Chapter 6
The viscountess, clearly flustered by Vivian’s sudden reaction, gently pushed her daughter forward with a soft voice.
“You need to greet them, Vivian.”
And so, Vivian was sent back toward the guests, walking like a baby waterbird thrown into a pond, her steps awkward and unsure.
She truly didn’t want to do this. But she knew she had to. As much as she hated etiquette, it was something a noble was expected to follow. And if she made any more mistakes, even her usually gentle mother would have no choice but to scold her severely.
The viscountess guided Vivian by the arm and gave her a small but pointed nudge in the side. Understanding the message, Vivian hesitated briefly before lifting the hem of her dress, slowly, just as she had been taught.
“What a charming young lady,” said the elderly lady with a light laugh.
Vivian’s cheeks turned red. The young viscount gave a polite nod as he clasped hands with the viscount and then turned his eyes to Vivian.
When Vivian straightened up and accidentally met his gaze, she flinched. Holding tightly to her dress, she lowered herself into a deep curtsy once again.
“My name is Vivian Mabel,” she said.
Her voice was small, trembling and high. When the greeting was over, she realized the fabric of her dress had been slightly wrinkled from how tightly she had been gripping it. It must have happened without her noticing, a result of how nervous she had been.
Edmund nodded lightly to acknowledge her greeting, then walked forward with the elderly lady, following the viscount into the mansion.
Vivian took a quick glance at the young viscount’s sharp profile and quickly followed with small, hurried steps.
To Vivian, who was still very much a child, the young man’s pace felt incredibly fast. She had to move quickly to avoid being left behind.
She leaned toward her mother and whispered so softly that no one else could hear.
“Who is he?”
“That is the young Viscount of Lockberg,” her mother replied.
“The Viscount of Lockberg?”
Lockberg, Lockberg, Lockberg…
Vivian repeated the name to herself and then froze in place.
Now that the secret guest’s identity had finally been revealed, her eyes widened with shock. Even though she was just starting to learn about noble etiquette and society, she knew exactly who the Lockberg family was.
They were the only ducal house in the empire, a powerful lineage that had prospered for generations. Many titles followed the name Lockberg, but the reason Vivian was so stunned was not just because of their status.
The Lockbergs were famously beautiful. Their looks were often talked about as much as their influence. And now, after seeing the young viscount with her own eyes, Vivian could not help but agree with everything she had heard.
Why had no one told her?
She blushed at the memory of her messy greeting. Her first impression had been a complete disaster. Though the moment had passed, the thought continued to bother her.
From now on, she would need to be careful not to make another mistake. That thought firmly in her mind, Vivian quietly followed behind her mother.
“We have prepared a dinner in honor of the young viscount and the marchioness who have come to visit Faubert,” the viscount said.
As they entered the grand dining hall where the meal was to be held, Vivian once again noticed the sharp and refined features of the young viscount.
Behind him, her father spoke in a calm and dignified tone. Vivian focused her eyes on the center of the long dining table, where everything flowed with graceful order.
The composure and elegance of the young viscount were unlike anyone Vivian had ever met. His presence was noble, precise, and undeniably beautiful.
The young viscount’s eyes were a deep black, shaded with a cool gray that had no clear end. There was something in them that made it hard to look away. To Vivian, he was incredibly beautiful. Just looking at him sent a strange shiver through her.
The dinner had been prepared exactly as the viscount had planned. Everything, except for Vivian, flowed flawlessly according to noble etiquette. It was as if the entire evening had been waiting for this moment to begin.
Even Lina, the kitchen maid, and Hans, the head chef, who were both usually calm, were nervously swallowing dryly, determined to make sure this important dinner ended without a single flaw.
“With such a fine young viscount, Lockberg is sure to enjoy another generation of glory,” someone said with admiration.
“A true blessing to the house of Lockberg,” replied Catherine warmly.
The viscount and his wife nodded in agreement.
It was at that exact moment, while cutting her steak with her head down, that Vivian dropped her knife.
A sharp metallic clatter broke through the still, polished air of the dining hall.
Vivian looked up and gasped as her eyes locked directly with the deep black gaze of the young viscount. Her mind went blank.
Flustered, she blushed deeply and stammered.
“I am… I’m very sorry.”
The weight of all the eyes turning toward her made her feel embarrassed and stifled.
Trying to ease the moment and cover for his daughter’s mistake, the viscount let out an awkward laugh.
“She’s just now learning proper etiquette. Being an only child, we’ve all spoiled her quite a bit.”
“I see,” replied Catherine calmly.
“This is her first formal dinner with unfamiliar guests, so I think she’s just nervous.”
Vivian hesitated, then slowly opened her mouth to speak. Her chin lowered again, and the small curve of her jaw showed how upset she was. As he watched her quietly bow her head, Edmund spoke in a calm, unhurried tone.
“It’s all right.”
The sound of his voice reached Vivian like a soft breeze. She lifted her head slightly but couldn’t bring herself to meet his eyes. She sat stiffly, pressing her hands together under the table, fidgeting.
Edmund looked at the child trembling at his single word. Without much expression, he slowly rested his chin on his hand.
But almost immediately, he lost interest and turned his eyes away. He quietly resumed his meal as if nothing had happened.
“How long will you be staying here?” someone asked.
“I plan to remain until the end of summer.”
Catherine’s eyes slowly turned to Vivian. The sight of the little girl, lips pressed tightly and looking as if she might cry, stirred a faint sense of sympathy.
“The Lockberg summer villa is known for its beauty. If it is all right, I would like to invite the young lady to visit.”
“Pardon?”
The quiet sound of Catherine’s voice stopped the hum of conversation once more. This time, the silence came from the surprise in her unexpected kindness.
Vivian’s eyes grew wide in shock.
The Lockberg villa. Of all the places in Faubert, it was the only place Vivian had never been. Since it was private property, no one was allowed to enter unless invited.
And now she was being invited. Her heart thumped faster and louder in her chest.
“Would that be all right, Edmund?”
“Yes.”
As the young viscount answered, Vivian’s face slowly lit up with joy.
The viscountess, just as surprised by the offer, had a slight tremble in her voice. She turned her head and smiled at the sight of her daughter’s barely contained excitement.
Finally relaxed, Vivian reached for her utensils again and returned her hands to her plate.
The Lockberg summer villa.
Vivian had always only passed it, able to glance at it briefly before moving on. Still, she had always thought it was more beautiful than any castle she had ever seen.
Beyond the tall iron gates stretched a garden bathed in a blue glow, and a building made entirely of glass that reflected the light of the Taniche Sea in fragments, like scattered jewels. To be invited to that place, the most beautiful in the empire, was an honor few could ever dream of.
“This will be a lovely gift for Vivian.”
“It truly will.”
It had been a successful dinner in Faubert.
＊ ＊ ＊
Not long after, the invitation arrived at the mansion.
The carriage rocked along the uneven road, shaking with every turn. Vivian sat by the window, her eyes wide with wonder as she tried to take in every passing scene. Her excitement showed clearly on her face.
She had walked this road more times than she could count.
But today it felt different. The familiar path shimmered with quiet anticipation. She was finally heading toward the one place that had always remained out of reach, the place hidden behind veils of mystery. She was going to the Lockberg summer villa.
It was a bright and vivid summer morning. The sunlight came through the trees like golden shards, sparkling across the landscape.
“We’ve passed the front gate.”
The carriage rolled forward, following a line of trees now thick with summer leaves. At the end of that road would be the wide garden and the villa of Lockberg, shining like glass under the morning sun.
As the carriage began to slow, Vivian caught her first full view of the villa and gasped.
It rose so high, it looked as though it could reach the sky.
When the carriage passed through the vast garden, much larger than anything at the Mabel estate, she couldn’t stop herself from letting out a quiet breath of amazement.
At the center of the garden stood a towering marble fountain, its water rising into the air in graceful arcs. The lawn around it had been trimmed into perfect circles, and that space was wrapped in a rectangular garden shaped with such precision it looked like a sculpture. Just looking at it made her feel a strange calm.
Beyond the open garden stood the breathtaking villa itself. The entire structure gleamed with the color of sunlight and sea, built with shimmering glass that sparkled like crystal. The carriage came to a gentle stop at the base of a tall, arched staircase that led to the grand entrance.
