Kshhh-!
Suddenly, a flash of light emerged between the two of them, quickly intensifying to engulf them both.
The last thing Livia saw before she was swallowed up by the light was Cardien reaching out to her.
* * *
Chirp, chirp –
The sound of birds chirping accompanied the sunlight that pierced through Livia’s eyelids.
“Hmm…”
Slowly opening her eyes, she couldn’t help but frown at the intense sunlight.
‘This is…….’
In the moment when Livia’s fuzzy consciousness was gradually returning–
–”…It’s heavy.”
At the sudden voice coming from below, she lowered her head in surprise and then froze in place.
‘Cardien?’
Why was Cardien there?
“Will you keep lying on top of me like that?”
Only then did Livia finally process that she was crushing him and back away in panic.
Thud!
“Ouch!”
Livia fell off the couch and landed on her butt.
Cardien, who had risen to his feet, looked at her with a pitying expression.
‘What’s going on? What happened…’
In that moment, memories began flooding back like a tide.
She had thought Cardien had been having a nightmare and was about to use her ability when their eyes met…
‘Ah, that’s right…’
Livia recalled learning about his miserable life and impulsively declaring that she would make him happy.
And now…
‘I just crushed him under my weight.’
Embarrassed, Livia glanced away, but then she suddenly heard Cardien’s voice.
“That power of yours.”
“……?”
“Could it be some sort of foresight? Can you see the future or something?”
‘What kind of nonsense is this?’
Livia immediately raised her head.
“My ability can only change dreams; I don’t have any foresight ability.”
“I see.”
Upon hearing her response, he fell into deep thought with a strange expression on his face.
~ Translations by Lurelia | Editing by Valpal | Read only at moonlightnovels.com ~
“But why…”
As Cardien was about to ask something, a new voice reached their ears.
“Um… Tutor?”
Livia quickly stood up and headed towards the bed. Vincent was looking at her with sleepy eyes.
“You’re awake…?” he asked groggily.
“Yes, did you sleep well?”
“Yes,” Vincent quietly answered, then looked at her with a bashful smile. “I’m happy that you’re here as soon as I wake up.”
Livia stifled a scream, not because of Vincent’s cuteness, but because she felt like she might go crazy with affection.
‘Calm down, stay composed. Vincent would be very surprised if you start shrieking.’
Besides, Cardien was there too.
Suppressing the overwhelming affection with great effort, Livia smiled gently and replied, “Me too. As soon as I woke up…”
Well, not exactly, but anyway.
“I was really happy to see Vincent.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Hehe.”
‘Ah, I’m so happy.’
Now that she was facing Vincent, she finally felt like she was truly back in reality.
After having breakfast at the inn, the unlikely trio boarded the waiting carriage. The previously rainy sky was now blindingly clear.
‘It’s only been one day.’
Livia glanced at Cardien while looking at the passing street.
He was staring out the window, his hands folded in front of him, his face expressionless.
Suddenly, when he turned his gaze back towards the carriage interior, their eyes met. Livia was startled and quickly turned her head away.
Like a fool.
‘It felt like I had been caught red-handed peeking.’
Though that was true.
Anyway.
‘So much has happened.’
It had only been a day, but so much had happened in the meantime that it felt unusually long.
But the biggest thing was…….
‘Cardien’s lost memories.’
Livia lowered her gaze even further.
Cardien seemed indifferent about his lost memories.
‘He says it doesn’t matter, but it’s still weird, regardless.’
Nowhere in the original story did it say that Cardien had lost his memory. It was odd because Cardien is not a mere side character or a supporting antagonist – he is a main character.
‘Could it be related to the ancient temple?’
If Cardien’s dreams were based on his past memories, then those dreams must have been real events.
‘I have to find out.’
Livia had a strong feeling that if she didn’t find out, she wouldn’t be able to change the future.
‘But how?’
The Mercedes Library couldn’t provide any answers.
‘The book at the Academy?’
It might have the information she needed.
But she couldn’t remember the title. All she remembered was the cover, and it would be quite hard to find a book by its appearance alone in the vast library of the Academy.
Livia needed an ally, someone to help her in this search.
And then, a person came to mind.
Livia was lost in thought as she took in the sight of the Mercedes Duchy, which was getting closer and closer.
***
As soon as they stepped out of the carriage, Winston, who had been waiting for them, bowed.
“Welcome back. You must have had a hard time coming here. I received a message from the coachman. He said it was difficult to travel in this weather. He even said you stayed at a nearby inn…” He raised his head and asked with concern, “Nothing happened, I hope?”
Nothing happened?
‘Well, a lot happened.’
But they were things that Livia couldn’t easily explain with words.
She stood still for a moment and then spotted Cardien heading inside. She hurriedly called out, “I– Your Grace!”
“…….”
He turned his indifferent gaze towards her.
‘Well, at least I called him.’
Livia hesitated, then carefully parted her lips.
“Thank you.”
She also bowed her head in genuine gratitude.
After all, it was because of him that they could safely complete this festival.
Cardien just looked at her silently and then went inside without a reply.
It didn’t bother her, though.
Through this festival, I felt like I got to know him better. There was a sense of internal intimacy.
After saying goodbye to Vincent and returning to her room, Livia took a quick shower and sprawled out on her bed.
“Ugh… This is it.”
Truly, her cloudlike bed in the Mercedes Duchy was the best. Not just the bed was making her feel so euphorically comfortable. There was more than that.
‘It feels like I’ve returned home.’
Livia felt so relieved.
‘I’m tired…….’
Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t really slept all night because she’d been stuck in Cardien’s dreams.
Once she realized this, sleep began to creep in.
‘Cardien must be really tired too,’ she thought drowsily.
Even though he had managed to sleep for a few hours, he must have been tormented by nightmares during that time.
Livia hoped he managed to rest peacefully, just like she would now.
With that thought in mind, she quickly drifted off to sleep.
* * *
“Your Grace, how was the festival?” Winston asked with a subtle sense of anticipation in his eyes as he held out his arm to receive Cardien’s coat.
Winston hoped Cardien would tell him many stories. What he’d done at the festival, how he’d felt.
But the response he received was rather disheartening.
“I’m tired.”
“….Well, I suppose so. After all, it’s been years – almost the first outing you’ve had in general.”
Winston tried to understand, nodding his head in an effort to empathize.
As Cardien glanced at him with an indifferent look and took a seat, the expressionless duke added, “……There were a lot of people there.”
At those words, Winston’s eyes widened in surprise.
He quickly chimed in with, “That’s because all the people at home come out during the festival.”
“The mushroom soup wasn’t tasty.”
“Mushroom soup, you say?”
Winston tilted his head, but Cardien wasn’t looking at him anymore.
His gaze fell downward. There was a moment of silence, then Cardien’s lips parted again, a low voice escaping his throat.
“Vincent said something about her being like a light, and he’s afraid she’ll leave him.”
“The young master said that……?”
Winston’s expression darkened. He knew Vincent liked Livia, but he had no idea that Vincent’s feelings ran so deep.
In that moment, Cardien’s words, which he thought had ended, continued.
“Is it the same for you, Winston?”
“Pardon? What do you mean?”
“I’m asking if you also think that the tutor will leave.”
Upon Cardien’s question, Winston blinked his eyes for a moment. Then he nodded lightly.
~ Translations by Lurelia | Editing by Valpal | Read only at moonlightnovels.com ~
“Yes, of course. As long as you’re a tutor, you’re bound to leave at some point.”
“……I suppose so.”
Cardien replied quietly and picked up his paperwork.
Winston, feeling puzzled and finding it difficult to understand the intention behind the question, simply tilted his head.
Then he remembered what he had to report, and his lips parted hastily.
“My lord, while you were away, a messenger from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince came.”
“The crown prince?”
“Yes, he asked to deliver a message.”
After taking a moment to breathe, Winston continued, his tone hushed.
“‘I’ll be visiting soon, my friend. It won’t be much fun if you avoid it this time.’”
“…….Huh, he’s quite assertive.”
“…….That’s what he said. What will you do?”
“What time?” Cardien asked, pressing his temples tiredly together.
“In four days.”
“I don’t know what the purpose is.”
His gaze turned cold as he withdrew his hand.
“He said he’ll come in person, and you can’t stop him. I was simply tasked with passing on the message.”
Finished with his report, Winston turned to leave the room.
But before he could, Cardien’s voice stopped him.
“And her?”
“Huh……?”
“And her, how is she doing?”
“What……?”
