It was a flower garden shrouded in mist, carrying an almost dreamlike atmosphere.
The flowerbeds—clearly tended by professional hands, though Vivian had no way of knowing that—the marble-paved paths, the beautiful statues, and the fountains endlessly spilling crystal-clear water all blended together into a scene too perfect to be real.
Though it was her first time there, Vivian walked forward without the slightest fear.
The soft grass beneath her feet and the pure white marble ornaments scattered throughout the garden didn’t feel unfamiliar at all.
Rather, they felt strangely familiar—
As though she had come here many times before.
“Daddy!”
While admiring a statue wrapped in blooming rose vines, Vivian suddenly tripped over her own feet. Seeing the ground rushing toward her, she squeezed her eyes shut and threw out her arms.
But no matter how long she waited, the impact never came.
Instead, something caught her.
Startled, she cautiously opened one eye.
“……!”
An arm was supporting her body.
Not an adult’s arm, but a child’s—slender and pale.
Curious, Vivian lifted her gaze to see who had caught her.
And her breath stopped.
“Hah…”
The moment their eyes met, a vivid crimson pierced straight through her heart.
Eyes so red they seemed capable of enchanting anyone who looked into them.
Long lashes casting soft shadows beneath them.
A sharp nose and delicate lips as though sculpted painstakingly by the finest artist in existence.
And skin so pale it rivaled the marble statues standing behind him.
The boy was impossibly beautiful—too beautiful to seem human at all.
If there was any flaw to be found, it was his cold expression.
But even that disappeared almost instantly.
The icy look in the boy’s eyes softened warmly the moment they settled on the trembling Vivian, like a gentle spring breeze melting frost.
“...A fairy?”
“A fairy?”
A faint smile curved his lips at Vivian’s dazed whisper, and even that smile looked like something painted into a masterpiece.
“If you’re not a fairy… then an angel?”
“I’m not an angel either.”
“Then who are you?”
The boy carefully straightened Vivian back onto her feet before answering.
“Diti.”
“Hm?”
“You can call me Diti, Vivi.”
When he said her nickname—Vivi—his voice carried an odd weight to it.
“Okay, Diti! You’re really, really pretty. Huh? But how do you know my name?”
“You told me.”
Vivian tilted her head in confusion.
“Did I? No I didn’t. We just met.”
“Mm. Have you met your dad?”
At the mention of her father, Vivian’s face immediately brightened with a smile.
“Yeah! I get to live with Daddy from now on! Today we even went to the next village together!”
“That’s good. You missed him very much.”
“Mhm! I’m super, super happy!”
Diti held out his hand, and Vivian instinctively took it as naturally as breathing.
Jean’s warning about never following strangers had long since vanished from her mind.
The boy, who looked around her age, didn’t seem dangerous at all.
“Hehe.”
Vivian giggled softly as they walked hand in hand, delighted by the feel of the soft grass beneath her feet.
The sound of water splashing from the fountain.
The faint chirping of birds echoing somewhere far away.
The entire place was so beautiful it felt like stepping into a fairy tale.
Eventually they arrived at a gazebo wrapped in vines curling around white pillars.
The benches beneath its blue roof were a little too tall for someone as tiny as Vivian.
“Up we go… huh?”
Just as Vivian tried climbing onto the bench herself, Diti effortlessly lifted her and sat her down.
“Whoa! You’re super strong!”
“You’re just very light.”
Vivian kicked her feet in amazement. Diti was taller than her, sure, but he was still just a kid!
“But Peter’s two whole years older than me, and even he couldn’t lift me. Oh right! How old are you?”
“One year older than you. …You aren’t still living with that Peter boy, are you?”
The moment Peter’s name came up, Diti’s brow twitched slightly.
“Then you’re eight? Huh? Wait, how do you know I’m younger than you?”
“You told me.”
“Geez, I said I didn’t!”
“More importantly, you aren’t living with that Peter boy anymore, right?”
“Nuh-uh. Some men in armor came and took him away. Daddy said he’ll probably live with relatives now.”
“And his parents?”
“Uncle Ron and Aunt Mary? Umm… Daddy said they’re going to prison. Seriously, how do you know all this?”
But Diti showed absolutely no intention of satisfying her curiosity.
Instead, he simply raised a hand and gently stroked Vivian’s fluffy cotton-candy-like hair.
“Prison, huh. That’s good. I’m glad, Vivi.”
“Hey! You never answer any of my questions! Why do you only ask yours?!”
Vivian puffed out both cheeks furiously.
Unfortunately, her angry face wasn’t intimidating in the slightest.
She looked more like an offended rabbit.
“Sorry. It’s just… there were so many things I wanted to ask you.”
Diti lightly poked her cheek with one finger before opening his hand and gently cupping her face.
“There were really so many things I wanted to ask.”
Vivian’s cheeks instantly flushed red at the careful touch.
Ticklish.
It felt as though feathery grass was brushing softly against her heart.
The boy’s astonishingly delicate features were focused entirely on her.
Vivian pressed a hand to her chest, taking several deep breaths as she tried to calm the strange fluttering she had never felt before.
Diti didn’t rush her even once.
He simply waited patiently.
Thanks to that, Vivian gradually calmed down again.
And after that, they continued chatting endlessly about little, meaningless things.
Yet somehow, spending time together felt both incredibly enjoyable…
And strangely familiar.
In the middle of their conversation, Diti suddenly looked up at the sky.
Though his expression remained blank, there was a trace of reluctance in it somehow.
“Your dad is looking for you.”
“Huh?”
“It’s time for us to part.”
“Daddy’s looking for me? But I can’t see him.”
Vivian hopped down from the bench after Diti and looked around.
But no matter how hard she searched, her father was nowhere to be seen.
She couldn’t even hear him calling her name.
The mist seemed thicker somehow.
And her head felt a little dizzy too…
She could no longer see the boy’s face as he spoke his farewell.
“See you again, Vivi.”
Only his voice remained.
“Vivi! Wake up!”
“Mmn…?”
The morning sunlight dazzled her eyes.
When Vivian finally blinked them open, Jean’s face greeted her.
“Daddy?”
“Yep. Daddy’s here. Our princess must’ve been exhausted yesterday. I tried waking you for ages.”
“Mmm? What about Titi…?”
“The Divine Beast woke up ages ago. Come on, let’s get up and eat breakfast!”
“Nooo, not Kiki. Huh? Wait… who was it again?”
“Please return from dreamland now.”
“Eeeh…”
Her head felt foggy, like someone waking from a fairy’s spell.
She was certain she had been with someone.
Someone she shouldn’t forget.
But while Jean carried her all the way to the dining room, she couldn’t remember who she had been searching for no matter how hard she tried.
Kiki, already dressed neatly in the clothes they bought yesterday, glared at Vivian the moment she appeared.
[ Vivian! My stomach was about to stick to my spine! Instead of waking up early to prepare this great being’s meal, you overslept! ]
“Geez! Because of you, I forgot what I was thinking about!”
[ What?! How dare you blame your stupidity on—! ]
By the time she reached the dining room and started bickering with Kiki, Vivian had completely forgotten what she’d been trying so hard to remember.
Jean had prepared cream stew with baguette slices for breakfast.
The hard bread soaked up the stew until it became soft and moist, and when Vivian bit into it, it tasted heavenly.
Jean smiled fondly as he watched his daughter eat with puffed cheeks and a blissful expression before returning to his own task.
Though he absentmindedly spooned stew into his mouth, his eyes remained fixed on the map spread across the table.
“Now then~ where could the mine be~”
Kiki stared at him curiously.
[ Vivian. Why is that human singing to himself? ]
“Hm? Adults are just like that. Whenever they’re looking for something, they always do that.”
[ And why is he searching for a mine? ]
“Ummm… I dunno either. But what’s a mine? Daddy! What’s a mine?”
“It’s a mountain where jewels and things come out if you dig into the ground. Sorry, Vivi. I told you not to fool around while eating, but Daddy’s setting a bad example. I’m looking for something really important right now…”
“Whoa! Jewels come out if you dig the ground? Then it must be a super sparkly mountain!”
[ Hmph. Something important, you say. Very well. Since I greatly approve of these clothes, I shall bestow a favor upon the large human! ]
“Huh?”
[ …I shall find the mine for you! ]
“Eeeeh?”
“Vivi. What’s wrong?”
“Kiki says he’ll find the mine for you.”
“Eeeeh?”
