When exactly had she fallen in love with the prince? It was impossible to say now.
She'd spent so much time with Faust, so many years, that Viviana had grown used to him being a natural part of her life.
But Viviana would never forget the day they first met. After a night of snow, her ten-year-old self had been practicing swordsmanship on the estate grounds.
It was a habit she'd kept since early childhood.
Before the uprising, the Roselyn family had been a knightly house with a long imperial lineage, inheritors of the [Royal Guard] path. That path demanded absolute dedication and discipline.
So from the moment she could understand anything, Viviana had lived a life of strict training. Her talent was so exceptional that even in the family's long history, no ancestor could compare.
Viviana remembered her father commenting on her gift more than once, saying she would surely achieve great things.
But all that praise had never meant much to her.
Everything she'd done up to that point had simply been following the plan, sticking to the rules.
Meeting her parents' expectations. Bringing honor to the family. Even though she didn't really understand what any of that meant.
Whether others praised or envied her made no difference to the young girl. She simply did what she was "supposed" to do.
She lived like a doll. No joy, no sorrow.
"Viviana, that's enough training for today. I'm taking you to the palace."
Her father's arrival interrupted her practice. Viviana looked at him in his formal attire and asked, "Yes, Father. Is something going on?"
"His Majesty has adopted a son. It looks like our kingdom will have a prince."
In Viviana's memory, her father had been incredibly excited, almost talking to himself.
"I made a promise with His Majesty long ago, an arranged marriage. Since His Majesty only had a daughter, I thought it was impossible. But to think His Majesty would actually..."
Her father suddenly choked up, covering his face as he wept.
"Your Majesty... I never imagined you'd adopt a prince just to honor that promise. Your Majesty..."
Viviana couldn't quite understand her father's emotion. After thinking for a moment, she tilted her head.
"So, Father... am I engaged now?"
"That's right. Though it's not official yet, in a few years His Majesty will have you and the prince formally engaged. This visit is just so you can meet your future husband."
Her father patted her head.
"I see. All right."
Viviana accepted this without question. She had no real understanding of what a marriage contract meant. Since her father and the king had agreed on it, it must be the right thing.
"You know, your only flaw is how indifferent you are to everything. You could at least try to look happy, or upset, even. Well, we'll work on that later."
So she quickly changed into a dress and followed her father to the palace.
This wasn't Viviana's first visit to the palace. While her father went to meet with His Majesty, she stood quietly by a corridor pillar, gazing absently at the garden lawn.
Until she heard footsteps behind her, followed by a cheerful greeting:
"Well, well! Where did this sweet, soft little honey cake come from?"
When Viviana turned around, what she saw next was etched deep in her memory, impossible to wash away or wear down:
A boy around her own age, yet with a maturity far beyond his years.
Backlit by sunlight, his refined features wore a warm, confident smile as he leaned close to the little girl's face.
"L-little... cake?"
Viviana's calm, clear violet eyes widened involuntarily. No one had ever called her that before.
"Just a cute nickname. Don't like it? You're just so adorable, though."
The boy shrugged, then extended his hand toward Viviana.
"Of course, I know you're Viviana of House Roselyn. Nice to meet you. I'm Faust. I just became a prince of this country not long ago. You can just call me Faust."
Viviana hesitated a moment before taking his outstretched hand.
"...Hello, Your Highness."
She raised her chin slightly, studying the boy who was only a bit taller than her.
So this was her fiancé.
The person she would spend her life with. The person she would belong to, and who would belong to her.
For the first time, ripples formed in the girl's emotionless heart.
From that day on, Viviana became Faust's constant companion.
With plenty of encouragement from their elders, the two were practically inseparable.
They ate together, trained together, studied together, even worked together. As they grew day by day, the vague, hazy concept of their engagement became clear in Viviana's heart.
It was a contract for life. A treasure they would share. A love that would last through life and death.
Just thinking about how Faust would become her lover, her partner, Viviana couldn't stop the flutter in her chest.
It was like being told she would receive a treasure beyond compare. A joyous, aching pain hammered at her heart, leaving the girl lost in dreams of the future.
She had fallen for Faust long ago. Hopelessly.
When and where?
Maybe it was when they rode together in a small boat, drifting on the lake at sunset, singing along with the waterfowl.
Maybe it was during passionate meetings when the prince described brilliant futures with that radiant smile.
Or maybe it was during all those busy, exhausting late nights when they leaned shoulder to shoulder, stealing moments of rest.
Or perhaps it had been in that very first instant they met.
Seeing herself as Faust's future partner, Viviana vowed to become the person the prince trusted most.
She would work a thousand times harder than before, squeezing out every bit of her potential.
Whatever the prince asked for, she would give without hesitation.
She would never let Faust down. It seemed that only by meeting his every need could she be worthy of being called a proper partner.
As long as Faust needed it, she would do everything in her power to make it happen.
The political achievements the prince of Aurum had racked up over the years—it was hard to say whose effort they truly represented.
Though they still hadn't formally gotten engaged, and no one had ever asked the prince's opinion, Viviana saw no problem with that.
How could two people as close as us not be in love?
So when the time seemed right, the king summoned them both and announced their engagement.
Viviana still clearly remembered the joy she felt hearing about the engagement ceremony.
She'd immediately looked toward the prince beside her, eager to see the same happiness on his face.
But what met Viviana's eyes was Faust's dark, troubled expression.
His Highness seemed about to say something but held back. In the throne room, he said nothing and calmly accepted the news.
Though he hid it well, after spending so long with Faust, as the person who understood the prince best, how could Viviana not see his reluctance?
The girl's ecstatic mood plummeted.
Sure enough, some time later, her father came to find her and bowed apologetically to his daughter.
"I'm sorry, Viviana."
"Those of us from the older generation shouldn't have been so presumptuous. That marriage contract... let's just pretend it never existed."