Tell Me To Regret, Don’t Tempt Me - Chapter 18
Chapter 18
Vivian was only able to enter the palace a week after the incident.
On the carriage ride to Dovelia Palace, Vivian sat stiffly in her seat with a solemn expression, while Daisy, looking at her daughter, couldn’t help but feel worried.
The palace had been in turmoil for a week.
The Empire’s only crown prince had been wounded. The knife that had pierced his throat left a long scar. It wasn’t a deep wound, but it was enough to turn the palace upside down.
The Emperor was furious, demanding improved security in the capital from the Imperial Knights and nobles. As a result, Terran Dinever became busy as well.
The imperial security had become stricter, with multiple layers of guards. Those without any special business couldn’t enter the palace for the time being.
It was a big exception for Vivian and Daisy to be allowed into the palace.
“Duchess, Lady. We’ve been expecting you.”
As always, Alina, the Empress’s maid, welcomed them.
“The Empress has summoned you both to the rear garden.”
Following Alina, they entered the rear garden. Even in the Empress’s palace, the autumn had arrived, and the small but beautiful garden was now adorned with autumn flowers and vibrant leaves.
“Greetings to Her Imperial Majesty the Empress.”
“Greetings, Her Majesty the Empress.”
The Empress, who had been strolling in the garden, beamed at Daisy and Vivian.
“Welcome. Daisy. Welcome, Vivian. The atmosphere in the palace has been so stiff lately, it’s good to see you two.”
Vivian could not look up at Empress Annette’s words.
“Vivian, you must have been quite startled as well?”
Annette lowered her head and held Vivian’s hand, who was bowing deeply.
“I-I’m fine.”
“How can you be fine… You were supposed to be enjoying the festival for the first time, but you had to go through such an ordeal. It must have been so frightening and disappointing.”
Empress Annette stroked Vivian’s little brown head gently.
“You said you wanted to see the crown prince?”
“Yes. Your Majesty.”
Empress Annette smiled slightly at Vivian, who bowed her head even lower, then called Alina.
“Alina. Please escort Vivian to Louis.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The Empress, who had asked Alina to take Vivian, brought her beautiful face to Vivian’s ear.
“Louis is fine, really. Too fine, in fact… Don’t worry too much, Vivian.”
Winking at Vivian as she looked up, the beautiful Empress smiled.
After bowing to the Empress and following Alina, Vivian pondered what Empress Annette had said.
‘Too fine’…
With a puzzled look at the Empress’s cryptic words, Vivian climbed into the carriage waiting for her. The carriage, smoothly departing, was heading not towards the Prince’s Palace, but elsewhere.
“Alina, where are we going right now?”
Vivian asked as the unfamiliar landscape began to unfold.
“His Highness the Crown Prince is currently in the Emperor’s Forest.”
“The Emperor’s Forest?”
The Emperor’s Forest was a forest located a bit away from the Dovelia Palace, where no one could enter without permission from the imperial family.
The dense forest, with its venerable trees showing the depth of time, was solemn and reverent. The air emanating from the entrance of the forest was cool and clear. As they ventured deeper, the sunlight filtered through the tree shadows added to its value. The light seeping through the leaves felt like a sanctuary.
The carriage came to a stop, and there was a small cabin.
“We’ve arrived, my lady.”
“Is Louis here?”
Alina smiled softly and opened the carriage door.
As Alina stepped out of the carriage and Vivian peered her head out, a hand suddenly appeared in front of her.
“You’re late.”
It was Louis’s hand, scarred, thick-knuckled and firm, a stark contrast to his pretty face
“Louis.”
“Come on down. Someone’s been waiting to see you.”
At Louis’s urging, Vivian took his firm hand and stepped out of the carriage. As autumn arrived, the ground was damp and lush. As her feet touched the ground, Vivian looked at his neck, wrapped in a silk handkerchief embroidered with the crest of the imperial eagle.
“Why?”
Suddenly turning to face the stiff Vivian, Louis touched the area of his neck where Vivian’s gaze landed.
“Didn’t the Empress tell you? I’m fine.”
“She did mention it.”
“Then what’s with that expression?”
“It’s just…”
“Come on, let’s go. There’s someone waiting for you.”
At Louis’s urging, Vivian moved with heavy footsteps. Suddenly, the cabin door burst open.
“Long time no see!”
The person who came out of the cabin door was an unfamiliar child. A boy with light blond hair and blue eyes like an unfrozen lake in the cold of winter.
Blue eyes…
Tilting her head, thinking the eyes looked familiar, Vivian’s thoughts were interrupted as someone firmly ruffled the boy on the head.
“Didn’t I tell you clearly that the lady and gentleman from the circus tent were His Highness the Crown Prince and the one and only Young Lady of the Duke of Dinever! Did I not!”
The person who had ruffled the boy’s head was Raiden. The boy, with his head ruffled, shot a glare at Raiden before turning to Louis and Vivian with a bright smile.
“Greetings to His Highness the Imperial Prince. Hello, my lady!”
Vivian blinked quickly at the sight of the boy.
“That’s right. The boy we met at the circus.”
“How, how did he get here…?”
As Vivian stood there, still blinking in confusion, the boy approached her with a grin.
Swoosh!
The boy embraced Vivian, catching her off guard.
“You rascal!”
The first to react was Louis, standing next to them. Swiftly separating the boy from Vivian, Louis grabbed the boy’s ear and pulled.
“What disrespect is this towards a noble lady?”
“Ow! Ow, it hurts! Your Highness!”
“Apologize quickly.”
“But I was just happy to see her…”
As Louis glared sternly, the boy who had pouted out his lips quickly bowed his head.
“I was just happy… If that was disrespectful, I’m sorry.”
Surprised that the boy from the circus was here in the Emperor’s Forest, and then startled by his sudden hug, Vivian was floundering in a sea of confusion.
“Let’s go inside and talk. This forest doesn’t get much sunlight, so it’s cold out here.”
It was said to be a cabin used temporarily by those who managed and worked in the forest. The cabin Louis led them into was small but very cozy. A fire was burning brightly in the fireplace on one side of the cabin.
“To put it simply, I had Raiden bring Aitor and Lily here.”
Louis said as he tossed another log into the fireplace.
“Aitor anf Lily?”
“Oh! I’m Aitor. Aitor Turner.”
The boy, looking surprisingly neat, introduced himself.
“And Lily is the Teria. She’s my friend.”
Louis, Vivian, and Aitor sat down on the three chairs placed near the fireplace. Raiden, after glancing around for a moment, left the cabin.
“I really wanted to express my gratitude in person.”
Aitor’s face was flushed. It was unclear whether it was due to the warmth of the fire’s flames reflecting or his shyness.
“If you hadn’t come forward first, My Lady, I wouldn’t have been able to get His Highness’s help, and we wouldn’t have been able to save Lilyi.”
The boy approached Vivian and grabbed her small hands resting on her lap.
“Thank you so much.”
Louis, watching from the side with his arms crossed, raised an eyebrow.
“Take your hands off.”
At Louis’s stern voice, Aitor, who had grabbed Vivian’s hand, blinked in confusion and withdrew his hand.
“I can’t even hold hands?”
“No. You can’t.”
“Nobles are so difficult. Can I at least call you Vivian?”
Vivian looked at Aitor with a pitying gaze as he lowered his shoulders and peered at her with pleading eyes.
“Well, that’s…”
As Vivian trailed off, Aitor hurriedly added.
“The crown prince is the crown prince, so……. But can’t I call you by your name, Vivian?”
Aitor’s eyes, as blue as a clear spring, sparkled. Entranced, Vivian nodded her head.
“Really? Can I really call you Vivian?”
Aitor grinned like a bud blossoming in the warmth of spring and opened his arms to her.
That motion seemed like he was about to hug her again. Crouching down, Vivian was startled.
Suddenly, Aitor tumbled to the floor with a thud, covering his nose.
“Ow! That hurts. Why did you suddenly trip me? Your Highness!”
If Raiden had been there, it would have been considered another rude gesture deserving a smack, but Louis seemed unfazed. Ignoring Aitor’s complaints, Louis casually rotated his ankle.
“I clearly said it was disrespectful to hug a noble lady suddenly. If your learning ability is this poor, I suppose you’ll have to learn through physical experience, won’t you?”
Frowning and holding his nose, Aitor sneaked a glance at Louis and stuck out his tongue behind his back.
“Aitor!”
The cabin door opened, and Raiden entered, calling for Aitor.
“I think you need to go see Lily for a moment.”
“Huh? Okay!”
Aitor quickly scrambled off the floor and followed Raiden outside. With Aitor gone, silence fell over the cabin.
The crackling sound of burning logs seemed unusually loud.
“Aitor is a mage.”
“What?”
Vivian’s mouth fell open at Louis’s statement, which broke the silence. He was staring expressionlessly into the roaring fireplace.
“I don’t know why a child who can use magic would be in such a pitiful state, begging in front of the circus tent. That kid keeps his mouth firmly shut and doesn’t speak.”
In the continent, people who could use magic were not common. That’s why even low-level mages were greatly respected and able to accumulate significant wealth.
“For a 10-year-old, Aitor knows how to use magic to unlock locks. There’s no other way to describe it but as extraordinary talent.”
Vivian pondered Louis’s words. If what Louis said was true, then the boy who had been here a moment ago was a prodigy, a genius among geniuses. In that case, it was understandable why the Teria and Aitor had a deep bond.
“Aitor and Lily will be staying here for the time being.”
Nodding at Louis’s words, Vivian turned her gaze to the brightly burning firewood.
“The Emperor is aware of this. It’s because of Aitor and the Teria that the imperial security is so tight, and we intend to raise Aitor as a pro-imperial mage.”
Louis stood up and added another log to the fireplace, causing the flames to grow even larger.
“I feel I must speak to you. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have helped Aitor at all.”
Louis’s deep golden eyes, meeting the light of the flames, became even more profound.
“So, I’m telling you that you don’t need to feel sorry for the insignificant injury I’ve suffered.”
Louis gently traced his fingers around his neck.
“But I suddenly became curious about something…”
Louis took three steps closer to where Vivian was sitting quietly.
“Are you still unwilling to get engaged to me?”
Louis’s arrogant and curious gaze was directed at Vivian.