# 87
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The merchant opened his eyes wide as if he had just regained his sight, and the craftsman felt as though he wanted to praise the lady who had chosen his masterpiece.
Before Grace could even say a word, the impatient Eliza grabbed her hand and put the ring on her finger. Then, she asked Ares, who was standing silent.
"What do you think, Duke?"
Grace's gaze turned to Ares. As their eyes met, he rolled his gaze to the other side and spoke.
What matters is that the person wearing it likes it; what does my opinion matter?
Eliza, who still held a grudge against Ares for the past few days, smiled artificially.
“Haha, so that’s why you’re throwing a tantrum saying you won’t wear it?”
“What do you mean, ‘te’? Grandma?”
Seeing signs that a fight was about to break out between the two, Grace glanced at Ares and spoke to Eliza.
“It is beautiful. I like it, Madam.”
Is this why the elders said you should have a daughter?
Even though Eliza knew that Grace was interfering on purpose, she found herself willingly agreeing to Grace's mediation. A smile naturally formed on her face as she felt her heart melting like spring snow.
"Right? I looked through everything, and there's nothing quite like this. Is there anything else?"
At the Madam's question, the jeweler and the craftsman began stacking and unfolding the chests as if they had been waiting for this moment.
“Oh, right, you should have brought this out from the start!”
I apologize, Madam.
“It is truly beautiful! There, yes. Give me that necklace. Grace, look. Do you like it?”
Grace smiled broadly at Eliza's question, which was laced with anticipation. Since merchants were present, she couldn't say whether it was possible or not. Far from being modest, she had to accept it happily out of consideration for Eliza's face.
Anything chosen by the Grand Madam is fine.
How can you answer so beautifully!
Excited, Eliza began picking out items as if she had decided to spend all the money she hadn't spent in over a decade right now.
Try this this time.
“Oh, it’s dazzling! Here, this time! Right, since this necklace is a set, this one too!”
“Ahahaha! Try on this ring this time. It’s beautiful, so beautiful!”
The merchant and the craftsman cried half-cry.
You really suit each other!!
At that moment, Eliza, who had been looking at Grace as if seeing a blooming flower bud in the bitter cold, suddenly looked back at her flesh and blood.
“…….”
Look at this. You said you were too busy to even change clothes one more time?
The dark gaze within his sharply defined eyes was being drawn to Grace like iron pulled by magnetism. Then, the moment he noticed Eliza's gaze and turned to look at her, Eliza narrowed her eyes and smiled slyly.
Didn't you say you were busy?
Then Grace, who was surrounded by merchants and maids, turned to look at him, and Ares also looked at her reflexively.
The green eyes embedded in her rosy, made-up face were more brilliant than the emerald hanging from her ear. Amusingly, Ares found himself constantly forgetting what to say in front of her.
And likewise, Eliza also discovered the confusion of the young man who was just entering summer, and ended up bursting into laughter.
“Ahahahaha!”
Grace tilted her head in confusion at Eliza's hearty laughter, the quick-witted maid and merchant smirked, and the young Duke, unexpectedly cornered, ran his hand irritably across his face.
The laughter of the Queen and her ladies-in-waiting gently shook the air of the Duke of Richmond's castle, which was bustling with wedding preparations.
* * *
The Madam's laughter escaped the heavens dozens of times a day, and under her direction, the chapel was decorated to be splendid without appearing extravagant, ornate yet elegant, and bright yet weighty.
The time given was far too short to satisfy her keen aesthetic sense. However, as always, humans find a way.
When the Grand Madam finally gave her permission, those involved wept profusely. Everyone except Eliza could guess the meaning of their tears. However, the moment they saw the thick pouch of gold coins Eliza handed them, those tears took on a completely different meaning.
Good job.
“I only did what I ought to have done, Madam!!!”
Food ingredients sufficient for hundreds of people to eat and drink passed through the Duke's castle gates over the course of several days, and maids and servants rolled up their sleeves under the command of the ladies-in-waiting. Not only food, but also countless famous merchants frequented the Duke's castle.
The merchant who enjoyed the greatest boom from the Duke of Richmond's marriage was a famous jeweler from the northwestern region. Eliza commissioned him to repair Richmond's treasures as well as jewelry for the prospective Duchess. Just thinking about her order made him feel as though he could bow toward the Duke's castle as if paying his respects morning and evening.
However, there was one rather peculiar order mixed in with the contract from the Duke of Richmond this time.
The jeweler and the craftsman followed the attendant with trembling steps. After walking for a long time along an unusually grand and splendid corridor where portraits of past Dukes of Richmond hung on the walls, they arrived at a red door guarded by knights in black armor.
As the red door opened, the merchant and the craftsman caught their breath and stepped through. A man of imposing build standing by the window slowly turned around. Although his face was darkly shadowed by the backlight, the extraordinary aura he exuded was clearly palpable.
The two quickly bowed.
I have completed and brought what you ordered, Your Excellency.
The Duke approached without a sound.
"Rise."
As the command fell from above, his hand was extended before his eyes. The craftsman quickly raised a small, ornate box. As the Duke opened the lid of the palm-sized blue box, the craftsman cautiously added a word.
It was custom-made to fit your measurements, so it should fit perfectly. Do you like it?
The Duke, who had been staring silently at the object inside the blue box for a long time, took something out of the desk drawer and held it out.
This is the promised amount. Check if it is correct.
At the Duke's words, the merchant carefully accepted the pouch and counted the money inside. There were exactly 13 gold coins and 5 silver coins.
This was precisely why the Duke's request was peculiar. On the day he visited the Duke of Richmond Castle at Eliza's request, the Duke summoned him secretly. Then, he presented a request that matched the exact amount of 13 gold and 5 silver.
Although 13 gold and 5 silver was not a small amount of money, it was certainly a small sum by the standards of the Duke of Richmond, and above all, the person who was to become the owner of the commissioned item had just inherited priceless treasures.
However, daring not to reveal his doubts to the Duke, the merchant put an end to the request by bowing deeply.
It was an honor to carry out Your Excellency's request. Thank you.
Good job.
After they left, Ares sat on the windowsill and gazed at the chest for a long time. The merchant and the craftsman looked as if they had no idea why on earth he was ordering this.
That's probably the case.
I impulsively called them over and ordered exactly what I had money for, and even I was dumbfounded.
Ares slowly stroked the small emerald set in the gold ring with his index finger.
Thankfully, Eliza was preparing for the wedding with all her heart, as if she were preparing for her own grandson's marriage. However, the end of this wedding—the fate of all these splendid things—would be futile, like a flower that withers from the tip and eventually falls off.
And he himself would also end up returning to being someone with not even a shred of connection to Grace. In fact, even now, he was a person with no connection to Grace whatsoever. From everything she would receive as the next Duchess—from jewels to her name—he had given her not a single thing.
Ares touched the emerald set in the gold ring again.
I bought it, but how should I give it to you?
Just as I was grappling with a new worry, hearty laughter came from beyond the window. I creaked my head to look out and saw Grace out for a walk with Eliza.
“Ahahahahaha!”
As Eliza burst into hearty laughter again, Grace and the maids also burst into laughter. He narrowed his eyes and stared at Grace, but wasn't the ghostly Eliza looking right at him?! While Ares paused, Eliza burst into loud laughter once more.
Ahahahahaha!!
For some reason, he had the illusion that the hearty, confident laughter was directed at him. Goosebumps ran down his spine. Ares unconsciously hid the chest he was holding in his bosom.
What? A gift from a Duke? Let's see, let's see! Hahahahaha!!
Ares frowned at the worst possible scenario.
“…Damn it.”
I absolutely must not let Eliza Richmond find out about this!
However, Ares could not give her the ring even until the day before the wedding.