Chapter 31

Yearning to see her sibling soon, but also wanting time to pass slowly to delay the impending farewell with Aitor and Zero, Vivian spent her days with conflicting hopes.

And finally, the day came.

The now-familiar cabin was filled with a chill, perhaps because the firewood had burned out. Aitor, who was quietly watching the cabin, turned around with difficulty.

“Have you packed everything?”

“Yes, Vivi.”

“And Zero…”

Unaware of the impending farewell, Zero was busy attacking a frozen, dead blade of grass. Losing interest quickly, Zero ran to Vivian’s feet and rubbed his face against her.

Feeling tears welling up, Vivian looked away for a moment and saw Louis checking the loaded carriage.

Louis, who briefly met eyes with Vivian, Aitor, and Zero, then began talking to Jayden and Rayden.

Vivian picked up Zero from her feet and buried her face in his soft white fur.

“Zero, you must never forget me, okay?”

As Vivian choked up, Zero, who had been wriggling, started licking her cheek.

“It tickles.”

Tears welled up in Vivian’s eyes. As Zero licked her, a small smile broke out on her tear-streaked cheek.

“Don’t cry. I’ll write letters, Vivi.”

“Okay, I understand.”

Vivian wiped her eyes with her sleeve and smiled at Aitor.

“Alright, it’s time to leave now.”

Louis, who had approached without her noticing, stood next to Aitor.

It was time to go.

Would parting become easier as one grew older? 

Holding back the tears that threatened to burst again, Vivian hugged Zero tightly, who was still nuzzling her, unaware of the farewell.

Aitor climbed into the prepared carriage first.

“It will be tough. But you… you’ll do well.”

Aitor smiled brightly at Louis’s gruff but affectionate farewell.

“Vivian, you need to put Zero in the carriage too.”

Vivian slowly nodded and handed Zero to Aitor in the carriage.

“Woof!”

Sensing something unusual, Zero struggled in Aitor’s arms.

“Zero! Stay still!”

When Aitor scolded him, Zero, with his ears drooping, started whining while looking at Vivian.

“Zero! Grow up healthy, and we’ll meet again.”

At Vivian’s words, Zero perked up his ears and started barking.

“Alright, we’re leaving now. Jayden, take care.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

With those final words to Jayden, who was accompanying Aitor to the magic school, the carriage door closed.

As the coachman cracked the whip, the large carriage wheels began to move. Vivian and Louis watched silently as the carriage slowly made its way down the muddy mountain path, where the snow had started to melt.

“Are you alright?”

Once the carriage was out of sight, Louis asked Vivian.

Contrary to Louis’s expectations, Vivian wasn’t crying. Her eyes and nose were a bit red, though.

“We’ll see them again later, right? Aitor will become a great wizard, and Zero will grow up strong like Lily, and we’ll meet again, right?”

Louis nodded at Vivian’s words.

“Aitor is going down a difficult path, isn’t he? Being admitted to the magic school on the Emperor’s recommendation could make it a thorny path for Aitor, right?”

Louis, still looking at the tracks left by the carriage carrying Aitor and Zero, didn’t immediately respond to Vivian’s question.

“So, please become a greater emperor than Emperor Henry, Your Highness.”

Vivian, who always called him Louis, now addressed him as ‘Your Highness’. Louis turned his gaze from the tracks to look at Vivian.

“I’ll also study hard and try to become a great Crown Princess.”

Vivian’s peridot eyes sparkled. Her peridot-colored eyes seemed to bring spring to the winter forest.

“Alright, do that.”

“You promised.”

Louis chuckled at Vivian’s words and handed her the pocket watch he always carried.

“I’ll give you this as a token of our promise.”

The pocket watch Louis handed over was given to him by Emperor Alexander Lindez Tapeullon, his grandfather. The watch, a cherished keepsake of Emperor Alexander who adored his grandson, was intricately crafted with the royal emblem.

“I can give this as a token to my fiancée. Grandfather would understand. What are you waiting for? Take it.”

Vivian’s small hand received the pocket watch. The watch, heavier than expected, sparkled in the winter sunlight.

“Return it to me when you think I’ve become a good emperor.”

Louis then headed towards the now-empty cabin. Vivian clutched the watch tightly and followed him.

Inside the cabin, Louis slowly examined the place.

“Oh, they left this behind.”

On the mantle was a now-tattered duck doll. The doll was in a pitiful state, far from its original appearance.

“He didn’t even play with it much…”

“Zero carried it around all the time later.”

Nodding, Louis chuckled and handed the duck doll to Vivian.

“Give it to them next time you meet.”

Vivian nodded as she received the worn-out duck doll.

“Alright, let’s go back now.”

Louis and Vivian left, closing the door to the Emperor’s forest cabin behind them.

* * *

Vivian and Louis had busy days ahead.

With the proposal letter exchanged, the grand engagement ceremony was now in preparation. It was the union of the Empire’s royal family and the Duke of Dinever’s house. Nothing could be done carelessly.

The problem, however, was Duchess Daisy, who was suffering from morning sickness. It was her only daughter’s engagement ceremony. She should be overseeing and selecting everything, but even the slightest strong smell sent her running to the bathroom.

People around her felt sorry seeing Daisy lose so much weight.

In the end, the Emperor and Empress took special measures.

“We will hold the engagement ceremony of the Crown Prince and Lady Dinever simply.”

Some opposed this, but no one could strongly object to the firm opinions of the Emperor and Empress.

Even though it was being prepared simply, an engagement ceremony was still an engagement ceremony. Those preparing for the ceremony had to take deep breaths whenever unexpected incidents occurred.

Louis suddenly grew taller, requiring a new fitting for his formal attire, and the crafting of the engagement gift for Vivian was delayed. Despite the continuous small and large accidents, spring arrived, and the engagement ceremony was just around the corner.

“No matter how simple the engagement ceremony is, we must observe proper etiquette.”

Louis’s great-aunt, the eldest of the royal family, sat Louis and Vivian down and explained the significance of many aspects that were omitted from the engagement ceremony.

“Great-aunt, we’re not getting married; it’s just an engagement.”

When the great-aunt’s lecture moved on to post-marriage etiquette, Louis spoke up.

“The Crown Prince’s engagement is as significant as a marriage.”

At Louis’s words, the great-aunt’s white eyebrows twitched, but she soon regained her composure and continued speaking.

Thus, the meeting with the royal elder, which started in the bright midday sun, ended only after dusk had fallen.

“To be that impressive at her age…”

The great-aunt, who had continued her lecture without breaking posture, received Louis and Vivian’s bows and then disappeared.

Walking down the corridor with a stiff body from tension, Vivian glanced at Louis, whom she hadn’t seen in a while.

“Empress Annette did warn us, but I didn’t think it would be this intense…”

Since the great-aunt was out of sight, Louis’s furrowed brow had not relaxed.

“How is the Duchess?”

“She still has a hard time.”

“That’s troubling.”

When Vivian heard that Louis had grown so much that he needed to have his formal attire refitted, she dropped the book she was reading. Her own height, which she had been measuring with Tereon, had hardly changed…

Seeing Louis after a long time, he really had grown taller. Not just his height, but his hands and feet seemed bigger too. Now 13 years old, Louis felt somewhat unfamiliar to her.

It had been about six weeks since she last saw Louis. Yet, he had changed so much.

Vivian’s steps began to slow down.

“Why? Did you forget something?”

As Vivian’s steps gradually slowed to a stop, Louis turned around to look at her.

“After the engagement ceremony… as soon as the ceremony is over, I’m going down to Raspol with my parents.”

Vivian gazed intently at Louis, whose face was gradually being tinted by the sunset that filled the corridor. She waited for him to speak, his expression as unreadable as ever.

“I see. Is that so?”

But that was all.

Why she was going, when she would return, if her return to the capital would be delayed, whether she could come up to the capital every few months—none of these seemed to matter to Louis.

She had thought it might be like this, but seeing it confirmed with her own eyes made Vivian’s eyebrows droop.

“Your Highness. His Majesty the Emperor is looking for you.”

Dave, who was assisting Louis in place of Jayden, came looking for him.

“Understood.”

Vivian nodded at Louis, who was looking at her. With a gesture urging him to go quickly, Louis also nodded and started walking briskly with Dave. Then, stopping and turning back, Louis spoke to Vivian, who stood still.

“You should grow a bit taller by the time you come back to the capital.”

With a playful smile, Louis turned again and walked down the corridor.

* * *

On a day when spring had just begun, the weather was perfect for the engagement ceremony. The capricious spring weather hid its fickle nature, blessing them with a beautiful sky.

The attendees of Louis and Vivian’s engagement ceremony were all high-ranking nobles, family members, and royalty. Though small in scale, nothing was neglected in the ceremony.

“Daisy, are you alright today?”

Tereon and Daisy arrived at the hall where the engagement ceremony was to be held and took their seats. Seeing Daisy’s pale complexion, Tereon asked worriedly, and Daisy forced a smile.

In the front row, her daughter, dressed in formal attire, sat next to Louis. Vivian, who turned her head towards Daisy and Tereon, smiled beautifully, her eyes crinkling.

The Vivian who had yawned in Daisy’s arms last night, claiming she couldn’t sleep well, had vanished, replaced by a rather dignified young lady.

Seeing her brown hair gleaming more than usual today, Daisy had to hold back her tears. She had been unable to properly care for Vivian due to her own illness after her birth.

11 years old.

Watching her young daughter getting engaged at a slightly early age, Daisy momentarily forgot about the small blessing in her belly and felt a deep sense of self-loathing.

If only she had been a little healthier, she could have taken better care of her…

Sensing Daisy’s feelings, Tereon held her hand tightly.

“It’s alright. Today is the day our daughter gets engaged; I can’t miss it. We’re returning to Raspol tomorrow, so I can manage today.”

As Daisy finished speaking, a voice announced the arrival of the Emperor and Empress.