“Etricia, what are you thinking about so deeply?”
“Sorry. It’s just work.”
I used work as an excuse to avoid answering.
I felt sorry for Lilien, but I couldn’t say anything, considering Edmund’s wish not to inform his sister.
“Is that so?”
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting scattered rays over Lilien’s smiling face. A rare peaceful moment. But just as I was about to relax, she suddenly became alert and spoke.
“Oh, right! The Marchioness of Wickley sent an invitation. You received one too, didn’t you?”
“An invitation?”
I tilted my head.
Did something like that arrive? Lately, I had been so busy that I hadn’t paid attention to anything except Baron Totair’s letters. On top of that, articles about Lebron jewelry, nonprofit donations, and various other topics had spread widely, bringing both support and criticism. I hadn’t even thought of checking my mail.
Lilien lowered her eyebrows regretfully and smiled.
“You must have been too busy to see the Marchioness of Wickley’s invitation. Then I suppose you won’t be attending the garden party either.”
“The Marchioness is hosting a garden party?”
“Yes, and this time, I absolutely have to attend.”
Lilien sighed deeply while fiddling with her teacup handle.
Well, from her perspective, since the Marchioness of Wickley was the chaperone, she had no choice but to go.
‘A garden party.’
If the Marchioness of Wickley was hosting it, then experts from various fields would likely attend. It would be a great opportunity to promote the soon-to-launch Lebron jewelry store.
I was confident in the success of knight-exclusive accessories. Even without an official announcement, rumors had already begun spreading that the Count of Buell was preparing a business. As a result, inquiries about Lebron Jewelry were secretly pouring in. However, these inquiries were only from nobles who employed knights or foreign business partners.
It was still unclear whether Lebron Jewelry would hold value as a luxury item for the general public. That’s why I needed wealthy nobles to spread the word.
“Lilien, when is the party?”
“Exactly one month from now.”
It was customary to send invitations well in advance, considering the recipient’s schedule. Fortunately, by then, the jewelry store would have already opened, so there were no scheduling conflicts.
“Then I’ll go too.”
“R-Really?”
Lilien’s face, which had been gloomy, immediately brightened. She looked as excited as a Maltese puppy perking up its ears and wagging its tail.
She didn’t notice me holding back a laugh as she cupped her cheeks with both hands.
“I’m so happy. Now I’m even more excited for the garden party.”
“But make sure to talk with others, not just me, okay?”
I was glad she liked me, but I always worried that my presence might hinder her social interactions. Lilien scrunched her nose playfully as if to reassure me.
‘People say you start resembling those you’re close to.’
In the end, I couldn’t help but laugh at Lilien’s uncharacteristically cheeky behavior.
I had just finished examining the samples Baron Totair sent me when I gathered everything and headed to the training grounds of the knights. Upon arrival, I saw knights who had just finished training, panting like overheated dogs as they lined up to enter the knights’ quarters.
‘It’s already hot just standing here, yet they were training? Impressive.’
As I admired their dedication, I noticed two people still remaining on the field.
I wasn’t sure about one of them, but the other was unmistakable, even from a distance.
‘At breakfast, they mentioned today was the regular knight training session.’
Edmund, wearing a crisp white shirt with his sleeves rolled up, was giving instructions to Tale, who had his head bowed. The intense sunlight even left a slight redness on the nape of Edmund’s neck, despite how unaffected he usually seemed by the heat.
“Little brother.”
I hadn’t meant for him to hear me. My voice was softer than the wind, yet he turned to look at me. A gentle breeze rustled his silver hair, revealing his forehead.
His cloud-like fair skin and warm gaze made my steps unconsciously quicken.
“What brings you here?”
“Obviously, I’m here to find a handsome knight.”
It was a joke. But when his expression immediately turned sharp, I hesitated.
“…Oh, well, you’re right in front of me, so I guess there’s no need to search.”
For some reason, I instinctively felt guilty, as if I had been caught cheating. Edmund, too, for some unknown reason, raised an eyebrow like a lover begrudgingly tolerating a flirtatious partner, then lowered it.
“If you say so.”
Standing under the blazing sun, I felt particularly hot. As I ran a hand through my hair, I noticed his gaze briefly waver before he quickly turned his head.
A moment later, his eyes settled on my neck, as if drawn in. The growing heat made me sweat, and just as my grip on the sample box slipped slightly, he swiftly caught it.
I shook my arms and laughed.
“Thanks. Actually, I came to ask Tale to try on the samples.”
Edmund glanced around and, noticing I had no maid accompanying me, frowned. Then he glanced at the box he was holding. He scowled even more after seeing the belts, brooches, necklaces, and other accessories inside.
“You mean… personally?”
“Certain designs look best in specific sizes, and as the designer, I know that best. You’ll do it, right, Tale?”
I signaled to Tale, who had been standing behind us, staring blankly at the sky as if counting clouds. He flinched and scratched his head.
“Well, I don’t mind…”
But his gaze slowly shifted to Edmund. Seriously? Was he really checking for permission? Surely Edmund wouldn’t—
I turned to look at Edmund and immediately shut my mouth.
Yeah… he definitely wouldn’t.
Edmund was staring at Tale as if he were a finely sharpened swordsmith’s blade. The chilling aura was enough to make my spine shiver. He was practically a walking air conditioner.
This man now gets jealous just because I look at another handsome guy. And I’m the one who made him this way.
Before I could say anything, Tale made a swift escape.
“I suddenly have something urgent to do, so I can’t do the fitting. I’ll be off now.”
He ran off so quickly that I learned Tale was even faster than Rail.
“Uh… then, little brother, would you mind trying them on? I don’t mind.”
Actually, he would be an overly perfect model. Edmund gave me an unreadable look before sighing.
“Fine. But why…”
He hesitated, lips moving slightly. The sunlight made his face glow as if it had taken on the shade of my hair.
“…Why not me?”
His voice was so quiet it nearly vanished in the wind.
I stepped closer, tilting my head.
“What did you say? I didn’t hear you.”
“Damn it. I said…”
He groaned, adjusted the box in his hands, and ran a hand over his face. Then, as if making up his mind, he sighed and spoke.
“…I’m bigger.”
Bigger? Bigger how? I stared at him in confusion, our eyes meeting like crashing waves.
Damn. Edmund ruffled his hair roughly and walked ahead as if running away.
I stood there, dazed, unable to find an answer, and had no choice but to follow.
We arrived at the consultation room to try on the sample pieces. After holding the samples up against him in different ways, I placed a brooch, ring, necklace, bracelet, and belt over his shirt to see how they looked.
Even though I offered to help, he insisted on doing it himself, saying he couldn’t possibly have me serve him like that. Normally, wearing so many jewels at once would look ridiculous, but in the mirror, he looked as if he was born to wear them—like a royal in a palace portrait.
I quietly stepped behind Edmund and looked into the mirror with him as I asked,
“Which one do you think would be good for battle use?”
Edmund glanced at the ring. I expected him to pick the practical belt since he had no interest in accessories. But instead, he chose the heavy ring, almost five carats, to maintain the magic element.
“That’s unexpected. Isn’t the ring uncomfortable?”
“It’s just my personal opinion. Don’t mind it. If it’s a product you designed, Count, the knights will be happy with it no matter what.”
“Really? Thank you.”
“And actually, rings are something I prefer to give, not wear.”
What?
I was smiling slightly at his support, but I suddenly froze. Words rose up to my throat, and I couldn’t hold them back.
“So, there’s someone you want to give a ring to?”
In the mirror, he awkwardly avoided my gaze.
‘What? I just said that without thinking… but it’s true?’
My head became a mess of tangled thoughts.
Since when did he have someone like that? Come to think of it, he had been acting strange toward me lately. His words and actions carried a faint trace of flirtation. I was already confused by that… and now I find out he was acting that way because he liked someone else? That thought made me burn with frustration.
‘Where did the Edmund go—the one who lived almost like a monk, ignoring all temptations and quietly taking care of Lilien?’
Once I got to that thought, a deep sense of betrayal rose to the top of my head. I tried to reason with myself. I must be feeling betrayed on Lilien’s behalf. Or maybe because I’m a reader who finished the original novel. I knew it was a poor excuse, but I couldn’t stop the feeling.
I swallowed it all down and removed the brooch from his shirt. The sudden movement made him realize something was off, and he looked at me quietly.
At that moment, my eyes met my reflection in the mirror. I noticed I was unconsciously twisting my lips into a frown—something I’d started doing recently.
‘Let’s at least try guessing who she is.’
Casually, while removing the bracelet from his wrist, I asked,
“What’s your ideal type?”
“My ideal type, huh.”
Edmund reached out and pulled the wrist that was taking off his ring. I was drawn in helplessly and ended up standing face-to-face with the mirror. In it, Etricia looked up in clear dissatisfaction.
“What are you doing?”
“You asked about my ideal type.”
Being at least a head taller than me, he pointed his chin toward the mirror.
“She’s right here. My ideal type.”
