Chapter - 40 : Princess Vivi

(Continuation…)

(Viviana Rosalind's POV)

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"Consider this my way of showing…"(Rai)

Rai's words were barely audible, hanging in the air like a delicate whisper.

His fingers began to move, gentle and tentative, as they made contact with my forehead.

It was a blend of a soothing caress and a light pat.

At first, I thought about pulling away, but I was curious about what he meant by 'consider this my way.'

Still, though it made me feel as if he was somewhat treating me childlike, but strangely enough.

A part of me didn't mind it, while another part was oddly was–

…annoyed?

I couldn't exactly pinpoint.

Irrespective of my thoughts, his hand traversed my face, and a bolder touch accompanied his warm palm.

The sensation was both calming and exhilarating as his fingers danced across my cheeks, each stroke resembling the soft caress of flower petals.

The journey continued, with his hands finding their way to the curves of my ears.

The roughness in his touch was overwhelmed by the comforting warmth it emanated.

In an instant, his hands settled on his lower cheek with a sense of purpose, a grasp that was firm yet gentle.

It happened so quickly, yet I had ample time to resist if I wanted to.

And I'm certain it was done intentionally by him…

A part of me contemplated resistance, the urge to step back from his intimate touch.

But against all logic, I remained still, not offering any resistance.

However, if I had known this was what he was gonna do, I would have really pushed him away.

…probably.

Then suddenly, 'something' soft landed on my forehead.

….

..A-A…!.K-Ki-sSS?!!!!

Forget about questioning these thoughts. My mind had already stopped working, and my heart was on the verge of jumping out.

But, shouldn't I be angry that he didn't ask for permission first before doing something so-

...intimate?

No. Not that I would have allowed it if he had asked beforehand or anything.

A-absolutely not…!

Gosh! I couldn't even think of it properly, let alone permit it with my mouth, even if he had asked.

Why am I so powerless against a lazy bum like him?

"Well, I guess this will have to do.

"...for now."(Rai)

-Rai's voice broke the moment, sounding oddly resigned.

Huh?

Did I hear him properly?

Or was my brain playing tricks on me along with my ears?

Why is his voice sounding as if he is settling for something short?

"Vivi, are you still there…?"(Rai)

-He questioned.

Seriously? Where else would I be?

Don't ask me as if I were daydreaming in front of you.

"Yeah…"(Rosalind)

However, my stupid head nodded in response without even consciously deciding to.

"Good…"(Rai)

-Rai's voice held a note of reassurance.

Don't go around praising trivial things and treating me like a child.

"...I think I will leave for now and give you some time to process everything."(Rai)

Hum, that was certainly a relief.

The sooner he left, the better.

I don't want to embarrass myself anymore for today.

"Don't overwork. Just take some rest.

"I will help you out, starting tomorrow."(Rai)

"Just leave already."(Rosalind)

That came out better than I expected.

I believe even if it is-Rai-we are talking about, he isn't thick enough to stay here any longer even after this, right?

–tap!tap!

The sound of his footsteps resonated in the room as he made his way toward the exit, as if he could hear my thoughts.

Hum? Is he really leaving?

'sigh…'

With a barely audible sigh of relief, I noted that he was finally departing.

So, he does have a semblance of an understanding of personal space.

But my sense of ease was short-lived, abruptly shattered when he unexpectedly came to a halt.

He's not upset that I didn't respond, is he?

"Hey Vivi, as a compensation for coming so direct-

"I will send you the book I wrote as you asked for.

"Do whatever you want with it."(Rai)

-Rai's voice returned, interrupting my thoughts.

What!!?

"Really?

"You've finished it already?"(Rosalind)

My voice joined the conversation as my 'interests' got better of me.

Gosh, I am doing this again, losing myself so openly.

But I couldn't help it. I was too excited to mind this kind of 'trivial' stuff.

"Hey Vivi, don't make such a cute face…

–Rai's voice carried a hint of teasing.

"It makes me want to stay a little longer."(Rai)

He isn't letting slip any chance to annoy me, is he?

And…

Is that what he meant? That he won't hold back anymore?

He's really not holding back.

"By the way, why are you so expressive all of a sudden?

"You seem more interested in stupid stuff I write over ME."(Rai)

-Rai complained in a fake hurt tone.

"...shut up, Rai."(Rosalind)

And who said I was not interested in you?

"Yeah, yeah, Princess Vivi.

"Just make sure not to stay up all night reading it."(Rai)

Rai's parting words had a playful note as he walked away without looking back.

I watched his back as he left, his form becoming smaller and smaller until it vanished completely.

"I don't remember giving any permission to call me whatever you come up with."(Rosalind)

I grumbled softly, my words a gentle protest.

It was a quiet retort he had zero chance of hearing, solely intended for my ears.

Vivi, huh?

The name played on my mind, accompanied by a swirl of contemplation.

Is this what people do when they're dating?

Should anyone catch wind of this, they'd surely jump to conclusions and assume we're already a couple.

Although there's no denying the way his eyes light up when he uses that name. when he's talking to me.

As I sat there in the same position, I was lost in my many thoughts as they swirled within my mind.

.

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(End Of The Scene)

(After Few Hours[:Same Day]–{8:28PM})

(Location – Rosalind's Dormroom)

(Rosalind's POV)

"Should have seen this coming…"(Rosalind)

I whispered to myself, a sigh escaping my lips as I stared down at the collection of letters carefully arranged within the box.

My gaze remained fixed on the letters neatly stored within the box, memories and emotions resurfacing with each paper she touched.

The remnants of my bath left tiny droplets of water clinging to my neck, and I absentmindedly reached for a fallen towel to blot them away.

The fabric's touch felt cool against my warm skin, grounding me in the present moment.

"Hufff…(:Breathing)

"Maybe I was expecting too much."(Rosalind)

Stepping out of a good, cold bath, I had hoped for a moment of respite but instead found myself facing a flood of thoughts and feelings that I had hoped to keep at bay.

Yet, here I was, confronted by these letters that held a cascade of memories and emotions that were impossible to ignore.

Then again, it's not entirely ineffective, I suppose.

By now I have almost regained my composure, and without embarrassment I could at least analyze whatever happened with Rai and how things went from one point to another.

"Hehe~"(Rosalind)

A silly laugh escaped my mouth as I took my seat at the study table and remembered the content of these letters.

With care, I selected a letter from the box, one of five all written by the same person within a specific timeframe.

This particular one was the most recent, just a week before our time at the Academy began.

"Should I have been a bit careful?"(Rosalind)

I muttered to myself, a quiet acknowledgment that my actions had inadvertently expedited his confession.

"But I just wanted to be honest with him-

"...at least in a few things."(Rosalind)

I'm not naive enough to remain oblivious to not even understand the reasons why I acted like that or why I act different–

No, it was more accurate to say that I was being myself around him.

Rai–From the beginning, for reasons I can't always fathom-Has always been Honest with me.

To be more precise-

He is always Brutally Honest with me.

Well, except for the silly jokes, even a child could tell the difference.

…or maybe he just purposefully makes it easy for me.

Nonetheless, the guilt and the wishful feeling of wanting to communicate my true self to him, which were lying inside, inevitably found their way into our interactions.

These five letters were written by Rai, in the time frame of three months after we parted ways in my Kingdom.

Every letter is about himself and his daily pursuits.

To be frank, categorizing them as 'diaries' might be fitting.

His impeccable Mastery in Archery.

His sudden interest in taming, like, more than twenty Horses-Which is totally dumb in my opinion.

And even his recent endeavors to explore hand-to-hand Martial arts.

I know almost everything about him.

Yet, deep down, I know it's only the surface I've scratched.

Because just when I assume I have unraveled all there is to him, he surprises me with something entirely new.

As if he possesses an infinite reservoir of abilities, just to surprise me and make me occupied with him.

.

(To be continued…)

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Chapter words : 1542

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