Chapter 73

Alexia’s lips were humming with joy when she stopped all of a sudden.

“Perhaps—did you make any sort of a deal with the Grand Duke, now?”

When she saw that Vivian wasn’t keen on replying to anything, Alexia immediately turned around—as she had already lost interest. Her sharp, big eyes were staring at Vivian as if they were piercing her forcibly.

“It’s just a joke. There’s no way that he’d take a liking towards you—who doesn’t even have anything at all.”

Upon seeing Alexia who talked with a beaming face, Vivian clamped down her lips that she wanted to part so badly right at that moment.

For herself, what transpired during the party that day was far more important than his permission itself. She wanted to know what had happened with Knox that day and what he actually did back then.

However, as she was just a mere servant, how could she possibly dare to pose a question first—especially towards the one she was serving for.

“Good job, then. I’ll give you the credit for this.”

Alexia took a small amount of money before throwing it towards Vivian.

The pocket money that had fallen into her hands was neither light nor heavy. Vivian immediately thought about how the weight of the pouch had resembled her very own relationship with the Grand Duke, himself.

Afterwards, the date was set upon rather quickly.

The Count, who gave a flat out refusal to his daughter’s trip with her friends, had immediately consented when he heard the Grand Duke’s name—without even asking for any details.

For that reason, Alexia had become extremely happy. She quickly set the date and wrote a message to both the Grand Duke and her friend as well.

“Then, My Lady. Please have a safe trip.”

Time went by like a flash.

Those who were accompanying Alexia had more luggage to handle than usual. That included Alexia’s bags, which were filled with her new clothes, along with her other set of usual clothes for Vivian—who’d be staying over at the Grand Duke’s.

As per usual, Vivian and Alexia were divided into two separate groups.

Despite being called a ‘group’, there was only Vivian alone on her own side—but it wasn’t a problem at all. In fact, she felt that it was much easier to remain alone rather than being attached to many other people.

As soon as the carriage that was boarded by Vivian had arrived at the Grand Duke’s residence, Knox was already waiting to pick her up—unlike the usual.

“I’ve been waiting for you to arrive.”

Knox then held onto Vivian’s hand as she stepped down from the carriage. People behind him appeared much busier than usual. As those servants of the Grand Duke carried away the large as well as the small luggage into a carriage, Vivian immediately glanced at it with a puzzled expression on her face.

“Is anyone going somewhere else?”

“It’s you and me, of course.”

Vivian’s eyes widened at Knox’s sudden words.

“It’s not that far from here—my private house. It’s even warmer than here as well. It has been a vacation spot that I used to go to during winter, when I was still young.”

He said that with a bright smile. His beaming face certainly showed how much he had gotten better than before.

“I’m planning to spend time with you in a place where we won’t be disturbed at all. It’s a special day which you’ve given to me, and I just can’t spend it in vain.”

The Grand Duke’s expression looked just like an excited child who was about to go on a picnic. It might only be Vivian’s own illusion, but it definitely appeared like that in her eyes.

Vivian gazed at him intently as if she was trying to capture his image before laughing out together.

“I like that.”

It was only after handing over her luggage and departing once more that she could finally set foot on the ground again.

As soon as she stepped down the carriage, she could feel her soles stepping onto the soft grass, unlike when she was back at the Grand Duke’s.

Over here, the opposite nature of the barren Grand Duchy had been unravelled. They were immediately greeted by beautiful flowers and many thick kinds of trees, which could even give them an illusion of being enveloped by all sorts of different colors.

The mansion had been built on the ground that did not harm the natural landscape. Although it was smaller than the one back in the Grand Duchy, it still boasted a fairly large scale.

Was it thanks to the warm sunshine, perhaps? This place appeared much cozier compared to the Grand Duchy that had always been tinted in pale gray.