Chapter 17 - . Good Luck” Is Unexpected

Chapter 17. “Good Luck” Is Unexpected

***

It was another sunny day as usual.

It had been a while since Leticia had been outside. She decided to go for a walk to cool off when she spotted Elle in the garden.

She approached her with a cheerful smile, but Elle was drawing something with her head down.

“What are you drawing?”

“….”

“Miss Elle?”

“Ahh!”

Leticia had tapped her lightly on the shoulder and startled Elle, who quickly hid her paper behind her.

She immediately saw that it was Leticia and sighed in relief.

“Miss Leticia? You surprised me.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay.”

“Am I disturbing you?”

“No! Not at all!”

Elle shook her head vehemently saying, ‘This is not the case at all’. But she was still busy checking to see if there were any other people around.

“Are you alone?”

“Yes, is something wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Finally, Elle’s expression relaxed and she slowly got up from her seat. In her hand was an unfinished picture.

“What are you drawing?”

“Oh… this?”

When Leticia looked at her curiously, Elle glanced at her drawings.

Elle seemed to be thinking about something for a while, and then carefully put her index finger on her lips.

“It’s a secret from my brother, but I’ll show you if you promise to keep it a secret.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Elle only showed it to Letisha after she agreed to keep quiet.

“This is…”

What Elle drew was a number of accessories.

“Did you draw these yourself?”

“Yes, what do you think?”

Elle asked, looking at Leticia.

Elle was more nervous than she thought she would be, it was probably because it was the first time she had shown her drawings to someone.

Leticia was looking at the pictures carefully with Elle next to her, who had a worried look on her face.

“So cute and pretty!”

“Are you sure it’s pretty?”

“Yes, I’d love to see your designs made.”

Leticia said as she looked at the drawings.

She could feel Elle’s sincere care in the drafts she drew. They were so beautiful that they could’ve been made into real jewelry right away.

Leticia looked at her with expectant eyes, but for some reason Elle avoided her gaze with a troubled expression.

Leticia didn’t seem to notice Elle’s troubled face and pointed to one of the drawings.

“What’s this? It looks like a gold thread bracelet.”

“Oh, that?”

Elle’s expression became bitter.

“I couldn’t get a gold thread bracelet for my brother’s entrance exam, so I drew one instead.”

Elle thought it would be okay if she gave him a drawing, but she was worried that people would mock Enoch. So in the end she couldn’t muster up the courage to give it to him.

“Come to think of it, I forgot to thank you.”

“What?”

“My brother told me; ‘Miss Leroy gave me a gold thread bracelet.’”

She was grateful to Letisha for giving such a precious item to Enoch.

“I really tried everything to buy a bracelet, but I couldn’t get one.”

Thinking about it, she felt conflicted.

Everyone wanted to have gold thread bracelets, but the bracelets were expensive and limited in number.

“I’m sure they all wanted to pass…”

“Miss Elle…”

Leticia quietly watched Elle’s depressed appearance, and she decided to speak up.

“So why don’t you make jewelry like the gold thread bracelets?”

“Like the gold thread bracelets?”

“Yes, for example…”

Leticia pointed to the most plain-looking bracelet that Elle drew.

“If you wear this bracelet, your wish will come true.”

“What? The bracelet I drew doesn’t make your wish come true.”

“You can give it that meaning, Miss Elle.”

“But…”

The confused Elle blurted out.

The meaning was too excessive for a simple bracelet that could easily be bought anywhere.

Leticia had a different idea though.

“Miss Elle should know.”

“Miss Leticia…”

“Wishes are something that anyone can have, regardless of status.”

“….”

Blue eyes shining bright and clear, a soft and determined voice.

Leticia’s words stopped Elle short.

‘Wishes that anyone can have, regardless of status.’

Elle looked down at the bracelet she drew, repeating what Leticia had said in her mind.

It looked plain because it didn’t have any of the basic gems, but that made it easier for anyone to own.

“Miss Leticia is right.”

Her hand gradually got stronger as she held her picture tightly.

“Anyone can choose to have a wish, or not.”

Elle could feel her heavy heart become lighter.

“I want to make jewelry that is easily accessible to anyone, just like Miss Leticia said.”

Elle really wanted to make some and she was confident that she could make it well. It also gave her hope that the unfulfilled wishes in everyone’s heart would come true.

Elle looked down at the bracelet she drew for a moment.

She wondered what it would look like if it had a small gem, one that meant wish, in the bracelet held tightly by two threads.

‘Wish…’

While Elle wondered what could symbolize a wish, Leticia asked cautiously.

“Why is it a secret from Lord Achilles?”

“Oh, that… I thought he wouldn’t like it.”

“What?”

She hadn’t known him that long, but Leticia was sure Enoch would love to support Elle’s dream.

So she couldn’t understand.

Leticia turned towards her, Elle looked embarrassed and hesitatingly said.

“Isn’t it a business to make and sell your own jewelry?”

“Right?”

“My brother won’t like it because our Father’s business caused a lot of debt.”

Their parents died shortly after starting a business. It put the Achilles family into debt, which Enoch was forced to deal with. Her brother had struggled to take care of Ian and her. Elle didn’t want to add to his burden.

Even now, the family’s situation has not improved much, Enoch continues to struggle alone. She couldn’t bring herself to tell him she wanted to start a business making jewelry. So Elle stuck to drawing her designs in secret.

“Ah…”

Leticia sighed quietly after listening to Elle.

She finally understood why Elle was hesitating.

Leticia looked down at Elle’s drawings with a pang in her chest.

It was clear that this was a dream that she’d had for a long time.

‘But I’d still like her to talk to Lord Achilles.’

But Leticia didn’t want to force her to tell Enoch, since she wasn’t completely sure what Elle was thinking. For now she was hoping it would just work out.

Elle clapped her hands together and exclaimed.

“Oh, I remember! It’s okay to decorate the bracelet with pink diamonds. Oh, what the heck!”

A bright smile briefly spread across her face, when a large hand covered her drawings.

As soon as Elle looked up, she locked eyes with Enoch. Ian was standing behind him.

“Oh… Brother…”

“Why are you so surprised? It’s like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Oh… no… It’s not…”

Elle looked over to Leticia with a panicked look on her face. Leticia was a little worried, so she grasped Elle’s hand in hers.

‘It’s okay.’

She gave Elle a warm smile and a nod.

Elle gathered her strength, squeezed Leticia’s hand and slowly began to speak.

“These are my drawings. I want to make and sell the bracelets that I draw.”

“….”

“I know you don’t like it. I don’t think you’ll like it…”

Elle was speaking nervously and glanced up at Enoch to see his reaction.

“I will never cause trouble for the family. I won’t be irresponsible like Father.”

“Elle.”

Enoch called to Elle in a soft voice as her nervousness had her talking faster and faster.

Only then did Elle look straight at Enoch.

The moment their eyes met, Enoch said.

“I never thought of you as irresponsible.”

“….”

“So do what you want to do without worry.”

Elle felt her happiness burst forth and let out a happy cheer. Enoch and Leticia smiled at each other.

‘Well done.’

That’s what her summer blue eyes seem to be telling him.

Elle wriggled in excitement and asked Enoch.

“Then can I ask you for a favor?”

***

“I’m glad you had a good conversation with Lord Achilles.”

Leticia smiled brightly as she accompanied Elle to the square.

Elle nodded excitedly.

“I know. It’s all thanks to you.”

With Leticia beside her, she felt she could honestly tell Enoch her dream and ask for help.

“Now we just need to find a jeweller to make my designs.”

Elle said while stretching her arms over her head.

Her request was to decorate the bracelet with pink diamonds mixed with impurities from the family mine. Since pink diamonds are only valuable if they are of the highest grade, Enoch allowed her to take as many as she wanted.

“You helped me so much already, you didn’t have to come with me too….”

“It’s better to look together than alone.”

Leticia made it sound like it was obvious. Elle smiled happily and they began to look for a jeweller together.

They were able to meet several craftsmen, but none of them were willing to work with a lower grade gemstone.

After being rejected five times, Elle’s once lively expression gradually darkened.

Noticing immediately, Letisha carefully held her hand.

“Let’s look around some more. I’m sure we can find a better craftsman.”

“I hope so…”

Elle thought it might be difficult to find another jeweller in this area.

She let out a deep sigh when Leticia’s urgent voice penetrated her musing.

“Miss Elle, watch out!”

“Huh?”

Elle quickly looked ahead, but it was late. She ran into someone who had just come around the corner.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Leticia quickly caught Elle, who fell back after bumping into the other person quite hard.

“Are you okay, Miss Elle?”

“Sorry, I’m sorry. Are you okay?”

When Elle bumped into the man, the envelopes they were both holding fell to the ground.

Elle stared at her now dirty envelope, glared at the man and picked up her drawing. The man became flustered at her glare and picked up his own envelope.

“I was in a hurry and wasn’t watching properly. I apologize again.”

“Sure, but be more careful next time.”

The man bowed his head in apology and rushed off.

Leticia moved to Elle’s side with a worried expression. She looked Elle up and down, checking for injuries.

“You’re not hurt, are you?”

“I’m fine, come on.”

She was a little annoyed that her envelope got dirt on it, but it wasn’t something to get angry about.

Elle tapped the dirt off and told Leticia.

“We should go home.”

“What? But we haven’t found a craftsman yet.”

“We can come back tomorrow.”

“Still…”

“But if we don’t go now, you’ll be worried.”

Leticia was forced to agree with Elle’s words.

‘It’s too much to expect a perfect match in one day.’

Contrary to her thoughts, Leticia was feeling disappointed and her steps were heavy.

Elle pulled on Leticia’s hand to hurry her up.

“Let’s leave for today and you can come with me next time? ”

“Okay…”

She nodded reluctantly, and Elle smiled contentedly as they went back to the Achilles mansion together.

***

“Well, did you get the contract?

“Yes, here it is.”

The man took the envelope from Suha with an impressed look on his face. It was difficult to get a contract with the Imperial family.

He was happy that things were finally looking up, but inside the envelope was something other than a contract.

“You… What did you bring?”

“Huh?”

“This is not a contract!”

The man threw the envelope at Suha in a fit of rage. Surprised, Suha fumbled for the envelope and checked inside.

Unfortunately, the man was right. The envelope didn’t contain a contract, but a sketch of a bracelet. Suha was embarrassed and said in a conflicted voice.

“I’m sorry. I bumped into someone and we must’ve switched envelopes.”

“Go get it!”

“Yes!”

Suha quickly ran out the door to go find the contract. The man watched him leave and sat back in his chair irritably.

“What a good-for-nothing!”

He couldn’t bring a single contract back properly.

The man clicked his tongue and picked up the paper with the accessory again.

“….?”

It was too neat and plain for aristocratic ladies to wear, but that made it rather cute. Written underneath the drawing of the bracelet; ‘I will grant your wish’.

‘A wishing bracelet…’

While the concept of jewelry that grants wishes is common, the idea of using lower-grade gemstones to make it easier for commoners to buy was ingenious.

‘There’s still some things that need to be refined.’

He could definitely feel the talent and skill of the artist.

‘I think it would be nice to make and sell this.’

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, the man stood up and chased after Suha.

“Wait, wait, wait!”

Fortunately, Suha hadn’t gone far, so he was able to catch him quickly.

“While you’re at it, tell the artist who drew this that I’d like to meet them.”