Glimpse of Her Family

"She looked exactly like you, dear. Why don't we name her Vivian, the same name of your grandmother? So it would be from your family's side this time."

The first voice that Vivian heard when she came to this world was the voice of a sweet and loving man. Though in her vision, she could only see blurred colors and couldn't make anything out of it. But strangely she felt at ease and warm.

It has been so long since she felt something like this.

"She doesn't even have the same eyes as mom! Look at her eyes, it's light gray instead of brown."

The gentle voice of a man was followed by a snobby voice of a seemingly young girl. Then it was followed by laughter followed by the adults.

"Sasha, that is because her eye color will soon develop once she further ages. Your eyes are also the same when you are younger before they become beautiful and prominent hazel ones." This time Vivian heard a sweet voice of a woman. It was also the same with the man. Full of warmth and gentleness.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Vivian, it perfectly suits her. Your name will be Vivian, little one. And I hope the goddess of the moon will bless you so you can grow healthy and happy."

***

Vivian snapped out from the memories that flashed inside her mind. Now that she remembered her past life, even the memories since she was born in this world, became prominent.

Some of it was not really great that ended their lives like this. Though she was not certain, iIt must be the effect of the system why every memory became vivid to her.

She stopped in front of a door, and knocked three times.

"Who is it?" The same gentle voice of a woman from the memory she just remembered resounded at the other side of the door. However, it didn't contain a single warmth and gentleness to it anymore.

Only coldness and strictness that stinged remained.

It made Vivian wonder if those memories of the time where this family she had in this world was full of warmth and happiness was just a figment of the imagination.

Shattered by a sudden cruel twist of fate.

She became a naive Vivian who had no memories of her past life and longed for the attention and warmth of a family. Jealous and hated her older step sister when she saw that she had everything she had lost in this life.

'How foolish of me. But this family is still pleasant compared to the ones I had in my past life huh.'

"Mother, it is me Vivian."

Vivian entered the room without waiting for the response of her mother.

In her front was a woman in her forties. Her chocolate long brown hair was tied in a single bun upwards. And she was wearing a prim dark green dress. Her attention was focused on the papers that were piled on the table. And her expression was nowhere near being good at all. Victoria Desiree. The second wife of Baron Desiree and her mother.

"What is it Vivian, did Eunice do something again?" She continued going through the papers without looking at Vivian.

"No. She didn't do anything this time again."

With Vivian's immediate answer, Victoria stopped from going through the papers and looked at Vivian.

The surprised face of her mother, clearly reflected her thoughts.

Why? Everytime Vivian came to her mother, it was a report of Eunice doing something wrong just to make sure she would be punished. And no matter how unreasonable the cases Vivian told her mother, the latter just agreed and listened to this accusation without any questioning.

Her mother would repeatedly tell the servants to lock Eunice and only feed her once per day. With this, Vivian kept doing all of these things because that was the only time her mother talked to her. And think that finally her mother was on her side in this way. No wonder her mother would be surprised when this time Vivian would do something that doesn't accuse Eunice's wrong behavior.

'I didn't know that I could be really a bitch.' Vivian sighed internally as she recalled all the things she had done to Eunice.

"You're not here to report Eunice's wrongdoings?" Her mother gained her composure as she stared directly at Vivian's eyes.

"Yes, mother."

"Then what are you here for?"

"Elder sister Sasha and my younger sister Biance will be coming back from their trip to the academy in a week's time, won't they?"

"Yes. Why did you ask?"

"Mother. Just like how you allowed them to go on their academy trip, can you also allow me to go somewhere?"

Vivian, one could say that she was the most average daughter of her mother. Both her elder sister Sasha, and younger sister Biance were talented in music and arts that was why they were able to pass and get admitted to one of the best academies of the empire.

Veniche Academy. An academy that taught both nobles and talented commoners to become more respected people of the society. So as soon as they took the surnames of Desirees, being admitted in the academy didn't have any complications with them. And they just needed to pass the exams. Unlike with being a commoner where one would need at least two recommendations from a noble.

Vivian also tried to take the exam to enter the academy. But not only did she fail once but also thrice already.

And when Eunice took the exam and passed as well with only one try. This fuelled her inferiority complex and started doing things to make sure that Eunice would get into trouble. And one of those was that she burned the invitation letter of the academy that was sent to them just a month ago after the baron's death.

'Yeah. I know I know. I'm such a horrible person.'

"Where do you want to go?" Victoria's cold hazel eyes looked sternly at Vivian as if she was trying to see what Vivian's intentions were.

"I want to stay for a month in the village where my father was buried."

Victoria's eyes narrowed. And just like before, without questioning her intentions… "Alright. A month then. I will tell Calisto to prepare everything you need so you can leave whenever you want." She agreed to Vivian's request just like that with a tone to get things done as soon as possible.

Vivian, even with her past life memories intact already, couldn't understand her mother. They were happy before just like in the first memories she had in this world. However everything changed when her real father of this world died.

"Thank you, mother." Vivian bowed down briefly but before she could leave.

"Mother, there is one more request that I want before I leave."

"What is it?"

"I burn an invitation letter to Eunice from the Academy. While I am away, can you let that child be able to enter the academy?"

There was a brief moment of intense silence before Victoria finally answered. "Alright." Her expression remained cold. However it was a relief that her mother agreed, at least there was now a chance that they would not turn into a frog for the rest of their lives. 'But to think that she won't even question why I burn Eunice's letter. Is this leniency or something else.'

"Do you need anything else?'

'Yes. I wanted to ask what you think and feel of me as your daughter when father died.' But those words remained unspoken.

"Thank you, mother."

Those were the last words that Vivian said and saw her mother and sisters again, until one month later.

She left the next day without further delay.

***

[System Notice: Prelude before the Main Story.

Time left: 70 days left.]