Chapter 11.2

After their marriage was announced, Johan behaved every bit the dutiful fiancé. He accompanied Esha to choose her gown and match her shoes. He even began sitting with her at every meal.

The servants, for once, sighed with relief, glad to see some warmth return to their relationship. Esha’s usual sharp temper had softened, if only a little.

One early morning, she summoned the capital’s most renowned jeweler to her chambers. Johan sat with her, facing the merchant across the table.

The jeweler wore a feathered hat and had rings on every finger. His appearance was as extravagant as his reputation.

“Now then, let’s begin by measuring both of your ring fingers.”

He brought out a bundle of measuring rings, and began fitting them onto Esha’s ring finger one by one.

“Is it a bit tight? This is a size eight.”

“Hmm… I think it’s fine, maybe…”

“Sister, I think you should go up a size. Your fingers tend to swell the morning after you’ve had wine.”

At Johan’s remark, Esha tried on the size nine, opening and closing her fist a few times to test the fit.

“Yes, this feels better.”

“Alright, then the bride will take a size nine. Now, let’s get the groom’s size, shall we?”

Esha flinched slightly at the jeweler’s playful use of the words bride and groom.

‘So I truly am… marrying Johan.’

They had been engaged for years, so marriage was inevitable. But hearing herself be called “the bride” still felt strangely unreal. Especially with Johan looking completely unfazed at being called the groom.

“Hmm, your knuckles are rather pronounced,” the jeweler observed, taking Johan’s hand. “You’ll want a ring that slides easily over them.”

“You have fairly large hands, too. They might still even grow in the future. Perhaps a size twenty or twenty-one? If that’s too loose, we can try a nineteen as well.”

Johan slipped on the measuring rings one by one, then stopped at size twenty. It fit snugly over the knuckle but loose enough to spin slightly once in place.

“Isn’t that a little loose?”

“I’m still growing,” Johan whispered.

Esha brought her hand to her mouth and burst out laughing.

“Still? I thought you were already done growing?”

“Of course not. I’m only eighteen.”

“To me, you already seem so much bigger than when you were eleven.”

Esha reached out to ruffle his hair, just like she used to when he was a kid, but then caught herself, remembering the jeweler’s presence, and quickly drew her hand back. But Johan caught her hand and guided it back to his head.

“Why did you stop?”

“…!”

A shy flush bloomed on Esha’s cheeks, like watercolor paint spreading on paper. When she finally did run her fingers through his hair, the jeweler watching from across the table let out a dramatic gasp and covered his mouth with both hands.

“Oh my, oh my. Forgive my boldness, but what a lovely couple you two make!”

Embarrassed by the jeweler’s comment, Esha slowly withdrew her hand and cleared her throat.

“Then we’ll go with a size nine for the bride, and a size twenty for the groom. Let’s move on to the designs.”

The jeweler scribbled something in his notebook, then pulled out a thick design book and handed it to Esha.

“How about this one?” Esha asked, pointing to a design.

“Isn’t that a little plain? And the band looks rather thin.”

“Yes, but if it’s too thick or flashy, it might get in the way when you’re holding a sword.”

Johan froze for a moment, caught off guard by her words.

“…You don’t have to worry about that because of me.”

“It’s fine. I like this one too.”

“You have excellent taste, Your Highness. Fancy rings are nice, but a simple and elegant design like this will never go out of style.”

The jeweler interjected, praising Esha enthusiastically.

They flipped through the rest of the design book but ultimately chose the same design Esha had first selected. A silver-plated band with a small diamond set in the center.

“It’ll take about a week to complete. Would you like it ready any sooner?”

“Could we get it a day early?”

Esha asked. There was exactly one week left until the wedding, so they’d need the rings at least a day ahead to have them ready in time.

“Of course! I’ll return to the palace a day before with the finished pieces.”

The jeweler gathered his belongings, then bowed deeply to the two of them.

“Now then, spit it out.”

Esha stabbed her fork into a piece of wine-soaked meat. Red sauce seeped from the tender flesh.

“What’s this all of a sudden? Do you want something from me?”