Luke stepped into the dining area and found that there was a seat that had been saved for him, right in between Yanna and Hara.

He excused himself for being late and greeted them all with a polite bow. As they ate, Yan and Duke Augustine conversed about how the new merchants would need a safer route through the Monhelm river.

"We simply can't have that bridge stay in a state of disrepair! Your horse almost fell in the water when you crossed it, Duke!"

Yan stated, clearly in distress.
Duke Augustine calmed him down and spoke in a reassuring tone.

"You're right. It has been neglected for far too long. I will ask the King if he will allow my men will begin repairs immediately, that the merchants may be able to sell their wares in Kalna."

They continued chatting. Luke paid them no mind, focusing on his omelette. Just then, he caught Yanna looking at him with what looked like...desire?

They're competing for me, after all. I suppose I should expect this kind of behavior.

Luke finished eating, and cleaned up his crumbs. He left the plate in the diamond sink, excused himself, and left the dining area.

Yanna quickly finished and followed behind, while Hara didn't seem interested at all. Yanna followed Luke all the way to the garden, where bougainvillea, tulips, roses, lilies, and other various flowers covered the grass, swaying in the wind.

Luke walked to the central observatory and looked out at the beautiful scene. Just then, he felt a light tap on his shoulder.

"Sir Luke, I brought you a gift. A token, if you will."

Luke arched an eyebrow in curiosity.
"Go on, Lady Yanna."

Yanna reached into her skirt pocket and took out a small wooden box, lined with silver. She opened it, and inside was a beautiful ruby, carved into a shiny crescent moon.

A ruby...

In Kalna, gems had their own special meanings. A sapphire was hatred. An emerald was friendship. A topaz was acquaintance, a diamond was marriage, and a ruby...was love.

Will history really repeat itself?

"Lady Yanna, you do know what a ruby signifies, correct?"

Yanna nodded her head innocently, her cheeks as red as the ruby she was holding.

"I-I do, yes... Even if this may be a passing infatuation, I want you to know that I like you for who you are on the inside."

Those words softened his heart considerably. This was one of the reasons why they had been lovers in the past; Yanna always knew what to say, how to say it, and when to say it.

And she certainly still had that ability, even at the young age of nine years old. She had been raised well, there was no doubt about that.

Luke took the crescent ruby and smiled.

"Thank you, Lady Yanna. I appreciate the token of love you have given me. I promise to cherish it, whether we become enemies or husband and wife."

Yanna's cheeks burned brighter and she smiled. She leaned in, gave Luke a quick peck on the lips, and hurried out of the observatory.

Luke gasped as he felt her lips against his skin, touching the spot where he had been kissed. He smiled.

If she's still my lover in this life, I wouldn't mind at all.

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HARA'S POV

Hara walked around the Schuyler manor, appreciating the Duke's fine taste in embroidery and jewelry.

She passed by a butler, and found Yanna rushing towards her, cheeks flushed and hair messy. She looked as if she had finished running a marathon.

"Sister! Where have you been?" Hara asked, worried.

Yanna had a wide smile on her face, and showed her the empty box. Hara's eyes widened slightly in mild shock.

"You...you actually gave it to him?"

"Yes, sister! He promised he'd cherish it forever!"

Hara gritted her teeth in annoyance. She was protective of her sister, and didn't like it when she got attached to boys. Yanna was vulnerable and weak, and she had been heartbroken when she had confessed to a past crush, only for him to stomp on the white rose she presented him with.

I won't let him hurt you, Yanna.

Yanna noticed the mild annoyance on her sister's face, and asked her if there was a problem.

"No, sister. Not at all."

Hara replied politely, concealing her inner turmoil. She hated him.

Schuyler thinks he can just charm his way into my sister's heart, and break it right after? Not on my watch. I'll shatter his heart before he shatters Yanna's.

Hara took her hand and led her to the courtyard, where there was a bench, a fountain, and a flat area where Luke used to play when he was younger.

They sat on the bench and simply enjoyed the view. After a while, they boarded their carriage and bid farewell to Luke and his parents.

-----------------------------------------------------------

LUKE'S POV

Luke twirled the ruby around his finger as he stepped back into the manor. It was a curious little thing. It felt softer than a regular ruby, which was certainly strange. Nevertheless, he placed it in his pocket and went back inside his room.

Hours flew by, and Luke was bored out of his mind. He had reread all of the books in his room, which was saying something because he had a bookshelf that reached up to the ceiling.

At around seven in the evening, there was a knock on his door, followed by the silky voice of Duchess Emmeline.

"Luke, dinner is served. Come down to the dining area."

Luke acknowledged his mother's words and made his way downstairs. Arriving in the dining area, Luke almost leaped back in alarm.

Standing in front of him, with skin the color of honey and luscious black hair that fell down to her waist, was someone he hated almost as much as Hara.

It was his cousin Kiarha, only daughter of Baron Nathan and future Baroness of her house. They had been at each other's throats ever since they were first introduced to each other, Luke being seven and Kiarha being eight.

Luke's eyes burned with hatred, and Kiarha's eyes reflected that hatred. Luke gave a stiff nod; Kiarha dropped to a cold curtsey.

"Lady Kiarha. I must admit, I was not expecting your impromptu visit. If I had known, I would have told the servants to fix the state of uncleanness of the manor."

Kiarha laughed scathingly, a hateful symphony that was both beautiful and cruel.

"Sir Lukey, future dukey. As pompous as ever, I see. Well, I prefer seeing your manor dirty. It gives me a reason to mock you."

Luke fumed with anger, and was about to hurl a string of insults when he felt a soft hand on his shoulder. It was Baroness Mennona, wife of Baron Nathan and one of the most revered Baronesses in high society.

Despite her soft and beautiful appearance, Baroness Mennona's crimson eyes were nothing short of evil. They had a certain dark aura to them, like they belonged to a demon of the underworld.

"If you want to keep your chance of becoming duke, I suggest you lay off my daughter, Master Luke."

She said it in a voice so low that it was clear only he was meant to hear it, but it was no less menacing than if she had said it out loud.

Luke gulped and nodded, and the baroness let go of his shoulder. Kiarha seemed to know what had happened, because she had a smug smirk on her face and her arms were crossed across her chest in a way that said, "You can't touch me, Luke."

Luke mentally swore vengeance against Kiarha, and sat down at the seat opposite her.

Dinner was an awkward affair. The two kept glaring at each other, and the parents weren't helping much. Baroness Mennona had come without her husband, but if looks could kill, Luke's parents would have died ten times over.

Luke's parents didn't go down without a fight, and they gave her their own heated glares and nasty looks.

After dinner, the baroness announced that Kiarha would be sleeping over for the night, as they would have guests and a grand gala, and Kiarha didn't like either of those.

The duke and duchess knew how much Luke hated Kiarha, so they assigned her to the guest room on the ground floor.

As Luke made his way to the bathroom, he found Kiarha making her way to her assigned guest bedroom. Kiarha noticed him and shot a glare before entering her room and slamming the door behind her.

Luke rolled his eyes and walked inside the bathroom. He pressed a button on the sink with the letter "L" on it and his bathroom essentials came up. A razor, a golden toothbrush with strands made of charcoal to help clean his teeth better, some pearl toothpaste, and shaving cream. He brushed his teeth and went to his room, scanning his retina, thumbprint and face as security measures before plopping down onto his soft wool bed.

This is going to be much more complicated than I thought.

The next day, they met in the dining room for breakfast. Kiarha and Luke sat in opposite chairs and glared at each other the entire time while their parents discussed the new trade route along Brundidge and Kalna, and why it was dangerous.

Baroness Mennona was clearly unimpressed at the incompetence of the engineers, while Duke and Duchess Schuyler were agreed that at least trades were possible now.

As their black car pulled up outside the gates of the Schuyler manor, Luke shot Kiarha one final glare before returning inside with his parents following suit.

She's still the same, even in this life. I'll make sure I claim the throne before she does.