TOPWL 71

Lyett lifted the hem of her skirt and grinned. Just as she said, the auction was on going in the hall next to them. The atmosphere in the burned even hotter than that of a concert, likely because of the eager participation of the attendees. A sapphire necklace had just been sold for a high price, and next up was Yasin’s tapestry.

“Next, we have a tapestry donated by the artist who elevated Prince Yudit’s banquet to an even higher realm. It was handwoven by an artist from Herut and features two figures walking beneath the desert night—a striking and evocative image. One look tells you the two are in love. The tapestry is large enough to adorn an entire wall on its own, sure to freshen the mood of any space. With Herut-style banquets in fashion these days, this piece is bound to be a unique treasure. We’ll begin the bidding at one million kes!”

Lyett, having fetched a numbered paddle at some point, now raised it high.

“Yes, a double bid! Two million kes! Three million! Four million—any higher? Eight million! Oh my, we might see a record tonight!”

The auctioneer’s lively voice carried across the hall. Yudit glanced toward Lyett, who held the paddle with a playful expression.

“Do you intend to buy it?” he asked.

“No, I’m just driving up the price a little,” she replied mischievously.

“What if you actually win the bid?”

“Then I’ll buy it. But I’m sure there are people here who want this tapestry far more than I do.”

And indeed, just as Lyett said, midway through the bidding she stopped raising her paddle, yet the fervor of the auction didn’t wane.

“Seventeen million! They’re keeping up! Eighteen million! Twenty million!”

Yudit clicked his tongue at the rapidly climbing price. Lyett leaned in and whispered near his ear.

“Didn’t I tell you? Herut-themed banquets are all the rage now. You can’t even get your hands on a tapestry like this.”

“Twenty-nine million—anyone else? Thirty million! Any challengers? If not, I’ll count down. Five, four, three, two, one. Sold! Thirty million kes for the tapestry!”

Yasin would be shocked if he heard this. He wasn’t worthless. The tapestry that held his love and loneliness had sold for thirty million kes. Yudit made a mental note to tell Yasin the final bid.

As they waited for the next auction item, Yudit suddenly felt someone’s gaze. He turned and saw a woman watching him. It was Raphine, the woman he had helped escape from the fire. She was standing beside her husband, holding her daughter’s hand. When she greeted him, the little girl—who looked to be about two years old—offered a clumsy greeting as well.

“It’s been a while. Have you been well?” Yudit asked.

“Thanks to you, yes. And Your Highness?”

“I’m in good health. Is this your daughter?”

“Yes, this is Fiora Kinezia.”

“That’s a lovely name.”

Yudit bent down to meet Fiora’s eyes. The girl shyly hid behind Raphine’s skirt. Then, on tiptoes, Fiora whispered into her mother’s ear.

“So pretty.”

As children’s whispers often are, hers was loud enough for Yudit to hear. Raphine looked flustered.

“That’s not something you say aloud, Fiora. Apologize, dear.”

“It’s quite all right. Thank you for the compliment, Fiora. You’re very pretty, too.”

Fiora blushed at his words, then leaned in again and whispered, this time loud enough for all to hear.

“Let’s get married.”

“You may not,” came the firm voice of Marquis Kinezia.

“Fiora already promised to live with her father forever without getting married.”

“Well, yes, but…”

Fiora, now torn between her promises and her desires, began to tear up.

“Please excuse us for a moment,” said Raphine, taking Fiora to calm her down.

While she did, Marquis Kinezia turned to Yudit.

“If it wouldn’t be an imposition, may I trouble you for a moment of your time?”

“Of course.”

Yudit signaled to his friends and followed where the Marquis led him, to a quiet corner away from the crowd. Once there, the Marquis offered a formal bow.

“Ludis Kinezia.”

He wore a gray jacket with a deep navy velvet coat—unembellished with gold or silver thread, but the luxurious fabric and the noble coldness of his expression marked him clearly as a high noble. His jawline was smooth, his nose tall and straight, and his gray eyes—wide and sharp—carried a curious allure.

Yudit took his hand and replied, “Yudit Friedrich Adanauer. A pleasure.”

“I’ve heard much about you. You saved my wife. I was told you even took off your clothes and stood unprotected amid the falling debris. Truly, I thank you.”

“She was in danger. Anyone would’ve done the same.”

The Marquis looked at him.

“Do you truly believe that?”

“…Pardon?”

“If it had not been my family, I would not have done the same. I would’ve prioritized my own escape. What Your Highness did that day is not something just anyone could do.”

He continued without pause.

“And yet, I must apologize for not meeting you in person until now to offer my thanks.”

After the fire, the Marquis had sent a letter wishing to express his gratitude. As a known centrist, he must have agonized over even that. Yudit had responded with a gentle refusal.

“There’s no need to apologize. I was the one who declined first.”

“I understand why you did. It’s a shame that I can only thank you on a day like this.”

The Marquis retrieved something from his pocket and stepped closer to Yudit, pressing it into his palm. A cold metallic weight settled in his hand.

“It’s a gold coin bearing the seal of House Kinezia. Though it’s a one-time use, within limits that do not harm House Kinezia, it grants the authority of a vassal lord.”

“This is too much.”

“No, it is not enough. Had Your Highness not intervened that day, House Kinezia would’ve lost both its mistress and child.”

“Your child…? Ah.”

“My wife was with child at the time.”

“And the child—is all well?”

“Both are healthy.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

When Yudit exhaled in relief, the Marquis’s eyes softened.

“From this day forward, House Kinezia shall be a close ally of Prince Yudit.”

“….”

Unlike when he handed over the coin, the Marquis declared this in a loud voice. Though they stood in a relatively secluded area, it wasn’t entirely out of earshot. The boldness of the statement unsettled Yudit.

“Perhaps… it would be best to lower your voice a little.”

“I raised it intentionally,” the marquis replied with a faint smile. “You are just as Raphine described.”

Yudit wondered what Raphine had said about him—but he didn’t ask. Just then, Raphine returned carrying Fiora. Whatever she had done, the child was fast asleep. The marquis took Fiora from her arms and let her rest against his shoulder. She stirred briefly, then snuggled into his embrace. With both husband and wife being so striking, even in the dim corner they drew eyes from the surrounding crowd.

Raphine stepped closer to Yudit.

“Did you and my husband have a good conversation?”

“He… gave me something quite excessive.”

Seeing his discomfort, Raphine’s lips curled in amusement.

“Perhaps His Highness thinks he gave away something more precious than my life and our child’s.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

As Yudit floundered, Raphine’s expression turned mischievous.

“I intended to die that day, you know.”

“…Lady Kinezia.”

“I thought it better to die than become a laughingstock, stripped of my dignity.”

She gently stroked Fiora’s hair.

“But when I woke and saw my daughter crying for me, I realized I was wrong.”

Touching Fiora’s soft, chubby cheek, she continued calmly.

“If I had chased honor and died, my daughter’s cheeks would never be dry of tears.”

“…”

“I’m grateful to you—for letting me realize that while I’m still alive.”

Her gratitude rang sincere. Yudit offered a respectful nod in return.

“I too was saved, by your choice to live in that moment.”