Sixteen

A mansion filled with white roses resembles Hesthburg's white hair. When people see white roses around the mansion, they will immediately know who owns it. The Hesthburg family is well-known for their kindness, gentleness, and willingness to smile in public. They are the empire's good samaritans, but people are unaware of certain facts. Things that Hesthburg had kept for decades. 

The Hesthburg wields magic with the wind element. The Goddess of Wind bestowed wind power on them because their ancestors piqued her interest.

Vivian was now walking in the dark, holding a candle. She was walking down a staircase leading to the Hesthburg family's secret underground. As she walked towards her destination, she could hear a person screaming and crying. Her brother Vin tortures the man in front of him while grinning. The man's hands and feet were both tied. When his index finger is severed in half, he cries out for help and screams in pain. 

"Now tell me, who told you to investigate us?" Vin asks, serious. The man's face was covered in blood, but he remained silent for several days after his capture. His loyalty to his master was far greater than the pain he was experiencing right now. 

"Kill me now, I don't regret sacrificing my life for this; even if you torture me for years, I will keep my mouth—" The man couldn't finish what he was saying when Vivian released a wind that could cut through even metal. She cut the man's throat, causing him to be beheaded and his head to roll on the ground.

Vin turned his back to see Vivian in her white dress with big ribbons on each side at the bottom and a light blue brooch under her neck. She was looking intently at his younger brother. "Why did you kill him, sister?" he inquired. 

Vin is scared of his sister because he knows what Vivian is capable of. She may appear soft and innocent on the outside, but he is certain that there is something demonic within Vivian. She can murder people without remorse. Vivian slowly approaches the man's body. "Order the guards to take his body and burn it," Vivian told her brother, without responding to his question.

Vin quickly followed his sister's orders and left. Vivian looked around, then at the man's head behind her. "This thing has been tortured for 5 days already, we are just wasting our time with this guy so it's much better for him to be dead," she claims to herself. 

Minutes later, a maid approached her and bowed her head. "Lady Vivian, Lady Admarine is now at the mansion, waiting for you at the red pavilion," she announced, quickly taking the newspaper to her. "Here is the new news for today, My Lady." Vivian quickly took it and read the front page. Her eyes darkened in response to what she saw.

She crumpled the paper and tossed it to the maid in front of her. "That wench. It will be harder to kill that woman if she has the Duke Ascavel's protection!" she shrieked. She slowly looks at the maid, who continues to bow her head. The maid was visibly trembling in fear, terrified that Vivian would kill her in an instant, as one maid is killed every time she becomes enraged. 

"Tell Lady Admarine to wait for me," she said, staring at the maid in front of her.  

"Yes, My Lady," she replied before slowly walking away from her. Vivian followed her out of the secret underground, leaving the dead body.

She applied some perfume first before heading to the red pavilion, where Admarine was waiting for her. She noticed her sipping tea and eating her favorite cookies. Vivian smiled calmly as she approached Admarine, waving her hands. "Lady Vivian!" Admarine exclaimed, waving her hands as well. 

"What childish, is she twenty years old? I guess Duchess Quinn babied her too much. What a nuisance," she murmurs, still staring at Admarine, who is happily waving her arms.

When she arrived at the Red Pavilion, maids served her the tea she requested from Hilmur. This tea is so limited that only a few people can get it. She takes a sip first before starting the conversation. "How's your day going, My Lady? Your dress looks good on you; it enhances your beauty, and I was mesmerized by how gorgeous you are!" Vivian exclaimed, making Admarine blush. 

"Thank you for the compliment, Lady Vivian! I am fine, we are fine. What about you, My Lady?" she asks as she takes a sip of her tea. Vivian drops the cup from her hands and places her hands in her lap as she continues to stare at Admarine.

"I am not fine, Lady Admarine. I just heard the news that you both came to the library and talked to Madam Rinlax to ask for a book. If I am not mistaken, both of you wanted to take the book of Crystallite that will help you maximize your powers, isn't it?" Vivian's question causes Admarine to feel uneasy. She swallowed her saliva due to nervousness. 

"Forgive me, My Lady! I tried to stop my mother, but she won't listen! She desperately wants it because she wants me to be the strongest!" Admarine apologized and bowed to her. She is afraid Vivian will become enraged and cut off their connection. If that happened, their plan of killing Historia and getting the title of Duchess would fail. 

"To become the strongest?" That Crystallite is a myth. That is completely false,' Vivian reasoned in her mind. 

"Well, since I already fixed it, it doesn't matter anymore. However, you need to atone for your sin. I will think about your punishment, but today, I need you to do something about the two, Lady Historia and Duke Zion. I need you to watch the two and tell me everything about what's happening to them," Vivian replied, which made Admarine feel relieved and reminded her of what happened two days before.

"Right, the Duke brings Lady Historia back to the Duchy late at night. It was unusual for the Duke to do that. I was wondering where did the Duke bring her that they arrived at almost 12 in the morning?" She got up and kept talking. "I took a peek at the both of them before Father arrived to talk to them. Their eyes seemed sparkling when both of them looked at each other."

Vivian thought about it. She suspects that the two have a romantic relationship that has been hidden for months, if not years. However, it is also impossible because when she saw Historia at the royal banquet last year, Duke Zion ignored her when she attempted to contact him. So, what's their connection, and when did it happen?

Following their conversation, Vivian assigned Admarine a task, which she accepted immediately. The Lady has finally left the Hestburg mansion. Vivian wrote something on paper and handed it to the maid who had been standing beside her for a long time. "Give it to them; they will be delighted to hear this news," she said, and the maid quickly followed her. "Let's see what you're going to do, Lady Historia," she added, smiling.

She arrived at the Hesthburg carriage shortly after, dressed in her gray cloak and accompanied by two bodyguards. It was already evening, and a strong wind kept Vivian from getting cold. A heavy rain was about to fall, so she hurriedly walked inside. A thunderstorm can be heard, and lightning strikes a tree, causing it to fall and scaring the animals in the forest. 

Someone opened the door when they heard her walk. When she finally got inside the house, she slowly removed her cloak and looked at the eight men in front of her, including her father. "Sorry I am late, Father," Vivian said, looking at him seriously. She then looks around and looks at the men looking at her as well. 

"Is everyone here already?" she asks. 

"Yes, My Lady," a Baron answered her question, prompting her to nod. 

"Then let's begin the discussion. Whatever you hear in the meeting will stay here. If one of you tries to leak something that was me and my Father will say, I will make sure to bring you to the God of death," she said in a threatening tone. 

"Now, Let us start the plan."