Chapter 29: Second Note – 3

The witch’s proposal lingered, not letting Vivian go.

‘Vivian, you can survive and achieve your revenge. Isn’t that what you needed the most right now?’

Whenever she sank into contemplation, six out of ten times, she thought of the witch.

Of the remaining ten, three were about Kailo Alan, and… one was about her family.

Either way, the witch’s words about needing power echoed in her mind.

Sometimes, she thought that might be the only path.

To Vivian, who had lost her way to rely on, the witch’s outstretched hand felt like salvation.

It was hard to deny the truth that the weight of her worries and burdens lightened with the witch’s approach.

There was a massive difference between seeing hope and not.

However, even at moments when she seemed certain, she couldn’t bring herself to make a final choice.

Perhaps it was because of the ingrained aversion to witches she had learned, or the sacrifices required to become one.

She had learned that witches worshipped demons.

It was something she had heard endlessly from her mentor, Lady Linne.

Of course, the witch Elena herself had firmly claimed it was a baseless rumor… but that wasn’t something she could easily trust without actually becoming a witch.

What if she decided to become a witch and eventually ended up truly worshipping demons?

What if, like a frog slowly boiling in water, she got drawn into it without even realizing she was worshipping demons?

And what about the sacrifice of something most precious?

What if, when the time came, she found herself unwilling to give it up?

She couldn’t imagine sacrificing the Rondor family or the territory of Loctana.

Not because of any deep affection, but simply out of sheer shamelessness.

Even her eyes, which allowed her to see the world, could become the most precious thing to her.

Would she be able to give them up when the time came?

…Of course, if she died before then, none of it would matter.

Precious things only have meaning when you’re alive, not the other way around.

Thinking like that, she wondered what reason there could be not to sacrifice something precious.

“Lady Vivian.”

A familiar voice snapped Vivian out of her reverie.

White hair, deeply etched wrinkles, a straight back, and a face full of pride.

It was Vivian’s mentor, Lady Linne.

“Focus. You’ve been drifting into thought more often today.”

Vivian suddenly remembered the witch’s evaluation of Lady Linne.

-In this vast territory, the only person who could truly be considered an ally… is Linne Rommer, perhaps?

The witch didn’t know everything, but she had assessed that, at the very least, Lady Linne would be on Vivian’s side.

Vivian had never particularly thought of her mentor, Lady Linne, as being on her side… but in her precarious state, she wondered if she should trust Lady Linne just this once.

“Madam, before we begin… I have something I’m a little curious about.”

Lady Linne raised an eyebrow, as if surprised that Vivian had initiated a question.

“Go ahead.”

“I-I want to know about witches.”

“Witches?”

Lady Linne’s expression, too, showed that the question had come out of nowhere, but her usually light-handed cane remained still.

Instead, she simply asked in a slightly warmer tone.

“What do you want to know about witches?”

“I-I’m curious about why the Las Order rejects witches so much.”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

Lady Linne answered without a moment’s hesitation.

“Seeds of disaster that worship demons should not exist in this world. They deceive people, bring misfortune, and spread evil through curses… To protect the ones we love, their actions can never be tolerated. From the moment they use their dreadful magic, they are no longer human.”

If someone who used dreadful magic was no longer human, shouldn’t that apply to people who commit dreadful acts as well?

Why was it okay for them, but not for witches?

Couldn’t magic be seen as self-defense depending on the situation?

Isn’t it natural to defend yourself when attacked?

“Even if a witch has done nothing, should she be killed?”

Lady Linne looked puzzled by Vivian’s question but still answered sincerely.

“If she were going to do nothing, she wouldn’t have become a witch in the first place. I’ve heard that witchcraft is passed down through generations. Witches find those who feel the need for spells and together vow to take revenge on the world. Only those who feel the need for such vile power become witches.”

The more Vivian listened to Lady Linne, the less she wanted to become a witch.

There seemed to be some truth to what she was saying.

Vivian didn’t have any desire to become a being that the world despised so much.

Her current wavering was, after all, forced upon her.

With death looming over her every day, maintaining her sanity was exceedingly difficult.

Even eating had become a burden, as she couldn’t consume meals without Kailo Alan’s help.

The fact that she had to rely on her enemy made her feel humiliated as well.

With a sigh, Vivian briefly brushed aside her thoughts about witches.

But once she dismissed that possibility, the burden on her heart grew heavier once again.

If not as a witch, how was she supposed to survive?

What path should she take to stay alive until she became an adult?

How could she rebuild the family that her loved ones had sacrificed their lives to protect?

How could she grow without being humiliated by Kailo Alan and his family?

How could she become someone her departed family would be proud of?

Vivian looked up at Lady Linne.

Once more, she summoned her courage and asked.

Lady Linne was always one to tell her not to voice weak thoughts… but right now, she had lost her way entirely.

“Madam, there’s… one more thing.”

“…Please, be honest with me. What should I do to survive?”

At that question, Lady Linne displayed both surprise and compassion.

They hadn’t spoken much about life and death, even during the poison incident, so this was the first time the topic had been broached.

A long silence stretched between them.

Lady Linne let out a deep breath through her nose and walked over slowly.

She dragged a chair next to Vivian and sat down heavily.

Staring intently into Vivian’s eyes, Lady Linne hesitated for a moment.

As the silence lingered, the awkwardness in the room thickened.

Finally, Lady Linne slowly shook her head and spoke.

“I don’t… really know either. The world is so complicated, and things never go as expected.”

That wasn’t the answer Vivian had wanted.

Perhaps sensing this, Lady Linne quickly added.

“But there’s only one path I see. And it’s the one with the highest likelihood.”

“W-What is it?”

Lady Linne took another deep breath and spoke heavily.

“To grow into a beautiful woman. And marry a powerful man.”

The room fell silent again.

Lady Linne’s words were brief but weighed as heavily as the air between them.

Vivian could only stare at her, unable to respond.

Her mind was tangled, and something felt heavy in her chest.

It was as if she was being told that to survive, she would have to flatter someone she didn’t love.

Vivian had never experienced love, but she could faintly imagine what it would feel like at that moment.

After all, she was already living her life unable to say a single word she truly wanted to say to the adults around her in order to survive.

And now she was being told that this situation would continue even after she became an adult.

Lady Linne’s words made sense logically, but life felt all the more miserable.

“Lady Vivian, a man’s weapon is strength… but a woman’s weapon is beauty. It’s an overwhelmingly powerful force that can demand loyalty and sacrifice.”

-Thud.

Lady Linne’s cane lightly struck Vivian’s leg.

Vivian’s leg, which had been relaxed, straightened obediently at the impact.

Lady Linne shook her head.

“But Lady Vivian, as it stands, you are far from ready. There aren’t many men who would want a wife who stammers when she speaks.”

Her stern voice carried a cold warning to face reality.

“Of course, there will be men who flock to you just because you’re the head of the Rondor family, but stammering will limit your choices.”

Why did Kailo Alan come to mind at that moment?

Lately, she hadn’t stammered in front of him.

Perhaps it was because she disliked him so much that she had nothing to hide.

At the very least, they didn’t put on masks in front of each other, so she felt comfortable around him, if not entirely safe.

It was a strange thing.

The only person in the world with whom she didn’t stammer was someone she could never be with.

Lady Linne sighed and spoke.

“It doesn’t end with stammering either. Lady Vivian, have you started your monthly cycle?”

Vivian didn’t answer, out of embarrassment.

Lady Linne didn’t press her.

“When you do, there are many more things to learn, including the dances you’ll perform at balls, graceful gestures, sexual knowledge, and even conversational skills.”

“…Se-Sexual knowledge?”

“It would have been nice if you could have grown up without needing to know… but Lady Vivian, you are in no position to avoid these things. You’ll need to learn every theory in detail and also how to feign innocence while pretending you don’t know any of it.”

Lady Linne’s cane thudded again, this time striking Vivian’s shrinking shoulders, as she continued relentlessly.

“I will teach you how to seduce men as well. You’ll have to steadily learn alluring words. Your face is turning red now, but you can’t afford to be embarrassed. Don’t you need to survive? You’ll learn delicate hand movements, eye contact, facial expressions… and even how to please a man in bed.”

“W-What does it mean to please a man in bed?”

“…You’ll find out soon enough.”

Vivian’s perception of Lady Linne shifted slightly at that moment.

Up until now, she had disliked her mentor for always resorting to caning and ineffective education.

Vivian still couldn’t suddenly trust her, even though she had shared this advice, but she was at least grateful that there was some plan in place for her survival.

Madam Linne solemnly added,

“You must become a perfect woman. It’s easy to kill an ugly woman, but it’s hard to kill a beautiful one. It’s a cruel truth, but the impact is different. You would have to antagonize everyone who might have secretly admired you. You must take care not only of your conduct but also your body. You should have full breasts, a slender waist, and wide hips.”

“T-That’s something I can’t control, though.”

“Still, you shouldn’t let yourself get overweight. You need self-discipline.”

Since the one saying this was Madam Linne, it was hard to argue.

Even at her old age, she had taken good care of her body.

In the end, all Vivian could do was give a shallow nod.

“You’re wearing a very worried expression.”

“…S-Sorry.”

“This is why I didn’t want to bring it up first.”

At her cold rebuke, Vivian shrank back again.

But how could she not feel intimidated?

She had just been told that her future involved living to seduce men…

How could she not feel despair?

Hearing her future reduced to such a simple choice was devastating.

However, before her mood completely collapsed, Madam Linne gave a small smile and said,

“Don’t worry too much.”

“Huh?”

Vivian was dazed by those words.

It was the first time she had heard words of comfort.

“When you learn everything and can love the man you want to love… you will surely be happy, Vivian.”

The word ‘happiness’ felt so distant.

Vivian, without realizing it, asked,

“L-Loving a man and being with him… Is that really such a source of happiness?”

Madam Linne nodded.

There wasn’t a hint of doubt on her face.

It was the face of someone who had already experienced the world.

“It’s much warmer than the love of your parents.”

It was an incomprehensible comparison.

Was there really something happier than a parent’s love in this world?

Yet, since the words came from Madam Linne, who had always spoken cold and honest truths, Vivian found herself feeling just a tiny bit of anticipation.

-Clap!

Madam Linne clapped her hands, breaking the atmosphere.

She, who had been sitting nearby, stood up and said,

“But all of this is for after you’ve stopped stammering.”

“Y-Yes…”

“If you can fix that, I plan to invite more guests to Loctana. You need friends for your social life. Maybe inviting the daughters of Viscount Dubois would be a good idea. They’re all really cute, after all.”

Friends?

Before she could even think about it, Madam Linne handed Vivian a book she had brought along and said,

“Now, shall we continue the lesson?”

-Bang!

At that moment, the door burst open.

Startled, Vivian watched as Kailo Alan, with his black hair, walked in like he was entering his own room.

“I’m here to observe today’s lesson.”

He said casually.

However, given the nature of the conversation she had just been having with Madam Linne, Vivian, for the first time, felt her face flush with embarrassment as she shouted,

“Get out!”

Whoosh!

Without thinking, she grabbed the book in front of her and hurled it at Kailo.

-Thud!

Kailo, who blocked the incoming book with his arm, was about to complain.

“What’s with throwing a book the moment I walk in…”

…Then, realizing that the mood was different from usual, he sniffed and turned away.