# 59
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I was momentarily taken aback by the sudden, out-of-the-ordinary observation that appeared during our meal.
I neither put the fork in my mouth nor put it down, and in that brief moment, the peas stuck to it fell onto the plate and rolled.
Ian, on the other hand, seemed more relaxed, as if he chewed the words for a long time before spitting them out.
“I thought it was something that needed to be said.”
After a short pause, he added, and took an unusual sip of water, as if his throat was dry.
'What's the matter with him? Why did he bring this up out of nowhere?'
Even though it was a shift in mood that made me unsure how to respond, I couldn't ignore it, so I nodded slowly.
“Okay, thank you for telling me.”
Then I picked up the peas that fell on the plate.
“Are you planning to accompany the princess to the Summer Palace?”
Before I could even bring the fork to my mouth, he asked me.
I looked between Pea and Ian, and shrugged.
“…It’s something that His Majesty the Emperor personally suggested, so do I really have a choice?”
Although it was presented as a proposal, it was practically a royal decree – to refuse would be tantamount to treason.
“He won't punish you for not going. So, feel free to make your own decision.”
As if he reminds me that he is from the royal family.
As if he was saying that it was okay to refuse.
I put the peas, which were dangling precariously on the edge of the fork, into my mouth and asked,
“What about you, Grand Duke? Have you not decided yet?”
“...I'm thinking about it.”
“You know this, right? If you don’t go, I will be left alone between His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress and the Princess.”
My words, heavy with innuendo, left Ian looking confused, but he didn't offer an immediate response.
'For someone who says he's thinking about it, it seems like he's already leaning strongly in one direction.'
Well of course, he wouldn't want to go.
It's not that he hates it so much; In fact, he finds it exhausting.
In fact, I could use social gossip or reputation as an excuse to suggest, “If I go on this trip alone, what will happen to the image of a harmonious couple we have built?” But this time, I didn't want to do that.
‘After all, the Imperial Palace is like a scale opposite to Ian.’
Ian's biological mother, a former concubine, did not view Ian as a child to be loved, but rather as a pawn to enhance her position within the imperial palace.
She wanted more than anything to survive, to have greater power.
For someone like her, Ian, who had half the Emperor's blood, was a perfect tool to keep the rightful heir, Eliseo, under control and put pressure on the Empress.
It was also the concubine who whispered to Ian, if necessary, to kill his closest allies, to feel nothing, to kill his emotions.
'After that incident when he was ten years old, Ian completely changed...'
So it was natural for Ian to deliberately stay away from Emperor Eliseo and the Princess.
The closer they are, the greater the danger.
'This trend also became an obstacle to getting closer to Diana.'
In the original story, Diana eventually convinced Ian for a long time, creating a nuance that might cause him to start getting closer to the Emperor, and that's where the story ended.
If Ian could get over this sooner, it would be good for Diana, Ian, and the Emperor.
I rolled my eyes briefly before looking at him.
“…Do you have time today?”
❖ ❖ ❖
By the afternoon, the sun's rays were unusually harsh.
It seemed like summer was really on its way, even in a light, short-sleeved dress with a thin shawl wrapped over it, I could feel the heat.
When I asked him if he had time, Ian didn't press why, he simply agreed, and immediately after breakfast, we took a carriage to the bustling market area.
We arrived at a place called “Milan Street”, which is known for its various fabrics and materials.
After getting off the cart, Ian looked around at the crowded street, full of all kinds of fabrics and materials, and asked,
“Why did we come here?”
“To buy a birthday present for the princess.”
I answered nonchalantly, and as usual, he raised one of his eyebrows with his usual frown.
"… here?"
He looked confused, which was understandable.
This place ls raw fabrics, gemstones, beads and other materials in bulk and in bulk, not finished, beautiful products. It was like going to a popular fabric market to choose a gift.
'But it's not like the princess prefers an existing product from the market anyway.'
Most importantly, there was something here that the princess would definitely like.
Instead of answering, she smiled at him slightly and took his hand.
He seemed to freeze for a moment.
“I won't bite.”
"Follow me. The streets here are complicated."
❖ ❖ ❖
'Let's see. At this time, the store was supposed to open.'
I kept my eyes occupied as we passed through the crowded shops in the maze-like alleyways.
Ian, whose hand I was holding, was not happy, but he followed me with surprising obedience.
After walking around for about ten minutes, we finally arrived at our destination, and my face lit up.
“Found it.”
Just as I thought, it arrived just in time.
In front of me was a small cart shop ling various types of lace, satin ribbons and other materials.
It's been maybe a week since it opened.
The condition of the cart was so poor that it seemed pitiful at first glance, and the pile of ribbons and materials was arranged in a haphazard manner, without any sense of order.
The shop was so neglected that the flies seemed to avoid it, and the bearded shopkeeper was asleep.
After confirming our destination, Ian looked at me worriedly.
“Sure, you're not planning to buy the gift from...”
"This is correct."
“Just to be sure, you don't have any ill will toward the princess...”
Oh, for your sake.
"It's not like that. Don't assume things you don't know."
I dragged Ian, who looked like he couldn't believe his eyes, into the cart.
“Excuse me, shopkeeper.”
“Ah! Hello.”
The shopkeeper, who had been sleeping with his head almost buried in the ribbons, woke up and wiped the saliva from his mouth.
He was a heavy-set man in his forties with a thick mustache and beard, and if it weren't for the car in front of him, he would have easily been mistaken for a street thug.
With half-open eyes, he glanced down at our clothes, his face turning pale in realization.
“You two seem to be nobles of high standing. What brings you here...? Did I do something wrong...?”
His worried gaze kept moving towards his cart.
“We're not here to take anything from you.”
After all, when nobles came to these back alleys, they would usually ask for land use fees or to evict commoners.
I smiled innocently, making it clear that I had no such intentions.
"I'm here to buy tapes. Why else would I be here?"
"What?"
“You l ribbons and lace, right?”
“Yes, that's true, but...”
His bewildered reaction reminded me of the first time I visited Mrs. Zed's store.
I ignored his puzzled and skeptical expression and turned my attention to the items on the cart.
“Um, are all these items on sale?”
“Yes, yes. It's for sale, but...”
She picked up a lace strip from the pile and examined it cloy.
The ribbons, lace, and materials placed haphazardly on the old cart looked like scraps or leftover stock, but upon closer inspection, their quality was remarkably high.
Especially the lace, which had a unique pattern and style that could not be found in the market.
‘So, this lace was completely handmade by those huge hands.’
I looked at the shopkeeper's rough hands from the corner of my eye.
'Even knowing this, it's hard to believe it.'
I muttered to myf, and began seriously ecting items.
"Aldo… I mean, you. Do you see anything you like?"
Ian looked down.
“It seems to me they are all the same.”
The shopkeeper's face turned.