Chapter 66
It was time for her appointment with Sophia. Riv stared at Hailey.
“Hailey, will you take me to Sophia?”
“Madame, wouldn’t it be better to go back to the mansion?”
“There is something I want to check.”
Riv grabbed Hailey’s hand.
“Oh, Madame?”
Taking hold of Hailey’s hand, she concentrated her mind.
Magic. Through contact with parts of the body, she could vaguely see the future of that person.
She couldn’t see Hailey’s future.
“Madame, what are you doing?”
“Nothing.”
Riv released Hailey’s hand and wiped away her cold sweat.
“I need to see Sophia.”
Hailey took her to the promised meeting spot.
Sophia was waiting for her there in the private dining room.
“Riv, your complexion doesn’t look too good.”
“Sophia, give me your hand.”
“Yes?”
As soon as Riv saw Sophia, she took her hand.
It was certainly not the first time she had held her hand. But the reaction was not the same as it is now.
Her magic manifested itself.
The power to peek into the future of a person.
“Ha, ha.”
“Riv?”
Riv’s eyes were red and bloodshot.
She saw the pendant necklace hanging from her neck change shape bizarrely, but Sophia didn’t notice.
Sophia’s future was as happy and unpredictable as her current life was.
She would live happily with Earl Murden for several decades. It was a perfect happily ever after.
“Riv?”
Riv snapped back to reality in an instant.
But the shock of seeing her opponent’s* future remained, leaving her head blank.
[*E/N: Marianne’s. In the last chapter, Riv saw Marianne’s future, which was similar to her first life: unhappy, with a touch of madness. She will likely die early too.]
“Riv, what the hell are you doing?”
“I just met Princess Marianne.”
“What? Where?”
“In Madame Ezerca’s salon.”
“I thought the Princess was still grounded.”
She must have been released before or after the Royal Ball.
Even so, Marianne hardly ever travelled to the Royal Capital. Marianne wanted everyone to visit her.
“Why did the princess come to Riv?”
“She told me to come back.”
Sophia was at a loss for words. She seldom asked Riv about when she was Madame Katana.
She thought it was disrespectful to Riv so she deliberately avoided the topic.
Although she also attended the Royal Ball, she didn’t see Riv due to the difference in their times of arrival.
Sophia was astonished.
“After Riv left, there was a little talk of you two, but everyone eventually shut up. It was clear that Princess Marianne was shocked by Riv’s presence.”
Riv listened to Sophia’s words blankly.
Why did her power to see the future manifest so suddenly?
What would happen if this power could not be controlled?
Despite Riv’s concerns, Sophia’s story continued.
“The social season will be over soon, so you can do whatever you like. The Royal Family can’t do anything to Riv Sentoren anymore.”
Riv nodded her head.
After that, they ate together.
Riv thought she was okay, but Sophia didn’t seem relieved that Riv acted so nonchalantly.
Riv eventually returned to the Duke’s mansion at Sophia’s insistence. Sophia, who was worried, also came with her.
“Please rest.”
In the first floor drawing room, Riv was able to catch her breath.
The presence of Sophia was also quite comforting.
“Riv, I don’t know what happened, but nobody can hurt you here.”
“It’s unsightly to show weakness.”
Sophia hugged and comforted Riv like an older sister.
“The social season is coming to an end. So, take a vacation with us and then go to the Southern estate to get some rest. If you want to see my face, I’ll make time to visit you, Riv.”
“Thank you, Sophia.”
Riv broke their hug and stared at Sophia.
Suddenly, Riv realized that she had not confided her past to Sophia.
She had never properly confessed about her past to Lionel either.
“Do you know how I lived, Sophia?”
“No. But I know you’re not a bad person, just like what Lionel said.”
Sophia said with a smile.
Riv was comforted and encouraged by that. For the first time in her life, Riv told someone about her life.
Madame Katana’s make-up began when she was young, and there were no days she was happy ever since she was born.
Not long after Madame Katana’s shell was removed, she was born anew.
So she was bad at everything.
Sophia, who heard Riv’s story, encouraged her.
“Everything will be fine. I know Riv can truly be happy.”
Really, could that happen?
Lionel returned that afternoon.
By that time, Sophia had already left.
Lionel had been informed of the events of that day, and as soon as he saw Riv, he hugged her.
“They said you met Marianne?”
“You got a report.”
Hailey had reported to Lionel. Riv had no intention of blaming her.
Rather, it was her who had a weak mind.
“I never knew I was this weak.”
Riv was older and stronger than Marianne, and she was more than 20 centimeters* taller.
[*E/N: 7.8 inches]
Compared to Riv, Marianne was like a child.
Yet she was her owner, holding her leash. It was difficult to get out of that master-slave relationship.
For a very long time, Riv seemed to have been brainwashed.
“Princess Marianne snuck out of the palace. Furthermore, the escorts of the Royal Family accompanied her.”
“Yes.”
“Now that Marianne’s prospective husbands are here, she won’t be able to do anything frivolous.”
“Prospective husbands…”
But Marianne couldn’t marry a foreign prince.
Riv didn’t say that out loud.
***
While the Royal Family scrutinized Princess Marianne’s suitors, Riv and Lionel moved the day they were to travel to their Southern estate up a great deal.
The scheduled visit to Earl Murden’s villa had also been moved.
Riv and Lionel’s carriage followed the Earl of Murden’s carriage.
Including the two families and their escorts, there were several other carriages and carts carrying their luggage.
The Earl of Murden’s villa was two hours away by carriage from the Royal Capital.
As summer had begun in earnest, the days were getting hotter.
As the carriage ran South, it felt like it was getting hotter.
“Why don’t you get some sleep?”
Riv stared at Lionel, who sat across from her.
Lionel maintained an upright posture despite the shaking of the carriage.
She thought that he should get rest, but he kept still.
“Riv”
“Yes?”
Lionel looked bored, but his intense gaze did not leave Riv.
“We’ll be there soon. Riv, aren’t you bored?”
“I’m fine.”
“Actually, I am bored.”
Lionel stretched out his long legs to lift Riv’s thin skirt with his foot.
“Lionel, what are you trying to do now?”
“What do you mean, I’m trying to play with my wife.”
“Pervert!”
“Why would you call your husband a pervert?”
Lionel chuckled as Riv glared at his feet and tried to fix her skirt.
“Riv, you’re cute.”
“Why are you laughing?”
As Riv protested, Lionel stared more intently at her.
Her face felt like it was being pierced.
“Again, why are you looking at me like that?”
Riv involuntarily turned her face to the side.
There were times when Riv couldn’t get used to his fierce gaze. She could only sigh.
“Riv, you’re avoiding my gaze.”
“You’re staring at me too scarily, Lionel.”
“Aren’t you used to my gaze?”
When Riv refused to answer, Lionel drew his own conclusions.
“Riv is embarrassed.”
“…..”
Riv couldn’t answer. She pretended to look outside.
Lionel stopped playing and changed the subject.
“Riv, what are you looking at? The scenery here is nothing special.”
“It’s amazing to me.”
“Why?”
“This is the first time I’ve been outside the Royal Capital.”
Everything was new to her.
She was nervous after she met Marianne, but over time it got better.
It seemed that her habits from when she was Madame Katana were still there, just under the surface.
Would she still shrink at someone’s anger? What if her fake appearance was found out? Would she still be alive the next day if she made a mistake?
After meeting Marianne, she realized one thing.
Riv died, but she came back to life and was freed. So she should enjoy these moments.
She had never fully enjoyed beautiful scenery and flowers.
She should enjoy and see more of the scenery Lionel showed her.
The current scenery was a quiet suburban landscape where buildings were non-existent.
It was more beautiful with Lionel by her side.
“I’ll show you more.”
“Thank you.”
Riv laughed sincerely.
As the coachman accelerated, the horses neighed.
The carriage moving and shaking, the sound of the galloping horses, and the slow scenery outside the wagon. Everything was romantic to Riv.
As she watched the scenery, she could forget her plight.
Riv asked Lionel.
“When are we going to Mont Del?”
“After we stay at Earl Murden’s villa for a few days.”
Riv was going to spend summer and fall with Lionel at their Southern estate.
If she were to leave the d*mned Royal Capital for a few months, she would not have to see Marianne or the Queen.
‘Even if my life only lasts until winter, it’s better not to see them.’
Riv chose not to think about her uncertain future, or her death.
She wanted to enjoy the present. These moments with Lionel.
“It’s a nice sunny day.”
“You seem to be feeling better, Riv.”
Riv stared at him and asked.
“…Are you going to attack me?”