The World’s Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated in Another World as an Aristocrat - Volume 6 - Chapter 6

Chapter 6 | The Assassin Makes an Announcement

Last up was the emerald. Like diamonds and sapphires, emeralds were gemstones made more beautiful with treatment.

I began cutting it after performing an impregnation treatment. The process turned the stone’s color to a jade hue, which effectively complemented Tarte’s kind and gentle beauty.

It was now time for the final gem. I pulled out the alexandrite I’d obtained for Mom. Alexandrite was a captivating stone with two distinct faces: It shone bluish-green under daylight and a calming red under incandescent light from candles or lamps.

Most natural alexandrite was dull or didn’t change color. Some jewels possessed vivid hues, but their color was unsatisfactory before or after the transformation. Alexandrite that changed color completely and was beautiful preceding and following the modification was extremely valuable and alluring. Finding it on the market wasn’t easy, and it carried the value of a national treasure.

I knew how to treat alexandrite to make both the red and the green shades distinct and lovely. This was the only process that depended entirely on magic. It was a hopeless errand to rely on science alone. An incredibly enormous and precise machine would be required to do it right. Even with the level of technology in my previous world, it had never been realized outside of theory. Here, however, magic existed, allowing me to tamper with the stone’s very composition.

I chose alexandrite because it was often associated with tranquility and passion. My mom constantly wore a gentle smile, yet carried a strong will within, so I thought this fit her perfectly.

It was hard work, but I got the result I wanted.

“I’m done treating the gemstones. Next, I’m gonna use them and the mithril to make the necklace and rings… Which means it’s time for you two to leave,” I said.

“What? I want to keep watching,” Dia complained.

“I’m really interested to see how you make the jewelry,” Tarte protested.

“If you see any more, it’ll spoil your presents. I want you to be excited for the final products.” I ushered them out of the room without listening to their arguments.

This was where the real work began. These ultimate gemstones were nothing more than materials. Whether I enhanced the beauty of the jewels or wasted them would come down to my designs.

Fortunately, I’d seen plenty of top-class accessories in this lifetime and my last. Using that knowledge as a model and relying on the sense I’d honed from years of observation, I would make each of the lovely women in my life an item more than suitable for them.

A full day had passed since I made the necklace and the rings. Dia and Tarte had been restless since morning. We were currently eating dinner, and I could feel them watching me. They were dying to see the rings I’d created for them.

Despite completing their gifts yesterday, I hadn’t presented them yet, having chosen a specific day to do so.

I spoke up once we finished eating.

“I have a present for you, Mom. I haven’t given you anything yet to celebrate your pregnancy,” I said, and brought out the necklace. The alexandrite on the necklace sparkled. Its bluish-green color changed to red when exposed to candlelight.

My father’s eyebrows twitched. He knew how much this was worth.

“Wow, what a beautiful necklace! …It looks really expensive, though. I appreciate the thought, but I feel guilty about you spending so much money on me,” my mother said.

“It wasn’t that pricey,” I responded.

“You’re lying. Even I can see that. Cian, how much would this necklace sell for?” Mom asked Dad, believing that I was lying.

“Hmm… The metalwork is delicate and tasteful and was done using beautiful mithril. The alexandrite is of such high quality that not even AAA grade does it justice. It’s five carats as well. Do you remember Count Lingrandt’s mansion from the party we were invited to recently?” Cian asked.

“Yes. It was luxurious, beautiful, and so big.”

“This necklace would easily buy that mansion. Attaching a price to it at all is nonsensical. This isn’t an item that money can buy.”

My mother’s eyes widened in amazement. She obviously hadn’t expected it to be worth quite that much. “I can’t accept this! Please return it right away. You should use that money for yourself, Lugh!”

I’d expected her to say that, and I had a response ready. “It’s okay, Mom. I made it myself, so it wasn’t as expensive as it looks. The gemstone was only a AA grade. I treated it to enhance its beauty, and I did the metalwork myself,” I explained. Alexandrite was relatively costly even when it wasn’t AAA grade, but it wasn’t too bad, considering my income.

“Are you telling the truth?” my mom pressed.

“Yes, I am. So please accept it. I worked very hard on it for you. I’d be sad to see you reject it,” I insisted.

“Oh, that’s not fair. How could I not agree after hearing that?” She was smiling despite her words. “Thank you. I’ll cherish it,” she said, and put the necklace on.

It looked great on her. No one would ridicule her behind her back in high society ever again. My mom didn’t care about how others spoke of her, but I loved her, and I didn’t want anyone bad-mouthing her. I wasn’t going to say that out loud, for fear of being called a mama’s boy, though.

I heard Dia’s voice in my ear. She was using mana to send her words directly to me to keep anyone else from hearing.

“Wasn’t the alexandrite bigger than that?”

She was right. My budget allowed me to purchase a sizable stone, and it was even larger when I completed treating it.

“It was too big for a necklace, so I cut it down. A bulky gem would lack class. This size suits Mom best.”

“You’re right, but I can’t believe you actually did it… I would’ve felt like I wasted money.”

The prevalent belief among the nobility was that the bigger the gemstone, the better. As such, price increased exponentially with size. The notion of cutting a jewel down to make it smaller was preposterous.

That trend was slowly changing, however. Progressive minds were tossing out the belief that bigger was always superior and were beginning to consider design and overall balance.

Furthermore, my mother was the kind of person to trust her sense of beauty over popular opinion. That’s why I’d decided to make what I believed would be well-suited to her.

“How does it look on me?” my mother asked, blushing.

“It suits you just as well as I thought it would,” I answered.

“Heh-heh, I’m so happy. What do you think, Cian?”

“It’s beautiful… But I can’t help but feel a little jealous.” My dad answered with a rare bitter expression. He saw the confusion on Mom’s face and continued. “There are two reasons for that. First, I’m jealous because you just accepted a necklace when I’ve tried so hard to get you to wear any gems other than your wedding ring.”

“Oh, Cian. I’m so sorry. There was no way I could refuse a necklace that my little Lugh made for me. That doesn’t mean I don’t love you. What’s the second reason?”

“Lugh gives you presents from time to time, but he’s never offered me anything… It makes me a little sad.”

Now that I thought about it… I got presents for my mother whenever she expressed a desire for something. I’d recently procured chocolate because she wanted some, and not long before that, I’d gone hunting for deer because she desired venison. Dad never asked for anything, though; I couldn’t recall ever giving him a present.

“Sorry about that, Dad. Would you like these?” I inquired, retrieving some knives from my interior pockets.

I put three types of blades on the table. The first was a dagger I could throw at a moment’s notice—I always carried a few of them with me. The second was an assassin’s knife I concealed in my shoes or hem for a surprise attack. Last was an ordinary knife that I used as my primary weapon.

The daggers had a simple design because I hadn’t refined them at all after producing them with magic, and I prioritized concealability over functionality with the assassin’s knife. Conversely, I’d processed the normal knife to further improve its capabilities after creating it with magic. My spells could only produce objects with simple shapes, so the framework of each weapon started out as very basic. If I sought to make something of real quality, I had to produce multiple pieces with magic and combine them. The normal knife was my main weapon, so I was particular about its design.

My dad undoubtedly appreciated the gifts. He smiled faintly and took the knives. I’d thought only of functionality when I made them, so they possessed no decoration whatsoever and appeared boorish for use by a noble. Even then, I trusted my father would understand their value.

“These knives are splendid. Thank you, Lugh. Sorry for making you feel like you had to give me something,” he said.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ve wanted to repay you for all you’ve done for me,” I responded.

That was the truth. I was who I was today because of my dad’s teachings. Being born into the Tuatha Dé household, specifically to my parents, was the best thing that had ever happened to me.

“Then I’ll gladly accept them. I’ll prepare a gift for you in return.” The way my dad said that made me think he’d been keeping his present for a while but hadn’t known when to give it to me. This was a perfect excuse to do so.

“Hee-hee. We have the best son in the world. We’re so blessed,” my mother sang.

My father nodded. “That we are. Lugh has grown into a fine young man.”

They smiled and poured alcohol for a toast. This was a little embarrassing.

“As happy as this made me, Lugh, there’s one thing I need to warn you about. If you’re going to give presents, you should prioritize Dia and Tarte over me. Girls are quick to get jealous, even at their man’s mother,” my mom cautioned, pointing a finger at me.

It was scary that gestures like that still suited a woman of her age.

“There’s no need to worry about that. I have something in mind. I’ve prepared engagement rings for Dia, Tarte, and Maha, who I’ve told you about before,” I explained.

“Truly? Well, goodness, what are you waiting for? You need to give them to the girls right away.”

“I know, Mom. I’m getting engaged to all three of them, however, so I want to present the rings simultaneously. That’s why I’m waiting. Maha can come over next week. I’m planning on throwing a party here. I want everyone to know that Lugh Tuatha Dé is betrothed.”

There was special meaning in a noble’s engagement. I’d made my intentions clear to Dia, Tarte, and Maha already. For commoners, that would’ve been sufficient, but as an aristocrat, I had a duty to spread the news of the development. If I didn’t, my engagements would have no meaning.

Also, there would be no going back once the information was out there. I would be a laughingstock if I canceled my pledges to marry.

“I give my approval. Cian…?” My mother looked to my father.

As head of House Tuatha Dé, my dad’s decisions were absolute. If he was opposed to my intentions, I’d have no choice but to elope.

Had I been born to an ordinary noble family, I would not have been able to marry Dia, Tarte, and Maha. There was minimal political merit to our betrothals, after all. Truthfully, there was even less justification in my case, given the prestigious medical achievements of House Tuatha Dé, my Holy Knight status, and my multiple victories over demons. I could form a connection with any high-ranking noble family I wished.

“Very well. I will prepare for word to be sent out. If this is what you have set your heart upon, I will not oppose you, Son,” my father said.

“Thank you, Dad.”

“Do you have a time in mind for the marriage?”

“I’m thinking about delaying it until about a year after I graduate from the academy.”

I’d resolved to save the world by then. My wedding would be held once that was done.

“That sounds fine to me… Children really do become adults in the blink of an eye. To think little Lugh is already speaking of marriage. Notify me once you know what day Maha is arriving. Let’s give this top priority over all other business.”

“Understood.”

That took care of my family matters for the time being.

Now that I think about it, Dia and Tarte have been unusually silent. This matter concerned them directly, so I thought they’d have some input at the very least…

“Ooooh, this is all too sudden, Lugh,” Dia said.

“I—I—I—I don’t know what to do,” Tarte stammered.

They had both frozen in place, faces scarlet. Perhaps I should’ve discussed this with them more beforehand.

Anyway, the engagement party was on. It would be best for me to invite all the nobles we were acquainted with and throw a grand affair, but my mother, father, and future wives wouldn’t care for that. Thus, I intended to keep things within the family and make the event more intimate. The celebration was the perfect time to present the girls with their rings.