Chapter 28
The Marquis of Lizern’s necklace was delivered right away. As soon as he returned from the Imperial Palace, it was presented to him at dinner.
When he opened the box, the marquis was speechless for a while. He fiddled with the jewel, tilted his head slightly, but soon gazed at the necklace for a long time as though deeply moved.
“The craftsman who made this must have known how to handle magic. I can feel a faint power from it. That makes it even more fitting for me. How did you even think to buy something like this?”
His voice was subdued, and Anes could tell he was truly touched. Being his only daughter… the daughter left behind by his beloved wife… It must make him ache with affection. The thought alone made Anes’s chest tighten.
After finishing dinner and returning to her room, she found not only her own box on the table but also another paper bag.
The sight made her face stiffen immediately—she remembered exactly who she had intended that gift for.
When she first said she wouldn’t become the Crown Princess… should she have pushed harder?
She never knew she was someone with such affection for people. Maybe in the past, she simply hadn’t been surrounded by enough people to feel it…? Or maybe it was the opposite—since she’d been so alone, even a little kindness now made her overly sentimental.
Either way, she realized she wanted to live here with these people for the rest of her life. Then she wouldn’t be the one to doom the Empire.
What could possibly be wrong with living peacefully like this?
Staring at the two identical boxes—each holding a different necklace—Anes sank deep into thought.
The next day, the Marquis of Lizern proudly wore the necklace he had received and left for the palace.
She had even chosen the chain length so it wouldn’t dangle inconveniently during training. Yet he wore it openly over his clothes, grinning broadly, and the sight warmed her heart.
Humming a tune, Anes went upstairs to her room. But before she even opened the door, she sensed something faint. Had she grown able to detect presences as the knights did?
And she had a strong guess about who it was.
“You’re here.”
Checking that no one was in the corridor, she entered and closed the door. Inside, Theowin was sitting confidently.
“It’s been a while.”
“I don’t think it’s been that long,” she replied, lowering her gaze. Her tone came out sharper than she intended. Instead of sitting at the table, she went to the sofa beside the bed, deliberately keeping her distance.
His brow creased slightly at her clear attempt to sit apart.
But then, realizing how awkward this might feel, she considered striking up a conversation. As her eyes drifted around the room, she froze internally—hopefully without showing it on her face.
On the table beside him still sat the jewelry box she had left there yesterday.
Ah, she hadn’t put it away. Of course she hadn’t. Where would she even hide it?
She hadn’t wanted to give it, but also hadn’t been able to decide, so she left it untouched.
Fortunately, he didn’t seem to care, treating it no differently than if it were a bouquet.
That indifference made her hesitate all the more.
“You’re here earlier today. What brings you?” she asked, sounding unintentionally curt.
He didn’t answer right away. He seemed lost in thought, and she only noticed later. Startled, she looked at him—he looked weary, a faint shadow over his face.
“I thought my visits didn’t bother you. Was I wrong? Is coming here… just me forcing myself upon you?”
Good heavens. Theowin had drawn his weapon again.
That blunt tone, yet filled with tenderness—it shook her heart with incredible force.
And at a time like this, when she was already hesitating to give the gift she had bought…
“I don’t dislike it. If my words were too sharp, I apologize, Your Highness.”
She knew he didn’t particularly like stiff formality, but she wanted to apologize sincerely.
“I was… sensitive. I heard about the banquet to announce our betrothal.”
Things had already progressed that far. She herself had gone to buy a dress yesterday. The three great families and the Duke of Singo already knew.
In barely a week, the banquet would be held. And even if it weren’t—it was already all over the Empire.
Thankfully, I came to my senses quickly.
If the engagement were canceled now, the first to suffer would be the House of Lizern. If she had refused at the very beginning, maybe it would’ve been different, but not now—not when the banquet had already been announced.
And at this stage, a young lady refusing marriage would never be seen in a good light.
She had nearly made a disastrous mistake.
At least she could be grateful that Theowin wasn’t a tyrant. Otherwise, she might have brought ruin to the Empire—not herself, but him.
He still looked serious, glancing at her, then at the window, then back at her.
He seemed so earnest it was hard to believe this was the same man she had once read about in the books.
“Your Highness,” she called softly. His gaze lifted from her chin to meet her eyes.
“Could you take out the paper bag on the table?”
He finally turned his gaze. The dull gray box looked like a jewelry case—so commonplace he hadn’t bothered paying attention. After all, gifts like that could come from anywhere—acquaintances, suitors, even her father. It didn’t matter.
But since she asked, he brought it over and looked inside.
It was the same size as the other box. He carefully took it out. The velvet case was smooth and luxurious.
Opening it, he found a necklace.
“…A necklace.”
“Yes. A necklace,” she replied, as though posing a riddle.
He looked from the pendant back to her, sitting there like a goddess testing him.
“Amber pendant… Whoever chose this must’ve thought of your eyes. It suits them well.”
Whoever chose it. As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt heat rise through him.
He hadn’t thought further—he hadn’t even considered taking the necklace out—when he lifted his eyes again and saw hers burning.
Why was she looking at him like that? He wanted to know.
His eyes and voice grew sharp, hardened with emotion. To think of someone else looking into her eyes, choosing a stone for them… Of course that made his blood boil.
Because when she saw this necklace, he wanted the first person she thought of to be him.
That sly thought—he had no intention of admitting it aloud.
But why was she looking so stiff? Did she dislike the pendant resembling her eyes?
Her face had frozen too, and seeing that, he let his expression soften again, looking back down at the amber.
“Who else would’ve picked it? I chose it. Like you said, it resembled my eyes.”
The heavy tension broke instantly.
“You… chose this necklace?”
“Yes.”
“For yourself?”
“No?”
At that, both of them realized they had misunderstood each other. A laugh nearly escaped his lips, but he suppressed it, covering it with a few dry coughs.
“Then this… surely…”
Did he even need to ask? There was only one conclusion left—the best one.
“What do you mean ‘surely’…? What on earth did you think it was?”
She left the question hanging, forcing him to answer first.
“…I thought it was a gift you received. I didn’t know who chose it, but imagining them picking it while thinking of your eyes—it made me furious.”
So that deadly expression… had been jealousy?
“I even thought… I ought to drag the man who chose it right before me.”
She didn’t bother asking what he would’ve done if he had.
She almost wondered if the Empire would fall not because of her, but because the Crown Prince lost his mind over jealousy from loving her too much.
