Chapter 50

“Young Lady?”

As Vivian was flustered by Aitor’s sudden disappearance, Jennifer appeared through the large leaves.

“Is something the matter…?”

Jennifer asked, observing Vivian’s expression.

“No, no.”

Vivian hid her shoes under her dress and smiled brightly.

“The flowers in that pond were so beautiful that I ended up staring at them for a while.”

“Oh. You saw the Water Roses.”

Jennifer’s shoulders lifted proudly at Vivian’s words.

“Water Roses. Is that the name of those flowers?”

“Yes. They are quite rare in Tapeullon. My mother went through a lot of trouble to acquire them.”

“I see.”

As Vivian showed interest, Jennifer continued to speak excitedly.

“Water Roses are also very difficult to cultivate, so we have a specially hired gardener who takes care of them regularly.”

“They must be very expensive.”

“Of course! We had to wait quite a long time to get them. A wizard who is close to our family helped us acquire them, and they have been here for about seven months now.”

Just then, Rosie’s voice calling for Vivian echoed through the palm trees.

“Oh my! I was supposed to inform you that Lady Rosie has arrived, but I forgot…”

Jennifer covered her mouth and laughed awkwardly.

“Thank you for the explanation, Lady. Shall we return to our seats?”

“Yes, let’s do that.”

As Vivian and Jennifer walked back towards the tea table, Vivian glanced back. At that moment, Aitor peeked out from behind a large potted tree.

Aitor placed a finger to his lips and gave a childlike grin.

Vivian nodded towards Aitor as she followed Jennifer.

Upon returning to their seats, Vivian saw Rosie and Reina glaring at each other with their arms crossed. It was natural for them to be at odds whenever they met, so the sight seemed normal to Vivian.

Today, Vivian hoped Rosie would agitate Reina a bit more. Pretending not to notice her childish feelings, Vivian greeted Rosie.

“You’re late?”

“I didn’t mean to be late, but, huh! It’s absurd.”

At Rosie’s snort, Jennifer rolled her eyes and looked at Reina. However, Reina continued to glare at Rosie with cat-like eyes.

“People can make mistakes. Don’t you ever make mistakes?”

At Reina’s words, Rosie’s eyebrows twitched.

“Was it really a mistake?”

“O-Of course. Why would I do such a thing on purpose?”

Jennifer waved her hands in response to Rosie’s question.

Rosie, looking at the sweat beading on Jennifer’s forehead and Reina’s still spiteful expression, uncrossed her arms and straightened her posture.

“Whether it was a joke or a mistake, it was very unpleasant. I hope it doesn’t happen again. I don’t think we can have a pleasant conversation today. Vivian and I will be leaving.”

Rosie stood up and pulled Vivian towards her.

“Touchy, aren’t you?”

Reina’s loud mutter went unheard as Rosie quickly led Vivian out of the greenhouse.

“Rosie! Rosie, wait a minute!”

Vivian, swept along by Rosie’s fierce energy all the way to the carriage, finally stopped her.

“What happened?”

Rosie, about to board the carriage, turned to look at Vivian. Seeing Rosie’s expression, Vivian’s eyes widened in surprise.

Rosie’s eyes were burning with anger.

“Vivi. What time was written on your invitation?”

“Two o’clock…”

“Ha!”

Rosie placed her hands on her hips and laughed incredulously. Looking back at the greenhouse where she had come from, Rosie handed Vivian a crumpled piece of paper.

Vivian slowly unfolded the paper and read it.

“Three o’clock?”

“Yes! Mine said to come at three o’clock!”

Vivian turned back towards the greenhouse.

“Vivi. Get in the carriage.”

Vivian nodded and boarded the carriage with Rosie. As the carriage started and they left Earl Moore’s residence, Rosie spoke.

“Those jerks were definitely playing a trick.”

“Those jerks?”

“Jennifer started hanging around Reina about seven months ago, and she’s been doing all sorts of annoying things since then.”

Vivian was momentarily taken aback by Rosie’s coarse language, but then felt a sense of unease upon hearing that Jennifer had become close to Reina seven months ago.

Tia, who had been waiting in the carriage, blinked rapidly at the sight of the two young ladies returning earlier than expected.

Sensing the tense atmosphere, Tia kept her lips tightly shut.

“Seven months?”

“Yes. Before that, she was so insignificant that you wouldn’t even know she existed, but since spring, she’s been sticking her face into Reina’s group and now seems to be almost like her right hand.”

Suddenly, Jennifer’s words about the Water Roses being planted in Earl Moore’s garden seven months ago flashed through Vivian’s mind.

“Honestly, I was surprised to be chosen to help prepare the winter banquet, but I was even more surprised that Jennifer Moore was chosen.”

Rosie, still fuming, flung open the carriage window. The cold, clear air rushed in, tousling Rosie’s black hair.

“Did they do anything to you?”

The heat in Rosie’s violet eyes began to dissipate, replaced by concern for Vivian.

Rosie lifted Vivian’s thin arm and examined it closely.

“Nothing happened.”

At Vivian’s words, Rosie lowered her arm and looked at her with suspicion.

“Really.”

Vivian smiled at Rosie, her eyes crinkling. Rosie, seeing Vivian’s smile, let out a small laugh.

“Don’t smile like that.”

“Why?”

“Because it makes me reluctant to give you to His Highness the Crown Prince.”

Vivian suddenly remembered something she’d forgotten. Hesitating whether to ask Rosie or not, Vivian finally spoke.

“Rosie. You said you attended last year’s winter banquet, right?”

“Yes, I did.”

“By any chance… did His Highness the Crown Prince dance the first dance with Reina then?”

Rosie, raising her hand to fix her windblown hair, froze.

“Oh. It’s winter now. Winter. Why is the wind so cold?”

Rosie exaggeratedly shivered as she closed the open window.

Seeing this, Vivian’s peridot-colored eyes, usually warm, turned colder than winter snow. Rosie clasped her hands together.

“Sorry! I didn’t mean to hide it…”

Vivian realized that she had secretly hoped what Reina said was a lie.

Though it wasn’t Rosie’s fault, Vivian felt a pang of disappointment towards her. Afraid of revealing her feelings, Vivian turned her gaze to the window Rosie had just closed.

Seeing Vivian silently turn away, Rosie lightly knocked her head with her fist.

She hadn’t meant to hide it.

At first, she had been so furious seeing Reina’s happy smile surrounded by other ladies after the dance that she wanted to pour her drink over Reina’s head.

If she hadn’t made eye contact with her mother, she might have done just that.

For some unknown reason, the Emperor, who was supposed to start the winter banquet, suddenly disappeared from the hall. The Emperor and Empress were supposed to dance first, allowing the other nobles to enjoy the banquet.

With the Emperor gone, all eyes turned to Crown Prince Luideos.

Since Vivian had gone to Raspol, the Crown Prince had not danced at any banquet. The fact that he had to dance with someone other than his fiancée drew everyone’s attention.

Most people expected him to dance with the Empress, but surprisingly, it was Reina Bynes who took his hand.

Later, Rosie learned that the Empress was unwell, and the Crown Prince had no choice but to dance with his friend Arnold’s younger sister. Still, it didn’t feel good.

Because why did it have to be Reina.

Rosie’s mother had stopped her from writing to Vivian about it.

– Sometimes letters can cause a lot of misunderstandings. If you must tell her, why not do it in person?

Following the Countess’s advice, Rosie decided it was better to tell Vivian in person when she visited Raspol in the summer.

However, Rosie couldn’t go to Raspol that summer, so she never told Vivian.

It was something she had completely forgotten.

Now that Vivian knew, it was clear that the cunning Reina had blabbed.

Rosie wanted to turn the carriage around and grab Reina by the collar.

As Rosie clenched and unclenched her fists in anger towards Reina and guilt towards Vivian, the carriage came to a stop.

“You should go back now.”

Vivian said as she opened the carriage door.

“Me? Why? Can’t I get off too?”

The carriage had arrived at Duke Tereon Dinever’s capital mansion, and Vivian was trying to send Rosie home.

“I think it’s best if you go straight home today.”

“Are you mad?”

Rosie’s eyes grew moist. Seeing this, Vivian gently held Rosie’s hand.

“No. Ian has a cold. What if you catch it?”

Vivian was worried that Rosie might catch Ian’s cold, but she also couldn’t let Rosie into the mansion because Zero was wary of her.

“I’m fine…”

“No, you’re not. See you tomorrow.”

Vivian quickly got out of the carriage and closed the door. The carriage started moving, and Rosie’s face, full of regret, grew distant.

Instead of entering the mansion, Vivian turned her steps towards the garden. Tia followed closely behind.

Vivian began to reflect on the day’s events.

Reina’s provocation, her encounter with Aitor, the seven months, and the incorrect time on Rosie’s invitation.

Everything was a jumbled mess, making her mind chaotic. None of her emotions were clear, and they tangled with her thoughts.

“Sigh…”

Vivian sighed without realizing it.

“Tia.”

“Yes, Young Lady.”

Vivian turned and called Tia. Tia, who had been following with a worried expression, quickly responded.

“Could you check if Aitor has returned to the mansion?”

“Yes, I’ll find out right away.”

Determined to help Vivian, Tia nodded firmly and ran towards the mansion. She stopped abruptly and ran back to Vivian.

“Young Lady, are you going to stay here? It’s cold.”

“I’ll be in Father’s study. Come there.”

“Yes!”

Tia answered loudly and quickly ran into the mansion. Watching her, Vivian felt a bit lighter.

In her father’s study, Vivian carefully examined the bookshelves filled with books. She found a rare plant encyclopedia and was about to reach for it when someone knocked on the study door.

“Tia? Has Aitor returned?”

Vivian called towards the door, which slowly opened.

“I’m sorry I’m not the person you were eagerly waiting for.”

The person who entered the Duke’s study was none other than Louis.