Vivian had died so miserably. Until that point, she had sought divine intervention countless times.

Even just before her death, sitting on the balcony railing of the desolate Raine mansion, she had prayed desperately to turn back time, promising to do anything if only her parents could be returned to her.

‘If that’s the case, yes, I can make up for my mistakes.’

In truth, she wasn’t entirely sure what her mistakes had been. But to become that miserable, she must have made some mistakes. Vivian kept tracing the origins of her misfortunes and eventually reached one conclusion.

‘I shouldn’t have been obsessed with being first place from the beginning. That’s when my life started to go wrong…… Always trying to be first, blaming myself and suffering when I failed, pushing myself harder, not looking around me and only causing harm…… I never thought about what I truly liked, just ran like a racehorse. Academy grades didn’t even matter much after graduation……’

But she hadn’t known that then. The Academy and grades were all she knew of the world, and her only dream was to graduate at the top of her class and become an heir no one could dispute. However, she learned too late that being an heir required more than just good grades.

Only after those bitter trials did she realize that before becoming first or an heir no one could look down on, she should have first contemplated what made for a “happy life.”

‘I’ll leave being first at the Academy to Luciel and focus on living happily. Happily with Mother and Father…… This time, I absolutely won’t lose them so meaninglessly! It might not be bad to live somewhat according to Father’s wishes. I could also study what I truly want, regardless of grades. There are many things worth challenging myself for besides claiming the top spot.’

If the result of living by her stubborn pursuit of first place was such a miserable death, perhaps betraying her past self would be more helpful this time.

Her efforts in her past life had been for others’ recognition. She thought people would acknowledge her if she topped the Academy, received the highest award for her thesis presentation, or generated the best profits in family business.

As a woman trying to succeed the Raine household, she believed she needed to accomplish at least that much to avoid being disregarded.

‘Even if I had graduated at the top of the Academy, I wouldn’t have been happy…… I would have inevitably craved the next first place.’

Though she had never achieved first place, she could easily imagine it.

She might have felt sweet euphoria the first time she got first place, but how long would that joy have lasted? In the next competition, she would have driven herself even harder to get first place again. She couldn’t have forgotten the thrill once tasted.

Only after going through a hellish life did she realize: if loved ones are by your side, you can always be happy even without being first. Even after entering the Academy, she had always been happy, but she alone hadn’t known it.

‘Vivian Raine, you fool! You should cherish this moment. How precious this is……!’

Vivian burrowed under her blanket and wiped her emerging tears with her pajama sleeve. But her mind must have grown more peaceful, as her eyelids gradually closed.

⁕⁕⁕

The next day, Vivian woke early when only the kitchen maids had barely risen. She draped a shawl over her shoulders, lit an oil lamp, sat at her desk, and pulled out a notebook. It was an expensive red leather-bound notebook her father had brought back from an inspection trip to a neighboring country.

Her seventeen-year-old self had cherished this notebook and used it as a diary. Reading the last diary entry, she saw that even then she had been determined to beat Luciel in the next exam.

“It was all pointless, Vivian.”

Without any grand life goals, she had gained nothing from trying to win only the competition right in front of her. Sighing softly and parting ways with her past self, Vivian turned another page and picked up her pen.

Below the heading ‘Key Events,’ she wrote down one by one the events from her past life that remained in her memory. Vivian was actually a truly intelligent talent before being a relentless hard worker, so despite these events being from long ago, she could fill four pages densely with events she remembered.

‘If my actions change, some events might not happen or might unfold in completely different directions……’

Vivian anticipated the massive changes a small crack could bring. But the grand flow of world history, which such a small factor as herself could hardly change, might still proceed similarly.

Turning another page, Vivian wrote ‘Action Plan: Strive to Live Happily’ at the top, then after pondering deeply, began to scribble with her pen.

‘Make friends, exchange tokens of friendship, tell Mother and Father I love them whenever possible, have pretty dresses made, attend palace parties, learn to dance, travel, get completely drunk, read novels I’ve wanted to read, study what I truly want regardless of exams……’

She continued writing things she had considered useless in her past life, seemingly without tiring. Things she had thought worthless yet secretly envied and wanted to try.

A smile tinged with regret appeared on Vivian’s lips as she diligently created her list. Only after her father’s death did she realize that all these things she had considered useless were actually the most important. To live happily, she shouldn’t have postponed the small happinesses scattered throughout life with the thought, ‘I can do that later.’ Those small joys accumulated to make the entire life happy.

But by the time she realized this, everything was too late, and she couldn’t attempt even the smallest wish among them.

She recalled herself sitting in a dim corner with books, solely studying for exams with the singular determination to beat Luciel, while others enjoyed their brilliant youth at the palace ball. If she had enjoyed it, that would have been fine, but in truth, it hadn’t been enjoyable even then.

Still, she had to believe she was right, that she was happy. She hypnotized and pressured herself. Because that was the only way to avoid becoming more miserable. But this time, Vivian firmly resolved not to live by deceiving herself.

That’s why, immediately after breakfast, she ran to her mother and asked her to find a good dance instructor.

“Vi-Vivian? Are you serious?”

While Selena looked incredulous, even Ezburn froze beside her, neither raising nor lowering his teacup, thinking, ‘Is she angry because I told her to learn dancing first?’

“Yes! I’m serious. I’d like someone who can correct my posture too, as Father suggested. Oh, and Father! I’d like to have several dresses made as well. Would that be alright?”

By that point, even the maids serving tea nearby had frozen with their mouths agape.

Once he came to his senses, Count Raine hurriedly brought in a famous dance instructor, lest Vivian change her mind.

“How do you do, Lady Raine? I am Ballerine Rondo Clognac. Please call me Madame Clognac.”

A beautiful lady who maintained an upright posture and slender figure despite her advanced age introduced herself.

Though Vivian had only barely learned the basics of dancing before her debutante, she clearly remembered the reputation of Viscountess Ballerine Rondo Clognac. She would become even more famous in a few years as the dance instructor of a certain duke’s daughter who would make a splendid debut.

“I know your reputation well, Madame. I’m afraid I’ll trouble you as I’ve learned so little about dancing, but I humbly request your guidance. I don’t want to embarrass myself at the New Year’s ball, at the very least.”

Vivian spoke kindly to Madame Clognac with gently creased eyes. The Madame showed favor toward the warmly approaching Vivian, but when she discovered that Vivian didn’t even know the basic steps of the waltz, her complexion turned pale.

“The New Year’s ball… you mean the Grand Fête, don’t you? Oh my…… with less than two months remaining.”

Madame Clognac undoubtedly thought it impossible to teach her all the dances needed for the ball by then.

“Madame! Though I know nothing now, I’ll do my utmost to learn. I promise not to disappoint you, so please help me!”

Vivian’s eyes seemed to blaze with fire. Madame Clognac smiled in agreement, but inwardly thought ‘absolutely impossible.’ It would take at least a month just to make the basic waltz steps flow naturally.

But that thought was only possible because she didn’t know Vivian, the relentless hard worker. When Madame Clognac returned to the mansion the next day after having taught the basic waltz steps, she doubted her eyes upon seeing Vivian who had perfectly mastered the steps overnight.

“This shouldn’t have been possible to incorporate so quickly……”

Looking disbelieving, Madame Clognac noticed wounds on Vivian’s feet as she diligently practiced the steps before her—injuries caused by constant rubbing against her shoes.

Remembering Vivian’s smooth, milky feet that had been flawless just the day before, Madame Clognac realized this young lady was extraordinary.

When a student is this dedicated, a teacher naturally becomes passionate. Watching Vivian exhale heavily after finishing the waltz, Madame Clognac nodded with determined eyes.

“You exceed my expectations, Miss. Very well. I will teach you all the dances within two months. Dancing is not just about following steps but about riding the rhythm of the music and creating elegant harmony with your partner. It won’t be easy to accomplish all this within two months, but let’s do our best. However, first, we must address that hunched posture. Your dancing won’t look beautiful with poor posture.”