Chapter 75
#075. Six-year-old Olivia, Twenty-year-old Olivia.
Conrad hurriedly flipped to the next page.
My table manners weren't elegant. Father said it spoiled his appetite. I must never do that. Keep thinking, Olivia. Don't make mistakes, and always do your best.
The next page, and the one after that. The content was similar. It was all about scolding herself for the family's rebukes.
Conrad's name appeared several times. Things he didn't even remember were written in detail. And then, the words that followed were always the same.
Let's never do that. Olivia. Don't make mistakes, and think for yourself.
Conrad's hands trembled. There were five notebooks just like this one. Did that mean all the contents were like this?
"What..."
Conrad unknowingly dropped the diary. The diary, falling on the desk, flipped open to the first page. The writing, with smudged ink in places, was terribly crooked. But Conrad couldn't bring himself to call this writing ugly.
Maybe, the very fact that I came here,
Because the sentence written next was imprinted on his eyes as naturally as breathing.
I can memorize it if I write it down. Conrad Oppa said so. He said I can memorize it if I write it down. Olivia, you can do it.
Conrad bit his lip without realizing it. And he searched his memory. He had never spoken kindly to Olivia like that, not even once.
When they were young, he was always angry and cursed at her, and as they grew up, he ignored her.
Like a faint afterimage, the figure of a small girl came to mind. And at the same time, the sound of a screaming voice echoed piercingly in his ears.
"It's because of you! If you can't understand, write it down and memorize it! It's because of you! Don't stand out and just live quietly!"
As the voice in his memory grew louder, Conrad's eyes widened. His hands trembled.
He remembered.
Twelve-year-old him, screaming and blaming Olivia.
"...I'm sorry. Oppa."
And six-year-old Olivia, quietly bowing her head at that scream. When those hollow eyes met his.
Conrad held his breath for a moment.
The disaster he had hated all his life.
The sin that had caused his mother's death and made this family desolate.
He had forgotten.
At that time, Olivia was only six years old.
A six-year-old writing in such crooked letters.
The small girl who followed him with such adoring eyes. The child who constantly followed her family with longing green eyes.
Conrad's bewildered eyes wandered aimlessly. He kept looking away as if wanting to escape, then froze like ice.
Of all places, his gaze landed on the bedside. There was a small rabbit doll there. A rabbit doll that even at a glance, seemed to be cherished by its owner.
It was only different in size from the rabbit doll that Jade had given to Esella when they were children.
The fact that Esella had already thrown away the doll years ago came to mind, and at the same time, a terribly bitter emotion washed over him.
As much as he had ignored it until now, it was even sharper.
* * *
After the Grand Duke and the young lady's trip to the Imperial Capital was decided, the Ducal Palace was in an uproar.
"They've only been here for a short time, and now they're suddenly going to the Imperial Capital...!"
It wasn't just the problem of packing in a hurry. Not only the Knights who had just sworn allegiance to the young lady, but also the retainers and maids who had become acquainted with her, and even the servants, talked about their disappointment whenever they gathered.
"And they're leaving quietly tomorrow at dawn. Oh my goodness. They won't even let us see them off."
It was the same late in the evening on the day before departure.
Olivia blinked for a moment at the voices full of regret coming through the open door of the balcony. Bethany, who was checking the luggage for the last time, was equally surprised.
One of the maids hurriedly walked to the window to close the balcony door. In the meantime, the conversation continued quickly.
"Anyway, the Imperial Palace is the problem. Making the young lady, who is so busy, go without even resting because of some ball."
"That's right. She just finished the work on Yeniv Street and took a breather."
"Surely the Imperial Palace didn't tell the young lady to come back, did they?"
"Come to think of it, didn't Lord Calter say he gave you an invitation?"
"No, you gave the young lady something from the Imperial Palace?"
It was a voice of horror, as if something from the Imperial Palace was poison.
Hey, your voice is too loud! At the same time as the scolding from the side, the maid closed the door.
The maid who turned around smiled awkwardly.
"Everyone seems to be very sad that you are going to the Imperial Capital, young lady."
"That's right. We really want to see you off."
One of the maids slyly revealed her regret. At those words, the other maids' eyes sparkled as if they agreed.
But the young lady only smiled and didn't change her words. She knew very well that she was considerate of the servants who would be busy early in the morning, but that didn't mean the regret disappeared.
"Instead of seeing me off, you can give me a double welcome when I come back."
Bethany casually suggested a good solution. A double welcome. While the maids' eyes sparkled again, Bethany approached Olivia.
She knew that Bethany's nagging would start again just by looking at her walk.
"Leaving aside the send-off, young lady. You must remember my words that you can never be too careful in the Imperial Capital. No matter how busy you are, you must finish a full plate of food. I've also written a letter to Sobel, so..."
"I've already engraved in my mind to wear all the jewels when I go to the ball. Bethany."
It was a word she had heard more than twenty times already. Even with the words she now knew by heart, Bethany's face still didn't look relieved.
Olivia smiled and looked at everyone in the room. These were the people who were worried about the change of sleeping place when she declared that she was going to the Imperial Capital.
"I'm going to miss you."
She meant it. Even if she went to the Grand Duke's Residence, she would meet familiar faces like Sobel, Hanna, and Masa. But she would always miss this Territory of Vikander.
Bethany, who had a regretful face, came over and hugged Olivia tightly.
"It would be best if you came back quickly..."
Bethany was silent for a moment before continuing.
"...If you need anything, please write me a letter anytime. I'll fly over right away."
Olivia smiled brightly at her, hugging her back.
Thanks to that, Olivia didn't know.
That the maids who heard Bethany's words widened their eyes at the same time.
Also, how big of a decision Bethany, who had never left the Territory of Vikander since the late Grand Duchess passed away, had made.
.
.
.
It was a pitch-black dawn.
The line of carriages lined up in front of the Ducal Palace began to depart. The servants, who couldn't disobey the order, turned on the lights in their rooms instead of the front door and saw off the carriage procession.
The Ducal Palace was brightly lit even in the darkness.
Inside the leading carriage, Olivia couldn't take her eyes off the window.
She was told not to see her off. She knew she would miss these affectionate people so much right away. The last time she left the Grand Duke's Residence, her heart fluttered like this.
The Summer Ball would last for at least about two weeks. Including the travel time, it would take about a month.
When converted into days, it was a longer time than she thought.
Olivia's eyes, looking at the Ducal Palace, became slightly wet. The carriage, reaching the gate that divided the inside and outside of the Ducal Palace, stopped for a moment.
Normally, it would have gone out without stopping, but today, the gate was tightly closed.
"What to do."
At the sound of a gentle voice, Olivia chuckled.
"Shall we turn the carriage back?"
Edwin asked with a smile.
She knew very well that there was a hint of worry in those words. So Olivia deliberately glared at Edwin with pretty eyes.
"Absolutely not. I spent a whole day packing a month's worth of luggage."
"I almost made a mistake. I almost mistook it for Olivia looking at the Ducal Palace so affectionately. I'm here, the one you should be looking at with those eyes."
A languid voice touched Olivia's heart. Olivia avoided his gaze and mumbled.
"But, this time, there was no time to use the card."
"To whom?"
"Well..."
Olivia unconsciously turned around and looked at the Ducal Palace. But when she looked forward again.
Wow-.
At the same time as the gate opened, small lights flickered above the darkness. Olivia, blinking her eyes, wondering what kind of light it was in this dark dawn, stared blankly ahead.
People holding small lights were standing as far as the eye could see.
The carriage started slowly.
"You made a mistake, Olivia. You told only the people of the Ducal Palace not to see you off."
"...But, it's too early in the morning now."
She couldn't believe it. The moment people's faces became clearly visible in the light, Olivia clenched her fists without realizing it.
Edwin's voice, mixed with laughter and sighs, muttered as if groaning.
"Surely, you didn't not know, but if you didn't, please know now. How much this Territory of Vikander cherishes and loves you."
A terribly sweet expectation was fulfilled.
The happiness that poured out even when she tried to hold it back remained by Olivia's side without disappearing.
The bright lights of the Ducal Palace seeing her off, and the children and adults standing on the streets, even the people with green eyes.
The people standing on both sides of the road smiled brightly and waved their hands at the carriage, or rather, at Olivia.
Was it okay for her heart to beat this fast? Her fingertips trembled, so she clasped her hands together.
"Have a good trip, young lady."
When a young voice was thrown into the quiet street, the farewells that had been held back poured out from here and there as if they had been waiting.
"You have to come back soon!"
"You have to come back and visit our store!"
The Territory of Vikander, where the silence of dawn was broken, was as vibrant as when it first welcomed Olivia.
Olivia, who had been constantly waving her hand outside from some point, only mumbled softly when she reached the border wall of the Territory of Vikander.
Edwin, who was focusing all his senses on Olivia, raised his eyebrows when he heard that those two small syllables were 'card'. Then he burst out laughing at the tearful grumbling.
"It's a good thing you didn't use it. When would you have used it on all these people of Vikander?"
* * *
Eventually, it was when the sun showed its face that the carriage completely left the Territory of Vikander.
"Have a good trip!"
Olivia was startled when she tried to lean out of the window at the voice echoing over the wall.
"It's dangerous to go outside the carriage, no matter how sad you are."
The voice echoing in her ear was seductive.
"You were going to catch me, Edwin."
"Did you know that?"
"I don't not know."
Edwin's eyes relaxed languidly as if he was in a good mood. Olivia shrugged her shoulders and laughed softly.
"Why?"
"It's fun. I believe you'll catch me if I'm about to fall, and I'm strongly convinced that you'll come to find me if I get lost. This is like..."
Mom, it was like that.
To be exact, she felt like he was someone she could endlessly trust and love.
Edwin was now a really big presence to her, similar to her mother.
Suddenly, Olivia realized the existence of the thread anklet tied to her ankle. Come to think of it, she hadn't given Edwin a thread anklet because she was busy working.
Penetrating her thoughts, Edwin followed Olivia's words.
"Like, what?"
"...Like Bethany? A little later..."
Are you going to fix my sleeping place too?
Olivia closed her mouth because the words she was trying to add in a joking tone seemed to create a strange atmosphere.
At the same time, Edwin, who was looking at Olivia with an unknown look, burst out laughing and replied.
"Well, I sometimes feel like Olivia is a girl about to make her Debutante."
"Wow..."
Olivia was speechless for a moment.
She knew it was a joke, but she was strangely offended. He kissed her on the cheek, hugged her, and even kissed her wrist.
Even though she knew what it meant, Olivia was captivated and fell for this playful provocation.
"Where did you see me so young? This respectable twenty-year-old?"
"Well."
Edwin's eyes, which had been smiling kindly at the grumbling, suddenly sank darkly.
And.
"Isn't it because you get rabbit eyes every time I do this?"
A low voice echoed in her ear.
Thump, thump-. Her heart dropped and then soared back into the sky. Her vision became dizzy. The only thing she could see was Edwin in front of her.
