Chapter 74

Episode 74

“What’s going on?”

A man kneeling in front of her sent a letter politely.

“It’s a very important matter for you to check right away.”

The woman opened up the letter.

After a while, there was a crumpled sound of paper in her hand.

“This is what the baron in the Empire witnessed and hurriedly reported. The possibility is really high.”

“…what if it’s just a look-alike?”

“The age, as well as the appearance, is exactly the same.”

There was no word from the woman. The man waited silently and asked carefully first.

“Shall we a spy? If you’re going to plant a man in a dukedom and find out….”

“No”

The woman who cut the man’s words spread her hand. The badly crumpled letter fell down.

“Somehow, I was suspicious. Yes, that’s the reason. It was all because of this that this country suddenly ruined.”

“……”

“The one who should be dead was actually living well, so of course the country has to lean toward a curse.”

The woman pulled up the corners of her mouth. Despite her expressionless face with a smile, her cold impression remained the same.

“The maid of honour, she deceived me, this is why she left the palace as she ran away.”

“…..”

“Is that woman alive?”

“At the moment, her whereabouts are not fully verified, but she’s probably dead.”

“That’s funny. She saved what she had to kill, and now she’s dead. What a stupid thing to do.”

The woman who ridiculed the dead and laughed at them ordered.

“There’s no waste of time. Kill her right now with every possible move. So this time, bring her ‘real’ head to me.”

“Okay.”

“Mother!”

At that time, the door inside the corridor opened and a young woman, dressed in a bright yellow dress, jumped in.

The woman, who looked close to her early twenties, came up with a freewheeling gait and gave her a hug.

“Are you that excited to see the painting? The tea is getting cold.”

“Oh, my God, have you been waiting? I’m sorry.”

The woman’s face, which was like a piece of ice, melted softly for the first time.

The young woman, who looked just like the older woman, soon found a man, complaining.

“Oh, you were here too, old man.”

“You should call him a ball, not an old man.”

The woman spoke reproachfully, but her voice was ever so soft.

A young woman with a drooping red hair inherited from the older woman smiled brightly.

“I’ll be careful in the future. I’m sorry, ball.”

“No, I’m fine. Please don’t mind me and call me at your convenience, princess.”

“Well, you’re like this marquis, that’s why she’s getting spoiled like this.”

“Mother, is that why you hate me?”

The young woman stared up at the older woman, blinking her amber-coloured eyes that resembled her mother.

The woman burst into laughter at the sight as if she couldn’t win.

“You are biting while knowing the answer clearly. Oh, who do you look like.”

“If I don’t look like my mother, who would I look like with? Anyway, we’re going in now. The tea is so fragrant.”

“Yes, let’s do that, Marquis, I’ll leave my seat.”

“Don’t worry and go in.”

After looking at a good relationship between mother and daughter, the man raised his head for a while.

He looked at the empty corridor and thought for a moment.

‘Even though they were born on the same day and at the same place, the treatment is so different.’

But the man’s appreciation did not last long. He soon mechanically moved to fulfil his duties assigned to him.

***

“Lady!”

When I returned to the mansion, Bessie greeted me.

“It’s getting cold, but where do you keep going out like that”, I asked suddenly as I listened to her passionate nagging.

“Bessie.”

“What?”

“Alex, what do you like about him?”

Only a few seconds later did Bessie answer screaming out the pack.

“Oh, I don’t like him yet! That’s little punk! Oh, my God!”

‘Yet’…

“It’s a step to get to know each other.”

“E, ehm. No, how did you know that?”

“Are you really asking because you’re curious?”

To be honest, the nagging a little while ago was actually something Bessie should have heard rather than me.

It’s true that I’ve been out more often these days, but even so, it’s no match for Bessie, who’s busy going out with Alex.

As if to reflect on her past track record, Bessie remained silent for a while and soon blushed.

“Well.”

I thought as I heard a strange cough.

‘I’m right, they’re flirty with each other’

Bessie really has a younger man. Regardless of whether the opponent is a new face or not.

‘What was the old woman doing?’

On the way back from Ari’s breakup, I suddenly remembered and went back to the street.

However, the tent that had been temporarily set up during the festival, had disappeared.

“Oh, come to think of it, my lady. The one I saw on the market street before.”

“Huh? Oh, yeah.”

“Do you remember? The fortune-teller told me I’d have a good relationship. He, um, he’s younger than me…..”

“I did remember.”

I was a little late in answering the question because I was trying to hide my surprise. But Bessie didn’t seem to mind.

“I’m just saying since the lady knew about everything, but I realized that what I heard back then was right.”

Bessie added with a bit of a flustering, perhaps ashamed of what she said.

“No, well, that doesn’t mean I’m doing something with Alex right now! Anyway, the atmosphere isn’t bad. Well. It’s like you said it’s a step toward getting to know.”

“Good thing. Congratulations.”

“Thank you. Oh, anyway, what chance did the fortune teller say there would be for my lady?”

“….….”

“Isn’t there something you want? How about you, my lady? Do you really think you have a chance to achieve what you want?”

I couldn’t answer Bessie’s question with a good answer right away and dragged on a little.

After a moment a word managed to flow out.

“…I don’t know.”

“What?”

“No, let’s go in.”

“Lady, just now”

“Oh, it’s cold outside. Maybe it’s because I’m outside, but I’m suddenly reminded of your warm honey water.”

“Oh, then you should have told me earlier! Please wait a little longer.”

Bessie quickly forgot the existing topic and disappeared straight into the kitchen. Then she walked away happily without any intention to hide it.

‘She really likes honey water.’

At any time, Bessie’s belief in honey water was not understandable.

‘Whoa.’

I swallowed a subtle sigh and came up to the room.

‘……I’ll have to pack up again.’

I spent my time in a dazed mood, and then I thought about it in the evening.

Yeah, I need luggage to run away.

The bag that I had packed in advance had been dismantled after being caught by Bessie last time.

Come to think of it, it was luck that Bessie only found the luggage bag and didn’t look at the contents in detail.

I disguised it as if I were going to the territory, so if she had seen the contents in person, it would have been difficult not to be suspicious.

‘Should I have just been caught then?’

At least I could have died without knowing my feelings.

I had such a crazy idea and soon jumped up and left the room. I felt like I couldn’t even think straight because I was so sick.

Of course, this sense of urgency may not necessarily be felt indoors, but after all, I moved out of the mansion to an open garden.

It was cool and dark outside.

As the weather got colder, the day fell down quickly. The darkened garden was showing its scenic beauty, relying only on the lanterns hung in the middle of the trail.

Perhaps because of my mood, the moonlight seemed particularly faint today. I was looking for any bench and sat down.

The wind that brushed the flesh out of the clothes was a little cold, but I didn’t care much.

‘…why am I doing this?’

I consulted silently, looking at the dim landscape of the garden.

‘I’ve wanted to run away.’

I’ve wanted to run away. It was an opportunity that I’ve been waiting for.

I tried to escape from the terrible future and run away to somewhere far away from where Ash wouldn’t have to follow.

That’s why I tried to save Ari in the beginning.

In fact, I gave up for a while after the harvest festival. Because I thought there was no way.

But the opportunity came.

It was a miracle, fate or coincidence. The possibilities have come back, and I can set my hopes back.

‘But why….’

I should be happy.

Now that I can achieve what I’ve been looking forward to for years, I’m sure it’s not enough to jump and like right now.

“……I’m out of my mind, really.”

A voice mingled with laughter dispersed into the air.

I know. I know why. What’s wrong with me? Why I’m not happy, why I can’t just like it?

‘Because there’s something I desired more.’

Even if I run away and can survive safely, I can’t achieve what I really want.

So I couldn’t laugh.

That’s why I can’t feel happy, even though I’ve been able to run away.

I breathed out. The breath made a moment of air and disappeared without leaving a trace.

I blinked at the useless sight.

‘I wish my feelings could disappear like that.’

I shouldn’t have known.

I wish I had. If I hadn’t realized, if I hadn’t known what I wanted, what I really desired, or something like that,

“Noonim.”

I was stunned momentarily.

“Eh.”

I looked back. Even in the dark, like a lie, the opponent’s appearance filled the view clearly.