Dad is Back From a Deserted Island - Chapter 89

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Father has returned from the Deserted Island
Chapter 89

“Ah, Grandfather. Luca, Lise! This is a guest who will be staying with us for a while. His name is Diti Ardel—while Father and I were in Norvalang, we stayed at his mansion. It’s not quite a proper repayment, but since he mentioned he’d never visited the Capital before, we brought him along.”
“…Pleased to meet you. I’m Eduard de Valmont. This is my grandson Luca, and his fiancée Elise beside him. We’ve been like family with Vivian for quite some time.”
Ardel was actually a declining Noble Family residing in the Norvalang region—a name Jean de Lamber had borrowed after extensive inquiries during their descent to the Capital.
Dietrich was an existence that inevitably drew attention, so this precaution guarded against the moment when a fabricated name might be exposed as belonging to no such family.
Eduard’s instincts flared with wariness. The boy possessed an uncanny, alien atmosphere about him. Facing another presence entirely, Eduard felt his palms grow slightly damp with tension.
A bold voice cut through the space between them.
“So you’re Luca de Valmont. You look younger than me—would it be alright if I spoke more casually?”
Upon seeing Dietrich, Luca’s demeanor turned distinctly hostile.
Could he not sense the presence that made Eduard so uneasy?
No. The intensity in his eyes made it clear he was certainly wary. He simply interpreted his wariness of Dietrich differently.
Elise nudged Luca with her elbow beside him, but he made no effort to conceal his antagonism toward the boy who had appeared beside Vivian, whom he regarded as a dear younger sister.
Would things have been different if Dietrich carried a more solid, dependable impression? But Dietrich was a boy who emanated a dangerous yet languid atmosphere.
Though he had relaxed somewhat in Vivian’s presence, he could not hide that aura itself.
A stray fly had landed beside the girl they cherished.
Eduard, who would normally have pointed out Luca’s attitude, remained silent. Eduard and Luca exchanged glances in that quiet moment.
Meanwhile, Elise seemed to form a different impression upon seeing Dietrich, and she approached Vivian to whisper something.
“My, my. Vivi. You certainly have an eye for these things. Going all the way to Norvalang and bringing back someone like that.”
“Huh? …It’s not like that, Sister! I really just owed him a debt.”
Vivian, understanding the implication a beat too late, jumped up and waved her hands frantically.
She felt the sting all the more because she had indeed felt a flutter in her heart toward the boy in her dreams and toward the prince.
But to harbor such feelings for Dietrich, who must become Emperor… perhaps it was that her shoulders bore too heavy a burden? There was simply too much to be done. Vivian worked hard to suppress and forget her own emotions.
Regardless, Elise merely laughed wickedly, her hand covering her mouth.
“Well then, I’ve prepared some refreshments, so please come this way, everyone!”
Vivian cast a sidelong glance at Elise and led the group toward the Living Room.
Simple refreshments and tea had been arranged on the table—all prepared with care by Vivian, who knew the tastes of all three men.
Eduard, who would normally have opened with praise for the tea’s fine flavor, maintained his silence. Luca, too, kept his mouth firmly closed in taciturn reserve.
Unable to bear the stiff atmosphere, Elise pointed to the piano placed in the Living Room.
“Vivi, it’s been such a long time since I heard you play the piano. Would you play a piece for us as a celebration of your safe return?”
“Oh, well… perhaps I should?”
It was a perfect opportunity to break the awkward silence. Vivian sprang from her seat.
‘Come to think of it, this will be the first time I’ve played in front of Diti.’
It had been ages since she’d touched the piano. Even after returning to the Mansion, she’d been too preoccupied with the task of making Dietrich into an Emperor to enjoy her hobbies with any peace of mind.
Vivian flexed her fingers and placed her hands upon the keys.
The piano, which had maintained perfect tuning even during its master’s absence, rang out with a crystalline note.
A soft smile curved across Vivian’s lips.
Afternoon sunlight descended gently upon Vivian as she sat before the piano.
After steadying her breath, Vivian naturally lowered her fingertips onto the keys.
A light, clear sound emerged.
The piano that Jean de Lamber had procured for his daughter—who loved playing instruments—so she could perform wherever she wished was of an entirely different quality than the one that had languished in Dietrich’s castle.
The successive notes flowed without interruption, smooth and natural, creating a gentle current like wildflowers swaying in a breeze.
With each movement of Vivian’s fingertips, the notes leaped lightly before settling softly; the high notes were never excessively sharp, nor did the low notes sink heavily.
Every sound maintained a consistently warm temperature, as if reflecting the temperament of the one who played.
Though it had been a long time since her last performance, Vivian’s wrists moved with fluidity, her fingers gliding lightly across the keys.
It was a performance that naturally drew a smile to the listener’s lips.
The piece moved toward its crescendo, yet maintained its gentleness rather than intensity—Vivian’s desire for the atmosphere to unfold softly was woven throughout.
And then, the finale.
Vivian’s hand stilled upon the keys, a brief note lingering.
She did not withdraw her hand immediately. She kept her fingers pressed against the keys until the final resonance completely faded, only then slowly lowering her hand.
Through the open window, a gentle breeze passed, rustling softly through Vivian’s hair.
“….”
Dietrich, hearing Vivian’s piano performance for the first time, took in her image without so much as a blink.
He was a man of parched sensibilities. More precisely, he had never been given the opportunity for his emotions to develop.
Because of this, music had never held any special meaning for him. Whatever melodies drifted from somewhere were merely noise to his ears.
And yet.
The performance unfolding from Vivian’s hands felt different from the very beginning.
The sound created by Vivian’s fingertips filled the room. Her hands moved with lightness and precision, drawing forth the melody from the keys.
Dietrich did not even notice when he had begun holding his breath.
His gaze slowly rose.
Vivian’s face.
The face that always overflowed with vitality was now composed. Her eyes, focused on the performance, never wavered once.
‘So Vivian can make such an expression.’
In the moment when sunlight streaming through the window touched the keys, and her hand passing over them pushed forward once more.
Dietrich felt a most peculiar sensation.
Vivian’s image became so vivid that everything else was pushed away.
Even as he watched her, he found himself wanting to see more, always more.
“….”
For the first time, not because Vivian had told him so, but through his own true will, he wanted to live.
He wished to hold forever in his eyes the image that his desire had created.

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“Ahem, ahem. How was it? I haven’t performed in so long, I was a bit nervous—”
“I couldn’t tell you were nervous at all.”
“Your grandfather’s right. Your skill hasn’t diminished, Vivian.”
As Vivian’s performance ended, the atmosphere in the Living Room softened pleasantly.
Elise winked with one eye beside the smiling Eduard and Luca.
Vivian laughed and returned to her seat. She felt Dietrich’s gaze from beside her.
“What?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing.”
“How bland.”
“Hey, Vivian. Look at this. This started trending in the Capital from summer—”
Elise’s topic drew Vivian’s attention. Dietrich gazed intently at Vivian’s face.
“….”
“By the way, how is your horsemanship?”
Luca, who had been regarding Dietrich’s behavior with displeasure, posed the question.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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