Chapter 43: Stay away from Kailo – 3

Two muscular horses pulled an elegant carriage into the inner courtyard of Rondor Castle.

The carriage bore the olive tree emblem of the Dubois family, intricately embroidered and unmistakable.

Knights, looking sharp and alert, escorted the carriage as it approached.

Upon seeing Vivian’s red hair, they greeted her with respectful bows, and Vivian acknowledged their greetings with a slight nod.

Two years later, the resolve that now steadily manifested in her demeanour was to be seen.

For those who didn’t know her, she would have appeared as an aloof and haughty woman.

But I knew the truth.

…She was nervous.

I watched their meeting calmly from a window on the castle’s second floor, where the courtyard was clearly visible.

Next to me stood Valon, Wallace, and Martin, who had nothing to do in the punishment unit.

The reason I was hiding here was, firstly, that I had no interest in participating in Rondor’s official events and getting entangled in complicated affairs.

And secondly, because Vivian had told me to disappear from sight.

Even if she hadn’t explicitly told me to “get lost,” she did tell me to stay out of sight.

They were expected to stay for about three days, and she had insisted I keep a low profile during that time, adamantly urging me to avoid causing trouble.

Given my track record, I couldn’t completely dismiss her concern.

Yet, as Vivian well knew, I only caused chaos when in situations that warranted it.

When others approached reasonably, I had no intention of creating problems.

Despite all this, I understood her stance.

Vivian’s potential first friends were the young ladies of the Dubois family, and she had been lonely for so long that this meant a lot to her.

Just a few days ago, she had been anxiously practicing her greetings to the Dubois ladies, muttering “Hello, hello,” like a parrot.

It was almost amusing to see her, practically a feudal lord, trembling over meeting a few ladies from subordinate families.

I initially wanted to laugh it off but held back, understanding the weight of loneliness.

In the end, both Vivian and I were left to grow up without family, support, or people we could truly rely on.

We met when she was fourteen and I was thirteen, and now, at sixteen and fifteen, we were the only ones who understood each other’s solitude and pain.

No one else could share this part of our hearts as desperately as we could with each other.

If there had been someone else, either for Vivian or me, perhaps we would have shared emotions with them instead.

If Vivian had had someone else, she might not have looked twice at me and instead delivered nothing but punishment.

But the reality was different.

Aside from us, there was no one who had suffered under the hostile gazes of others, forced to navigate life as the lone representative of our families.

As much as we might annoy each other, we were the only ones who could truly understand one another.

Knowing how much she anticipated this day, I decided to let her have her space.

The carriage came to a halt, and the coachman opened the door.

Out stepped the Dubois ladies, dressed in exquisite clothing.

“Oh.”

Martin whispered upon seeing them, and Valon belatedly nodded in agreement.

“…Oh…”

The young ladies of the Dubois family, who resided far to the south in the warmer regions of Loctana, appeared as if dressed in wildflowers.

Their bright clothing harmonized beautifully, enhancing their elegance.

Both had slightly tanned skin, and both had brown hair.

“What was the name of that tall one…?”

Martin asked, and Wallace responded.

“Asha Dubois.”

Asha Dubois.

The eldest daughter and third child of the Dubois family.

Long, slender legs, brown hair that flowed gracefully, and a warm smile that carried a hint of mystery.

She had recently come of age, and her appearance now held a touch of maturity.

Next to her was her younger sister, Lani Dubois, the fourth child and second daughter of the family, who was the same age as Vivian.

Slightly shorter than Asha, about the same height as Vivian.

She looked at Vivian with a bright smile, exuding a lively energy.

Her large eyes sparkled with mischief and curiosity, with dimples adding a touch of cuteness to her smile.

I could see why Vivian had described them as beautiful.

“Wow…”

Wallace marvelled, then muttered with a foolish grin.

“…I’d like to hold Lady Asha close and plant a kiss on her.”

-Thunk!-

I smacked Wallace on the back of his head for that remark.

The trio looked at me, wide-eyed in surprise.

“Why, why did you do that?”

Wallace asked, rubbing his head, and I let out a sigh at his ignorance.

“It’s because you talk like that that Vivian thinks I’m strange by association…”

I almost blurted out, “Doesn’t that make Vivian think I’m strange too?” but held my tongue.

Unfazed, they quickly turned their attention back to the ladies.

“They’re really pretty.”

“How do nobles always look that good?”

“Idiot, it’s because nobles marry beautiful women. If you do that for a few generations, they all turn out pretty.”

“With a guy like Kailo around, I don’t envy nobles, but the thought of marrying a beautiful woman makes me wish I was one…”

“…They’re really pretty.”

As they chattered on, their eyes remained fixed on the Dubois ladies.

I too looked down at them thoughtfully.

After a moment’s reflection, I asked the trio.

“…Are they really that pretty?”

Martin scoffed, incredulous.

“Are you serious, Kailo? Where are your eyes? Of course they’re pretty…!”

“Yeah, I get that they’re pretty, but…”

I scratched my head and asked nonchalantly.

“Then, what about Vivian Rondor?”

The three fell silent at once, leaving me to feign nonchalance and look off into the distance.

Valon was the first to respond.

“…No, comparing anyone to Lady Vivian is just… unfair.”

“Hey, you can’t compare anyone to Lady Vivian…”

“Are you crazy? No one can compare to Lady Vivian…”

I’d thought Vivian was the best too, but I’d only been checking to be sure I wasn’t under some enchantment making her seem more beautiful to me.

Their answers put my mind at ease.

Asha and Lani Dubois were now walking slowly toward Vivian.

She stood still, waiting for them.

The Dubois ladies held their skirts and curtsied.

Asha spoke as their representative.

“It is an honour to meet the Sun of Rondor.”

Vivian didn’t respond immediately; instead, she wore a poised smile and replied.

“Thank you for coming.”

There was an unmistakable dignity in her bearing, whether it was an act or something she had come to embody, a presence one couldn’t easily ignore.

Did these young ladies know how much Vivian had practiced for this?

It had taken her immense effort to overcome her stammer.

Seeing the warmth in their exchange, I felt reassured.

“…Let’s go.”

I turned to the trio, urging them to move along.

They reluctantly tore their eyes away from the ladies and started walking.

***

“And this is the hall of Rondor Castle.”

Vivian was showing the Dubois ladies around the structure.

Asha smiled as she observed the interior, while Lani looked around excitedly, murmuring in amazement.

“It’s beautiful, Lady Vivian.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

“Oh… it’s just…”

Lani, brimming with enthusiasm, dashed into the spacious hall.

With outstretched arms, she twirled around, basking in the splendour, oblivious to the troubles of the world.

She then hurried over to Vivian and clasped her hands.

“Lady Vivian, you must invite us again, won’t you? It would be such a shame to see this lovely place only once.”

Lani’s sudden closeness startled Vivian, who shivered slightly.

Asha admonished her sister.

“Lani…! What are you doing to Lady Vivian?”

Vivian quickly responded to ease the tension.

“No, it’s alright. I’m happy that Lani is pleased.”

Despite her sister’s scolding, Lani withdrew her hands with a contrite smile and then spoke softly to lighten the mood.

“…Lady Vivian, will you host a ball here someday?”

A ball.

It was a concept Vivian had barely considered.

A gathering of families under one roof, where people socialize and dance.

She had been steadily learning dance and etiquette under Madame Linne but had never dreamed of a ball with such anticipation as Lani had.

Vivian looked around the hall, envisioning it filled with people instead of just her and Kailo.

She pictured the one person she would hold hands with to dance.

…Only one person came to mind.

“Yes, someday.”

Ignoring the unsettling fantasy, Vivian answered.

That person only came to mind because there was no one else around her.

If she grew closer to people like Asha and Lani, perhaps someday things would be fine.

The maids entered the hall with tea, and Asha and Lani took their seats at Vivian’s gesture.

As the atmosphere settled, Asha offered an apology.

“Lady Vivian, I apologize. Lani can be… quite a handful.”

Vivian responded with a gentle smile.

“It’s alright. It’s been a while since I’ve had such lively company, so I’m glad.”

“Lani is innocent because she doesn’t know much of the world…”

Vivian looked at Lani.

Hearing her sister’s apology, Lani, who had been playful moments ago, looked down, embarrassed, clearly understanding her mistake.

It was still okay.

The feelings Vivian had towards Lani were positive.

Lani’s presence seemed to remind Vivian of how things might have been if she hadn’t lost her family.

Though Vivian had walked a long path and could never be like Lani, just watching her was enough to feel the bright energy.

Vivian, wanting to lift the mood, spoke up.

“But Lani, you must be very popular, right? You’re such a bright person…”

Asha covered her mouth, chuckling gracefully, and replied.

“Though my personality is a bit polarizing… yes, I do have some admirers. Especially among the young noblemen of various families.”

Vivian paused at her words, nodding with a smile.

Lani’s face was now blushing as she blinked her eyes in surprise.

Not that Vivian was very interested, but she had recently been learning a few things from Lady Linne about how to attract men.

So, following the flow of the conversation, Vivian asked naturally, without embarrassment.

“Is that so, Lani? Could you share some tips?”

“I, I don’t know… I feel like they just like me for being a bit clueless… and I think, I think you’d be much more popular than me, Vivian.”

“Eh, heh heh… I think… you’d be… way more popular…”

Asha joined in with her praise.

“Exactly. I don’t mean this in a bad way, but you also have a cool and dignified aura… Oh, and I heard last time that you followed the knights out to hunt monsters. I thought that was so admirable.”

Cool and admirable, she said.

These words were a stark contrast to what Kailo had said about her: calling her a cry-baby, a coward, useless, weak…

How long had it been since she’d heard praise instead of criticism about her attitude?

But why was it that Kailo’s words struck her far more deeply than Asha and Lani?

Vivian concluded that she must simply be good at putting on a mask for them.

Vivian smiled again, exchanging polite, superficial conversation.

Sipping her tea little by little, she got to know the Dubois young ladies.

It was enjoyable.

To escape from the political pressures and burdens she’d been suffering from and spend time in light-hearted conversation wasn’t so bad.

It felt like a return to the peace she’d forgotten.

…But, as time passed, this peace began to drain her energy.

Maintaining a light smile, with an air of pretension, wasn’t as easy as it seemed.

It felt like wearing ill-fitting clothes.

Their innocence was beginning to feel strangely foreign to her.

As if she was mingling with another species, she thought.

She’d experienced too much, perhaps, to retain any closeness with innocence.

-Clink.

At that moment, Lani placed her teacup down.

“…Vivian.”

“Yes?”

She, who had noticeably quieted down since Asha’s comment, hesitated as if she had something to say.

Vivian waited patiently for Lani to speak.

With a timid manner, Lani finally opened her mouth.

“T-There was actually something I wanted to ask if we ever met.”

Hearing the excitement in her voice, Vivian’s curiosity was piqued.

“Yes.”

“You mentioned you joined an expedition, right? I… I’m very interested in that kind of thing…”

Vivian let out a light smile and asked.

“You’re interested in going on an expedition yourself, Lani? You must be braver than I thought.”

“Oh, no, that’s not it…”

“?”

“…I just really… love stories about knights. You know, knights, dragons, princesses… that sort of thing?”

Vivian paused once more, involuntarily frowning as she waited for Lani’s next words.

It couldn’t be about Kailo.

Though Kailo had made a remarkable achievement, a lady of the Dubois family would know about the relationship between the Alan and Rondor families.

To mention Kailo’s name despite that would be incredibly rude.

Besides, the story of Kailo’s dragon hunt was something only discussed within Loctana.

Fortunately, Lani didn’t bring it up.

“B-But I heard that you were chased by a dragon, Vivian! Did the Knights of Rondor protect you back then?”

“Not all the knights of Rondor… just those who happened to be nearby. Some were only squires and soldiers.”

“I see… But how did you escape the dragon’s pursuit? Or was the story about being chased by a dragon exaggerated?”

Vivian paused, thinking.

Thinking back to when Kailo had mounted behind her, facing the dragon alone.

…And without realizing it, she murmured.

“…My knight protected me on his own.”

“Kyaa!”

Lani’s excited squeal startled Vivian.

She continued squealing excitedly before eagerly asking,

“C-Could I possibly meet this knight?”

The adorable look of excitement on Lani’s face made Vivian’s expression harden instantly.

“No.”

A voice so cold it surprised even her slipped out once again.

“Oh… I-I see.”

Lani hesitated, glancing around nervously.

Vivian, equally surprised at her own reaction, quickly added an excuse.

“H-He has a terrible personality… so if you met him, Lani, it would just ruin your mood.”

Saying that, Vivian raised the teacup to her lips.

She kept justifying her lie to herself.

Yes, there was no way she could place Kailo, now sixteen and undoubtedly starting to become aware of physical desires, next to the pure Lani.