CHAPTER 50………….
“I’m pretty sure I said I didn’t need jewels?”
What Yd gave Minerva were two pairs of earrings.
One was a dazzling set of diamond earrings that sparkled so brightly it could blind. The other was a pair of simple-looking round chrysoberyl earrings.
But the problem was, those chrysoberyls were anything but ordinary.
‘This is cat’s eye!’
Chrysoberyl cat’s eye—so named because of the striking line of shimmering light across its rounded surface, resembling a cat’s pupil.
Only a few minerals exhibited this effect, and its rarity made it worth whatever price one could name.
And here was the real problem:
‘That’s the very jewel at the center of the incident where Leona framed Ayla as a thief.’
The cat’s eye wasn’t supposed to appear at this point in time.
It would only become fashionable among wealthy nobles after Ayla had just transferred into the Academy.
If this really was the same cat’s eye, then the question of how Yd had acquired it was unsettling. And even if the source could be explained, it was still far too extravagant a gift in exchange for watching a child for just two weeks.
When Minerva looked at Yd with troubled eyes, he was watching her expectantly, as though waiting for praise.
He must have misunderstood her stunned silence.
‘…Honestly, I want it! I want to keep it!’
Minerva was wealthy, yes, but she had no way to earn her own money.
So gaining an extra piece or two of jewelry was always welcome.
‘But how could I possibly accept this?!’
The diamonds she could maybe excuse, but the cat’s eye was too dangerous.
Yet if she refused only the cat’s eye, it would look like she was happily pocketing just the flashy, expensive-looking gift.
In the end, if she was going to refuse, she had to refuse both.
Swallowing her tears, Minerva shut the box and pushed it back toward him with trembling hands.
“These are far too expensive. Especially two pairs of them—I can’t accept.”
Lloyd hadn’t expected a refusal, and his eyes widened in shock.
Expensive? Did those words just come out of Minerva’s mouth?
‘The diamonds, sure—but this one doesn’t even look that pricey?’
The diamonds were only bait.
The real gift was the cat’s eye.
Lloyd offered the box again, giving her those pitiful, guilty eyes of his.
“Then at least accept this one.”
“I really can’t accept that one!”
Minerva pushed the box back.
And so, with both their hands on the small case, they wrestled over it for quite some time.
Lloyd grew anxious.
‘Why is she rejecting it?’
It didn’t even look that valuable.
Since it hadn’t yet reached the market, it didn’t even have a set price.
Why was she fighting as if her life depended on refusing it? He was going mad with frustration.
‘And she isn’t even curious about the stone?’
The gem with the slit of light resembling a cat’s eye had first been discovered when Priscilla was still a duchess.
Back then, everyone thought the cat’s eye would be coveted by all.
That is, until Priscilla dismissed it, saying it looked like a cat’s eye and ordered it discarded.
Her keen business sense convinced others it wouldn’t sell, and mining of cat’s eye was quietly and completely halted.
As a result, the only existing cat’s eyes were the pair in these earrings.
They were the very first of their kind.
Even someone with little interest in jewels would normally be intrigued by such a strange effect.
Yet Minerva acted as if she had known about it all along.
‘Even if she’s interested in gems, how could she know about something that hasn’t even been revealed yet?’
In any case, this was the only gift he’d prepared for her.
Leaving Ayla with her for two weeks without offering something proper weighed too heavily on his conscience.
Unconsciously, Yd turned his eyes toward Ayla.
She instantly understood and clung to Minerva.
“Madam, they’d look so pretty on you. Please accept them?”
“W-what?”
“Yeah! They’re super shiny. They’ll look perfect on you, Mom!”
‘Good job, Aslan!’
Without being asked, Aslan joined in, holding up the cat’s eye pair.
With the children backing him, Yd pressed the box toward Minerva once more.
“Please, if you don’t accept, my heart will be unsettled. And the children want you to, as well.”
“B-but…”
Minerva’s eyes wavered violently.
It wasn’t as if she disliked jewels.
But she couldn’t shake the feeling that accepting this particular stone would drag her into something troublesome.
‘Above all, it’s just too much compensation for two weeks of childcare!’
She liked free gains, but when one actually landed in her lap like this, it felt suffocating.
What was worse was the three pairs of pleading eyes boring into her, urging her to give in.
“Madam, they’ll suit you perfectly. Please accept them, okay?”
“Mom, you love jewelry. Why won’t you take it?”
“Madam…”
Ugh, the pressure was unbearable!
If it were only Yd, she could have refused coldly. But with the children too, she just couldn’t.
At last, Minerva surrendered completely.
“…Fine. I’ll accept. Thank you.”
“Yay!”
The children cheered instantly, and Yd broke into a bright smile.
Minerva sighed, feeling once again like she had lost to Yd and the kids.
By the time they finished haggling over the gift, evening had come.
Since it was late, and Ayla looked reluctant to leave, Minerva suggested she stay another night.
“Sir Mente, you should stay as well.”
“Would that be all right?”
“You’d only have to come back tomorrow anyway. It’s troublesome. And there are plenty of rooms.”
Surprisingly, she extended the offer to Yd too.
“Then I’ll gladly accept.”
While Yd’s room was being prepared, the four of them shared dinner.
The six-seater dining table was usually just Minerva and Aslan, looking empty. But with Ayla and Yd seated, it suddenly felt full.
Minerva thought:
‘A bustling table… isn’t so bad.’
Just two extra people, yet the mansion felt lively.
After dinner, the children dashed upstairs, eager to play with their gifts.
Thud, thud, thud!
In Ayla’s room was the dollhouse that had been moved earlier.
Aslan brought his dolls as well, chattering about the roles he wanted to play.
“I’m the strongest princess in the world with a fearsome lion by my side!”
“Then I’ll be the richest young merchant in the world!”
They became completely absorbed in their role-play, losing track of time.
Much later, Minerva peeked in.
“Kids, aren’t you going to sleep?”
“Mom!”
The moment Aslan saw her, he dropped his doll and ran into her arms.
Minerva lifted him easily, accustomed to it.
After some affectionate snuggling, Aslan suddenly declared:
“Mom, I’m going to sleep with Ayla tonight.”
“What? You’re telling me to sleep alone?”
“You’re an adult, so you should know how to sleep alone.”
“That’s true, but not something you should be saying, is it?”
Minerva laughed, her eyes brimming with affection.
She pressed her forehead gently to Aslan’s.
“All right. But only if you go to sleep early.”
“Mm-hm!”
She set him down, then bid Ayla good night as well.
“Don’t stay up too late, Ayla.”
“Yes, Madam.”
Click.
Once Minerva left, Aslan plopped onto the bed beside Ayla.
“Ayla, let’s keep playing dolls!”
“Sure, Aslan.”
Ayla smiled faintly.
But the game didn’t feel as fun anymore.
Why was that?
Her mind kept drifting to Minerva and Aslan.
And then her mouth moved on its own.
“Aslan, you’re lucky… having a mom like Madam.”
With ears sharp as a cat’s, Aslan didn’t miss a word.
“You want a mom like mine?”
“Huh? Uh, no—I mean, that’s not what I meant…”
Flustered, Ayla stammered.
What was she saying? How shameless!
“I-I don’t mean I want to steal your mom, it’s just—”
She hurried to explain, but Aslan folded his arms and closed his eyes in thought.
He liked Minerva. He liked Ayla. He liked Yd too.
And suddenly, a brilliant idea struck him.
He jumped up and shouted:
“I’ve got it!”
“What is it?” Ayla asked, looking up.
With the air of a genius proud of his own brilliance, Aslan declared confidently:
“Your dad and my mom should get married!”
