Living as the Villain’s Stepmother - Chapter 153 – More Gifts (2)

“I come here often. It’s a meaningful place where we spent time together. The happy memories help me soothe my mind.”

“Happy….” Lila saw the memories as happy too. She felt that all her bad memories could be erased if she sat on the swing while enjoying the breeze.

“But it seemed like you never came.” He added with slight disappointment in his tone.

“… I liked it too and it’s not that I wasn’t happy, it’s just that I couldn’t make time to come here from how busy I was. Don’t misunderstand.”

Lacias gently stroked her hair with bright curiosity apparent in his eyes. “Once in a while, I imagine you coming here just to see me. So it feels a bit strange when it actually happens.”

“Maybe I should’ve come here often to cool my own head.”

A place that was made as Hir’s playground is now being used for something else. Lila secretly wanted to push aside her reason for coming and just enjoy their time alone. But she knew he had to go back to work, so that wasn’t a possibility.

“Why were you looking for me?” He asked.

“Ah, because-” A sudden breeze of petals and leaves took her attention, it seemed that the cold rain was replaced with a floral one. “I wanted to know if you could make this necklace again.”

“You want to give it to Hir?” He was instantly spot on as usual.

“Yes.”

Not so long ago, Hizette reported to him that Hir was able to control his ring. Although it did not show its complete manifestation, Hizette was positive he would be able to manifest it in a few days.

“I think that’s a good idea,” said Lacias without moving an inch.

“Really? I’m glad. I wanted to give it to Hir as a gift. And the most special gift that I’ve ever received was this necklace, so I thought that Hir would like it too.”

“Hir will love whatever you give him.” Lacias seemed to grin at the thought of his son having his own necklace. “I will send a craftsman to you. It’s good to pull out the ring right away, so it’s better to decide after discussing it.”

“Thank you.”

“If I call him now, he will arrive soon. You’ll be able to see him before the sunset.”

While nodding to his words, Lila noticed that Lacias’s neck had something missing, a necklace. Something as colorful as mine wouldn’t fit him.

The thought of secretly holding a fun event when the craftsman came ran through her mind.

*

Just like Lacias said, the craftsman arrived quickly. He came so early that even if he told her that he used magic to traverse the sky, she would have believed him.

He came with a bright-colored jewelry box and kept bowing down to her. She wondered how she was introduced to him due to the extravagant treatment. Of course, it was Lila who was awkward. The craftsman thought he was showing the right amount of respect to the Duchess of Wipere, whose social status was incredibly high.

Eventually, the craftsman sat down and asked Lila for specifics. “How do you want it to be fabricated?”

“Ah, firstly, I want it small, because it’s for a child, and he’s getting swordsmanship training, so it shouldn’t be too cumbersome.”

“Alright, so that’s how you want it to be. I absolutely understand.” Acknowledged the craftsman while noting down her requests on a piece of paper.

Lila’s eyes moved from the paper then back to him. “How long would it take for it to make? The faster the better.”

She couldn’t wait to give it to Hir, even her eyes lit up from just the thought of it. However, the craftsman seemed to have taken it the wrong way, as he flinched and stammered his next sentence.

“I- I‘ll try my best to go quicker.”

Lila picked up on his slight fear and tried to be nicer. “Ah, there’s no need for that. I want you to make it without overworking yourself.”

Although she wanted the necklace as soon as possible, she would feel bad for exploiting him using her position.

“No worries! The sooner things get delivered to the duke’s mansion, the better for me. I will make it quickly with the highest quality that will satisfy you without any flaw.”

If rumor spread that he was commissioned for not one but two necklaces from the Wipere family in one day, it would single-handedly boost his sales across the entire city. Ordering twice from a craftsman was a huge difference from just ordering once. It was proof that his high-quality work was worth returning for.

“Hmm, is that so?” Lila held her teacup closer to the table. “As for this one, I want it made without the duke knowing.”

The craftsman’s eyes widened with his neck moving from nervousness. Lila got up from her seat and turned her back to the craftsman, increasing the never-ending anticipation.

“Will this be enough?”

“Yes, yes! Of course!” Without hesitation, he checked the small bag of money with a satisfied glance.

Regardless of the sum he received now, this was going to improve his reputation as a craftsman by a huge amount.

The Wipere family ordered three necklaces from me! He thought. This was going to be a giant achievement in his life, as not only did he receive orders for two necklaces from the Duke, but now a secret one from the future Duchess herself.

“What is your expectation? The deadline…”

“It must be finished by this date.” Lila pointed at the day before the wedding, “It must be.”

*