Chapter 7

If you insist then. Vivian immediately withdrew her hand from the Grand Duke’s body. When his hand had fallen from the grasp that she was holding all this time, the Grand Duke straight away felt some sort of emptiness as he moved his own fingers.

“Then, I’ll get going soon.”

“Already?”

The Grand Duke’s surprise had reached Vivian’s ears at once.

“There is nothing more for me to do here. Also, Your Highness doesn’t look that comfortable with me around.”

The initial aim for today was just to visit the presumably ill person while comforting them to some extent. Still, there were not many exchanges that could be done between people who were estranged even from the first time they met with each other. Furthermore, there was no need to cause such discomfort towards a sick person.

Without further ado, Vivian then grabbed her hat before standing up, just to be captured hastily by the Grand Duke’s hand.

“Your Highness, the Grand Duke?”

When Vivian’s startled voice had rung, the Grand Duke’s warm hand immediately slipped off.

As she looked at the embarrassed demeanor of the Grand Duke, a smile had painted across her lips, unwittingly. She felt like she was seeing her younger brother in him.

Vivian’s duty was always to take care of her weak younger brother back at home. It reminded Vivian how her younger brother was always sad as he clutched on her clothes and never let go whenever it was time for her to work. She then slowly took hold of the Grand Duke’s hand once more.

“I’ll come again next time.”

The Grand Duke didn’t reply anything after that. After coughing for several times, he laid back in bed before slowly closing his eyes.

“I’m tired. I want to get some sleep.”

Only after a tick of the hour hand had passed did she let go of his hand while flashing a breathless smile.

After she had donned her hat yet again, she carefully closed the door behind her as she left the room before Amanda darted towards her, as though she had been waiting all along.

“Vi… My Lady!”

She stole a glance at Amanda, who had confused her current title as she reached out her hand. Amanda immediately quit her fret before putting on the coat over Vivian‘s body.

“The Grand Duke has fallen back to sleep. I think it’s better for me to take my leave in order to let him sleep soundly.”

“Thank you for coming to visit the Master.”

“It was nothing.”

Vivian replied before pausing for a while. Alexia wouldn’t have said this kindly, so she thoughtfully added.

“We’re engaged, anyway.”

When she had just managed to leave the Grand Duke’s place before getting into the carriage, Amanda could no longer endure her words that were stuffed inside her ‘pocket’ so far and burst out.

“How was it? How was it?”

Vivian had already taken off her hat as she exhaled loudly, in front of Amanda, who was still making such a fuss. She had barely reverted back from being Alexia to Vivian when she became very relaxed, unlike when she was during her departure before.

“Don’t even ask. I thought that I’d die from my trembling heart.”

“But you’re still alive even after you have met with the monstrous Grand Duke.”

“Then, were you hoping that your friend would die back then?”

“Ay, how could I.”

Vivian smiled as she looked at Amanda, who was grinning playfully

‘I’ll come again next time.’

Vivian suddenly frowned when she remembered the promise she had made, just because she was swept away by the atmosphere.

“I made a little… a slip of the tongue, but it should be fine, right?”

“It definitely will. Wouldn’t he have told you right away if that had posed a problem?”

“Right?”

Vivian’s body immediately relaxed at the simple words of Amanda, just like being soothed by a body of water.

“And? How was the monstrous Grand Duke?”

Vivian’s eyes started gleaming in response to Amanda’s question. Finally, it was time for her to recount what she had seen before.

Vivian then started unraveling the story to Amanda, as they were seated inside the shaking carriage.

“Wait. Where is this carriage going? The county isn’t this way.”

While they were talking, Amanda sometimes looked out the window and suddenly, she put a stop to Vivian’s eager words.

Vivian had also looked beyond the window when her eyes were completely filled with a scenery that she hadn’t frequently seen before.

“Excuse me! Where are we going right now?”