Shining there was a ring with a blue sapphire.

The ring was glittering with gold, resembling a woven gold ivy.

The ring was made of two arms in an embrace and a wave-like pattern, forming a gorgeous yet elegant beauty. She wondered how delicate a technique was required to realize such a design.

There were small studs of diamonds scattered around the stone.

The diamond’s glow, which resembled stardust, seemed to be protecting the stone in the center, making it look healthy and very pretty.

Beautiful, cute, and best of all…

In the center of the stone, the sapphire there seemed to attract anyone’s attention.

It was a deep, striking blue, like the frozen crystal-clear waters of a cold country.

Rishe held her left hand out in front of her, and it reflected the sunlight. She muttered to herself attentively.

“It’s really the same color of Your Highness’s eyes…”

With this in mind, a strange delight welled up in her.

That old woman, the owner of a jewelry store, smiled and said before, “Jewelry is a talisman.” Feeling the truth in her words, Rishe bit her joy.

“I can do anything just by wearing this ring…”

“…”

The next moment, however, she realized something.

Arnold himself hated the color of his eyes.

How would he look when he saw the color of the ring she chose?

“What do you think, Your Highness?”

Rishe lowered her eyes and placed her hands on her lap apprehensively.

With the back of her hand up, Arnold could see it properly. Then Arnold, who was still kneeling in front of her, looked at her hand.

“Oh.”

His reply was in a somewhat defenseless tone of voice.

Arnold held Rishe’s hand again.

After intertwining their fingers as before, he traced the base of her ring finger loosely, as if checking it.

A tickling, almost numbing sensation ran through Rishe. She cowered slightly, but did nothing to untangle her hands.

Arnold smiled with his hands down and said.

“I think it’s better than I imagined…”

“!”

His reply took her breath away.

Me too.

Rishe tightly bit her lips to contain the words that popped to mind.

For some reason, I feel happy to see you smiling like this…

Then she discovered that she seemed on the verge of crying.

“Rishe?”

She shook her head in fear of blurting it out loud. Instead, hse replied with a troubled state of mind.

“There’s another thing I want to ask Your Highness Arnold…”

“Say it.”

Her heart tingled at the indulgent reply.

“I’ll listen to anything you want now.”

“…”

Looking at her closely while whispering something like that stirred up the agitation she had felt earlier once more.

Normally, if Rishe wanted to do something that wasn’t related to national politics, he could allow almost anything.

He was too indulgent by any means, but then again, she’d been selfish enough as it is. Rishe carefully stated her wish so as not to reveal the tremor in her voice.

“I would like to travel with Your Highness one day. I’d be happy to serve as your guide on the journey.”

“Travel?”

“Yes. A journey to see the many beautiful things this world has to offer.”

It didn’t have to be right now.

But she really wanted to have his promise.

“It’s not just fireflies and fireworks. ―― I want to go and find more things that are beautiful and picturesque to you.”

“…”

Arnold squinted silently.

It seemed like he was looking at something dazzling.

The sunlight streaming into the office made his blue eyes look even more clear.

She couldn’t resist falling in love with the color of his eyes yet again.

“Thanks to you, I’ve got one more thing to do.”

“Huh?”

Rishe blinked, unable to believe her ears.

“What is it?”

“I don’t know. If you can’t figure it out on your own, I’m not going to tell you.”

“No, that’s not fair!”

She wanted Arnold to give a definite answer, but he untangled their fingers and stood up.

Rishe looked up and frowned in protest.

“Do you think an ordinary person can defeat a riddle from you?”

“Rishe, an ordinary person doesn’t detonate an unknown chemical in the sky over his bride’s house.”

“Uh–”

It shouldn’t be such an issue, but the painful part came from being poked at.

When she reluctantly gave up, Arnold patted Rishe’s hand with an amused smile.

“I mean, it’s not that hard, is it?”

“…!?”

Rishe couldn’t string a word when he was patting her head.

She wanted him to stop it because she couldn’t think straight.

Rishe bowed down while wondering why she was so disconcerted.

The sea-colored gem shone on the ring finger of her hand resting on her lap.

I hope someday His Highness Arnold will know how beautiful I think this color is…

For starters, she’d be wearing this ring to the soiree tonight.

She was sure that it would shine brightly and beautifully as she would see Kyle and the others off and wish for a wonderful future for their two countries.