Chapter 75

Vivian looked at Louis’s outstretched hand, trying to understand his intention. Blinking, she set down her teacup and placed her hand on top of Louis’s.

“What are you doing right now?” 

Louis asked, looking down at Vivian’s hand.

“…Weren’t you asking for my hand?”

“What are you talking about? I was asking for the tea you’re drinking.”

Startled, Vivian quickly withdrew her hand from Louis’s and clasped her hands over her chest, blushing as she glared at Louis.

“Then you should have said so. When you held out your hand like that, I naturally thought you wanted my hand.”

“I don’t know why that would be natural, but if I made you misunderstand, I’m sorry.”

Louis didn’t seem apologetic at all. He leaned forward and pointed to Vivian’s tea with his finger.

Still fuming, Vivian handed the teapot to Louis. After opening the lid and smelling the aroma, Louis nodded and handed it back to Vivian.

“You seem to like tea quite a bit, Louis.”

“It’s not just ‘seem’; I really do like it.”

Louis took another sip of the tea he had chosen and set the cup down with a satisfied expression.

“My grandfather loved it. He used to take me around to taste different teas and teach me.”

Whenever the topic of the former Emperor came up, Louis’s expression softened noticeably.

“The watch you gave me before. I still have it.”

“I see…”

The pocket watch, which the former Emperor had passed down to Louis, was to be returned if Louis became a great Emperor. While Vivian didn’t know the details of Louis’s relationship with the former Emperor, she could sense how important that watch was to him.

At that moment, the elderly man who had been brewing tea at the bar approached Vivian and Louis.

“How is it? The tea I brewed.”

“Excellent.”

“Your feedback is too brief. The old gentleman used to describe what was good and what could be improved in detail…”

Vivian’s eyes widened at the tea shop owner’s words. It seemed he was acquainted with Louis, and Louis interacted with him without reserve.

“Um…”

“Oh, I apologize for the late introduction. I used to serve the grandfather of your fiancé.”

“Oh, I see. Hello.”

As Vivian stood up to greet him, the tea shop owner waved his hands in surprise.

“Someone destined for high places shouldn’t…”

“I’m not destined for high places yet; I’m still an ordinary person, so you can accept my greeting. Besides, you were close to Louis’s grandfather.”

“Haha, I didn’t come here to receive greetings… My apologies.”

As the tea shop owner fidgeted awkwardly, Louis asked about the type of tea Vivian had ordered.

“Oh, that. It’s a floral tea made from flowers that bloom on the northern cliffs. It’s a unique flower with a light fruit scent.”

The old man, excitedly boasting about the tea, was poked in the side by his wife.

“Stop interrupting their date and come quickly. You’re so clueless.”

The old man shivered at his wife’s nudge and laughed, scratching his head.

“Pack some of that tea for us to take when we leave. And include the recipe.”

“Yes, I’ll do that.”

Watching the old man being dragged away by his wife, Vivian covered her mouth and laughed.

“He served my grandfather for 30 years. My grandfather especially liked Daon’s tea.”

Watching the two continue to bicker while organizing the tea area, Louis’s expression relaxed slightly.

“Do you come here often?”

“No. It’s been two years since I last came. I thought you might like this place, Vivian.”

At Louis’s words, Vivian pressed her lips together, trying not to smile, and lowered her head. Until she got into the carriage, she had been worrying about how to deal with Louis.

Vivian had been disappointed and upset with Louis for trying to exclude her from the plan by using her father. She didn’t know what conversation he had with her father, but Louis had a rather stern expression when he left.

Even when Aitor suggested the date, Vivian hesitated, but she now thought it was a good decision to come out.

“Shall we move on if you’ve finished your tea?”

Daon had prepared not only the tea Vivian drank but also several teas she might like, as Louis had requested.

He handed them a paper with the recipes carefully written out and asked them to come again next time.

After bidding farewell to the elderly couple, Louis and Vivian started walking along the Zenta River. Perhaps due to the dreary weather, there weren’t many people on the street.

“I didn’t know there was a place like this in the capital.”

“I heard it’s just starting to become popular. It used to be full of old, rundown buildings, but young people have started opening unique shops, and it’s slowly becoming more lively.”

As she listened to Louis’s explanation, Vivian examined the shop signs closely.

“The signs are unique.”

“They include pictures so that even those who can’t read can find them easily.”

Vivian clapped her hands at the clever idea.

The Tapeullon Empire had a high illiteracy rate. Half of the commoners couldn’t read or write properly, so these unique signs were something only seen in places like this, where most customers were commoners.

“I hear that even young nobles are starting to visit this place. If that happens, it might become like any other place or even worse. So the merchants here are forming an association to prepare against the tyranny of nobles, Daon said.”

“There are many nobles who can sniff out money like ghosts. If the opponent is a commoner, they won’t hesitate to use any means.”

Louis nodded in agreement with Vivian’s words.

“Daon asked for advice, and I wanted to see this neighborhood at least once. This could be a good example to revitalize other underdeveloped areas.”

Louis was right. Over 20 years after the war ended, as the economic activity of commoners increased, problems began to arise everywhere.

Lacking the power to stand against the tyranny of nobles, they suffered many injustices, and unless seen directly, people in high positions like Louis or Vivian often didn’t know about them.

“I’ll think about whether there’s a good way to help.”

Vivian liked this place. Unlike the bustling areas that mainly catered to nobles, she wanted to protect the vibrant streets.

As they continued their conversation, walking along the Zenta River, they stopped at the sight of a familiar hair color.

“Oh? Louis!”

It was none other than Arnold and Reina.

“What are you doing here? Oh… You two came out together.”

Arnold, who had spotted Louis from afar, ran over and stopped short, noticing Vivian, and then glanced back at his sister.

“Hello, Arnold. It’s been a while.”

“Haha, yes, it has. Reina, what are you doing? Aren’t you going to greet them?”

Even as he greeted them, Arnold kept glancing behind him. As Reina stood frozen in place, Arnold spoke to her.

After a moment, Reina slowly approached and bowed her head to Louis.

“Hello.”

“Yes. Arnold mentioned that you were ill. Are you feeling better now?”

As Reina greeted him, Louis inquired about her well-being. It was only then that Vivian took a closer look at Reina’s face.

Her cheeks were sunken, and her eyes were hollow. Her skin looked rough, and without makeup, she appeared gaunt. She looked quite different from the Reina Vivian usually saw.

“Thank you for your concern.”

Reina’s voice, as she bowed deeply without properly looking at Louis, didn’t sound like her usual voice. The confident and assertive tone was replaced by a weak and trembling one.

“By the way, what brings you here?”

Arnold, who had been looking at his sister with concern, asked Louis.

“A date.”

Arnold and Reina couldn’t hide their surprise at Louis’s unexpected answer. Reina involuntarily lifted her head, then lowered it even more than before, biting her lower lip.

Vivian hadn’t expected Louis to say that either.

The most surprised of the three was Arnold.

“Da… ahem. Huh? A date?”

Startled, Arnold’s voice rose in pitch as if his throat was blocked. Watching Arnold with a look of disdain, Louis grabbed Vivian’s wrist.

“Well, we’re leaving.”

As Louis pulled her along, Vivian began to move, almost losing her balance but managing not to fall. However, they didn’t get far before they had to stop.

“Louis, how about we go together?”

Arnold hurriedly blocked Louis’s path. Louis raised an eyebrow at him. Seeing this, Arnold flinched and took a step back but didn’t clear the way.

“It’s such a coincidence that we met here, let’s hang out together. I know this area very well, you know? Right, Louis?”

He seemed somewhat anxious. Louis, who was quietly observing his friend, turned to look at Vivian.

It was a look seeking her consent. As Louis looked at Vivian, Arnold, who was blocking Louis’s path, stood beside Vivian.

“There’s a dessert shop that’s trendy among young people these days. Would you like to go? You won’t regret it.”

Arnold seemed somehow desperate.

Vivian didn’t know Arnold well, but his desperate demeanor made it difficult for her to refuse, and she hesitated to speak.

“You don’t have to join us, Vivian.”

Perhaps noticing Vivian’s hesitation, Louis spoke.

“No, it’s fine. If Louis doesn’t mind, I don’t mind either.”

As Vivian gave her consent, Arnold’s face lit up instantly. After thanking them for the fourth time, Louis urged him to lead them to the dessert shop.

Arnold and Reina led the way, with Vivian and Louis following a short distance behind.

“Um…”

Arnold, who had stopped at a place not far from the tea shop where Vivian and Louis had been, began to fidget in embarrassment.

“Why is it closed today?”

The door was firmly shut, and the inside of the shop, visible through the large window, was dark with the lights off.

“Arnold.”

At Louis’s low, cool voice, Arnold shivered and made a strange expression, neither laughing nor crying.

“I’m sorry. Haha.”

Reina, who had been glaring at her brother, sighed deeply and bowed her head to Louis.

“I’m sorry. My brother wanted to cheer me up and said he knew a good dessert shop, but it turned out like this. He probably really didn’t know.”

Reina, who bowed her head politely on behalf of her brother, seemed like a different person. The Reina Vivian knew was always arrogant and haughty, so this unfamiliar side of her left Vivian bewildered.

Perhaps because of that, Vivian opened her mouth to speak without realizing it.