NOVEL NEXT Chapter 11
Today Samuel became Vivian in his dream again.
“Samuel.”
A small face hidden under the veil was revealed.
This memory he was seeing was of the day Vivian and Samuel got married.
‘Why does she look like that?’
Vivian let out a small laugh and took a step towards Samuel, who was just standing blankly before her.
Today she wore a snow-white dress, a dark blue headdress, and satin shoes with pearls.
The guard knights lined up on both sides of Vivian, while she stood on the carpet that was sprinkled with rose petals. The knights made arches with their swords in a symbolic pose and prepared a pathway for her.
With each step she took, the tip of her tongue was dry with tension.
The sound of her feet crushing red roses under her shoes stood out.
With each movement she took, the deep scent of roses wafted out and slowly filled the air.
As Vivian reached Samuel’s side, she heard Samuel’s harsh breathing.
“Samuel.” With those words, Vivian gradually moved away from him.
It was as if Samuel’s soul had been forced out of Vivian.
Now Samuel was watching his wedding from the air instead of inside Vivian’s body.
The pale pink petals artificially falling from the sky looked like feathers dropped by Vivian.
He was beginning to see just how much effort went into preparing the perfect wedding that Vivian had dreamed of.
Samuel and the Duke of Endless perfectly materialized Vivian’s vision of her perfect wedding.
Lucia, who was in charge as Vivian’s secretary, said that with the money she spent for that day could buy a corner of the system.
‘Then how is it? Vivian smiles brightly like that.’
Looking back on it now, and in this new perspective, he realized that Vivian was indeed very pretty.
He liked how she smiled so much even though he was so exhausted that he didn’t say anything throughout the wedding.
The affection she felt for him was thoroughly displayed by the redness that sprinkled her white cheeks which showed the warmth she was feeling inside.
He watched Vivian licked her lips.
Samuel knew what Vivian was going to say.
‘Samuel, am I pretty? It is said that the main character of the wedding is the bride. Do you think I’m the main character?’
With a trembling voice, she uttered those long words without a pause. It was proof that Vivian was nervous that day.
At that time, Samuel was also nervous and couldn’t answer properly.
Samuel waited for Vivian to bring out those words that would make him tremble even if he heard them again.
‘Divorce me, Samuel.’
The dream was finally broken.
***
Samuel jumped to his feet.
It wasn’t a sweet dream, it was just a nightmare masquerading in a sweet mask.
Vivian, who appeared with a smile after seven years, presented hell to Samuel.
Samuel wiped the sleep off his face harshly, “Ugh! Ugh!”
He ruffled his sweat-drenched hair in annoyance. As he did so the little rings on his little fingers gleamed under the soft peeking light.
Samuel looked down at the empty space next to the bed and lowered his legs to the floor.
He took a deep breath with his face buried in his palms.
On the day of the wedding, Vivian wore a pretty smile which she showed to everyone, no matter who saw it her smile did not waver.
“… What happens after that?”
Was it empty just like the moment he had when she said goodbye at the end?
His recollection was failing him. Day by day, he was becoming more like someone who loses and gives up hope.
With an innocent look that doesn’t crave for anything, all he could think of was this,
‘I don’t remember.’
“Haha.”
It was a cold, short laugh.
“Stupid.”
I forgot.
Vivian is smarter and kinder than anyone else he knew.
She would have preferred to give up rather than hope for something that would never happen.
It was Samuel who did not notice and left her alone.
Samuel took a deep breath as he looked at the ring on the tip of his little finger.
“… Nice to see you again, Vivian.”
Even in such a bad dream, he was happy to see Vivian’s smiling face.
It made him so happy that he was driven to the point of tears.
‘Because you are smiling… Thanks to you, I think I could live today.’
***
Peek out.
Daniel put his head out on the alley and looked outside the street.
He took a deep breath as he glanced through the crowded store.
The people of Rembrandt Street, knowingly and unknowingly, took great interest in the newcomer.
‘Look at that person who is not only beautiful, but also has a cute baby. Who is she?’
People gathered to see and confirm with their own eyes the person in the rumors that began to circle their town.
All the gossip of the people passing by Daniel had the same context…
“You said the owner of this newly opened restaurant is so pretty?”
“That’s right. Besides, she raised the baby alone. It looks like she came with the kid’s aunt.”
“Oh my gosh. What about her husband?”
“……”
“……”
“How can you be so rude? In this case, two inferences are possible.”
“Two?”
“What else! The husband ran away or died. Isn’t it one of those? But it seems to me that it is the second one.”
“Why?”
“Use your brain… Billy, why would you run away when you have a pretty wife and cute baby?”
“Ah…”
Daniel rolled his eyes,
‘Huh…’
I’ve never heard of the emperor’s death, her husband is still alive…it was she who ran away.
Still, it didn’t look like a bad public opinion was being formed about her.
Even in the capital, the middle-class townspeople of Rembrandt Street were known for being sympathetic.
The villagers, who concluded that Vivian’s husband was dead, slowly drifted off until new townspeople gathered at her shop.
“Hello, I’m Eve Aetherion.” She greeted them.
“Nice to meet you, Eve. I am Juliet. This is Timothy. You have to say hi to aunt!”
“Ah, hello!”
“This is my moving gift for you. You can consider it as a gift for opening a business. This is my children’s favorite conch bread, which I baked myself. Please enjoy it!”
“I’ll eat it well, Juliet. I have nothing prepared for you though…”
“Really, don’t mention it, that’s fine! It’s an opening gift. Timothy, would you like to eat what this pretty aunt cooks for you?”
“Yes! Auntie, I eat everything! Ummm, I eat carrots well too!”
“Oh my gosh. Timothy is brave!” Vivian’s brightly smiling face was clear to Daniel as he watched the exchange from a distance.
‘That’s a smile. She’s smiling again…’
Daniel banged his head against the wall.
Anxiety started to fill him.
The Duke of Endless had initially hired him to protect Vivian’s smiling face.
He was paid well to look after Vivian’s happiness.
But the Emperor wants to find Vivian.
The problem is that now the entity that pays Danielle has changed from the Duke of Endless to that of the Emperor.
‘Really, why does it have to be me?’
Daniel walked away with a troubled heart,
‘Vivian, you know I’m indecisive and full of affection for you…’
He pondered if he should continue observing her for one more day. After tomorrow he will make up his mind on what to do.
Just one more day.
***
‘Weird.’
Eve tilted her head as she looked at the pile of gifts that mountained up over at the counter.
‘Opening gift…?’
“Arianne. When you open a restaurant, are you supposed to receive so many presents?”
“I think so.”
There were all kinds of interesting gifts; for one, Mr. Jorte, who runs a hardware store nearby, gave them a hammer.
Maybe it will be useful in case of a thief.
Chloe, who runs an embroidery shop next door, brought tablecloths to match the number of tables in a large restaurant.
And Billy, the florist, brought a bunch of dried flowers to decorate the table.
Arianne looked at them all and murmured to Eve, “You don’t have to spend more money now do you? Since we don’t have to worry about our interior.”
Estella, who had been buried in the gift, lifted her head up and spoke, “That’s right.”
“I like it too, Mom! Hehehe. Look at this Timothy gave it to me.”
Estella held a cute stuffed toy in her hand.
Timothy, returning from dinner, presented his favorite attachment doll to Estella, “Don’t eat too much chocolate, Estella. Don’t eat too many sweets too!”
“Uh… However…”
“You only have to eat five!” Eve reminded her.
At her mom’s resolute words, Estella gently put down the sweets she was holding with her fingers.
Arianne, who was watching the scene, sighed.
It was the same with Vibraze.
She doesn’t know why but Eve always received plenty of attention.
It is usually expected that a community would normally exclude strangers, so why were they always welcomed with warmth?
“Weirdly, everyone in this town seems to like us.”
“I know.”
It was a strange repetition of a familiar conversation.
Arianne tilted her head and snatched the cookie basket from Estella.
“I hate Arianne!” The young girl spat out.
“Your mother told you not to eat sweets. Right, Eve?”
Eve agreed with Arianne’s words.
“Then. Estella, if you eat all that, your teeth will rot”
“Hing.”
“Then you would have to go to the doctor’s office and get a huge injection and have your teeth pulled out. Estella, would you like that?”
Estella shook her head at Eve’s question.
Eve patted Estella’s head as if she had done well.
The setting sun set on
<Stars and White Birds>
with a small sound of laughter.
Arianne silently stared at the white smile on Eve’s calm face.
While Eve was laughing and chatting with Estella, Arianne checked on the restaurant and closed the doors.
It’s time for everyone on the street to go home.
Children running through the alleyways filled the air with laughter that seeped through their closed doors.
“This neighborhood is so kind, isn’t it?”
Eve, who had come to Arianne’s side, said with her back behind the latter’s back.
Her white hair fluttered behind her cheeks as she slowly moved.
‘You have a pretty smile.’
“I know, they are really kind. Good enough to live a long life.” Arianne uttered.
“Yes… I want you to live long. Do you think Estella would be friends with them?”
Eve’s eyes narrowed at the thought of her child growing up.
It’s okay to be sick.
Sometimes it was so painful that she couldn’t breathe, so it was okay for her to chew and swallow painkillers without water, if it meant she would feel better faster.
She just wanted to stay with Arianne and Estella a little longer.
She can’t, though.