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Chapter 15
“Lady Vivian, I have something to tell you.”
“Hm? Just a second. I can’t decide if this one suits me better or that one.”
“They both look wonderful on you.”
It was early morning on the day Vivian was to visit the Imperial Palace with the Grand Duke to pay respects to the Empress.
Vivian was agonizing over two dresses: a soft pink one and a bright yellow one.
“Then I’ll go with this one.”
After all that serious contemplation, she picked up the first dress she had pulled out—the pink one.
Only then did Vivian lift her head and notice Betty’s serious expression.
“What’s wrong? Did you hear some bad news? Has your aunt’s condition worsened?”
Vivian’s face immediately turned grave in sympathy.
She had been so curious about Betty’s family that Betty eventually had no choice but to reveal bits and pieces. As a result, Vivian had grown familiar enough to casually mention Betty’s aunt and cousin.
“No, that’s not it. It’s about the letter you told me to send to the Grand Duke.”
“What about it?”
“I wrote it… pretending to be you.”
“Well, I told you to, didn’t I?”
Vivian responded like it was nothing, as if there couldn’t possibly be an issue.
Realizing she had chosen the wrong words, Betty tried again, more directly.
“I mean, I really wrote it as if I were Lady Charte. Not just mimicking your tone—but writing as if I were you.”
This time, Vivian’s expression darkened slightly. She set the dress aside, crossed her arms, and furrowed her brows.
“You mean… you didn’t just imitate me, but actually became me in those letters?”
“…Yes. His Grace actually received letters from my perspective. I think the reason he suddenly visited the other day was because he felt we had grown close—sharing everyday thoughts and feelings. But the truth is, it wasn’t you he was exchanging those thoughts with, so… he probably found it strange.”
Betty braced herself. She believed that if Vivian fired her on the spot, it would be an incredibly merciful outcome.
But even as she stood there with her eyes tightly shut and head bowed in guilt, no response came.
Instead—
Pffft—! A cheerful, hearty laugh broke the silence. Vivian collapsed onto the bed, laughing so hard tears welled in her eyes.
“So that’s why you’ve been gloomy since yesterday? Oh, my goodness.”
She rolled across the bed toward Betty, propped her chin on her hands, and said with a grin,
“For a moment, I thought I had suddenly developed some new charm or something. The way the Grand Duke was looking at me—it was intense. I even wondered if he’d fallen for me after seeing me in a new light. But now I know… there was another reason.”
She continued thoughtfully,
“I knew something felt off the last time. So the letters weren’t just formal updates on daily life?”
“No. As time went on… I started including more of my actual emotions.”
“Hmm… Emotions, huh? Judging by how you are, I think I can guess what you wrote. I bet you made them really kind and sweet. No wonder he felt drawn to you. I could never write like that.”
“I even included all my silly, personal thoughts… I think that’s why His Grace replied once in a while.”
“What the—when we first met, he seemed so curt and blunt that I thought he was just a stuck-up snob. But he actually read the letters properly and even replied? That’s… surprisingly decent.”
Vivian spoke with excitement, as if analyzing someone else’s situation, entirely unrelated to her.
Seeing her that way, a question bubbled up in Betty.
“…Aren’t you angry at me, my lady?”
“Hmm… not really? I mean, is there a reason I should be mad? It’s not like I have feelings for the Grand Duke. Everyone says he’s amazing, but he’s not my type.”
Vivian seemed more entertained than anything, as though this had spiced up an otherwise dull morning.
“But still… he is your fiancé, isn’t he?”
“There have been plenty of men I was ‘supposed to marry’ before. I’m just someone who follows orders for the glory of House Charte. If they say I’m to marry him, I say yes. If they change their mind and pick someone else, I say yes again. That’s my role.”
With a sulky expression, Vivian flopped back onto the bed.
She turned her head to look at Betty, who still appeared deeply troubled.
“I’m not going to blame you, so stop worrying. Even if you’d sent him a letter full of insults under my name, I wouldn’t have cared.”
“…Why?”
“Just because. I hate how everything always goes according to my brother and father’s plans. I want to rebel in some way—do the opposite of what they want. No one ever asks what I think, so how else can I express myself?”
Vivian, a noble lady born into fortune yet bound by duty, looked truly unlucky in that moment.
No matter how blessed she seemed, her family saw her as nothing more than a tool to be used.
In reality, she had no freedom over her own life.
“My brother and father would probably want to reward you for this. Thanks to you, the Grand Duke started taking a personal interest in me. They only care about results, not how you got them.”
“…I’m really sorry.”
“What are you sorry for? It was just a letter. If the Grand Duke finds out and feels upset, I’ll make sure none of it comes back to you. Even if he suspects something, if I pretend not to know anything, what’s he going to do? He’ll just keep wondering.”
Vivian shrugged it off like it was nothing.
“You covered for one of my secrets. I’ll cover for yours. Fair trade, right?”
“…Yes.”
“So relax already. I really thought it was something serious. If someone overheard us, they’d think you sent the letter without telling me.”
In the end, with Vivian reacting so indifferently, Betty could only nod with an awkward smile.
Vivian was right. In the end—it was just a letter.
Even if the Grand Duke was affected by the contents at first, he’d eventually focus on the real person in front of him.
* * *
Just as they were about to leave for the palace, a message arrived: the Grand Duke had been suddenly called away on urgent business. Instead, his aide, Sir Cain, would accompany Vivian.
Cain’s cheerful and sociable nature helped ease any awkwardness during the journey. He filled the conversation with lively stories about their travels to the capital.
“Her Majesty the Empress wishes to speak with Lady Charte in private.”
And so, without the Grand Duke, Vivian had to meet the Empress alone.
As soon as she heard those words, Betty saw a flicker of tension cross Vivian’s face. She cautiously asked,
“My lady… Will you be all right?”
“I’ll be fine.”
Vivian donned her usual proud, aloof expression and carefully checked that her dress hadn’t wrinkled.
Then, turning suddenly to Betty, she said,
“If anyone picks a fight with you, just drop my name and threaten them.”
“My lady, surely no one would dare do such a thing. We’re in the Imperial Palace.”
“Exactly—that’s why. People here can’t say things outright in front of me, so they’ll look for other ways to strike. You’re too innocent, and that’s your problem.”
Even though she’d grown more considerate lately, her blunt, sharp-tongued nature hadn’t disappeared.
With a slight scowl, Vivian gave Betty a look that seemed to say, you’re too soft for this world.
“I’ll protect you, Lady Vivian. Don’t worry.”
“…Then I’ll trust you.”
Unlike with Betty, Vivian acted noticeably cold toward Cain. Perhaps it was because, as a fellow knight, he reminded her of Rodrick—the knight from the ducal house who had once been her lover.
With a final reluctant glance at Cain, Vivian stepped through the opening doors.
Once she was gone, Cain turned to Betty and smiled.
“You seem to be quite close with Lady Vivian.”
“Well, I do serve closest to her, after all.”
“That reminds me of our relationship with His Grace. I didn’t think Lady Vivian and the Grand Duke had much in common, but perhaps they do.”
Betty tried to end the conversation quickly, as the mood had grown awkward. But once the Grand Duke was mentioned, her curiosity sparked again.
Even though she had exchanged letters with him, Betty had only received a few responses.
Her understanding of the Grand Duke was still limited at best.
