Chapter 10

The next Monday, after arriving at the office, Yamai Zenjiro stood before his superior, who had a stern expression and crossed arms, waiting for his words as he faced the resignation letter he had submitted.

"Leaving, huh..."

"Yes, I'm sorry."

Originally, the company had strict working conditions, and it wasn't uncommon for people to leave. However, in Zenjiro's case, he had been working for several years and had only recently become a valuable asset to the team. As a superior, he couldn't simply say, "If you want to leave, go ahead," as he might to a new employee who had only been there for half a year.

"Going back to your hometown to take over the family business, huh? Weren't you the one who chose this job because you didn't like that kind of life?"

After reading the reason for resignation, which was a lie, the superior's lips twisted in displeasure, and he tilted his head.

"Yes, well, I've had a change of heart, you see..."

He couldn't write that he was getting married to a queen from another world and would become a freeloader, so he had to stick to the lie. Zenjiro maintained a serious expression while inwardly sweating.

"Hmm... Well, if you're determined to leave, I can't force you to stay. I understand."

The moment his superior, who had been staring at him for a long time, said this, Zenjiro couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

However, his superior's next words dampened Zenjiro's joy.

"However! You must finish the work you're currently handling, which has an approaching deadline. Also, you need to hand over all the other tasks you're responsible for to someone else. Once that's done, you'll be in charge of training this year's new employees.

At least teach them the basics, okay?"

If asked whether this was good or bad, it was certainly not good. Zenjiro was currently preparing for his summoning to another world, and time was precious.

However, it wouldn't feel right to make excuses, and if he resisted and was questioned in detail, his lie might be exposed, which would be far more troublesome.

"Understood. Excuse me."

In the end, Zenjiro chose to work hard until the moment of his resignation.

With the responsibility of handing over his work and training his juniors, the remaining time was much shorter than he had expected. Realizing that he couldn't waste a single second, Zenjiro finished his lunch at a beef bowl restaurant and headed straight to a nearby jewelry store.

"Right. This ring would probably be a size 14.5, given that your size is 17."

The middle-aged female clerk, who had just measured the ring Zenjiro brought in and his left ring finger, said this without breaking her professional smile.

"Hmm, is that so?"

Zenjiro, who had never set foot in a jewelry store before, didn't know whether Aula's or his own fingers were thick or thin.

"Indeed. Your partner is on the larger side for a woman. With this size, the options available immediately are limited."

"Yes, well, she's about a head taller than me."

"Oh my, you're not short yourself. For someone that tall, a wider and more substantial ring would look better. Please wait a moment."

The clerk went to the back to fetch some samples.

"Ah, yes."

Left alone, Zenjiro naturally recalled Aula's appearance.

Her tall, sensual figure. Her striking, well-defined features. Her fiery red hair, which seemed to reflect her personality. Her naturally tanned skin, which was different from a tan and was a beautiful wheat color.

What kind of ring would suit her fingers? Indeed, as the clerk said, a modest, thin ring probably wouldn't suit her.

However, Zenjiro had a misconception. Aula wasn't actually taller than him. In fact, Zenjiro was about a finger's length taller. To be precise, Zenjiro was 172 cm, and Aula was around 170 cm. Zenjiro saw Aula as being in the mid to late 170s, but this was just an illusion caused by her overwhelming presence.

"Thank you for waiting. If we make some simple adjustments, we can deliver one of these rings to you soon."

As she spoke, the clerk brought a tray with several rings to Zenjiro.

"Wow, there are quite a few options."

The first thing Zenjiro looked at was the price tags on the rings. He knew he was frugal, but as someone who couldn't tell the difference between good and bad rings, the amount of money he would have to spend was his main concern.

"If you're unsure, I recommend starting with the metal for the band. In Japan, platinum is common for wedding rings, but given your skin tone, gold might be more suitable. If you find regular yellow gold too flashy, we have pink gold rings as well.

Of course, the most important thing is to consider your fiancée's preferences."

Generally, people with lighter skin tones go for platinum or silver, while those with darker skin tones go for gold. Zenjiro, due to his mixed heritage, had a darker skin tone than most Japanese people. Aula, being a pure-blooded inhabitant of another world, had a naturally beautiful wheat-colored skin.

"Ah, my partner has even darker skin than me. It's more like a wheat color..."

"In that case, I would recommend yellow gold. For the gemstone, a colored diamond might be better than a colorless one. If I may ask, is your partner from overseas?"

"Ah, yes. She's not Japanese."

"In that case, you might consider choosing a stone that matches her eye or hair color. This will make the ring more harmonious when worn and also convey that you pay close attention to her."

"Ah, I see. That makes sense."

Zenjiro, who was not used to such situations, was overwhelmed by the clerk's sales pitch and could only nod along with what she said.