Resetting Lady

“Look at that, buying portraits turned out to be more helpful. And it’s more fun to look at pretty faces.”

While ignoring Raymond’s silent protest at the expenditure, the portraits that Carynne bought were good to have in terms of finding out more about her ancestry.

Raymond nodded as well. Small wars had been waged too frequently throughout the continent, so records inevitably disappeared from time to time.

Carynne managed to enter the grand library with Raymond’s help, but there were too few records that were worth looking at. After the women had gone abroad or after getting married, all records of them disappeared, and if they had married a commoner, their name would be completely erased. The most useful record they found was of Grand Duchess Carla, who was Carynne’s great-great-grandmother on her mother’s side.

“My mother, my mother’s mother, and everyone before. They’re all pretty, aren’t they?”

Carynne’s mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother. They were all redheaded women who had beauty enough to make people’s heads turn. And it’s easy to find portraits of such beautiful women—a lot of artists had left many portraits of them behind. But, in the end, that’s all.

“Still though, I’m the prettiest.”

“That’s a lot of confidence you have there. Anyway, that’s enough. Let’s go.”

Raymond replied sourly. He shoved the list aside and piled up all the books that Carynne had handed him. She was going to borrow these books because she couldn’t read them all here.

“Sir Raymond, you’re handsome, too.”

“…Thank you.”

“A beautiful young man and woman are meant to share love between them, don’t you think?”

“……”

Ignoring Carynne’s words, Raymond remained silent and walked far ahead.

What a long way to go ahead of her. Carynne sighed deeply as she followed after him.

* * *

With trembling hands, Baron Ein lit his pipe. His wife took their child and left for her parents’ house, leaving a letter behind that said the divorce papers would be mailed to him at a later date. And there was not a single maid left to cling to him and moan under him.

Ein vented his anger at the men who took even the most insignificant of his possessions.

“Shit, why are you taking even the portraits!”

“You’re required to sell everything that’s even the least bit valuable, Baron Ein.”

The attorney bowed his head and answered politely. Even so, there was a smirk on his lips as he kept his head down.

This situation was so fun to watch. Baron Ein had become the laughingstock of high society. Even though he lost his fortune in one fell swoop, no one was sympathizing with him. His fall to ruin left him with no honor and no importance.

Ein knew well enough just how ludicrous his situation looked to others, but he could only huff on his pipe.

‘Is death the answer.’

It was baffling no matter how he thought of it. Carynne had not hesitated for even a moment—she didn’t even look at the cards. He thought that she might have been cheating while waiting for a signal from someone else, but that wasn’t even the case.

‘…Fuck.’

Should he kill himself to preserve his honor? With his pipe between his lips, Ein had no choice but to watch it all unfold, dumbfounded. As he watched all these people dragging out all the belongings that could be sold—even his hounds—empty laughter burst through his throat.

‘Actually, this isn’t the first time.’

His grandfather had once played this kind of card game. Ein remembered the story of how the Baron Ein of two generations ago had been so utterly defeated by Grand Duchess Carla with three cards. Catherine had also once played a card game with him back in the day. Ever since she had met eyes with Hare, she never looked back at Ein anymore.

Ein gnashed his molars. Fucking wenches.

“…Ah, shit.”

Ein leaned his head against the door frame and spat out curses. They even took his desk. Later, Ein had to write a letter against a wall in that empty room. While writing, he mumbled to himself about how he wanted everyone dead.

* * *

I love you. I love you. Truly, I do.

However, that confession was empty. It did not reach the other person. His feelings were worth nothing to her. That woman, whose eyes were shining as she looked at him not too long ago, had such a disgusted look in her eyes as she faced him. There was no reason for her to have changed like that.

She wouldn’t open the door even if he would knock.

She wouldn’t reply even if he sent letters.

Anger turned into tears, and after that, only emptiness was left.

The fires of passion died down, the embers of anger became insignificant.

Only filthy hatred remained.

Still, Crown Prince Gueuze could remember his own passion.

* * *

“Thank you.”

Raymond held out a flower to Carynne. The light blue hydrangeas looked charming. Carynne stared at the hydrangeas, the petals of which still holding dew. Recently, she’s been hearing his confession almost every day.

Raymond asked cautiously.

“Do you feel anything different?”

The exchange of love and thanks was like a joke and a punchline, but neither of the two people involved found humor in this. Raymond confessed to her as promised. And yet, nothing changed. Was it meaningless if it’s tied to obligation?

“Doesn’t seem like it. Who did you buy this from?”

The flowers were beautiful, but they didn’t look very valuable. The light blue-violet hydrangeas were suitable only for a day’s decoration. Carynne liked red roses the most, but still, these flowers had their own elegant charm.

Still, dew wasn’t good for books. Carynne pointed to the old books and research materials surrounding her, then handed the flowers back to Raymond. There wasn’t a maid next to her to receive the gift for her, so the situation was quite funny, though it couldn’t be helped.

Realizing that he made a blunder, Raymond laughed awkwardly.

“I bought these from an old neighborhood across the cathedral, from a girl named Cecil. The flowers were blooming, and they looked high quality.”

“You went there early this morning?”

Sure, it’s possible to go to the capital’s cathedral, but it wasn't necessarily worth going that far when it’s not a church day. However, Raymond was the type of person who’d catch a cold if he didn’t actively move his body. He’s been like this even before he got engaged to Carynne, so he went to this place and that at every opportunity he found.

He did his best to be thoughtful as he often brought back gifts for her, but since he didn’t know what exactly Carynne needed, he rather brought back flowers every day, which the maids would receive instead.

“Moderate exercise helps you enjoy a healthy life.”

She already knew what’s going to come next. He’d ask her to go out together with him, but then Carynne was too lazy to move at all.

“Thank you for the moderate advice. But I don’t want to hear more.”

Sighing, Raymond took the bouquet that Carynne had handed back. He opened the window and placed the flowers by the windowsill. By then, Carynne became aware of how she hadn’t slept in bed and instead sat up all night.

“Anyway, good morning, Carynne. Did you find anything throughout the night?”

“Nothing right now. And I don’t have much time… Please cancel all of my upcoming appointments.”

When she saw that he was about to hand over some invitations, she shook her head. So many invitations came in, yet there wasn’t enough time.

Everyone wanted to meet Catherine’s daughter, who was also Evans’ adopted daughter, and at the same time Raymond’s fiancée—who made Baron Ein miserable. Compared to when she had to bend to Verdic’s whims, it’s different now. Even if Raymond went alone to those social gatherings, his presence alone was enough.

“Let’s get up and eat first, shall we? And also wash your face. It’s not proper for a lady to constantly worry her loyal maid.”

While Carynne was buried in the middle of a mountain of books, Raymond picked her up and pulled her out from the pile. Then, he dusted her off. It looked like he was taking care of a naughty kid who had played too much, and this made Carynne feel a bit displeased.

“Sir Raymond.”

“Yes.”

“What is love?”

“It’s giving the other person the best things that you can provide without feeling that it’s a waste. It’s enough just to see the other person smiling.”

“You don’t actually believe me, do you?”

Raymond looked up at Raymond’s vivid green eyes, which looked a bit taken aback.

He didn’t reply right away and instead continued to tidy up Carynne’s clothes. Then, he handed over the bundle of letters that he brought.

“I’m trying.”

Ah, so in the end, he really didn’t believe her. In response, Carynne gave him a sullen look. Even if she thought about it, it didn’t seem believable to her either.

“It’s the truth, you know—what I said about how we unexpectedly became lovers in our past lives, how this world is inside a novel, how I relive this same life over and over…”

And, how she was a murderer.

Carynne held her tongue on that last part. That one was taboo. A different kind of absurd taboo. No matter how much suspicion was being held against her, she shouldn’t say it out loud. It was a promise and a courtesy. The final line of defense.

Sweeping her hair to the side, Carynne changed her words. The days were blurring past. She needed to do what she could.

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