A Star Just for You
A butler who would pluck even the stars if his lady commanded it—that was the night.
"Mmmnya..."
The Milky Way stretched across the sky. In my previous life, I had never seen a night view like this. Stars danced overhead.
"Uhyoo...!"
A night filled with stars that sparkled like the North Star.
"Twinkle! Twinkle!"
I had rarely seen such a beautiful watercolor of the night sky in my past life. Partly because the city lights were too bright, but mostly because I was always working until dawn and never had the leisure to look up at the stars. Perhaps that was why I had come to love the night—when the world revealed its truths. This leisurely, languid night.
"Oh..."
Sitting on the bed and gazing at the night sky, my lady flared her nostrils and naturally pulled a piece of chocolate from her treasure pouch.
"Mmmnya.."
"My lady, may I have one as well?"
"Eek?!"
Clutching the chocolate to her chest, she frowned like a cat and shook her head.
"No."
"That's rather disappointing."
"Even if you're disappointed, no chocolate for you."
"It came out of my own wallet, you know?"
"Eeeeeek... Still no."
"..."
Ignoring her butler's wounded feelings, my lady glanced at me, then extended a trembling hand holding a single piece of chocolate, squeezing her eyes shut.
"Here...!"
"..."
"I can't give you any more!"
"Thank you."
Truly, when it came to chocolate, there was no one she loved more. We must have been watching the stars for quite some time when my lady spoke to me in a dazed voice.
"Ricardo."
"Yes."
"That one..."
Pointing at the brightest star in the night sky, she flared her nostrils and said,
"That one is incredibly bright."
"It certainly is."
"It keeps twinkling. I bet it would taste delicious."
"Why must you always relate things to food?"
"Heehee... It just looks tasty, that's all."
My lady smiled brightly and lightly brushed aside my remark. Then she voiced the villainess's modest wish.
"I want to make it fall."
"Pardon...?"
Startled by her unexpectedly bold statement, I felt my eyes twitch. So this was her true nature revealing itself. As expected of the world's strongest villainess, even her appreciation of the stars was unique. Letting out a hollow laugh at her terrifying remark, I replied,
"Make it fall, you say? What do you mean by that?"
"I'm curious... I want to see it up close, but it keeps staying so far away..."
"That much is true, but making it fall seems a bit excessive, doesn't it?"
"Why not?"
A giant question mark floating above her head, my lady looked at me and asked,
"Why can't I make it fall?"
Faced with her innocent expression asking about the end of the world, I couldn't bring myself to say the cold truth—that the star was far larger than she imagined. Instead, I squeezed my eyes shut and let out a sigh. I didn't want to shatter her childlike wonder.
What should I say...?
I needed to preserve that innocence. What plausible excuse could I offer?
Ah...
An idea forming in my mind, I smiled faintly and raised my finger toward the star she had pointed at. Though it wasn't the North Star like in my previous life, I had thought of a romantic way to explain it to her.
"Ahem. You see..."
"Mm."
"That star isn't something only we can see, is it?"
"Right...?"
"Surely somewhere out there, there are people like us looking at that star and calling it beautiful."
"You mean people with too much time on their hands?"
"...Let's call them people who know how to chase romance, shall we?"
"Okay."
For a moment, her honest remark left me speechless, but another fine phrase came to mind. Forcing an awkward smile, I continued.
"Anyway, since there are others like us who look at that star and find it beautiful..."
"Hmm..."
"If we were to take that star for ourselves, those people wouldn't be able to see it anymore, would they?"
"That's true."
"That's why we shouldn't take it."
My lady nodded slightly, her eyes sparkling.
"You're right... It would be a shame to keep it all to ourselves..."
"Exactly."
"Mm."
"Though if my lady wished it, I could certainly fetch that star for you."
"Really?"
Looking at me with round eyes, my lady shoved the last bit of chocolate into her mouth and swallowed.
—Paaaan.
Her expectant gaze fixed on me, I nodded awkwardly and answered,
"O-Of course. What's so difficult about plucking one little star...?"
"Oho..."
—Grab.
"Hm?"
Clutching my collar, my lady looked up at me with sparkling eyes and said without a moment's hesitation,
"Then get it for me!"
"Pardon?"
"Pluck the star! I want to see it up close."
"What happened to that speech I just gave you?"
"I don't know! If it's pretty, I should be the only one who gets to see it!!"
At her truly villainess-like desire, I shook my head and let out a hollow laugh. Then, rolling up my sleeves, I prepared to fetch the star.
"Are you serious?"
"Yes!"
"Then I shall fetch it."
"Yes!"
"But don't complain if it's too big."
"Yes! Bigger means prettier!"
"Goodness... Then I'll be right back."
"Mm!"
I rummaged through my pockets. Then, in a small voice, I counted—one, two, three—and reached out my hand.
—Pat.
"Eek?"
It was my lady's eyes. With her vision suddenly blocked, she flailed about in the darkness.
"Ueeeek! Eeeek! I can't see!"
"Puhaha! How could I possibly pluck a star? It's so far away!"
"Ricardo, you liar!"
I gently uncovered her eyes. Glaring at me with a sulky expression, my lady puffed out her cheeks while I wore an awkward smile.
"Liar."
"My apologies."
"Eeeek..."
Glancing at her, I smiled again and said,
"It was just a joke. This time, I'll really get one for you."
"I'm not falling for it again."
"No, this time I truly will. It won't be as bright as that one, but I'll bring you a smaller star nonetheless."
"Really...?"
"Yes."
"Really, really?"
"Yes."
"If you lie, that's a hundred chocolates."
"Puhaha! Very well."
Staring at me with suspicion, my lady said,
"Then get it for me."
"As you command."
I reached out toward the star once more. My fingers brushed against her cheek as I carefully extended my hand toward the brightest star she had been watching.
"Eek..."
Still suspicious, my lady snorted, thinking I was joking again.
"I said a hundred chocolates if you lie."
"Understood."
Leaning my face close to her shoulder, I whispered softly,
"Watch carefully."
My outstretched fingers covered the brightest star. The star that had been shining brightly within my palm was now hidden by the shadow of my hand.
—Shimmer.
A small golden star fell from beneath my open palm, landing right before my lady's eyes.
"Huh... A star...?"
My lady's eyes trembled. Startled by the sudden appearance of the star, she could only shiver, her shoulders shaking. I couldn't see her expression clearly, but she seemed surprised. I hoped it wasn't disappointment.
"It's a star..."
In a low voice, I replied to the murmur that reached my ears,
"It's small, but it is a star."
"..."
"My lady...?"
Alarmed by her silence, I turned to look at her face.
"..."
Biting her lip, her cheeks puffed out like balloons, my lady's profile came into view.
"Sniff..."
Her eyes were red and glistening. My own eyes widened in shock.
"Uh... Uh...?"
Staring at the golden star-shaped bracelet dangling from her fingertip, my lady bit her lip with a tearful expression.
"It's a real star."
"..."
"It's a real, real star."
"Of course. I did say I would fetch one, didn't I?"
Catching the falling bracelet carefully in both hands, my lady smiled faintly.
"...Sniff."
"..."
"A real... star."
Letting out a sigh of relief at her gentle smile—so happy, as if she had truly received a star—I felt a wave of relief. I had worried she might get angry and say it wasn't a real star, or be disappointed by the design. Seeing her gaze so intently at the bracelet held in her hands filled me with pride.
"I bought it because it looked pretty while I was passing by."
"..."
"...I'm glad you like it."
Still holding the bracelet, my lady extended her pale wrist toward me and said in a shy voice,
"Ricardo."
"Yes?"
"Put it on for me..."
"Shall I?"
"Mm."
It trembled. Her pale wrist looked strangely alluring. Bathed in moonlight, it seemed even more translucent, and the white strands of hair brushing against her ears seemed to shine even brighter. Only...
"Sniff... Sniffle..."
"..."
"Sniffle... Sniff... Gulp."
"..."
The snot bothering her was rather cute, though. Biting my lip, I focused on fastening the bracelet around her wrist, then smiled faintly as I looked down at it.
"...There, it's done."
"Mm... It's done?"
"Yes."
Wearing the bracelet, my lady said in a small voice,
"It's pretty."
"..."
"I like it... Really."
Smiling faintly, I bowed my head at her words.
"I'm glad."
—Gom!!
—Gom!!
Gomtangi was running around the yard.
—Gogogogom!
Just like a bear that truly wanted to pluck that star.
"Puhaha!"
Watching Gomtangi dash about the yard, my lady smiled softly. Tucking her white hair behind her ears, she gave a moist-eyed smile.
"Thank you so much."
Her shyly smiling face, illuminated by the moonlight, made her white hair sway gently, brightening her smile even more—like a watercolor painting.
Truly...
"Isn't that cheating?"
My lady tilted her head and laughed.
"Hm?"
Shaking my head, I spoke to her, my words filled with gratitude for how much she liked the gift.
"It's nothing. I said I would prepare something even better next time."
"Umm... No, this is more than enough for me..."
Embracing the bracelet on her wrist, my lady smiled.
"Thank you, Ricardo."