Chapter 101

I gazed, somewhat dazed, at the appraiser, my eyes fixed on an exquisitely beautiful butterfly ornament crafted from rare jewels.

At Etias’s command, the man had arrived bearing five entire boxes of jeweled pieces stacked beside him.

“It may be worn as a brooch or fashioned into a pendant. If you tell me its intended use, I will have it made accordingly, my lady.”

“How much… did you say this costs?”

“One million den for each piece.”

“…!”

That meant this single butterfly ornament was worth a staggering ten billion won in Korean currency.
Five boxes of them—fifty billion.

It far exceeded the amount I had spent financially supporting Etias.

“They are imported from Montella, and several of the gemstones used in each piece are increasing in value as we speak.”

After studying them with a grave expression, I finally spoke.

“It pains me to decline after you have come all this way, but I cannot accept them. Please convey that to His Majesty.”

“But His Majesty has ordered these to be sent to you.”

“Even so, I do not think it is right.”

In the original story, even after becoming emperor, Etias was not one for extravagance.
Restoring the empire, devastated during the Rebel Emperor’s reign of tyranny, required vast sums.

Yet here I was, already returned a mine and gifted the frozen lands—and now, jewelry worth fifty billion won.
While I appreciated his gratitude, this felt excessive.
If it were all drawn from the blood and sweat of the people, I could not allow myself to make Etias into a bad emperor.

At that moment, the appraiser said,

“If Your Ladyship is concerned about His Majesty’s reputation, you need not worry.”

“…?”

“These were purchased not from the imperial treasury, but from His Majesty’s personal fortune, which had previously been frozen.”

Indeed, in the original story, Etias reclaimed his frozen assets—but I doubted he would have the leisure to spend so lavishly.
Half of that inheritance was tied up in financial instruments linked to the empire’s economic indicators, vulnerable to instability after the revolution.

But now…

It occurred to me that the empire’s current economic situation was far less ruined than in the original.
The planned revolution had ended swiftly, almost without risk.
Neither the capital nor the palace had suffered major damage, and with the munitions factories already in Kamel Beatrice’s hands, there was little need for massive military spending.
Most of all, thanks to Caron’s early application of liberation economics, the post-revolution surge in prices and economic collapse had been avoided entirely.

“It is neither from the people’s taxes nor the state coffers, my lady, but a gift from a wealthy emperor. Please accept it.”

The appraiser rubbed his hands together with a sly smile. No doubt, he was eager for me to accept—his profit depended on it. Still, he spoke the truth: accepting would not harm the empire’s economy.

And if anyone insulted “my boy,” it would wound me.

After a long pause, I nodded.

“…Alright. My heart feels heavy, though.”

The truth was—they were breathtakingly beautiful.
Even in Katrin’s memories, raised amid the finest things, she had never possessed such jewels.
Such treasures were normally exchanged only as marriage gifts between the grandest noble houses.

“His Majesty has already given you something equal to a national treasure, so there is no need to be shy.”

My brows twitched at those words. His gaze had shifted to the ring on my hand—once given to me by Etias.

“This?”

“Even from afar, it is unmistakable—the Flaco Mageria Ring, the greatest national treasure of the empire.”

The name was unfamiliar, though in Katrin’s memory I had heard it before. I had only thought the gem resembled a camellia; though beautiful, the ring’s design was simple enough to wear daily.

Yet his next words made my eyes waver.

“It is the special ring passed down through generations to each Empress of the Empire—its value far surpasses that of these jewels.”

“…The thing I truly should return is this.”

After the appraiser left, I stared blankly at the ring on my hand.
A national treasure, once belonging to the empresses of the realm.

To give me such a precious keepsake of his mother… no matter his gratitude, it was too much.

The Empress’s ring… how absurd.

I had once planned to take it back to the real world as a memento, but now I lowered my hand, thinking that someday I would have to return it.
My heart thudded wildly.

Thoughts of yesterday’s events in the throne room returned.

Katrin Elemore… has become my everything.

Etias…

After a moment of tangled emotions,

“You look like a goddess descended from the heavens.”

The precious stones, now fashioned into brooches and necklaces, arrived at the mansion along with dresses, drawing awed gasps from the maids.

“Next time you visit the palace, how about an emerald gown with a silver necklace?”

“I think a red necklace with a red dress would be lovely.”

“Or perhaps a brooch with a golden guard ring and a silver gown?”

I chuckled softly at their eagerness to make me the most beautiful woman in the world.
Talking with them helped me forget the thoughts that had been muddling my mind.

“Why are you all in such a hurry?”

“It’s better to decide in advance, my lady.”

I shook my head and told them to store everything in the dressing room.
The storerooms of the House of Elemore were growing fuller by the day—just like the clothes I now wore.

And speaking of Montella… it’s about time I recover those assets.

I had moved my wealth there knowing its value would rise, but also because I had once planned to live in Montella.
Now that Etias’s “heart” matter was behind us, the misunderstanding about the House of Elemore was cleared, and I could live here safely again, I intended to bring that money back.

At that moment came news that the Duke of Montella’s carriage had arrived.
Yet the man who stepped out was not the duke, but his right-hand secretary.

Ah, yes—he had been close by even when I sold the mine to the Rebel Emperor.

I greeted the familiar face and brought him to the drawing room.
I also had Heros bring in the duke—still in the form of a dog—to sit beside me.

Pant, pant.

Agnes served warm tea, and I addressed the man, whose expression was dark.

“You must be weary from such a long journey. And… I truly regret what has happened. You came to Quaidon to help me, and now this.”

Woof!

The secretary’s eyes filled with clear tears at the sight of his master, wagging his tail in innocent ignorance.

“Your Grace… how did it come to this, that you have become wholly a dog?”

He dabbed his eyes with a handkerchief, regaining composure.

Pant, pant.

The duke only lolled his tongue indifferently.

“I have confirmed the Beast Peak has not been broken—and that His Grace remains without reason, trapped in a canine form.”

The secretary turned to me.

“But this is not your fault, my lady. It is His Grace’s own, for losing his wits and running off alone when he saw the fire. Is that not so, Your Grace?”

Woof!

Now it sounds even more like my fault.

Though his tears had stopped, the secretary still regarded his master with reproach, while the duke panted again without a care.

A tragedy indeed.

Sighing, I spoke.

“Heros—Jeffrey Whistler—and His Majesty, along with Elma Pharmaceuticals, are searching for a way to restore His Grace. The research environment here is far better than at the Montella ducal house. Would you allow him to stay here for a time?”

When he awoke, I would need to ask him what had happened.

Most of all, the palace veterinarian’s diagnosis had been unsettling. I had to find the cause.