Chapter 51

“May I come in?”

It was Louis, standing slouched with one hand in his pocket by the door.

When Vivian nodded, Louis closed the door to the Duke’s office and slowly looked around.

“It’s my first time in the Duke’s office, and it’s quite nice.”

Louis nodded approvingly. He placed a small leather item he had brought on the table and slowly approached the bookshelf where Vivian stood.

As Louis took a step closer to Vivian, he reached out towards her face.

“Were you waiting for Aitor?”

Startled, Vivian stepped back, and when her back hit the bookshelf, she trembled and clasped her hands together. Louis chuckled at her reaction and slowly ran his index finger over the books on the shelf.

“It seems Aitor will be a bit late today.”

“……Yes.”

Vivian grew more tense at the sound of Louis’s voice close above her head. Unable to breathe, she slowly moved to the left to put some distance between herself and Louis.

She sensed that Louis’s gaze followed her movements.

“How did you suddenly come without any notice……?”

“I have some business with Aitor, and I thought I’d drop by.”

Vivian nodded at Louis’s words and gestured towards the sofa, suggesting he take a seat.

“What book were you looking for?”

Louis asked as he walked toward the sofa Vivian indicated.

“A plant encyclopedia.”

“Plants?”

Louis unbuttoned his jacket and sat on the sofa. He rested his elbows on the armrests, crossed his long legs, and looked at Vivian.

Vivian nodded as she sat on the sofa opposite Louis.

“I saw a plant at Earl Moore’s today for the first time……. Ah!”

As she was about to explain to Louis, Vivian suddenly stopped, as if she remembered something. She leaned slightly toward Louis with a serious expression.

“I met Aitor there.”

Vivian’s voice was small and cautious, as if worried someone might overhear.

“Earl Moore’s has a glass greenhouse, and Aitor was there…….”

As Vivian recounted meeting Aitor in the glass greenhouse at Earl Moore’s, she faltered upon seeing Louis’s expression.

“Did you know?”

Vivian’s voice, which had been low, suddenly grew louder.

“Rather than knowing, it was something I could have anticipated.”

Louis answered Vivian’s question, leaning back against the sofa. He noticed Vivian blinking rapidly, possibly in surprise, and handed her the leather bag he had brought.

“What is this?”

“I thought you might need it.”

The high-quality leather bag was designed to hold documents. When she opened the bag with its red button, it contained a rather thick stack of papers.

Vivian took out the documents and looked at Louis. He gestured with a slight nod for her to go through them.

“This is…….”

“There’s something from Her Majesty the Empress too.”

It was information about the winter banquet held annually in the capital after Vivian had gone down to Raspol. The notes were so detailed and meticulous that even after reading just a few lines, she could vividly picture how things would be used at the banquet.

The last page caught her eye with a description of the white tree that Jennifer and Reina had mentioned the previous year.

“Her Majesty asked me to bring these to you.”

Vivian looked up from the documents at Louis.

“It was almost a year since Her Majesty came to the Crown Prince’s palace. She came to give you these documents.”

Vivian scratched the corner of the paper with her fingertip, observing Louis’s unreadable expression.

“She could have sent someone else, but she insisted that I meet you directly and hand them over.”

Louis recalled his mother, Empress Annette, who had come to the training ground early in the morning, insisting he go personally and handing him the documents. Only after he assured her multiple times did she smile, seemingly relieved.

Vivian felt she understood Empress Annette’s intentions. The weight of the papers matched the weight they carried in her heart.

“And about Aitor…….”

As Louis mentioned Aitor’s name, Vivian raised her head abruptly.

“Before we talk about Aitor, isn’t it customary to offer a guest some tea?”

Louis’s words made Vivian realize she hadn’t even offered him tea. Her face flushed instantly.

“Just a moment, please!”

Vivian carefully placed the documents given by the Empress beside her and hurriedly left the room. Her embarrassment was evident even in her retreating figure.

Louis touched his tingling lips with his fingers, smiling at her reaction.

As she instructed the servant outside to prepare tea quickly and was about to re-enter the office, Vivian paused.

Her thoughts, already jumbled by Louis’s sudden appearance, became even more chaotic.

Louis’s attitude, as if he knew why Aitor was at the Earl’s residence, made Vivian think of the Water Rose.

Seven months ago, Jennifer had befriended Reina, a small flower worth as much as a mansion, a wizard who had procured the flower, Aitor, and Louis.

Vivian quietly arranged the clues and sought the connections.

“Could it be……”

Startled by her own thoughts, Vivian covered her mouth with one hand. But her surprise was short-lived, and her peridot-colored eyes quickly darkened.

Entering the Duke of Dinever’s office, Vivian stood by the door, looking at Louis, who sat leisurely as if he owned the place.

“As expected, Vivian.”

Louis smiled, pulling up the corners of his mouth as he looked at her.

“The Earl Moore’s family is doing something shady related to magic stones, aren’t they?”

Louis nodded at Vivian’s words and uncrossed his legs.

“The Imperial side has been keeping an eye on them, and it seems even the Mage Tower has caught on. That’s why Aitor is in the capital.”

Vivian moved quietly. The winter carpet muffled her footsteps, making no sound.

Vivian sat down and looked at Louis.

“If the Mage Tower is involved, it’s quite a significant issue, right?”

Louis slowly raised his arm to rest his chin on it.

What could be bothering him?

The expression on Louis’s face, which had been unreadable, now showed an emotion Vivian could recognize.

“Is this something I’m not supposed to know?”

Louis looked at Vivian for a moment before shaking his head.

“It’s being investigated secretly, but it’s not something to keep from a smart fiancée.”

Louis stood up, using the armrest for support. He walked to the window, crossing his arms as he looked at a scenery quite different from the one visible from his own office.

“It seems Marquis Cloak and Earl Moore have created double ledgers.”

“What?”

Vivian immediately realized that the double ledgers Louis mentioned were related not just to wealth but to magic stones, and stood up.

“There was a time when a large quantity of high-quality magic stones was distributed on the black market. It was quite a lot.”

“Was it about seven months ago…….”

Louis raised his eyebrows.

“How did you know?”

Louis turned and asked Vivian, who was looking at him.

“Today, at Earl Moore’s, I found a fascinating flower, and according to Aitor, buying that flower would cost about as much as a mansion. While Earl Moore does have a magic stone mine, spending that much just to buy a flower seems a bit…….”

“Sharp. I almost want to hire you as my assistant.”

Louis chuckled and took two steps closer to Vivian.

“Young Lady, the tea is ready.”

Louis stopped at the voice of the servant who had brought the tea.

“Come in.”

After placing the tea, the servant left the office, and Louis picked up the teacup prepared for him.

After savoring the aroma for a moment, Louis took a sip of the tea.

“However, illegal distribution of magic stones isn’t something the Earl’s family could do alone, is it?”

“Could I answer after having some tea? You should drink too, Vivian. The aroma is nice.”

Even while discussing such a significant matter, Louis remained leisurely. Vivian quickly picked up her teacup, took a gulp, and set it down again.

“Is someone chasing you? Why the rush?”

“There’s someone behind it, isn’t there?”

Louis let out a small laugh.

“Yes. Marquis Cloak is behind it. And behind Marquis Cloak, there’s likely a high-ranking official from the Mage Tower.”

Vivian swallowed at Louis’s words.

“It’s not that surprising. There have been people doing such things before. It must have been hard to catch evidence against Marquis Cloak. That old man is very thorough.”

“Then, could the preparations for this winter’s banquet also be…….”

“Yes. I asked my mother for help.”

Vivian felt as if all the pieces of the puzzle were finally fitting together. Why such an important winter banquet was being prepared by young ladies, why Aitor was at Earl Moore’s, and why Louis had come to her with those documents.

“Those documents contain not only information about last winter’s banquet but also a lot of other necessary information for preparing the banquet. Use them as a reference.”

“Understood.”

Vivian bent over to pick up the documents from the sofa. Given their volume, she felt she wouldn’t be able to sleep until late at night if she wanted to read them all before going to the Empress’s palace the next day.

“I’m not expecting much. Just pay close attention to Lady Moore’s actions and words.”

“I understand what you mean.”

Louis nodded and picked up his teacup again. He glanced at Vivian while sipping his tea.

“But.”

Vivian, who had been staring intently at the documents, lifted her head at Louis’s words.

“Why were you waiting for Aitor?”

“Because I didn’t expect to run into him at the Earl’s. He saved me from almost falling into a pond…….”

“A pond?”

“I was trying to get a closer look at the Water Rose…….”

Vivian avoided Louis’s gaze, embarrassed.

“I knew it before, but now I’m certain.”

“What?”

“You’re smart. But when it comes to physical activities…….”

“Th-that!”

Vivian, trying to refute Louis’s words, couldn’t continue. Because there was a bit, just a bit of truth to it.

Vivian was truly relieved that he hadn’t seen her debutante performance.

“I should be going now.”

Having finished his tea, Louis stood up. Vivian followed him to see him off.

Before boarding the prepared carriage, Louis turned around to say goodbye and quietly observed his fiancée, who was craning her neck and looking around as if searching for someone.

“Rayden isn’t here.”

“Why?”

“He’s moving with Aitor.”

“Ah…….”

Seeing Vivian’s disappointed face, Louis’s eyebrow twitched.

“I’ll be going.”

Louis, who had been about to say something to Vivian, let out a small sigh, left a farewell, and turned to board the carriage.

“Louis!”

Vivian called out to him.

“Aitor isn’t doing anything dangerous, is he?”

Louis turned back to look at his fiancée. Having been invited to Earl Moore’s, Vivian’s freckles were not visible, possibly due to makeup. Her hair was neater than usual.

And her peridot-colored eyes were filled with concern.

“……Don’t worry. I’ll protect my people.”

Leaving those words, Louis lightly boarded the carriage. Before closing the door, he looked down at Vivian and then shut it.

“Let’s go.”

At Louis’s command, the carriage quickly departed.