17. Isolde’s Tear
At the mention of Isolde’s Tear, a suffocating silence swept through the auction hall.
The imperial treasure that had vanished from the empress’s crown at some point—but was still rumored to be secured inside the palace vaults.
Now that Isolde’s Tear was here, it meant that the gem had somehow gone missing from the Imperial Treasury.
Everyone—except the host who confidently whisked off the cloth covering the item—clamped their mouths shut in stunned realization.
“If you thought Isolde’s Tear was still inside the Imperial Palace, you’ve all been deceived! Then again, all politicians are liars, aren’t they?”
It was the host’s witty remark that finally broke the tension.
He began to pace the stage slowly, adopting a purposely playful tone to lighten the atmosphere.
Then, under the spotlight, he suddenly bowed low before Isolde’s Tear, which shimmered brilliantly under the lights.
“Have you ever seen a diamond shine this brightly? Its purity is so exceptional that gems like this only appear once every few centuries. Naturally blue, but its clarity is so high, it sometimes appears sky-blue.”
The host exaggeratedly bent over to peer at the gem up close, walking back and forth as he continued.
“Legend has it that this gem can grant any miracle you desire!”
His performance was dramatic, like a scene from a play.
“They say the first Empress used it, didn’t she? She made rain fall in a drought, stopped storms at will—and flowers even rained from the sky!”
He carefully picked up the jewel with deliberate care.
Then, holding it up to the light, he let it gleam and sparkle—showing how its transparency allowed the light to pass through completely.
“Can you see this? Do you think it’s even possible to fake this level of purity?”
In other words, this was the real one. No more questioning whether the one still in the palace was genuine.
At his implication, a few people audibly gulped.
“Then does that mean His Majesty lied to us?”
“Can it really be called a lie? He merely ordered silence.”
“In the end, no one really knows what the truth is.”
Whispers began to ripple quietly through the crowd.
The fierce debate over the authenticity of Isolde’s Tear had reignited.
Glancing at the animated host, I also peeked at Leofric seated beside me, trying to read his expression.
From the gem’s size alone, it was not something you’d come across often. And its transparency… unmistakable.
Not to mention the precision of its cuts, which reflected light so perfectly.
That gem is definitely the real Isolde’s Tear.
And most decisively, I vaguely recalled Hailey’s report—that she’d once purchased a piece like this at an auction.
I leaned slightly toward Leofric and whispered, mentally estimating how far Betty might’ve gotten on her errand.
“Looks like we came to the right place.”
Leofric, who had been staring intently at the host and the gem, gave a subtle nod.
“In more ways than one.”
There was a faint sound like the grinding of teeth in his soft reply—or was it just my imagination?
Outwardly calm, his face gave nothing away. He was simply staring at the stage.
I turned my eyes back to the host, whose voice rang out once again:
“No room for doubt—this is Isolde’s Tear! We begin at 10,000 gold!”
Ten thousand gold.
A sharp intake of breath was heard from all around the hall. That amount equaled the annual budget of a small estate.
Then again, it was Isolde’s Tear. Maybe the price made sense…
“15,000!”
A voice broke the brief silence. One person raised a hand.
Then, one after another, people who had only been observing started bidding.
“17,000!”
“20,000! I bid 20,000!”
“21,000!”
Whether they truly had that much money or were just bluffing out of pride, the bids kept rising.
And with them, Leofric’s expression grew colder.
“They’ve grown far too bold.”
When the bids reached 50,000—equal to half the empire’s annual budget—Leofric muttered darkly.
At that moment, I had a strong feeling that neither the auction hall nor its attendees would be left unscathed today.
Then he raised his hand.
“100,000.”
A quiet voice, calm demeanor, simple gesture—but that one word plunged the entire room into dead silence.
100,000 gold was equivalent to the empire’s full yearly budget. Few, even among the highest nobility, had that much cash.
The moment Leofric coolly tossed out that number, Deon—wearing a mask and hiding in a corner—stood up.
All eyes turned to him. Leofric murmured:
“I’ll take that as payment for everyone’s lives.”
That was the signal.
At his command, soldiers stationed in hiding—along with members of our merchant company disguised as soldiers per my instructions—suddenly burst forth from their positions.
“They’ve broken sacred law! Arrest them all!”
With a thunderous shout, the knights of Waynes sealed the exits with drawn swords.
The host holding Isolde’s Tear, those who dared attempt to buy a national treasure, and every single person in the auction hall—one by one, they were all bound.
Those who had tried to buy the gem to elevate their status now found themselves disgraced because of it.
And along with disgrace came heavy fines and severe punishment.
“This is a setup! I’ve been framed!”
“I didn’t buy anything! I was just curious!”
“How dare you! Do you even know who I am?!”
Naturally, not one of them admitted fault.
How laughable.
“Arrest every last one!”
Following Leofric’s plan—which aimed to keep us uninvolved publicly—he and I feigned resistance and were “arrested” as well.
Unlike the others, though, we were headed to the safety of our lodging.
“No one must escape.”
“Do not worry. Not even a rat will leave that auction house.”
“And the gem?”
“It’s secure. Trusted people have been ordered to transport it safely.”
“Good. Send word when it’s confirmed.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
While Leofric and Deon exchanged quiet words during our fake arrest, I watched a group of knights disappear backstage.
They wore swords at their waists, moved in perfect coordination, and surveyed their surroundings with sharp eyes—clearly well-trained.
I followed behind Leofric, glancing at the unfamiliar figures.
They were all in plain clothes for the sake of infiltration, so I couldn’t tell who was from our merchant company—but one thing was certain:
Tonight, the one who would hold Isolde’s Tear would not be Leofric—it would be me.
And that gem would be used entirely for the sake of my husband, Leofric.
Later That Evening
“You’re telling me… Isolde’s Tear is missing?”
Leofric’s face hardened with fury as he received a report from the knights of Waynes.
Though they had searched through all the other gems and valuables, the tear alone was unaccounted for.
Behind him, I sat brewing tea with the set Betty had brought—carefully maintaining a calm expression.
After all, this was exactly what I had planned.
Betty had arrived just before the knights returned, and she had already explained the situation. I struggled not to smile in the increasingly tense atmosphere.
I quietly set down my teacup and left the room.
To the others, it would look like I had quietly excused myself, unable to handle the stress.
Once the door clicked shut behind me, I finally relaxed my tightly controlled expression.
“You’re back, Your Highness! What’s the mood like over there?”
Betty ran up to me as soon as I returned, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
I chuckled and sat down.
“Don’t even ask. He looked furious.”
“Well, I don’t blame him. It’s like dropping ashes into a perfectly cooked meal. I’d be livid too.”
Betty shivered dramatically.
But there was nothing more I could do.
Because I was the one who had planned all of this.
And I would continue interfering in his affairs like this, pretending to obstruct them, all so I could complete the greater picture I was painting.
“So, it’s at the Waynes branch vault, right?”
“Yes, Your Highness. It’s stored in the vault for now. Not even the branch manager knows the password.”
I had asked Betty for just two things:
First, disguise our merchants as knights and infiltrate the auction.
Second, have them steal Isolde’s Tear.
Betty had executed both tasks perfectly. The gem was now in our hands.
“I suppose I’ll have to go there myself.”
“Shall I make preparations? But you’ll have to be extra careful not to get caught by His Highness.”
“I know. There’s nothing good that could come from that.”
I nodded and stood again.
“Let’s find a quiet way to get there. Even sneaking would be fine. I’ll also need someone to take my place in case I’m missed. And then—”
“Mela. Are you inside?”
Just then, while Betty and I were discussing possible plans, a soft knock came from the door.
And with it, the name “Mela”—a name I no longer had use for.
Recognizing the familiar voice, I stopped talking at once.
Betty glanced at me, then moved to open the door.
I nodded slightly to her, and she opened the door slowly.
“Did you finish your discussion, Your Highness?”
Leofric walked in.
His expression was a bit brighter than before, but still grim. He shook his head at my question.
“I need to leave for a bit. Something’s come up.”
“To Waynes Castle?”
“Yes. There’s something I must confirm there. You should rest for the night.”
He smiled at me, but it still looked gloomy.
Feeling a little guilty, I offered a bright smile in return.
“Don’t worry and go ahead. I’ll go to bed if I get tired.”
“…I’m sorry. This honeymoon doesn’t feel like one at all.”
“Don’t be sorry. I’m truly fine.”
Until the knights came to escort him, Leofric kept repeating his apologies.
Even though he wasn’t the one who should be apologizing the most.
