2. Two-Faced Demon, Impregnable Fortress

Vivian’s eyes flew open at that unforgettable name. A stir began among the noble ladies as well.

‘I mustn’t get excited. The Luciel over there is the Luciel from ten years ago. He hasn’t done anything seriously bad to me yet. So this Luciel means nothing to me.’

Vivian took a deep breath, steeled herself, and turned around. She was confident she wouldn’t catch his eye, having dressed so plainly.

Luciel, with his shimmering silver hair flowing down behind the family head as they entered exchanging greetings with surrounding nobles, surveyed the room with indifferent eyes. He certainly looked younger than in her memory.

But his beautiful ruby eyes sheltered by mysterious silver eyelashes, his straight bridge extending from his perfect brow, his sharply chiseled jawline, and his firm, smooth lips remained unchanged. He resembled an artwork crafted by the Winter Queen.

Despite Luciel’s appearance that everyone admired, Vivian felt no flutter. She had worried her past memories might cause her to become agitated, but fortunately her heart remained cold and calm.

‘Good, good. Let’s maintain this composure. That guy is a log, just a log……’

While Vivian was reciting this strange mantra to control her emotions, Luciel’s gaze, which had been scanning the nobles’ faces, flew directly to her and fixed there. His ruby eyes visibly widened for a moment.

‘Ah, yes. It must be surprising to see me here when I should be holed up at home buried in books. But I’ve given up competing with you now. Rest assured.’

Vivian was slightly surprised that Luciel had found her, but dismissed it as merely accidental eye contact. However, just as she turned back toward Selena, pretending to focus on the adults’ conversation by nodding her head:

“Excuse me for interrupting, but might I have a word with you, Miss Vivian?”

All eyes from Selena and the surrounding ladies turned simultaneously to someone standing behind Vivian. Without turning around, Vivian knew exactly who it was.

How could she ever forget that voice?

“My goodness! Are you acquainted with our Vivian?”

Selena asked with expectant eyes at the handsome young man’s request to take Vivian away.

“Yes. I’m Luciel Evanhart, studying together with her at the Academy. Pleased to meet you, Countess Raine.”

“What? So you’re that Luciel Evanhart……”

Vivian felt a sense of urgency to leave before her mother could add anything unnecessary.

“Oh, Sir Luciel! How have you been? Mother, I’ll just have a quick chat with Sir Luciel. It won’t take long.”

Vivian smiled brightly as she greeted her mother. The stiffness in her neck increased as she could clearly see what the surrounding ladies were thinking as they looked back and forth between the two with pleased smiles.

As she made a graceful motion to follow him, Luciel stared at Vivian for a moment as if surprised, but soon led her to sit in an empty chair.

“Are you enjoying your winter break? I was quite startled to see you here, Miss Raine. I understand you didn’t attend the past two years…… Has there been some change of heart?”

“Hmm, just…… I thought I should start participating more in social activities. I’ll be turning eighteen next year, so shouldn’t I start looking for a husband?”

Luciel’s expression showed genuine surprise at Vivian’s answer. His characteristic “irritatingly relaxed smile” completely disappeared.

“Hus……band? Did you just say you’re looking for a husband? You, Miss Vivian Raine?”

This reaction made sense, since the Vivian Raine that the current Luciel knew was a girl who viewed men only as competitors or hyenas. Vivian carefully considered how to explain her change in attitude without causing suspicion.

“I’ve studied desperately for three years but never managed to claim first place even once. So I’ve decided to stop obsessing over being top of the Academy. Instead, I want to find other things to do besides studying. And if I can find a decent husband to help my family along the way, that would be perfect. I want to enjoy ordinary happiness like everyone else.”

Though this was a sentiment she had calmly sorted out over the past two months, admitting defeat in front of Luciel felt quite humiliating. Nevertheless, Vivian smiled as if it didn’t bother her at all.

“Such……! Ha…… Then, is there anyone, any gentleman who seems promising?”

With her head turned away as she felt uncomfortable facing Luciel directly, Vivian couldn’t see that Luciel’s red eyes had taken on a strangely angry light.

An awkward force strained his usually smooth speech pattern, but Vivian didn’t notice this either. She was trying to remain indifferent to Luciel as the maid had advised days ago, and was only half-listening to his words.

“Well, I’ll have to start looking now, won’t I? That’s why I’m attending the Grand Fête. I’m embarrassed to admit it, but as you know, I haven’t had much interaction with other noble children my age. By the way, you’ve always been friendly with other Academy students, haven’t you? Do you happen to know any kind and affectionate gentlemen? If so, I’d appreciate an introduction.”

Vivian spouted words she would never have uttered normally. Sure enough, glancing over, she saw Luciel’s expression had considerably hardened.

It was obvious that a girl who had openly displayed hostility would irritate even someone as polite as him by suddenly asking to be introduced to men.

But Luciel smiled gently again and said, “I’ll try to look, but they say men and women have different perspectives, so I’ll have to be somewhat careful,” leaving a response that was a refusal yet wouldn’t offend her, then departed.

As Luciel walked away, Vivian could finally breathe easily. Though the gazes of noble daughters who had surely been eavesdropping felt piercing, it wasn’t more uncomfortable than conversing with Luciel.

‘If I hadn’t been so fixated on grades, could I have liked Luciel like the other girls?’

The Academy’s female students adored Luciel. Not only for his external appearance—beautiful as if crafted from silver and ruby with a solid physique—but also for his brilliant mind, mysteriously kind demeanor, and family background comparable to a marquis house. He was perfect in many ways.

There were hardly any female students who wouldn’t be flustered if he spoke to them, except for Vivian and the imperial princesses. Even male students looked at Luciel with admiration.

Though a second son, rumors abounded that with his father’s power as Count Evanhart, he would receive at least a viscount title, as he was showered with parental love.

One might expect someone with outstanding looks to be lacking in other areas, but he never lost his position as top student at the Academy, had swordsmanship skills comparable to a knight, and though not particularly talkative, could win people over with just a brief conversation.

The “flower of society” typically referred to beautiful women from powerful families, but if asked who the current flower of society was, most would likely include Luciel’s name.

However, Luciel Evanhart, whom everyone loved, and who seemed to love everyone, was cruel only to Vivian Raine.

‘No matter how the future changes, I will never come to like Luciel.’

That despair and sense of defeat was still vivid when she closed her eyes…… Even though she tried to ignore events that hadn’t happened yet, wounds carved into her soul couldn’t be so easily forgotten.

‘I won’t think about it. It hasn’t happened yet. From now on, I’ll create a future that has nothing to do with Luciel.’

Vivian took another deep breath to calm her churning emotions and stood up, intending to return to Selena.

“Could it be, Vivian Raine? Is that really you, Miss Raine?”

A clear, refreshing voice reminiscent of early summer stopped Vivian as she was about to turn away. Looking back, she saw a charming young lady with lush rose-red hair looking Vivian up and down with an exaggeratedly surprised expression.

“……Adelaide Rudin?”

Vivian searched her memory for a while before finally recalling her name.

“Oh my, it really is you, Miss Raine. But what brings you here? You don’t particularly like parties, do you?”

Her memories of this person became increasingly clear.

Yes. She was the flower of society who truly hated Vivian for competing with men and rejecting traditional female roles. As the eldest daughter of the wealthy Count Rudin and a favorite of the Empress, there were rumors of her engagement to the Third Prince Orban.

With such powerful status, everyone was desperate to impress Adelaide. But Vivian had been closer to despising Adelaide, and Adelaide certainly hadn’t looked kindly upon Vivian either.

Even at the Academy, she would subtly mock Vivian with her “elegant” manner of speaking, but no one ever defended Vivian.

“Are you enjoying your break, Miss Rudin? That dress suits you wonderfully.”

Vivian greeted her politely without answering her question. Adelaide’s expression showed clear surprise.

“Thank you for the compliment. Your dress is something I haven’t seen before? You used to say you’d rather buy more books than spend money on dresses…… Oh, of course, I support your ‘somewhat special’ values. So surely you aren’t planning to wear different dresses for all seven days of the Grand Fête? But then, you’d probably think seven dresses could build a library, so that can’t be the case.”

Finally, giggles began to be heard from around them. Suggesting that wearing different dresses for all seven days of the Grand Fête would make her just another foolish woman obsessed with adornment.