“Such a bastard…… No, I can take care of someone like the young master Marten by myself.”

“Is he a relative?”

“He was a relative. He’s now a stranger. But it appears he still doesn’t have any thoughts of exiting from my life.”

“I could get rid of such pests.”

Ray kept balance with one arm on the wall and leaned towards Vivian. It was a secretive whisper. The smile that hung on his crooked lips grew stronger. Get rid of? Vivian focused her gaze on Ray’s pale hand that held onto the wall.

“By what method?”

“All you have to say is you want to.”

“What is that? Are you a fairy that makes wishes come true?” Vivian laughed because of Ray’s impossible words.

However, that was only for a short while. Her eyes followed those long and elegant fingers that seemed to belong to a pianist. Every time he spoke, the lean muscles and the veins on his forearm grew more defined and the bones of his wrist were beautifully defined.

“So, do you wish for it?”

The breathing that seemed to touch her, but not touch her, tickled her ear. She swallowed deeply. Finally, Vivian looked up at his face. Due to the frustrating hood and white mask, his red lips became even more defined.

His lips were beautiful.

I want it…….

Those lips looked as though they were drawn on. They were the attractive color of rose petals and seemed to be slightly wet as though dew drops had settled upon them…….

No, what am I thinking about!

That was the pie in the sky. Even if she luckily gained his interest and they started to date, she was unlikely to ever taste them. If she did get the chance to taste them, it would be her final feast before her death.

After she consoled her lust and ambition, Vivian felt as though she cried blood tears. How would it be possible to date a man whose breathing was erotic alone, while she controlled her urges?. She wasn’t some cleric who desperately protected herself against the Devil’s temptations.

However, reality was cruel. Vivian tamed her heart and will with the feelings of a religious cleric. “Ahem, it’s alright. Why should Ray go to such trouble?”

She cleared her throat and slowly moved to the side. That man who oozed sex from his very pores seemed to continuously test her.

“Would you escape if the young master utilizes a method that escapes the eyes of the Royal Palace?”

“What?”

Vivian blinked blankly as though she didn’t understand what had been said.

“It appears you are unaware how easy it is to slowly destroy Vivian’s life from under your feet.”

Ah, the young master’s intellect was rather below average, so it seemed unlikely for him to be aware of such a method in the first place.

“Can you bear a life where your feet are chained so you can’t run away, and it is so torturous you want to die, yet you’re unable to die?”

A prickly gaze scanned Vivian up and down. Why do these sudden words sound like threats? Vivian’s eyes moved this way and in that astonishment, then let out an exclamation — Ah! — as though she had realized something.

Then, with an expression free of confusion, she brightly smiled and nodded.

“You say words of worry quite brutally.”

“Worry?”

“You’re worried that I’ll later be harmed after having stood up against an aristocratic young lord, right?”

The hand that was about to touch her cheek abruptly stopped. Then the brutal atmosphere slowly began to recede into something more leisurely. Was it because she had hit the core point of the issue? “It does bother me.”

Ray let out a sigh and obediently acknowledged the fact.

“It seems I’ve grown to desire.”

“Yes, what? What?”

“Vivian.”

At those words, the heart that I had attempted to soothe was immediately unchained and scattered wildly. Vivian’s face grew red and she repeatedly opened and closed her mouth. She had grown so flustered by the sudden development that she was unable to say anything. It appeared as though she lacked discipline.

“That…?”

“Would you like to go out with me?”

“That……! That…….”