STLECM 26

CHAPTER 26

“He made a large purchase of women’s accessories from merchants dealing with foreign royalty. He also hired a new designer to create dresses and shoes.”

Accessories… dresses?

Etisha had never heard any of this before. After hearing it now, she couldn’t help but go see Duke Cayenne in person.

“I see… Then I suppose I’d better go in for a moment. You girls wait here.”

Etisha left her maids outside and stepped into the Duke’s office.

A scent of oak and musk filled the room. Arched windows were draped with wine-colored satin curtains, and a massive, muted rug covered the floor.

A soft rustle echoed under her feet as she stepped onto the carpet.

“Your Grace. Lady Etisha has arrived,” Valdefram announced.

Cayenne, seated like a painting behind a wide teak desk, looked up.

He had been reviewing documents with a serious expression, immersed in his work. And yet, with just the simple motion of raising his head, he completely stole Etisha’s attention.

‘I wonder what he was reading.’

She wanted to watch his focused face a bit longer, but felt a little guilty for having disrupted him.

“…Lady Etisha?”

“I hope I’m not intruding, Your Grace.”

“Not at all. In fact, I have something to discuss with you. Please, take a seat.”

Cayenne gestured for her to sit. Etisha adjusted her skirt and took the low-backed wooden chair.

“I was touring the castle and happened to pass by your office. I ran into Valdefram, and he told me you…”

“If you already know that much, this will be quick.”

Cayenne gave Valdefram a brief gesture. He turned and gave instructions to a maid waiting outside the door. It seemed he was asking her to bring the accessories he had prepared.

“I… I feel guilty for troubling you like this again.”

Etisha smiled awkwardly, trying to express her gratitude as always. But before she could even finish her sentence, Cayenne said something unexpected.

“No. These aren’t gifts, per se—they’re an apology. So please, don’t feel any burden.”

“An apology? But what would you possibly need to apologize for, Your Grace?”

“There is something worth apologizing for.”

“…Pardon?”

Etisha looked at him, puzzled. Cayenne turned his head away quietly and fell silent.

After a long pause, he cleared his throat.

“I heard your dress was torn.”

Ah. That had happened.

Etisha’s face turned a little sheepish as she recalled the morning.

“You’ve already heard. I’m sorry. I must have fallen asleep in it… and I guess I tore it while I was tossing and turning in my sleep.”

“No. That’s not it.”

Cayenne denied her explanation.

Just then, the maids returned with several jewelry boxes in varying sizes, per Valdefram’s instructions.

“I tore it.”

“…?”

“It was my mistake. The reason your dress was torn… was because of me.”

Etisha’s eyes went wide with shock.

She wasn’t the only one surprised—Valdefram, standing at the back, looked stunned, and the maids carrying the boxes nearly dropped them.

“You tore… what?”

The Duke… tore her what?

“Your dress. My apologies for the discourtesy last night.”

“Wait—what?”

Etisha couldn’t understand what he was saying. Then realization slowly dawned—and with it, more confusion.

‘Then… the Duke I saw last night… that wasn’t a dream?’

And if that were true…

‘I… I slept in the same bed as the Duke…?’

Then why… why did he tear her dress?

He tore it? The Duke?

Why on earth?!

Her thoughts spiraled out of control, and her face turned bright red.

Valdefram and the maids looked just as flustered. They stood frozen, not knowing what to do after overhearing what sounded like a very private conversation between the future duchess and her betrothed.

“And I also said I would bring in a new designer once we arrived in the north, yet I failed to keep that promise immediately. This is just compensation.”

“…”

“In any case, please look through the accessories.”

“…”

“I hope something suits your taste, Lady Etisha.”

“…”

Cayenne was saying something, but Etisha couldn’t hear a word.

Her mind was consumed by the thought that she’d spent the night in bed with Cayenne—and that he’d torn her dress.

‘Okay, calm down. People are watching. If I stand here dazed, it’ll be suspicious.’

Etisha forced herself to pull it together. This wasn’t just the two of them—she couldn’t let her shock show so plainly.

‘Right. We’re engaged. So… maybe something like tearing a dress could happen… surely he had a reason.’

Maybe Cayenne had said all this on purpose—

‘Maybe he wants the maids to think we’re close. Like a real engaged couple…?’

But still.

No matter how she rationalized it—

Tearing a dress?! That was too embarrassing! Too mortifying!

Etisha bit her lip to keep herself from screaming, then turned to the jewelry boxes.

The maids had lined them up neatly on the desk and stepped back to give her space.

Etisha opened the first box.

Click.

As soon as she lifted the lid, she couldn’t help but let out a soft gasp.

“Ah…!”

A necklace. A teardrop-shaped pink diamond at the center, with dozens of sapphires cascading around it like rippling waves.

More than just its brilliance and stunning design—this necklace was famous. Even a commoner on the street would recognize it.

“Your Grace, this is…!”

The Angel’s Heart.

Legend said that centuries ago, a massive pink diamond fell from the sky and split into seven differently sized pieces.

A dark prince, madly in love, heard of this and had each of the seven diamonds crafted into a different piece of jewelry for his fiancée.

He gave her one piece per day for seven days and won her heart. They married and lived happily ever after.

“Judging by your expression, you know what this is. The Angel’s Heart. The first of the seven pieces.”

Etisha couldn’t even bring herself to touch the necklace. Instead, she gently ran her fingers along the edge of the jewelry box.

Normally, even the gilded box alone would’ve amazed her—but now, her eyes were fixed solely on that necklace.

“How… how did you come by something so precious?”

Even one of the seven pieces was incredibly valuable. The Angel’s Heart was legendary.

But Cayenne responded with casual indifference.

“I simply thought it would match your hair.”

Indeed, the soft pink diamond matched Etisha’s rose-gold hair perfectly.

‘Still… this is far too much…’

She hurriedly closed the box, flustered. Cayenne raised an eyebrow and asked,

“Do you not like it?”

“No, it’s not that I dislike it…”

“Then you do like it.”

“Your Grace, it’s too much for me.”

“What do you mean? Not at all. In the end, it’s just a rock.”

Cayenne clearly didn’t care about the jewel’s value. To him, it was just a shiny stone.

He stood from his desk and walked over to her. He opened the box again and picked up the necklace as if it were nothing.

Etisha hadn’t even dared to touch it—and yet he held it like it was a pebble on the roadside.

“Lady Etisha. Your hair, if you please.”

On instinct, Etisha swept her hair over one shoulder.

Her pale neck was exposed, and Cayenne gently placed the necklace around it.

As he fastened the clasp, his large, firm hand brushed the nape of her neck.

‘Oh… no…’

Etisha was overwhelmed. She couldn’t push him away. She couldn’t reject the necklace. All she could do was endure.

“See? It suits you well.”

Even the maids in the distance nodded eagerly in agreement.

Etisha had no choice but to ignore the overwhelming meaning and value of the Angel’s Heart for now.

“…Thank you, Your Grace.”

Her neck suddenly felt heavy.

The Angel’s Heart hung around her slender neck, and the long pendant below it bore the roaring lion emblem—an imperial gift from Emperor Ignivan.

‘The Angel’s Heart… and a pendant from His Majesty…’

Etisha reminded herself that all of this would return to Cayenne after she died. She was only borrowing it for a year. That thought helped steady her fluttering heart.

“Shall we look at the rest of the jewelry?”

Cayenne asked, but Etisha hastily declined.

“No, that’s alright! This is your office, after all. I shouldn’t take up more of your work time.”

Just one piece of the Angel’s Heart was already overwhelming. She couldn’t possibly handle more.

Seeing her reluctance, Cayenne nodded.

“Very well. I’ll have the rest sent to your dressing room. Use them as you see fit.”

“…Yes.”

“Oh, and the designers should be arriving at the manor soon. I’ve commissioned several dresses for different occasions, so you’ll be busy with fittings for a while.”

Etisha clung to her sense of composure and responded gracefully.

“…Yes, Your Grace.”

If the maids weren’t present, she might have started shaking.

She let out a deep breath and rose from her chair. She needed to get out of that office—fast. If she stayed, who knew what shocking thing might happen next.

“Then… I’ll take my leave. I don’t want to interrupt your work any longer.”

And with that, Etisha fled from the office.

Behind her, the maids hurried along with armfuls of jewelry boxes, their eyes twinkling as they whispered excitedly among themselves.

“Did you see?”

“Yeah. Oh my God.”

“I’ve never seen the Duke like that. He tore her dress…”

“And the Angel’s Heart… I can’t believe it…”

“Is that even the same Duke we knew? He used to be so scary, cold, and harsh… we couldn’t even meet his gaze.”

“Exactly! He only ever worked or trained with his sword. This is… so strange.”

They exchanged glances, then peeked at Etisha’s retreating figure.

Baroness Etisha El. Once thought to be just a sudden fiancée of the Duke…

But now… perhaps she was destined to bring about a great change to Wintell Castle.