Chapter 50.2

In the meantime, the old woman returned from the back.

She came in with a stick and smiled as she hung it across from Rishe and Arnold.

"Okay, let's get right to it. It will take about a month to make a ring. Today, I'll let you choose the stone and also decide on the rough design of the ring."

"Okay, thank you for considering this work."

Rishe politely bowed her head. The old woman asked this and that, and then went on to listen to Rishe's requests.

The embellishment shouldn't be too flashy. She had her measure the size of her left ring finger. They worked out the details while chatting.

What gave her a gasp halfway through was when she decided on gold as the color of the ring.

She recalled a certain exchange when he told her: "It goes well with your hair color."

Arnold told her yesterday, "You don't have to dye your hair."

It was a coral-colored head that stood out. If she could hide it, it would have been best.

She wondered why he said something like that, only to find out that it was for choosing a ring.

Eventually, it was time to choose the desired gem.

"I've made a few selections. There's a lot more at the back, but let's start with the first one."

The old woman smiled and showed her her prized collection.

Looking down at the first jewelry box, Rishe gasped.

"Oh my!"

The gems lined up there were dizzyingly beautiful.

It wasn't just the colors; the shapes and cuts were wondrous. They were absolutely mind-blowing that Rishe's eyes sparkled.

"Shopkeeper, if I may ask, is this the phantom opal that was only found a few years ago in the mines east of Halil Rasha?"

"Do you recognize it? Hmm, please take a look at this one too. Isn't this pink diamond beautiful ? This aquamarine is also a gem..."

"Whoa...!"

It literally really was a jewelry box.

Arnold showed not the slightest bit of interest, but Rishe couldn't contain her excitement.

The old woman called it 'The Gem Stone', and all the items there were wonderful.

But there came the tricky problem.

"...Uh-huh, how fun! So, Rishe-sama, did you find anything to your liking?"

"Huh? Hrm..."

When the old woman asked, she looked down.

Right, I'm choosing a gem I'm going to wear myself, not looking at the goods to stock and sell.

From that perspective, it was quite difficult.

As a Duke's daughter, Rishe of course has picked jewels.

However, it was from the perspective of what was appropriate for the Crown Prince's fiancée.

But this time was different.

Since I'm going to wear it for the wedding, I should probably wear a diamond. If I were to match the color of my eyes, an emerald would be the way to go, but it's also the symbol of the royal family of my country, so it might not be the best choice. Speaking of which, I wonder how much King Zahad, who loves to show off his jewels, would be pleased to see these... hep, it's for me now!

The more she thought about it, the deeper she was tied up. And what was more, all the stones were wonderful.

It was hard to narrow it down because they were all superb. If she had to say more, she wouldn't know which one to choose.

The old woman smiled watching Rishe's troubled face.

"Rishe-sama, pardon me for being presumptuous, but may I, this old woman, give you a piece of advice?"

"Sure, I'd love to hear it."

When she looked up, the old woman gave her a very gentle look.

She looked at Rishe as if watching over her, and said, "Wear your favourite stone and proudly puff your chest up. - For girls, that alone gives them courage."

"!"

That counsel took her breath away.

"It's as a jewelry worthy of the Crown Princess, but as your own good amulet. It's best to choose jewelry with this in mind."

"...Shopkeeper."

"Just purely, genuinely, what you're fond of."

Something she genuinely loved.

Rishe pondered the meaning of the words.

"For example, Rishe-sama, what is your favorite color?"

"Favorite color?"

The moment she asked her, an answer immediately came to her mind.

She cast a glance at Arnold next to her and their eyes met. Arnold seemed to have been staring at Rishe, not at the gems on the tabletop.

His eyes were a very beautiful blue.

His brother, Theodore, has similar blue eyes, but Arnold's were a bit lighter.

That might be why he has an icy impression.

The hue is like a frozen crystal clear sea in a cold country.

Did she feel the same way when she first faced him as a knight?

Or was it an impression she had somewhere in this life?

Because she had stared into these eyes so many times over the past month, her memory was no longer clear.

Still, it was unsettling to see herself reflected in those eyes.

So naturally, she blurted, "Do you have a gem that's similar to this person's eyes?"

"―――― ......"

Arnold frowned.

There seemed to be no color more beautiful - that was all.

Although that was what Rishe meant, the people around her reacted strangely.

...Huh?

"Oh my, dear me, my!"

Wait a minute. Did I just say something outrageous?

She paled instantly, but she couldn't pretend the statement didn't leave her mouth.

Seeing the old woman's face glowing with joy, Rishe was convinced of her blunder.