chapter 85
I could only stare at Koenig with startled eyes.
“You really don’t know what that means, tsk tsk…”
Eloise shook her head just like I did.
She clearly believed Koenig didn’t know the true meaning behind his own gift.
But honestly, I wasn’t any different—I also thought he was just giving me a reward for helping him secure the crystal mine.
That was exactly what I thought… until Koenig’s lips curved upward.
“A crystal ring is something you give to the partner you’ll spend eternity with, right?”
Gasp—he knew?!
Then why give it to me?
Koenig knows I’m a beastkin, but he doesn’t know what I really look like… Well, he has seen my human form before, but he doesn’t know that was me.
C-could Gerard have been telling the truth when he said Koenig fell in love at first sight…?
While I was awkwardly fidgeting with my fingers—
“A companion squirrel is still a partner.”
“Chuu.”
Tch. Of course.
“What were you thinking about for your face to get so red? You’re like a cherry…”
Koenig poked my cheek lightly.
I hadn’t even realized my face was flushed.
“Oh my…”
“Kahaha! If I knew the entertainment here was this good, I would’ve come to the Black Dragon Castle sooner!”
Eloise and Lord Ferdinand joined in teasing me, and I couldn’t help glaring at them in annoyance.
“Chu! Chuuut!”
Stop teasing me and walk! Hurry!
As I reached out to him impatiently, Koenig let out a soft laugh and retrieved a small bracelet from the jewelry box.
He placed it gently on my arm.
I thought it might be too big—
“Chuut?!”
It automatically resized itself to fit my wrist perfectly.
“Chu!”
This is—!
“Good thing I told them to add an auto-adjusting feature.”
Koenig said easily, his eyes curving pleasantly.
Something told me he’d left out the part where he worked the craftsmen to death… but I decided to let it slide just for today.
“Chuuut! Chu!”
Amazing!!
I sparkled with excitement, twisting my arm around to see the bracelet gleam from every angle.
Even when I darted across the banquet table and showed off all sorts of acrobatics, it didn’t budge an inch.
Every time I moved, cheers and whistles erupted.
“Kahahaha! Truly, this one is no ordinary creature!”
“Cherry Cherry, won’t you become the escort of my merchant caravan?”
Of course it was Lord Ferdinand and Eloise enjoying the show.
Behind them, even the servants of the Black Dragon Castle—and Gerard—were watching.
“Chu, chut.”
Embarrassed, I coughed lightly.
Koenig, smiling beautifully, extended a hand to me.
“Cherry.”
Normally, whenever he wore that pretty expression, something terrifying always followed…
“Chu… chut?”
I looked up nervously. His elegant lips parted slowly.
My heart pounded for no reason.
“Now that you’ve accepted the crystal bracelet, you’ll have to stay by my side forever, won’t you?”
…Huh?
Only then did I realize something was very, very wrong.
A terrible suspicion crept over me:
Maybe this crystal bracelet… was actually a shackle.
Just like the pearl anklet I’d given Bishop…
Me, Cherry—leader of the Squirrel Mafia—had apparently mortgaged my entire life away for something shiny.
“You won’t be going anywhere ever again. Right?”
Koenig’s mischievous face filled my vision as it wavered.
“Chuu… chuut…”
Yep. Something had gone horribly, completely wrong.
* * *
Is today my birthday or something?
After the meal where I received the crystal bracelet, Eloise said she had something to show me and began leading me somewhere.
Naturally, Koenig and Lord Ferdinand followed.
The destination we arrived at—along with the dragonlings—was a room right next to Koenig’s bedroom.
“Cherry Cherry, this is your room.”
“Chu… uut…?”
My room?
I could only stare blankly at Eloise.
“I thought the second floor would be perfect, but this one absolutely insisted that was unacceptable.”
Eloise narrowed her eyes, shooting her little brother a sharp glare.
A moment ago, Koenig had been all smiles. Now his face was full of irritation.
“I’ve told you many times—Cherry doesn’t need another room. She’s staying with me.”
But Eloise was firm.
“That’s what you think.”
“…”
“Everyone needs a space of their own.”
She referenced the past incident—when she fought with Koenig and I ran away.
She clearly heard about it from Gerard.
“….”
“L-lady Eloise! Ah-choo! That was supposed—achoo!—to stay a secret!”
Gerard, sensing Koenig’s chilling glare, tried to slip Morse code into his sneezes, but Eloise didn’t catch any of it.
She was too busy teasing her brother.
“What will you do if it happens again?”
“It won’t.”
“That’s also what you think. Somehow I feel like it’ll happen again soon. In that case, I hope Cherry Cherry comes to my room this time… hmm, maybe I should move back to the main castle?”
Eloise winked.
“If so, I doubt you’d see me or Cherry Cherry in the Black Dragon Castle the next day.”
“Then I shall follow you to the ends of the earth, Sister. Don’t worry.”
Ah. And here I thought the mood had warmed—sparks were flying again between the Kreuz siblings.
“Haha… Lady Cherry’s room must be quite something. The Young Lady decorated it herself, so I’m excited to see how cute it is!”
It was Gerard, the mediator, who cut through the tension.
“Chu! Chut!”
I want to see it! Show me my room!
Moved by his effort, I chimed in enthusiastically.
Jumping down to the floor, I sprinted wildly around the room.
Naturally, all eyes shifted to me.
“Cherry Cherry, you’re that happy?”
“Chu! Chu!”
Yes!!
Eloise asked with a bright smile, but I was too busy basking in pure joy to reply properly.
Because—
It’s my room. My own room!!!
I had never had a room this wonderful in my entire life.
It was slightly smaller than the duke’s bedroom, but the interior design was just as luxurious.
A spacious canopy bed perfect for rolling around all day, exquisite furniture…
I had never had a room like this.
Even when I lived in the Aymond duchy, my room—supposedly the successor’s room—was shabby.
All the furniture was whatever they found stored in the warehouse, and the lighting was so poor you hardly got sunlight unless it was noon.
Not to mention—
It was right by the staircase, so I constantly heard servants passing by.
I was always on edge, worried someone would barge in at any moment.
And after I dropped out of the academy, they tossed me into an outhouse.
They called it an annex, but it was basically an abandoned shack.
After that…
The house I lived in was a true ruin—meant for someone who wanted to disappear.
“Chuu…”
My eyes welled with tears.
And then, beside my ear, Eloise spoke softly:
“Cherry Cherry, it’s too early to be touched. There’s more.”
M-more…?
She held out her hand. My heart thumped as I climbed onto it.
She led me to a small room inside the bedroom. When the door opened—
“Chu—!? Chuuuuut!!”
What is ALL THIS?!
It wasn’t an exaggeration—my amazement burst from the deepest part of my soul.
Dozens of dresses, various accessories matched to each outfit—enough to fill the entire room.
It looked like an entire boutique had been transplanted into the castle.
“I picked things that I thought would suit you. Do you like them?”
“Chuut!”
I bit my lip hard to keep myself from sobbing.
In my 18 years of life, I had never received gifts like this.
My father never cared about me.
My mother was ill.
My father’s concubine treated me like a thorn in her eye, and my half-sister threw her out-of-fashion clothes at me like scraps.
“Cherry…?”
Seeing my trembling face, Eloise looked momentarily troubled.
But then—
“I’m glad you like it. Next time, we’ll go to a boutique and get custom pieces made.”
She gently kissed my forehead.
It really felt like I had gained another family.
My heart felt warm… and at the same time, uneasy.
I’m scared.
A chill ran through me as I hugged myself.
Just like my father’s affection had vanished like a mirage—
What if their love disappeared too?
If that happened…
I don’t think I could survive it.
