Sorry, I got distracted by your looks

“What about Sir Pallet’s gold button?”

“That’s not for sale. I sincerely hope I never have to part with it.”

I gently ran my fingers over the small gold button, cherishing it. Sir Pallet—my beloved mentor.

I allowed myself a brief moment of sentimentality before snapping back to reality. There was no time for this.

“Millie, listen carefully. We’re heading out immediately by carriage. Once I get off at the crossroads, you’ll take the carriage to the Stone estate. Meanwhile, I’ll sell the jewels and secure some cash.”

“Yes, my lady.”

We boarded the carriage and set off for the capital’s central crossroads.

Clutching my jewelry box, I stepped out in front of the largest jeweler in the area, while Millie continued on to the Stone estate.

****

Robby, who had been out riding, immediately sensed something was wrong when Leah’s maid, Millie, suddenly appeared.

Bringing her to his room, Robby quickly read the letter she handed him.

After carefully reading the letter, Robby promptly set it on fire, watching as the flames consumed it. Then, he turned to Millie.

“Listen carefully. Tonight at midnight, I’ll have a carriage ready and waiting under the ginkgo tree on Laurel Hill. You and Leah need to be there. Understood?”

“Yes, midnight, at the ginkgo tree on Laurel Hill.”

“That’s right.”

Robby stood and rummaged through his drawers before pulling out a small pouch. He emptied all the gold, silver, and copper coins he had into it and handed it to Millie.

“Take this for now. I’ll bring more gold tonight.”

“Thank you, Young Master Robby.”

“Now go, Millie. See you tonight.”

***

The largest jewelry store at the crossroads—this was my destination today.

Of the jewelry in my box, the most valuable pieces were the ones Robby had given me for my birthday each year.

Honestly, the first hairpins and brooches he gifted me when I was ten were so poorly made that even my young self could tell they were crude.

So I assumed the later gifts weren’t worth much either—maybe a few silver coins at best. But when I visited a jeweler last week to get an appraisal, I was in for a shock.

Starting from Robby’s gifts on my sixteenth birthday, the necklaces and bracelets he gave me were valuable enough to be exchanged for gold coins.

After I confided in Robby about my escape plan upon receiving the emperor’s marriage decree, he agreed to let me sell his gifts for cash.

From my jewelry box, I took out the sapphire necklace and earrings I’d received for my coming-of-age ceremony from the marquis, along with the small tiara and ruby bracelet Robby had given me.

I had never worn them, fearing they would be taken away if the marchioness or Hailey saw them, so they were practically brand new.

Especially the tiara—it was so expensive that if I couldn’t sell it here in the capital, I doubted I’d find a buyer elsewhere. Selling it was my top priority.

The jeweler’s eyes gleamed as he examined the items.

“Oh~ So you’re selling this tiara? I’ll offer you 13 gold for it.”

“Wait a minute. Last week, the appraisal was 25 gold.”

“That was last week. The market for these items fluctuates daily.”

I narrowed my eyes, staring him down. He was lowballing me, knowing I was in a hurry to sell.

I should have kept my composure while negotiating, but I had given myself away.

“Then, for the tiara and the sapphire necklace and earring set, give me 15 gold. I won’t sell the bracelet.”

“I’ll give you 13 gold and thirty silver coins. Honestly, this cheap sapphire isn’t worth much. I’m offering this price just for you, my lady.”

I was getting completely swindled, but I had no choice. After ten days of research, I knew this was the only jeweler who could provide immediate cash.

While I finalized the sale, the carriage carrying Millie returned.

Hurrying home, we packed only the essentials—money and jewelry.

Then, deep in the night, while the household was fast asleep, Millie and I made our escape.

Or so we thought.

We hadn’t even made it out of the estate when we were caught, and now, standing before me, were the marquis’s people—along with an unbelievably handsome but terrifying man.

The King of Pritan.

“I asked you—why are you standing here at this hour, dressed like that?”

Marquis Derek Uzcal’s furious voice made me gulp.

“Well, you see, my lord…”

My face flushed red, and my voice trembled slightly. But one glance at the otherworldly face of King Mikrok Pritan steeled my resolve.

I turned to the marquis and spoke, my hands clasped, shifting my weight anxiously from foot to foot.

“I heard His Majesty the King of Pritan had arrived, so I packed immediately. We can leave right now, can’t we?”

“…What?”

Marquis Uzcal stared at me in disbelief.

I took a bold step forward, bringing my hands together.

“He’s just—

handsome. I swear, I could live my whole life just staring at his face!”

King Mikrok, who had been standing impassively, raised a single eyebrow.

Mikrok Pritan, the young king of the Pritan Kingdom—known as the most formidable warrior in the northern continent.

When he set out for the Harlan Empire to retrieve his betrothed, he had no idea such an amusing situation awaited him.

Harlan’s emperor had sent a marriage proposal as a gesture of reconciliation, expressing regret for the wrongdoing committed by his brother, Grand Duke Jake, against Pritan. Mikrok had accepted, albeit indifferently.

He was preparing for a major campaign against the demonic forces. A trivial matter like marriage was the last thing he wanted distracting him.

To make matters worse, he’d been told it would take at least a month for his bride to arrive in Pritan. The delay irritated him.

This campaign would last a minimum of four months. If he postponed it for a month, it would cause significant disruptions—not to mention the losses his allies would suffer due to the revised strategy.

Honestly, Mikrok thought it might be more satisfying to ride straight to the Harlan Empire, behead its cunning old emperor, and then deal with the demons.

However, his trusted aide and bodyguard, William Giles, had quickly put an end to that plan.

“Why don’t we go pick up the princess ourselves? With an elite cavalry unit, we can reach Harlan in ten days and return in another ten. That’s just twenty days in total.”

“Will, is that really necessary, with a major battle ahead?”

“Of course it is!”

William, already an intimidating man, scowled, making the air in the room turn tense.

“Where do you get off snapping at me?”

“Oh, uh, my apologies…”

“Tsk, your temper…”

William thought his king had no right to complain about

temper, but wisely kept that thought to himself.

And so, they had departed. But thanks to the slow-moving carriage, Mikrok and his men had arrived five days earlier than expected.

And now, this unexpected entertainment was unfolding before him.

The moment he had entered the reception hall, he had noticed the black-hooded figure—Leah Uzcal.

‘She was planning to run.’