HBL 7

Chapter 7

Saronne lay silently in her bedroom as always, gazing out the window.

The number of people who came to her room—including the servants—could be counted on one hand.

‘Just like before.’

At some point, the staff in the estate had begun to avoid her. Since Diego now openly favored Vivian, the new heir he brought in to replace her, the servants steered clear of Saronne for fear of getting caught in unnecessary trouble.

If it had been the old Saronne, she might not have noticed at all. However, Diego had already reassigned most of her personal attendants to serve Vivian instead.

And that wasn’t all.

‘Soon enough, strange rumors should start spreading.’

Of course, they were lies—ones fabricated by Vivian to slander her.

As this memory surfaced, Saronne scoffed faintly and stepped towards the window.

From somewhere beyond the garden, noise began to stir. Voices rose as people gathered and chattered.

‘Looks like preparations are going well.’

Saronne let out a dry laugh and narrowed her eyes.

Today would indeed be a very special day.

It would prove Vivian wrong about her so-called divine blessing and mark the beginning of open war against Diego Lois.

***

A cheerful hum filled the guest room.

Having dismissed all the servants from the estate, Vivian stood alone, admiring her reflection in the mirror — her attire was impeccable.

Her light green eyes, reminiscent of soft foliage, conveyed an air of purity and innocence. Her delicate features and long, silky hair only served to enhance her fragile yet graceful appearance.

Despite the tragedy that had occurred in this very mansion just a week ago, Vivian paid it no mind. She smiled brightly at her reflection, as if nothing had happened.

Then, suddenly, she thought of a woman who looked a little too much like her.

That woman, who had lost her child, was probably lying limp in bed by now.

A smile slowly curved across Vivian’s lips.

‘If I head out to the garden, the gathering spot he prepared should be set up by now.’

Saronne Lois had arranged it meticulously, but it had now been forgotten amid the haze of grief and loss.

Vivian had been waiting a long time for Saronne to become too devastated to follow through, and when that day finally arrived, taking control of the unattended event was easy.

<“Diego, I heard Lady Saronne had been preparing some kind of social gathering before her accident. But it seems the guests haven’t been informed of any cancellation yet…”>

<“Really? Maybe I should reach out now, then.”>

<“If it’s alright… may I attend in her place? I’d like to inform the guests of her condition myself. And there were a few people I met at the last banquet—I’d like to greet them again properly.”>

At her cautious request, Diego silently studied her for a moment.

Vivian briefly tensed, wondering if he might still be concerned about Saronne.

But then he gave a cool, agreeable nod.

<“Go ahead.”>

Gaining his permission was laughably easy.

Just as with Diego Lois a few years ago, this man would now willingly give Vivian his heart and soul.

Their separation had once been out of necessity.

There was still something between them.

Therefore, Vivian secured the right to continue the event in Saronne’s place.

‘Lady Lois… she really is quite helpful in her own way.’

Thanks to Saronne’s careful preparation, Vivian found it easier than ever to slip back into her natural role: Duchess of House Lois.

With a small, amused smile, she made her way quickly to the event space.

Guests had already begun to arrive, one by one. After all, it was a gathering hosted by none other than Saronne, the centre of all the recent rumours. Their curiosity alone made the invitation irresistible.

‘Noblefolk raised like delicate flowers are always weak to scandalous gossip…’

She knew that, by the time they left, the guests would be far more shocked than they could ever have anticipated.

The whispers spreading among the estate’s servants were about to spill beyond the mansion walls.

“Thank you so much for coming such a long way.”

Vivian greeted the guests with a smile so sweet it could melt butter. She seemed to be the host of the gathering.

The moment they laid eyes on her, confusion rippled through the crowd.

“Oh my, where is Lady Lois…?”

“Ah, the Madam couldn’t attend due to some personal circumstances. I’m greeting the guests in her place with the Duke’s permission, so I do hope it doesn’t make you uncomfortable.”

“Well… I suppose there’s no reason to be uncomfortable. We’re already here, and if the Madam has her reasons…”

The two pairs of guests exchanged glances before responding. Their reaction was dazed, but the fact that they had no intention of leaving was satisfying enough.

‘They must’ve come out of curiosity over the rumors anyway. Whether it’s Lady Lois or me, as long as someone’s here to clear up their questions, that’s all that matters.’

Vivian beamed brightly, clasping her hands together as she spoke to them.

“Actually, there’s something I’ve been wanting to share with everyone… but I’d like to wait until a few more guests arrive before making the announcement. Please, come inside. We’ve prepared some delightful refreshments for you to enjoy.”

At her words, the guests’ eyes lit up. They were clearly intrigued.

“Well then, we’ll go on in first.”

The guests entered the event hall, no longer wearing their confused expressions. As they moved away, Vivian caught whispers drifting to her ears.

“What on earth could this be about? The madam isn’t here, but seeing her up close, she really does give off a similar impression.”

“I was shocked too… I wonder what it is she wants to say?”

Hearing their puzzled conversation, Vivian smiled quietly to herself.

She greeted the other guests as she had done before, and nobody seemed to mind.

‘Their way of thinking is so predictable, really…’

Just as Vivian was contentedly awaiting the next guest, someone strode in with a confident yet relaxed gait.

Vivian’s eyes widened at the sight of the new arrival. But only for a moment — her expression quickly shifted to an even brighter smile.

She recognised him. As he drew closer, she waited until only a few steps remained between them before speaking in a clear, graceful voice.

“You must be the young Lord of House Hethrian, correct?”

Leobint, who had seemed to be subtly scanning his surroundings as he approached, came to a halt.

Vivian observed the man standing before her with sharp attention.

He was often hailed as the most handsome man in the kingdom. Although he was no longer an official member of the royal family, he was still referred to as ‘Prince’ and was admired for both his noble lineage and his impressive business acumen.

‘He really is as handsome as the rumors say.’

Vivian stepped forward to greet him, smiling sweetly and charmingly.

“Thank you for accepting our invitation.”

Acting as if she were the true hostess of the estate.

Upon hearing her words, Leobint tilted his head ever so slightly. Then, a perfectly composed, vaguely meaningful smile curved his lips.

“In a social gathering, it’s customary for the host to greet the guests… but that depends on who the host really is.”

Leobint’s gaze swept over Vivian from head to toe, taking in every detail of her meticulously prepared appearance.

He smiled, but his voice was cold as ice.

“You’re not the one who invited me.”

“Ah…”

Vivian, caught off guard by the chill behind his smile, quickly offered a response.

“Lady Saronne couldn’t attend due to personal circumstances. So I’m greeting the guests in her place. As for the details of those circumstances…”

“Did Lady Lois ask you to do this?”

“To attend in her stead and receive the guests?”

He cut her off before she could even finish the excuse she had prepared.

Vivian, who had welcomed all the other guests with ease, was taken aback by his directness. His probing tone left her feeling flustered for a moment.

‘What the…? He sounds like he’s defending her.’

Most people came here to satisfy their curiosity about the rumors. But this man—he didn’t seem interested in the so-called truth Vivian was about to reveal.

‘Do they know each other? The second prince of Clamir and Lady Lois?’

Vivian quickly composed herself and decided to test the waters, trying to read his true intentions. After all, she had anticipated someone pushing back.

“Lady Saronne didn’t ask me, but I’m here with the Duke’s permission. If you came hoping to see her… then I’m sorry to disappoint you.”

Vivian lifted her gaze to meet his and finished with composure. She didn’t care what Saronne did with other men as long as she could take her place. That woman? Let her do whatever she wanted.

But the mere thought of Saronne holding that position for so long twisted Vivian’s insides with resentment. She wanted to take everything from her.

Just then, Leobint reacted. His eyes crinkled into a smile as he replied with easy charm.

“It’s fine. I’m not especially close with Lady Lois, and I’d actually been meaning to meet Lady Benit at least once.”

There wasn’t the slightest trace of affection for Saronne in his light tone.

‘…So there’s really nothing between them?’

‘Well, of course. The second prince of Clamir must be surrounded by women all the time.’

‘There’s no way he’d be interested in some pathetic, naïve woman like her.’

Relieved, Vivian returned a relaxed smile.

“That’s good to hear. I was worried you might feel uncomfortable…”

As she spoke, she glanced in his direction.

Leobint stared at her quietly, his gaze unwavering and intense. It lingered for so long that Vivian began to fidget, unsure of how to react.

“Do you… have something to say…?”

“Ah, my apologies.”

Leobint finally reacted, letting out a sheepish laugh. Immaculately dressed, he reached out and gently brushed a small leaf off Vivian’s hair.

Vivian, who had been preparing to end the conversation politely and invite him in, froze.

The distance between them returned just as quickly. But for a moment, Vivian stood there, dazed and completely taken aback.

Leobint’s eyes crinkled into a radiant smile.

“Seeing you up close, I couldn’t help but think how strikingly beautiful you are. Please forgive my boldness. You really do resemble Lady Lois more than I expected… just as the rumors say.”

“Ah…

“Then, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll head in first.”

He stepped past her and made his way towards the gathering, where the other guests were already mingling.

As he entered, eyes turned towards him, seemingly drawn by gravity. There was a brief hush, followed by a commotion that swept through the room like a tide.

Vivian stood frozen, watching his retreating figure.

And then, only belatedly—her cheeks flushed a vivid pink.