Chapter : 21
Merina’s gaze was fixed on my necklace.
“That necklace… I heard the Marquis’s family is putting it up for sale. I’d like to buy it too—could I be the first to purchase it?”
“If it’s about jewelry, we can send someone from our family to negotiate.”
“Wouldn’t it be simpler if you answered me here and now?”
The young ladies who had intended to buy the jewelry first shot glares, but Merina, determined to get what she wanted, didn’t back down.
The atmosphere around us turned icy.
“Lady Eikel, that’s not really a topic to discuss here—”
“—Lady Eikel is right.”
Before I knew it, the Crown Prince appeared, smirking at me.
“Anyway, isn’t it an item the Marquis family is selling? Then shouldn’t the young lady be allowed to reserve it first, rather than sending someone over to negotiate?”
“……”
“Are you trying to assert superiority like that? And maybe even call for an absurdly high price?”
When making a deal, isn’t it natural to try to have the upper hand, even if the transaction benefits both parties?
I wanted to shoot back at him, but the Crown Prince was clearly going to mock anything I said.
Give an appropriate answer, Rosia.
If I get upset now, I’ll lose everything I’ve built up so far.
“See, even the Marquis’s young lady can’t say anything, huh? Does everyone here think we’re idiots?”
“Your words are rather harsh, Your Highness.”
The Duke of Lissianshirs, who had been silently standing by, glared at the Crown Prince.
It felt as if a subtle, dangerous aura emanated from the Duke.
“What’s so harsh about it?”
“No matter that you are the Crown Prince, speaking to Lady Levian as if she were a servant is extremely disrespectful, don’t you think?”
The Levian Marquises were not even easily treated by the Emperor, and my father was the head of the diplomatic department.
The Duke’s words were correct, so the Crown Prince fell silent.
“And one more thing—if the Duchy were to request Moonstone, which is used to make luminous stones, as a first priority from Your Highness, what would you do?”
“What are you talking about?”
“It’s the Empire that exports Moonstone, so wouldn’t the decision lie with the Crown Prince? How would you respond if asked?”
It was similar in context to what the Crown Prince had just said to me.
“In a deal, would you admit that we will not be at a disadvantage to the Duchy? And lower the price when selling?”
“Well…”
Since Moonstone brought significant revenue to the Empire, the Crown Prince could not answer in the affirmative.
“Since the Duke of the Duchy is present, why not discuss it with him?”
“Duke!”
“Why such a reaction, Your Highness? Isn’t this exactly what you were discussing until now?”
The table was surrounded only by people from the Empire.
The Duke had likely brought up this matter deliberately, knowing this was the Crown Prince’s only chance to regain control.
“I… I may have spoken too harshly.”
The Duke seemed ready to scold the Crown Prince further, but I stepped in with a gentle smile.
“Lady Eikel, there are some who said they wanted to purchase the jewelry before you. Isn’t that right?”
“That’s correct.”
“I’ve already sent someone to the Marquis’s house.”
When multiple people pressed her at once, Merina widened her eyes and pressed her lips together.
Even if Merina’s older sister were the Empress, these were daughters of families who could not be treated carelessly.
The embarrassed Crown Prince couldn’t openly take Merina’s side and had to silently watch the situation.
“I… I…”
Merina’s eyes filled with tears again, and Violet openly snorted.
“Crying to make only us look like the villains?”
She muttered quietly, but I heard everything.
“Lady Eikel, is there anything more you wish to say?”
“Lady Levian, aren’t you satisfied enough after cornering Lady Eikel like this? What else do you need to ask?”
The Crown Prince, whose reaction was triggered whenever he saw me, finally said something.
“You just admitted to speaking too harshly to Lady Levian, and now you do it again.”
The Duke spoke slowly, emphasizing each word, and looked down on the Crown Prince from his superior height.
“What if someone from the Duchy were listening? Lowering the Empire’s honor like this could only force me to report to His Majesty the Emperor.”
Embarrassed in front of everyone, the Crown Prince’s face turned red.
“Duke, I am the Crown Prince.”
“I am a servant of His Majesty the Emperor, not of Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”
Few knew that the Duke was a Sword Master.
Even if the Emperor didn’t know internally, he would likely side with the Duke publicly—angering the Empire’s only Sword Master would be unwise.
“And I am also a knight of the Empire.”
The Crown Prince clenched his mouth, cheeks twitching, realizing his improper behavior would not go unchallenged.
“You too, Lady Eikel.”
“What did I do!”
“Do you realize you are tarnishing the Empress’s reputation?”
“Then, Duke, what is your relation to Lady Levian? Why are you protecting her?”
Merina seemed instinctively aware.
She knew the Duke should be siding with her but wasn’t.
Even if the male protagonist—for example, my brother Calvin—sided with me, Merina would react overly sensitive, as if her status as the heroine demanded priority over mine.
“I also heard you call Lady Levian by her name earlier!”
“Lady Levian and I are…”
All eyes turned to us.
Fists clenched automatically, fearing the Duke might say something absurd.
“Friends, right?”
“Of course.”
Fortunately, the Duke offered a perfectly reasonable explanation.
“You all know my brother Calvin belongs to the Imperial Knights. That’s why I took an interest in the Duke as well.”
Violet nodded vigorously.
“Discussing my brother’s career brought us closer.”
“I was also impressed seeing Lady Levian care for my brother Calvin. Since I have no siblings, I envied that. So I…”
When the Duke’s blue eyes met mine, it seemed they wavered painfully for a moment—was it just my imagination?
“…I asked if I could treat Lady Levian like a younger sister.”
“So that’s why you called her by her name. You must be happy to have such a lovely younger sister.”
“I’m actually the one envious, Lady Levian. To have such a wonderful older brother like the Duke—our own brother, sigh…”
“Oh my, Lady, if it’s Sir Patrick, he’s a more than sufficient older brother!”
Those who had become unusually friendly with me to buy the jewelry accepted this excuse and let it go.
The Duke’s unusually gentle approach also helped.
The situation turned unfavorable for the Crown Prince and Merina, and they fell silent.
Thus, the party ended.
By a twist of fate, Lexian, now almost like a sibling to Rosia, got the opportunity to escort her proudly.
With only the two of us left, Rosia greeted him calmly.
“Thank you for helping me in that difficult situation, Duke.”
“There’s no need to thank me—I will collect my fee later.”
Seeing her nervous, Lexian smiled wryly, but he wasn’t about to let this rare opportunity slip away.
“The partner I canceled for the last ball—I’d like to request you again.”
“Why do you want me as your partner? Surely, as a Duke, many ladies would line up for the chance.”
Lexian couldn’t explain why he kept pursuing this woman.
He wanted to help because the situation resembled his own, but he tended to involve himself too much in Rosia Levian’s affairs.
The fact that the hair in the family’s treasure box belonged to her—a baseless assumption—clearly held him back.
Yes, once he confirmed that, there would be no more lingering.
“May I… touch the hair?”
“You know that’s a rather rude question. But since you are like a brother to me, I will allow it as an exception.”
It was clearly an answer to his earlier excuse about treating Rosia like a younger sister.
Rosia didn’t push him away, which reassured him, but he was disappointed to be reminded they were only like siblings.
“Then, excuse me.”
He gently touched the tip of her glossy black hair. Rosia watched silently.
Her slightly parted lips seemed as if she wanted to say something, but Lexian, distracted by the soft texture, didn’t notice.
“It’s… really soft.”
Rosia’s hair had fallen onto her bed before.
Since that day, Lexian hadn’t slept there, unable to bring himself to lie on the same bed, feeling it would desecrate a sacred place, as if he were…
