- Token of Love
I chose earrings with emeralds that had a deep turquoise color contrasting with my hair. The decorative piece for my ears was in a similar color to my hair, so it wouldn’t be visible.
After selecting rings and earrings, I turned my gaze towards the necklaces. A necklace adorned the upper body of a faceless mannequin.
From diamonds to garnets, sapphires, and pearls, I considered various colors. The jeweler, wearing gloves, displayed various gemstones in front of me.
Deon, who had been watching from behind, spoke up.
“Why a necklace? I’ve already given you a necklace as a gift.”
“I can’t live with just one. I have to buy several. Don’t tell me you’re stingy with money?”
He chuckled at my words.
“As if. Are you worrying about my financial situation? If you’re going to buy, get several earrings and rings. If you want to wear various gemstones, you can even craft a tiara by selecting only a few gemstones.”
“That’s true. A beloved lady shouldn’t reject such gifts. But why not a necklace?”
“It hurts my feelings. Are you already tired of it? Are you discarding the gift I gave you?”
He said with a touch of sadness in his tone, as if he wanted to act out a sulk like a lover, but with his imposing stature and large accessories, it felt more like a mischievous prank.
“It’s a gem, so there’s no way around it. I’ll keep it stored in a precious box so that it can be passed down for generations. Remember to clean it every morning as Suren suggests.”
“This necklace seems to suit your neck better than a gold-plated display cabinet. It’s the most beautiful stand, after all.”
His finger touched my neck and then dropped.
“If you don’t like it, we can change it to another necklace.”
“Okay. I won’t take it off until I die.”
I put down the necklace I had considered.
I looked at my face in the mirror on the opposite side.
Wearing a dress with a deeply plunging neckline, the gem of the necklace stood out vividly.
The necklace he gave me was as beautiful as a gem made just for me. It blended mysteriously with my hair.
What kind of gemstone was it? I came to the most variety-rich jewel store in the capital, and there was no gemstone similar to the necklace he gave me.
Buy another ring with the price of the necklace.
Whether the jeweler sensed my thoughts or not, he took out a rough stone.
“This is the best-selling gemstone in the capital these days. Mined from the mines in the southern region, it has a rare violet color, making it popular. The price is a bit high, but… When the Duke buys it, take this chance to get one. If you pass now, it will catch someone else’s eye.”
He whispered secretly.
It was a premeditated statement that he would already part ways with him. He didn’t specifically point that out. Like a sharp-witted merchant, he accurately read the current. As he said, I was soon to be rejected.
Maybe, just like Marie Antoinette’s pendant, despite being pearls, it might sell at a considerable price if I were to die. Fortunately, I didn’t buy the ruby. It won’t be labeled as a gem that became darker with blood.
As the thought of being sold at an auction, doubling the purchased amount, and ultimately adorning another woman’s neck crossed my mind, the desire to buy disappeared.
I put down the gem I had in my hand. I lost my appetite.
“Do you want anything else?”
“This should be enough.”
Even if I were to wear a bracelet adorned with precious gems and die, it would be an extravagant end for a woman. I wondered what inappropriate vanity would bring as a consequence.
As Viter spoke, it might serve as a lesson in a fairy tale. Perhaps my selfish wish prayed at the temple would be twisted and distorted in the story as well.
Unconsciously, I found myself calmly planning my own death.
“You didn’t choose a bracelet.”
He picked up the jewelry box next to him. His touch was rough and careless. It seemed like he hadn’t carefully selected the jewelry.
“How about this one?”
His eyes must have picked out this outdated craftsmanship, despite the fact that it was out of fashion.
Even if he just paid attention to the wrists of the ladies on the street, he wouldn’t have chosen such a style.
I already had an idea of what jewelry to choose for Isella in the future.
“I’m fine with the bracelet. I have what I have.”
I picked up a parasol. Unlike the north, the sun was strong in the capital.
“Did you have anything?”
He raised his eyebrows.
“That bracelet from back then. I showed it to the Duke. Remember?”
“What was that?”
He genuinely seemed clueless.
“The bracelet with the family crest facing each other. I showed you that I made it.”
As we talked about emeralds and pearls, he sighed.
“Can I… wear something like that?”
It seemed unfitting for the beloved of a duke.
Thinking about it again, the bracelet was indeed crude.
Anyway, I didn’t want to waste any more time choosing jewelry. Who would pay attention to a bracelet like that?
“Then I’ll go around with empty wrists. Although I have a necklace and earrings, is it a big deal not to have a bracelet?”
“That’s not a good idea.”
Ignoring his response, I insisted.
“If you need it, I’ll come out later with Suren.”
But I already had enough jewelry and dresses. It was more than enough for the four months I would act as the duke’s lover.
I got on the carriage. Finally, it was a chance to taste the famous desserts from that shop.
I picked up the paper bag I had pre-ordered. The paper had the unique logo of the shop printed on it. They even paid attention to this. Their pride was remarkable.
I took a bite. The outside was an ordinary macaron.
However, the filling inside was different from a regular macaron. It was thick, crunchy, and crumbly, as if honey had been infused.
This was… a Korean traditional rice cake. A glutinous rice cake.
Suddenly, the moment when the dessert shop transformed into the craft of a 100-year-old artisan arrived.
“Is the taste not to your liking?”
I lifted my head at Deon’s question. It wasn’t that the taste was bad.
“It just reminds me of something I miss.”
* * *
The entrance into the social circles of the capital was approaching. It was a simple social gathering attended only by a few nobles of the capital.
The amethyst-embroidered dress clung to my body. In the cold northern regions, I would have worn a women’s cloak last, but in the warm capital, I felt empty without an outer garment.
Without a thick shawl, my slender figure was even more prominently displayed. In the prominent seats of the capital, one could instantly understand why there was a salad shop, why they were still selling dresses with cumbersome corsets. With nothing to conceal the figure, there was an obsession. My body had become thinner; even without raising my arms, my ribs were visible, and the bones were noticeable wherever touched.
The material on the sleeves was translucent, revealing a curving pattern that caught the eye.
“You look so lovely. If only you had some more flesh, you would have been even more beautiful.”
The prince’s lady-in-waiting, who had been guarding the mansion since Deon was young, was quite a veteran in such matters. She was lowering the sleeves when she suddenly stopped.
“Is this… all? Don’t you have a better bracelet?”
An aged maid, tidying up the dress, asked.
Her gaze was directed towards my right wrist, precisely the beaded bracelet with the symbols of the duke and marquis.
“Yes.”
With a firm answer, her face gradually twisted. She seemed terribly uncomfortable.
“What should we do… Can’t even call for replacements now. Shall I send a servant to check out some shops?”
“It’s the day of the banquet. If we go now, they would have all been sold.”
“How about checking the street stalls now? There might be traveling merchants from other countries still there.”
“I checked; it’s the last day of the Empire’s transit pass, so they all withdrew.”
The maids around started whispering.
“Then, should we remove it? It’s just a bracelet…”
She decisively dismissed my words.
“That won’t do. It’s where all the young ladies of the capital gather… It might bring bad luck, especially…”
She was about to say something but stopped herself.
“Anyway, it’s become quite a problem. We have dresses, rings, and tiaras, but of all things, no bracelet.”
“It’s strange. When you went to the jewelry shop last time, didn’t His Highness choose a bracelet for you?”
A young maid asked.
The atmosphere suddenly chilled. The sound of a clothespin bouncing echoed loudly in the quiet room.
“If you’re going to work for Prince, you should learn how to keep your mouth shut.”
An old maid standing beside me quietly nudged me. The air that had suddenly cooled felt unfamiliar. I felt a chill in the middle of the North again. I wanted to ask what was wrong, but the tense atmosphere held me back.
“I was planning to wear a short-sleeved dress, but I guess I’ll have to change it. The sleeves should be long. Quickly bring another dress.”
At her words, the maids outside brought dresses hanging on mannequins and took out a new box they had placed on the bed.
It would take a while to pick the right accessories for the dress again. I let out a sigh.
“Absolutely do not show your wrists to the other young ladies. Got it?”
She emphasized it as if my wrists were something like Achilles’ heels. Faced with her firm words, I could only nod.
In the full-length mirror on the opposite side, my figure in the new dress was reflected.
Against the glamorous dress, my thin figure stood out. The more glamorous and beautiful the colors and jewels, the more conspicuous my slender figure appeared.
🤔🇧🇷