Chapter 18
Countess Barnett could not contain her excitement after seeing the engagement gifts sent by Braeden. It was only natural. She had never seen a gemstone that glowed with such a mysterious red light before.
When word came that Braeden was even preparing the engagement dress, she was nearly ready to faint.
“I really do have an eye for people,” she said proudly.
To her, all of this felt like a reward for her insight. Years ago, when she first saw young Juliana, she had predicted the girl would grow into an extraordinary beauty. That sharp eye, she believed, truly deserved praise.
While the Countess was completely absorbed in thoughts of the upcoming engagement ceremony to be held at the Imperial Temple, Juliana’s attention was elsewhere. She had begun to take notice of the relationship between Tristan and Aileen.
Lately, it seemed the two of them were meeting almost every day.
Tristan used to grit his teeth every time he saw Juliana, but even that reaction had started to fade. The way he and Aileen were quickly growing closer was both confusing and troubling for Juliana.
No, she thought, I shouldn’t just see it that way.
She tried to think differently. At the time, Aileen had been on the brink of bankruptcy and desperately needed someone’s help. That’s why she never let go of Felix Everett, who was the perfect target.
Shortly before their wedding, Felix Everett inherited the title and became the head of his family after the previous marquess passed away. With that status, he had the freedom to take a mistress, and giving Aileen money was never an issue for him.
But would it be the same with Tristan Barnett?
Probably not. The Barnett family’s finances were on a completely different scale from the Everett family’s.
Even if they had gained wealth through the exclusive mining and distribution rights to the Kaerbro Mine, granted by Grand Duke Ortis, that money still belonged to Count Barnett. It wasn’t something Tristan could use freely.
Juliana knew what kind of man Tristan was. If he had truly fallen for Aileen, then he would definitely try to impress her — even if it meant showing off wealth that wasn’t really his to begin with.
That would mean Tristan would have to go against Count Barnett, she thought.
It would spark conflict within the family. At first, it might seem small and insignificant, but what would happen if that tension kept building over time?
A cold smile formed on Juliana’s lips. She had no intention of letting that small spark die out. She would keep feeding it, piece by piece, until it grew into a full-blown fire.
I don’t know why it ended up being Tristan and Aileen instead of Felix, she thought, but in a way, it worked out better.
Now, she had a chance to bring down the Barnett family.
Juliana began putting together several important plans, carefully considering the right time to put them into action.
Before she knew it, time had flown by, and the day before the engagement ceremony had arrived.
That day, several boxes sent by Braeden were delivered to the Barnett estate.
Boxes filled with the engagement dress, shoes, gloves, veil, and other accessories were stacked high in Juliana’s room.
Countess Barnett and the maids, who had come to take a look, couldn’t hide their envy.
“Just look at this. There are so many diamonds on the dress, it’s impossible to count them all,” one of the maids said.
Everyone stared at the dress with eyes full of admiration.
I told them I needed a modest dress, Juliana thought.
It was clear the order had been placed as “the most expensive dress that doesn’t show the back.” With hundreds of diamonds sewn into the skirt, it was hard to think otherwise.
Juliana let out a quiet sigh. She had no idea that Lochlan had recently discovered the thrill of capitalism and was now spending money like water, using humans however he pleased.
“You’re so lucky, my lady,” one of the maids said.
These were the same maids who had never once treated her like a proper young lady, yet now they all spoke with open jealousy.
So, this is why people are so obsessed with money, Juliana thought.
If even they were calling her “my lady” first, then yes, money really did change everything.
Juliana skillfully hid the bitter smile that had started to form on her lips.
Inside the Imperial Palace, there were several temples, but the Temple of Agnes was considered a symbol of the royal family.
It was only opened to the public during ceremonies involving the Emperor, so when news spread that Braeden and Juliana’s engagement would take place there, competition for invitations became fierce.
“Don’t they know you’re supposed to be quiet in a temple?”
Braeden, dressed in full ceremonial attire, frowned as if the noise around him was unbearable.
To be fair, pointing out the noise before even entering the temple was a bit excessive.
The truth was, Braeden wasn’t pleased about the engagement taking place in a temple at all. As a result, he had unconsciously released more of his demonic energy than usual, which heightened his sensitivity to sound.
But that possibility never even crossed his mind.
“When His Grace the Grand Duke enters, everyone will fall silent,” Lochlan said, wiping the nervous sweat from his brow as he tried to calm Braeden.
Even to him, the sight of a great demon receiving a bishop’s blessing at an engagement ceremony felt ridiculous. But he couldn’t let that show. No one could predict how Braeden might react if he sensed even the slightest disrespect, so Lochlan had to handle things carefully.
At that moment, Juliana approached, fully prepared.
Although the dress had been delivered to the estate after days of intense work by the tailor and seamstress, no one could be sure how well it would suit her until now.
But as Juliana walked slowly forward with the help of a maid, it was impossible not to admit that the money had been well spent.
The modest ceremonial dress, which didn’t reveal her back, made Juliana’s graceful and composed image appear even more noble and refined.
The diamonds, decorating the otherwise simple design, sparkled with each step she took, like sunlight dancing across the surface of a calm lake.
A long veil, flowing from behind her ears, swayed gently as she moved.
Braeden, who had been complaining moments ago, fell completely silent, his eyes fixed on Juliana.
Lochlan saw his expression and instinctively realized that Braeden’s mood would no longer be a problem.
Lochlan quietly let out a sigh of relief.
“You look especially handsome today,” Juliana said, a gentle smile forming on her lips.
“Oh dear, I was going to say that first,” Braeden replied playfully, though there was a calm depth in his eyes that didn’t match his light tone.
“Shall we go, my lady?” he asked, offering his arm to her.
Juliana smiled and placed her hand on his arm without hesitation.
Just as Lochlan had said, the moment Braeden and Juliana appeared, the noisy chatter in the temple instantly fell silent.
Though they could feel the many eyes watching them, as if measuring and judging their appearance, neither of them flinched. Without a change in expression, they walked together toward the platform where the bishop waited.
Light passed through the tall stained-glass windows of the temple, scattering in soft colors above their heads.
Arrangements of white lilies and roses lined the path, quietly guiding their way forward.
Juliana believed that excessive adornment wasn’t appropriate for an engagement ceremony, so she chose to wear only the necklace and earrings Braeden had given her. But even that alone was enough to stir murmurs among the crowd.
As she walked, she spotted Count and Countess Barnett watching with proud, emotional expressions, their shoulders drawn back with pride. They looked as if they could barely contain how proud they were of their daughter, and the sight brought a soft smile to Juliana’s lips before she even realized it.
Seated at the highest place of honor were the Emperor and Empress, watching the ceremony unfold.
It was a lavish engagement ceremony, the kind she couldn’t have even imagined in her past life.
When she and Braeden reached the platform, Bishop Gabriel rang a bell and began the ceremony. A long and tedious blessing followed.
“Today, we are gathered to celebrate the engagement of a man and woman, joined under the blessing of the divine. As it is written in the words of the Lord…”
As the bishop’s speech dragged on, a flicker of irritation passed through Braeden’s red eyes.
Unaware that his life was on the line, Bishop Gabriel continued his passionate speech, sweat starting to form across his broad forehead.
“And now, let us proceed with the exchange of engagement rings. Lady Juliana Barnett, please step forward—”
“Place your hand on the holy scripture and vow to give your sincerity to your fiancé. Then, receive the engagement ring.”
In the Kamina Empire, it was tradition for the man to place the ring on the woman’s finger during the engagement ceremony. It symbolized a public proposal witnessed by all, a custom that had been passed down for generations.
It served as a reminder that once the proposal was made in front of so many, the marriage must be fulfilled.
But over time, that tradition began to change.
People started judging a young lady’s social standing by the kind of engagement ring she received. Some even saw the ring as a measure of how deeply the man loved her.
The crowd leaned forward in anticipation.
The temple was so quiet, it felt as if everyone inside had stopped breathing. This moment was always the most focused part of any engagement ceremony.
Juliana placed her hand on the scripture and began to speak her vow.
“I, Juliana Barnett, as a faithful child of the divine, vow to live in truth and loyalty…”
Just then, something unusual began to happen.
A soft light started to shine from the scripture.
The book was responding to the divine power of Floreseco, reacting to its sacred energy.
Braeden was the first to notice what was happening.
Damn it. This is exactly why I didn’t want an engagement ceremony in a temple.
He cursed silently and quickly opened the ring box.
The nobles, who had been focused only on the ring box and not the glowing scripture, immediately reacted the moment they saw the ring with its vivid red gemstone.
“Look at that! Is it a ruby?”
“No, it can’t be. With that kind of shine, it has to be a red diamond.”
“And it matches the necklace and earrings? My goodness, His Grace must really mean it.”
Braeden ignored the chatter behind him, reached out, and quickly took Juliana’s hand to slide the ring onto her finger.
As soon as he did, the divine energy—pressed down by the aura of the great demon—faded, and the glow from the scripture disappeared.
Fortunately, no one realized that Juliana was connected to Floreseco. But Braeden’s complete disregard for the proper rituals and formalities only made the murmuring in the crowd grow louder.
In the middle of it all, Lochlan let out a sigh and pressed his hand to his forehead.
He had hoped that, since the engagement was being held in a temple, everything would go smoothly. But of course, that was too much to expect.
It had happened. The moment had blown up, just as expected.
Still, what could anyone do now? The damage was done. At this point, they could only try to smooth things over as best they could.
Lochlan leaned slightly toward the murmuring crowd and spoke in a soft, knowing voice.
“His Grace must love Lady Barnett so much that he couldn’t help but put the ring on her finger first.”
Someone in the crowd let out a breathless sigh.
“Oh my, how bold! That’s so romantic!”
