Chapter 34 — The Abrubt Change of the Yeti of the Borderlands

Volume 1 — The Temporary Snow Country Life of the Northern Nobleman and the Raptor Wife

I fixed my posture and my expression.

I then decided to explain about that hug and kiss yesterday.

“Hey, Sieg.”

“What’s wrong? You’re suddenly being so polite.”

“No, about that yesterday.

“……”

When I brought that topic up, Sieg frowned. Maybe I shouldn’t have said it.

However, I already said it, so I can’t act as if I didn’t say it. I continued talking.

“Truth be told, grandfather was suspicious of our relationship so I did that to look like a real couple.”

“……So, that was why.”

“I really am sorry for doing that without talking about it to you in advance.”

“……”

I bowed down to Sieg.

For some reason, I felt as though a heavy pressure was pressing down so I could not lift my head.

“Lift up your head.”

“……”

“Now.”

“Yes.”

I obeyed her command and lifted my head up.

Her face returned to the usual imposing face from an intimidating expression.

“……”

“……”

Extremely awkward.

Really, it wasn’t an atmosphere to talk nor touch.

……Strange. It was so warm when we were drinking coffee.

Thinking that, I smiled softly at Sieg.

Smiling to avoid troublesome situations was a bad habit that did not go away though I was already turning thirty.

I predict that I’ll be like this for the rest of my life.

“……So?”

“Yes?”

“What did my grandfather-in-law say?”

“That we did not look like a married couple without a doubt.”

“I thought so.”

The manoeuvre was a sudden idea and an act of impulse. It was the worst possible one, not even taking the time to discuss the plan with Sieg.

“I’m sorry I didn’t cooperate well.”

“No, we were found because I was blushing red.”

“Really?”

“It’s true.”

“How did that happen?”

“Because Sieg was cute.”

“Ha!?”

“Because Sieg was cu—“

“Stop, you don’t have to say it twice. I can hear you!”

“S-Sorry.”

“……”

Indeed. I blushed because of Sieg’s embarrassed reaction that was unexpected.

“So?”

“Grandfather is, you know, going to pretend to have to noticed that. “

“That’s a relief. If my parents and my cousins hear of that it will be bothersome.”

“Yeah.”

“……”

There was no longer a shard of a sweet mood.

Sieg crossed her arms in thought and frowned once again. This time, her eyes were sharp too.

Because of that, the atmosphere here became heavy, like that of a council of was in a losing country.

And those who planned strategies for this endless battle were the young supreme commander and a useless subordinate.

“Sieg, the temporary couple might have been impo—“

“Wait, I’ve got an idea.”

“Eh?”

Having changed her expression to that of a commander from that of the Thinker, Sieg annouced the plan.

——Then, we just have to act like real couples all the time so that we won’t be found out.

“I believe that the cause of the failure lies in me.”

“That’s not—“

“No, it is. If I didn’t get flustered we would have looked like a married couple.”

“……”

I wonder about that.

Even if that ridiculous plan did succeed, I don’t think I’d have been able to escape grandfather’s interrogation. However, since I would be scolded if I said anything unnecessary, so I silently listened to my wife’s words.

“We lack the normal closeness that a couple has.”

“……Well, that’s true.”

It’s been half a year since we lived together.

We’ve gotten quite close, but I can’t deny that it still feels like ‘a nice lady and kid who admires her’.

There, Sieg suggested that we act close to disguise ourselves as a real couple.

“So what are the plan’s details?”

“……”

I do think that it is a good plan, but I don’t know what chummy couples do. Sieg too shut her mouth.

My parents were just being ‘Howa~’ with each other, and didn’t specially touch each other that much.

Just in case, I asked my superior.

“Hey, Sieg, what are the things that you think a close couple will do?”

“That’s……”

She became the Thinker again.

Well, maybe parents with children don’t act lovey dovey in front of their children.

One would probably be able to see who are really intimate couples just from the atmosphere.

It was already impossible for us.

Sieg’s parents too didn’t seem do anything special, that Sieg froze up.

“Sieg, nothing?”

“……Aa, nothing. I wonder how my parents’ relation was like.”

“……”

No, they had ten children, aren’t really affectionate?

Though it wasn’t something that I should point out.

“How were Ritz’s parents?”

“……”

Our parents that always went ‘poyayan’ did only roundabout things, so unfortunately it won’t help.

As I was thinking that, I suddenly had an idea.

If I say what I want here, won’t she forgive my actions since it’s to disguise ourselves as a real couple?

“I won’t force you if you don’t want to.”

“No, it’s fine.”

——Right. My parents were so passionate that it was almost unsightly.

They always stuck together, and when they had to part, they would kiss and become sad.

They would always hold hands, and give lap pillows.

I told Sieg my wild delusions.

“I see. Your parents are very close.”

“Well, yeah.”

She became the Thinker for the third time today. Since I lied, I secretly repented.

“Alright.”

“!?”

“Let’s try it as much as possible.”

“Really!?”

“Aa. I don’t lie.”

What should I do!! I deceived Sieg. This was underhanded, but I’m happy!!

I should buy a chair quickly.

Unfortunately, there are only single-person chairs in my house. I can’t have my lap pillows with those.

“What’s wrong.”

“N-No, nothing.”

I felt worried that I might be grinning, so I quickly hid my mouth with my hand.

“I think it will be hard to everything, but it would be nice to get used to it slowly.”

“……Yeah.”

Really, truly, thank you very much!! Or so I wanted to say but I suppressed it.

Oh no. Only I came to benefit from this plan.

I felt a little guilty, so I checked one more time.

“Sieg, are you really okay with this?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, there might be some unpleasant things, no?”

“……”

I was worried that when we play at being a real couple she might kick me with all her might one day.

She won’t be able to hold back, I predicted.

Kicked away, ruined in both body and mind, beyond recovery. I could vividly imagine myself becoming like that.

“Well, you can answer after giving it more thought.”

“No, there are no problems.”

“Pardon?”

“There’s nothing troubling.”

“……”

This onee-san, she should know my feelings for her, so shouldn’t she know what kind of mishaps I might inflict on her?

One last time, I asked Sieg.

“Sieg, are you really okay with this?”

“I’m telling you that I am.”

“You promise to not run away?”

“You’re persistent. As if I would run away.”

“Then, can I kiss you?”

“!?”

Her grey eyes opened wide.

I got her word. I won’t allow her to take it back.

I turned towards her and asked her to stand up. There’s a table in between us, so as we are now I can’t do anything.

I thought she might resist, but she obediently stood up.

I took her hand and sat her at the chair my the window.

I held her cheeks with both my hands and lifted her head up towards me. Then, I kissed her bewitching red hair.

Then, I moved her bangs over to one side and kissed her forehead. Then I moved on to her eyelids, her cheeks, and right next to her lips, touching her lips slightly sometimes.

Surprisingly, Sieg was being docile.

Though her eyelids were closed, her eyelashes were quivering faintly. Her hands were clenched on her knees, showing that she was nervous.

“Erm, I don’t think married couples do this in pub……!?”

Having sensed that it was strange, Sieg tried to say something, but I sealed her mouth before she could say anything more.

Am I going to get kicked in the stomach!? Or so I worried for a moment, but I shifted my focus back on kissing.

Satisfied, I stretched my body. Then, I felt a gaze somewhere so I tilted my head.

The gaze came from the window.

“——!?”

That thing tapped the window appealing its existence even more.

From that sudden encounter, I ended up crying out.

“——Bear!!”

……No, well, it was Teoporon.