“Let me gift it to you. It’s almost your birthday, isn’t it?”

“What? No, how did you know it’s my birthday?”

“Isn’t this a birthstone necklace? It’s almost the month when peridot is the birthstone.”

“That’s right.”

Arne smiled brightly. Usually, viscount or baroness ladies couldn’t afford expensive accessories after putting effort into obtaining dresses for imperial banquets.

So they wore their best accessories, which were usually birthstone necklaces received as birthday gifts. Of course, for those without hereditary titles, these were often imitations.

“Jena, let me pay for this too.”

Patricia’s eyes widened. That peridot necklace was genuine. And a very high-quality gem at that.

“Consider it a token of appreciation for our pleasant conversation today. I’d like to become friends with you, Patricia. Please accept it as a birthday gift. Is that okay?”

“Really?”

“When we get closer, let’s look at dresses together too. If we get to know each other well, I might gift you a dress that suits you for your next birthday.”

It was common for close ladies to gift each other accessories or dresses. Patricia’s gaze shifted to the dresses that Penny and Agatha were holding.

‘If the dresses she bought for her maids are of that quality.’

Patricia gulped. At first, she was merely curious, but it was quite an enticing offer.

“I think I’d enjoy that too. It’s an honor to get to know you, Lady Ronia.”

A smile spread across Arne’s face. Though it might not be true friendship, a relationship based on mutual interests isn’t bad either.

The peridot necklace Arne had picked was clearly too precious compared to Patricia’s dress. Naturally, people would ask Patricia where she got such a necklace at the imperial banquet.

If Patricia, who was social enough to approach Arne first, spread word of what she saw today, what difference would one necklace make?

Moreover, there were a few more wavering ladies like Patricia.

“Since we’ve met by chance, shall we get to know each other better? Come to think of it, I haven’t introduced myself to the others. I’m Raniarne.”

“I’m Tasha.”

“I’m Dahlia.”

Introductions followed as if they had been waiting. Hoping for the same luck as Patricia, their eyes filled with expectation, and an elegant smile curved Arne’s lips.

“Since this is my first time in social circles, I’d like to chat and get to know you all.”

At Arne’s words, the ladies eagerly shared stories about the social scene. While attentively listening to their stories, Arne examined the tiaras and casually called Jena.

“Jena, do you happen to have a tiara with five different gems?”

At Arne’s question, Jena’s pupils dilated. Moreover, Ella, who was waiting beside Cedric, turned her head toward Arne.

‘So it exists.’

The five-colored tiara that the princess had been searching for all her life. In her previous life, Ella had gifted it to the princess for the imperial banquet.

Ella didn’t know the meaning of the necklace and had obtained it at the princess’s request, but the princess had thoroughly revealed the truth about the five-colored tiara at the imperial banquet.

If she could somehow obtain it, it would be a good pretext to win the princess’s favor.

“Ella, I’ll pay whatever it costs.”

Arne took out more pouches of gold coins from her bag. Thud, thud, thud, as the gold pouches continued to pile up, the eyes of the seated ladies widened.

So the gold pouch she had taken out earlier wasn’t all she had.

Ella’s eyes also wavered.

‘Does Lady Ronia know who commissioned the five-colored tiara? How? No, that can’t be. It must be a coincidence.’

Ella swallowed and answered.

“I’m sorry. That item already has an owner.”

“That’s a shame. I understand.”

So it is indeed the princess’s commission and can’t be bought with gold. Arne shrugged. It was somewhat expected.

Patricia, who didn’t think much of Arne’s question, changed the topic. What Patricia was really curious about was something else.

“By the way, Lady Ronia, you mentioned earlier that you’re going to break off your engagement with Lord Wayne. What’s the reason?”

“Lord Wayne isn’t my type.”

“I guess that’s true.”

The ladies nodded in understanding. In social circles, the rogue Kale had as poor a reputation as Arne.

“Then what kind of person is your ideal type?”

“I haven’t really thought about an ideal type.”

“Even something small.”

“A handsome man who looks good in uniform or formal attire?”

The ladies’ gazes slowly shifted toward Cedric. After a moment, perhaps realizing they were too obvious, the ladies suddenly all picked up their teacups and gulped them down.

“Ahem, ahem.”

“Hem, hem.”

“Did you hear? There’s going to be another monster subjugation in the capital soon. They say monsters keep appearing unexpectedly these days.”

“That’s scary news.”

Though they deliberately changed the topic, the strange atmosphere didn’t subside. One of the ladies eventually took out a fan. As a strange silence continued, only the sound of fluttering fans could be heard.

At that moment, when Cedric stood up and the sound of his chair being pulled back was heard, the ladies’ gazes turned to him again.

“Let’s finish the fitting, Ella.”

Cedric’s gaze looking down at Arne grew increasingly intense.

“Oh my.”

A small exclamation escaped from beneath a fan. The lady whispered to Patricia with an excited voice.

“He’s been watching us the whole time.”

Looking at the lady who was hiding her flushed cheeks behind her raised fan, Patricia tilted her head to the side.

‘I don’t think it’s us he’s watching.’

Patricia’s gaze slowly moved. To Arne, who was desperately avoiding looking at Cedric.

* * *

Ella glanced at Cedric’s complexion. Cedric never changed clothes in Ella Roine’s regular changing room.

Unlike nobles who were desperate for admiration and attention, Cedric was tired of the incessant stares.

Today too, he was supposed to finish the fitting in the private changing room on the top floor of the boutique and leave.

‘But when he said he’ll finish the fitting where everyone can see, is it because of Lady Ronia?’

Ella finished adjusting the slightly wider shoulder line and stepped back.

“It’s done. You can go out when the curtain opens.”

As Cedric nodded, the curtain slowly opened. As expected, more splendid gazes poured in than ever before. After all, the war hero, Young Master Renigrad, was not someone commonly seen.

Ladies and young lords alike, many were waiting for Cedric’s appearance.

Familiar gazes and admiration flowed from here and there. However, Cedric’s brow increasingly furrowed.

‘She’s gone.’

He urgently scanned the entire boutique again. But Arne was nowhere to be found.

His heart sank. His mind went blank.

‘Damn it.’

Cedric immediately left the stage-like space and looked for Jena.

Reading Cedric’s gaze, Ella signaled to Jena, who was beside Patricia, and Jena quickly ran to Cedric.

“What can I do for you, Lord Cedric?”

“Where is the lady?”

“The lady has left.”

An indescribable mix of emotions overwhelmed him all at once.

“She left?”

“Yes.”

Cedric immediately turned to leave but then looked back at Jena.

“I’ll pay for everything the lady looked at today. I promised to compensate her for the ruined dresses.”

“Ah, Lord Cedric, since you’re only used to custom formal wear, you might not be familiar, but ready-made clothes are all paid for here. Of course, the lady paid for everything.”

“……”

As if in shock, Cedric froze and mulled over Jena’s words.

Arne had rejected all his kindness. After telling him not to mistake it for kindness, is this what she meant? He understood all too well. That what she wanted wasn’t kindness.

Rather…… damn it.

‘But I wanted you to wear the dresses I gave you. I wanted to fill you completely with my mana. I wanted you to dine with me at my restaurant. I wanted those eyes that don’t look at me to be directed only at me.’

That’s how much he wanted to possess her. Fearing she might run away in fear if she knew the true nature engraved in Renigrad blood, he wore the mask of a gentleman while desperately desiring her.

He desired to fill her completely with himself.

Seeing Cedric’s crumbling expression, Jena hastily added.

“And the young lady said that if you came looking for her, you would understand if I delivered this message. As I already mentioned, she doesn’t want to be a burden to you, Lord Cedric, and……”

Grr. Jena paused at Cedric’s distorted face. Cedric ran his hand through his hair and exhaled deeply. His red eyes sank low.

“Speak.”

“She said she didn’t mistake it for kindness, so Lord Cedric shouldn’t mistake it for kindness either, and that she’ll talk when you don’t.”

Falling into silence, Cedric slowly turned to look at Ella.

“Ella, is the five-colored tiara the lady mentioned something the princess requested?”

“Yes, it is.”

“I’ll take it as repayment for the debt of saving your life.”

Ella, who had been staring at Cedric, instructed Jena.

“Jena, bring it.”

Jena nodded and moved quickly.

“Lord Cedric, this is not enough for that debt. Let’s consider it a gift from me to Lady Ronia.”

“Thank you. Let’s do that.”

Though few words were exchanged, old trust shone in Cedric’s gaze toward Ella. Soon, he took the box Jena brought and turned without hesitation.

With each step he took, Cedric’s red eyes glowed more intensely.

‘Will you avoid me this time too? This is what you wanted, isn’t it?’

He closed his eyes tightly and then opened them.

‘As you said, this isn’t kindness. How could this just be kindness?’