Chapter 17

It Should Be Fine If I Take It, Right?
The place Veronica headed for was the royal treasury.

(Why did Brian say something so tempting…?)

There was a guard stationed in front of the treasury doors, but Veronica simply flashed the key she had taken, and that was enough to make him step aside.

Or rather, she forced him to.
The guard hesitated, clearly confused, but while he faltered, Veronica simply barged in.

Everyone knew how infatuated the king was with his mistress.
If the guard denied her entry, he might be punished later.
Hesitating for even a moment gave Veronica the chance to slip inside.

“Wow…!!”

Stepping into the treasury, Veronica let out a delighted gasp.

Glass display cases lined the room.
She turned on the magical lights and began inspecting each one with growing excitement.

All the cases were locked, but the set of keys she carried opened them with ease.

“This jewel… it’s gorgeous…”

In her hand, she held a gemstone of incredible rarity, no longer mined, of immense value.
It was a royal heirloom, used only for special festivals and ceremonies.
Without hesitation, Veronica slipped it into the small purse hanging from her waist.

(Everything here will belong to me eventually, so it’s fine, right?)

Everything sparkled and shimmered—so beautiful, so alluring.
Veronica continued to touch each item with her bare hands, utterly enchanted.

“… Mother, look at me. I’ve done it. I’ll be the most noble lady in this country.”

Drunk on her own fantasy, Veronica spoke aloud to no one.

Her mother had been a stage actress.
The relationship between Count Bernet and Veronica’s mother had been a typical patron arrangement.
Veronica was the unplanned product of that relationship.

For years, Count Bernet refused to acknowledge her.
But after a decade, things changed.
The count and his wife had no children of their own, and with no other options, they decided to bring Veronica into the family as their legitimate daughter.

Just before her fifteenth birthday, Veronica was officially recognized and debuted in high society as a count's daughter.
It was there that she reunited with Brian—the man who turned out to be the crown prince.

(I never imagined Brian was a prince…)

Before joining the count’s household, Veronica had worked at a tavern.
That’s where she met Brian for the first time.

Bracelets, hair ornaments, necklaces—
In total, she took over ten valuable items from the treasury.

(Maybe I should head back now…)

She still wanted to look around, but the place gave her an unsettling feeling.

(Is it because there’s no one here? Or is it just too dark…?)

She wished she could make it brighter, but the magical lights were limited.
Veronica lacked the mana to enhance them herself.
In hindsight, she thought, she should’ve brought a candlestick.

Of course, if she’d tried bringing an open flame in here, the guard would’ve undoubtedly stopped her—
And knowing her temperament, she would’ve thrown a tantrum, causing a massive scene.

Everything in here was of immense historical and monetary value.
The environment was carefully controlled to preserve the artifacts, hence the dim lighting.

Shivering slightly from the chill, Veronica turned on her heel.
She was heading for the exit when her gaze landed on a display case at the far end.
She stopped in her tracks.

(A… doll?)

A doll, inside the royal treasury?
Curiosity piqued, she walked over.

The doll was small—palm-sized—yet utterly captivating.
Its skin was porcelain-like, but everything else—the eyes, the hair, the dress—
All of it was made from gemstones.

“… Beautiful…”

Veronica gazed at it, entranced.
She had never seen such a dazzling, radiant doll in her life.
Its glittering brilliance completely captivated her.

Before she realized it, she had opened the case and taken the doll into her hands.

The eyes were set with blue diamonds.
Even in the dim light, they sparkled unmistakably—it was genuine diamond.
Unable to tear her eyes away, Veronica stroked the doll's surface.

A scene like this would make any court official faint—the royal treasury's priceless relics, touched with bare hands.

After a moment of silence, Veronica spoke, as if questioning herself.

“… It’s fine if I take you, right?”

As if to answer her, the gemstone eyes of the doll glittered ominously.

What do you think about this chapter?