Chapter 3
“Eek!”
I was startled, but soon turned around with an awkward smile.
Standing there was a fair-haired handsome man with glasses, wearing the pink apron I had chosen for him—a sight I had gotten used to seeing since he became the owner and sole guardian of our bakery.
Dias Hessen.
He was the man who became both the owner of this bakery and our father.
“Uh, I promised the kids I’d meet them at the square,” I mumbled.
Avoiding my father’s gaze, I tapped the toe of my shoe on the floor.
Though his honey-colored eyes behind the glasses stared straight at me, thankfully, it seemed he hadn’t caught wind of my ambitious plan.
“Well then, I’ll be off!”
I darted out of the door before my father could catch me.
“Take care of the carriage! Don’t take off your coat just because it’s hot! And don’t you dare venture into the dangerous forest!”
As always, I brushed off his nagging with a wave of my hand and dashed off towards the Edelvein Estate.
A little while later, as I arrived in front of the villa, I came face to face with an unexpected individual.
“Rachel?”
In the same room on the third floor of the mansion as yesterday, there was Rachel, who had been watching me for who knows how long.
The same expression as yesterday, but dressed differently.
“You weren’t…waiting for me, were you?”
I stared dumbfounded at Rachel, then awkwardly bowed my waist and greeted her.
“Perhaps I was too presumptuous in my greeting to a commoner yesterday.”
But as I straightened up again, Rachel had already walked into the room without a word.
“Hmph. Our young lady is surprisingly prim for a supposed villainess.”
As I pondered my disappointment…
“Hm?”
An urgent-looking servant emerged from the villa. He was one of the servants I had greeted yesterday.
My eyes lit up upon seeing him.
“This is my chance. A chance to get closer!”
I quickly approached him.
“Hello, sir! Where are you off to?’’
“I’m busy, don’t follow—”
Ignoring me and about to leave, the man suddenly stopped in his tracks, as if remembering something, and turned around.
“Hey, kid. Do you happen to know where one can find some good cheese? I need to buy some cheese…”
A smirk tugged at the corners of my mouth at his question.
“There’s no easier way to get close to someone than by helping them.”
It was a golden opportunity to get closer to my goal.
“Of course. This neighborhood is my specialty, you know? Just trust me.”
I flashed a confident smile and took the lead.
On the way back to the cottage.
A smile blossomed on the old man’s face. In his arms was the finest cheese from our neighborhood that we had just bought.
Naturally, it was my doing.
“Would a nobleman like me eat my cheese? Would a nobleman indulge in such things?”
It took some convincing to persuade cranky old Gerald to accept the nobles.
But, after all my efforts, the old man managed to secure a continued trading agreement with Gerald.
I felt a surge of pride.
Whether he sensed it or not, the old man, walking beside me, offered a belated thank you.
“Thanks, kiddo.”
“Vivian.”
“Right, Vivian. Thanks to you, we can have cheese for dinner tonight.”
“Oh, it’s nothing. It’s just neighbors helping each other out.”
And now it was the old man’s turn to help me. Hehe.
I smiled ominously as I looked at the Edelvine mansion, which had suddenly become closer.
Then, sneakily glancing at the old man, I weakly stretched my body, rubbing my stomach.
The old man, about to enter the mansion after bidding me goodbye, looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“Hmm? Why are you doing that all of a sudden?”
“I’ve come back from far away, and I’m so hungry…… We should hurry home, you know.”
Just then, my tiny stomach let out a growl.
I staggered away with feeble steps. But my ears were perked up, sensing hesitation behind me.
“Ugh, I’m so weak from hunger……”
It wouldn’t be easy to pretend you didn’t hear after receiving so much help, right? Especially when it’s something as simple as food!
I deliberately murmured louder so the old man could hear me clearly.
“What if I collapse from hunger on the way and leave our poor dad all alone?”
But the old man only hesitated, neither grabbing hold of me nor turning away to enter the mansion.
‘Wow, the old man is really hesitating!’
Unable to bear it any longer, I was about to enact a dramatic collapse.
“V-Vivian!”
Luckily, the old man called out to me, sensing something was amiss.
I turned around, struggling to keep my lips from curling upwards.
“What’s wrong, old man?”
“Well…… How about coming inside for a snack? There might still be some snacks left.”
“Wow, really?”
Now it was the old man’s turn to climb up with a hint of a smile, and I looked back with a squirming smile.
“Let’s go, then.”
“Sure. It should be fine for a moment.”
The old man explained to the gatekeeper guarding the mansion entrance.
Given the size of the mansion, it required a lot of manpower to maintain, and perhaps because of this, outsiders were often allowed in after just a cursory inspection of their belongings.
I gave a respectful nod to the gatekeeper and followed the old man into the mansion.
With a smile of anticipation on my lips.
“Since our lady doesn’t come out of the house, I had to come meet her myself.”
I wandered around the backyard just in case I might encounter Rachel, but sadly, not a strand of her hair was in sight.
I entered the back door connected to the mansion’s kitchen with the old man.
The servants, who were gathered in the kitchen chatting lively, paused as they saw us.
“James, said he was going to get cheese, who’s this girl next to him?”
Before Mr. James could introduce me, I stepped forward and greeted them with a bow.
“Hello! I’m Vivian, from yesterday.”
“Oh, the baker’s daughter from that bakery?”
Some of the servants who had seen me passing by yesterday finally recognized me.
Mr. James placed the cheese we bought on the table and said, “Try tasting this cheese, everyone. This kid here found an amazing cheese for us.”
“Her?”
“She knows more about this town than we do. Anyway, anyone got some snacks left for her?”
“Really? Let me see if there’s anything left. There should be some.”
An apron-clad lady went to a corner of the kitchen and soon came back with a slice of cake.
I swallowed hard at the sight of the gorgeous and appetizing cake.
“The chef here at the mansion is truly exceptional.”
Even though my dad runs a bakery…
I couldn’t lie about his skills—he’s not that great—so having a proper cake was a rare treat.
“I’ll enjoy this!”
As I started eating the cake, adults began to gather around.
“Shall we give her a tour of the garden later? The landscaping here is breathtaking. The mansion is off-limits, but the garden should be fine.”
“Wow, that sounds great! I’ve been wanting to see it. This place really feels like a princess’s palace.”
“Princess, she does exist. The Ice Princess.”
The elderly lady who had brought the cake a moment ago blurted out casually.
At that moment, another servant standing nearby jabbed the elderly lady’s side.
Not missing the opportunity, I asked,
“I saw her on the third floor yesterday, is she the princess?”
“Yes. She’s Miss Rachel.”
“She was extremely beautiful. Who is the princess?”
Just as the servants were about to speak up,
The kitchen door suddenly swung open, and Sally barged in.
“More cake—”
Sally’s expression twisted as she spotted me surrounded by servants.
“What’s this? Why is she here?”
“She’s here for a kind reason, to give a snack. She’ll finish it soon and leave. So—”
“If you dare bring a beggar from the market onto the Duke’s estate, what will happen? Disgusting and impure.”
“Sally, your words are too harsh!”
“What friend? Who would be friends with that filthy child? Get her out of here right now!”
Ignoring whether the servants would protest or not, Sally continued to rant, even rolling on the floor in a fit.
“If you don’t kick her out, we’ll tell our mother everything!”
It was right at that moment when Sally’s sharp voice escaped through the crack in the door.
“What on earth is this commotion?”
The kitchen door opened, and a stern-faced butler entered.
My eyes widened as I saw him.
“That man is…?”
“Y-your Highness.”
The users were shocked and stood up in unison.
Noh Shin-sa had graying hair, but he had a presence that overwhelmed even the usual young lords.
Moreover, eyes filled with a fierce, crimson vigor.
With just his gaze, he could make those around him kneel in submission, possessing an overwhelming presence.
He was Rachel’s maternal uncle and the leader of the only dukedom in the empire, Count Karl Edelbvine!
