Chapter 19

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: Imprinted with the Male Lead 27

-----------------------------------------------------------------

"Yes. He's the one who's been drawing tremendous attention from the noble ladies in high society lately. I hear that the moment they put on the jewelry he crafts, they feel reborn."

"......"

Normally, Richt would have scoffed at such nonsense, mocking it as utterly ridiculous.

But instead of sneering contemptuously, he seemed somehow anxious, oddly fixated on Logan's words.

'Pink diamond.'

Richt couldn't tear his eyes away from the gem that shimmered iridescently depending on the angle.

Placed at the very center of the display case, it captivated onlookers not just with its beauty but with the exquisite craftsmanship.

'It resembles that woman's hair.'

That was the first impression Richt uttered as he stared at the jewel, utterly entranced.

At that moment, an image flickered like a watermark: Luciana adorned with the accessory.

The ultra-luxurious necklace, lavishly decorated with diamonds beneath her elegantly upswept hair, blended seamlessly with her, without a hint of dissonance.

Thump.

Imagining Luciana smiling radiantly while draped in such a precious gem made his heart race wildly once more.

—It's her birthday! How can we let the historic day she was born into this world just pass by? I absolutely won't stand for it. Tell the shopkeeper right now that we're buying it!

'Nonsense.'

As the furious voice raged inside him, Richt instinctively gritted his teeth and shot it a glare, as if annoyed.

"......The carriage will be waiting."

"Huh? You're just leaving?"

Logan asked in surprise, seeing Richt turn his back completely.

"That trinket's nothing special anyway."

"Pardon?"

For someone who said that, hadn't he been staring at it so passionately...?

Logan was baffled by Richt's sudden change of attitude, but chalked it up to his lord being off today and quietly followed behind.

Whoooosh.

In the pitch-black bedroom shrouded by darkness, the howling winter wind occasionally shattered the silence.

"......"

Richt had been tossing and turning since earlier, frowning with his eyes closed as if something kept bothering him, suffering from insomnia.

He tried forcing himself to sleep, but the more he did, the clearer his mind became.

Time had long passed midnight and crept into the early hours of dawn.

Spending hours like this without relief was enough to drive anyone mad.

His nerves on edge sharpened his senses all over his body.

The occasional tapping of wind against the window, the crackling of the fireplace devouring logs. And then, suddenly appearing as if the fog had lifted, that iridescent, beautiful...

—Pink diamond!

Flash.

Richt snapped open his eyes in the darkness, recalling the jewelry set from the display case.

"Damn it. It's starting again."

In his moment of distraction, he'd superimposed Luciana over the sparkling gem.

What the hell was wrong with his head since yesterday? Richt spat curses at his pathetic self.

"Hah......"

To think a mere rock would keep him from sleeping a wink.

"If I'd known it'd be like this, I should've just bought the damn thing and tossed it in storage."

Curse this wretched instinct of his.

Richt knew full well that the reason he was restless all night was because his nerves were fixated on the diamond left behind at the display.

—Luci's birthday...! That beautiful pink gem...!

He couldn't ignore it, not with that voice wailing nonstop in his head for hours.

—Anyone could see it was made for Luci!

"Enough with the nonsense. I can't listen to any more."

Richt snapped back at the bellowing voice, but deep down, he couldn't fully deny its claim.

A pink diamond—prohibitively expensive and rare, something even most nobles wouldn't dare dream of.

Jewels, no matter how precious or beautiful, only truly shone in the hands of someone worthy of their value.

Richt quietly pictured Luciana's silky hair.

'Her looks aren't bad, so it wouldn't look ridiculous.'

No, it might even suit her perfectly... Damn it!

"What am I even saying?"

Richt immediately rejected the thought.

He didn't care what that woman wore.

But no matter how much he told himself that, one thing was clear: he wouldn't regain his peace of mind until he either cracked open his skull and yanked out his brain or got his hands on that pink diamond.

"Damn it. Guess I won't sleep until I have it."

The thought of personally going to buy the gem filled him with a subtle sense of defeat.

"If I could, I'd force down some sleeping pills."

If not for the side effects, he'd have summoned a doctor for a prescription right then.

Hah. No helping it.

Richt kicked off the blankets roughly, ruffled his hair, and got out of bed.

"I'll head to the shopping district as soon as day breaks."

All this over some stupid rock.

Glancing at the clock showing just past 5 a.m., Richt rubbed his tired eyes and headed to the bathroom.

No sooner had darkness lifted and the hazy winter sky settled than Richt left his bedroom.

"Your Grace? Are you heading out now, by any chance?"

"I have some business to attend to briefly."

"......In that outfit?"

Early morning outings from the estate were one thing, but the black robe draped over him like something out of an illicit black market visit was just bewildering.

"What? Is there a problem?"

"No, of course not, but......"

Godwin hurriedly bowed his head. Whatever his master did or where he went wasn't for a subordinate like him to question.

"Will you be skipping breakfast, then?"

"I'll be back within the hour. Have it ready on time."

"Understood. I'll inform the head chef."

With that brief exchange, Richt mounted his horse and rode straight to the jeweler.

Thanks to the chilly weather keeping the streets sparse, he arrived earlier than expected.

"......!"

Before opening the door, Richt glanced at the display case to check—and froze for a moment before rushing inside.

Ding-a-ling.

"Welcome."

"Are you Jean Perdu?"

"P-Pardon? Yes... sir."

What was this? The man.

Standing face-to-face with Richt, Jean instinctively felt overwhelmed.

The man's voice, emerging from beneath a hood pulled low enough to barely show his lips, carried an intimidating presence unique to great nobles, regardless of the suspicious vibe.

"Is there something you're looking for...?"

"The pink diamond that was in the display case up front. It's not there today."

"Ah... are you referring to the new 'Rosepina's Spring' from our seasonal collection?"

"That's the one."

Rosepina's Spring or whatever—it didn't matter.

'This is purely for a good night's sleep.'

Richt rationalized his hasty dash at dawn as unavoidable.

"Well... it's already been purchased by another customer."

"What?!"

'Oh no!'

Jean stared in terror at Richt, who exuded a chilling aura.

He couldn't see the details of his face due to the attire, but a sinister energy swirled around the man as intensely as the black robe enveloping him.

'Damn.'

Sure enough, as Jean predicted, Richt bit his lip like someone blocked by a wall.

—What did I tell you? I said buy it yesterday! You idiot! What now? What are you going to do now!

It was that voice gnawing at his nerves like a pack of unleashed hounds.

He'd rushed here without a wink of sleep, only to find someone had snatched it already.

As if thoroughly displeased, Richt silently tapped the glass display case with his index finger.

'No. Why regret it?'

Under the name Cassio, nothing was impossible—but reclaiming something already in another's hands was nearly out of the question.

'Actually, better this way.'

Even if he'd bought it, dealing with the aftermath would've been a headache. This saved him the trouble—what good fortune.

I'm completely indifferent.

As Richt maintained that attitude and turned to leave without regret...