IBMV – 3

My carriage stopped in front of the department store on the main street. 

“Arrived, my dear,” said Lord Hans, my escort, who opened the carriage door. 

I got off the carriage with his guidance. 

The department store building was magnificent and splendid to match the name of the first of it’s kind in the Empire. 

As soon as I entered the entrance, all kinds of high-end items displayed under subtle lighting caught my eye. Women’s shoes, bags, hats, perfumes, cosmetics, etc.

Normally I would have meandered around, but today I had a set purpose. 

I stopped walking in front of the men’s clothing store. said with a kind smile, as drawn by the manager. 

“Welcome lady. Is there anything you’re looking for?” 

“I’m going to look around slowly for now.”

“Okay. Then, call me when you need me.”

The manager stepped back with a slight bow. I looked at the clothes on the shelves. 

Maybe it’s because I don’t have much experience choosing men’s clothing, it was a lot harder to choose clothes than I thought. 

I glanced at Lord Hans, my escort knight. I thought he’d know better than I did, so I asked for advice. 

“Sir, would you pick out some clothes that would suit Kian?” 

Replied Lord Hans in a confident voice, “Leave it to me!” 

After a while Lord Hans showed me the clothes he had chosen. “How about this?” 

“That’s a little….” 

“What about this?”

“That’s a little, too…” 

I respect his taste, but all the clothes he picked were cumbersome. 

“Are you sure you picked the right one?” 

“Of course! I’m more serious than ever.” 

That makes me even more suspicious of his eyes. I realize the time, I’ve spent a lot of time choosing clothes. There are so many things to buy today…

Lord Hans advised me, pacing back and forth on the shelves. “Don’t think too hard, my dear. Kian would look good in anything.”

“Yeah?” 

“Because he’s handsome even in a straight man’s eyes. With that face, he’ll digest any outfit.” 

It sounded right. I must have thought it complicated from the beginning. Having come to a actualization, I called the manager immediately.

He asked with a polite smile, “Have you decided?” 

I answered with a nod. “Please wrap up everything here.” 

***

I swept the shoe, bag, and accessory stores behind the men’s clothing store. 

It was easy to spend money because my worries were gone. It’s already been two hours since I started shopping. 

I shopped combatively and got almost everything I needed. 

“I think I’ve bought it all, but…” 

In case I missed something, I decided to stop by the top floor of the department store.

****

Located on the top floor of the department store was jewelry. Inside the transparent display cases, a diversity of jewels emitted brilliant lights. 

I don’t think we really need jewelry to stop Kian’s turning, but just in case, should we take a look? 

I took a light step and looked around the store. 

Before long I found a gem that I liked. 

The ring was contained in a case with a double or triple security spell. A large blue diamond stuck in the center of the ring reflected the light and shone beautifully. 

The spectacle captured my gaze and wouldn’t release it. 

“Lady Olivia, what a coincidence we’re meeting here.” 

The voice ripped me out of my reverie and I turned my head to the source. 

The lady with a graceful figure pretended to be pleasantly surprised. 

She was one of the ladies who had recently made her acquaintance in society. 

The name… was it the Countess of Pittsburgh? 

“Hello, Countess Pittsburgh.” 

When I said hello, the Countess met my eyes. 

Fortunately, the name is not wrong. The countess came with a trot. 

Pointing to the ring I was looking at, she inquired, “Isn’t that the jewel in the ring, the Blue Moon?” 

“You have a discerning eye .”

It was the clerk at Jewelry’s store who answered. 

He spoke in a voice of pride. 

“It’s famous for breaking the highest price per carat at a jewelry auction last year.” 

The Countess of Pittsburgh nodded and said, “I heard Count Foster bought the Blue Moon for 100 billion gallons. I didn’t know it was made into such a beautiful ring.” 

100 billion gallons. It was an expensive sum for the public, but considering the scarcity of blue diamonds, it was a reasonable price. 

Said the countess of Pittsburgh in an excited voice. “How much is this ring? I’m sure it’s very expensive, right?”

“Well, I’m curious about the price, too.” 

I like that ring. I inquired about the price of the ring to the clerk beside me. The answer came quickly: 

“300 billion gallons.” 

“300 billion gallons?” 

The startled high voice rang in my ear. 

The countess must have been quite surprised at the price. 

The clerk explained with a look of ‘Madame, this jewel’ look. 

“Blue Moon is the largest blue diamond in the world. Besides, the Empire’s finest jeweller cut it over a year.” 

“Well, even if that’s the case. Isn’t 300 billion gallons too expensive?”

The clerk nodded as if he was fully sympathetic to the Countess’s reaction. 

He glanced around and lowered his voice. 

“There’s no one who still wants to buy the Blue Moon. So… Count Foster has a lot of worries.” 

I see. That ring did not deserve such a fate. 

For most aristocrats, 300 billion gallons is too much. 

The Countess of Pittsburgh looked at me with a sad look on her face. 

“What to do? You liked that ring,” she seemed to have guessed at the price that I had given up the ring. 

But I must get my hands on that ring. 

There is no extraordinary reason. 

Simply… That jewel, looks like the color of Kian’s eyes. I thought it would definitely suit Kian. 

I grinned at the clerk and said, “It looks like the owner of the ring finally showed up.”

“…!” 

The clerk and Countess of Pittsburgh, who understood what I implied, gaped. 

“She—that’s… what… said?” asked the clerk, incredulously. 

I said it again kindly. 

“That ring, I’ll buy it.”

*** 

After shopping sufficiently, I came back to the mansion. 

I left my shopping to my employees. Then I went to Kian’s room.

I knocked lightly on his door. A brisk sound of busy footsteps responded. 

Soon the door opened. 

“Have you been, Master?” 

With a polite posture and quiet eyes, Kian greeted me. 

Wow, he was so meek and passive… I couldn’t get used to it because I only saw him butchering enemies without a thought. 

Still, this is much better.

I pulled a small box out of my arms. I bought it because it looked like a ring made for Kian. 

But I’m suddenly embarrassed to give it to him. I hesitated about what to do with this, and then I said, “Era, I don’t know.” and passed the box to him without ceremony. 

Kian, who received the ring box, tilted his head. 

I scratched my cheek awkwardly. 

“I… picked it up on the way.” 

Kian opened the box. 

His eyes dilated. There the Blue Moon ring shined inside. 

“This is……” 

“Because I thought it would look good on you,” I said with an awkward smile. 

Kian shook his head, not taking the ring out of the box. “Master, I can’t accept such an expensive gift.” 

“It wasn’t so expensive.” 

“A slave like me doesn’t need it.” 

“Don’t do that. I can’t get a refund anyway.”

I gently grasped Kian’s hesitating hand. I put a ring on his white long finger. 

“Master…” Kian remained still with his eyes slightly lowered. 

Perhaps because of his silver hair and unusually white skin, I had a fantasy that a pure-white bride was in front of me. 

But there was an unexpected problem. 

The ring did not fit on Kian’s fingers. It was too small or too loose. 

“It doesn’t fit here either,” I said, Kian was wiggling his hands as the failures went on and on. 

“I think it’s a good gift for you, too.” 

“Let’s do it one more time.” 

At the last try, I put the ring on Kian’s final remaining finger. But like a lie, the ring went in.

Kian and I were surprised and at the same time shouted ‘Ahh’. 

The diamond ring I gave was perfect for Kian’s left ring finger. 

****

It was in the afternoon a few days later that an unexpected visitor came to the mansion. 

The butler informed me of the guest’s arrival, and I hurried down to the porch. 

A golden colorful double-decker carriage pulled by two white horses stopped in front of me. 

When the guards opened the door of the carriage, a young man with a clean comb of dark blond hair fell. 

“Olivia, long time no see.” 

He was Harrison, the Crown Prince of the Racion Empire. He smiled sweetly at me, as I held the hem of the dress and gave a curtsy.

“Are you surprised to see me without notice?” 

I responded with a smile, guiding him into the drawing room. 

“No, I’m sorry to have caused you hardship by making you come all the way here.” 

“What are you talking about? How can I say it’s hard for me to see you?” 

He gave off a friendly and generous aura. 

At first glance he looked like a man in love. 

A few months ago, the Crown Prince began courting me with great esteem. How romantic, affectionate and devoted he was. 

At first I thought he was a lover of the century. 

‘I might have been fooled if I hadn’t read the original.’ 

Olivia became the prince’s wife. Regardless, on the day of the Emperor’s birthday party when the fully turned Kian slaughtered the attendees, the Crown Prince used Olivia as a human shield. 

If you really loved Olivia, you wouldn’t have abandoned your wife to flee alone. 

The prince married Olivia, not because he adored her, but because of her background. 

The ducal house of Ashford is the wealthiest family in the Empire. 

It is almost certain that the Crown Prince will succeed the next emperor, but there is another prince. 

The Second Prince, who was ousted to the north ten years ago. 

Rumor had it that the Second Prince had become a Sword Master. 

Just in case, the Crown Prince intended to keep our family on his side. But I have no intention of marrying the Crown Prince. 

If Kian turns, the first ones to lose their necks is the royal family.

After a while, the Crown Prince and I sat between tables in the drawing room. He held the teacup to his lips with an elegant gesture. 

“Olivia, I’ve read a very strange article recently…” said the Crown Prince, who purposely paused. 

“I heard you bought a slave for 100 billion gallons at the auction… is that true?”