Chapter 86
“This… ring?”
“This isn’t an ordinary ring. It has a built-in defensive magic circle that can protect you when you’re in danger, and if you drop your blood on this diamond, I can instantly teleport to where you are.”
Through this ring.
Kylus held up the men’s ring as he spoke.
The remaining ring was indeed Kylus’s, as he naturally slipped it onto his ring finger. Then he looked back at Alice and continued speaking.
“These two rings are connected to each other.”
“…So it was a magic ring.”
It really wasn’t an ordinary ring.
Alice looked at the two rings alternately with curious eyes.
“Yes, I was late yesterday because I was ordering this.”
So the reason Kylus was late yesterday was because of the magic ring.
Alice looked at Kylus with slightly surprised eyes.
To think he was late because he was making a protective item for her.
And I cursed at him this morning for making me wake up late…
Hmm…
Feeling slightly apologetic, Alice said with an awkward smile,
“Ah, I see…”
“To the outside eye, it will look like our wedding rings, so no one will think it strange if you always wear it.”
“Wedding rings…”
Alice looked down at the ring again. It did look like an engagement ring to anyone who saw it.
From the sparkling diamond to the delicately crafted platinum band.
It was a perfect wedding ring.
But when she thought about it that way, she felt strange.
When he said it was a magic ring to protect her, she just found it fascinating, but now that it was described as a couple ring she shared with Kylus, she felt a tickling sensation somewhere deep in her chest.
Sharing rings… it really makes us feel like a married couple.
Alice tried to look away from the ring, feeling a strange heat rising inside her, tickling her senses.
If only he hadn’t taken her hand.
Kylus’s thumb brushed over her ring.
Unlike the cold ring, his touch was hot. Alice’s gaze was drawn up to Kylus as if pulled.
“So don’t take this ring off for even a moment, Alice.”
The moment she met Kylus’s black eyes, the hot sensation finally enveloped her heart.
It’s hot.
As if hiding her flushed cheeks, Alice lowered her gaze and answered him in a small voice.
“…I won’t.”
* * *
“Wow, my lady, it suits you so well!”
“Does it?”
At Aileen’s exclamation, Alice looked again at her reflection in the mirror.
The light sky-blue dress shimmered faintly with silver embroidery.
Although she wasn’t wearing a corset, the lines of her chest and waist fell smoothly, giving a clean and elegant look.
This dress, which wasn’t excessive but suited her body well, was none other than the one made by Madame Rosewell.
Today, on the third day after visiting the salon, the completed dresses had arrived at the duchy.
And she had just tried on the most eye-catching dress among them.
They said Madame Rosewell was the most famous women’s clothing designer in the empire.
Her skills were indeed extraordinary.
To achieve both comfort and beauty, catching two rabbits at once.
Alice smiled with satisfaction at the dress, which was much better than she had expected.
“I think it would look good with your hair up.”
Saying this, Aileen gathered Alice’s loose hair and twisted it into a round shape.
It made her look even more like a noblewoman.
This is how I should style it for the hunting competition.
“The dress really suits you well. It goes well with the ring too!”
Aileen said brightly, looking at the ring.
“…”
Alice nodded, then paused. The day she returned to the duchy wearing the ring, a rumor had spread throughout the household.
That the Duke had gifted his wife a wedding ring.
Aileen and Sienna had been overjoyed when they saw the ring.
Sienna, in particular, had been satisfied, saying that the size of the diamond seemed to show the size of Kylus’s heart towards her.
To the point where Alice felt embarrassed.
Alice watched Aileen glancing at the ring with excited eyes, then her gaze stopped on the gleaming jewel reflected in the mirror.
The yellow diamond ring, a protective item gifted by Kylus.
And at the same time, their wedding ring.
As if keeping Kylus’s words to never take it off, Alice hadn’t removed the ring even while sleeping or bathing.
Three days like that.
Although she had spent three days with it, she still felt strange every time she looked at the ring.
It wasn’t that she disliked it, but rather… the memory of receiving the ring kept coming back to her.
‘So don’t take this ring off for even a moment, Alice.’
Kylus’s low voice and intense gaze.
And the hot temperature of his hand as he held hers.
All these things about him kept swirling before her eyes and in her ears, confusing her.
Just like a teenage girl falling in love.
This ring absolutely wasn’t meant to have that kind of meaning.
The problem was that Kylus, who gave the ring, was too perfect.
For such a man to gift her a diamond ring, and one that matched her eye color as if he had her in mind…
Honestly, how could she not feel affected?
In the end, she was the only one getting excited, the only one losing sleep over it.
While Kylus was going about his days normally.
Still… it seemed Kylus never took off his ring either.
Every time she encountered him over the past three days, the ring was always on his finger.
“My lady, what’s making you so happy?”
At Aileen’s words, Alice startled and stopped her train of thought.
Looking in the mirror, she saw her own face grinning.
Oh no.
Smiling like a fool while thinking about Kylus.
What am I doing?
Have I really fallen in love or something?
No. Love, of all things.
That was too dangerous a thought.
Kylus is just being nice because he wants something from me.
Goodwill towards the person who saved his life and for my holy power.
If I misunderstand that on my own… I’ll be the only one left out in the cold.
To begin with, pining over unrequited love didn’t suit her personality.
Alice cleared her throat, trying to shake off the lingering thoughts of Kylus in her mind.
Her feelings weren’t what was important right now.
The hunting competition held by the imperial family.
Alice had heard yesterday that the hunting competition would be held in a week.
In just a week.
The event that would reveal the Empress’s true nature was happening in just a week, but there was still no news from the Third Prince.
It seemed Sienna was meeting with the Third Prince every day, though.
Three days ago, Sienna had said she definitely met with the Third Prince.
Despite the commotion in Rocfen, it seemed the Third Prince was still coming to Rocfen every day.
‘I had a good conversation with His Highness the Third Prince.’
That day, when she first went to meet the Third Prince, Sienna had proudly said so upon returning from Rocfen.
It was fortunate enough that they hadn’t fought, but to even have a conversation…
At that time, there seemed to be hope for the relationship between the Third Prince and Sienna.
However, three days later, despite Sienna’s initial confidence, there was no news from the Third Prince.
One might think, “It’s only been three days?”, but the problem was that we didn’t have much time.
We couldn’t kidnap and brainwash the Third Prince to become Emperor.
Somehow… we needed to change the Third Prince’s mind before the hunting competition began.
If Alice successfully exposed the Empress’s misdeeds, the Second Prince’s crime of raping Lady Rosetta would also come to light, which would greatly shake the Second Prince’s position.
And that would be the perfect opportunity for the Third Prince to rise as a candidate for Crown Prince.
If things went smoothly… the Third Prince might even become Crown Prince right away.
So the Third Prince needed to make up his mind quickly.
To become Crown Prince.
Alice wanted to meet the Third Prince directly to persuade him, but Sienna strangely disliked her involvement.
Even today, her offer to go together was flatly rejected.
Sienna refused so firmly with such a smooth smile that Alice couldn’t bring it up a second time.
Surely, she wasn’t lying about having conversations while the Third Prince was actually ignoring her?
Was that why she insisted on going alone?
Alice suddenly felt suspicious but shook her head.
Sienna wasn’t the type of person to lie.
“…Still, I should try to go with her tomorrow somehow.”
We weren’t in a situation where we could just waste time.
“Pardon?”
Aileen tilted her head, seeming to have heard Alice’s quiet mumble.
Hopefully Rhonda didn’t hear.
Alice glanced at Rhonda standing at one end of the room through the mirror, but he was just standing guard as usual, like a statue.
“No, it’s nothing.”
“Then, would you like to try on the other dresses?”
Aileen said, looking at the other dresses sent by Madame Rosewell.
Though she hadn’t counted precisely, there seemed to be over 20 dresses just at a glance.
If she were to try them all on… it would take the whole day.
Not having a taste for playing dress-up, Alice headed for the sofa instead.
“No. Take the other clothes to the dressing room.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Alice sat on the sofa and picked up the book she had been reading earlier.
Although her mind was complicated because of the Third Prince, there wasn’t anything she could do right at this moment.
At times like this, it’s better not to think at all.
And books are the best for clearing one’s head.
[The Hot Countess’s Night.]
This book, which clearly revealed its genre from the title, was none other than a third-rate romance novel bought from the Rocfen bookstore.
She hadn’t even glanced at it on the day she bought it, but after a day passed, she read it once out of boredom.
But the content was more solid than expected.
The setting was robust for a so-called third-rate novel, and the appropriately placed adult scenes were thrilling.
No wonder it was popular among the ladies.
Anyway, she had finished the knight series yesterday, and today was the noble lady series.
And honestly, watching Rhonda flinch and fail to hide his flustered face every time she picked up the book was quite enjoyable.
Especially when she held the book so the title was visible, his broad shoulders noticeably twitched.
Just as Alice was about to start reading the book that provided various kinds of entertainment, the sound of horse hooves was heard from the open window outside.
Aileen spoke from beside her.
“Lady Meltain is returning early today.”
“Huh?”
Alice put down her book with surprised eyes.
“Sienna’s back?”
“Yes.”
Alice turned her head sharply towards the window.
Indeed, she could see the carriage that Sienna had taken out just about two hours ago approaching the mansion.
