Vivianne was embroidering with Matilda in her room. After confining her strictly to her quarters for some time, Kian had finally permitted her to learn new skills during his morning work hours.

Perhaps he was easing up after pushing her to her limits. Recalling Theodore’s explanation of “disciplining methods,” she quickly accepted this pattern. Rather than wallowing in self-pity, Vivianne had decided to face her situation head-on.

Since declaring to Annabel that she would make Kian happy and never run from her choices, her mindset had somehow changed. Perhaps sensing this shift, Kian had been less harsh with her lately.

“Is it difficult for you, Vivi?” Matilda asked.

“No. Would you like to see?” Vivianne unfolded her handkerchief proudly to display her work. “Look how much I’ve done already.”

“Wow, that’s wonderful. It’s beautiful.”

“Not really. I know it’s sloppy and plain.”

“What? What are you saying?”

Matilda seemed surprised, but Vivianne merely smiled faintly and readjusted her needle. “I have eyes too. I can tell when I compare it to yours.”

Though she was belittling her own work, she didn’t appear particularly dejected. Her tone was matter-of-fact, simply stating what she considered obvious.

“Well, I’m good at this because I’ve been doing it since I was little. You just started learning recently. You’re picking it up quickly for a beginner.”

“Really? This is considered good for my level?”

“Absolutely. You have talent.”

“Thank you, Matilda. It feels nice to receive praise.”

Her blushing cheeks and bright smile were lovely. How adorable, thought Matilda as she stroked Vivianne’s hair affectionately.

“Still, my skills are too embarrassing to give this as a gift yet. I’ll practice more first and give it when my skills improve,” Vivianne said, fingering the uneven stitches on her handkerchief. “It will probably take years before I become as good as you.”

As Matilda had said, being a beginner meant her lack of skill was natural. But that obvious fact existed in a separate realm from giving her work to Kian as a gift.

Thinking about it, Kian was skilled at everything. He was good at mating, dressing her, tying ribbons… it was harder to find something he wasn’t good at. In contrast, she wasn’t good at anything. Dancing the waltz had been her one confidence, but even that proved inferior when they danced together on the coral beach.

Matilda always said nice, pleasant things. But if even Vivianne herself could see her work was a mess, it must truly be terrible.

“Skill doesn’t matter, Vivi. It’s the thought that counts.”

“But it looks too shabby for Kian to carry around.”

“It’s fine, I promise. He’ll definitely love it.”

Matilda looked directly into Vivianne’s uncertain eyes, speaking with conviction.

“It’s a gift for Kian. I’ve never succeeded with gifts before, so I lack confidence.”

“What?”

“The newspaper, the bouquet… Oh, and Kian told me not to bake cookies. He tried all of them just in case but said none were usable. He also said he didn’t want me using hot things because I might get hurt.”

She had her reasons. After consecutive failures, it was natural for her enthusiasm to wane.

“Vivi, this is truly a meaningful gift, regardless of skill. Trust me. The master will definitely appreciate it.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Yes. In Larson, giving a handkerchief to a sailor means ‘I’ll wait for you, so return safely to my arms.'”

Matilda was smiling, but her expression held a certain heaviness. Of course—the sea occasionally devoured people. Since Sophie had met that fate, this held special significance for Matilda.

“The key is to say those words when you give it. Understand?”

None of the gifts prepared with Matilda’s advice had ever succeeded. Perhaps their tastes differed from Kian’s, or maybe her suggestions simply hadn’t resonated with him.

“Yes, I’ll try, Matilda.”

But what did it matter if he rejected it? What did it matter if he didn’t like it? Just because her feelings couldn’t reach him didn’t mean she needed to deny them. As long as she could convey her wish for his safe return, nothing else mattered.

Vivianne smiled, her eyes crinkling prettily.

Just then, they heard scratching at the wooden door—scratch, scratch, scratch—accompanied by whimpering sounds.

“Matilda, I think An has woken up.”

“An?”

“Yes, that’s the puppy’s name. ‘An’ from Vivianne and ‘An’ from Kian.”

Matilda burst into laughter without resistance.

“Is it a funny name? Actually, Kian laughed at it too.”

“No, it’s unique but cute. It’s very like you.”

Though embarrassed, Vivianne seemed pleased to be called cute again. Dimples formed prettily on her cheeks.

“Actually, I didn’t think too deeply about it. Kian wanted to name it ‘Vivi,’ so I quickly came up with something else. Having two ‘Vivis’ would be too confusing.”

The whimpering grew louder. Fidgeting from the noise, Vivianne finally put down her embroidery needle.

“Um, Matilda, I think I need to go to my room. An is still a baby and whimpers when left alone.”

* * *

Whimper—yip! Yip!

Scratch, scratch, scratch—

Could it recognize her footsteps? As she approached the bedroom, the scratching and whimpering became louder and more pitiful.

The moment Vivianne opened the door to Kian’s bedroom, An clung to her skirt hem, wagging its tail frantically.

“…An!”

When Vivianne called its name and crouched down, the puppy rushed into her arms like it had been waiting for this moment.

Whatever made it so happy, it panted while staring intently at Vivianne. “Puppies” were truly so lovable she wanted to nibble them.

During her mermaid days, she had admired seahorses and colorful fish, but she had never experienced something so fluffy and mood-lifting before.

“Are you awake? Were you waiting for me from the moment you opened your eyes?”

Yip! Whimper!

“I’m sorry. I just meant to visit the next room while you were sleeping… I didn’t know you’d wake up so early.”

Being a young puppy, An would fall asleep suddenly, almost like fainting, and then wake just as quickly. And whenever it woke, it would search for Vivianne like this.

Imagining those tiny paws scratching at the door made her heart ache. Though adorable, there was something pitiful about it that she couldn’t ignore.

Was it lonely, separated from its mother and alone?

“You want to go out with me? You can’t.”

Vivianne stroked An, speaking gently, reasoning with her like a child.

“Kian said to keep you here only.”

Kian had placed An in his bedroom. Perhaps because of this, leaving his bedroom wasn’t easy for her, even though no one was stopping her.

“When you grow into a strong dog, we’ll go to the fields and walk on the beach together. Okay?”

…Since Kian said we could do that after you grow up.

“He says you’re too young right now. It’s dangerous. You might get sick or hurt. Plus, we could lose you… because that’s what Kian said. I want to take you out too, but Kian knows better than I do.”

Vivianne murmured continuously while holding An preciously.

“You really seem so fragile, like you might break.”

She carefully, but with slightly more pressure, hugged the puppy that was flailing its limbs.

“I don’t want you to get hurt. I don’t want you to be in pain.”

“Going outside just means getting hurt and feeling pain. There’s nothing good about it.”

Somehow, this felt familiar and melancholic.

How strange—the outside world truly was dangerous for An. She was speaking the truth. Yet why did her heart keep feeling this heaviness?

“Feeling confined? Listen. Don’t be too upset. This is all for your own good. So please be patient a little longer.”

Kiss, kiss. Vivianne pressed her lips to An’s adorable forehead.

“I’m sorry. I must be anxious. I don’t want to lose you.”

Despite all the flailing, selfishly or not, she truly felt that way.

“Without you, this room is… too suffocating and quiet. So please stay with me. Okay?”

An stopped flailing and began licking Vivianne.

“You understand what I’m saying, don’t you? You’re so smart. Good job.”

She rubbed her cheek against An’s fluffy fur. It felt warm and pleasant.

“I missed you. See? I dropped everything—embroidery and all—to come back. I wanted to be with you, An.”

An responded by licking her cheeks until they were completely wet.

“But An, where have I heard these words before?”

Vivianne felt a strange sense of déjà vu from the words that had just left her mouth.