Chapter 109

The jeweler’s owner was waiting outside the building for Amelie to come.

“You’re here. Let’s go in.”

He bowed as Amelie arrived and led her into the building. Amelie tried to hide her awkward discomfort by going into a separate room with his escort.

Lira wandered around the room to see if the conversation would leak, and then sat next to Amelie.

“What a smart cat. Is this the cat that Mis Amelie raises?”

“Yes.”

“The black one looks just like His Majesty.”

“Kyaak!”

Lira showed her teeth and got annoyed. The owner smiled awkwardly and changed the subject.

“Did you bring the ring?”

“Yes. Here.”

Amelie hands the ring to the jeweler’s owner. Before she went to the jeweler, he asked her to bring her ring with her because he wanted to do one last check, and he was right.

He unfolded an old bunch of paper and compared it to a ring.

“Hmm, I think I’m right…”

“Did you find the owner of the ring?”

“It’s a little vague to say that I found the owner, but…”

The owner continued with a troubled look.

“The ring was not made here, so I couldn’t find anyone who bought it. But–”

“But?”

“—There was a person who was looking for a ring that looked like this before.”

“Who is it? Maybe that person is the owner of the ring?”

“No. That’s—”

The owner blurred his words. Who do you mean by ‘that person’?

“The man looking at the ring is Marquis Lewin. He’s always looking for anything from the Regent King. This ring is also what the Marquis of Lewin was looking for.”

“Do you mean—that this ring is the ring of the Regent King?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Amelie was speechless. Why is the Regent King suddenly mentioned here?

According to the jeweler’s owner, it is a famous story for the Marquis of Lewin to be obsessed with Regent King’s stuff and buy his stuff with a large sum of money. And more than a decade ago, the Marquis of Lewin was looking for several things with rewards for those who found them. He said that this ring was one of them.

“Since the amount of rewards is so large, everyone in the industry turned their eyes to find this ring.”

The owner said that it had been more than ten years since Marquis Lewin looked for the ring, and the design was so popular that even when he first saw the ring, he couldn’t not remember what it was. In the meantime, he said he happened to find an old document and was able to figure out that this ring was the ring of the Regent King.

“The design of the ring, the jewels used, and even the shape of the letters engraved on the inside are exactly the same.”

“I see…”

Amelie nodded.

‘Come to think of it, in the original story, the obsession of Marquis Lewin was mentioned, didn’t it?’

The Marquis of Lewin considered Albert the Regent King as if he’s his biological father. It went a little too far, and after the death of the Regent King, he would collect his things obsessively. He disliked Serwin because he was involved in the death of the Regent King.

As such, his obsession and affection for the Regent King was beyond imagination.

“Did you happen to tell Marquis Lewin about this ring?”

“I didn’t say anything! His Majesty would be mad if I talked about Miss Amelie, how dare—”

The owner insisted on his innocence, but at the same time, he looked suspicious.

“It could have been leaked through the staff, right?”

Amelie secretly stimulated the owner’s anxiety. Then the owner hesitated and continued.

“Actually, rumors have been circulating recently that the Regent King’s ring has been found. I don’t know who spread it. But I never told the staff that Miss Amelie owned the ring. It is true.”

“Really?”

“I apologize. I would have been more careful if I had known beforehand that it was the ring that the Marquis of Lewin was looking for—”

The owner bowed his head so deep that his forehead touched his knee.

‘Anyway, the Marquis of Lewin knows the existence of the ring. He might have already found out that I have a ring.’

“If the Marquis is involved, I have no choice but to tell His Majesty about this.”

“Miss Amelie… Please….”

His face turned pale.

“Don’t worry. I will tell His Majesty so there will be no disadvantages here.”

“I, is that true?”

The owner looked at Amelie. She was the tyrant’s lover, and he couldn’t live without her. Ever since she appeared, the wild rumors that had been heard at the palace have disappeared. If it was her, she seemed to be able to stop Serwin from getting mad at him.

“I beg you, I would have been more careful if I had known that the ring was what the Marquis was looking for. It wasn’t intentional. So please.”

“Yes. I understand.”

Amelie smiled softly to reassure the owner. It was meaningless for her to consider what had already happened.

“Thank you. Thank you. Miss Amelie!”

He bowed deeply and thanked her.

After the conversation was over, Amelie got into the carriage, where she was seen off by the jeweler’s owner and employees.

As the carriage departed, Lira, who had remained quiet all along, spoke.

“The pendant must belong to the traitor. Otherwise, why is the Regent King’s ring there?”

“I think so, too.”

Suddenly, Amelie remembered a story she had heard from Serwin one day.

“The body of the Regent King. He said it was under the lake.”

“Really?”

“Yes, he said he saw the witch who sealed the disaster himself buried the body of the Regent King in the lake.”

“…that’s why this pendant came out of the lake? Through the body of the Regent King buried deep in the lake?”

“It’s possible.”

When they were talking, she felt something strange.

“Uhm?”

“Huh?”

Perhaps Lira felt the same thing, so she looked at Amelie. Why is the carriage going to such a secluded place?

At that moment, the coachman’s scream was heard and the carriage shook greatly.

“Kyaaaa!”

The two managed to grab the carriage and avoid falling, but they couldn’t rest assured.

It was because men in black surrounded the carriage and tore off the door. They were all carrying knives. Even though they covered their face with a mask, she felt a harsh energy. One of them grabbed Amelie’s arm and dragged her violently and threw her to the ground.

“Ugh.”

Then a man who appeared to be the head held a knife to Amelie’s neck. The sharp, cold touch on the skin gave her chills all over.

“Who are you? What are you doing?”

“Nyaw!”

“Find it.”

They didn’t even listen to Amelie. Lira rushed in and resisted, but they threw her to the ground and started scouring her carriage.

“What are you looking for?”

“There’s nothing in the carriage.”

“Then she must have hidden it in her clothes. Look for it.”

Following his instructions, the man began to touch Amelie’s body, looking for something. It was an unpleasant touch, like a crawling insect.

“There’s no ring, there’s only a pendant.”

“Where’s the ring?”

“I don’t know what you’re looking for, but why would you look for that from me?”

Amelie pretended to be innocent, but the head tried to open the pendant himself, as if he didn’t believe it.

Amelie exchanged eyes with Lira in a hurry.

‘I think the ring is the goal. I don’t think he’s trying to hurt us.’

‘I don’t know what they are doing, but I can’t stand still.’

‘They must be on guard, let’s attack with magic.’

As Amelie blinked twice in agreement, Lira opened her lips to use magic. It was the moment when the two were about to cast a spell.

“I didn’t expect to see you like this again, Amelie-nim.”

A low voice of a man came from overhead. Amelie looked up and was startled. Ruben, a wizard with jewels, was floating in the air and looking down at her. Ruben again?

“Ruben? Why are you here?”

“You haven’t forgotten me, have you? His Majesty and Amelie didn’t contact me, so I thought I was forgotten.”

Ruben said with a relaxed smile.

“Is there any reason why you didn’t call me? Even if it wasn’t you, I thought His Majesty would call me.”

“Do you think it’s time to say that?”

Amelie shouted in embarrassment. Can’t he see the knife in her neck?

“Ah. Right.”

“Shut up!”

The unidentified assailants were wary of the wizard who suddenly appeared, but Ruben didn’t seem interested in them at all.

“Did you get help from me twice? Please don’t forget this time.”

When Ruben used magic, the thick bracelets on his arms shattered. At the same time, her vision was distorted, and she saw the garden. It was a quiet place with the sun shining warmly. It was Ruben who took Amelie and used teleportation magic.

“It’s my garden.”

Ruben said, holding a pendant in one hand and Lira in the other. Lira jumped to the floor on her own and went between Amelie’s legs.

“I came in a hurry, so I brought only what you needed.”

“Please.”

Amelie took the pendant and checked to see if the ring was there. Fortunately, the ring was still there.

“You must be very surprised because you’ve been through a hard time. Come in. We have warm tea and sweet desserts. You’ll feel better if you eat something.”

“No, I’m fine. I’ll go back like this.”

Amelie stepped back.

“Are you wary of me? I’ve helped you twice.”

“That’s why it’s even more suspicious.”

In Amelie’s eyes, Ruben was very suspicious. He saved her from being in trouble twice at the right time? It could not be dismissed as mere coincidence. And she was able to get out of the situation without him.

“That’s too much. It was really dangerous this time. They are professionally trained.”

“This time?” asked Amelie sharply. “Do you mean it was fake and not dangerous last time?”

“Ah.”

Ruben smiled mischievously and raised his hands.

‘You’re just like Serwin when you smile like that. I’m getting even angrier.’

asked Amelie, glaring at him.

“So it was a self-made drama, but the reaction is not good?”

“I was already expecting what would be discovered. Amelie-nim may not know, but His Majesty would have noticed right away.”

So I thought you might call me. Ruben muttered a little.

“You lied to me twice! What the hell are you up to?”

“I really didn’t do it this time.”

Ruben waved his hand.

“Then how did you know where I was and how did you come to me? At the same time that I was in trouble?”

“Hm, that’s—”

Ruben, who had hesitated for a long time, sighed and reluctantly confessed.

“I followed you. I waited for Amelie-nim to come out of the Palace, and from the moment you came out, I followed you.”

Stalking?

Amelie’s face twisted mercilessly. Ruben awkwardly smiled as she showed her dislike.

“I can’t get into the Palace on my own, so wouldn’t I have to do this much to meet you?”

“Why did you want to meet me?”

“I have a favor to ask of you.”

Ruben’s confident answer left Amelie speechless.

Who in the world is following someone to ask for a favor and making his own play?

“I don’t believe you.”

“I’ve told you everything—that’s too much.”

“If it were you, would I trust you?”

“Hmm. No.”

“Look!”

“Then what can I do for you to do me a favor?”

“If I don’t want to, I don’t want to?”

“I helped you first.”

“Even if you didn’t step in, I could’ve done well on my own, though?”

Amelie began to get irritated by this conversation.

‘I can’t believe that such a man becomes my brother-in-law— too bad, Renee.’

She really liked the original Ruben, so it was hard to accept the real Ruben even more.

‘Let’s not deal with it anymore, let’s go back to the Imperial Palace.’

As Amelie held Lira and turned around, Ruben continued with a big smile.

“Why does the witch stay by His Majesty’s side?”

At that moment, Amelie’s heart dropped.