Chapter 79: Rondor’s Ball – 5

Vivian suppressed her confused heart and regained her composure.

She had to stop it.

With that single-minded determination, she took a step forward.

But how?

Thinking that, she could no longer move.

Kailo and Princess Reina were already attracting everyone’s attention.

How could she stop them?

Should she push her way in and tear them apart?

Should she at least slap Reina on the cheek, as she had done with other women before?

All the assumptions were collectively unrealistic.

Vivian was the only one who couldn’t accept it; the two were already unstoppable.

Vivian was only now managing to stand up again.

Powerless, she could not oppose the prince or princess.

Princess Reina was smiling brightly in the distance.

She showed a brighter smile than when she was with Prince Thread.

She was truly happy.

…Taking someone else’s place, smiling innocently like someone without guilt.

The music prepared for dancing with Kailo continued to play, and beneath it, Kailo and Reina slowly faced each other.

Kailo only looked around, unsure of what to do with his clumsy movements.

That awkwardness might have been cute when directed at her, but now it was directed at Reina.

Reina, smiling softly, slowly took Kailo’s hand as if something was so enjoyable.

Every time their hands intertwined, Vivian’s heart sank heavily.

She didn’t know why seeing them like that was so painful.

Even… it’s just the beginning.

Reina placed Kailo’s hand on her own waist.

Kailo was momentarily confused but then held Reina firmly.

His rough hand touched another woman’s waist.

Reina also took Kailo’s arm, slowly placing her hand on his shoulder, and as if discovering something interesting, she brushed his neck where the burn scar was visible.

A short question from Reina follows.

A short answer from Kailo.

Reina’s short laugh.

Finally, Rein’s hand brushed his burn scar as if to say it’s cool.

Vivian couldn’t stand just watching.

Before she knew it, her hands were trembling.

Had she ever felt such intense anger and helplessness in her life?

Everything she had prepared to be with Kailo is being taken away by Princess Reina.

The two, holding hands clasped together, slowly brought their bodies closer.

Even from afar, an intimate atmosphere blossomed.

Two prisoners who have left their hometown.

They who have gone through the same hardships.

Two whose hair color is the same, as if this dance is comforting each other’s past exhaustion.

-Even I miss my hometown.

Kailo’s words came to mind.

Vivian gritted her teeth at that voice.

Reina is fulfilling the part that Vivian can never provide comfort for.

Thinking that Kailo would be happier in Reina’s embrace made her heartache increasingly severe.

“…Ugh.”

Kailo’s awkward dance continued.

At such times, the crowd watching him burst into light laughter.

That laughter contained more goodwill than malice.

No matter how few people had positive feelings towards Kailo, his earnest efforts for the princess must have been somewhat watchable.

All of it.

It was visible to Vivian as well.

Kailo, awkwardly receiving Reina’s guidance, diligently trying step by step.

“Yes, you’re doing so well, Kylo.”

Reina, closely embracing Kailo from afar, kept giving him compliments and sharing smiles.

Vivian wondered why she wasn’t the one teaching him.

Why am I alone now, and Kailo is with another woman?

Didn’t Kailo always prioritize her?

Just now… wasn’t it time to dance with her?

Wasn’t it the day to enter the social scene together?

“Ka, Kailo, you stepped on my foot.”

When Reina said gruffly, people burst into laughter again.

Kailo awkwardly shrugged his shoulders slightly.

His freshness, his awkwardness, and all the memories born from that were all her own.

Even the laughter of those people was all her share.

No, it was hers and Kailo’s.

But why is Reina taking that?

Finally, uncontrollable anger surged and flowed out.

Her fists were trembling, and her palms hurt from her nails digging in.

However, Kailo and Reina, unaware, were growing closer by the minute.

Reina kept whispering something into Kailo’s ear, who had just barely managed to dance.

And at those times, Kailo would imitate by whispering something into Reina’s ear.

If they got just a bit closer, his lips would almost touch her cheek.

“…They look great together.”

At that moment, someone mumbled beside her.

When she turned her head, Prince Thread was also watching them.

Unfocused anger was directed at him.

“…Aren’t you going to be stopping them?”

“What?”

“Princess Reina. Weren’t you and her in a relationship?”

“That’s correct, but…”

“Then you should stop them.”

“Why?”

Seeing Thread as someone who casually throws out questions as if to show the pinnacle of stupidity has pushed Vivian’s patience to its limit.

“The person who is going to be your wife is fooling around with another guy—”

“Do you think I would care about that?”

Prince Thread let out a hollow laugh and quietly revealed his true feelings.

“…What?”

Prince Thread looked down at Vivian and said.

“…Do you think we’re tied together because of love? This is ultimately just a political choice. The Duchesss doesn’t know anything about it at all.”

“She doesn’t know anything at all. The Duchess was also spending all day with Kailo Alan, your family’s enemy.”

“That’s probably why you don’t want to dissuade Reina. Look, she’s so happy like that… It’s the first time I’ve seen her so joyful today.”

…She hates seeing that.

Vivian gritted her teeth, suppressing her true feelings.

She doesn’t want to see a woman happy being close to Kailo.

“…Don’t you, Ms. Vivian?”

Prince Thread asked.

“…About what?”

“About how well the two of them get along.”

Vivian looked at Kailo again.

Hands tightly clasped until they turned red.

Reina’s chest, crumpled against Kailo’s body.

Eyes watching each other as if in a staring contest.

Endless conversations.

They were an inseparable couple.

A beautiful couple at that.

To the point where she wanted to kill them.

Overcoming the pain in her chest, she forced herself to speak.

“…Not at all, not at all. They don’t suit each other.”

“That’s interesting. People don’t seem to think that way.”

Looking around, she realized that everyone was now watching Kailo and Princess Reina dance.

The two northerners at the foreign ball, dancing as if to comfort each other, slightly touched their hearts.

“You might not know this, but Reina had feelings for Kailo Alan in the past. Thinking about it, since Reina was the Master of Kailo Alan, it wasn’t hard for feelings to blossom.”

“…When you say past feelings?”

“…Princess Reina liked Kailo.”

Thud.

Vivian ground her teeth.

“…Did she blurt out such unprincipled words to her future husband, the prince?”

Prince Thread chuckled.

“Reina is also the same when you get to know her. She did that on purpose because it was me.”

Vivian’s breathing became heavy.

She was furious at Kailo for not pushing Reina away.

Vivian glared at the minstrels.

They didn’t understand the signal and continued playing, only watching nervously.

Time that felt eternal continued, and finally, the music came to an end.

All the movements she had practiced for this day were now unnecessary.

But it’s over now.

Vivian forcibly suppressed her emotions.

She poured out effort she didn’t even know how many times.

The close distance between Kailo and Reina was broken.

Kailo took a step away from Reina.

“…Huff.”

Vivian blinked.

She had been so focused that her eyes were already dry.

At that moment, Kailo lifted Reina’s hand.

Then he kissed the back of Reina’s hand.

“…Ha.”

They say when anger reaches its limit, all that comes out is laughter…

Vivian’s situation was just that.

“Ms. Vivian?”

She let out another hollow laugh as her feet began to move on their own.

People’s attention was drawn to her rough steps.

Ignoring that, Vivian approached Kailo directly.

Their conversation sounded clearer than before.

“…Anyway, it was fun, Kailo.”

Et!

Vivian interrupted Princess Reina’s words, pulling Kailo’s hand away from Reina’s.

“Vivian?”

Kailo called her name without realizing it, but Vivian, blinded by anger, didn’t hear anything.

Instead, she dragged Kailo and continued walking.

Even though everyone was staring in surprise, Vivian held his arm and left the ballroom.

Vivian had no energy left to care about others’ gazes.

Boom!

Vivian entered her room, slamming and locking the door roughly.

Click!

“What’s wrong?”

Kailo asked, looking surprised, but instead, her complacent attitude only made him chuckle hollowly.

She laughed like a madwoman in front of Kailo for a long time.

Vivian’s head was still burning with insane anger.

She roughly dragged Kailo.

But Kailo, as if telling her to speak, didn’t even twitch.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Ha.”

She had never hated him more, someone she couldn’t control at all.

Pang! Pang! Pang!!

She vented her anger by hitting the motionless Kailo.

“Die!! Get lost!!”

She punched and struck his chest.

Kailo still had a bewildered expression, as if he didn’t understand anything.

Immediately after, Vivian dragged Kailo again.

Only then did Kailo start to move obediently.

It felt like she was finally beginning to understand how to control Kailo.

One must inflict pain like this to understand and act.

Yeah, when I think about it, this has always been my relationship with him.

It has always been like this.

Vivian seated Kailo on a wooden chair in her room.

Leaning deeply on his thighs as if collapsing onto the chair, Vivian lifted one knee and sat down.

Kailo groaned in brief pain and finally showed his irritation.

“…Vivian, I’m not in the mood to deal with your whims right now.”

“Shut up, just shut up!!”

Vivian, giving herself over to anger, pressed down on Kailo as if to suppress him, gripping his face.

She examined Kailo with blazing eyes.

She glared at him, who had returned from being someone else’s for a while.

His image, still close and entangled with Reina, flickered before her eyes.

Even the scenes of him recklessly kissing the back of another woman’s hand.

“This filthy bastard. You scum…! A man without any integrity…!”

Vivian unintentionally unleashed a raw criticism.

At her harsh tone, Kailo frowned.

But Vivian had no intention of holding back.

“You said you liked me… Ha, coming from the filthy Alan family, of course. In the end, it was all just words. You dirty Alan bastard…!”

She finally let out the words she wanted to throw at the masquerade ball.

Her feelings had become rougher and more grotesque from holding back and enduring.

She shouted as if screaming.

Kailo’s face twisted even more.

He reflected that hatred and disgust, and some feelings somewhere in between once again.

“…You decided today to fight with me?”

He used to smile at Reina, but when he looks at her, he just frowns.

He doesn’t show that common smile to Vivian at all.

“Ha.”

Something seemed to break within Vivian towards him.

She pulled Kailo’s face, and their lips met.

Kailo flinched in surprise and grabbed Vivian’s arms, but Vivian tightly embraced the back of his neck with both arms, not letting him go.

She couldn’t make use of any techniques she had learned from Mrs. Linne.

She didn’t even close her eyes, making the atmosphere intense.

With her eyes wide open, Vivian examined Kailo’s reactions one by one as if devouring prey.

Her irritation towards him, a faint sense of victory from this behavior, and a dizzying mix of thrilling pleasure were all tangled together.

Vivian’s tongue pierced Kailo’s lips and opened them, her tongue ravaging Kailo.

With a single-minded intent to defile him, Vivian continued to intertwine their tongues.

Once the reins are loosened, they never tie themselves again.

Smooch, smack.

The sounds of exchanging saliva echoed in the quiet room.

An awkward but rough kiss continued.

Vivian drank his saliva as if she was thirsty.

He, who had been pushing her away, slowly began to accept her.

Yes.

Vivian continued to glare fiercely at him as she thought.

You were mine, weren’t you, you bastard.

Dancing together, making memories?

I don’t need that anymore.

Vivian was leaving deep marks on his life in her own way.

“Paha…”

Vivian roughened their lips again.

Whether it was because she was forcing her lips onto Kailo or pressing him down, a little blood trickled from Vivian’s lips.

“Haa… haa…”

She couldn’t even steady her breathing due to shallow excitement and rough actions.

“This is mine first time, isn’t this the first time for you as well?”

Viviane asked, looking into his eyes by using magic to check the color of his pupils.

Instead of answering the question, he called her name.

“Vivian”

With the wrong answer, Vivian pressed their lips together once more.

The first kiss was too short.

Viviane’s anger still showed no signs of cooling, and she wanted to further ride the insanity that she had surrendered to her body.

Vivian alternately sucked his upper and lower lips.

Her saliva was messily smeared everywhere, but she didn’t care.

The second kiss followed the first one so closely that it became its aftermath, and only when her breathing became rough and it became hard to endure did she part their lips.

“…Damn.”

She spat saliva on the floor.

Kailo’s dark eyes looked back and forth at Vivian’s two eyes in confusion.

Seeing him like that, Vivian let a sultry smile spread.

“This dirty bastard. What? You want me to show some cute act? Stop toying with your heart as well?”

Vivian chuckled.

“…Cute act? What cute act. I’ll just tighten your leash my way.”

“…Why are you doing this anyway.”

Kailo’s expression of being incredulous was satisfying.

Exhaling shallow breaths of excitement, Vivian spoke one last time.

She brushed his black hair aside.

“…You’re my tool. You can never leave me. I’ll make you forget your hometown.”

“…Your heart, I just have to play with it.”

And then she kissed him again.

This time, too, Kailo couldn’t resist.

Vivian raised the corners of her mouth and overlapped her lips with his.

As if his body was becoming her own, without any guilt, Vivian bit his lips, inflicting wounds.

Kailo couldn’t push her away despite the pain.

After all, he is used to take the brunt of the blades on his body…

How much did just biting lips hurt?

Vivian once again tightly embraced the back of Kailo’s neck with both arms.

The kiss was so sweet.