Chapter 12: Baby, You’re a Sweet and Soft Little Cake
When exactly had she fallen in love with the Prince? That was no longer something she could trace.
She had spent far too long by Faust’s side—so long that Vivian had already grown accustomed to his presence as something natural, an inseparable part of her life.
Yet Vivian would always remember the day they first met.
It was after a night of snowfall. Ten-year-old Vivian had been practicing her swordsmanship in the estate, as she always did.
Even before the uprising, the Roselin family had been a long-standing knightly house within the Empire, inheriting the path of the “Royal Guard Knight.” And the requirements of that path were extreme diligence and self-discipline.
Thus, from the moment she became aware of the world, Vivian had lived a life of harsh training.
Her talent was so extraordinary that, even throughout the long history of her family, no one had ever matched her.
Her father had praised her more than once, remarking that her talent would surely lead her to remarkable achievements.
But Vivian herself had never truly understood such praise.
Everything she had done so far had simply been following the proper steps, adhering to rules and expectations.
To meet her parents’ hopes. To bring honor to the family. Even though she did not truly understand what any of that meant.
Whether it was admiration or jealousy from others, none of it held any meaning for the young girl. She simply did what she was “supposed” to do.
She lived like a doll—without joy, without sorrow.
“Vivian, let’s end today’s training here. I’ll take you to the royal palace.”
Her father’s arrival interrupted her practice. Vivian looked at him, dressed in formal attire, and asked, “Yes, Father. Is something the matter?”
“His Majesty has adopted a boy. It seems our kingdom will have a prince.”
In Vivian’s memory, her father had been incredibly excited at the time, almost speaking to himself.
“I made an agreement with His Majesty—an arranged marriage from before birth. But His Majesty only had a daughter, so I thought this engagement would never come to pass. Who would have thought His Majesty would actually…”
His voice suddenly choked, and he covered his face as he wept.
“Your Majesty… I never imagined you would go so far as to adopt a prince just to fulfill that promise…”
Vivian did not quite understand her father’s emotion. After thinking for a moment, she tilted her head slightly.
“Father, does that mean I am engaged?”
“That’s right. Although nothing has been formally finalized yet, in a few years, His Majesty will certainly have you engaged to the prince. This visit is just for you to meet your future fiancé.”
Her father gently patted her head.
“I see. I understand.”
Vivian accepted it obediently. She had no clear concept of engagement. Since both her father and the King had agreed to it, then it was simply something natural.
“Sigh… your only flaw is how indifferent you are. At least show some happiness—or even resistance. Never mind, we can work on that later.”
Soon after, she changed into a dress and followed her father to the palace.
This was not Vivian’s first time there. While her father went to meet His Majesty, she leaned quietly against a pillar in the corridor, staring blankly at the lawn in the garden.
Until she heard footsteps behind her, followed by a bright and cheerful greeting:
“Well now, where did this sweet and soft little honey cake come from?”
When Vivian turned around, what she saw in that moment was etched so deeply into her memory that it could never be erased.
Though the boy appeared to be about her age, his demeanor was far too mature for a child.
Under the sunlight, his delicate face carried a gentle, confident smile as he leaned in close—almost face-to-face with the little girl.
“A… a cake?”
Vivian’s clear, calm violet eyes widened slightly. She had never been called something like that before.
“Just a cute nickname. You don’t like it? It’s because you’re just too adorable.”
The boy shrugged, then extended his hand toward her.
“Of course, I know who you are—Vivian of the Roselin family. Nice to meet you. I’m Faust. I became this country’s prince not long ago. You can just call me Faust.”
Vivian hesitated for a moment before taking his hand.
“Hello, Your Highness.”
She lifted her snow-white chin slightly, observing the boy who was only a little taller than herself.
So this is my fiancé.
The one I will spend my life with. The one who will belong to me, and whom I will belong to.
For the first time, ripples stirred within the girl’s emotionless heart.
From that day onward, Vivian became Faust’s constant companion.
With the deliberate encouragement of both families, the two were almost inseparable.
They ate together, trained together, studied together—even worked together. As they grew older, the vague and hazy concept of engagement gradually became clear in Vivian’s heart.
It was a contract of a shared lifetime.
A treasure that belonged to each other.
And… a love bound by life and death.
Whenever she thought about Faust becoming her lover, her partner, Vivian could not suppress the trembling in her heart.
It was as if she had been told she would receive a peerless treasure. A painful, ecstatic tightening gripped her heart, intoxicating her with visions of the future.
She had long since fallen in love with Faust—beyond salvation.
When had it happened?
Perhaps it was during the sunset when they shared a small boat, drifting across the lake as waterbirds sang around them.
Perhaps it was during those grand discussions, when the prince spoke of a radiant future with a smile.
Perhaps it was during countless busy nights, when they leaned against each other and dozed off in exhaustion.
Or perhaps… it had already begun at the very first moment they met.
Taking pride in being Faust’s future partner, Vivian resolved to become the person he trusted most. She pushed herself harder than ever before, squeezing out every ounce of her potential.
Whatever the prince demanded, she would give without reservation.
She would never disappoint Faust. It was as if only by fulfilling his every desire could she be considered a worthy partner.
As long as Faust needed something, she would do everything in her power to achieve it. As for the accomplishments the Prince of Qingxi had achieved over the years—it was hard to say who had truly contributed more.
Although the two had never formally become engaged, and she had never even asked for the prince’s opinion, Vivian did not see this as a problem at all.
We are so close—how could we not love each other?
Thus, when the King felt the time was right, he summoned them both and announced their engagement.
Vivian still clearly remembered the joy she felt upon hearing the news. She eagerly turned to look at the prince beside her, hoping to see the same happiness reflected on his face.
But what met her eyes was Faust’s dark, uncertain expression.
The prince seemed as though he wanted to speak, yet in the audience hall, he said nothing. In the end, he calmly accepted the announcement.
Though he hid it well, Vivian—who knew him better than anyone—could not possibly fail to notice his resistance.
And so, the girl’s overwhelming joy plunged into an abyss.
Sure enough, some time later, her father came to find her. With an apologetic expression, he lowered his head.
“I’m sorry, Vivian.”
“Our generation… we shouldn’t have presumed so much. Let us pretend that engagement never existed.”
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