Y… Yes we can Richard – Lívia replied, with a certain amount of tension in her voice – however I need to leave in at most forty minutes, do you mind if we talked while I prepared my things?
Not a problem at all Lívia, I don't wish to bother you in any way – I replied already heading towards the door – if I don't have problems with the traffic I might be there in about twenty minutes.
It is agreed then Richard, I shall be waiting for you see you later" – Lívia replied, almost hanging up.
See you! – I replied hanging up and already rushing towards the garage.
It didn't take more than three minutes for me to enter my Porsche 911 and, after starting the engine and accelerating deep, I left my residence screeching my tires towards the towards my noble friend's house; as I drove, Akira's words echoed inside my head, how she was happy to be pregnant from me, all that opposing the sadness that this revelation would cause the noble; unfortunately it was time for me to be a little more selfish in this life and begin to follow my heart a little more; although the traffic wasn't good at all for that time of the day, I managed to reach her residence in twenty five minutes, as soon as I stopped in front of the entrance Kyou greeted me with her usual politeness:
Good morning Richard-sama, master has ordered me to direct you to where she is at this moment, would you please follow me? – Kyou then bowed and began walking.
I suddenly felt nostalgic, that was probably the last time I would come to this house as Lívia's future husband, and I kept asking myself how she would react to what I was going to tell her right next, as I walked through the corridors apparently heading towards her room, I remembered all the days I visited her and even played together with Leandro, even if I never wanted to spend my whole life with her, I cared for her as a very good friend and to a certain extent I felt responsible for her after her mother died from cancer, I was taken out of my thoughts when I heard Kyou knocking on the door and saying:
Master, Richard-sama arrived, can we come in?
Yes Kyou, I am already dressed! – Lívia's voice replied, then Kyou opened the door and entered together with me, the noble was dressing her typical red dress with black corset, ready for a long trip.
Good morning Lívia, it is fortunate I managed to arrive her on time – I said, smiling to her.
Really! You had extremely great luck! The nekomimi leader wants me to appear before the council so suddenly, it seems something happened or anything of that sort – Lívia commented, hugging me next – you made me somewhat worried, is it something bad? Did they try to murder you again?
Oh, nothing like that Lívia – I hugged her back, pressing her against my chest and fondling her head – thanks to Saint Meow it isn't bad news, rest assured.
O… Oh… I understand Richard… - Lívia purred lightly then – but something really… radical must have happened… because you said that this would change our lives and you are way more affectionate… than the usual…
W… Well, this is the least I can do… for all those years you dedicated for me – I suddenly felt pity towards Lívia, that turned down marriages and loves in order to stay loyal to me, but I wouldn't let this to get in the way today – after all I came here to say…
Oh damnation! – Lívia's ears twitched and moved into another direction, she then left my arms and said – the helicopter already arrived! – I heard nothing, but I could noticed that it was landing afar on the heliport – come on Richard, we will talk on the way there since it is quite a walk anyway! Kyou take my things and come!
Yes master! – Kyou replied, already taking Lívia's luggage while the noble took me by the hand and dragged me outside.
This is quite a huge burden! – the noble nekomimi complained while we were walking, without giving me a chance to talk – they requesting my presence so far away so suddenly! I had to cancel a lot of appointments, which will cause me such a problem in the future…
It was clear that Lívia had forgotten completely the motive of me coming here; as she wouldn't give me a single chance to talk, the pity I was feeling for her at that moment was making me have even less will to tell her what I was supposed to; however all the years I had no control over my life came to my mind, all the times I let life simply drag me around without trying to change for pure conformism, better saying, at that moment I noticed I was a big coward because I never fought what I thought that was wrong with myself; that had to end at that instant, that is why I got myself free from Lívia's paw and went ahead of them a few feet, both her and Kyou stopped upon seeing this and as soon as I started at her, I said:
I know you have an helicopter waiting for you for some important meeting with the nekomimi community, however I came here today because I have been thinking a lot – I then looked directly into Lívia's eyes, whom blushed – specially about our promised, I wanted to inform I reached a conclusion.
O… Oh! R… Really… R… Richard? – Lívia replied blushing more, however smiling – and to which c… conclusion did you reach?
That I… effectively… - my will power almost failed me at this time, but I thought on Akira's happiness face when she got to know she was pregnant and that she could love me one day, which gave me strength to go until the end – I found someone that I love… and that loves me back…
That sentence was like a death sentence to the people present there, Kyou allowed a small surprise shout to escape, but she corrected herself quickly placing both paws over her mouth, however that made the luggage tilt and fall to the ground, with the shock she just murmured "forgive me master!" becoming pale in sequence, however Lívia's usual sneer shout for her personal caretaker having done something wrong didn't happen, as the noble nekomimi seemed as if she was petrified with the exception of her cat ears, that had involuntary twitches and at the same time she had an shocked and unbelievable face, she spent some moments like that until she slowly looked down and said in almost a whisper:
A… Are you… telling me… that you found… someone that loves you… and that you love? – she had a voice that denoted she couldn't believe what she heard.
Y… Yes Lívia, that is why I came here because I believed that it would be the same as betraying your honor if I hadn't told you – the noble slowly turned around, giving me her back, walking with unsure steps towards Kyou – the person I love… is…
Akira, a… am I right? – Lívia stated, bull's-eye, I was even speechless for her guessing who was my beloved so easily – Kyou… give me my luggage... d… did you tell her… about your… feelings?
Y… Yes master! – Kyou replied as if she came back to herself, giving Lívia de luggage.
Not yet Lívia, I thought it was fairer if we settled our situation before – I bowed to her back – because I would be dishonorable telling her my feelings without everything between us was solved.
I u… understand Richard… I am really h… h… happy… that now… you love someone… you will be very happy… with that person – Lívia then placed her paw on Kyou's shoulder – Kyou… do your best so as… our honorable visitor have all his needs fulfilled… while he is… in my humble residence… - she then turned her head slightly towards me, looking at me from behind her hair, and said – Montecchio, with what you said… our promise if fulfilled… I f… f… free you… you d… d… don't need… to marry me… a… a… anymore… you… are free… from this… moment… on… to… love… another… person… - Lívia then turned suddenly and began running.
I could see her face briefly when she crossed her path beside me, she looked down and I noticed she had begun crying really hard, however she was holding it very well because she wasn't even slightly heard until she left that place; both me as well as Kyou were so astonished with what had happened, Lívia's personal caretaker was shocked looking to where the noble had ran to, then to me, I felt a lot of guilty for making my friend suffer this, but I decided to take the wheel of my life for the first time, I couldn't be controlled any longer; then Kyou apparently recovered her senses, asking me in sequence:
Oh! Richard-sama, forgive my lack of attention – she bowed in sequence – it is just that your revelation was so shocking that even I became speechless, is there anything I might help you with?
Thanks Kyou-chan – I replied smiling, I neared her and fondled her head, much to her surprise – I will miss you two, thanks for always having served me to the best of your abilities when I was here.
O… Oh! Such honorable words for a small and humble slave like me! – she bowed again – I become extremely happy that you think that Richard-sama!
Well Kyou-chan, I am leaving now, it is almost lunch time and that is why I want to see if I can eat together with Akira-chan – I bowed again next – see you another time!
See you Richard-sama, I shall accompany you until your car – Kyou then indicated the way we should take as usual.
There weren't any surprised from leaving Lívia's residence to arriving home, what happened around half an hour later; I then began searching for both Akira and Dawn, but I didn't find them nowhere inside my propriety, intrigued I searched for the responsible for the cleaning and placing things in their place, before that however I found Maria, when she saw me she came to me and handed me a note and a purse, saying next:
Richard, that new employee of yours… Enma asked me to give you this note – she then pointed to the purse – now that purse, I found it beside the place she was sitting, I believe she might have forgotten it there, do you wish me to give it to her?
No, you can leave this to be done myself – I didn't want anyone suffering damage as we could have equipment's used in emergency situations – Maria, have you seen either Akira-chan or Dawn-chan?
Oh! Both of then just left to go to the market! – Maria replied, raising her ears – Dawn-chan was trying to teach Akira-chan how to knit, but you know us nekomimis have serious difficulties for precise works using our paws – she then showed with her paw how it would be to try and hold a knitting needle – as Dawn's paw adaptor was too big for Akira, they left to buy one for her, as you never bothered to let them both leave alone, I allowed them, did I do wrong?
Not at all – I replied shaking my head – it isn't anything that couldn't wait some hours, just ask Akira to look for me as soon as she arrives, just tell her I want to talk to her, but let it crystal clear that I am not mad nor it is urgent, understood?
Yes Richard, I shall do as you asked – Maria then bowed on the exact moment I turned around to head towards my bedroom, as it was an Enma's note, it wouldn't be prudent to read it in another place.
I quickly got to my bedroom leaving Enma's purse beside a small table on the bed's side, then I looked at Enma's note, which said: "Dear Richard, I know I should have talked to you beforehand, but I am sure you trust me to the point of allowing me have a job of this level of importance in your team, taking that into account I decided to fix a mistake I did at your house that has made me completely vexed deeply, I shouldn't have attacked your other worker, Enmie in front of you in that way, that is why I am going to talk to her today in private and trying to redeem myself, I was always taunted and humiliated before and those remarks never bothered me one tiny bit, however when the rabbit said it… that hit me and it hurt, I also need to find out the motive for that… after all I don't want a weak spot that can be explored by others like that! To demonstrate my good intentions I installed three more cams aside the two that were already present there on her bedroom, I ask you to turn your projector on as soon as you arrive, to monitor what is about to happen, Fukushu Enma"
As soon as I finished reading the note, I looked for the projector's remote control and pressed a button to activate it, slowly it lowered and the room became dark, then the projector began showing images of the five cams installed on the Enmie's room, Enma was apparently alone sitting on a small sofa that there was on the usagimimi's room, she was reading a random book and stood like that for approximately ten minutes, that was when Enmie entered the room drying her hair with a towel, she was wearing a simple t-shirt and shorts, apparently she had just had taken a bath, the rabbit visibly was startled when the kitsunemimi said:
Good afternoon noble little rabbit, I had been waiting for you – she then stood up and walked towards Enmie – strawberry shampoo, my favorite, it seemed you were actually waiting for me!
E… E… Enma! What are you doing in my bedroom? – Enmie asked blushing, visibly shocked – w… w… why did you come h… here?
Because I believe that – Enma then directed towards the room's door, she peeked her head outside and then closed it, locking it in sequence and putting the key inside her cleavage – after what happened in this house some days ago between us, we need to have a serious talk and deal with our issues…