Tell Me To Regret, Don’t Tempt Me - Chapter 23
Chapter 23
“Hello. Duchess.”
“Yes. It’s been a long time, Marquis de Grande.”
As the Duke of Dinever’s family appeared in the hall, people began to gather around. Before her marriage, Daisy had been the flower of the capital’s social scene, and her return to society was welcomed.
Surrounded by people with their own agendas, Vivian held onto her father, Duke Tereon’s, hand even tighter.
“Haha. It seems the lady is quite nervous.”
“Perhaps she is nervous because this is her first time at a large banquet.”
Tereon smiled lovingly at his visibly tense daughter.
Seeing Tereon and Daisy so at ease made Vivian want to behave as relaxed as her own parents, but her body was stiff with nervousness.
Vivian continued to greet people incessantly following her parents’ lead. After the usual pleasantries and formal compliments, someone new would approach.
Just as Vivian’s head began to spin, a voice echoed through the ballroom announcing the arrival of royalty.
“His Imperial Majesty Emperor Henry Lindez Tapeullon, Her Imperial Majesty Empress Annette Lindez Tapeullon, and His Imperial Highness Crown Prince Luideos Lindez Tapeullon.”
As the doors for the royals on the second floor opened, everyone in the hall kneeled and bowed their heads. Emperor Henry, clad in a red jacket with golden insignia, surveyed the room filled with nobles.
“I am delighted today. How could I not be pleased to see you all at this winter banquet to close out the year after the great autumnal celebration. Enjoy yourselves to the fullest tonight.”
With the Emperor’s words marking the beginning of the banquet, the musicians at one side of the room lifted their instruments. As the beautiful music played, the snow-shaped crystal bulbs on the ceiling of the ballroom began to glow. Snow began to fall gently, unmelting, accumulating in the hall.
Vivian slowly raised her head as the Emperor’s greeting ended and looked up to see the Emperor, Empress, and Louis descending from the second floor in graceful strides.
At first glance, the Emperor was a stunningly handsome man with the same dark hair and golden eyes as Louis. The only difference was that he had sharper eyes and a more cold expression.
She could see why people said they felt intimidated in his presence, as if they had done something wrong, even though they hadn’t.
The Empress Annette, escorted down the stairs by the Emperor, was beautiful today. Her gorgeous dress, which, if worn by anyone else, would have drawn more attention to the clothes than the person, only enhanced her beauty.
And Louis…
Vivian looked away when she saw Louis, right behind the Empress, because she felt like her heart would burst if she kept looking at him.
Her tiny hands pounded against her chest, and her gaze fixed on the orchestra at the far side of the ballroom.
The beautiful music and fantastic lighting created a dreamlike world. As the music and lighting combined, the heat of the reception began to intensify.
“Duchess, it’s so good to see you looking so well again.”
As Vivian tried to focus on the orchestra, someone else approached Daisy and greeted her.
“Oh my. Laila!”
Daisy disregarded Duchess’s formality and embraced the woman named Laila.
“When did you arrive in the capital?”
“I arrived yesterday.”
Vivian looked at them with a puzzled expression at her mother’s enthusiastic reaction.
“You should have let me know in advance.”
“I wanted to surprise you, Duchess.”
While Vivian awaited the end of their joyous reunion, she noticed a child who couldn’t seem to take her eyes off her, blinking with purple eyes.
“Hello!”
A bright, cheerful greeting hit Vivian’s ears like midsummer sunlight. The girl who greeted her so energetically approached her side.8
“Haha. We’ve been greeting each other too long. Rosie, you must say hello to the Duchess.”
“Hello. The Duchess. I’m Rosie Landen.”
“Hello, Rosie. So you’re Laila’s daughter. Laila, Rosie. I must also introduce you to my Vivian. Viv. This is Mom’s old friend, Lady Laila Landen, and her daughter, Rosie.”
“Hello. I’m Vivian Dinever.”
Vivian greeted, trying her best to ignore Rosie’s sparkling gaze.
“Vivian. My Rosie is ten years old, the same age as you.”
Laila looked at Vivian and Rosie with warm eyes.
“I think our little Vivi will have a good friend, too, won’t she?”
“Yes!”
It was Rosie who responded to Daisy’s words, not Vivian. Daisy and Laila couldn’t help but smile at Rosie’s enthusiastic response.
“Shall we go over there?”
Rosie grabbed Vivian’s hand eagerly.
“Sure. Vivian, go have fun with Rosie.”
Before Vivian could nod, Rosie began pulling her away.
“I saw the kids gathering over there earlier. I think that’s where the playroom is.”
Although she wanted to play with the other children her age rather than just greet unfamiliar adults next to Daisy, Vivian wasn’t sure if following Rosie was the right thing to do.
“I think this is the place.”
As they passed through a corridor leading to the lounge and turned right, they came to a large door. Rosie, who had opened it, nodded her head.
“Come in, Viv.”
Had I ever allowed myself to be called by my nickname?
Vivian briefly pondered this as Rosie pulled her inside, leaving no room for further thought.
Inside, children younger than Vivian and Rosie were playing with a nanny.
“Oh. There are only little kids here.”
The sudden arrival of guests caused some of the children who were there first to run to their nannies or burst into tears.
“Why are they crying?”
Shrugging as if she didn’t know the reason, Rosie sat down on the soft-looking sofa.
“Viv, come over here.”
As Vivian sat a bit away from Rosie, Rosie nodded her head after taking a cookie prepared in the playroom.
“As expected, royal cookies are delicious. Viv, do you want one too?”
Rosie picked up another cookie and held it out to Vivian, who stared at it, shook her head, and popped it all into her mouth.
“Viv, you may not know me, but I know you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, my mum used to compare me to you as soon as I did anything wrong.”
Rosie shook her head vigorously, shivering briefly.
“Even my mother is seeing you in person for the first time today. Vivian, aren’t you supposed to be so smart?”
“Not really.”
“Being too humble isn’t good either. That’s what my mom used to say.”
Vivian recalled Lady Laila, whom she had seen earlier.
Did she really say such things?
“Viv, I think you and I are going to be really good friends.”
It had only been 10 minutes since they met. Vivian wondered if it wasn’t too quick to be so sure. Rosie grabbed Vivian’s hand eagerly.
“Viv! Will you be friends with me?”
Rosie’s purple eyes were sparkling more than ever. Vivian nodded her head involuntarily at her bright gaze.
“Yay! Exciting!”
Hugging Vivian tightly, Rosie’s bright smile made the children around them start clapping.
Just as Vivian, who was glancing away at the unexpected applause and embrace, was about to speak, the playroom door swung open wide.
“What’s going on? Why is the atmosphere like this?”
A flamboyantly dressed girl with red hair led a group into the playroom. With a displeased expression, she scanned the playroom.
“Is there only this room available?”
“Yeah. Reina.”
The girl behind her answered.
“Sigh. Can’t be helped.”
Raising her right hand to her head and sighing, the red-haired, gorgeous woman was Reina Bynes, Arnold’s sister.
Reina took a seat on the sofa opposite where Vivian and Rosie were sitting. Giving them a fleeting glance, Reina started talking to the children around her, seemingly uninterested in seeking attention.
“This winter reception seems even more splendid, doesn’t it?”
A girl sitting to Reina’s right spoke up, hoping to win her favour.
“I heard the Empress herself put a lot of effort into it.”
“I heard the Duke of Dinever’s wife also helped with the preparations… I saw her for the first time today, and she was so beautiful.”
Vivian perked up her ears at the mention of her mother’s name. The girls Reina brought along began to praise Daisy’s appearance.
Without realizing it, Vivian focused on their conversation, trying to suppress the upward curl of her lips.
“Hmph!”
She snapped her head up at the sound of Reina’s snort.
“Let’s talk about something else!”
Clearly annoyed, Reina folded her arms and gestured around the room. The quick-witted little girl beside her clapped her hands.
“Have you seen the crown prince? Oh dear. Wasn’t he gorgeous today?”
With that one remark, Reina and the children’s demeanor changed instantly. They all began praising him with hearts in their eyes, one by one.
“I don’t think there’s anyone more handsome than him in the empire.”
“That’s right! Did you see his hair today?”
“Yes, he was handsome with it down, and he was handsome with it up…….”
“I think he’s even taller than last year’s banquet, don’t you think so too?”
“That’s right!”
“Oh… I wish I could see him up close.”
As they clasped their hands together in praise of Louis, it was as if they were praising God.
Vivian, surprised by Reina’s hostility, fiddled with a cookie she wasn’t going to eat as they brought up the subject of Louis.
“Well, what’s next? He’s going to get engaged now.”
This time, the little black-haired lady sitting on Reina’s left spoke up. Her eyes drooped like a puppy’s in the rain.
“Ah. You mean the young lady of the Duke of Dinever?”
“Yeah. They’ve been attending classes together lately.”
“Oh, really?”
Vivian gasped as the conversation shifted from Louis to her, and beside her, Rosie nervously crossed her short legs, wondering what she hadn’t liked so much earlier.
“They said she attended the banquet today…”
“Really? But she wasn’t beside the Duchess.”
“Yeah. I didn’t see her either.”
Vivian considered leaving now. While sitting quietly and waiting for the right moment, Reina suddenly stood up from her seat.
“Crown Prince Louis hasn’t officially gotten engaged yet!”
Reina’s voice was filled with dissatisfaction. She glanced at the young ladies who had followed her and spoke up.
“Don’t you all know the punishment for spreading untrue stories about the imperial family?”
Busy avoiding eye contact with each other at Reina’s sudden formality, the young ladies remained silent.
“Moreover, rumour has it that Duke of Dinever’s daughter is very incompetent!”
Reina didn’t finish her sentence. The reason was…
“Reina, are you hungry? Here, eat this. It’s really delicious. Eat a lot. No, in fact, eat them all.”
Rosie was stuffing cookies of various kinds into Reina’s mouth.