As Rosenta left, Vivian broke into a small commotion.
She sighed loudly as if she had waited for Rosenta's disappearance.
Moving to the seat next to Theodore, she was constantly making noise.
"Did I look strange? Oh no. I was worried that I would look weird. I was afraid Rosen would ask for his coat…….”
Theodore's expression changed strangely when he heard the story, but he didn't care at all.
Vivian was busy telling her story.
"Did you receive my letter? I was so worried before I came here today...…. You set a serious mood because of that, right?”
She seemed to have mistaken the earlier atmosphere as Theodore's consideration.
Theodore pondered for a moment. However, he concluded that there was no need to ruin her mood.
Pretending to agree, he nodded and stood up.
"We're leaving, too."
"Already? Let's talk for a while before we go."
"Can we stay here without the owner?"
Vivian's expression became strange at Theodore's words.
She seemed to doubt whether the person in front of her was Theodore. Vivian, who had been looking around for a while, tilted her head and opened her mouth.
"This would hardly be the first time we stayed well after the owner left...….”
Then, without Theodore's permission, she put her hand on his forehead.
It was a very rude act in the aristocratic world.
However, it was permissible between those who shared strong mutual trust.
Just like the two of them did.
"You don't have a fever……. You don't look so good. Are you sick?"
His expression wasn't good.
Theodore put his hand on his own forehead. As Vivian said, there was no fever.
It was actually rather cool. On top of that, he could feel the deep-cut wrinkles on his forehead at his fingertips.
‘Was I frowning? I haven't been in a good mood these days.’
The work of the saint was second to none...….
"It's suspicious.”
"What?"
"Well, I don't exactly know.”
Theodore could only guess as to why he’d been in a constant bad mood.
What was clear was that Rosenta was at the center of it.
Yesterday and today too.
Rosenta had been considerate since their very first meeting.
His seriousness could be considered uncharacteristic for a child of his age, and his purple eyes were always so deep that he couldn’t tell what was inside them.
Sometimes Theodore felt like Rosenta was looking at something different from everyone else.
But these days, he seemed to be hiding much more beyond his usual. Ever since that man showed up...….
It had been like that yesterday, too.
The wrinkles between Theodore's brows grew deeper and deeper.
"Your Majesty."
Vivian was staring at Theodore and carefully opened her mouth.
"Rosen has been like that since we first met. He took care of me like a mother bird with eyes that seemed to know everything."
Vivian was right. That's why Theodore was interested in him despite being the son of that snake-like duke.
Theodore put a smile on his lips for the first time today at those old memories.
"Yeah, he really did."
"So, I would believe Rosen, even if he said water is fire. Because it's Rosen."
It would be absurd to say that those words came from an abstract, adult mouth.
However, Theodore could fully understand what Vivian was trying to say.
It was Rosenta they were talking about. He’d rather have his body cut apart than hurt the two of them.
When did time pass by like this?
Vivian, who was a crybaby and leech in Theodore’s memory, said such an adult thing.
He wondered if it was really the Vivian that he knew, and Theodore narrowed his suspicious eyes.
"I don't know what bothers you so much, but one day Rosen will tell you.”
Vivian held her head high as if she were impressed by her own words.
Then, as if she had remembered something, she looked up at Theodore.
"Ah! But...… Your Majesty must tell me if anything happens."
"Ha. Am I experiencing discrimination?"
Theodore was amazed by her sudden change in tone when it came to him.
Vivian was dumbfounded with her eyes wide open. As if Theodore was the only one who didn't know.
"That's because Your Majesty always hides it and suffers alone!"
"That’s better than hanging on to Rosen and whining every time something happens."
"Are you talking about me?"
"I was talking about myself."
Theodore shrugged lightly.
On the contrary, Vivian's face turned red.
‘You made fun of me after I went out of my way to comfort you?’
With a huff, Vivian jumped out of her seat. Then she shouted loudly at Theodore.
"Who in the world talks to himself so loudly?!"
"Me?"
Things had deviated considerably from Vivian's intended actions, but her purpose seemed to have been achieved regardless.
Theodore's stiff shoulders, which he had been tensing, gradually loosened.
He was now able to treat Vivian as usual. It was as if he had forgotten all the confusion he had just experienced.
"Ugggggghhhhhhh! I want to go back now, too!”
Saying so, Vivian rang the bell on the table violently.
A clear ring rang out.
‘Ding.’
Hearing that sound, someone outside opened the door and came in.
It was Enoch.
***
Theodore's mouth closed again.
Even when Enoch went to call the coachman, the tightly closed iron gate that was Theodore’s mouth did not think to open.
Vivian rested her chin on her hand as she spoke to Theodore, as though she were talking to herself.
"Your Majesty doesn't know, does he? That you're very jealous. It's okay now, but you used to look at me with sullen eyes.”
"What?"
As if he had never heard of this before, Theodore tried to ask Vivian to explain.
But before he could open his mouth, someone knocked on the door of the bedroom.
‘Knock, knock.’
Enoch, who had gone out to summon the carriages, returned.
He greeted them politely and politely asked them, "The horsemen have arrived. Would you like to leave now?"
Vivian looked out at his words. She could already see the carriages waiting.
She put her hand to her face in admiration of the super-fast arrival.
Then Vivian took her handbag and walked downstairs, guided by Enoch.
"Hmmmm."
Only the hum of the cheerful Vivian was heard, but otherwise, there was only silence between the three of them.
Fortunately, the silence did not last long.
In a single minute, they had arrived at the entrance and were ready to leave.
Before getting into their carriages, Theodore and Vivian briefly greeted each other.
"Sire, I'll be on my way."
"I'll go, too."
Vivian grabbed the hem of her long dress and tried to get into the carriage.
However, before getting into the carriage, she looked back hurriedly.
She stammered as if she had remembered something she’d wanted to ask Enoch.
"Hey, by any chance, you know the coat that Rosen lent me...… Has he asked about retrieving it?
It was a look of anxiety as if there was something weighing on her.
In comparison, Enoch's light-colored eyes were truly calm. To the point where it felt disconnected.
"He hasn’t asked me to retrieve it. He is busy preparing to leave for Silva with me soon."
Upon hearing that, Vivian swept her chest and sighed in secret.
But Theodore was different.
For the first time since Enoch's appearance, Theodore, who’d had no words, spoke for the first time.
Right as he was about to enter the carriage, his gaze was redirected to Enoch, and he repeated Enoch’s words.
"Preparing to leave with you…….”
Did he overhear the conversation?
One corner of Enoch's mouth began to rise little by little. And looking at Theodore, he answered with a laugh.
"Yes, with me."
***
It was dawn when the sun had begun to peek out little by little.
It was early in the morning, but for Rosenta and others, it was a busy time.
There was a carriage with Rosenta’s luggage, a coachman, and Enoch to assist him.
Everyone was ready to leave.
Anna and Edmund reached the entrance of the duke's castle to see them off.
"Have a safe trip, Duke."
"I'll keep the duke’s castle under control while your away."
"Trust me and go."
After exchanging brief greetings with them, Rosenta got into the carriage without regret.
However, there was no sign of the carriage departing.
‘What are you doing?’
Rosenta opened the window of the carriage and looked out.
Enoch could be seen listening quietly to Edmund instead of getting on the seat next to the coachman.
It was obvious. He must have been nagging Enoch to take good care of the duke.
"Amazing.”
Rosenta couldn’t believe Enoch was being so patient.
If it was the usual Enoch, he would have never stood there listening to the nagging. He would have lost his temper right away.
Rosenta imagined that scene for a moment. There was a faint smile on his mouth.
It was also fun to observe Enoch's unusual behavior, but something more urgent remained.
‘Shall we get Enoch out of there?’
"Enoch."
At his call, everyone looked at him, including the two who were conversing, as well as Anna who was at their side.
But Rosenta only looked at Enoch and motioned with his chin.
"Get on."