Chapter 16 (1/2)

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Vivian covered her mouth elatedly, but it was too late.

“W, who are you?”

I've been caught…….

As Vivian despaired, her gaze overlapped with the blonde lady.

The woman stopped in the middle of gathering her clothes and turned towards the direction of the sound as she trembled. It was natural for her to be incredibly fl.u.s.tered by the fact that there was someone else here other than herself. Since she was half-undressed, it would be odder if she wasn't embarra.s.sed.

“T… that I…….”

It was the first time Vivian looked straight at her face. Vivian tried to explain, but she became speechless and stared blankly at the lady. The lady, who held both the Emperor and Duke on either side of her, was immensely beautiful.

Though it was a bit messy, her hair was blonde and came down to her waist. Those green eyes shone so brightly that it appeared artificial and were filled to the brim with tears. Underneath the corners of her eyes lifted upwards coyly, her red cheeks oddly stimulated sadism.

She looked like an innocent white swan and a sensual femme fatale at the same time. The kind of face one would want to tease till it became a mess.

At the moment, Vivian understood. It was a beauty that made a woman like herself watch speechlessly, but for men, the urges must have been stronger. The words of an unsurpa.s.sable beauty that causes the rise and fall of nations refer to people like her.

There was no doubt that this lady was the very one who had embraced both the Emperor and the Duke, but……. what Vivian was astonished by was not only the lady's beauty.

“…Carden?”

Carden. The lady from the Household of Viscount Fromandi.

Vivian knew this face. Before the Household had become bankrupt, she was a childhood friend she'd seen often. The last time she'd seen Carden was when she was a young girl, but her face was the exact same as back then, so she was able to identify her with one glance.

Carden blinked her wide, tearful eyes and asked. Her weak voice sounded as if it would fade away at any moment.

“Vivian? Is it really you, Vivian?”

“And you, Carden, are you really Carden?”