Ch. 1651..1660
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1651
Unfortunately, he had gone missing for the last two days.
Dumbstruck by the news, Vivian stared blankly at her brothers before looking at Devin. As if her mind had shut down, she did not respond to anyone calling out to her.
Matteo remarked, “Look at what has happened to her. This is exactly why I said we shouldn't have told her.”
Ian and Devin were stumped.
Just when they were about to say something, Vivian suddenly got out of bed.
“Where are you going?” Matteo swiftly pulled her back.
Even so, she did not reply. Instead, she put on her shoes and walked right out with her head hung low.
Unable to tolerate it any longer, Ian grabbed her and called out in an authoritative tone, “Vivi!”
“What are you trying to do? Do you think you can find him all by yourself? Now that he's lost in the forest and has been exposed as the son of Elysium's king, it's not going to be easy for you to locate him at all!” he scolded word by word.
At that moment, Ian, who was eighteen, was the spitting image of his father.
As for Vivian, she felt as if she had seen Sebastian in him. Feeling a jolt in her body, she broke into uncontrollable tears.
“It's imperative that we find him precisely because his identity has been exposed. Do you know what they'll do to him once they capture him? How do you expect me to sit idly by?”
She bawled so hard that her eyes were all red.
Finally releasing his grip on her arm, Ian took out a red envelope from his bag. Stuck on top of it was an extremely beautiful feather.
“You have to understand that since Kurt's identity has been revealed in Elysium, we can't let them know that he's one of our men. If the king of Elysium was to find out, he would definitely not let Kurt go even if Kurt was alive.”
After spacing out briefly, Vivian looked at the envelope and asked, “W-Why?”
“You're such a fool, Vivi. Don't you get it yet? By taking in Kurt after taking in Calvin and his brother, their father would begin to suspect that we were doing it on purpose”
Matteo could not resist explaining when he saw that Vivian was still clueless.
The moment he finished, Vivian gradually understood the situation.
That's right. Their father is an influential figure within the country. What happened with Eddie's forces was also part of his scheme. Thus, if he knew the three brothers were working for Daddy, he would naturally suspect Kurt's intentions for coming back here. Furthermore, he had killed both Kurt's mother and sister, on top of his uncle and aunt...
Finally, Vivian grasped the situation in its entirety.
“In that case, what should we do? Are you saying that we can't openly look for him in Elysium?”
“Yes. Because of that, Ian and I have come up with a plan using this.”
Matteo took the envelope from Ian's hand and waved it at Vivian again.
It turned out to be an invitation card sent by Elysium.
After Devin had destroyed the remnants of Eddie's forces hiding in Elysium's forests, its king was so delighted that he organized a feast in Devin's honor to celebrate the victory.
“Therefore, Vivian, we can use this as our cover for going over tonight.”
“Really?”
Vivian was finally filled with hope.
Obviously, she did not believe that Kurt was dead.
After all, he was a highly trained member of SteelFort. On top of his outstanding intellect, he possessed a lot of other skills that even Sebastian was not aware of.
Based on that, Vivian was sure that he was fine.
On the night of the feast, Vivian joined her brothers and Devin there. Before they arrived at the exact venue, she spotted a familiar figure.
“Lucy?” she cried out in joy.
When Matteo heard her shout, he turned around and asked, “Who are you calling out to?”
“It's Lucy. The girl whom Kurt and I ran into when we arrived. She's the one that I told you about,” Vivian explained excitedly as she pointed to a young girl who was holding some food and ushering the guests.
It was Lucy indeed.
The men from SteelFort had told her that when Kurt was separated from them, Lucy was with him.
Therefore, Lucy's appearance indicated that Kurt was definitely fine.
Hence, Vivian ran over at once.
Worried about her, Matteo glanced at Devin and Ian, who had walked far ahead, before stomping his feet and chasing after Vivian.
The moment both of them approached the girls that were serving fresh fruits, Matteo recognized the one in front at first glance.
Isn't she the same Lucy that helped us pick up the black stone at Aquene Temple back then?
“Lucy! Lucy!”
Vivian could not resist yelling loudly at her.
Unexpectedly, the girl did not respond to Vivian's shouts. Instead, the other girls who were behind her turned around and looked quizzically at Vivian and Matteo.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1652
Both Vivian and Matteo were dumbfounded.
What's going on? Why is she ignoring me?
When Vivian turned toward Matteo, she saw him shrug his shoulders in response.
“Perhaps she can't hear us?” Matteo speculated.
Glancing at Lucy, who was not far away, Vivian figured it was impossible that she did not hear her. Finally, she took Matteo's advice and ran up to Lucy to stop her.
“Lucy,” Vivian called again in a crisp and delighted voice.
At that moment, Lucy was dressed up as a girl from the tribe. Instead of demonstrating any familiarity, she jumped back in fright.
“W-Who are you? How do you know my name?”
Hearing her question, Vivian was stunned.
When Matteo came up to them and saw what happened, he scanned Lucy from head to toe and smiled.
“Come on, it has only been two days. Why are you pretending not to know us?”
“What do you mean... pretending? I don't know both of you at all. We should leave now and ignore them. The feast is about to start.”
Having barely said a word, Lucy wanted to lead the girls behind her away.
However, when Matteo noticed how desperate Vivian was, the smile on his face was gradually replaced by a grim expression.
“How dare you play dumb just after two days? Lucy, let me warn you. Before we run out of patience, you better tell us where Kurt is. Or else, once the matter escalates, no one will be able to save you.”
At that moment, no one had expected the most jovial out of the triplets to emanate a terrifying aura in place of his usual cheerfulness.
After all, something terrible would have to happen to cause a person who loved to smile to suddenly stop smiling.
Taken aback, Lucy finally stopped in her tracks.
“I... really don't know either of you. Also, who's Kurt? Just who the hell are you?”
She maintained her stand, even though her eyes began to redden after the scare Matteo gave her.
Matteo and Vivian were stumped again.
Finally, unable to control herself, Vivian caught up with Lucy, tears welling up in her eyes.
Having lost her temper, she grabbed Lucy and questioned, “How can you not know him? Why are you pretending not to know us when you're the one who guided us the other day? Lucy, what are you planning? What's the meaning of this?”
Vivian had lost her cool, as she could not accept such an outcome.
If Lucy had really done something to hide Kurt, she would definitely not let Lucy go.
Unexpectedly, the girls behind Lucy finally interrupted, “You guys, stop scaring her. She really doesn't remember. When she was carried back two days ago, the witch doctor of the tribe noticed that she had been fed with worms.”
“Fed with worms? What kind of worms?” Matteo inquired immediately when he realized how important the information was.
The girls nodded. “The worms that belong to our tribe. After feeding them to someone, that person will lose their memory. Nevertheless, the tribe no longer has them, as we are forbidden to raise them now. Instead, it's the wicked former high priest who is raising them on those baddies' behalf.”
For a whole five seconds, the siblings stood there motionless.
Vivian, in particular, remembered the terror she felt back in the cave, as she was about to be fed with the same worms, too. Fortunately, SteelFort appeared in time to rescue her.
Otherwise, she could have ended up just like Lucy now.
In that case... Kurt! Will the same have happened to him?
Vivian suddenly felt a chill down her spine. After staring at the group of young girls for a long time, she finally asked in a trembling voice, “I-In that case, what about the youth that was with her? Did you see him?”
“What youth?”
Clenching her fists, Vivian finally uttered, “Kaiden.”
Just as she spoke, the girls covered their mouths and gasped with terrified expressions.
“W-Why do you know of Prince Kurt?”
“That's right. How did she find out about him? Wasn't he just recovered by our king?”
“My God! Has the news been leaked?”
Suddenly, Vivian felt her vision go black before she collapsed with a thud.
“Vivi!”
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1653
By the time Vivian was awake, she had been sent back to the small town, as Devin and her brothers were worried that she would lose control of herself at the feast.
However, Vivian did not kick up a fuss this time. After staring blankly at the ceiling for a few minutes, she finally asked with her eyes still focused above her, “Did you manage to see him?”
Matteo and Ian had no idea how to answer her question.
They had obviously seen him at the feast when the king of Elysium introduced his recently returned son with great fanfare.
Matteo replied, “Vivi, don't overthink the matter. As of now, our priority is to verify that he's safe. As for the rest, we'll let Daddy decide once we're back.”
Ian grunted in agreement, “Mm-hmm.”
The brothers felt it was for the best.
Nonetheless, tears suddenly rolled down uncontrollably from Vivian's eyes.
“How can we do that? He hates that place to the core. Furthermore, his mom, sister, aunt, and uncle were all killed by that beast. To him, that place is no different from a living hell. How can we let him stay there?” Vivian cried out in agony.
There was no way she would agree to their decision.
Finally, Devin came over.
“In that case... Matteo, you should stay here with Vivian. Coincidentally, I plan to leave some troops in Elysium to monitor the situation, even though we have destroyed the remnants of Eddie's forces. Thus, you and Vivian can stay here. At the same time, I'll send someone else from Yorksland over.”
“Is this all right? Will their king agree to it?” Matteo scratched his head.
Nodding, Devin stated, “He already has agreed after I told him about it. After all, he was always been fearful of those men. Despite the fact that we have annihilated them, he still prefers us to leave some men behind to keep an eye out.”
Devin had already discussed the matter with the king of Elysium.
Before Matteo could reply, Vivian sat up and grabbed his hand. “All right, then. Matt, let's just stay back here,” she pleaded.
Matteo responded with silence.
With that, the siblings stayed behind with the small bunch of troops.
In the meantime, Lucy did not recognize them still.
As for Kurt, he never came out since then. Even though Vivian made various attempts to approach the palace, she did not manage to see him at all.
Instead, she saw someone building a new house for Kurt's grandparents.
“Quick, pour in the cement! We have to make sure that the house has strong foundations! Also, the steel bars...”
After tearing down the dilapidated hut, a group of workers was busy building the new house.
Meanwhile, Vivian watched them with a sorrowful expression.
She thought back to the day when Kurt brought her into the house. His grandparents had served her a bowl of honey to drink.
She could still remember how sweet the drink tasted back then.
Suddenly, someone called out to her from behind, “Miss, why are you standing out here? Do you want to have a seat inside?”
Turning around, she was surprised to see Kristoff.
“You... speak our language?”
“Of course I do. Kurt's uncle studied outside of here. Hence, he taught us many things.”
When Kristoff saw Vivian, he smiled so widely that he revealed all his missing teeth.
However, Vivian felt depressed after hearing the name.
My Kurt.
The next moment, she wiped her tears away in front of Kristoff.
After a while, Kristoff finally tugged her by the sleeve and led her into their temporary lodging. Inside, he served her another bowl of honey.
“Why did you bring her here?” Beatrice queried. “Isn't she the girl that came with Kaiden the other day?”
Kristoff replied with a sigh, “That's right. Since she was crying, I figured that he probably doesn't remember her anymore.”
After serving Vivian another drink, the old couple noticed that tears had begun to rain down from Vivian's eyes.
After pondering for a while, Kristoff finally asked, “Miss, do you want to see my grandson?”
“I do!” Vivian replied without hesitation as she raised her gaze at him, teary-eyed.
Kristoff nodded in response.
“I can try and sneak you in to see him, but we can't let the king know, as he doesn't want Kaiden to remember us. Moreover, Kaiden is on a mission now. Only after he has completed it can his mom and sister be released.”
“What did you say? His mom and sister are still alive?” Vivian asked, utterly shocked.
Kristoff nodded.
“Of course they are. However, only the king knows where they have been imprisoned. As a result, he has given Kaiden three months' time to be worthy of inheriting the throne. Only then will he release both of them.”
As if she had been struck by lightning, Vivian just sat there with a bewildered expression.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1654
In the end, Vivian followed Kristoff to the palace.
To avoid any suspicion, Kristoff dressed her up as an Elysium girl. He even put on her a facial scarf that was worn by attendants before taking her in.
In truth, Vivian had visited the palace before as an honored guest in her capacity as a Jadeson.
Therefore, she was familiar with the place.
Nevertheless, the moment she saw the palace with its turquoise-green lake in front, she was filled with mixed emotions.
To her, the place looked like a cage that had imprisoned her beloved Kurt.
Just the thought alone caused her to feel depressed.
“Let's go,” Kristoff remarked when he sensed her sadness.
Truthfully, he did not want his grandson, who had barely survived, to return to the palace. After having seen how his children suffered for being involved with the royal family, Kristoff resolved to help Kurt escape the wretched place.
Thus, he would do everything he could to provide Vivian with all the assistance she needed.
Finally, they arrived in front of the ancient palace.
The next moment, a man came out from the inside and greeted Kristoff warmly, “Sire, are you here to see Prince Kurt?”
Staring coldly at the scene, Vivian could feel the irony of the situation.
Back when she and Kurt first arrived, they saw Kristoff doing everything alone with no one to help him. Even at home, he would be ostracized and ridiculed by the others.
But now, everything had changed. Everyone in the tribe tried to ingratiate themselves with him.
Naturally, Kristoff saw through the hypocrisy. After exchanging pleasantries, he led Vivian right inside.
Upon their entry, Vivian could not help but feel excited over the fact that she was finally able to see Kurt.
After walking across the ancient hall where they were entertained the other day, she arrived at a corridor adorned with golden-colored ambers.
With no impurities inside them, the ambers made the entire place look like a palace made of golden crystal.
“Mr. Calyette, what is this?”
“Oh, this is the golden amber that comes from the Black Marsh. A long time ago, we used to offer this to the royal family as a tribute. In fact, they are considered priceless gemstones. However, this practice has been stopped now. Back then, the royal family wanted to take control of all of it. Hence, they ordered the tribesmen to mine everything out of the Black Marsh. Unfortunately, by the time it was empty, many men had died in the process,” Kristoff explained with a sigh.
Generally, a tribe with a history of more than a thousand years would naturally live through a few dynasties.
For a tribe that was still able to maintain its power in modern times, no one had expected them to have such a brutal history.
As both of them continued walking, they arrived at a small arched bridge that was covered by a dome peppered with red gemstones. Raising her gaze, Vivian noticed two figures emerging from within a dull-colored building.
The building looked dull simply because it was not adorned with golden amber.
Instead, it was made of wood.
Even so, Vivian, who had been exposed to a lot, recognized it as agarwood, which was extremely expensive due to its unique scent.
Given that the entire building in front of her was built from agarwood, the fragrant scent it emitted filled the air.
As for the two figures upstairs, they were sitting on the balcony behind billowing curtains. One seemed to be painting, while the other was mixing some paint.
At that moment, Vivian felt as if her mind was blown.
“He's painting right now. In his current condition, all he remembers is what had happened before he was ten. As for everything else, he needs to relearn them from scratch,” Kristoff explained before letting out a sigh.
Upon hearing his words, Vivian felt as if she was hit by a bucket of cold water, causing her face to lose all its color.
The year when he was ten... No, that's impossible. If it really was before he was ten, wouldn't he lose all his memories of the Hayes family? How is that possible? We have been through so much together, and my family has brought him so much warmth.
Vivian just could not believe it. After looking at them with reddened eyes, she began running in their direction.
“Kurt! Kurt!” she yelled.
At that moment, she had forgotten that she was in disguise and was not supposed to reveal herself.
When Kristoff saw her reaction, he went after her immediately.
After coming up to the balcony, Vivian saw that both figures were jolted by her screams. At the exact moment she saw them, the female attendant, who was decked out in jewelry, glared at her in return.
As for Kurt, he was dressed in a way that did not look like him at all. When he shifted his gaze over, Vivian could see the distance and resentment on his face.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1655
The instant she saw the look on his face, she felt as if she was stabbed in her heart.
“Kurt...” she murmured.
Just as she spoke, she was taken back when the attendant beside Kurt began screaming.
“What are you doing here? After pestering me to see Prince Kurt the other day, how dare you come up here now? Somebody, come at once!” Lucy shouted.
Throughout Lucy's rant, Vivian did not hear her at all, as her focus was solely on the man.
While coming up from behind, Kristoff saw everything. Subsequently, he admonished Lucy, “What are you shouting for? Do you know that she's a Jadeson? Do you have a death wish?”
Even though he was already eighty, Kristoff still exuded an authoritative aura.
As her face turned pale, Lucy did not dare utter another word.
Then, Vivian approached Kurt step by step.
With his exquisite features, he looked as dashing as ever. The cold look in his eyes was further accentuated by the royal garb he was wearing. Just like a bewitching painting, it could cause the hearts of whoever was looking to skip a beat.
Unfortunately, there was no sign of the familiar warmth within his mesmerizing eyes.
The same warmth that she had spent a lot of effort nurturing in him.
Sitting in his chair, he had evolved into the distinguished prince of Elysium. As he stared coldly at her, he emanated a hostile and exasperated vibe.
Sensing his resentment, Vivian felt tears welling up in her eyes.
“Kurt, do you still remember me? It's me, Vivi,” Vivian sobbed as she removed her face scarf.
However, Kurt did not react in any way.
In fact, the irritation he felt intensified when he saw her remove her scarf.
“Lucy, get them out of here,” he ordered.
“Yes, Prince Kurt,” Lucy acknowledged at once.
Thus, she came over to chase them away.
In response, Vivian lost control of herself as she rushed forward and grabbed Kurt by the arm. Choking back her tears, she questioned, “I'm Vivi. Why don't you remember, Kurt? I'm Vivi!”
“Insolence! How dare you touch the prince at will?”
Upon seeing Vivian grabbing Kurt impudently, Lucy dashed forward and pried her arms away.
Thud!
Vivian was thrown aside by the brief scuffle.
The moment she crashed onto the balcony's railing, she felt a pain so excruciating that she could barely speak.
“Girl!”
Taken aback by the situation, Kristoff ran over to help Vivian up.
In response, Lucy remarked in a haughty manner, “I didn't push her on purpose. She's the one who lost her balance.”
After a brief pause, Lucy added, “Enough of this. Since she has fallen down, I won't tell the king about this. Sire, you had better take her away, and I'll pretend that this never happened.”
Right after that, she warned them off again and insisted they leave the palace at once.
When Kristoff heard her words, he turned around and glared at her.
“You had better pray that she's fine. Or else, when the Jadesons come for you, it's not going to matter if you're popular at court or a candidate for the prince's wife. There will be no escape for you!” Kristoff warned her at the end of it.
After that, he picked Vivian up and left.
Even though Vivian was still conscious, the pain she physically felt and the mental anguish she was going through caused her to remain silent.
With a sorrowful expression on her face, she was helped out by Kristoff.
After they left, Agarwood Pavilion fell silent again. As if nothing happened, Lucy cleared the mess on the floor before returning to Kurt's side to help him with his painting.
At that moment, Kurt, who barely said a thing throughout, suddenly ordered, “Somebody, come here!”
Instantly, a royal guard appeared, giving Lucy a shock.
“Yes, Prince Kurt?”
“Take her away and give her fifty lashes.” Kurt's tone was so casual that Lucy thought he was telling her to assist him with his painting.
Unfortunately, that was not what he said. Instead, he was punishing her by ordering her to be lashed fifty times.
Fifty? For a female attendant like me?
She was utterly stunned by his words. Before she could wipe the smirk off her face, she was frozen on her feet.
“Prince Kurt, no... no...”
With no chance to even ask about the reason, she had already been dragged away. After a short while, the sound of a cracking whip echoed through Agarwood Pavilion.
It was followed by the Lucy's agonizing cries.
Evidently, the royal family had the authority to punish anyone without reason.
Meanwhile, Vivian fell sick on the same day she returned.
Given that she had lived the life of a pampered princess, she rarely had it tough. Hence, after being beaten both physically and emotionally, she suffered a high fever that night.
The moment Matteo found out, he was outraged.
As a result, he stormed into the royal palace.
Firstly, he wanted to hold Lucy accountable for her actions. Secondly, he was furious at Kurt's behavior. He wanted to see for himself if the boy his family had rescued and trained for five years had truly lost his memory.
After all, he could not tolerate seeing the sister he doted on being bullied.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1656
However, just when he was about to leave, Vivian woke up amidst her fever and stopped him.
“Matt, let's leave this place, shall we? I miss Daddy and Mommy already,” she pleaded in tears.
Her face was burning red from the fever, and it was painted with nothing but misery.
Not knowing what to say, Matteo chose to comply with her wishes and returned to Summerbank with her so that she could see the doctor.
In the meantime, when Riley, who was based there, heard about it, she rushed to the hospital and made all the necessary arrangements.
“What happened? How did Vivi end up being so sick?”
After she was done with the paperwork, she became furious upon learning that Vivian was hurt on top of having a high fever. Therefore, all she wanted to do was to find out what had transpired so that she could stand up for Vivian.
Even though the siblings were already seventeen, they were still children in her eyes.
Matteo replied in an exasperated tone, “It's just a trivial matter. Ms. Cooper, can you help me take care of Vivi, as I still need to make a trip back?”
In the end, Matteo's indignance got the better of him. Hence, he decided to return and get to the bottom of the matter.
Riley readily agreed.
With that, Matteo returned to Elysium that night.
This time, he went straight to the royal palace and located Agarwood Pavilion, which was the building the heir to the royal family supposedly stayed in.
Whoosh!
All of a sudden, a sharp object whizzed through the air.
Inside the building, Kurt, who was about to get in bed, dodged it by reflex and retreated to the side.
Upon seeing Kurt's reaction, Matteo emerged from the dark.
“Aren't you supposed to only remember incidents before you were ten? In that case, how did you learn to react like that?” Matteo sneered with a fiery gaze.
Nevertheless, Kurt stared icily at him.
“Who are you? How dare you barge in here in the middle of the night! Do you have a death wish?”
Death wish?
The words caused Matteo to lose his temper.
Without saying another word, he charged forward and swung his fists.
This little rascal needs to be taught a lesson!
Just like that, an intense battle broke out in Agarwood Pavilion in the middle of the night. Both of them were expert fighters in their own right. One was personally trained by Karl within SteelFort, while the other was trained by Devin in the army.
As a result, neither of them were ordinary warriors.
In slightly over ten minutes, the raging battle had shattered everything in the room.
It was a truly terrifying sight.
It was not until half an hour later that a large group of royal guards arrived at the scene after hearing the commotion. As for the two of them, their faces were already swollen and covered with bruises.
That was when they finally stopped to catch their breath.
“You ungrateful assh*le. Let me warn you, if you bully my sister again, I'll definitely punch all your teeth in!” Matteo warned when he finally recognized that he could not beat Kurt. He also sensed the impending arrival of the palace guards.
Panting heavily, Kurt stared at him. ”I don't know your sister at all.”
Matteo's fury was ignited again. If it was not because of the increasingly unfavorable odds he was facing, Matteo would have given Kurt another beating.
“Fine. If you claim to not know her, so be it. Let me tell you, Kurt, you're the one who said so yourself. After this, I'll take my sister back to Yartran. Going forward, you can be king of Elysium, while she goes back to living her own life. If you dare bother her in the future, I'll make sure you regret it if it's the last thing I do!”
Burning with rage, Matteo made a vow before escaping the palace grounds.
That was the first time in his life he made such a solemn oath.
All this while, he always had a cheerful disposition and was angered to an extent where he needed to swear.
Meanwhile, Kurt was standing in the middle of the mess they left as he watched Matteo's leaving silhouette in a daze.
Unable to control himself, he balled his fingers that were red from battle into fists. He clenched them so hard that they turned pale instead.
The night felt exceptionally dark to him.
In the end, Vivian did not return to Miralaea.
After giving it some thought, she decided not to let her parents worry. If they found out that Kurt had lost his memory and idly watched as she was beaten, they would definitely feel devastated.
Consequently, they would blame Kurt for it.
Given how soft-hearted she was, she still wanted to protect Kurt's reputation in front of her family, despite what had happened.
On the other side, Riley brought Vivian back to the Cooper residence, where Edmund used to stay previously.
“Vivi, don't think too much about it. Just stay with me here for the time being so that you can clear your mind. Is that okay with you?”
Riley was an exceptionally gentle and attentive person.
After taking Vivian in and understanding what she was going through, she felt the urge to take good care of Vivian and cheer her up.
Reacting to Riley's offer, Vivian nodded in agreement.
When Vivian was feeling a bit better, Riley planned to take her out.
“Vivi, why don't we go out today? We can head to the city's old quarter. Since you're into fashion design, I heard that there's a fashion show there showcasing beautiful traditional clothing. Would you like to go and take a look?”
“Traditional clothing?”
After being cooped up at home for the past few days, Vivian was beginning to feel depressed. Hence, her interest was piqued when she heard Riley's suggestion.
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Old Town of Yorksland was a famous cultural site with a history of thousands of years. It was also a relatively well-preserved ancient city in the country and a popular attraction for tourists.
Riley deliberately brought Vivian to the monument's square for the performance because she knew the girl liked lively places.
“Vivi, do you want to change into something else? The fashion show has no special rules. You can participate as long as your clothes are pretty,” Riley suddenly suggested as they passed by the display window of a boutique with a dazzling array of traditional clothing.
She knew Vivian would be keen to have a look since the latter loved fashion design.
After she cast a quick glance at the boutique, Vivian followed her in obediently.
Half an hour later, the two women exited the establishment wearing exquisite traditional costumes.
“Ms. Cooper, how do I look? Only unmarried women from wealthy families would wear this in ancient times.”
“Wow, really?” Riley was delighted to see Vivian finally smiling.
Together, they walked toward the venue in their new outfits.
The duo arrived to see many tourists had already gathered at the square, which was actually a bluestone floating stage in the middle of the lake. A bridge as old as the ancient city perched above the water.
Countless models dressed in traditional costumes were on the floating stage displaying their attires.
“Vivi, look. They look beautiful, don't they?” Riley asked as she pointed at those women.
Vivian nodded. “Yes, indeed. Are they all from the same agency? Did they come here solely for the performance?”
“No. The companies specializing in manufacturing traditional costumes hired these models for the fashion to market their clothes,” Riley explained as she glanced at those women who seemed like professional models.
Upon hearing that, Vivian finally understood.
They then went to the bridge and found a spot to sit down. Riley, being a meticulous person, even took out a sketchbook from her bag and gave it to Vivian.
“Here. You can draw anything you like.”
“Ms. Cooper...” The latter was touched by her thoughtfulness.
After they settled down, Vivian started to scan a model that caught her eye. However, something else attracted both their attention.
“What's that?” Riley was beyond surprised as she saw those unfamiliar Jetroinian traditional outfits.
The crowd also started discussing fiercely as well.
The fashion shows in Old Town had always been about the local traditional costumes because they were the perfect representation of the country's ancient history. Yet, suddenly, costume designs from a foreign country showed up.
What nonsense is this?
The crowd was overwhelmed with discontent.
Right then, a man wearing a suit went on the stage with an entourage behind him.
“Hello, everyone. I'm here to announce that the Cultural Affairs Bureau is holding a seminar here today. I'm sure all of you are flustered by the unexpected surprise. Consider this rare and precious international fashion show a treat from the bureau.”
It turned out those people were from Cultural Affairs Bureau.
They probably decided to hold their seminar at the same venue after seeing the great turnout.
Instantly, the dissatisfaction on the crowd's faces was replaced with friendly expressions. As such, they started watching the fashion show joyously.
Everyone had shown the best side of their temperament.
Riley understood the situation as she was also a staff of the official department. She comforted Vivian who had stopped sketching.
“It's fine. It's just a few more costumes. After all, it's a good thing for you. Keep drawing.” She caressed the latter's head gently.
Vivian lowered her head and continued drawing.
Shortly after the announcement from the official, models from other foreign countries such as Turlen and Hawen appeared. Even alluring belly-dancers joined the show.
The atmosphere became even merrier.
The crowd grew as more people came to witness and enjoy the visual feast while Vivian remained engrossed in sketching.
Ring... ring.
Suddenly, Riley's phone rang, and she answered immediately. “Hello.”
“Ms. Cooper, where are you? The director wants you to go to Old Town right away to attend the trade seminar organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau. Many overseas guests are already there.” It was one of her colleagues.
Trade?
Riley could not wrap her head around it as she glanced at the models on the bridge.
“What do you mean? Isn't it just a normal fashion show?” she asked.
“Of course not. We made an international announcement about today's fashion show. Now that period costumes are back in trend again worldwide, many big companies are conducting research on countries with a deep historical and cultural background like ours to find out exactly which countries have the most popular designs. The overseas guests are here for this purpose,” the colleague exclaimed in exasperation.
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Riley was stunned momentarily.
How could it be? Did the Cultural Affairs Bureau know anything about this? How could they bring those guests here without much preparation for such an important event? Are any of those women on the bridge professional models? Has anyone vetted those attires carefully before the fashion show? This is not a game!
Riley was beyond enraged.
“Ms. Cooper, what's going on?”
Vivian had sensed her anger. She immediately stopped drawing, concerned.
Riley could not suppress her fury as she glared murderously at the foreign models on the bridge. “These people came here deliberately to embarrass us. They are using their designs to vie for our trade orders.”
“Huh?” Vivian was dumbfounded upon hearing that.
Is that real? No wonder all the foreign costumes look so outstanding and exquisite. On the other hand, our local costumes and banieres seemed ordinary and unprofessional.
She panicked. “What should we do then? So many overseas delegates are here. The trade order must be huge.”
Riley nodded. “Indeed. According to Edmund, our local economy has dropped tremendously in your father's absence over the past three years. The country needs money now.”
Vivian was rendered speechless.
Even though she knew nothing about a country's economy, the revelation sent her into a state of anxiety since it was something that her father used to care about.
What should we do then? Evidently, the workmanship and designs for our costumes featured in this fashion show are way too inferior compared to the ones specially prepared by the foreign designers. Therefore, the only solution...
Suddenly, her eyes locked on a mother who was carrying her son in a basket on her back. Their blue attires were made from hand-woven cloth.
Is that...
She stared at them for a long time, overwhelmed with excitement especially after she saw the limited accessories on the mother and son. She could feel herself gasping for breath as an idea crossed her mind.
“Vivi? What's wrong? What are you staring at?” Riley asked with a confused look.
“Nothing. Ms. Cooper, please find some Elysians who are here in their tribal costumes. Try to get those with more accessories. Then do your best to stall the show and buy me some time.” Vivian stood up and started packing her stuff.
Elysians?
Riley's expression changed slightly upon hearing her instructions.
After all, Vivian was still upset over a man from the tribe a few days back. Why did she mention them now?
Nevertheless, she eventually did as told.
The show was about to reach its climax with more and more journalists rushing to the venue to cover the event. Suddenly, the organizer announced the first half of the show had ended.
“Everyone, it's been an hour since the show started. Stay tuned for an exciting second half after a short break.” The person in charge deliberately made it sound mysterious.
Even though the crowd was displeased with the abrupt break, the announcement triggered their curiosity once again. Instead of leaving, the number of spectators grew.
After successfully stalling the show, Riley ran to find Vivian.
She discovered that more than a dozen Elysians had already gathered at their temporary base. Bewildered to see Vivian standing in front of them, she eyed the group cautiously.
“Everyone, don't be afraid. Look at those guys out there. They are here to compete for our business, our livelihood. You could have sold hand woven fabric, silver ornaments, and these embroideries in your hands. But now you won't have the chance anymore,” Vivian told them.
The Elysians widened their eyes in rage and started questioning, “Why? We have been selling our goods here every day. How could they barge into our turf and rob us?”
Vivian displayed a smile.
“What I mean is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Of course, you can stay here and continue to do your business. However, imagine a future where buyers flock into your tribe and you can sell ten times the number of textiles and silver accessories in the comfort of your homes. What do you think about that?”
Everyone was dumbstruck by her statement.
The scenario had never crossed their mind.
Riley's jaw also dropped after she heard the shocking declaration.
Holy cr*p! I never thought she could be this smart!
Back then, Sabrina had been worrying that none of Sebastian's children had inherited his business talent because her two nephews were either obsessed with research and development or being a soldier.
It turned out clueless little Vivian was the one with a brain for making money like Sebastian.
“Is there really something that good?”
“You must be joking! Why would the buyers come to our tribe? No one has ever been there before.”
The natives thought her words were too good to be true.
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After all, they had lived in poverty for generations. No one ever paid attention to them or their stuff.
Yet, the pretty young lady smiled at them. “Well, it all depends on your performance today. Remember, you must show the world the best of Elysium. That includes your mannerism and action, not just the way you look. Do you understand?”
Those wise words blew Riley's mind.
The Elysians stared at Vivian in silence for a long time as sparks of desire started burning within their hearts.
The next moment, she collected all their accessories, took everything apart, and created different yet stylish designs using the pieces.
More than a dozen pairs of trusting eyes watched her without moving an inch.
It was a taboo for outsiders to touch their hair. Yet, they let Vivian change their hairstyles into Faire Coiffure in the end.
The makeover achieved astounding results.
Where did she learn this? Isn't it a secret technique only Prince Kurt's mother knows?
The Elysians were brought out of the temporary site while they were still puzzled.
Lucy, who had come to Summerbank, heard someone had taken many Elysians away. She immediately rushed to Old Town with her maids.
“Where are they?” she asked.
“Madam, they were brought away for some performance,” someone on the spot responded.
Performance?
Lucy's expression darkened. “What kind of performance? Elysians are forbidden to have contact with outsiders. It's the tribe's rule. How dare they go for a performance? Do they want to be thrown into the River of Styx?”
Utterly enraged, she led her men and tried to stop those Elysians.
However, it was already too late.
By the time she arrived at the bridge, she saw a young beauty in Elysium costume leading the others to the show.
“Everyone, don't be afraid. Just follow me. Relax and behave like you usually do at the market.”
A beautiful red embroidered hairband coiled the young girl's long black hair up, revealing the string of glittering crescent-shaped accessory on her smooth forehead. She looked like an elf who had fallen into the mortal world. The spectators gasped upon witnessing her beauty.
She is a real beauty!
Everyone locked their eyes upon her, including the journalists.
Lucy's chest heaved up and down as she tried to suppress her rage.
Vivian Wand!
“Thank you for staying. The second half is about to start. Now, let us invite the representatives from the tribe with unique customs in the region—the Elysians!” The person in charge was overwhelmed with excitement as he introduced them.
As the majestic and atmospheric music kicked off, a stunning girl carrying a small bamboo basket on her back appeared on the stage. The others followed, one after another.
They did not try to perform at all.
She walked on the bridge casually with a bright smile on her face. Stepping on the bluestone slab, the teenager looked at her surroundings as though she had just finished her work at the farm.
Right behind her were a mother and a son.
The young mother's hair was like a dark cloud, tied with a simple hair tie. On her neck was a delicate silver collar that produced crisp bell sounds.
Ding! Ding!
The child who was in the bamboo basket on her back giggled suddenly.
He was waving his tanned and small, fleshy arms with two tiny but eye-catching bells.
The sight was simply breathtaking.
All the journalists kept taking photos of them.
Some even started a live broadcast, hoping to show the moment to the world.
Compared to the complicated and hasty first half, the appearance of the local tribe at this point was a breath of fresh air. It brought everyone into a peaceful and poetic atmosphere.
Overwhelmed with excitement, Riley almost burst into tears.
She could not help but capture the moment with her phone camera. Then she sent it to Sabrina, the only member of the Hayes family she was close to.
Riley texted: Sabrina, look at how outstanding your niece is!
Sabrina was rendered speechless upon seeing that.
In fact, she was looking after her kids at the moment.
The arrogant mother spent her life domineering over everyone, but she never expected she would give birth to two mini replicas of herself and fall victim at their hands. Jaena, who had turned eight, was a handful little imp.
D*mn it! Jaena must have taken her brother elsewhere. Where did they go?
Sabrina texted: Holy sh*t! What the hell is Vivian doing? Why is she not studying? When did she become a model?
Unable to find her children, her frustration grew after watching the video from Riley who frowned at her reaction.
Riley texted back: It's not like that. Something went wrong on our side. Some foreigners came and they are trying to oppress our economy. Vivi came up with a solution to save the day. Don't you think she looks fantastic?
Sabrina texted: Hold on a second. Let me find Jaena and beat her first!
After that, Sabrina did not respond to the texts anymore.
Has she really gone to beat her kid? Well, I would be pissed too if I were in her shoes. Kids from other families are so obedient and adorable that anyone would want to hug and kiss them. Not to mention, some of them even own a successful career after they grow up. But Sabrina's children are the complete opposite! She receives daily complaints from their preschool teachers because the little tyrants are constantly bullying their friends or causing other troubles.
Sabrina could feel her lifespan shortened at least a few decades due to the stress from her children.
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Riley broke out in a cold sweat when she saw what was happening.
She stopped replying to Sabrina's texts and instead directed her attention to the bridge.
As expected, Vivian opened the show with a bang. The foreign models who awaited their turn to go on stage wore sour expressions on their faces.
They whined among themselves. “What's happening? Didn't they say this was a tourist destination too small for a proper fashion show?”
One of the staff from Hawen complained furiously, “Exactly! That's the only reason I asked to come here. Why did it suddenly become a professional show? Who the heck is that girl? She even knows what to do on a fashion runway.”
At first sight, the mysterious models on the bridge appeared to be tribe members that Vivian had haphazardly pulled out of the crowd.
However, anyone experienced in the industry knew that it was all part of a deliberate runway design. Only a true expert in fashion design could devise the setting for today's show.
Indeed, the success of a fashion show relied on more than the featured lines of clothing. Runway design and environment played equally vital roles in creating a successful show. If all these factors aligned beautifully, a masterpiece would be born.
Although the foreign models had received professional training before arriving in Elysium, they did not treat the fashion show seriously after hearing that it was merely a tourist spot.
Thus, Vivian's Easter egg in the second half of the show both amazed and enraged the models.
Alas, despite their disgruntlement, they had no choice but to walk the runway.
As expected, they paled sorely in comparison to her spectacular opening. While the audience oohed and aahed over the foreigners earlier, few spared them a glance during the second half of the show.
Even the reporters looked bored.
The models fumed at the sight.
Vivian had led the Elysians off the stage by then. She knew her plan was a success judging by the audience's enthusiasm and delight. All that was left was to share the good news with her Elysian models.
Suddenly, a young woman dashed into the clearing.
“What are you doing? Who gave you the right to parade before so many people? The audacity! Did you forget the laws of Elysium?”
The intruder's beautiful face twisted into an ugly scowl.
The Elysians' initial happiness dissolved into fear seeing Lucy. After all, she had received the honor of serving their prince as an attendant, and she could very well be their future queen.
“Ms. Lucy, w-we didn't mean it.”
“Yes, Ms. Lucy. T-This young lady said she c-could help us sell our fabrics and silver jewelry.... We wanted t-to make more money for our families, you see. That's why we agreed to her plans.”
They practically stammered through their explanations.
Even the mother and son whom Vivian had found earlier began shaking like leaves at the sight.
Lucy instantly whirled around, glaring daggers at Vivian. Her gaze simmered with rage and hatred, and the latter was at a loss for what to do.
Did a few worms really turn her into this? We used to be such great friends. She helped us countless times upon our arrival, and she seemed friendly and kind. What could've caused such a drastic change to her personality?
Vivian's expression dimmed as she appraised the young woman who was once her friend.
Meanwhile, Lucy pressed on, “You again! Why is the Princess of the Jadesons always interfering with the ways of the Elysium tribe? What are you planning? Do you have any idea about the negative effects your actions have inflicted on our tribe?”
“Negative effects? What effects?” Vivian was upset, but her emotions did not cloud her logical judgment.
She argued, “I don't suppose the 'negative effects' would be the exposure of your tribe's living conditions to the world, huh? What's wrong with revealing all this to the world? Will locking them up forever put food on their tables? Will it clothe them? Will it give them money?”
“You-”
Vivian interrupted Lucy, “Let me tell you something, Lucy. The only way to give these people a better life is to open the tribe to the outside world. Let others understand your ways and let your tribe share its beautiful and rich culture with the world. That is the best way to lead this tribe to prosperity.”
The seventeen-year-old girl stood her ground defiantly, not a hint of her usual smiley self in sight. Vivian had never seemed fiercer and colder than at that very moment.
In fact, she looked like a true-blue princess as she lectured the Elysians with such a formidable and righteous air that everyone listened to her in silent awe. Her logic was impeccable.
That was around the time Kurt showed up.
He had heard about the fashion show, and he rushed over from Elysium to assess the situation on behalf of the royal family.
To his surprise, the first thing he witnessed upon arrival was Vivian's impressive lecture.
Lucy sputtered, “W-What do you know? Leave the decision to our tribe. We can do whatever we want. It's none of your business.”
“Why is it none of my business? I'm a member of the Jadesons, and my father oversees the economy of the entire country. Elysium falls under his jurisdiction. That is, unless, the Elysian royal family is planning to declare its independence,” came Vivian's retort.