The hair that touched my fingers felt very soft.

  Maybe Perez has nicer hair than me.2

  I thought hard.

  I was a little confused about what Perez was doing in front of me, then I made eye contact with Perez, who was silently lowering his head.

  And he grabbed my hand.

  "……Uh?"

  It was a moment when I felt embarrassed by a hand that suddenly grabbed mine.

  Something touched my hand.

  "What is this?"

  "A Gift."

  "It’s a gift?"

  When I opened my hand, I saw a round-shaped flower on my palm.

  It looks like a mixture of lilies and roses, and the color is reddish.

  But why the flowers is hard? Why?

  "This. Is it Ruby?"

  "Huh."

  "Yes!"

  Ruby was too precious to nod lightly!

  The weight and volume felt by the hand are also considerable.

  I walked to a brighter place and looked at the Ruby in my hand.

  It’s a little smaller than a ping-pong ball, and the Ruby was carved into a flower shape.

  However, the shape of the petals was a little strange.

  Like it was made by someone who was sculpting for the first time, it was awkward at first and then quickly became more proficient ……

  "Did you sculpt this?!"

  "Huh."

  As before, he just nodded his head stiffly.

  "Uh, how? No, why?!"

  Why is the Second Prince, who is busy studying swordsmanship every day, sculpting Ruby that has nothing to do?

  "I want to give you."

  "Oh, thank you! Thank you! Ha-ah…… What the hell did you use to sculpt the Ruby?"

  It’s not as easy as carving wood with a knife.

  Perez replied to my question, saying that it wasn’t a big deal.

  "It because I was putting Aura on a small knife."

  "Ah, if it’s like that then, definitely…… Wait, you sculpted with Aura?!"

  The guy nodded again.

  “Come…… Show me a little Aura……”


  Oh my gosh.

  I’ve never heard of a jewel cut and shaped with Aura.

  The price of Ruby itself is enormous, too, but it was carved with aura.

  “Aura was very useful.”


  It was as if the use of the aura he exuded was just to carve Rubies.

  Certainly, his way of thinking had a very peculiar corner somewhere.

  I sighed and looked at the Ruby in my hand.

  “Thank you, I’ll take it well.”


  Someone might say it’s a too burdensome gift and refuse it.

  Why is this?

  Later, when Perez becomes Crown Prince and becomes Emperor, the value of this ruby will not be converted.

  Save it either.

  "The fact is……"

  Perez pulled something again, rummaged from his pocket.

  It was a string made of long gold.

  "It was a necklace."

  When I looked closely, there was a small ring on the back of the Ruby.

  How could the ring be in that jewelry?

  I didn’t want to ask.

  "This too……"

  "Yeah."

  Well, there’s nothing that can’t be done with Aura.

  I secretly saw Perez put on the necklace.

  "If that’s okay, would you like to wear this necklace?"

  He asked very carefully.

  "You’re saying this is mine? Of course. Isn’t that obvious?"

  He asked me, then what shall I do. I quickly stretched out my neck.

  The necklace was long, different from what an adult would use, and Ruby flowers fluttered slightly.

  When it moved, several sections shone, reflecting light.

  "Pretty."

  Rarely, Perez said first.

  "Yeah. You are pretty."

  The parts that are engraved at the beginning make the flowers more colorful.

  "Thanks."

  I said again.

  I liked Ruby so much that I thought I could say it ten times.

  "I also."

  Perez said something I didn’t know again.

  And there was no conversation between us for a while.

  That didn’t mean it was awkward.

  I visited the lit garden and listened to music in the cool breeze.

  And, Perez……

  "Why do you keep looking at me?"

  Your gaze will be very piercing, hey.

  "Hey."

  Instead of answering my question, Perez said something else.

  "We, is there no way to meet each other sometimes?"

  “What does that mean?”


  "It would be nice if we could talk like this sometimes."

  Expressing what you want directly like this is unexpected.

  I asked carefully, thinking about it.

  “Aren’t we going to exchange letters?”


  “There are many things that cannot be conveyed by letter.”


  Perez’s tone was cautious.

  He is afraid of someone reading the letter, so he reluctant to write important stories.

  "Do not worry about it. Caitlyn was not the one who would open someone else’s letter, and because she was commuting on the Lombardy carriage, there’s no need to worry about someone taking her in the middle."

  Perez listened to my explanation for a while, then shrugged and replied after a while.

  “.……If you say so."

  It turns out that a long time has passed since we entered the balcony.

  "Once you go out first."

  I said to Perez.

  Since this is your first time appearing at a banquet, many eyes on you.

  “.……Okay."

  Somewhere the answer from the guy is not good.

  Anyway, Perez went first through the balcony veil.

  Left alone, I went back to the banquet hall after counting roughly to 100 while listening to music and people talking.

  * * *

  Someone spoke to me as I wet my throat by taking the drink I had brought with me.

  "There you are……"

  Looking at her, she was a red-haired girl who looked the same age as Larane.

  Next to her looks like a younger sister who is the same age as me.

  Who is this, the face I’ve never seen before?

  When I turned around, wondering, the two grasp the skirt of the dress and politely say hello.

  "He, hello, Young Miss. Florentia Lombardy. I’m a Patricia from Gus family, and this is my sister……"

  "I am Haley Gus, Young Miss."

  Despite their somewhat shy and quiet impression, the two of them looked like high-ranking noble daughters, seeing that the clothes and accessories they were wearing were gorgeous.

  They also greeted me by holding the skirt of the dress.

  “This is our first time meeting. I am Florentia Lombardy.”


  I just introduced myself in a normal way, but the two were frightened.

  “You, you’re being polite! Even if you don’t have to, no, you shouldn’t……"

  Patricia’s face quickly turned red, as if my guess of her shyness was correct.

  “Pease take it easy, Lombardy Young Miss!”


  Well.

  Depending on the prestige of the family, the ranks among Young Lady and Young Master are also established.

  In that sense, Lombardy was the top family in the pyramids of the nobles.

  When Lombardy’s direct lineage was said with respectful words, Patricia didn’t know what to do right now.

  But I replied with a slight smile.

  "No. It’s comfortable to say like this."

  "Oh my goodness."

  If someone is ’higher’ than yours and treats you with kindness in common sense, people will be more moved and grateful.

  Patricia was impressed with me, not acting.

  "I…… The clothes that Young Miss wearing are so beautiful. Can you please tell me which dressmaker you went to?"

  As if her younger sister, Haley, also had courage, she clenched her fists and asked.

  “I’m sorry if you excuse me……"

  There was a quick apology followed.

  If it’s Gus, I know them.

  This is one of the hallmarks of the Luman family from the East, although the population is small, it is a family that makes quite a lot of money taking taxes using the river to transport goods along the great river.

  I looked around pretending to be worried about telling her or not.

  After all, it wasn’t just the two sisters who were waiting for my answer.

  Suddenly, young children of the same age and their mothers were gathering near me.

  "Do other people want to know?"

  I just asked openly.

  It embarrassing that I listen to someone’s conversation, but everyone feels embarrassed, so I came a little closer.

  “If you want to know, I can tell you.”


  People’s faces were noticeably brighter at my words.

  In fact, in many social circles, the name of the designer or the dressing room they hired was a secret.

  It was to monopolize the design alone.

  "This clothes……"

  I talked after a moment of silence.

  "Its clothes from a Gallahan clothing store."

  “You mean ready-to-wear clothes?”


  A noble lady asked me in surprise.

  "Yes, that correct."

  "Oh my god, how can ready-to-wear clothes be so beautiful?

  The wives are already upset.

  I watched their reaction and said, laughing at the right time.

  “Thank you for the praise. Actually, this dress is ready-to-wear, but I also decorated it myself. I’m glad to hear that it’s pretty, so it seems that my eyes are praised.”


  "You said that Young Miss did it by yourself?"

  The woman who covered her mouth with a fan spoke from behind and looked at my dress asking as if she couldn’t believe it.

  I know who she is.

  Julietta Abino, from a fallen family with only names left, became an opera star with her beautiful voice and appearance.

  While receiving indirect support from the Empress and making a name for herself in the social world, she was a woman who was despised by the noble ladies for coming from a very low-key family.

  Well, Julietta’s behavior who is having a relationship with many aristocratic men using her pretty appearance is also part of it.

  In the future, he will become the lover of Astana, the First Prince, and will be abandoned by the Empress.2

  “I got my dad’s help, but I picked all the basic ready-to-wear dresses, laces, and the silk or jewelry I put on to decorate them.”


  "…… Young Miss has a very good sense of aesthetics."

  Julietta said, narrowing her eyes as if she couldn’t believe me.

  Perhaps she thought I was lying because I didn’t want to give the name of the person who designed the costume.

  Then, a noble lady who hated her sharply struck her back.

  “What disrespectful attitude is that to Lombardy’s Young Miss, Miss Abino!”


  "Yes. There have been many rumors for a long time that the daughter of Gallahan-nim is brilliant. So, is it that Lombardy Young Miss is lying at the same time?"

  “Well, I’m not saying that……”


  Just before Julietta’s pride fell.

  It was because he was the one directing Lombardy’s direct line as a liar.

  "I was saying that Lombardy Young Miss clothes were excellent. I’m sorry, Young Miss."

  "It’s okay."

  When I answered with a smile, Julietta’s complexion was even more relaxed.

  "How can you be fine?"

  "Lombardy Young Miss is so generous."

  Even though the ladies still glanced at Julietta, they praised me so that the mouth was dry.

  They would say that even the sound of my breathing was pretty.1

  I said a word wrong, and now I just sighed and looked at Julietta, who was cooling off her sweat with a fan.

  Surely the clothes she was wearing were a bit out of date.

  It seemed that the Empress was not such a generous supporter.

  Then thank you for me.1

  I told Julietta.

  “Miss Abino’s stage costume would also be great if you used ready-to-wear. I just heard that my dad is looking for someone who can wear ready-to-wear beautifully."