The necklace Elisia pointed to was at the very bottom of the jewelry box.
A simple dark pink necklace, carefully placed on a velvet cushion.
She stared at the tourmaline necklace, which seemed less sparkling than the rest of the jewels, and said: “I would rather receive this than the ruby, if it would not be an inconvenience to Your Majesty.”
“Hmm...what do you think of these diamond earrings?
Or maybe an emerald necklace would suit you?”
The Queen looked nervous, as if she was trying to lure Elysia away from the tourmaline by suggesting more valuable jewelry.
But Elisia did not look at anyone but herself, and replied calmly:
"If that's inconvenient, I'll accept any other jewel.
Gifts are taken as given, and I didn't mean to embarrass you, Your Majesty, so don't get mad at me."
She finished speaking and smiled gently.
The Empress stared at her and the necklace with apparent confusion.
After a long silence and contemplation, the Empress finally put on a bright smile and said: “May I know why you chose this necklace?
Tourmaline is a semi-precious stone, and it is not considered of high value.
You can ask for something more luxurious.”
Elisia answered politely as she approached the box:
“I asked for this necklace out of greed.”
She focused her gaze on the necklace placed in a single corner inside the box, and continued: “You placed the least valuable stone in the most distinguished place...
It must have another kind of value, not measured by money.”
The Queen stopped moving her fan, and silently pondered Elysia's words.
Then, quietly, the corners of her lips rose as she watched Elisia with silent eyes.
She closed the fan gracefully and said:
“Franz has chosen a truly wonderful princess.
You can see the true essence of things at first sight.”
The Empress extended her hand towards Elysia.
Elisia knelt down and took her hand.
The Empress led her to sit next to her, and began to speak gently: “You are right.
This tourmaline necklace is the most precious and precious jewel I own.
I inherited it from my late mother.”
“I didn't know that.
Please forgive my rudeness.”
Elysia got up from the sofa and knelt down, but the Empress quickly lifted her up.
“It's okay.
Rather, I would be happy to know what the character of Miss Ambrose is.”
The Empress's hand touched Alicia's red hair, patting it gently as she continued: “And I'm sorry.”
"Excuse me?
What do you mean...?"
"The royal family paid a generous dowry to the Ambrose family.
That's why I misunderstood you.
I wanted to win your heart with precious jewels."
Elysia bit her lip lightly upon hearing the Empress's words.
She knew that Patricia was using her to deal with the royal family,
But hearing that directly from the Empress… made her feel embarrassed.
"Thank you for what you have given to our family.
But now that I am part of the royal family, I want to be part of it, not just a girl from the Ambrose family.
Becoming a dear member of yours, Your Majesty... is the most precious gift I can have.
May I have it?"
Elysia spoke calmly, raised her head slightly, then smiled shyly and took the Empress's hand.
“I beg of you, Your Majesty.”
The Queen stared into her green eyes for a long moment, then nodded slowly.
It was a deeper look than the one that accompanied the first meeting.
“Of course, you can.”
The Empress pointed to one of the maids, and before she left, she said gently: “I cannot give you my mother’s necklace, but I will give you something else instead.”
“Your Majesty, I brought it.”
“Good.
Show it to Miss.”
The maid presented a small jewelry box, which she opened in front of Elisia with a polite bow.
Elisia's eyes widened in surprise when she saw what was inside.
There was a sparkling diamond necklace that wrapped around the entire neck.
Large, heavy diamonds mixed with small ones like sesame seeds, designed in a symmetrical mesh pattern.
Without a doubt, a piece worth a lot of money.
“Your Majesty, this is...”
“This is the necklace I wore to my wedding.
A family heirloom from the Roshanaks.”
The Queen took the necklace from the box and gave it to Elisia.
Click—Elysia felt the weight of the jewel on her neck.
“It suits you very well.”
“Thank you...I will keep it forever...”
“Your Majesty, although the necklace suits her...don’t you think it is too much for a first gift?”
Elisia's words of thanks were interrupted by another woman's voice.
A woman stood at the door, staring at her with contempt.
Her long, dark blonde hair fell over her shoulders, and her blue eyes sparkled intently.
“I believe this necklace is carefully kept in the palace treasury.
You're not really thinking of taking a jewel like this, are you?”
Elisia's face stiffened for a moment, and she tensed her body involuntarily, but she forced herf to smile.
“Her Majesty gave it to me herself.
Wouldn’t it be rude of me to refuse it?…Princess Glenna.”
Glenna's jaw clenched at Elisia's firm response.
She had always been accustomed to complete subservience from nobles, but Elysia…her words seemed an obvious provocation.
“Looks like the lady needs to learn court etiquette.”
Glenna slowly crossed the room, giving Elisia a fiery look:
“How dare you not show respect to the First Princess?”
“I apologize.
I still don’t know palace etiquette.
But you should show me the way.
The Empress is waiting to greet the Princess, so this is perfect timing.”
Elisia replied confidently and calmly.
Glenna furrowed her eyebrows upon realizing the predicament.
The Empress watched the scene with some curiosity.
When Elisia saw the princess approaching the Empress, she urged her with a sideways smile: “What are you waiting for?
Come in, princess.”
“...I salute your majesty.
May the sun of glory continue to shine upon you.”
Glenna said politely, gritting her teeth, then gave an elaborate royal salute.
The Empress smiled and took her hand.
This is what those of higher rank are accustomed to doing when they are received.
“You're welcome, Glynna.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.
I hope you had a peaceful night.”
“Hail the First Princess.
May the sun of glory continue to shine upon you.”
Before Glenna could turn around, Elisia stood up.
She stood with impeccable stability, perfecting what she had learned in her previous life, and bowed with a formal smile.
Glenna was about to scold her, but she stopped and stared at her with a surprised look.
She didn't say anything, but kept looking at her, as if preventing her from ending her pose.
A heavy silence fell over the place.
But Elisia finished it in a low voice, mixed with tension and confidence:
“First Princess.
I am Elysia Ambrose, offering my belated greeting.
Please forgive me.”
“Oh, my dear… Glenna doesn’t hold grudges in her heart, does she, Glenna?”
“...Of course.
Get up, miss.”
Glenna pointed out with a lot of disapproval.
Elisia slowly raised her head and stared at her steadily.
Her posture was not that of a naive village girl—her tone filled the space.
Glenna's eyes narrowed.
“It seems that the lady is from the Ambrose family... not what I heard.”
“And what did you hear?”
"I'm curious too.
What kind of rumors are spreading about my new daughter-in-law?"
The Empress's eyes sparkled as she fanned her fan.
Glenna, finding herself the center of attention, smiled smugly... but her eyes remained full of hostility.
“I heard that she is like a spring fairy... pure and innocent.”
“Thank you for listening to such stories.”
Elysia deliberately widened her eyes, adopting a shy expression.
As if she didn't catch Glenna's deliberate sarcasm.
"And of course, Princess Glenna knows everything.
This necklace suits you more than me, doesn't it?
Is it appropriate for me to keep it?"
"I do not go back on my word.
This necklace belongs to Miss Ambrose."
The Empress interrupted immediately, turning to Glenna, who was still staring at the necklace on Elysia's neck.
"Isn't it, Glenna?
It suits her very well."
"…Yes."
Glenna replied without looking away from the necklace.
“I was wondering why you didn’t give it to me...but now I see that it has another owner.”
"You got a necklace from Crichton.
The First Princess's diamond necklace is beautiful, too."
The Empress ignored Glenna's words, and turned again to Elysia:
“Crichton commissioned its design as a symbol of the ‘bond of souls’… from stones that he had the jeweler specially shape.”
“The First Prince values me very much.”
Glenna's eyes lifted from the necklace, fixing them directly on Elysia.
Then she smiled sarcastically and said, “Oh, most likely… Miss Ambrose doesn’t know what ‘soul bond’ means.
She must have never met the Second Prince.”
“Franz himself came to the Ambroses to pick me up...
There is no room for saying I don’t know.”
The Empress laughed lightly as she folded her fan.
When Glenna’s eyes hardened, Elisia gave a small, confident smile: “The First Prince knows... but it seems you don’t know, princess.”
It seems that this 'bond' is not really that great of a deal.
She raised her eyebrows in a gesture of mock sympathy.
Glenna's smile melted in an instant.
“Miss Ambrose...what are you trying to say?”
“How about we end the conversation here?”
Before the tension escalated, the Empress spoke in a tired tone:
“I hope you will cooperate together in managing the affairs of the Royal Palace.”
“…Your order, Your Majesty.”
“I will do my best, despite my shortcomings.”
Elysia answered humbly, bowing as low as she could.
And for her part, Glenna was also bowing...
Her teeth gnashing could be heard in the silence.