The Villainess is my fiance: But she is gentle towards me

Chapter 277: Chapter: 277 Visiting In-laws.[2]

"It's been a while, Dean."Both Vivian and Charlotte lowered their heads slightly as they greeted him while walking beside him through the long corridor that led toward the royal chamber, the place where the emperor and the empress spent most of their time.

The corridor was wide and quiet, with tall walls on both sides made of smooth white stone.

Soft golden light came from the lamps placed at even distances, making the path ahead clear and calm.

Their footsteps echoed lightly as they walked, mixing with the faint sound of guards standing at their posts along the way.

"Hohoho…" the dean let out a soft chuckle, his hands resting behind his back as he walked at a steady pace.

"Yes, it has been quite a while since I last saw you two… especially you, Vivian."

Vivian lifted a hand and scratched his cheek a little, his expression turning slightly awkward.

Back then, he had suddenly disappeared right before graduation.

There had been no proper explanation, no farewell.

Only Charlotte had known that he was leaving, but even she had not known where he was going or what he was going to do.

Thinking about it now, it did feel a little uncomfortable.

"I heard about you two," the dean continued, his tone light as if he was simply talking about something interesting.

"Four months ago, you got married quietly without calling anyone. Quite bold, I must say."

He gave another soft laugh, his eyes showing a faint teasing look.

"Some people in the empire are not very happy about that, you know," he added, remembering the nobles who had been talking about it again and again.

In truth, Vivian and Charlotte had not even gone through a formal ceremony.

To them, it didn't matter much.

As long as they accepted each other, that was enough.

Whether there were rituals or not did not change anything between them.

Neither of them liked the idea of a large and noisy ceremony, and it was the same with Edward as well.

It just didn't feel necessary.

"Well…" Vivian began after a moment, his voice calm as he thought back to that time.

"I was in a bit of a hurry. The war had been stuck for seven years, and they needed another grandmaster as soon as possible."

He paused slightly before continuing.

"When I arrived, there was about a month before things got serious again… so I thought I might as well get married during that time."

His tone was simple, as if he was talking about something very normal.

"Hohoho…" the dean chuckled again, clearly amused as he turned his head slightly and looked at Charlotte.

"It seems you two really didn't waste any time," he said, his voice carrying a gentle teasing tone.

"Planning to become parents already, hmm? How many months?"

Charlotte lowered her gaze slightly and placed a hand over her belly in a natural and careful motion.

"Three months," she replied softly.

Her voice was calm, but there was a quiet happiness in it, something warm that could be felt easily.

There was also a hint of anticipation, as if she was already looking forward to the days ahead.

The dean nodded slowly at her answer.

"Not bad," he murmured before shifting his gaze back to Vivian.

"I still remember the boy I used to see at the academy… and now you're about to become a father."

There was a small pause as he looked at him more carefully.

"Congratulations," he added, his voice sincere. "I hope the child will be healthy."

A soft chuckle followed again as he turned his head forward and continued walking.

Vivian and Charlotte both lowered their heads slightly once more.

"Thank you," they said together in a calm voice.

The three of them continued walking, and as they moved forward, a quiet silence slowly settled between them.

Only the soft sound of their footsteps filled the corridor now, echoing lightly off the smooth stone walls.

The golden lamps along the sides kept the path warm and steady, but beyond them, the place still felt large and empty.

Charlotte broke the silence first.

"By the way," she said, her voice calm but slightly curious, "weren't you at the eastern border?"

Her brows narrowed a little as she looked ahead, clearly thinking about it.

Vivian also turned his attention slightly, listening more closely now.

He had the same question in his mind.

The situation at the eastern border had been important for a long time.

For years now, the Zakir Empire had placed many of their strongest fighters there.

In response, the Indrath Empire had also sent their own powerful people to match them, making sure neither side could make a sudden move.

It was a kind of balance, a silent pressure between two sides, where even a small mistake could lead to war.

"Well…" the dean began after a short pause.

He let out a slow breath as he walked, his hands still behind his back.

"The eastern border has been a bit busy these days. Things are not completely stable."

He glanced forward as he spoke.

"The Zakirs are likely trying to gain an advantage, but because of Sir Vikram and Lady Isabella, they are not able to move freely. I was there as well."

A faint, proud smile appeared on his face as he mentioned them. It was clear he trusted their strength.

The empire, in his eyes, still stood strong because of people like them.

Vivian let out a soft breath as he listened.

He thought about it quietly.

The empire now had three Ascended. That was the highest known level in this continent.

It kept a balance between the major powers, even if that balance was always under pressure.

But things had started to change.

After his grandfather stepped into the Ascended realm, it became even harder for other nations to keep that balance steady.

The pressure on them had increased without question.

And beyond that, there were now four Grandmasters.

Or rather…

Five.

His eyes shifted slightly toward Charlotte as they walked.

She had already crossed from Sword Master into Grandmaster.

She was currently at the mid stage, but she was hiding it.

Vivian could feel it clearly.

Especially now, with her pregnancy, the suppression she had been holding onto for a long time seemed to be loosening little by little.

He exhaled quietly.

She had reached Grandmaster earlier than he did.

Maybe even long before he returned.

But she had kept it hidden.

And he understood why.

It wasn't something she had done without reason.

She had always been careful about him.

She probably didn't want him to feel left behind or pressured.

He had spent seven years trying to reach Grandmaster, struggling through every step.

If she had suddenly shown that she had already reached it easily, it might have affected him in ways she didn't want.

Vivian's gaze softened slightly as he looked at her.

'She did it because of me…'

The thought came quietly, a little heavy in his mind.

Even though he knew he would not have blamed her, she still chose to hide it.

She chose patience over recognition.

Charlotte walked calmly beside him, unaware that he was watching her so closely.

The dean, who had been silent for a moment, spoke again.

"But just a few days ago," he said, letting out another small sigh, "they moved even more troops there. Because of that, I was sent here to explain the situation directly to His Majesty."

His tone carried a bit of tiredness now, like someone who had been moving between responsibilities without rest.

He looked ahead as they continued walking, the doors of the royal chamber drawing closer with each step.