Chapter 40
Vivian had spent so much time maintaining an aloof and prim image that she ended up losing Dante. She simply didn’t realize that honesty was what worked best with a man like him.
‘Other people’s romances aren’t really my concern anyway.’
Bentley asked with an intrigued expression:
“But what’s this about? A duke having a lover?”
“She didn’t just come along to buy cakes, but he also bought her shoes! And there were more than one witness!”
Vivian blurted this out in a fast, excited tone, but the content was utterly trivial. Bentley, feeling exasperated, twitched his chin and replied:
“Maybe he’s under some hypnosis.”
Having known Dante for decades, Bentley could say this with certainty. The Dante he knew would never behave like that—he didn’t even have that kind of flair.
Lying back on the sofa, Bentley continued:
“This is nonsense, little sister. Since you’ve come all this way, why don’t you head back with light, gentle steps?”
His tone left no doubt that he believed it to be completely impossible. Vivian frowned sharply and asked:
“Is it even possible to control so many people with hypnosis?”
“Possible, yes. But wizards capable of mind-control magic are extremely rare.”
“How rare? None even in the royal court?”
Bentley squinted slyly like a fox and smiled.
“None.”
“That means it’s impossible!”
Vivian pounded her chest with her fists in frustration. Bentley replied in a dry tone:
“I said it’s possible, I never said it’s common. Have you lost your mind, Vivian?”
“…….”
Vivian pressed her hand to her forehead at her brother’s bluntness.
‘He’s just naturally like that. Always has been.’
Bentley chuckled softly, amused by his little sister’s giggles, and slowly got up. Sweeping his hair back, he said:
“I don’t even want to say things you want to hear, but that’s just a rumor. Dante wouldn’t do that.”
Though Bentley’s comment about not wanting to say what she wanted made Vivian want to punch him, the overall message wasn’t bad.
“Really? You think there’s absolutely no way he would?”
“No matter what, not in a million years. You know how blunt Dante is.”
“But people say love can change a person completely…”
“Do you really think I’d suddenly change if I fell in love?”
“No.”
At Vivian’s sharp answer, Bentley’s eyes softened into a gentle smile. His radiant charm made it seem like flowers were blooming when he smiled that way.
“So… will you leave now? Thanks to you, I genuinely want to look at some paints.”
“Which side are you even on, brother?”
Vivian shouted, and Bentley flopped back onto the sofa and replied smugly:
“Of course, I’m on my beloved side.”
“Oh dear, I really am a fool for running to you, brother.”
Vivian let out a series of deep sighs. She brushed her golden hair like Bentley and asked again:
“Then what about the rumors that the Christopher Duke’s mansion is being renovated? Some say a beautiful lady is staying there.”
“Ah…”
It was hard to dismiss that as a rumor, because it was true that a beautiful lady was staying there.
‘Seems some people have seen that fairy-like girl.’
But of course, they couldn’t just erase all the witnesses.
“Ah? That’s different from the previous ‘Ah.’ Do you know something?”
Bentley couldn’t lie endlessly.
‘Besides, I can’t let my sister be heartbroken without knowing anything.’
Bentley, caring for his sister in his own way, decided to drop a little information to prepare for potential backlash.
“I’ve heard there’s a guest.”
“Huh?”
Vivian’s eyes widened, surprised, as she expected him to dismiss it as a rumor. Bentley grinned mischievously at her reaction.
“If you’re curious who the guest is, why not go see for yourself?”
He had given her a little push, leaving the rest of the love story entirely in Vivian’s hands.
Meanwhile, there was a commotion at the Cline Count family estate.
The Emperor had personally sent the knights.
‘We mustn’t be discovered.’
The Countess of Cline bit her lips. Her eyes were fixed on Roziane, who was standing nonchalantly with her head held high.
‘Because of that damn girl.’
Roziane, having found Yvonne’s clothes, immediately went to a dressmaker from the capital for verification. The man, having worked in the palace, recognized Yvonne’s attire instantly.
〈Found the clothes of the former princess! They were at the Cline estate!〉
The letter reached the capital, and that very afternoon, the Crown Prince’s letter instructed the Emperor’s knights to go to the Cline estate to escort the former princess.
At that stage, they could have revealed that the young lady living at the Cline estate, named Yvonne, was the former princess and that she had run away.
‘But then we’d have to reveal that we were secretly raising her to marry her to Emil.’
The Cline couple couldn’t tell the truth. The entire estate already knew that Emil and Yvonne were meant to marry. Yvonne had run away, causing Emil’s disgrace to become public knowledge, and they had to lead soldiers to search for her.
‘Hiding the former princess is a serious crime, and then planning to marry her to our son… people will suspect our intentions.’
It was laughable to even call it suspicion—they were aiming for exactly that.
So, in the end, the couple couldn’t stop Roziane from posing as the false former princess. They only tried to excuse themselves by claiming they didn’t know Roziane was the princess.
〈We only picked up the princess’s clothes that were left hanging on a tree. You, having lost your childhood clothes, must have realized you were the princess but stayed quiet. We know nothing about you.〉
It was a flimsy story, but the best falsehood they could invent. The Countess sighed, her head throbbing.
‘At a time this critical, Emil isn’t even reachable…’
Going to the capital was delayed naturally while waiting for the Golden Knights. The Countess felt her blood run cold with worry over her unresponsive son.
‘Emil shouldn’t act recklessly. Maybe it’s better if he doesn’t find Yvonne at all.’
With Roziane, the false princess, already in play, Yvonne’s appearance would only cause confusion. The Countess only wished that her son remained uninvolved.
At that moment, Roziane, with silver hair and a deep smile, approached the Countess.
“Don’t worry, Countess.”
Her face, once bright and honest, now exuded something unsettling. The Countess watched her warily. Roziane added with a smile:
“I will never forget the kindness you showed me, even at the palace.”
“…It’s an honor.”
The Countess barely managed to squeeze out a voice, her lips unmoving. A child who once obsessed over Emil now claimed she would never forget the Countess. It was unnerving.
‘Would it have been better not to bring her at all?’
The Countess looked up. The sky was gray, as if about to rain. In the distance, the knights’ banners approached.
At that crucial moment, when the false princess was meeting the knights to head to the capital, and Vivian, encouraged by Bentley, was deciding to visit the Christopher Duke’s mansion:
“Duke.”
Dante, sweating, met the pale green eyes staring at him. Were the beautiful eyes, fringed with silver lashes, scolding him—or was he imagining it?
Yvonne sighed heavily.
“Could you hold the yarn a little looser?”
“……”
Every Wednesday was knitting lessons.
Dante was struggling terribly with his stubbornly uncooperative knitting skills.
