CHAPTER 45.3

"Your Highness, the master prepared it in a frugal manner, I would appreciate it if you would gladly accept it."

I was confused at Jean's words. Wordplay. How in any world can this be frugal? I wanted to refute it, but Jean was showing a pitiful expression, as if this butler had suddenly big loopy rabbit ear and they were drooping at the moment. The illusion was strong indeed. I couldn't say anything to him in this situation.

"Oh, and your Highness, the seamstress will arrive soon. While attending different events, even for the unformal wedding, you'll have to match a variety of dress rules."

Oh, my God. I can't. I think I will send you a present just before the wedding. If you are more 'frugal', I may be crushed to death by gifts. I barely managed to keep my myself from laughing. Dismissing the subject for now, I ask him.

"Jean, can I take a look at the ledger right now?"

***

After having dinner, I spent hours scrutinizing the ledgers that Jean had handed me. I decided on a new course of action. As I arrived at Kyle's office, I immediately start knocking on the door.

"Your Grace, are you inside? May I come in?"

"Come in."

When I opened the door, Kyle was sitting at his desk with today's paperwork. Without fail, like every single time I visited him in the past.

'As expected, you won't even look at me.'

I heard from Jean that Kyle had a lot of issues to deal with these past few days, is he even sleeping properly?

'…Well, you look fine.'

I glanced at Kyle and soon opened my mouth.

"I have something to say. May I?"

Only then did Kyle, raising his head up, meet my eyes. His eyes following me and wondering what I was doing here. Kyle quickly found the ledger in my hand, his expression saying 'why, what, why…?' Accepting his silence as a permission, I walked to Kyle and opened the ledger to this month.

'It wasn't a crappy ledger.'

There was no common corruption, no unnecessary withdrawal… Except this this one time. Yes, this month. I pointed out Kyle's expenses with my index.

"Archduke, when I analyze the ledger for this month, I believe your budget this month is more than usual."

To be exact, it wasn't this month. Kyle's over the top expenses only registered over four days. It was excessive. Just over 20 billion. It was so much that it didn't make sense in the typical budget or in a spending frenzy. The expenses are written as personal expenses, so even though the exact item details were not written down, there was no need to pretend what I already knew.

I asked with certainty.

"…I can't believe it. Isn't this all the money that went into my gifts?"

He looked ill at my question.

"What's that supposed to mean? You're the one who asked me to prepare for the wedding ceremony. And you must attend the imperial banquet before the wedding. So, I have prepared everything accordingly."

"Well, I understand what you mean. But if you waste it like this, it's going to cost your Highness…"

"Do you think there's a problem with these expenses? It's only money."

… 20 billion is not just money, it's a lot of money. So much money. For him, it's probably only a speck of dust in his finance but for a normal person like me, it was extravagant.

It seemed to have touched his pride strongly. Frowning, he said,

"If you don't like them, throw them out. I'll buy you new ones."

That's the worst. Of course, I also think money is the best.

'Money is the best. The best jewelry. The most expensive of them.'

Therefore, if you receive a gift, the best one is pretty, luxurious and expensive. Expensive, I like the expensive ones. In addition, in case of emergency, items that do not appear to be sold can be stored and managed as a secret fund. This was my plan.

But there's a degree to everything. I sincerely refused to get buried in a giant pile of gifts.

'I'm a dragon. A big little dragon going through puberty.'

In some ways, that's what I wanted to tell this sensitive boss who was acting like a brat.

"Don't throw it away. I'm very happy to receive those gifts, why throw it away?"

"Then tell me what the problem is."

"It's not that…."

'It's not a problem, it's a…'

Oh, no. I said the opposite of what I wanted to say. Wait, he's not saying anything, he probably didn't hear me. Huh. I turned away from his gaze.

"It's not a problem. They were very beautiful and expensive gifts. But rather than an expensive gift, a thoughtful gift would be better. Well, I think that kind of gift would make me feel really happy."

A gift someone put thoughts and efforts into it. A heartfelt and thoughtful gift. I felt guilty as soon as I was saying things. My conscience was overwhelmed.

"Thoughtful?"

Kyle's voice was filled with wonder. The insincere sound seems to have caused quite a stir.

'Okay, that's great.'

"Oh, I don't mean that your gifts are heartless. I'm talking about a kind of gift that doesn't have to cost anything. The kind of gift that you give someone because you thought of them."

"…"

As I was trying to correct and explain what I was saying, Kyle looked confused and uncertain. That reaction was understandable. The word 'heart' is probably the most difficult word for a dragon. I told Kyle, who looked like he wanted to ask the answer.

"There is no right or wrong answer for this kind of gift. It's something that you have to think about it by yourself to really see what it is. You know?"

After basically throwing homework at Kyle, I slipped out of the office quickly. Let him think.

'I'm going to prepare a present for Kyle.'

A thoughtful gift.

***

"Your Highness, did you sleep well last night?"

The next morning Jean came to my room. But what is this? The men who followed Jean were holding more gift boxes.

Did Kyle send another gift? I was a little embarrassed and confused when I realize that our conversation from yesterday seemed to have failed.

"This is a package from the Spencer Family."

A present sent from my father. What nonsense is this? As soon as the information really penetrated my brain, I started to worry about it. Well, come to think of it, there was probably a good explanation as to why I was receiving a gift from him.

It's what Kyle said yesterday. Generally, the couple attend large banquets prior to the ceremony, to let them know beforehand that they will be married. A little bit like an engagement ceremony without inviting everyone.

It was one of the stone cold procedures. At that time, the bride's dress was usually sent from her family, which was part of those many traditions to come. Thanks to that, it seems that Father has sent a dress.

I looked at the gift box with uninspiring eyes.

'…But why did Father send this dress?'

I couldn't have missed it no matter what I felt. They will have to attend the banquet per traditions. Share stories. Talk about my marriage to the Archduke with all the nobles presents. This will be a new thing for this family to talk about Riddel like she had the perfect upbringing. I wonder, how did you choose this dress? And how miserable are you to send it to your dear daughter?

The banquet I will attend with Kyle this time is the imperial ball. A banquet this large as it was, it's clear that there would be a lot of people around. Naturally, everyone would be there, everyone from the low nobles to the high nobles, followed by the royals.

"Would you like to try it on later?" Jean inquired.

'I have nothing to worry about.'

I shook my head and answered immediately.

"No, I don't want to wear it, so please throw it away."

I think that would be more fun. For those poor spoiled family members.

***

In recent days, Kyle has been in deep agony.

[ In his Mind. ]

It was because the two cliched words shook his mind.

Heart and soul.

'It's a thoughtful gift.'

He brooded those words dozens of times a day thinking of Riddel. He felt like going to Riddel right away and ask her, what do you want? What kind of gift should I get you?

But why? Kyle, who couldn't ask easily the person he wanted, asked his aides instead.

– A thoughtful gift? Well, I think flowers would be good. But why are you asking me that all of a sudden?

-…

– Hmm, my lord. I couldn't provide you the flowers I prepared last time, so why don't you bring her flowers from the garden this time? After that, you should tell her Highness, "You are more beautiful than the flowers themselves," it's perfect.

– Jean, are you already senile at your age?

Jean's idea of writing a romance novel was completely dismissed that day.

– It's a difficult question because it's a thoughtful gift. Oh… a smile. How about a smile? If it's your smile, you won't have to put your heart into it, but it'll be very cheap.

– …

Elvin's opinion, which was strangely swaying but out of place, was also rejected that day.

'Tut, stuck with useless things.'

Kyle, who was clicking his tongue, tried to ask people at the duchy, but it was impossible.

– …

– So… So… Sorry master I was wrong. Please forgive me.

– …

– Lord, you must be upset, all of you, be respectful!

Even the busy castle's knights and sword-wielding's knights from the battlefield hardened in cold stiffness when they met Kyle's eyes.

Only

'I can't do it.'

Kyle pointed his finger at the knight heart to express what he had in mind. I didn't really work as the knights plop down when their legs gave up. There were also those who fainted at the thought of Kyle who was going to kill them.

-…

Eventually, the agony deepened, with little information he could gather, and only an hour of savagery steadily eased away.

***

"…ahhhhh."

On the day of the banquet, I had no choice but to continuously yawn since the morning. It was the morning of the imperial ball, the banquet. And I could only wait as the maids went through, preparing me from head to toes.