CHAPTER 03

Vivian shut her eyes tightly and curled up her body.

She held her lower belly and took deep breaths to calm herself.

With a trembling voice, Vivian answered,
“Yes.”

Strangely, the moment she said that, her worries disappeared.

Vivian had lived a life of obedience under Samuel’s control. But now, something rebellious inside her began to rise.

‘I will have this baby.’

She couldn’t let it die.

She never expected Samuel to say such cruel things.

She had to leave this place.

And to do that…

She couldn’t erase herself from everyone’s memory.

But—
‘What if I erase my own memory?’

If Vivian no longer remembered being Vivian, she would no longer be someone connected to Samuel.

She wouldn’t look back.
She wouldn’t leave behind any trace.
No one would be able to find her.

Vivian slowly began to make a plan to leave—quietly, without anyone knowing.

Actually, the baby was just the trigger.

Maybe Vivian had already been looking for a reason to leave Samuel.

To Samuel, many things were more important than Vivian.

The baby, Natalia, all the secrets he kept from her… even the small, countless reasons.

It all wore her down.

Vivian felt like she had been dying for a long time.

‘So I won’t regret this.’

White feathers started to come out of Vivian’s body and gathered into a glowing sphere.

More and more feathers came out—most likely the memories she had.

Vivian had the power to alter and erase people’s memories.

She never thought she would use it on herself.

Her memories became light and floated in front of her.

Vivian watched with a resigned expression.

[You won’t regret it?]

The glowing ball asked.

“No. I won’t regret it. 23 years is enough. Now… I want to live my life.”

[Erased memories can never come back.]

“I hope they don’t. I won’t come back either.”

[Why? Were you unhappy?]

Vivian paused to think.

Unhappy? Happy?

Did she ever have the right to even think about that?

Her life had always been controlled.

If her mother told her to be happy, she had to be happy.

After marriage, she was trapped in Samuel’s plans.

It was the first time someone had asked her that question.

Vivian thought hard.

“I’m not sure. But… I don’t think I was happy.”

The light floated around her, quickly absorbing the feathers that kept coming from Vivian.

“And the fact that I never want to go back… I guess that says it all.”

Vivian nodded at her own words.

If Samuel ever tried to stop her from having the baby—or worse, tried to get rid of it behind her back—she knew she would be truly heartbroken.

She had never known real joy, but she also never learned how to deal with real pain.

But now… she wanted to protect this baby.

“So I will erase all my memories. Completely.”

So she wouldn’t look back.
So she wouldn’t be weak and return to that dark place.

Her voice was firm. No hesitation.

The glowing sphere spun faster.

White feathers floated gently through the air, like dandelions, even though there was no wind.

Vivian held her belly with her eyes closed.

‘My baby…’

Inside her was the little one she had to protect.

That alone gave her strength.

“I’ll protect you…”

Her whisper was soft like a breeze.

Vivian collapsed gently, like a doll.

The glowing ball rose up… then came down over her.

Fffffft—

And turned into a white bird.

“…She’s nowhere.”

Samuel muttered.

It had been 8 months since Vivian disappeared.

He checked every port, train station, and carriage—but she was gone. As if she vanished into thin air.

Samuel rubbed his tired face with one big hand.

He wanted to wipe away all emotions with it.

The dark nights, deep blue dawns, and bright white mornings meant nothing without Vivian.

Time passed. And every day, Samuel was only reminded that she wasn’t there.

Even Noah, his long-time assistant of more than 10 years, didn’t know what to say anymore.

Samuel was born as an illegitimate child of the royal family of Rubentas. He grew up in the alleys.

He was abandoned by the Empress just because he wasn’t a legitimate heir.

If he hadn’t been a flame sorcerer, he would’ve died long ago.

Flame sorcerers were the highest-ranked attack mages.

Samuel survived and joined the powerful Endless Duke family, becoming engaged to Vivian Endless.

The Endless family, known for its long history, chose Samuel as the prince to rise in the royal court.

Vivian became the crown princess and helped Samuel take control of the royal palace.

The trick they played on the Rubentas nobles was still talked about among Samuel’s close allies.

The late Emperor never intended for Samuel to be crown prince.

Even with all Samuel’s achievements, another brother was chosen instead.

So Vivian altered everyone’s memory at the crowning ceremony.

Thanks to her, Samuel became the crown prince.

So then why?

When did she start to disappear inside herself?

She stopped sharing her opinions… stopped asking questions… stopped expecting anything.

She became helpless. Like someone who had given up on everything.

‘But why?’

All that was left was for her to become Empress.

Samuel had believed everything would be fine once Vivian became Empress.

That she would return to her old self.

‘Why?’

He couldn’t understand why she left her promised future.

He stared at the empty seat in front of him with cold, purple eyes.

“A wish,” he muttered.

To choose such a sweet word at such a moment…

Samuel let out a sharp laugh.

Ever since he met Vivian, he had never forgotten her for a single moment.

How could he now?

Since she disappeared, he hadn’t slept or eaten properly for 8 months.

Today too, he left his food untouched and slowly folded the newspaper.

The headline, like always, printed in big letters:

[Vivian Endless Rubentas – Missing Crown Princess Still Not Found]

At first, he thought it was just a tantrum.

He had been distant because of work, so maybe she just wanted attention.

He assumed she would return if he played along a little.

But she still hadn’t come back.

He kept imagining she’d walk in and say:

“Samuel! I’m not late, right? We said we’d eat lunch together. I even brought my hat for our walk!”

With her sweet voice.

But that was just a desperate fantasy.

Samuel took a deep breath.

It’s nothing.

Vivian would return soon, and they would go back to their normal life.

He refused to think about any other possibility.

But his heart grew cold—just like the untouched steak in front of him.

Maybe it was time to admit it.

Samuel let out a dry laugh.

He had lost Vivian—his small, white, beautiful bird.

And he hadn’t been able to find her, no matter how long he searched.

Until people started to forget her.
Until no one spoke her name anymore.