Maintaining her businesslike fake smile, Lady Heidi of Alt stared at Miss Vivian like a fighting cock, locking eyes with her.
She had thought Vivian must be some formidable figure to dare challenge her head-on, but it turned out she was just an obscure foreign noblewoman.
Who gave her the guts to put on airs in front of me?
Does she really think she can turn her life around just by clinging to Eze? No way, right? No way?
Heidi decided to raise the stakes a bit.
“Let me introduce myself again. I am the princess of the Kingdom of Alt, first in line to the throne, head of the Royal Family, Honorary Ruler and Protector of the Kingdom, chosen hero of the Supreme God Realm and Shield of Humanity, Lady Heidi of Alt.”
The titles were certainly intimidating, but Miss Vivian simply sipped the wine in her cup, then blinked:
“This is my first time tasting wine from Kalles. I didn’t expect it to be surprisingly good… Sorry, what did you just say?”
“You insolent wretch, you—”
Heidi felt as if she’d punched a wad of cotton—her anger surged, but with guests all around, she couldn’t lose her temper and had to force it down, clearing her throat to try again.
“Ahem, this time listen carefully, I am the princess of the Kingdo—”
“Alright, alright, I get it, I get it. You’re the Kingdom of Alt’s substitute royal, a princess with everything except real power, stabbed in the back by your own nobles, the Supreme God Realm’s designated meat shield, and a lady who can’t speak without her bloodline and fiancé—Lady Heidi of Alt. I’ve heard so much about you.”
“You—”
A string of precise blows struck all her sore spots, and Heidi’s face instantly flushed bright red.
Yet she had nothing to say in response.
She could only steer the topic toward the other party.
“Then what about you, Miss Vivian, who exactly are you?”
Vivian looked completely unconcerned:
“Me? I’m the third daughter of Baron Chrysler of the Empire of Elvis.”
A family she’d never heard of, and the lowest rank of baron at that, not even the first daughter.
This?
What does she have to compete with me?
Does she even have the qualifications?
Heidi didn’t bother to hide her disdain:
“The baron’s third daughter—how is that any different from a commoner?”
Vivian smiled lightly:
“Indeed, I can’t inherit any family property or territory, nor can I participate in family affairs. Other than having a slightly better living condition, all I have is an empty noble title.”
Then, her tone shifted.
“But that’s alright, I don’t mind. What’s important is that Eze doesn’t mind either. So even if I’m just a Slave, what does it matter? Your Highness is so noble, yet you couldn’t keep Eze by your side, could you?”
Another counter, another critical hit—Heidi almost bit her own tongue.
Her fake smile quickly vanished, and Heidi gritted her teeth:
“So, you’re very clear about my relationship with Eze?”
“Of course, he told me everything. How should I put it? Your Highness really is quite pitiful.”
Vivian’s words were pure mockery—mocking Heidi for still not realizing her own slip-ups, still tirelessly carrying on with her clownish acts.
But Heidi hadn’t realized it.
Pitiful? What’s pitiful? Me, pitiful?
Well, yes, she was pitiful.
Originally, she could’ve just been an ordinary member of the Royal Family, living a life of wealth and marrying for politics, and her life would have passed by ordinarily.
But her father, brother, and sister all died, leaving her pushed to the front, struggling to hold the situation together, only to be betrayed in the end.
If she hadn’t been chosen as a hero, she would’ve been dead two years ago.
Isn’t that pitiful enough?
Pitiful to the core.
If Eze said that about me, doesn’t that mean he sympathizes with me, maybe even has some feelings for me?
That means, as long as I deal with this woman, there’s still a good chance of bringing Eze back.
Thinking this, Heidi felt much better, even letting a faint smile slip out unconsciously, which made Vivian look utterly disgusted across from her.
The princess cleared her throat and fired back:
“So, knowing full well about my relationship with him, you still try to steal him from me!?”
That’s a separate matter—knowingly committing a crime is still disgusting.
Heidi already had no fondness for these arrogant, barbaric imperial nobles, and now she had another reason to add to the list.
Facing the accusation, Vivian still just smiled lightly, unhurriedly cutting a piece of cake and tasting it.
“Hmm… Not as good as that other shop’s… Your Highness, did you misunderstand something? I’ve never tried to steal him from you.”
Because he was never “yours” to begin with—but saying that would be undermining Aize, and some things are better left unsaid by her.
“What?”
“Eze is my savior. Without him, I don’t know what would have become of me. So I’m simply repaying him by offering necessary help, that’s all, just returning a favor…”
Vivian placed a cookie in her mouth, put away her smile, and looked at Heidi with a deep gaze:
“I’m not the type to repay kindness with betrayal, let alone try to take over what’s not mine~”
That was a slap straight across Heidi’s face.
Unfortunately, it didn’t do much.
Heidi only gave a slight snort, neither flustered nor responding, not even considering that it was about herself.
After all, how could she be accused of betraying kindness?
Hadn’t she given Eze the title of fiancé?
A princess is still a princess, no matter how much her position declines.
The princess’s fiancé is the Crown Prince Consort of the kingdom—a title so many dream of but can’t attain.
Let alone the fact that Eze was just a commoner before.
As for “taking over”—that was even more ridiculous.
Her own fiancé helping her with some minor problems was only natural.
How could that be called “taking over”?
This made Vivian sigh.
She had overestimated the other’s sense of morality and mental state.
Heidi looked around, seeing no one was paying attention, and slammed the table in anger:
“Not trying to steal him from me!? Then why are you always all over him? How dare you have improper thoughts about him!?”
“Oh, that part is true.”
“…What?”
The sudden admission left Heidi at a loss.
“Improper thoughts? Of course I have them. Even aside from him saving me, that face of his—plain at first glance, but handsome and even a bit cute on closer look—hits all my preferences. I really want to pin him to the bed and ravage him until he loses consciousness—”
“……”
Heidi’s mind froze.
After all, she was raised as royalty, with strict discipline, unaccustomed to such vulgar topics.
Meanwhile, Vivian, whose mood had been running high, suddenly slumped, propping up her face and complaining:
“That guy too—I should be pretty attractive, right? Why didn’t anything happen last night? I even changed clothes and waited all night, but he just slept—”
Thinking maybe he didn’t like this type, Vivian had even added special features and optional sensory sharing to those maid Magic Dolls.
Yet Eze still showed no interest.
This left the witch a bit dejected.
“Uh, um… that…”
Watching the other party swing from manic to gloomy, Heidi didn’t know what to say.
Was this… the kind of topic nobles discuss?
Shameless.
And, why did this sound just like a wife in a cold marriage complaining about her husband!?
No, that’s not right!
I’m the wife… the future wife!!!
Heidi stood up in anger:
“Isn’t it obvious you’re trying to climb the ranks!!?”
Vivian straightened up, her expression serious:
“Climb the ranks? No, please don’t insult me with such scheming. I just simply want to stay by his side, and, incidentally, crave his body. Titles don’t really matter. If Eze wanted me to, I wouldn’t even mind being his pet~”
Cold sweat trickled down Heidi’s cheek.