Lu looked once at Hayden, who answered nonchalantly, and then back into the box. A pair of pearl earrings lay neatly on velvet. The pearls were large, and they were surrounded by countless small diamonds.

“As your personal collection. You don’t have any jewelry to wear to events, do you?”

“Not really, although my mother may have prepared something.”

“It won’t be much. So take good care of it. Jewelry adds to a family’s prestige.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Not just for ladies but also for gentlemen, jewels are important. And pearls are rare in Fersehta.”

Indeed, pearls were hard to find in Fersehta because the southern seas, where pearls could be found, were dominated by Kaleta.

Long-standing, prestigious families sometimes wore pearls that had been passed down for generations.

Naturally, it was difficult to maintain such heritage, and pearls from ruined families would end up at auctions, changing hands frequently.

“I’ve also added some magic. It will help you with your energy and provide protection, so it’s better the more you wear it. Do you like it?”

Hayden, who remained seated, looked at Lu, who had yet to speak.

Even if she had been exploited by Carlos Arthur Ingram in the Kaleta Empire, Lu was once a top graduate of the academy and a successful knight.

She might not find the common pearls of Kaleta attractive. Or the simple pearl earrings might seem dull to her eyes, used to seeing high-quality crafts and jewelry.

Hayden thought that Lu could very well feel that way about his painstakingly selected gift.

“…Yes.”

After a long moment of looking, Lu lifted her eyes to meet his and nodded vigorously with a smile.

“It’s very beautiful.”
Long eyelashes cast a shadow over green eyes that gleamed brilliantly. Rosy lips parted slightly in a radiant smile.

“Such delicate ornamentation, is this really a diamond? Wow… how did you manage such craftsmanship?”

“A lot of care went into it.”

“So you made it? Didn’t buy it?”

“I put more effort into it rather than spending money on some store-bought jewel.”

If it was a gift for Lu, even more of his sincerity had to be poured into it. Seeing her appreciate it so much, the corners of his mouth lifted, and his eyes softened. Hayden looked solely at Lu with deepened gray eyes.

“Thank you. Feels rewarding to have risked my life to break into a treasure vault. It’s so beautiful.”

“The merit of retrieving the royal bodies will be accounted for later, covered by assets I’ve brought from the public office. I promised to fill in the gaps, remember?”

Lu’s eyes widened.

“Is that okay?”

“Is there a reason it wouldn’t be?”

He challenged her.

“Um, don’t go back on your word later.”

“I really wonder what you think of me in your head.”

“I really love stuff like this.”

Lu’s face flushed as she tightly held the box. For the first time, she appeared her age, not like a desolate fallen knight.

“Ah.”

Hayden softly closed his eyes and lazily smiled. Suddenly, the man at the top of the food chain appeared strangely decadent.

“You like things like this.”

His voice was as it always had been—or perhaps even kinder than usual. So sweetly melting that it sounded dangerous.

No matter how much she wanted to forget, that night kept resurfacing. On that night, he whispered into Lu’s ear with that same expression and voice.

On a day when stepping outside without a light coat would likely lead to a cold, she felt his warm, heavy body temperature. The heat that sprung up from her memory was embarrassingly vivid.

The memory of that day should have been severed by drowning in alcohol, but it popped up whenever she let her guard down. Or perhaps that man deliberately evoked that memory. Even if she earnestly buried it deep, he dug it up too easily.

Hayden stood up from his seat and took one step, two steps, narrowing the distance between them in an instant.

“I have one more thing to remember now.”

Lu raised her eyes to meet his gaze. If she avoided it, she felt he’d guess her thoughts. She had to confront him directly and remove as much emotion from her face as possible.

“I wonder what else you remember about me.”

His chiseled face came closer to hers. They were close enough to feel each other’s body heat, and he whispered so softly that only they could hear.

“I remember everything.”

He lightly took the hand that was holding the box and lifted it to meet his lips.

“Even what you want to forget.”

Hayden passed her with a courteous nod.

“So, Your Highness, until next time.”

Lu hurriedly lowered her head and let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

During the ten days of mourning, the only thing that dominated the front page of the newspapers was the newly conferred title of Baron Plache granted by the Royal Palace of Chalea.

After the mourning period, the funeral began and nobles from all regions started filling the seats. Everyone was in black and spoke in hushed tones. But of course, the nobles who hadn’t been able to mutter a peep for the past ten days couldn’t possibly keep their mouths shut now.

“Did the Kalleta public officer attend?”

“He didn’t comment from the public office, but I’ve heard he attended.”

“The audacity.”

“Is ‘he’ the previous Kalleta public officer or the new one? I’m confused.”

There was laughter hidden in the condescending tone, and sometimes, it was followed by astonishment. The former were the Eastern nobles, who ignored everyone but themselves; the latter were the perceptive nobles who understood the situation.

“It seems like those from that Kalleta country or whatever in the West have completely settled in.”
“Why should His Majesty hesitate to take his seat after single-handedly suppressing the rebellion? I heard that Count and Countess Plache personally led the army this time as well.”

“Do those people have any skills other than swordsmanship? I wonder if they have ever learned about estate management.”

Murmurs rebounded off the high ceiling, dissipating into formlessness, cycling on and on. Someone openly scoffed, someone else gossiped cautiously, and someone simply listened to what people were saying.

And amidst the chaotic whispers, the Plache family made their entrance.

Countess Plache, her hair neatly tied back, and Count Plache’s young heir, his face slightly obscured by a black veil attached to his hat, along with young heirs dressed in adorable black dresses, walked in holding both hands of Count Plache.

Eyes pierced like thin needles. Lu walked expressionlessly and sat in the designated seat for the Plache family.

After all, wearing a veil only partially covered her face. She wasn’t afraid even when people’s gazes intrusively focused on her. It was no big deal at this point.

“His Imperial Majesty has arrived.”

And at just the right timing, Riga made his entrance, diverting all the gazes that were on her to himself.