Chapter 35

Autumn arrived in Raspol slowly and very quietly. It felt like the heat had just subsided, but the ripened crops and the leaves changing color signaled the arrival of fall.

As usual, Vivian was sitting in the sunniest spot, reading a book. However, the pages of the book she was reading remained at the same place where she had first opened it.

“Vivian, the Crown Prince is coming to Raspol this time.”

Duke Tereon’s words kept echoing in her mind.

He is coming. The last letter she exchanged with Louis did not mention anything about him coming to Raspol.

Was it a sudden decision?

With a restless heart, Vivian fidgeted with the edge of her book. Rosie, who had visited Raspol recently, had said:

“Why does the Crown Prince keep getting more handsome by the day? No wonder the other young ladies at the balls go crazy when they see him.”

Vivian had never heard the phrase “go crazy” before, but she had a vague idea of what it meant.

Rosie ranted about how many ladies, with or without hidden agendas, approached the Crown Prince since his fiancée, Vivian, was not in the capital.

Vivian had hidden her mixed feelings of bitterness and frustration and smiled at Rosie.

“Sis!”

“Oh, you scared me.”

Ian, who had sneaked up quietly, startled Vivian.

“Hahaha.”

Seeing Ian clutching his stomach and laughing at her surprise, Vivian smiled wryly and picked up her fallen book.

“Sis!”

Ian burrowed into her arms and hugged her waist tightly with his short arms.

“What trouble have you caused this time?”

“No, nothing like that.”

“Are you sure?”

Ian’s glossy brown hair shimmered as he shook his head vigorously in her arms.

Ian Dinever, Vivian’s younger brother, seemed to have something to say. Vivian patted his head and waited for him to speak.

“Sis….”

Ian peeked up and finally spoke.

“Sis, who is the Crown Prince? Who is he that you are going to marry him?”

Vivian blinked in surprise at Ian’s question. She had never expected such a question from her brother and found herself at a loss for words for the first time in a long while.

“Well….”

“Don’t get married!”

Ian’s forceful hug almost made Vivian fall backward. Just a while ago, he was a little boy who often tripped while walking, but now he had grown stronger, sometimes surprising her with his strength.

“Ian.”

“I don’t want you to get married, sis. Don’t get married and stay with me. Okay?”

Vivian barely held back her laughter at her adorable brother’s whining.

“Even if I get married, I’ll still be your sister.”

“Then promise!”

“Promise what?”

“Promise you won’t forget that I’m more important to you than the Crown Prince!”

The comparison was flawed from the start, but Vivian nodded at her cute brother’s demand.

* * *

“How do you feel about going to see your fiancée after such a long time, Your Highness?”

Louis, who had boarded the long-distance carriage heading to Raspol, frowned at Arnold sitting across from him.

“Why are you creasing that handsome face? Not that it makes you any less handsome. Those creases are a waste. Do you know how scary you look when you frown?”

Arnold smiled broadly as he looked at his old friend, Louis.

“Why are you here?”

“What do you mean, why? Did you forget that I agreed to come with you?”

“I distinctly remember declining.”

At Louis’s words, Arnold opened the carriage window and shouted.

“Let’s get going!”

The carriage began to move. Along with the carriage carrying the Crown Prince and his friend Arnold, three other carriages lined up and started their journey.

“Why is someone who’s getting engaged next month here now?”

Arnold’s face stiffened as he had been enjoying the scenery.

“Don’t even mention it. I don’t know if I’m getting engaged or making a business deal.”

Louis smirked disdainfully at Arnold’s words.

“I knew noble marriages were like this, but seeing the documents being exchanged, it feels like buying and selling goods.”

“You were all excited about her portrait when you heard she was pretty.”

“What’s the use of that? I haven’t even met her alone yet! Her brothers tag along, and I almost wet myself. I don’t even remember her voice.”

Arnold began recounting the story of his first date after the engagement talks, where his fiancée’s two brothers had accompanied them. Louis, who had started reading documents, didn’t pay much attention.

“Not even listening to your friend talk….”

Arnold pouted as he looked at his indifferent friend. Watching Louis meticulously go through each document with his long, elegant fingers, Arnold began to observe his face.

Louis, who seemed to have grown taller alone, stood a head above most people. Looking up at him could easily crush one’s self-esteem.

Especially the officials or his aides, who seemed to avoid Louis, and Arnold had a good idea why.

His face was so handsome. Even though he had been engaged since he was 13, seeing the young ladies in the capital drool over Louis left a bitter taste in Arnold’s mouth. It was also embarrassing that his own sister was among those young ladies.

“Has it been five years?”

“Six years.”

Without taking his eyes off the documents, Louis replied.

“It’s the first time since the funeral, right? Aren’t you curious about how Lady Vivian has grown?”

“…….”

Louis pressed his lips together, as if too tired to speak, but Arnold continued.

“She wasn’t ugly, but she was a bit plain, right? That’s how I remember her.”

Arnold rubbed his chin, trying to recall.

“If nothing else, her eyes were really beautiful.”

With that, Louis lifted his head.

“Lady Dinever is rumored to be very intelligent. The tenant tax law that was implemented as a trial in the duchy is being highly praised among the citizens of the empire. They say she created it.”

“Don’t you have anything better to do?”

“What?”

The golden eyes that had been staring at Arnold returned to the documents.

“Going around collecting rumors about someone else’s fiancée, don’t you have anything else to do? I can see the future of the Bynes Marquisate.”

“What are you talking about?”

Arnold tried to retort to the absurd comment, but seeing Louis close his ears after saying his piece, he just opened his mouth and shut it again.

“Fine, fine. I’m going to take a nap.”

Arnold leaned back into the plush seat and closed his eyes. Once Arnold fell silent, the inside of the carriage became quiet. Louis quietly turned his gaze to look out the window.

After passing through the bustling streets, golden fields stretched out beyond the town. With the harvest season beginning, despite being busy and tired, people could occasionally be seen smiling.

They would soon enjoy the joys of autumn at the upcoming festival.

“Go to Raspol.”

“What?”

“Do you know how many years it’s been since you last saw your fiancée?”

“We’ve been keeping in touch.”

“Are you referring to the report-like letters you exchange every few months?”

Empress Annette sighed softly and put down her teacup.

“While your duties as the Crown Prince are important, it’s not right to neglect your fiancée like this.”

When had I ever neglected her? 

Louis opened his mouth to protest but then closed it tightly at Annette’s words.

“His Majesty the Emperor has also given his permission. So, go to Raspol for the autumn festival.”

Annette, firm in her decision, smiled warmly and added a request that sounded more like an order, asking Louis to bring back a portrait of Vivian’s brother, Ian.

In preparation for the trip to Raspol, Louis had not been able to sleep properly for the past few days due to his workload. He had brought unfinished work to handle in the carriage, never expecting Arnold to join him.

He considered stopping the carriage and leaving Arnold behind but decided to take him along, thinking he might need him somewhere. Louis slowly blinked his tired eyes.

“Aren’t you curious?”

Arnold’s words made Louis realize he was quite curious. His fiancée, who had been small and plain but smart and kind-hearted.

If he had known it would be six years before he saw her again, he would have stayed in Raspol a few more days.

Louis took out the letter Vivian had given him on their engagement day from his jacket pocket.

[To Louis,

I hesitated for a long time on how to start this first letter but finally picked up the pen. I thought I wouldn’t be able to give you this letter if I waited until the engagement ceremony was over.

I confessed that I liked you, but I didn’t hear your response. But I know what your answer is.

I won’t ask you to like me. Affection can’t be forced.

So, I will wait.

Until you like me. I hope you like me before we get married.

Please take care of me in the future.

P.S. – I was a bit sad to hear we were leaving for Raspol right after the engagement ceremony, but we’ll meet again soon, right?

Vivian Dinever.]

Vivian’s small, round handwriting was beautifully written. As he slowly read the letter, Louis folded it back and put it in his jacket.

Although he had exchanged many letters with Vivian, he always kept this one close.

Louis, who had read the first letter given to him by the 11-year-old Vivian, folded it neatly and put it back in his jacket pocket.

He picked up the documents again. He planned to go through all the papers before arriving in Raspol. He quickly focused on the documents, and the carriage drew closer to Raspol.

* * *

The Duke’s mansion in Raspol had been very busy for the past few days. And today, the day the Crown Prince was to arrive, the tense servants moved even more swiftly.

Ian, unfamiliar with the hustle and bustle he had never seen since birth, rolled his eyes, observing the situation.

“Is the Crown Prince that great?”

Ian asked, resting his chin on his hand, as he watched the gardener meticulously tending to the flowers in the well-manicured garden.

“Of course. He is the only son of His Majesty the Emperor and the one who will succeed the throne.”

Ian’s nanny seemed to understand why he asked such a question. Her hands, embroidering a handkerchief that wouldn’t survive Ian’s mischief, trembled as she tried to suppress her laughter.

Ian, who followed his sister Vivian in place of their mother, had cried his eyes out when he learned that Crown Prince Luideos was his sister’s fiancé.

At that time, even the nanny couldn’t console Ian, and they had to call Duke Tereon.

“Is he more handsome than me?”

The nanny, turning her reddened face to suppress her laughter, replied.

“Well, I saw the Crown Prince a long time ago, so to me, you are the most handsome, Young Master Ian.”

Only then did Ian’s pout turn into a smooth smile.

Knock, knock.

Someone knocked on Ian’s door.

“The guests will arrive soon. The Duke asks you to come down.”

“I’m coming!”

Ian answered loudly and, with a deep breath, stepped out of his room.