Chapter 21 : Chapter 21
Chapter 21. Big Sis Will Take You Out for Some Fun
“Etiquette teachers demand that I remain elegant and composed at all times, without the slightest loss of grace. Father demands that my achievements be outstanding, that I never disgrace the family name. And the guests at those banquets… all they ever see is the Hessein surname…”
Vivian’s voice was soft, yet it gradually became smoother and more fluent. Those words seemed to have been imprisoned for far too long; once they found the right opportunity, they spilled out uncontrollably.
Even missing her mother… had become a kind of standard.
[I must be as skilled at the piano as Mother. I must love gardening as much as Mother. I must be like Mother in every way…]
She paused. “It feels like I am always becoming someone I am supposed to be.”
She had never said these things to anyone before. She could not tell her stern father. She could not tell the busy servants. And she certainly could not tell the people who circled the family with their own hidden motives.
And yet now, she had somehow said it all to this maid who always looked expressionless, calm to the point of seeming almost like a corpse.
The moment she finished speaking, regret and embarrassment surged within her. How could she have shown such weakness?
Vivian shook her head abruptly. “Y-you… just pretend you never heard any of that! You are not allowed to repeat it! And you are not allowed to… to think that I…”
“To think what of you, Young Lady?” Eve finally spoke. She had been listening quite attentively. “To think that you are an ordinary person troubled by the overly high expectations placed upon you?”
Vivian’s entire body stiffened. The words “ordinary person” in the Hessein family were almost synonymous with failure.
“Is that truly an unforgivable offense?” Eve continued calmly as she slowly stood up instead of remaining crouched.
“Pursuing excellence is your path, but feeling its weight is also real. Those two things can coexist.”
“It is like the roses in a garden. If you only place pressure upon them to bloom, they will wither even faster.”
“I…” Vivian opened her mouth, but she had no idea what to say.
“Young Lady,” Eve interrupted gently. For the first time, a faint smile appeared at the corner of her lips. “Do you feel tired?”
Tired?
Vivian repeated the question countless times in her mind. Of course she was tired. She had even thought about giving up before, yet circumstances always forced her to continue.
She said nothing. After hesitating for a moment, she finally gave a small nod. However, she did not dare meet Eve’s gaze. She feared she might see pity or sympathy in those eyes.
Eve let out a soft laugh.
That made things much easier.
After all, there had to be a balance between work and rest. Why learn so many things? What was wrong with enjoying oneself once in a while?
“There are many ways to relax,” Eve said. “How about the simplest one? Why not go out for a stroll?”
The moment those words fell, Vivian’s eyes brightened noticeably. Yet they quickly dimmed again. She muttered under her breath, as though speaking to no one in particular.
“You make it sound so easy… Do you think I am free to come and go as I please?”
“Father does not allow me to leave the manor casually, especially without a proper reason and sufficient attendants.”
“Do not worry about all that yet, Young Lady. Just answer me one thing—do you want to go out for a walk and relax?”
Tch!
Vivian was convinced this woman was asking a question she already knew the answer to. It was so obvious that she wanted to go, so why keep asking?
She was accustomed to giving orders and accepting requests, but she rarely had to state her own desires so plainly.
The phrase “awkward young girl” seemed completely out of place when applied to her—but at this moment, it was surprisingly fitting.
Vivian first glanced at Eve, then quickly looked away. She bit her lower lip lightly and struggled for several seconds before reluctantly admitting,
“…Yes.”
“Then let’s go.”
“Hey! What are you doing?!”
Vivian’s eyes widened as if she had been electrocuted. She jerked her hand free from Eve’s grasp and quickly hid it behind her back.
Eve explained calmly, “Taking the Young Lady out to have some fun.”
“What?!” Vivian stared at her as though she were an idiot. Had she not just said she was not free?
“The bodyguards at the gate all work for my father. How exactly do you plan to persuade them to let me go out?”
She had assumed this would only be empty talk. Yet Eve did not give up. In fact, she seemed to treat it as nothing serious at all—and now she was the one looking at Vivian as though she were the foolish one.
“What kind of look is that?!”
“Young Lady… have you never told a lie before?”
Vivian became flustered with anger, her cheeks heating up. “Of course I… I mean, that kind of thing…”
Eve raised her hand and snapped her fingers.
“What we need right now is a reasonable excuse.”
She slightly lifted her chin, gesturing toward the direction of the Main House.
“You ended your piano lesson early today and felt unhappy afterward. That is a fact.”
“For example… you could say you wish to visit one of the family’s partner shops in the city and personally select some new piano sheet music.”
“At the very least, that sounds far better than saying, ‘I just want to go out for a walk,’ doesn’t it?”
“But…” Vivian still hesitated. “The bodyguards might want confirmation, or they might inform the Head Maid to arrange a carriage and attendants…”
“Which is why we must act naturally and take the initiative,” Eve said steadily, clearly giving the matter serious thought. “Right now, you should return to your room and change into casual clothing suitable for going out. When the bodyguards ask, simply inform them of your itinerary in the commanding tone you normally use.”
“Surely I do not need to teach you how to throw your weight around.”
“Of course not!” Vivian puffed out her chest and placed her hands on her hips, responding with great pride.
Eve nodded and glanced at herself.
“As for attendants, it is entirely reasonable for a personal maid to accompany you. You should emphasize that this is only a short trip to a familiar shop, so there is no need to make a grand arrangement. Your tone must be firm—do not give them the opportunity to question you.”
“Will it really work? I have never tried something like this before,” Vivian said, unconsciously twisting her fingers together again.
“You can do it, Young Lady. You are simply doing something that the daughter of the Hessein family ought to do.”
Those words were like a key turning in the lock within Vivian’s heart.
No.
She did not want to stay here. At least not today.
“Give me ten minutes!”
She tossed those words out hurriedly without looking at Eve again. Then she turned and ran quickly toward her room in the Main House.
Under normal circumstances, selecting clothing was the duty of a personal maid. Yet the girl had already vanished before Eve even had the chance to say anything.
Eve twitched her lips slightly.
…
Ten minutes later, in front of the grand gates of Morninglight Manor.
Vivian had changed into a long dress woven with red and black, its colors blending naturally with her hair. The style was elegant and gothic.
She wore a small hat of the same color, adorned with a thin veil, and carried a handbag in her hand.
Her chin was slightly raised as she maintained her usual cold expression.
Eve walked half a step behind her, holding a parasol. She still wore the same maid uniform, looking exactly like a proper attendant.
The two tall bodyguards standing on either side of the main gate immediately bowed when they saw their young mistress emerge.
“Young Lady.”