Chapter 34
Arnulf sat on the bench, stretching his body lazily like a cat basking in the sun. His half-closed eyes carried a trace of drowsiness.
“If you’re tired, why don’t you go inside and rest?”
Pin, who had been quietly watching Arnulf’s complexion ever since Sigmund had dropped a shocking statement earlier, spoke softly.
It wasn’t for no reason — his face was filled with worry and unease.
What on earth happened between those two last night?
From the way they talked, it sounded like something serious had happened, but since he didn’t know what, it made him anxious.
“No. I’m going out.”
Arnulf said that, but his body showed no sign of moving from the bench, as if he were dough stuck to a table.
“Going out?”
His eyes seemed to ask, Where to this time? Arnulf noticed the question in Pin’s gaze. After staying out overnight and returning, it was strange that he wanted to go out again so soon.
“Yes. I need to buy something.”
“What is it? I can get it for you.”
Arnulf hesitated briefly, then pulled out a ring. He figured Pin would know a good jeweler better than he did.
“Wow… it’s beautiful.”
Pin’s eyes sparkled at the sight of the delicately crafted ring.
“Where did you get this? Was it a gift? Did Lord Sigmund, perhaps—”
Before he could finish, his eyes went wide. Arnulf’s shoulders had flinched at the mention of Sigmund’s name.
Oh my goodness!
Pin clapped both hands over his mouth.
“Oh, no, it’s not—”
Arnulf tried to deny it, but it was already too late. The warmth and tenderness that suddenly filled Pin’s gaze made Arnulf click his tongue inwardly.
“Anyway, I’ll be back.”
He didn’t want to stay any longer, afraid of what absurd assumptions might come next. Escaping was the safer choice.
“Take care!”
Hearing Pin’s cheerful farewell, Arnulf left the mansion, hailed a passing carriage, and asked to be taken to a nearby jewelry shop.
Soon, the carriage stopped. Arnulf saw the sign with a gem engraved on it and entered the store.
“Welcome! How may I help you today?”
The jeweler, wearing a monocle, greeted him with a smile — though his sharp eyes quickly took stock of his customer’s appearance.
Arnulf’s simple outfit — a navy jacket over a shirt — was plain but refined. Yet what truly caught the shopkeeper’s eye was his striking red hair and aristocratic, sharp-featured face.
The infamous young master I’ve only heard about…
Recognizing him instantly, the shopkeeper adjusted his glasses. Meanwhile, Arnulf placed the ring from his pocket onto the counter.
“Are you here to sell this?”
The jeweler’s eyes gleamed knowingly.
“No. I want to buy a necklace chain to match this ring.”
Arnulf’s calm reply made the shopkeeper raise his brows. Arnulf didn’t know, but in the past, Josef had often come by to sell jewelry whenever he ran out of money — so this was unexpected.
“I see. Please wait a moment.”
Relieved it wasn’t another pawn situation, the jeweler forced a polite smile and disappeared into the back. When he returned, he carried a long velvet case.
He set it down on the counter and opened it. Inside, several necklace chains of different lengths, styles, and colors lay neatly arranged on purple silk.
“Please choose whichever one you like.”
Arnulf leaned forward with interest—
“Ah! Welcome!”
The bell over the door jingled, and the shopkeeper instinctively greeted the new customer.
“Oh?”
Standing at the entrance was an exceptionally handsome man.
The newcomer nodded briefly at the greeting and then fixed his gaze on Arnulf, who was examining the necklace chains.
Naturally, the shopkeeper’s attention also turned to the two of them.
“So, we meet again.”
At last, the beautiful man spoke — and Arnulf, startled, turned around. His eyes widened slightly.
“…Lord Sigmund?”
At the mention of his name, Sigmund smiled gently.
“What brings you here?”
Arnulf looked genuinely puzzled.
Hadn’t they just parted, agreeing to rest and meet tomorrow? Yet here they were, only hours later — and in a jewelry store of all places.
“I came because of what I mentioned this morning.”
Sigmund replied smoothly, approaching the counter.
Of course, it was an excuse. After seeing Arnulf home earlier, he hadn’t gone far — just lingered nearby. When Arnulf left the house again, Sigmund had followed him.
“What you mentioned this morning?”
Arnulf blinked at him, confused. Did that even happen?
Sigmund’s lips curved slowly.
“Have you already forgotten?”
“Hm?”
“I told you that the Duke of Waldeck is hosting a ball in my honor.”
Arnulf didn’t realize that Sigmund had deliberately dropped the Duke’s name. He simply remembered their earlier conversation and gave a small, “Ah…!”
Meanwhile, the jeweler, who had been eavesdropping, suddenly gasped — he now understood who the beautiful man was.
Wait, that’s Sigmund Waldeck himself?!
No wonder his looks were out of this world.
Just as the jeweler nodded to himself, he nearly choked at the next words he overheard.
“Of course, it’s awkward since you rejected my proposal.”
The shopkeeper’s gaze immediately darted to Arnulf — or more specifically, to the platinum ring with the blue diamond he’d brought in.
So that ring was from Sigmund! That explains it… But wait — the great knight Sigmund Waldeck proposed to the infamous young master?
His curiosity was piqued beyond measure.
“P-proposal?” Arnulf stammered.
“Yes. I asked you to marry me, remember?”
Arnulf shot him a look that said, Wasn’t that already settled? But Sigmund only looked wounded, as if to ask why he was pretending not to know.
“When you said no, I suggested we at least start dating, but you refused that too…”
“Lord Sigmund!”
Arnulf called his name sharply — a plea for him to stop talking nonsense.
But the jeweler had already drawn his own conclusions.
Wait, what? The great Sigmund Waldeck — the hero, the Duke’s son — proposed to the notorious young master, got rejected, and now he’s begging him to at least date him?
This is gossip gold!
His tongue practically itched to tell someone. He barely managed to keep a straight face.
“I said I’d think about it,” Arnulf muttered, rubbing his forehead.
“Yes, I recall. But still, I worry — it’s not as if spending one night with me would make you feel responsible.”
Sigmund lowered his eyes, looking heartbreakingly sincere — and that face only made the moment more dramatic.
“Gasp!”
The shopkeeper almost choked.
Wait—did he just say they spent the night together?!
He definitely knew what that implied.
Arnulf’s face went red. He couldn’t understand why Sigmund kept saying such things.
“Sigh… Lord Sigmund. Yes, I’ll take responsibility. I’m trying to. So please just—”
“You’ll take responsibility?”
“Yes.”
At Arnulf’s reluctant admission, Sigmund’s expression softened instantly into a radiant smile.
Arnulf sighed inwardly. He felt like he’d just been tricked again — but what could he do? He was weak to that smile.
Ah, right.
Lost in thought, Arnulf suddenly remembered the ring still on the counter.
He quickly pocketed it before Sigmund could notice, then turned his attention back to the velvet box. Choosing a necklace chain was harder than expected — most designs looked the same.
He finally picked a silver chain that seemed to match the platinum ring.
“I’ll take this one.”
The jeweler examined it, showering him with flattering remarks about his fine taste and good sense.
“Would you like to try it on? I can check the length for you.”
“That’s all right.”
Arnulf’s voice was firm — he avoided looking at Sigmund. There was no way he was going to wear the ring around his neck right now.
The jeweler blinked, then nodded and told him the total.
Sigmund, who had been unusually quiet this whole time, finally spoke.
“I’ll take this one.”
Following his finger, Arnulf saw that he, too, had chosen a necklace chain.
“Oh! You’re buying one as well, my lord?” the jeweler said brightly.
Arnulf gave him a disbelieving look. Didn’t Sigmund say he was here because of the ball?
Yet all he bought was a random chain — barely even glancing at it.
“Please visit again!”
The jeweler bowed as the two left the shop.
Outside, Arnulf turned to Sigmund.
“Weren’t you here to buy something else?”
Sigmund had been watching him the whole time inside; suspicion began to creep into Arnulf’s mind.
“Did you… follow me here?”
Surely not.
“My mind changed,” Sigmund said smoothly.
“Changed?”
“Yes. There’s no need to impress anyone at the ball.”
Arnulf frowned. “What do you mean?”
Wasn’t the Duke holding that ball for him? Why was he suddenly acting indifferent?
“You gave me permission, didn’t you?”
“…What?”
“So I won’t be meeting any other ladies. Naturally, there’s no need to look good for them.”
In other words, since Arnulf had agreed to be with him, the ball no longer mattered.
Arnulf’s expression twisted. He’d said those words earlier only because he’d been caught off guard — now it felt like he’d trapped himself.
“I’ll think about it carefully. Please understand that much.”
“Of course,” Sigmund replied, smiling again — a dazzling, radiant smile.
But Arnulf’s heart was in turmoil.
