Chapter 118: A Coronation in Ruins

“Ian couldn’t silence everyone, but he could silence those working in this mansion.

Those who burned with unnecessary jealousy paid the price by losing the fortune they were enjoying.

They were foolish people who could only realize how great a fortune it was to work in this mansion after losing it.

Even if the circumstances of Betas were getting better than when the former King ruled, it was still not easy. Those who had the foundation to live properly could literally be counted on one hand.

But Ian’s master was someone who already held such a foundation in his hand from long ago.

Those who knew nothing babbled that the master was just lucky, but Ian knew that wasn’t true.

Being lucky referred to things like those who couldn’t even keep their mouths shut keeping their lives.

On the day they left the mansion, Ian saw the master scoffing. He knew well that the world couldn’t all be on his side, and therefore he wasn’t hurt by the words some people babbled.

Although his other master, the Duke of Westell, seemed to wish he wouldn’t know anything about the world opposite to goodwill.

“You worked hard until now, but please work harder in the future.”

Jay said to Ian, signing one by one the checks matching the amounts of numerous statements Ian brought.

Not only flowers, but carpets, curtains, and tapestries to decorate floors and walls throughout the mansion, as well as food, tableware, tables, and chairs cost a huge sum. The cost of inviting the band and decorating the garden was the same.

This is not the end. Until the schedule ends completely, items not thought of yet will continue to pop up.

Because what Jay himself, what Philius is preparing is a wedding ceremony.

He lowered his face trying to turn red to hide it, and continued signing.

****

The most frequently seen customers at the jewelry shop in Jongno were prospective couples.

There were customers who chose wedding gifts very harmoniously, but there were far more customers who raised their voices until they found a compromise.

In extreme cases, there were customers who broke off the engagement on the spot.

Jay felt like he could understand the feelings of those customers a little, just a very little bit, back then.

Not that he wants to fight at all.

White formal attire was hanging in rows in front of Jay, not ready-made goods that could be bought immediately if one had money like on Earth, but all custom-made. The tailor brought all the clothes Philius ordered, and Jay had to try on the fitted clothes one by one.

“I definitely think I chose one.”

At Jay’s words, Philius wrinkled his nose. It was a reaction proving he must remember it too.

“You felt it was a pity to choose only one. Since you will carry them all well.”

The tailor sided with Philius while pretending to praise Jay. With a very bright face.

Well, his complexion had to be bright. Since Philius had already paid for all the clothes.

“As he said. I absolutely couldn’t choose only one.”

“Even though I chose?”

“It means the rest were all your clothes too.”

Philius said with a quite serious face. He had no intention of bending his claim even if Jay used informal language, not honorifics.

He also knew the fact that except for one set among the formal attire hanging plenty on the rack, Jay would just keep them without wearing them even once. Nevertheless, he ordered them all because they were designs that would clearly suit Jay well.

“Is it similar to what you thought?”

The clothes Jay changed into first and stood in weren’t chosen by himself. Although he wasn’t unaware that he did it on purpose, Philius shook his head.

“It suits you much better than I just imagined.”

Jay laughed with a dumbfounded face. It was clear it wasn’t a laugh made out of pleasure. Still, Philius couldn’t stop the sweet emotion rising up.

He knows Jay’s appearance looks quite cold to others’ eyes. Although his personality actually has a clear boundary between his people and not, appearing so even with a polite smile is largely due to the light gray hair and clean skin. Also the impression left by slightly upturned eyes.

However, the vivid green eyes smiling enough to wrinkle slightly revealed gentleness along with his cleverness.

The white formal attire with a silhouette flowing along the body emphasized those green eyes clearly. Also the splendid red, thick lips forming a clear contrast with the eyes.

Because he has a personality with clear boundaries, the moment of receiving confirmation that he let him inside the line was even more welcome.

Philius also had the awareness that he spent money willfully. He just wanted to see Jay actually wearing those clothes. Perhaps he wanted to see him listening to his whining as much as possible while looking at him like a troublemaker, like now.

Jay exhaled a big breath looking at the clothes still remaining plenty on the rack.

“I can’t try them all.”

Tired, at Jay’s words added like a complaint, Philius nodded.

Pfft, laughter like the sound of wind flowed from Jay.

Jay changed into five more sets of clothes after that. The fifth set was the very one he chose himself, and Philius could realize that it meant he wouldn’t change clothes anymore.

And indeed, Jay was someone who knew what suited him best.

“Hold the waist up to here, and readjust the overall line accordingly. Reduce the width of the collar by half an inch more too.”

Unlike when he had no separate requirements, he clearly demanded of the tailor in what form it should be completed.

“Shall I change more?”

When asked toward Philius, he had no choice but to shake his head.

“Thank you.”

Once again, laughter like the sound of wind flowed from Jay’s mouth. Also an eye-smile with slightly folded eye corners.

Philius replaced the slightly remaining regret with that.

****

The debris of the main palace collapsed on the day of the victory ceremony was cleaned up before anyone knew. However, the remaining place looked even more desolate because of that.

It is unknown when the main palace to fill that wide site can be completed.

The Queen’s coronation ceremony was held in the temple within the royal palace instead of the vanished main palace, and the empty land was visible intact beyond the clean floor-to-ceiling window.

“Indeed.”

Philius lifted his lips looking at the floor-to-ceiling window with minimized connecting parts. There was a reason for prioritizing the repair work of the temple over the foundation work of the main palace site.

On the day of the victory ceremony, the aftermath of the magic circle that collapsed the main palace reached this temple too. The shaken walls cracked, and windows made of weak glass all broke without leaving a single one.

The Queen proceeded with construction to demolish the cracked wall altogether and block one side entirely with glass. Reinforcing the lack of materials with magic.

She made the members of parliament gathered for the coronation ceremony unable to ignore the site of the main palace that became empty. Intending to imprint on them the fact that a new era has begun along with the fact that the construction of the main palace is urgent.

The Red Rose Garden also disappeared. All roses filling that place were picked and decorating the temple at this moment. To celebrate the Queen’s coronation.

Jay looked around at white roses, baby’s breath, white tulips, alliums, and lilies of the valley stuck even more abundantly so that red roses would stand out more. Not to mention the variety and quantity of flowers. There were flowers everywhere the gaze reached.

No wonder the price of flowers skyrocketed.

Jay swallowed the laughter about to leak out.

“Our Queen is a frugal person. It is a very fortunate thing.”

Someone said in a voice of sincere relief.

“Right. Since the repair cost of the temple was also covered by rubies collected from the Rose Garden.”

Another person chimed in and nodded.

They must also know. That flowers bloomed by magic in a season when flowers don’t bloom yet boast a formidable price, and glass filling one side of the temple entirely also requires paying a dazzling price as much as the sunlight it transmits to be constructed.

Still, the Queen deserved to hear the evaluation of being frugal. Because she neither squandered valuable royal assets nor demanded the parliament to raise the budget more. It’s just that the standard of frugality is vastly different from Betas. Like Philius ordering plenty of formal attire knowing he won’t wear them, and himself choosing just one set.

However, unlike them who are aware of the difference, they don’t know the standard of Betas. Nor would they be curious.

“Moreover, she is generous too.”

Unlike the voice that was quite pleased, this time it was a tone revealing discomfort.

His gaze was heading toward people standing with the desolate bare ground as background beyond the floor-to-ceiling window.

“Well, it’s not like they have no merit at all…”

Ahem, mumbling with a useless cough was because the memory of the victory ceremony day still remained. Unlike them who want to forget the time they begged for their lives, a bitter smile couldn’t help but seep into the lips of Philius and Jay who remember that appearance clearly.

Human memory is truly a convenient thing,  Jay thought looking at John standing at the front of the group visible outside the floor-to-ceiling window.”