Arthur smiled gently.
"I wouldn’t call your family insignificant."
Lyra blinked.
"...Hm?"
He rested his forearms against the balcony railing as he looked out over the distant city lights.
"Your family helps make barren planets habitable."
"You restore forests."
"You create homes for spirit beasts and other forms of wildlife."
"And you help turn empty worlds into places where people can truly thrive."
He turned back toward her with a warm smile.
"I’d say that’s something worth being proud of."
"There aren’t many houses that can say they leave the galaxy a little greener than they found it."
"So..."
"I don’t think you should ever look down on what your family does."
Lyra stood there quietly.
For a moment...
She simply stared at him.
Then...
A genuine smile slowly spread across her face.
"...I guess you’re right."
It wasn’t the polite smile she’d worn throughout the evening.
It was warm.
Natural.
The tension she’d been carrying ever since stepping onto the balcony quietly melted away.
...He’s surprisingly easy to talk to.
The realization gave her a little more courage.
...Maybe...
...this would be a good time to shoot my shot.
She discreetly clenched her fists.
...Come on, Lyra.
You can do this.
She drew a small breath.
"H-Hey, Young—"
Before she could finish...
Arthur suddenly spoke first.
"By the way..."
"You mentioned exotic spirit beasts earlier."
He tilted his head curiously.
"I’ve never actually seen one before."
A hint of genuine interest appeared in his eyes.
"Do you happen to have any pictures you could show me?"
Lyra froze.
"...Eh?"
The atmosphere for her proposal, which she had been painstakingly building up, instantly evaporated.
Lyra let out a small, defeated sigh.
"...Well..."
"If you’re that curious, Young Master..."
"I don’t mind showing you one."
Arthur looked at her with interest.
"Pardon?"
Lyra took a slow, steady breath.
The next moment...
She spoke in a language Arthur had never heard before.
Its words carried an odd, melodic rhythm.
Almost as though they were resonating on an entirely different frequency.
A soft emerald glow suddenly emerged from Lyra’s body.
Whoosh.
The green wisp drifted into the air before gathering on the balcony railing.
A moment later...
A small cat materialized.
It possessed silky emerald fur, bright golden eyes, and two fluffy white tails that swayed lazily behind it.
"...Meow."
The little creature calmly licked one of its paws before stretching its tiny body.
Then...
Without the slightest hesitation...
It trotted straight toward Arthur.
Lyra smiled softly.
"This is Syir."
"She’s a Verdant Twin-Tail Spirit Lynx."
"It’s a relatively rare species of exotic spirit beast prized for its exceptionally soft fur, affectionate nature, and the naturally soothing fragrance released from its body."
She gently stroked Syir’s head.
"The scent has a calming effect on the mind."
"It helps relieve stress and ease mental fatigue."
Almost immediately...
Syir rubbed her tiny head against Arthur’s hand.
"...Prrr..."
A loud, contented purr echoed from the little cat.
Arthur froze.
"..."
Then...
Without another word...
He carefully picked the little creature up into his arms.
His eyes practically sparkled.
"She’s... so cute."
He gently scratched beneath Syir’s chin.
The little spirit beast immediately rolled onto her back, happily exposing her stomach.
"...Prrrr..."
Arthur looked toward Lyra.
"What does she usually eat?"
"And how did she come out of your body like that?"
"And can every spirit beast do this?"
Lyra blinked several times.
"...U-Um..."
She let out an awkward laugh.
"Y-Young Master..."
"One question at a time..."
Arthur paused.
"...Ah."
He awkwardly cleared his throat.
"...Right."
Syir comfortably curled up against his chest, purring without the slightest intention of leaving.
Arthur looked down at the little cat before glancing back at Lyra.
"...Can you get me one?"
Lyra was caught completely off guard.
"...Eh?"
"You... want one?"
Arthur nodded without hesitation.
"I do."
Lyra hesitated for a moment before smiling.
"...Of course."
"I’d be happy to."
She laughed quietly.
"Had I known you liked spirit cats this much..."
"I would’ve brought one as your coming-of-age gift today."
Arthur smiled sheepishly.
"Don’t worry too much about it."
"My fondness for cats is... something I only realized fairly recently."
In truth...
That wasn’t entirely accurate.
Back on Earth...
He had always wanted a cat of his own.
More than once, he’d found himself stopping to watch videos of people playing with their pets after long gaming hours.
But reality had never given him the chance.
His life had always been messed up.
He’d constantly worried that if he adopted one...
Something would happen to it...
And he wouldn’t recover from the heartbreak.
So...
As much as he’d loved cats...
He’d never allowed himself to have one.
Looking down at the happily purring Syir nestled against his chest...
Arthur couldn’t help but smile.
"...Maybe..."
"...it’s finally time to get myself one."
Lyra smiled brightly.
"I promise."
"I’ll have one delivered to House Ashbourne within the week."
Arthur nodded appreciatively.
"I’ll be looking forward to it."
He carefully walked over to her before gently placing Syir back into her arms.
The little spirit beast immediately curled up against Lyra’s chest, letting out a contented purr.
"...Meow."
Lyra absentmindedly stroked the little cat before looking back at Arthur.
"...So..."
"Are you not going to ask anything else?"
Arthur looked at her curiously.
"...Hm?"
For a brief moment...
Lyra looked confused.
Then...
Her emerald eyes widened ever so slightly.
...Wait.
Was that...
Some sort of signal?
Her cheeks gradually turned pink.
...Calm down.
Take a deep breath.
You can do this.
She inhaled slowly before gathering every ounce of courage she had.
"Young Master Arthur..."
"...would you be willing to accept my hand in marriage?"
Her heart pounded so loudly she was convinced he could hear it.
Her cheeks burned.
Yet somehow...
She managed to keep her voice steady.
Arthur looked into her eyes for a quiet moment before smiling gently.
"...I’ll give it favorable consideration."
Lyra’s expression softened.
"...I see."
Arthur gave her a polite nod before turning to leave.
Just as he took his first step...
He suddenly felt a gentle tug on his sleeve.
He stopped.
Turning back...
He saw Lyra nervously holding onto the edge of his sleeve.
Her gaze remained lowered.
"...I’m sorry."
"I know I’m being a little forward."
She took a small breath.
"...But..."
"I’ve been watching you all evening."
Her grip tightened ever so slightly.
"What you just told me..."
"...is essentially what you’ve told everyone else."
Arthur remained silent.
Lyra forced herself to continue.
"I know this is probably a strange thing to say..."
"...but I don’t want to be led on."
She laughed awkwardly.
"I’m not very good at chasing people..."
"...like the other Young Lords."
Her smile became a little lonely.
"So..."
"If you truly don’t feel anything toward me..."
"...that’s alright."
"We can still be business partners."
"I’ll still bring you the spirit cat."
She finally raised her eyes to meet his.
"But..."
"Please don’t leave me hanging..."
"...like everyone else."