Chapter 53: Restoring what was ruined.

“Thank you for your hard work all this time.”

“Thank you even more for saying that.”

At my greeting, he felt both shy and proud.

Mr. Palmer’s face, having bid farewell to the past, was filled with gentleness instead of loneliness. The satisfaction of having completed his work was also fully conveyed through his expression.

‘Could my father have been like that?’

Suddenly, such a thought occurred to me.

‘If I, and my brother, had been fully recognized by our father and inherited the Jongno jewelry shop together, could my father have felt pride in his work?’

‘Would he have admitted that his era had passed and accepted the changes?’

I looked around the shop just like Mr. Palmer had. It was completely different from the jewelry shop in Jongno.

Although I had changed many parts, it was still antique compared to the 21st century.

I had to stop imagining the results of things I hadn’t even tried. What happened due to my choices would remain unchanged forever. In my memory.

So I had to try at least this time.

Here, there were no gold toads or gold turtles that I simply bought and sold for sales. Nothing that hadn’t passed through my hands would enter this place.

“You have a good face. Even at a young age, you are already a much better jeweler than I am.”

Mr. Palmer left the jewelry shop with a pleased smile.

I don’t know what he saw in my face then.

I looked down at the yellow diamond I had taken out on the workbench.

It was a stone completely ruined as a result of handling it carelessly without knowing its limits, along with craftsmanship that failed to bring out the potential the raw stone possessed.

No longer having value or use as a gem.

But I can reverse this.

Purifying a contaminated gem happened only once and even that was by chance, but I could be sure.

I in this world still had a choice.

The emotion I harbored for the King’s Brother, Philius, was pity, and yes, it was definitely love. But I didn’t harbor the convenient hope that I could remain by his side forever.

I didn’t think my feelings would be eternal either.

I just wanted to do my best right now. I wanted to protect him in my own way. Just as he tries to protect me.

One step back from his daily life.

To not leave regrets when I can no longer see him.

I looked again at the yellow stone dulled by contamination. I will return the light to the gem that lost it.

After letting out a light sigh, I returned the yellow diamond to the storage box.

I placed a raw citrine stone on the empty workbench. What potential does this guy have? What light is hidden within this dull-looking exterior?

At some point while observing the raw citrine stone as if talking to it, I realized the corners of my lips were gradually rising.

Low hardness can be translated into easy crafting. If a lower refractive index than topaz is the problem, I just need to create that many more reflective surfaces.

Imagining the completed citrine, I smiled.

****

“Did you wear that watch last time too?”

Duchess Mare, whom I met for the second time, treated me quite comfortably. It meant she was more interested in my personal matters than bringing up business right away.

“Yes, as I am meeting a noble person, I adorned myself with the most precious thing I have.”

The first Westell limited edition, the watch that even received the nickname ‘Blue Lake,’ was on my left wrist.

It was after I turned off the pheromone detector function the King’s Brother included when giving it to me as a gift.

I couldn’t let the alarm ring in front of Duchess Mare, who is said to be a stronger Omega than even the Queen Consort.

“Indeed, it is a watch beautiful enough to be coveted. When that watch came out, it was right after I gave birth, so I received the news late. I sent a letter to the Duke of Westell after finding out later, but he coldly refused. I was quite upset at the time.”

Even though I wear this watch openly to appeal my career, no noble thinks of me as the creator.

I understand.

My body is twenty years old even now, and I was fifteen when I made this watch. Although I release new watches steadily every year, few people would accept that this Blue Lake, still considered the most beautiful watch, was made by a fifteen-year-old.

There were people who intended to commission after seeing the catalog but canceled after checking my face.

Many people even guessed there was a mastermind behind the King’s Brother’s watch business. After saying it was an interesting opinion, the King’s Brother even fabricated documents as if there were a separate mastermind.

The King must be curious about who is funding the King’s Brother.

“Blue Lake is definitely the greatest masterpiece among what you made.”

However, Duchess Mare acknowledged me as the creator with a smiling face.

It was also a remark openly informing me that she investigated my background.

Actually, she was a VIP of our watches. On her left wrist stroking her hair right now was another Westell limited edition.

“Do you have any intention of selling that watch? I will pay generously.”

Duchess Mare proposed with a clear face. Although her face showed no greed at all, she was clearly coveting my watch itself.

I remember reading an article about the auction of Blue Lake in the newspaper a while ago.

It had only been 5 years since the watch was released, but the winning bid was over ten times the initial selling price. It was a price surge worthy of being news.

No matter how much precious metal prices rose in the meantime, it was a price impossible without recognizing the value of the watch itself.

Moreover, these days, it has already been several months since the value of precious metals, which skyrocketed, turned to a gradual decline.

“I apologize.”

I bowed my head. Attaching various reasons was not a good response.

She is an opponent with financial power and authority capable of breaking all my logic.

The reason her face doesn’t look greedy now is probably because she herself is unaware that she is coveting someone else’s property.

“Do you know the price of that watch? If you sell it, you wouldn’t need to go around looking for work. If you just aren’t greedy, you could live comfortably for the rest of your life.”

“I apologize.”

To an opponent to whom no words would work, I had no choice but to respond with the same words like a parrot.

“I know there are several others besides me who desire that watch; do you perhaps have another promise?”

Duchess Mare changed her expression quickly and asked with sullen eyes.

“There is no such thing. Nor will there be in the future. I am only sorry for being exceptionally greedy.”

Although I’m just trying to protect what’s mine, I deliberately chose the word ‘greedy.’

For a Beta commoner to try to keep what’s his in front of an Omega, and a royal with succession rights at that, was indeed greed.

Repeatedly saying sorry while emptying one side of my brain without feeling sorry wasn’t particularly damaging to my pride.

Since I just chose the most efficient method. Wouldn’t Nathan say I did well if he knew?

That guy always nags that my customer service is precarious. Although I can’t agree with that.

“Indeed. You are peculiar.”

“I apologize.”

“Stop it. I know I’m the one being unreasonable.”

“……”

“You don’t deny it.”

“Since you seemed reluctant to hear apologies, I was choosing other words I could offer.”

“Impertinent.”

“I apologize.”

I bowed my head to the Duchess again. The sound of her clicking her tongue was heard above my head.

“Let’s really stop now and get to the main point.”

After the time that seemed like a joke or a test passed, she returned to a bored face.

“Is the citrine necklace completed?”

“Yes.”

“I look forward to it, but you haven’t forgotten the condition that it must be more beautiful than topaz, right?”

“Of course.”

Even as I brought my hand to open the case containing the necklace, Duchess Mare only blinked slowly, contrary to her words.

The citrine necklace wasn’t important to her. It was clear there was another matter requiring a jeweler’s skill.

A jeweler connected to the King’s Brother.

In other words, there was a matter requiring me, a jeweler distant from the King.

It didn’t matter. Even if Duchess Mare entrusted the citrine to me with another ulterior motive.

I put strength into the hand placed on the case. I know she will definitely like this necklace.

“……”

When the case opened and the necklace was revealed, Duchess Mare didn’t show a dramatic reaction like the successor of the Dime Viscountcy.

Far from uttering exclamations like ‘Oh my’ or ‘Good heavens!’, she kept her lips firmly shut.

But I knew she liked the necklace very much.

The eyes not leaving the necklace while blinking slowly, the hand clenching a fist as if suppressing the urge to take out the necklace and wear it immediately, and the deep breath audible enough to hear proved her heart.

When her eyes, which had been fixed on the necklace as if nailed, turned to me, I smiled at her.

“…Bring a mirror.”

I wondered if the expression raising one eyebrow was a sign of disapproval towards me.

But when the maids by her side put the necklace on her neck and showed her in the mirror, her expression completely relaxed.