TEWRIT 82

Chapter 82

As Eliano playfully reached for her skirt, Flint quickly placed his hand over hers to stop her.

“I meant your real hair,” he said softly.

Eliano blinked her green eyes. Flint gently brushed some of her black hair aside and added,

“Once I saw it, I couldn’t forget it… I’ve wanted to see it again ever since.”

With those words, Eliano felt like showing him. Her husband from her past life had also said her hair colour was beautiful. Actually, everyone who saw it had said the same.

Just as her fingers touched her earring, her pitch-black hair turned pink again.

Flint blinked in surprise, and Eliano’s eyes widened.

“Huh?”

She hadn’t even removed the earring yet.

“Wait—what?”

Flustered, she tried to take it off. But her fingers fumbled, so Flint helped unhook it for her. The earring wasn’t broken—it looked perfectly fine.

“Could it be that the magic stone has lost its power, or the magic tool is malfunctioning?” Flint asked.

Eliano didn’t realize it, but even back in the cave, her hair had turned pink despite wearing the earring. She’d been too distracted at the time to notice—but Flint remembered it clearly. The soft pink hair burned into his memory as he held her.

Eliano shook her head.

“It’s not a magic stone. It’s just regular obsidian… And it’s never malfunctioned before.”

If she left the carriage like this, everyone would be shocked. Of course, now that she had escaped the House of Rosana, there was no longer a real need to hide her hair. But still—it was awkward.

“It’d be better if it turned back to black before I explain everything…”

“It already… has.”

This time, Flint’s lips parted slightly.

Eliano tilted her head and stared at the earring in her palm. Suddenly, Astin’s words came back to her.

Wait… could I really have magical talent…?

Flint took the earring from her hand. The moment it left her skin, her hair turned pink again.

Thinking deeply, Flint said,

“Magic usually responds to willpower. Perhaps this magic tool works according to your will.”

He gently placed the earring back into her hand.

“Try thinking about changing your hair to a different color.”

“Hmm… red?”

But nothing changed—her hair was still pink.

“Think more strongly. Some ancient artifacts only work through strong will.”

How do I do that? Eliano focused and wished deeply from her heart:

Please, let my hair turn red.

Suddenly, her hair shifted into a bright, flaming red.

“What in the world…”

Shocked, Eliano dropped the earring. Flint caught it mid-air and looked at her hair—which had already turned pink again.

“This seems to be a very old artifact,” he murmured.

Flint gently touched Eliano’s hair. His hand was careful and soft, filled with tenderness.

Eliano suddenly felt shy. She hadn’t realized how close they were sitting. She could even feel his breath, and it made her nervous.

Just then, someone knocked on the carriage.

“It’s Jane.”

Eliano quickly allowed her in—wanting to break the awkward atmosphere.

“We’ll be arriving at the Browen Marquisate soon—oh! My lady!”

Jane was startled by the pink hair, but then her face turned dreamy.

“My lady, your hair is so pretty… Did you dye it?”

Oops. Eliano realized she hadn’t put the earring back in. But putting it on now would be even weirder.

Jane glanced at Flint.

His Grace dyed her hair? But there’s no smell…

Seeing Eliano hesitate, Flint answered calmly,

“They say black hair is Rosana’s symbol. But this is her real hair color.”

Jane clapped lightly.

“Oh! The Duke really was old-fashioned! You went through so much just to match a family color. Hair dye is so strong—it’s awful.”

Jane remembered how, in the south, she had to dye her young master’s dull blonde hair all the time because his mother insisted. Even magical dyes gave him headaches.

Inside, she cursed the Duke of Rosana.

Now that Flint was standing by Eliano’s side instead, and after spending so much time with sharp-tongued Adele, Jane had become quite bold.

“Hiding such a beautiful color—he was really awful. Was it magic, then? I’ve heard magical tools give headaches after a while…”

Jane looked genuinely worried.

“The young master I served used to suffer terrible migraines because of one. My lady, please don’t use it anymore, okay?”

Flint agreed.

“If it affects your health, I don’t want you using it either. You’ve been sick often—maybe this is why.”

Could that be true? There were rumors that magic tools caused fatigue. But Eliano had lived without one from age ten until recently.

She’d never had headaches from it. Her health had always been weak from birth, but she wasn’t especially ill.

“Then how about this?” Flint said.
“When you use the artifact, add another gem over it so it doesn’t touch your skin directly. It won’t hurt to be careful.”

Eliano nodded. She didn’t need to keep pretending her hair was black. She had lived fine without the earring—and she could again.

“That’s a good idea. But won’t people be shocked by my real hair color? It’s not exactly common…”

She had boarded the carriage with black hair. Now she’d be stepping out with pink hair.

Flint replied calmly:

“Does it matter?”

“If your hair suddenly turned white, wouldn’t people be surprised too?”

Without hesitation, Flint said,

“Even if I shaved my head bald, no one would dare say anything to me.”

His extreme example made Eliano giggle. The soft smile lit up her lovely face, and Flint’s throat bobbed slightly.

“If anyone dares insult the Grand Duchess over hair color, I’ll deal with them myself.”

“Well… now that you say it, it doesn’t seem like a big deal.”

Really, changing hair color wasn’t strange at all. In the south, dyeing hair regularly was popular—and the trend had even spread to Heriath and Zacador. That was in the future, but still.

Eliano put the earring into her pocket.

Seeing that, Flint pulled out a small jewelry box. Inside was a butterfly-shaped hairpin.

Eliano’s eyes widened.

“This is…”

The broken pin had been beautifully restored. No—improved. The old gems were replaced with colorful ones, and the details, especially the antennae, were even finer now. It looked expensive and exquisite.

Flint took it out and gently placed it in her hair. His hands were a bit clumsy, but his feelings were clear.

“I should have returned this to you sooner,” he said shyly.

Eliano took the earring from her pocket and placed it in the box.

“I love it, Your Grace. Thank you.”

Her sweet smile bloomed like a flower. Flint felt his heart flutter.

The pink hair with the butterfly pin looked just like a butterfly resting on a flower.

After Jane finished her report and stepped down, the carriage came to a stop.

“Your Grace, Your Ladyship, we’ve arrived at the Browen Marquisate’s magic gate,” came Gilbert’s voice through the door.

Flint simply replied, “Understood,” but didn’t move.

Eliano gave a small yawn. Flint looked at her with concern.

“Are you very tired?”

“Well… actually, I’ve just been sitting too long. It’s uncomfortable.”

Eliano missed top-quality carriages—the wide, soft, smooth ones. She had a very refined body, after all.

“Once we arrive at my estate, you’ll ride in the family’s carriage. It’s already waiting at the fortress. This one was rushed and lacking.”

“A new carriage waiting? That’s great news.”

Fortress—he must mean Howard Fortress, the great stronghold and entrance to the North. Eliano’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

Soon, another knock came. This time, it was Oliver.

“Your Grace, Your Ladyship. All preparations are complete. The magic gate will activate shortly.”

Finally, things were going smoothly again.

“The gate fee will be sent to Count Maurice’s territory and combined with his charges. It’ll then be forwarded to the imperial palace.”

Eliano smiled at Oliver’s perfect work. She imagined the emperor’s face when he saw the fee invoice and her letter. That thought made her very happy.

“The magic gate will activate in two minutes. Everyone will move at the same time. The destination is Howard Fortress.”

Exactly two minutes later, the carriage began to shake.