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CHAPTER 89………….
Jeron anxiously tapped his fingertips on the table.
He was so restless that even Shadren, who was used to hearing about accidents among the guild members, pointed it out.
“Can you not sit still? You’re driving me crazy.”
“If you don’t like the sight, then you leave.”
“What—! You’re the one who told me to come here, and now you tell me to leave…! And besides, this is the Alea Guild headquarters…?!”
“So?”
“If anyone’s leaving, it should be the Guildmaster! If you want to sulk, do it at your own house!”
“…”
“…That was out of line.”
Wilting under Jeron’s sharp glare, Shadren hurriedly put down the report he was holding.
“That gir— no. Do you like the First Princess that much?”
“…”
Jeron could not easily open his mouth.
Noticing his master’s unusual demeanor, Shadren narrowed his eyes.
“It’s always the one who likes more who ends up losing, isn’t it?”
“Who says that?”
“My men do.”
“Tch. What would a bunch of people who’ve never even been in a proper relationship know?”
“Well, aren’t you the same, Guildmaster?”
Shadren swallowed the words that rose to his throat.
If he slipped up, he might not just be expelled from the guild—he might lose more than that.
‘Honestly, I only called him here to cheer him up since he was moping about making a mistake with the First Princess… and this is the thanks I get.’
Shadren snorted inwardly, thinking, “I’ll never meddle again!” when—
“…”
Jeron glanced at Shadren and then slowly lifted his head.
“Hey.”
“Hmph, what is it? You’re going to dump more work on me, aren’t you? I’m already busy digging into that high noble, so don’t you dare increase my workload.”
“That’s not why I called you.”
“Then what is it?”
Sulky as ever, Shadren asked curtly. Jeron fiddled pointlessly with the report Shadren had put down, delaying his words.
“…”
“Guildmaster?”
“Well…”
“Oh, for—what are you trying to ask that you’re dragging it out like this?”
“Don’t you have any patience? If you’d just wait, of course I’d eventually open my mouth.”
“You’re dragging it out too much. Let me guess—you want to know how to calm the Princess’s anger so she’ll forgive you, right?”
Bullseye.
Uncharacteristically, Jeron’s ears flushed red. He lifted the report and covered his face.
Well, well.
Shadren smirked.
As he wondered what to do with this contradictory Casanova who turned out to be a pure-hearted fool, suddenly a low whooom—whooom— sound hummed around Jeron.
“I’ll teach you, Guildmaster. The way to melt a woman’s heart is—”
“Shut up.”
“…”
Jeron’s eyes gleamed as he searched his pocket. Then he pulled out a communication stone and, with a dazzling smile, answered the call.
Shadren was dumbfounded. Then a young girl’s voice rang from the stone.
[Viscount.]
It was soft and frail, yet very familiar to Shadren.
It was the little Princess who had come with the Guildmaster months ago to request an investigation into the Empress.
Shadren squinted at Jeron and shook his head in disbelief.
But Jeron forgot all about Shadren as he answered Lilien.
“Your Highness, the First Princess. I’ve been waiting. Has your anger… cooled?”
[Hmm…]
Lilien groaned in thought, then replied in a gentle voice.
[I’m still debating whether I should make that bastard dog sleep outside.]
“…”
[Have you repented?]
“I… have repented…”
“Pfft—”
At Jeron’s humble tone, Shadren couldn’t hold back his laughter, forgetting his place.
When would he ever see a sight like this again?
The infamous cold and ruthless Jeron Idrea, groveling like this for a single girl!
Ah, I can’t hold it in.
But his laughter was cut short by sharp pain.
“Gah…!”
[Is someone there…?]
“No, just a cockroach.”
Jeron had thrown an autobiography from the desk, striking Shadren’s calf dead on.
Clutching his leg, Shadren crumpled to his knees.
Regardless, Jeron and Lilien’s conversation continued peacefully.
[I called because I have a request.]
“An assignment?”
[Something like that. There’s one more person I want you to investigate besides the Empress.]
“If I succeed, will Your Highness forgive what happened at the tea party?”
Lilien blinked slowly at the earnest tone.
[…Very well.]
“Whose background do you want uncovered?”
[Duchess Rinava Calypsa. She visited the Empress’s palace today.]
“I’ll assign men to it immediately.”
[Aren’t you going to ask why?]
At her words, Jeron fiddled with the stone, then turned his gaze out the window—toward the distant Princess’s palace.
“I believe one day you will tell me yourself. Until then, I’ll keep silent.”
[…]
“As soon as my men are in motion, I’ll report back. So will you take my calls, then? Oh, and one more thing.”
[?]
“Did you open the gift I gave you?”
[Ah…?]
Only then did Lilien remember the gift box she’d received at the tea party.
Jeron felt a twinge of disappointment.
Was it because of that blond brat?
The memory of the boy who clung so naturally to Lilien soured his mood.
That boy, who dared to call her by name as if her side was his rightful place.
Even Rihardt, usually hostile only to Jeron, had shown hostility to him.
Though he pretended to be afraid.
Jeron had clearly seen Jaester placing a hand on Lilien’s shoulder, saying, “What’s this?”
“Tch…”
[…Are you angry? I’ve just been so busy I forgot. I’ll open it right after this call.]
“Then, the moment you open it, will you send me a letter?”
[A letter? Why…?]
“To tell me what you think of the gift. A message through the stone is fine too, but since you’re busy, a quick note would be easier.”
Jeron, who had grasped her perfectly, smiled and narrowed his eyes.
Feeling herself being drawn in, Lilien thought it best to end the call now.
When she said, [I’ll stop here. I’ll send a letter later,] Jeron let her go without fuss.
When Jeron turned with a satisfied look, Shadren was glaring at him with contempt.
Smiling, Jeron said, “You heard, didn’t you? More work for you.”
“You bastard.”
A book titled 100 Ways to Be a Kind Man flew at Shadren’s head.
“Where did I put that gift again?”
After finishing the call with Jeron, Lilien searched her room for the gift she’d once given her maid to keep safe.
But no matter where she looked, she couldn’t find it.
“How strange?”
Just then, knock knock.
When she gave permission, Ilya and Mullin entered, pushing a trolley.
“Ilya, didn’t I leave a gift box on the table here?”
“Oh, that? I moved it to the toilette room so it wouldn’t get lost. Shall I bring it?”
“Yes.”
With a nod, Ilya went to fetch it and soon returned with two differently colored gift boxes—those from Jeron and Rihardt.
Handing them over, Ilya casually asked, “Come to think of it, aren’t these from the young Viscount Idrea and the young Lord Eliette?”
“Yes, they are.”
“I thought so~ Did you hear? Princess Yevgeni’s been in a good mood lately.”
“Yes.”
Lilien absently replied as she tore off Jeron’s brown wrapping paper.
“The maids at the Second Princess’s palace said the gifts those two young lords gave her were a big white teddy bear and a Kaplan hat with trinkets. Can you believe that?”
Carelessly chosen.
Yevgeni didn’t even like dolls, and she hated hats that might mess up her hair.
They’d only chosen something to save face at the royal party, without knowing her tastes.
Lilien blinked.
“…Mine’s a necklace.”
“Oh? Really?”
Ilya and Mullin gasped in unison.
“My goodness, isn’t this a black diamond from Boriti? So rare that annual production is less than 2%…”
“I heard it’s worth ten months of an average noble household’s budget.”
…This isn’t something I can give a halfhearted review about.
Lilien sighed at Jeron’s extravagant gift. Beneath the necklace lay a hidden card.
She pulled it out and read.
[I hope you will wear this at the birthday banquet.]
“Wow…”
A request in advance—just like the shrewd Guildmaster of Alea.
Definitely can’t take this lightly.
Thinking of Jeron’s persistence, Lilien decided she would indeed wear his necklace at the banquet.
Next was Rihardt’s gift.
The elegant blue wrapping showed how much care he had put in.
Carefully opening it, she found a smaller box than Jeron’s.
It looked like it could also hold a necklace.
If they both gave me necklaces… that would be awkward.
Worried he might have written the same request, she frowned.
Inside was a velvet black case.
She stroked its soft surface before opening it—
“…Hm?”
“Oh my.”
Inside was a raw, uncut gemstone of a beautiful pink hue.
“Rose quartz?”
“Seems like it.”
“But… no cutting, no setting?”
Indeed.
Did he send the wrong thing?
But Rihardt wasn’t the type to make mistakes.
Then Lilien noticed something smooth stuck to the bottom of the box.
Lifting it up, she found a hidden message card.
Reading it carefully, Mullin and Ilya leaned in as well.
When they saw the content, both flushed red and whispered dreamily.
[I did not have it cut or set. If Your Highness tells me, I will send Eliette’s jeweler to the palace to craft it in the design you desire. Please send me a letter.]
“The Princess prefers hair ornaments or bracelets to necklaces, right? You could write that!”
“So thoughtful—sending not only the perfect stone, but letting you choose its form. He’s ten years younger than me, but I could fall for him.”
“….”
Their chatter faded into the background.
Rose quartz…
It reminded her of the pale pink gem set in her engagement ring long ago.
Holding the stone up, it glimmered softly, like her own hair color.
She whispered, almost unconsciously, “A ring…”
“Pardon?”
“…Nothing. I’ll make this into a hair ornament.”
“Then shall I fetch writing paper? You need to send Lord Eliette a letter.”
“Yes, please.”
Ilya nodded firmly and left with Mullin.
Alone, Lilien stroked Rihardt’s card and smiled faintly.
The jeweler arrived swiftly.
It was the famed master artisan, Gloi Seretz.
She asked Lilien in detail about the desired design, then produced catalogs.
“A floral coronet style hair ornament would suit Your Highness well. Re-cutting the stone and setting it piece by piece will create an alluring effect. Isn’t your birthday banquet in a few months? This would be perfect for it.”
“Oh, I love that idea. It would go well with the dress I had in mind.”
“The fabric for that dress was sent by His Majesty, wasn’t it? We can coordinate with a designer to match the jewelry’s concept.”
Mullin and Ilya chimed in eagerly.
Since Lilien had no fixed design in mind, she chose the coronet style.
Gloi’s eyes sparkled.
“I will make it so only Princess Lilien herself could possibly wear it! Please look forward to it, Your Highness. I will deliver it within a month.”
“I’ll count on you.”
“Certainly. Then, excuse me.”
As the jeweler prepared to leave, Lilien instinctively tugged at her sleeve.
All eyes turned to Lilien’s hand.
After a pause, Lilien spoke softly.
“Do you… take special commissions? Like cufflinks, or perhaps fittings for a sword hilt…”
Her voice trailed lower with each word, her ears tinged pink as she looked down.
Seeing this, Gloi adjusted her monocle and smiled knowingly.
“Of course. And I am particularly well-versed in the tastes of the Eliette family.”
…She had guessed exactly who Lilien meant.
