Unexpected Invitation

As Vivian made her way back to her quarters, she unexpectedly crossed paths with Alexander. The tall, striking man walked with his usual confidence, his rich white priest robes embroidered with gold, a mark of his noble status, flowing behind him. His sliver hair shimmered under the temple's soft lighting, and his piercing sea-blue eyes held a familiar glint of amusement as they landed on her.

"May the glory and mercy of Leuhtaz be with you, Princess Vivian," he greeted smoothly, his voice carrying a warmth that felt almost out of place in their otherwise distant relationship.

"May His light guide your path," Vivian responded automatically, keeping her tone polite yet measured.

She had no reason to be wary, but her instincts told her to remain on guard. The Alexander she knew, at least from the original Vivian's memories, had never sought her out for conversation, let alone offered pleasantries so freely. It was a curious deviation from the past.

From what she recalled, the original Vivian had little to no interaction with him. She had always been polite to everyone but never spared much attention for any man other than her husband, Leonard, the one she had loved with unwavering devotion. Even before and after her marriage, whenever she stayed at the temple, Alexander had always been busy with one duty or another, leaving them with no opportunity to interact.

And yet, despite how involved he was in high society, despite the long history of women trailing after him, noblewomen, daughters of wealthy merchants, and even entertainers, he had never once attempted to approach her.

Why?

That question lingered in her mind. Alexander was well-known for his flirtatious nature, for charming women regardless of their social standing, as long as they were beautiful. He had even flirted with the princesses of a neighboring kingdom and even her own cousin, his honeyed words making their way through every noblewoman's ear. But Vivian? He had never spared her even the smallest bit of attention. Was it because she was the infamous villainess in the original novel? Was it because she was in love with Leonard? Or was there another reason entirely?

"Princess, are you done already?"

Alexander's voice pulled her out of her spiraling thoughts, and she quickly composed herself.

"Yes, Your Excellency. I'm just heading back to my quarters," she answered smoothly, tilting her head slightly. "Do you need anything?"

"Nothing, Your Highness," he said, his lips curving into a small smile. "I was merely on my way to see the Pope. I have a few matters to discuss with my uncle."

Vivian's brow arched slightly at that. "Oh, I see. But unfortunately, the Pope and the Duke are currently in discussion. I don't know when they'll be finished."

Alexander hummed in acknowledgment, his expression unreadable. After a moment, he spoke again.

"Then, may I escort you to your quarters, Your Highness?" He bowed slightly, his voice laced with effortless charm.

Vivian studied him carefully.

Something was odd about this.

She tried to understand Alexander's motivations, at least, she thought she could. But since her transmigration, every male lead in The Duke's Passionate Love novel has been behaving unpredictably, leaving her grasp on the plot shakier than ever that she can't help but believe that the original novel is full of misleading information. If things were to continue deviating from the original storyline, she needed to gather more information about the male leads and the female protagonist by herself.

But why now? Why was Alexander suddenly interested in escorting her? They had never spoken much before, and now he was acting as though it was the most natural thing in the world.

Perhaps it's best to take this opportunity and learn more about him.

Compared to Leonard's odd behavior, this was still within reason. And given Alexander's well-known reputation as a social butterfly, it wasn't unthinkable that he might now turn his attention to her. If anything, it made sense that they hadn't spoken before if to take in her family's overprotectiveness and Alexander's preference for unattached women meant their paths had simply never crossed in that way.

Still, she needed to tread carefully.

"Then I will be in your care, Your Excellency," she finally said, placing her hand on his extended arm.

Alexander's sea-blue eyes flickered with something unreadable for a brief second, but the moment passed, and he simply smiled.

As they walked together, their conversation remained light, mostly centered around high society and Alexander's recent missions. It seemed both of them had silently agreed to avoid discussing Vivian's impending divorce, an unspoken rule neither of them chose to break.

Though their dialogue was pleasant enough, Vivian remained subtly observant.

Alexander was a master at socializing. His words flowed effortlessly, his expressions perfectly controlled. If she weren't paying close attention, she might have been swept up in the ease of his charm. But she wasn't just any noblewoman, she was someone who had already read through this story and was brought up with resistance against sweet-mouthed people so has not to fall victim because of their charm, and she knew better than to take things at face value.

What was he truly after?

Before long, they arrived at her quarters, a large yet elegant residence within the temple grounds. The temple had made all the necessary arrangements to accommodate her stay, ensuring she had everything she needed in the absence of her usual maids. The workers stationed there were already familiar with her from previous visits, and they greeted her warmly upon her arrival.

Vivian acknowledged them with a nod before instructing them to prepare her bath.

Turning back to Alexander, she offered him a slight smile. "Please wait here while I change. Then we can continue our discussion."

Alexander inclined his head, his gaze steady. "Of course, Your Highness."

With that, she stepped into the bathroom.

But as she stood alone, watching the steam rise from the freshly drawn bath, a new thought crossed her mind.

Perhaps I should test the waters a little further.

If Alexander was suddenly interested in approaching her, there had to be a reason. And if the plot could no longer be trusted, then she would have to take control herself.

A slow smirk played on her lips as she considered her next move.