Chapter 15
Aileen’s body trembled slightly, but her lips stayed tightly shut in stubborn silence.
Richard watched her quietly for a while before speaking.
“You once told me you only needed me to stay with you for a year. Is that how long your debt lasts — one year?”
“…”
“In that case, you don’t have to worry,” he said calmly.
Aileen looked up at him, frowning in confusion. Richard met her gaze without flinching and continued,
“No matter how large your debt is, you’ll be able to pay it off within a year.”
“What do you mean by that…?”
“It seems you’re underestimating your own ability, Aileen.”
His cryptic words made her tilt her head slightly. For some reason, that puzzled look made Richard chuckle softly.
“Tomorrow, take all the stones we’ve made so far to an appraiser. You’ll see what I mean.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’ll understand once you go. Just trust me — and for now, get some rest.”
He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and pressed lightly, guiding her down toward the bed. Though she looked confused, Aileen followed his lead and lay down.
Richard pulled the blanket over her.
After tossing slightly, Aileen opened her eyes again with a worried look.
“I really shouldn’t be lying here. I need to make more stones—”
“I won’t give you my hands until you fall asleep,” he said firmly.
Aileen froze, startled by the sudden declaration.
She gave him a small, almost resentful glare, but Richard only smiled in return.
“So tonight, give up and go to sleep.”
“But—”
“Aileen.”
Her name, spoken in a steady, commanding tone, made her fall silent.
In the end, she gave up and closed her eyes.
What else could she do? He refused to cooperate.
Fortunately, exhaustion soon pulled her into a deep sleep.
Richard stood quietly by her side, watching as her breathing softened. When she turned slightly, strands of her golden hair slipped across her cheek.
After a moment’s hesitation, he reached out and brushed them gently behind her ear.
Even in sleep, her brow was furrowed — as if she were still worrying about something in her dreams. Disliking the sight, Richard lightly took her hand.
At that touch, a faint smile appeared on Aileen’s lips — as if she’d just grasped something precious.
Richard felt a strange emotion rise in his chest, one he didn’t recognize. He tried to suppress it, but something still escaped his lips before he could stop himself.
“Good night, Aileen.”
And somehow, saying it didn’t feel bad at all.
❧ ❧ ❧
The next morning, after finishing her preparations, Aileen sat at her dressing table. In front of her lay a jewel box filled with magic stones.
Thanks to all her hard work, the box was completely full — and there were even more stones that didn’t fit inside.
The stones glowed so brightly that they almost hurt her eyes, yet she couldn’t look away.
How much will these sell for?
She tried to calculate roughly, but without knowing the market price for top-grade stones, she couldn’t figure it out.
She knew that high-grade stones were valuable, but she had no idea how valuable — she’d never handled one before meeting Richard.
Still, judging by how people had reacted at the wedding, and by Richard’s confident tone, she guessed they must be worth quite a lot.
If I could get even 400… no, 300 slons per stone, that would be amazing, she thought.
That amount alone would help her pay off a huge portion of her debt.
With both excitement and nervousness in her chest, Aileen closed the jewel box with a firm click. It was time to go.
She gathered the box and the extra pouch of stones and stepped into the hallway — where she found Adrian leaning against the wall, waiting.
When he saw her, his expression fell instantly.
“Sis, are you leaving now?”
“Yes. I’ll be back soon.”
“Can’t I come with you?”
Aileen smiled gently but didn’t answer right away. Her silence said enough.
Adrian lowered his head sadly.
“I just… wanted to go with you.”
“I’ll really be quick,” she promised, rubbing his cheek softly. “So be good and stay home, alright?”
“…Okay.”
They walked together down the corridor for a bit. Normally, she might have taken him along to a jewelry shop, but not today.
Today’s errand wasn’t that simple.
Outside, a carriage was already waiting — one prepared for the Duchess of Olden herself.
The large crest of House Olden was painted proudly on the side. Seeing it made Aileen suddenly aware, once again, of the name she now carried.
Standing beside the carriage was a knight, gently stroking his horse’s mane. When their eyes met, he straightened immediately and bowed respectfully.
Aileen nodded politely and studied him briefly. His sharp brown eyes and short brown hair gave him a rather stern, cold appearance.
As Adrian peeked nervously from behind her, the knight approached and introduced himself.
“My lady, I am Kane, assigned to escort you today. It’s an honor.”
“Oh… thank you. I look forward to your protection.”
Kane turned to leave, but his eyes caught sight of Adrian still half-hiding behind Aileen.
“Will the young count be accompanying us?”
“No, Adrian will stay at the mansion.”
She gave her brother a meaningful glance — go back inside — but Adrian looked at Kane with obvious suspicion.
“…Are you really a knight?”
“Adrian.”
Her sharp tone made him flinch, but his wary gaze didn’t fade.
Aileen shot Kane an apologetic look, but the man simply smiled faintly and said,
“I assure you, I am. Though people do mistake me for other things now and then.”
“I’m sorry for my brother’s rudeness,” Aileen said quickly.
“It’s no problem. He’s still young.”
Kane looked at Adrian, who avoided his eyes guiltily. Then, in a calm but serious voice, the knight added,
“Don’t worry, young lord. I’ll protect your sister well.”
Adrian didn’t reply. He just stared for a moment — then turned and dashed back inside.
Aileen sighed softly. “He’s a little overprotective.”
Kane didn’t comment, simply offered his hand to help her into the carriage.
Before closing the door, he asked,
“Where to, my lady?”
“To the Rubian Jewelry Shop on Partes Street.”
“Understood.”
With that, the door closed, and the carriage rolled forward.
Aileen watched the scenery blur past outside, her fingers absentmindedly brushing the surface of the jewel box on her lap. Her heart wouldn’t stop racing.
What if they won’t even pay 300 slons per stone?
Richard would probably laugh at her for worrying about something so silly, but she couldn’t help it.
After years of living in poverty and paying debts, she had learned to expect disappointment.
The best stones she’d ever made before had only been mid-low grade — and even those were rare. Most of her stones had been low-grade ones worth maybe twenty slons each.
So her anxiety was understandable.
When the carriage finally stopped, she looked out the window and saw a familiar shop — Rubian Jewelry & Gemstones.
It was the same store where she’d sold her magic stones before to help pay her debts.
She’d chosen it again for a simple reason: they offered the best prices in the area.
Stepping gracefully out of the carriage, Aileen entered the store.
The bell chimed, and a polite voice greeted her,
“Welcome to Rubian—”
The employee froze mid-sentence when he saw her. His mouth hung open.
Aileen almost laughed. Of course he’d be surprised — the shabby, desperate woman who used to sell stones in worn clothes had just walked in wearing an elegant dress, arriving in a noble’s carriage.
But Aileen didn’t let it show. With her back straight and her tone composed, she said,
“I’m here to sell magic stones.”
“Y-yes, of course! Right this way, my lady.”
The employee hurriedly led her inside. Her heels clicked softly as she followed, handing over her jewel box and the small pouch of extra stones.
“Please have these appraised and priced.”
As she waited, Aileen glanced down at the pouch and thought she’d need to buy a much larger jewel box soon — one worthy of holding all these stones properly.
The clerk opened the box — and froze, eyes wide in disbelief.
“I… I’ll get the appraiser right away!”
“Go ahead,” Aileen said calmly.
The man hurried to the back room clutching the box and pouch tightly to his chest.
Aileen sighed and sank into one of the chairs in the waiting area.
“Well… this place always gives fair prices. It’ll be fine.”
She was murmuring to herself when the clerk returned — much faster than she expected — with an elderly man following close behind.
The old man’s face was pale with shock as he approached and bowed deeply.
“Greetings, my lady. I am Hailon, the appraiser for Rubian Jewelry.”
“Nice to meet you,” Aileen replied, blinking. “But is something wrong?”
Hailon cleared his throat nervously.
“Not wrong, exactly. It’s about the price of the top-grade stones you brought…”
Here it comes, she thought, swallowing hard and watching him carefully.
The old man hesitated, then raised one trembling finger.
“How about… this much?”
A hundred slons?
Aileen’s heart sank in disbelief. She stared at him, irritation flaring.
Even mid-grade stones sold for fifty — and this man dared to suggest one hundred for a top-grade?
You’ve got to be kidding me.
She opened her mouth angrily.
“Are you joking? How can—”
“If that’s too low, then… then how about one thousand slons! Plus a hundred more!”
Aileen froze mid-sentence.
…What did he just say?
One. Thousand. Slons.
She blinked, utterly stunned.
The appraiser, mistaking her silence for anger, stammered anxiously,
“I-Is that still not enough?”
“No, I—”
“T-Then twelve hundred! Would that be better?”
Now she was completely speechless.
The old man gulped and added desperately,
“Th-thirteen hundred, then! But I truly can’t go higher!”
He sounded on the verge of tears.
Aileen finally snapped out of her daze, grabbed his hands, and blurted out,
“That’s fine! I’ll sell at that price!”
The appraiser and clerk both sighed with visible relief and hurried away to finalize the payment.
The moment they disappeared, Aileen’s knees gave out, and she sank back into the chair.
Mother…
She pressed both hands over her mouth to stop the joyful scream that threatened to escape.
Her eyes filled with tears of overwhelming happiness.
I… I actually hit the jackpot…!
At the age of twenty-three, Aileen’s life entered its second act.
