulder dress? It would sparkle like waves every time I moved. Well, I guess it would be too flashy for everyday wear since we don’t have any fancy parties to attend.”

“Shall we throw a party then?”

“Excuse me? It costs a lot of money to throw a party, you know. The rumors say that even the Marquess and Marchioness of Ferrarium are always running out of money.”

“It’s just a small amount of money…”

“Huh? Noah, what did you say?”

“Nothing.”

Was it because of my mood? Or did he remember that, too?

It was a casual story that came to mind as I remembered the necklace I wore that day. Noah didn’t often give gifts, let alone prepare them with so much time and effort. When did he become such a thorough person?

Although he had always been ahead of me, today, I wanted to surprise him for once. Yet, once again, I found myself one step behind.

As I turned my body around to face him, the surprise was evident on my face, and I gazed at him.

“Thank you for marrying me.”

Noah said as if he had been waiting.

“…Noah.”

“Hazel, I love you.”

As I blinked and looked up at him, he smiled and began showering kisses on my forehead and nose. Initially, I thought he might feel upset that his plans were ruined, but today he seemed much happier than usual. Perhaps he came up with another plan quickly while I wasn’t looking?

…No, that couldn’t be it.

I kept looking at him and raised my hand, slowly wrapping it around his cheek.

Despite being able to do everything else, confessing my love to Noah was awkward for me. I would have preferred not to confess at all. It was hard to keep my emotions in check when I saw his love evident in his eyes.

“Me, too.”

I said, my throat choking up.

“Thank you for marrying me, Noah. Marrying you is the best thing that ever happened to me in the world…”

“Hazel?”

No, I couldn’t let him know that I was faltering…

“I think it’s the best thing I’ve ever done! I love you, the most in the world… I’m really lucky.”

Noah’s face, which had just shown an angelic smile, turned expressionless and he stared at me with an unreadable look in his eyes. I wondered if I had said something wrong or if I had smiled too much and exaggerated.

I was caught off guard by his reaction for a moment.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Because you’re lovely.”

My eyes widened as Noah kissed me on the lips. As my lips parted, his lips suddenly touched my ear. I shivered with pleasure as his deep, sweet voice whispered.

“I’m the luckiest man in the world.”

Huh…?

At that moment, my mind became alert and shivers ran down my spine.

The voice was undoubtedly Noah’s… but it wasn’t his. If people were to ask whose voice it was… it sounded like Kairos’ voice. It wasn’t Noah’s! The voice was smooth and kind, yet incredibly low and weighty.

It was like the voice of someone laying a trap.

“…I should hurry. I want to give you a gift too.”

I stood up from my seat to change the subject.

“Today, I’ll do whatever my wife wants. I’ll follow anything you want.”

I finished getting ready to go out, shaking off his persistent gaze.

* * *

“Noah, don’t open your eyes.”

“Got it.”

Noah replied with a cheerful, playful voice. We were like children playing around.

“You closed your eyes, right? You can’t see anything, right?”

“I can’t see anything.”

As I stepped out of the carriage, I quickly covered Noah’s eyes with a small cloth I had brought along.

As we approached the villa, I couldn’t help but feel nervous. The two-story building with a front door, five windows, and a small garden was much smaller than the mansion we had stayed in, but it was still a decent size and certainly larger than my guild.

I had built the villa as a gift for Noah, and although it was a bit nerve-wracking to give him such a meticulously-prepared present, I was excited to see his reaction.

Even though it was a distance that required a carriage ride, I prepared it so that he could rest here anytime he wanted. I had chosen this location because of the small creek nearby and had made sure to equip the villa with everything Noah might need for a comfortable stay.

With the villa now in sight, I untied the cloth covering Noah’s eyes, and his red eyes slowly opened.

I held my breath, waiting for his reaction. Relief washed over me as his eyes widened in surprise, and I could tell he was pleased with the gift.

“Noah, this was built just for you.”

“Hazel.”

“I know that sometimes you struggle with headaches and don’t like noisy environments very much. That’s why I wanted to provide you with a quiet and comfortable space.”

“….”

“And you always accommodate me with everything, right? We’ve been living different lives for over twenty years, so it’s unlikely we fit so well. It must be because Noah loves me a lot.”

Listening to my words, Noah gently reached out and caressed my cheek. As his warm hand enveloped my face, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of loneliness, but I pushed that feeling aside and forced a bright smile on my face.

“So, I wanted to show you my love as well. Well, to be honest, it’s heavily influenced by my personal taste, but it’s okay, right?”

“….”

I started my own gift-giving speech.

“You are perfect, but sometimes you might struggle and have a hard time so this is a place where you can relax and do nothing. You must not work here. If you have any worries that can’t be solved, you can come to me. I’ll accept everything for a day, just a day.”

After debating whether to say it or not, I shrugged my shoulders and said that. Meanwhile, Noah couldn’t take his eyes off me in the villa.

“I didn’t even think about this…”

He muttered softly.

“Do you like it?”

Noah turned around and hugged me as if burying me in his arms.

“I really like it.”

I was hugged so tightly, and kisses poured onto my lips without a break.

“I’m glad. Do you want to go in?”

When I asked, Noah, who had raised his head, nodded with a short laugh. Taking his hand, I led him to the entrance.

When I gave him the key, he opened the door with a happy expression.

“The fireplace is cute.”

“You don’t get cold easily, but I’ll prepare it so that you can still be cozy in the winter.”

I led Noah, who had looked around as if examining everything one by one, directly to the second-floor bedroom.

“This is the bedroom. It’s better than the one downstairs. What do you think, Noah? I also installed soundproofing on the windows. Even though there are no houses nearby, it’s still a place where you might want to rest more quietly at times. Oh, and here…”

I was explaining enthusiastically when Noah suddenly wrapped his arm around my waist, and his chest pressed against my back.

“I’d like to come here with Hazel rather than alone. It’s a place where we can rest together.”

“Then, the gift wouldn’t be meaningful, would it?”

“Just the fact that my wife prepared this for me is already enough. It’s comfortable and nice. Should I come here every weekend?”

“Every weekend…?”

Noah, who hugged me from behind, slowly lowered his head.

“It’s nice for me to stay in this room all the time since there’s only the two of us anyway.”

He whispered in my ear, tickling it on purpose. In an instant, my face turned red.

“…You pervert, really.”

I slipped out of his arms and looked back at him, laughing.

“Do you want to see the stream outside? Sometimes rabbits and deer appear. Oh, it looks great from here, too!”

I eagerly showed him around, leaving no break. Noah said every year on their anniversary that he wanted to come back here because he really liked this gift. It was a promise that may never be fulfilled in our lifetime though I gladly agreed.

* * *

After leaving the villa and saying goodbye to Noah, I headed to the guild to work. At this time, I sent Nigella out on a business trip, so I immediately called Ginger.

“Hello, boss! Good morning!”

As Ginger came in, she greeted me loudly and bowed 90 degrees.

“Welcome, Ginger Perian. Please sit comfortably in front.”

“Yes, boss!”

I smiled happily at Ginger and put the collected documents for organizing aside.

“How are you? Are you ready to work?”