Chapter 6
Morning light filled the sky.
Ayla called for a maid and handed her a letter to be delivered to her fiancé, Lord Rodrigo. The message was simple. She wished to meet him in the afternoon if he was available, as she had something to discuss.
After that, she went down to the dining room and ate breakfast alone.
Her father typically skipped breakfast, and both her mother and Shuelle usually slept in. In other words, it was the time of day when she was least likely to encounter any of her family members.
With her stomach full, Ayla returned to her room and opened the morning newspaper.
Reading the paper every morning was her only hobby. Partly because staying updated helped her avoid embarrassment at the occasional social gatherings she was forced to attend. But more than that, it was because during those moments, she felt like an ordinary person, living in the world just like everyone else.
She sipped tea she had brewed herself as her eyes skimmed the articles. Then something caught her attention and made her sit up straighter.
“The First Prince is returning to the capital…”
A bold headline filled the front page.
He was being officially granted the title of Grand Duke of Eisenfelt in recognition of his success in subjugating the monsters.
Ayla read through the entire article with growing curiosity.
The First Prince was not the child of the current Empress. He had been born to the Emperor’s former wife, whom he had married before ascending the throne. Though she did not know much, Ayla knew he had long since been absent from the capital.
“So, he’s finally returning,” she murmured.
Her thoughts naturally turned to her father.
Marcus Everett was the Empress’s elder brother and the official supporter of the Second Prince, Edward, who was also his nephew. With the imperial heir not yet chosen, the sudden return of the First Prince was a disruptive and unpredictable development.
Her father would surely be busy.
“That might actually work in my favor.”
The more distracted her father became with political matters, the easier it would be for her to act. The less attention he paid to her, the smoother her plans would go.
A short while later, a reply arrived from Rodrigo.
After confirming the time and place he had written, Ayla dressed for her outing and quietly left the estate.
When Ayla arrived at the shopping district, her fingers brushed the small pouch of valuables she had purposely brought with her.
“I need to convert what I can into cash while I still have the chance.”
She had already made up her mind to leave the Everett household. If she could, she would have left as early as tomorrow. But she knew better than to act without proper planning and preparation.
“I hope I can leave once I’m ready to stand on my own.”
She understood all too well that life rarely went the way one hoped.
Back when she lived in the Saint Duchy, she had no means of independence. Fortunately, ever since her debutante ball, she had begun receiving a small personal allowance for maintaining her dignity as a noblewoman. Though it was difficult to get her hands on that money directly, taking out valuables she already owned was much easier.
As long as she avoided the eyes of her nanny and Shuelle, a few outdated pieces of jewelry going missing would not be questioned.
Ayla headed toward a jewelry shop she had already marked in her mind.
It was the same store where Rodrigo had once mentioned ordering a brooch for her. That day, she had seen a noblewoman exchange her jewelry for cash and had paid close attention to the process.
“How can I help you, miss?”
The shopkeeper greeted her warmly as she stepped inside.
Ayla approached the glass display counter, placed her pouch of jewelry on top, and spoke in a calm tone.
“I’d like to sell these. Would that be possible?”
“Of course, young lady. Absolutely.”
The shopkeeper nodded eagerly and rubbed his palms together before opening the pouch and pouring out its contents onto the glass. His eyes lit up as he saw what was inside.
He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a jeweler’s lens, examining the pieces one by one with great care.
“Every piece here is top quality. Shall I prepare a voucher for you?”
“I want cash. In gold coins.”
“Understood.”
The shopkeeper disappeared into a back room behind a curtain. A moment later, he returned holding several gold coins in his rough hands.
He placed the coins one by one on the counter, stacking them like a small tower. Then he pushed the stack toward Ayla and gave her a wide smile.
“Seven gold coins, miss. That’s quite a good price I’m offering you.”
Ayla stared silently at the gold coins in front of her. Slowly, her gaze lifted, and the gentle warmth in her eyes had turned icy cold.
“Your math seems off, shopkeeper. You just said yourself that these are top quality. So, you’re not someone who can’t recognize value.”
“Well, miss… they’re out of fashion, you see. I’ll have to melt them down and rework them. That costs money.”
“I’m aware of that. But while the settings may need to be redone, the value of the stones themselves should be properly calculated. Normally, resale is done at eighty percent of the market price.”
The chill in her voice made the shopkeeper’s face drain of color.
He did not know which noble family she belonged to, but if this reached the ears of someone in her household, he would be in serious trouble.
“I apologize, my lady. Greed clouded my judgment, and I was terribly rude. Please allow me to recalculate everything immediately.”
“There’s no need,” Ayla replied, reaching for her pouch. “This isn’t the only jewelry shop in the city. Let’s just call this off.”
She was about to take her things and leave when the shopkeeper hurriedly stepped forward.
“Please, my lady, wait just a moment.”
He rushed into the back room and returned with six additional gold coins and one silver coin. He placed them neatly on the counter in front of her.
“I have recalculated at ninety percent of the value as an apology. You will not get more than eighty percent at any other store. Please, save yourself the trouble and allow me the honor of doing business with you. I sincerely hope this makes up for earlier.”
Ayla quickly weighed her options and pushed one gold coin and the silver coin back toward him.
She had been irritated that he tried to underpay her, but it was not something she could not understand. He likely assumed she was just another spoiled noblewoman who knew nothing about the value of money.
She also had no desire to waste more time going store to store. The way he admitted his mistake and accepted the loss showed he was willing to take responsibility.
“Eighty percent is enough. Consider this a token of goodwill. I would appreciate it if you could treat this transaction with the discretion it deserves.”
Her words carried a subtle warning. She did not want anyone talking about their dealings. The shopkeeper seemed to understand exactly what she meant, and his expression brightened with relief.
“Of course, my lady. Please visit any time. You have nothing to worry about.”
“You’re quick to catch on. Well done.”
Ayla gave him a calm nod and left the shop. She felt a quiet sense of pride as she tucked the heavy pouch of gold into her coat.
It was true what they said, that no experience was ever wasted. Back at the Saint estate, she had managed the household accounts in place of her mother. That experience was proving to be more helpful than she had expected.
Most importantly, she felt a small spark of confidence.
Even if she left her family and had to stand on her own, maybe she really could make it.
It was a bitter, cautious kind of confidence, but it was there nonetheless.
That afternoon, under the blazing sun, Ayla sat across from Rodrigo at a bright, upscale restaurant.
“We should end our engagement,” she said quietly.
Rodrigo had been about to offer her a glass of wine, but his hand froze in the air.
“I beg your pardon, my lady. What did you just say?”
“I said I want to break off the engagement, my lord.”
“You want to end it?”
“Yes.”
Her clear, unwavering answer left Rodrigo visibly confused.
“Why? There must be a reason. Did I do something wrong?”
He looked truly puzzled, even hurt, and Ayla felt a slight wave of nausea rise as she watched his perfectly composed face.
“Did I offend you in some way? Please, tell me. I can fix it. Whatever it is, I will change.”
“That’s not the issue.”
“Then was it something I said? Is this about what I mentioned last time? I only brought up those other couples because I wanted our relationship to move forward. I like you.”
Right. That was what he had said.
Ayla let out a soft breath as she recalled the conversation. He had mentioned that most couples, after seeing each other for this long, would have already spent the night together.
“You say you like me.”
“Yes. I know our marriage was arranged, but I truly have come to care for you.”
“And your nightly visits to the Moonlight Mansion were because you care for me?”
“How do you know about that?”
Rodrigo’s expression changed instantly. Realization hit him, and a dark shadow of guilt spread across his face. He understood now why she had called him here.
“I have no desire to keep speaking with you, so I hope you understand what I’m saying.”
Rodrigo, however, looked desperate to defend himself.
“This is a misunderstanding, my lady.”
“A misunderstanding?”
“It’s true that I visited the salon at the Moonlight Mansion, but I did not behave as you imagine.”
Rodrigo’s face was full of panic. He was struggling to control the situation before it slipped through his fingers completely.
