Chapter 5
To Hayden
As soon as Hayden recognized the now-familiar handwriting, a small smile appeared on his lips.
It had already been a month since he arrived in the Duchy of Leman. The promise she had made to write him letters every day had not been kept. He thought back to how foolishly anxious he had been, questioning the postman every time he passed by, and sighed quietly as he walked with the letter in hand.
The letter was from his dearest friend and the girl he had quietly loved for so long, Vivian Mabel, the daughter of the viscount.
Back in his room, Hayden locked the door and leaned back against the bed. He opened the envelope with care, treating it like a fragile work of art. When he noticed how fast his heart was beating, he realized just how long he had been waiting for this letter.
Hello, Hayden.
Did you arrive safely in the Duchy of Leman?
The letter began with a gentle greeting, then continued with warm concern for him as this was his first time traveling to another country. Hayden’s expression slowly softened as he read.
I’m a little jealous that you crossed the sea and went to another continent. I wish I could have gone too.
Today I had another lesson with Madam Pourin. I still can’t believe how many forks one meal requires. She said I still have a long way to go, and honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to these lessons. I’m trying because I know it matters, but I think I’m happiest when I’m running around Taniche, not sitting up straight at a table.
That sounded just like her. Hayden laughed quietly, remembering the young Vivian who never failed to explore every corner of Faubert with endless energy.
Oh, and someone important is supposed to be visiting Faubert soon. No one will tell me who it is.
By the time you return, the guest will probably be here too. When you come back, I promise I’ll tell you who it was.
Did I talk too much about myself? I want to hear about Leman.
What is it like in a country that isn’t Argent?
From the one waiting for you,
Vivian
Hayden read the letter slowly, carefully going over every word. Then he read it again. And again. Every time he finished, he returned to the beginning.
The disappointment and frustration he had felt during the past month, waiting so eagerly, faded away completely.
The one waiting for you.
That line stayed with him the most. It felt more special than anything else.
Lying on the bed, Hayden stretched out the letter and held it above him, reading the words once more from a distance. As he relaxed his hand, the letter caught the breeze and gently drifted down, landing on his face.
With his eyes closed, Hayden smiled.
It was a beautiful afternoon.
＊ ＊ ＊
In the end, Vivian never found out who the guest was. Madam Pourin had refused to tell her anything. And of course, the one who knew Vivian best was her mother. The viscountess had chosen the most effective punishment for her curious daughter and had no intention of changing her mind.
So, on the day the guest was supposed to arrive, Vivian sat by the window from early morning, staring outside endlessly.
Her pale face showed clear signs of displeasure. She was already frustrated after enduring several days of strict lessons from Madam Pourin, topped off with her mother’s constant scolding.
Her gaze stayed on the garden, which was so still not even a single petal had fallen for hours. As her body slowly slid down the window seat, she suddenly caught sight of a black car approaching from the end of the drive.
“He’s here!” she shouted.
The car had passed over the hill and was now close enough to see clearly. Vivian’s round eyes lit up with wonder. A wide smile spread across her face as she jumped down from the window seat and clumsily ran down the stairs, her footsteps echoing behind her.
At the mansion’s entrance, people were already bustling about to welcome the guest. Her mother spotted her rushing over and frowned at the sight.
“Vivian, how many times have I told you…”
“Like a proper lady, with grace and manners?”
Vivian scrunched up her nose.
The viscountess shrugged and took a step closer to her daughter, who stood staring out the clear window. Beyond the glass, glowing with the color of fresh summer leaves, a black car was approaching the mansion in the distance.
“You already know the answer.”
“But I’ve never seen a car before,” Vivian protested, tapping the toe of her shoe against the floor.
The viscountess gently patted her daughter’s head. Even though Vivian frowned, her excitement was too obvious to hide.
“Is it a prince coming to visit?”
To Vivian, who had grown up in the countryside, the changing world still felt unfamiliar. Trains and streetcars were spreading across Argent, and cars had already become a common sight in the capital. But in a quiet rural estate like this, such things still felt like stories from a dream.
That only made her more curious and more fascinated.
Who could this important guest visiting Faubert possibly be?
The strange black car in front of her was much bigger and grander than she had imagined. It looked like the kind of vehicle only someone royal could ride in.
The viscountess smiled faintly for her imaginative daughter and spoke in a vague tone.
“We’ll see.”
That small hesitation only added to Vivian’s excitement.
As the car drew closer to the mansion, Vivian could no longer hide the flutter in her chest.
＊ ＊ ＊
It was the beginning of a hot summer afternoon.
Faubert was a wealthy and peaceful coastal estate, protected by the beautiful waters of the Taniche Sea. But among all the lovely sights, the one that stood out the most was the mansion perched atop the highest cliff overlooking the shoreline. It was the grandest summer villa in all of Argent, gifted by the late Emperor Seymour de Verdetier to his most trusted friend and right hand, Albert Lockberg.
Built of glass and golden stone, the villa sparkled under the summer sun. Seen from the Taniche Sea, it shimmered like the sun itself.
Following the stone path that curved down from the cliff led to a stretch of private beach along the sea, a secluded place known for its breathtaking views. Only the head of the Lockberg family had the right to enter.
And on this early summer day, the current master of that estate, Edmund Lockberg, was on his way to Faubert.
Not long ago, a special newspaper had arrived even in this quiet countryside. It reported the passing of the Duchess of Lockberg, the matriarch of the empire’s only ducal house. The paper also mentioned that, following her death, the young viscount and the late duchess’s mother, Marchioness Catherine Anait, would travel to Faubert for rest and recovery.
Before heading to the villa, they would stop by the mansion of the Mabel family, the lords of Faubert. Today was the long-awaited day that marked the completion of the estate’s renovations.
As the car drew closer, the sound of its engine grew louder and deeper, like a steady heartbeat.
Vivian could not hide her curiosity about the unfamiliar machine. Her eyes sparkled as she stared at it. The viscount and viscountess, watching her warmly, exchanged a glance and smiled.
“Let’s go greet them now, Vivian,” said the viscount.
“Yes!” Vivian replied with a big nod.
She still had no idea who the guest was, but she was smiling brightly just the same. Her pink dress fluttered as she skipped ahead.
The car pulled to a stop in the garden, its engine releasing a heavy breath of exhaust.
Vivian peeked out from behind her mother’s dress, watching closely as the car door opened. Her lips pressed together, and there was a hint of determination in her eyes.
Click.
The attendant opened the door. A long leg in a black suit appeared, followed by steady footsteps escorting an elegant elderly lady forward. With poise and dignity, they slowly approached the Mabel family.
Vivian stared at the guest’s polished black shoes, then gradually raised her eyes.
She saw white gloves wrapped around delicate hands, a neatly buttoned shirt with a high collar, and sleek black hair, smooth like a raven’s wing. He looked just like the prince from one of her storybooks.
Vivian remained silent. Her lips stayed tightly closed.
“…”
Vivian’s long eyelashes trembled faintly.
For some reason, she suddenly felt as if she couldn’t breathe. The confident expression she had been wearing disappeared as she quietly stepped back, hiding behind the viscountess.
She didn’t need anyone to explain it. She could feel it instinctively.
Just as Madam Pourin had warned, this was someone far too important for her to look at directly. A guest so noble and distinguished that even meeting his gaze felt overwhelming.
But that wasn’t the only reason Vivian couldn’t lift her eyes.
He was so unfamiliar. So distant. He looked too perfectly noble, too beautifully refined, for someone like her to face.
In that moment, all the lessons she had struggled through vanished from her mind, as if they had never mattered at all.
