villainess chapter 32

“What happened?”

“….”

“Right. This isn’t the place to discuss this. Let’s go inside.” Caroline, her voice tight with barely suppressed anger, led the way, Evan following silently behind.

An hour later, in Caroline’s private sitting room, both siblings, now in comfortable indoor attire, sat facing each other. Caroline’s face still held an expression of bewilderment. Evan’s was impassive.

“Explain.” Caroline’s voice was sharp.

“I don’t know.”

“What?”

“I made sure she was influenced and her memories sealed. The mark was definitely concealed.” Evan’s eyes were filled with confusion. His gaze drifted, his dark eyes flickering, a testament to the truth of his words.

Caroline, her voice softening slightly, pressed him for an explanation. “Then what was that earlier?”

“That…” Evan trailed off. He had a suspicion. My lost abilities… Perhaps the seal broke because of that.

Caroline, sharing his unspoken thought, looked down. Urgently, she spoke, “Evan, use your ability on me, now.”

“.…” Evan’s silence was heavy.

Caroline let out a hollow laugh. “Ha. You don’t mean…?”

“Yes, you’re probably right.”

“Good heavens. Oh, God. Then Lady Vivian is…” Evan closed his eyes, a wave of despair and exhaustion washing over him.

The Imperial family of the Aeternum Empire possessed a unique ability, passed down through generations to a single individual. Since its founding, the Empire had been blessed by the divine. The inherited ability, a gift from the gods, served as proof of this blessing. It typically manifested in the next heir to the throne. However, in this generation, the ability had inexplicably appeared in Evan, not the Crown Prince.

“What if the Crown Prince or you have a hidden…”

“Watch your words.”

“Right. Neither of you would do that. And it’s not me. So why? Haah…” Caroline ran a hand through her hair, sighing in frustration. The divine gift did not automatically equate to the right to rule. However, the Grand Duke’s family kept it a secret, lest it become a seed of rebellion. They maintained the facade that Evan did not possess the ability. Of course, the Imperial family, including the Emperor, could sense the presence of the power. But since the Grand Duchy concealed it, the Imperial family played along.

“But why did the mark reappear? If you lost your ability for some reason, the soulmate mark should have disappeared as well.”

“I don’t know.”

“You really don’t know anything, do you? Is this proof that Vivian is particularly favored by the gods?”

“….”

The soulmate mark they spoke of was a sign that appeared on the soulmate of the one who possessed the ability. It was understood that this mark, along with its accompanying energy, only manifested when a deep and mutual affection existed.

Caroline’s sharp voice cut through the silence. “What kind of feelings did you harbor for that young girl back then? Did you perhaps force… Don’t you dare.”

“What do you take me for? I felt nothing but a desire to cherish and protect that small, precious child.”

“Lies.”

“It’s the truth.”

“Fine. I can’t believe my own brother would be capable of such a thing.”

The incident had been unexpected, a memory Evan deeply regretted.

***

Even after graduating from the academy, Evan longed to see the young girl. He often visited the hill in secret, concealing his true identity. Vivian always greeted him warmly.

One afternoon, the fourteen-year-old Ethan sat on the familiar tree stump where they always met. Beside him, the ten-year-old Vivian leaned back against the tree. They sat in comfortable silence, enjoying the gentle breeze. Suddenly, Ethan spoke. “Vivian, you’re a noble, right? Do you have a fiancé?”

“Out of the blue? No. I don’t think so.” Vivian replied with a smile, unfazed by the unexpected question.

Ethan pressed further. “Don’t noble families arrange engagements early on?”

“Well, I think Father will probably wait until after I graduate from the academy. My debutante ball is still a long way off. What about you, Ethan?”

“A commoner like me? I wouldn’t have a fiancé.” Ethan felt a wave of relief at her answer, feigning indifference.

Vivian’s eyes widened. “Why not? You could have a childhood betrothal. If a family is willing to send you to the academy, they could certainly arrange a match for you.”

“Would you be happy if I were to marry quickly, Vivian?”

“Oh, no. That’s not what I meant…” Flustered by his apparent misunderstanding, Vivian blushed and waved her hands. Her gaze darted around before settling back on him. “I was just saying that whoever she is, she must be very lucky.”

“Really? Then I should say the same about Vivian’s future husband. He’ll be lucky to have such a kind and warm wife.” He felt it was the most appropriate response, given his pretense of being a commoner. He was relieved to hear she had no arranged engagement. He also felt a pang of envy and jealousy towards her unknown future husband. If only he could be the first to propose, to stay by her side and protect her always. Her kindness was the first warmth he had ever known from another person. It was only natural, then, that he felt drawn to her.