Chapter 95: When the Rings were seen.

Philius’s laugh tickled my ears. Simultaneously, the arms hugging me tightly loosened. I put my two hands on his back.

As hands wearing the same ring as the one on his left hand hugged him, the banquet hall became noisy as if a bomb had dropped. Still, they couldn’t dare to approach closer. Unlike reporters I knew on Earth. The status difference suppressed their desire for a scoop.

“Did you want to surprise me?”

He asked, hugging me stronger than before. My face was completely hidden by his body.

“No, I came down because I wanted to hear what you say in person.”

“Really?”

“And because rings are meaningful only when a pair is together.”

Philius’s laughter rang loudly. It was loud enough to be heard by reporters standing at a distance as if there were a photo line. I couldn’t see their expressions blocked by Philius, but I guessed they were quite surprised. Because the sound of pens scratching paper, which had been heard ceaselessly as much as their voices, stopped for a moment.

“Your Highness the King’s Brother, is that person the rumored one?”

“Does the fact that you two are wearing the same ring mean you are engaged?”

However, when that brief silence broke, the reporters’ voices grew louder. The sound of pens moving roughly also followed.

Philius moved a step forward without answering their questions. I also moved my feet matching him. As soon as we came out, Ian, who was waiting, closed the banquet hall door.

“Wait a moment!”

“Door! Please open the door!”

Reporters protested fiercely. Bang bang, sounds of banging on the door strongly were also heard. Still, the door didn’t open again.

I climbed the stairs again with Philius.

****

“You say this newspaper sold the best?”

At my question, Philius nodded.

“It’s a picture worth it.”

Indeed, what stimulates people’s hearts most seems to be the truth seen by chance.

The picture was a little different from reality. My left hand wrapped around Philius’s back was true to fact, but Philius, who hugged me tightly with two arms, was taking a posture in the picture with his left arm turned back, overlapping his fingers on my left hand. Making a pair of rings visible side by side.

Actually, this picture was different from reality, and it couldn’t be said there was no intention at all. Still, people went crazy for this seemingly raw composition.

To what extent?

“Still, is it okay to put the same picture on the front page three times? Wouldn’t it affect sales volume?”

It didn’t end with being issued as an extra edition, but was printed two more times in regular issues. Unless one looked carefully at the date, one could easily mistake the previous issue for remaining on the newsstand as is.

“I heard inquiries from those who couldn’t get the previous newspaper were ceaseless. The newspaper company judged it would be better to continue the offensive by using the same picture but inserting newly written articles rather than reissuing the previous issue.”

“Oh dear.”

At my reflexively blurted words, Philius let out a short laugh.

“Consequently, the chief editor’s judgment was right. When they replied to those inquiring about the previous issue that the same picture would be printed in this issue, the number of regular subscribers increased greatly, they said. I heard the illustrator’s value also rose significantly.”

Maybe I’ve become too accustomed to modern Korean sensibility. The sensibility of an era where new issues pour out every day cannot be the same as an era with scarce entertainment and slow propagation speed.

“And it seems this ring was extremely shocking. They seem to think magic is holding the gem floating in the air.”

Philius said rubbing the ring on my finger.

“Inquiries flood asking if they can get similar rings at Palmer Jewelry.”

“Since the gem isn’t big, they should know there are only a few magic circles that can be implemented.”

As the size of the gem fixable by tension setting is limited, the magic circles that can be engraved on the ring were also limited. Since magic requiring much magical power cannot be manifested. What I chose is communication magic. Modifying it so the diamond shines in a certain pattern replacing the signal tone of the short message transmitter.

As the distance between two rings increases, the amount of mana required by the magic circle increases exponentially, so if one tries to activate communication magic forcibly beyond a certain distance, the diamond might not just be contaminated but break altogether.

If the gem was fixed in the air using magic, it was impossible to include other magical functions besides that aesthetic function. Nobles familiar with magic couldn’t be unaware of that fact. They were inquiring even while thinking this ring has no function.

“It means it doesn’t matter even if there is no magical utility. If it is this beautiful.”

Actually, we haven’t communicated through this ring even once yet. There was no need to, either.

“As a jeweler, it is a proud thing, but.”

“There was a request to collect drawings of watches and accessories you made so far and publish them as a separate volume. Though it can be published only if you permit.”

“Did they say they would put this picture on the very last page?”

“Of course.”

A hot topic is indeed a hot topic. Not only this picture but the fact of the King’s Brother’s engagement itself. The letter Nathan sent was also full of related news. Even though his body is fully grown, the still young guy, wondering what he was thinking, asked about my well-being anew, asking if I’m really doing well.

“It’s an interesting project, but please tell them not right now.”

“Okay.”

Philius accepted my refusal readily. Rather, it seemed he was waiting for me to refuse.

I don’t think all this happened because of my design. Although the design of this ring would be groundbreaking enough to be inexplicable without magic to people who still lack understanding of platinum, if the person wearing this ring wasn’t Philius, it wouldn’t have become a hot topic to this extent.

This scandal brought a bigger repercussion than I expected. The newspaper circulation exceeded my expectation by about three times, and not knowing the fact that platinum, treated as imperfect gold until now, was used, comments even emerged saying the metal used for the band is indeed ‘the most perfect precious metal.’ There are even people caught intruding into Palmer Jewelry to steal the manufacturing method of the ring almost every other day.

Thanks to that, the incident of a thief entering Palmer Jewelry on the very day a dominant Omega manifested became known as someone obtaining information that this ring would be made in advance. Saying such a ring cannot be made in just a few days. Actually, I wasn’t even imagining making couple rings back then.

The union of the King’s Brother and a recessive Omega was accepted as a romantic event. It was a completely different reaction from when Philius’s father, the former Crown Prince, married a recessive Omega.

Because Philius has no right of succession.

This romance rumor, along with the news that diamonds can be artificially synthesized, covered Noberten with Philius’s name.

Besides the best-selling newspaper, most newspapers were putting topics about Philius on the front page. Even newspaper companies classified as the King’s side couldn’t completely ignore topics about him. Although they were getting heated saying the claim that diamonds can be made artificially is a lie, actually even such negative reactions were no different from promotion.

There were few types of newspapers where Philius’s name didn’t appear on the front page at all. And seeing the headlines put forward by such newspapers, I couldn’t help but examine Philius’s complexion.

“Indeed, it seems the King is out of his mind.”

Seeing the same article as me, he didn’t hide his disgust.

‘Shameless bomber Linton sentenced to death.’ Large letters were saying so. The King’s words became the title directly.

The trial for Linton hadn’t even started yet. Everyone knows the fact that he will eventually be executed, but the King, not even a judge, confirming the verdict before the trial was a completely different issue. The grand premise of constitutionalism collapsed. Even if it’s a story about a Beta causing loss to a noble, it was a remark bound to bring out nobles who object. Not for the sake of a Beta, but because danger is sensed from a King coveting excessive power.

I understand the intention to cut off positive information about Philius, imply that he is actually a dangerous figure who can shake the foundation of society, and simultaneously warn Philius himself. However, ignoring procedures and making remarks as if holding absolute royal power was a losing move. The declaration to hang that shameless criminal in the square was excessive.

I looked at Philius. His lips looking down at the newspaper headline drew a twisted line.

Apart from the fact that the King is pushing himself into a pit, it was a remark that inevitably made the heart heavy. I reached out and held Philius’s hand. Touched his scar.

Philius himself expressed the event that left this scar as a show, but a noble who truly doesn’t see Betas as people wouldn’t even feel the need for such a show.

“When was the last time you met Linton?”

“When he came to refuse my offer to work as a guard for this mansion. I haven’t thought of him again since then.”

Although Philius spoke in a light tone, a bitter smile clearly lingered on his lips.

“Do you think you will regret it after he leaves?”

“…Maybe, a little.”

“Will Linton be regretting?”

“No. He might regret surrendering though.”

“I think the opposite. He would regret blowing up Viscount Pera’s mansion, but he wouldn’t regret surrendering.”

Perhaps unable to accept my words, Philius squinted one eye slightly.