Chapter 12: Baby, You’re a Sweet and Soft Little Cake
When exactly had she fallen in love with the Prince? That was no longer sothing she could trace.
She had spent far too long by Faust’s side—so long that Vivian had already grown accustod to his presence as sothing natural, an inseparable part of her life.
Yet Vivian would always rember the day they first t.
It was after a night of snowfall. Ten-year-old Vivian had been practicing her swordsmanship in the estate, as she always did.
Even before the uprising, the Roselin family had been a long-standing knightly house within the Empire, inheriting the path of the “Royal Guard Knight.” And the requirents of that path were extre diligence and self-discipline.
Thus, from the mont she beca aware of the world, Vivian had lived a life of harsh training.
Her talent was so extraordinary that, even throughout the long history of her family, no one had ever matched her.
Her father had praised her more than once, remarking that her talent would surely lead her to remarkable achievents.
But Vivian herself had never truly understood such praise.
Everything she had done so far had simply been following the proper steps, adhering to rules and expectations.
To et her parents’ hopes. To bring honor to the family. Even though she did not truly understand what any of that ant.
Whether it was admiration or jealousy from others, none of it held any aning for the young girl. She simply did what she was “supposed” to do.
She lived like a doll—without joy, without sorrow.
“Vivian, let’s end today’s training here. I’ll take you to the royal palace.”
Her father’s arrival interrupted her practice. Vivian looked at him, dressed in formal attire, and asked, “Yes, Father. Is sothing the matter?”
“His Majesty has adopted a boy. It seems our kingdom will have a prince.”
In Vivian’s mory, her father had been incredibly excited at the ti, almost speaking to himself.
“I made an agreent with His Majesty—an arranged marriage from before birth. But His Majesty only had a daughter, so I thought this engagent would never co to pass. Who would have thought His Majesty would actually…”
His voice suddenly choked, and he covered his face as he wept.
“Your Majesty… I never imagined you would go so far as to adopt a prince just to fulfill that promise…”
Vivian did not quite understand her father’s emotion. After thinking for a mont, she tilted her head slightly.
“Father, does that an I am engaged?”
“That’s right. Although nothing has been formally finalized yet, in a few years, His Majesty will certainly have you engaged to the prince. This visit is just for you to et your future fiancé.”
Her father gently patted her head.
“I see. I understand.”
Vivian accepted it obediently. She had no clear concept of engagent. Since both her father and the King had agreed to it, then it was simply sothing natural.
“Sigh… your only flaw is how indifferent you are. At least show so happiness—or even resistance. Never mind, we can work on that later.”
Soon after, she changed into a dress and followed her father to the palace.
This was not Vivian’s first ti there. While her father went to et His Majesty, she leaned quietly against a pillar in the corridor, staring blankly at the lawn in the garden.
Until she heard footsteps behind her, followed by a bright and cheerful greeting:
“Well now, where did this sweet and soft little honey cake co from?”
When Vivian turned around, what she saw in that mont was etched so deeply into her mory that it could never be erased.
Though the boy appeared to be about her age, his deanor was far too mature for a child.
Under the sunlight, his delicate face carried a gentle, confident smile as he leaned in close—almost face-to-face with the little girl.
“A… a cake?”
Vivian’s clear, calm violet eyes widened slightly. She had never been called sothing like that before.
“Just a cute nickna. You don’t like it? It’s because you’re just too adorable.”
The boy shrugged, then extended his hand toward her.
“Of course, I know who you are—Vivian of the Roselin family. Nice to et you. I’m Faust. I beca this country’s prince not long ago. You can just call Faust.”
Vivian hesitated for a mont before taking his hand.
“Hello, Your Highness.”
She lifted her snow-white chin slightly, observing the boy who was only a little taller than herself.
So this is my fiancé.
The one I will spend my life with. The one who will belong to , and whom I will belong to.
For the first ti, ripples stirred within the girl’s emotionless heart.
From that day onward, Vivian beca Faust’s constant companion.
With the deliberate encouragent of both families, the two were almost inseparable.
They ate together, trained together, studied together—even worked together. As they grew older, the vague and hazy concept of engagent gradually beca clear in Vivian’s heart.
It was a contract of a shared lifeti.
A treasure that belonged to each other.
And… a love bound by life and death.
Whenever she thought about Faust becoming her lover, her partner, Vivian could not suppress the trembling in her heart.
It was as if she had been told she would receive a peerless treasure. A painful, ecstatic tightening gripped her heart, intoxicating her with visions of the future.
She had long since fallen in love with Faust—beyond salvation.
When had it happened?
Perhaps it was during the sunset when they shared a small boat, drifting across the lake as waterbirds sang around them.
Perhaps it was during those grand discussions, when the prince spoke of a radiant future with a smile.
Perhaps it was during countless busy nights, when they leaned against each other and dozed off in exhaustion.
Or perhaps… it had already begun at the very first mont they t.
Taking pride in being Faust’s future partner, Vivian resolved to beco the person he trusted most. She pushed herself harder than ever before, squeezing out every ounce of her potential.
Whatever the prince demanded, she would give without reservation.
She would never disappoint Faust. It was as if only by fulfilling his every desire could she be considered a worthy partner.
As long as Faust needed sothing, she would do everything in her power to achieve it. As for the accomplishnts the Prince of Qingxi had achieved over the years—it was hard to say who had truly contributed more.
Although the two had never formally beco engaged, and she had never even asked for the prince’s opinion, Vivian did not see this as a problem at all.
We are so close—how could we not love each other?
Thus, when the King felt the ti was right, he summoned them both and announced their engagent.
Vivian still clearly rembered the joy she felt upon hearing the news. She eagerly turned to look at the prince beside her, hoping to see the sa happiness reflected on his face.
But what t her eyes was Faust’s dark, uncertain expression.
The prince seed as though he wanted to speak, yet in the audience hall, he said nothing. In the end, he calmly accepted the announcent.
Though he hid it well, Vivian—who knew him better than anyone—could not possibly fail to notice his resistance.
And so, the girl’s overwhelming joy plunged into an abyss.
Sure enough, so ti later, her father ca to find her. With an apologetic expression, he lowered his head.
“I’m sorry, Vivian.”
“Our generation… we shouldn’t have presud so much. Let us pretend that engagent never existed.”
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