A vivid dream woke me from my early morning sleep. Vivian stepped down from the bed and approached the window, pulling open the heavy curtains.

A hazy blue light blanketed the horizon. The lonely scenery of the dead-like dawn dug deep into her heart and stayed there as if it belonged.

Vivian changed her clothes herself. As she quietly left the room, the bluish light had receded a bit more. Instead, a pale golden color came through the window, illuminating the hallway. Upon reaching the stairs leading to the lobby, the mansion’s staff were busy preparing for the morning.

Turning her head to the sound of shoes behind her, there was Charlotte, accompanied by Merian, looking at her with a startled face.

“…Ah. Miss Windler. Good morning.”

Vivian wasn’t the only one who hadn’t expected this. As she hurriedly greeted with proper manners, Charlotte also returned the courtesy.

“You’re up early. Without sleeping more.”

“I couldn’t sleep. I thought I’d take a walk in the garden when no one was around, but the mansion’s morning seems to start early.”

Vivian wasn’t the owner of this place, nor was she an official guest. She didn’t have the courage to use the garden proudly in front of everyone in the mansion.

“I also woke up early and was about to go for a morning walk. Let’s go together.”

Having missed the opportunity to politely decline Charlotte’s silent smile, Vivian had to follow her. As they left the mansion, the sun brightening the morning gradually peeked out.

Following the path along the garden’s stone pavement, a cluster of yellow daffodils caught the eye first. Dew glistened on the bright yellow petals. Charlotte crouched in front of the shining daffodils and gently caressed the wet petals.

“Last evening, the Duke asked for daffodils to be planted, and the gardener planted them in the meantime. Isn’t it beautiful?”

Charlotte, who had only seemed to know how to treat things preciously, ruthlessly plucked a daffodil. Then she handed the picked flower to Vivian.

“It can’t be a gift, but please consider it as respect for the previous owner who tended this place.”

“…Thank you.”

Vivian, who couldn’t refuse, looked pitifully at the dejected daffodil.

“Although I haven’t lived here long, hasn’t it become much more lively? When I first saw it, I almost fainted in shock. It was like a grave for the dead.”

A thoughtless remark clawed at Vivian’s heart. Knowing it wasn’t intentional, she tried to comfort herself not to be hurt.

“Looking at the beautiful scenery of the mansion, I often imagine what this place looked like when Mr. Eveline was here. It must have been even more beautiful.”

Vivian smiled bitterly, thinking of her father.

“Father loved the garden here more than the garden of the Preston mansion. Sometimes he would tend to the garden himself and plant flowers. This garden has a lot of Father’s touch.”

“I’ve heard a lot about him. They say he was someone who willingly put aside the authority of nobility. I’ve heard of Mr. Eveline’s reputation several times even in the capital.”

Vivian’s face, which had been stiff all along, gradually brightened. It was a good thing to hear a loved one spoken of kindly by others. She could put aside the painful wounds for a moment while recalling a warm smile once more.

“Miss Eveline must have many worries, but don’t worry too much. Until Mother returns, the Duke will be your shield.”

The good atmosphere was ruined by the appearance of Duke Baitness in between. Last night’s memory of him throwing an unbelievable joke that she wouldn’t believe anyway resurfaced.

She doubted Edwin’s intentions, thinking who would fall for such a prank when it was said with eyes that seemed far from joking.

Who would fall for such a prank? Who would believe such words?

“Even if you’re not the owner of the mansion, don’t hesitate to take a walk in the garden or use the mansion. The Duke and I are not narrow-minded enough to reproach you for such things.”

“Thank you for being so warm.”

“By the way, you’re not wearing a scarf. Haven’t you been wearing it constantly these days?”

“Ah, that, yes. I think I don’t need to wear it anymore.”

“If it’s alright, would you entrust the scarf to me?”

“The scarf?”

Vivian fumbled at her empty neck.

Only after hurriedly returning to her room, saying the joke was too much, did she realize that she hadn’t brought the scarf and that all the bruises on her neck had disappeared. It was an item she didn’t need to get back, so she had erased it from her mind along with the Duke’s mischievous prank.

“When I saw it last time, it suited Miss Eveline quite well, but it seemed a bit empty, so I wanted to embroider it for you. I also want to leave it as a token of respect for Mr. Eveline.”

She considered making an excuse that she had lost the scarf. But why refuse the other’s warm heart when it wouldn’t be so difficult to get the scarf back from the Duke?

“Yes. Then I’ll leave it to you.”

Charlotte glanced at Vivian, who was burying her nose in the daffodil with an innocent smile, and took the first step. Last evening, Edwin, who had finally pulled out the weapon of marriage, had inflicted a great wound on her heart.

It was inevitable that she couldn’t sleep because of it, and it was by chance that she saw Vivian visiting Edwin’s room. The scarf that had been around Vivian’s neck when she finally appeared after a long time was gone.

Come to think of it, it was strange. The ascot tie in Vivian’s room. That tie similar to the Duke’s.

Her certainty that it was actually Edwin’s, despite the excuse of it being a gift, was due to Vivian’s scarf being in Edwin’s room.

“Um, by the way, Miss Windler.”

Vivian, who had caught up with quick steps to close the slightly widened distance, raised her voice quite cheerfully. It was as if she was trying hard to hide her fear.

“I’m not sure if I should ask this… Of course, I know it’s nonsense. It doesn’t make sense either…”

She frowned at the desperately lengthening digression. Her heart was pounding violently, making her head dizzy.

“Does the Duke… eat people by any chance? Ah, of course, I know he doesn’t. Ah, no. I said something too ridiculous, didn’t I? I’m sorry. Please forget it. There’s no way the Duke would do such a thing, right?”

Ha ha ha. The awkward laughter made her feel as if a thin thread in her heart had snapped.

“So are you scared?”

“…Pardon?”

Charlotte, who had stopped walking, wrapped her hands around Vivian’s hands holding the daffodil.

“If the Duke really eats people, are you afraid?”

Vivian’s eyes shook greatly. Her plump lips seemed unable to find an appropriate answer as they stumbled.

“I don’t know who you heard it from, but it’s a secret only known to family members, so I hope you’ll keep it to yourself.”

You think such a prank will work if you look innocent? So you think I’ll avoid that person, the person I like, out of fear?

Charlotte ignited the spark of fear, imagining Vivian’s figure running far away from Edwin.

“You haven’t told anyone else, have you? I hope not. Rumors spread fast, and I don’t want to know the evening menu in advance.”

Who could have played such a childish prank? Did they not know that the naive and foolish Vivian Eveline would believe such a shoddy lie?

Charlotte chuckled and turned away. There was no sound of shoes following. She wanted to look back, but just a few more steps. Until she could express that she didn’t understand why Vivian was acting this way. Charlotte walked just that far and turned to look at Vivian.

Why aren’t you coming? She asked with eyes as innocent as Vivian’s.

That evening. Vivian, who had dipped her pen in ink, placed the nib on the stiffly spread paper and then withdrew it again. As if lost in thought, she rolled her round eyes and then gripped the pen again. Then she slowly began to write down the content.

“To Mr. Sheffer

Mr. Sheffer. How are you doing? I’m doing well. Life here is very comfortable. As you said, Duke Baitness is a very good person. I’m staying with the Duke’s ward, and she always makes me feel comfortable, so I often forget that I’m a guest.

But, Mr. Sheffer. I’m asking just in case, but have you heard any rumors about Duke Baitness eating people…?”

The pen tip slowly made a period, elongating the sentence. Of course, it wasn’t content she had intended to include in the letter, but she had already written one line. She read the unconsciously written sentence with her eyes again.

“Why are Miss Windler and others being so mischievous… Did they think I would really believe it? Such a childish prank?”

She wasn’t stupid enough to fall for Duke Baitness’s prank about eating her, nor was she particularly startled by Miss Windler’s words that went along with it. Vivian crumpled the letter paper and pulled out a new sheet, spreading it out neatly.

“To Mr. Sheffer

Mr. Sheffer. This is Vivian. Are you living well these days? Contrary to your worries, I am doing very well. I can’t forget the expression on your face when you praised Duke Baitness, and that’s probably because your words were accurate. The Duke has been kind to me. Thanks to that, I’m living comfortably day by day.

There’s one thing I’m curious about – are there any other rumors about Duke Baitness besides the good ones? For example, about eating people…?”

The sound of scratching the air stopped. Vivian’s two eyes shook greatly as she looked at the words she had written down.

Vivian put down her pen and got up from her seat, heading to the window. She opened the window wide due to her stuffy feelings. A breeze carrying a temperature between lukewarm heat and cool chill rushed in. It felt like her mind was clearing.

Right. I’ll write to Mr. Sheffer later. First, I should write a letter to my parents.

Vivian, bouncing away from the window, sat down at her desk again. It was just the Duke’s cruel prank. How could a person eat another person?

It’s a lie. It’s just the result of Duke Baitness and Miss Windler working together.

“To Father. Father, are you reading my letters? If you happen to see my letter, please be sure to reply. I am living well without any problems. Father, you…”

The letter she wrote down, muttering softly, soon filled one page.

She couldn’t bring herself to say not to come back since Sayer had become the owner of the mansion. Instead, she wrote that it would be fine if it took a long time to return, but she hoped he was staying healthy. And at the end, she wrote just like this.

I miss you so much. I love you. Father.

She pressed down her sincere feelings towards her father.

Edwin, who woke up a little earlier than his usual wake-up time, rang the bell to call a servant. After a light bath, a simple breakfast and newspaper placed on the table opened his day.

The butler placed the most important royal mail on top of the pile of arrived mail and recited the main schedule for the day. After nodding appropriately and dismissing the butler, Edwin was having a morning no different from usual.

“My Lord.”

It was an ordinary morning until Royce came to visit.

“What brings you here so early in the morning?”

“The maid of Miss Eveline found an unsealed letter in the young lady’s room.”

The name Eveline was as sweet as the morning coffee. Plus, an unsealed letter. It was an intriguing combination.

Vivian Eveline generally wrote four letters whenever she was bored – to the Preston family, Monica Eveline’s maiden home; to the south where Anthony Sheffer lived; to Theo Evans’ clothing store; and to the post office in the capital where Lawrence Eveline was last seen.

Ah. One more.

Occasionally to Maria, the maid who was the only one to stay by Vivian Eveline’s side but eventually ran away with all the remaining money.

“And among the letters that arrived today, we found one addressed to Maria and set it aside.”

Royce made a gesture of smoothing out two mercilessly crumpled pieces of paper and handed them to Edwin, overlapping them on top of the enclosed letter.

Edwin read the short text, rubbing the impeccably neat handwriting with his fingertips. In both sheets, Vivian had started to ask about Edwin’s cannibalism but crumpled the letters midway.

He had tried to make her laugh because she had cried a lot, but Vivian was frightened again.

With a stiff face, she said she didn’t believe in such pranks, that the joke was too much, and disappeared angrily, making him think the prank wasn’t funny. But an unexpected response came back.

If I had known she would innocently ask about such things, I should have told her last night that she was on tonight’s menu. Then would she have stayed up all night worrying about when she would be slaughtered?

She would have been at a crossroads of choice, eagerly rolling her lifeless gray eyes in the air filled with darkness, and anxiously biting her red, plump lips that were somewhat bearable.

Lying down, sitting up, standing up again, or maybe pacing the corridor after leaving the room, or even looking for a way to leave the mansion.

Edwin folded the two crumpled letters and placed them on the table.

“Is it alright to leave it like this?”

“If not like this. What should I do? Really eat Vivian?”

“…No, sir.”

Edwin chuckled and then examined the front and back of the envelope of the letter that had arrived for Maria. The sender had written the name Juliet Fouquet, and the handwriting was quite unfamiliar.

If you put in the effort to be elaborate and meticulous, I’d like to be fooled.

Edwin, with a sardonic smile, picked up the letter opener and neatly slit the envelope.

You keep doing unnecessary things and using your head, so at this point, it would be polite to be fooled.

Edwin took out the contents and read the first line.

“To our beloved daughter.”

His eyes, rapidly scanning down below, were not thorough. It was a repetition of content he had always seen.

Are you doing well? Is everything alright? I’m doing well. Are you eating properly? Any pains? Please wait just a little longer. And so on, a repetition of such trivial and uninteresting letters.

And at the end, always like this.

“From your father who loves you the most.”

Edwin, closing the letter, held out his hand to Royce. Royce, as if accustomed, handed him a matchbox. Without hesitation, he mercilessly struck the match head against the matchbox.

As the burning spark began to consume the edges of the letter, the uninterestingly read letter soon became a handful of ashes. There was no trace of guilt to be found in Edwin, who was shaking off his dirtied hands.

Edwin imagined the words Vivian had boldly uttered last night.

‘So I’m sorry, but I can’t keep the promise to regret it.’

Well. Will that really go as you wish?