Chapter 60: Do you have a gem that’s the same color as his eyes?

Just then, the old woman returned from the back of the store, coming over to sit down across from them.

"All right, time to get down to business. The centerpiece of the ring is the gemstone—I took the liberty of selecting a few. There are plenty more in the back, but let's start with these, shall we?"

Smiling, the old woman showed them her prized collection. When she set down the first jewelry box, Rishe's breath caught. "How incredible!"

Before her was an array of dazzlingly beautiful gemstones. It wasn't just the color, shape, and cut that caught Rishe's eye but the variety of stones themselves.

Rishe's eyes sparkled with wonder. "Is this the famous opal that's only mined every few years in eastern Halil Rasha? "

"You know of it? Ha ha ha, then you must take a look at this one. A beautiful pink diamond, isn't it? This aquamarine is another fine piece…"

"Wow!"

It was truly a box of gems in every sense of the word. Arnold didn't seem the least bit interested, but Rishe couldn't help her mounting excitement.

The contents of the box were incredible, storied pieces worthy of the old woman's prized collection. But here, Rishe hit upon a problem.

"Oh, this is so much fun! So, Lady Rishe, has anything caught your eye yet?"

Rishe felt a rush of disappointment in the old woman's question.

That's right. I'm not acquiring these to sell them, I'm looking for a gem for myself.

From that perspective, this was a different task altogether. As a daughter of nobility, she'd chosen gems for herself before, but back then she'd made choices to suit her position as the fiancée of her own country's crown prince. Now her task was different.

If this is a wedding ring, then I should probably choose a diamond. Emerald would match the color of my eyes, but that's the jewel of my country's royal family. It could be seen as offensive. These gems are all so extravagant, King Zahad would love every single one of them… Augh, this is supposed to be for me!

The more she tried, the more her brain got stuck. The fact that every jewel was radiant certainly didn't help matters. She couldn't narrow down the list at all—she had no idea what to pick.

Seeing her struggling, the old woman smiled. "Lady Rishe, could I offer you a piece of advice?"

"Please do."

Rishe raised her head to find the old woman watching her with kind eyes.

As if sensing Rishe's distress, she said, "Choose your favorite gem and wear it proudly. That's enough to give a girl courage."

Feeling nervous, Rishe swallowed hard.

"Don't think of it as a piece of jewelry befitting the crown princess but as your own personal good luck charm. That is the best way to choose treasures. Simply pick something that you like."

Rishe considered the woman's words.

"For instance, do you have a favorite color, Lady Rishe?"

"A favorite color…?"

An answer immediately leapt to Rishe's mind. She looked up at Arnold beside her, and their eyes met. He hadn't been looking at the gems on the table—he'd been looking at her.

His eyes were a beautiful blue. His brother Theodore's were similar, but Arnold's were a bit lighter; they always made Rishe think of ice.

That color is like the clear water of a frozen sea.

She may have first noticed it when she faced off against him in her life as a knight. Or was it only in this life? She'd looked into those eyes so many times in this last month that she couldn't remember. But looking up and seeing her reflection there gave her such a strange feeling…

"Do you have a gem that's the same color as his eyes?" Rishe heard herself ask.

Arnold grunted, eyebrows knitting together.

Rishe fervently believed his eyes were the most beautiful color there was. But everyone around her reacted like she'd said something exceedingly strange.

Huh?

"Oh my. Oh my, oh my, oh my!" The old woman hummed.

Wait a second. Did I just say something totally crazy?

The blood drained from her face, but there was no taking it back. The joy blooming on the old woman's face made Rishe realize her blunder.

"No, umm, you've got the wrong idea! I'm not being weird, and there's certainly no hidden meaning to it! I just like the color of Prince Arnold's eyes, and I'm always thinking about how pretty they are—ack!"

"Oh ho ho, you're always thinking it, are you? Very well, please wait a moment. If that is what you'd like, I believe I have something for you."

"Wait, Ms. Proprietress!"

Despite leaning on her cane, the old woman disappeared into the back of the store with surprising speed, leaving Rishe alone with Arnold.

He'd been silent for some time now, and Rishe hoped he'd stay that way. She covered her face and hung her head, refusing to look at him.

"Please forget I said all that."

Arnold had no response.

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