"Ms. Vivian, it has been a good opportunity talking with you like this... Please keep safe on your journey home milady" Bermont sent Vivian off with an amicable smile despite the obviously tired and goopy look he showed on his face...
[I guess he really doesn't like to talk about business huh...] Vivian giggled in her mind after successfully baiting Bermont into talking about business deals... Although she did have to listen to him blabber about random stuff for hours...
Vivian never had any qualms about "wasting time" or slowly luring people into talking about topics that benefitted her as it was a fairly common practice among the Nobles of Brune who seemed to favor face and dignity that going straight to the point...
Although Vivian did anticipate that maybe merchants would be more straight to business type of people, she really didn't mind the long talks and psychological warfare that went on during meetings with Nobles...
The problem with Bermont was... [His topics gave too much anticipation for nothing!] Vivian lamented at how Bermont used his great skill in sharing stories to waste time instead...
It was much how a person who was click baited when seeing a really interesting video only to be met with something mediocre, Vivian felt betrayed every time Bermont gave her an interesting story, which Vivian was interested in, by the way, his stories usually ended as a waste of time instead of answering her questions!
It was the betrayal of anticipation that irked Vivian, not the length of his stories...
Of course, Vivian didn't realize this and just marveled at how she could get annoyed by Bermont's long stories despite the undeniably interesting topics they contained...
"We should talk like this again! I'll tell you more of my tales of the sea next time!" Bermonts droopy face slightly lightened up from the thought of the sea...
"Of course sir Bermont... I'll even bring Duke next time, hahaha..." Vivian laughed politely as she thought: [NO-THANK-YOU!]
As she went down the mansion pavement and onto the carriage, Vivian thought to herself: [Huuu, I wonder why I dislike listening to sir Bermont's stories? They aren't boring? So why????] Vivian wondered as she tried to find where the source of irritation came from...
[Am I as irritable as Duke says?] Vivian walked to her carriage as she guiltily pondered why she was annoyed with Bermont...
"What do you think of Sir Bermont?" Vivian awkwardly asked Dan who was next to her.
"Eh, I think he's ok... His stories are, well shall we say interesting ha ha ha" Dan tried to laugh it off.
"Well, it wouldn't hurt if he was more straight to the point though" Bardis on the other hand cut to the point. Unlike the tactful Dan, Bardis was a bit more blunt...
""..."" Vivian and Dan marveled at how Bardis could be so honest and blunt...
As Vivian was about to enter her carriage her eyes fell upon a man leaving the carriage parked next to hers.
Attempting to avoid the man, Vivian tried to hurry up onto her carriage. Sadly the man already noticed her and initiated a conversation...
"Ms. Vivian correct?!" Silvan shouted at her in an obnoxiously loud voice as if taunting her.
"S-Sir Silvan, it's good to meet you here" Vivian staggered a bit from seeing Silvan, she absolutely abhorred him after what happened to her and Duke at Darius' party and was also slightly frightened.
[Hehehe, last time we talked Duke was there to interrupt us from talking, but now that he's not here, this woman's gonna be an easy target!] Silvan laughed.
"Look at the shabby clothes you're wearing! Come with me, I'll even give you some of my jewelry! Hahaha" Silvan laughed as he thought to himself: [The moment women hear the word jewelry they'd strip right then and there if I told them to! No woman can endure the power of money]
Silvan tried to forcefully grab Vivian's hand into the carriage with him, but contrary to his expectations Vivian actively tried to get away from his grasp...
At first, Vivian was stunned from fear due to her previous traumatic encounter with Silvan, but as she remembered Duke's gentle face turning valiantly aggressive as he protected her from the creep, courage seeped back into her heart as she shouted: "Let go of me!!"
"What?! What do you think you're doing?!" Silvan couldn't grasp that he was being denied right now as every other girl he had met, unlike Vivian, actively or were coerced into silently submitting to him.
Vivian angrily released herself from his grasp as she shouted to him: "You disgusting rat! Don't come near me again!" Vivian finally released her reddened hands from Silvan's nasty grasp.
At first Silvan became angry how Vivian denied him and seeing her frightened appearance only reinforced Silvan's desire to force Vivian into doing something she didn't want.
But as he stared into Vivian's fiercened eyes that were then suddenly guarded by two rugged and older men, Silvan had no choice but to back off...
"Please back down Noble sir, and keep from staining milady's dignity" Dan's tone were calm, but his eyes were fierce...
"Hmph! You think I threatened her dignity?! She should be rejoicing in having a chance with me instead of that disgusting fatass! Whatever! I have no time for sultry sows with no sense of taste!" Silvan scurried off in an attempt to keep whatever dignity he had left after looking like or in his case being an actual sex offender...
*Haa Haa Haa* Vivian felt tired and threatened and afraid as she entered the carriage.
"Are ya alright my milady?" Bardis asked in worry as Dan handed her a handkerchief.
"It's... It's alright, I'm fine" Vivian said as she curled up into a ball... Although Vivian didn't want to admit it, as a Princess, although one with a very-very low status, she had never experienced something as terrifying as being coerced into a situation she didn't like, especially by a person of the opposite gender...
But as the experience wasn't as traumatic as getting fully molested, Vivian quickly recovered her peace of mind...
After she calmed down, Vivian immediately felt anger and resentment from being humiliated like that...
But once again, Vivian forced herself to calm down...
She had no time to be controlled by emotions right now. The meeting with Bermont was only the beginning.
The final boss she had to confront scheduled their meeting tomorrow...
Vivian was finally meeting the mysterious "Ms. Nuir" she had been exchanging letters with over the past few months since meeting Duke...
Vivian had to be in top shape to determine whether this person was really an ally... or...
[Is she the ladder to heaven we've been searching for?... Or another snake eyeing us for her own deprived reason?...] Vivian wondered as she stared at the eerily calm starry night sky outside...