“Close your eyes.”
Carson’s small, soft command, spoken through a small gap between his hand and ear, caused her eyelashes in the shadows of the moonlight to flutter and close.
He felt the moment her eyelashes closed more vividly than the messy scene unfolding before his eyes.
Carson, who was looking down at the strange sensation that was engraved for a moment, saw the hem of Ines’ green dress slightly sticking out through the curtain.
He slowly grabbed her dress with his hand and gently pulled it in front of him. At that moment, her thigh unintentionally brushed the back of his hand. Startled, he looked at Ines’ shoulder, but she didn’t show any signs of agitation. Although he was clearly touching not her body but only the fabric of her dress, he felt as if he was doing something wrong. However, he couldn’t let go of the strength in his hands that were holding her clothes.
At that moment, the two men and women continued to talk.
“Joseph, you know? A commoner can’t become a Viscount even if he were to wake up dead.”
“Viscount?”
Carson’s brow furrowed at the unbelievable words.
“Don’t you know that?”
“That’s why I want you to know. What kind of grace are you receiving right now?”
Joseph said in a tone that clearly ignored her, roughly lowering his body onto the sofa and immediately taking her place. Then he spoke in a firmer and clearer voice than ever.
“That’s why I’m trying to wake up from death right now.”
The woman smiled as if she was satisfied with his rough actions.
“Yes, it’s not bad to wake up from death once.”
“I’ll trust you with everything after that. The word impossible doesn’t suit the Graham family.”
The two of them were no longer visible, but the messy noise continued for a while.
Carson only watched Ines breathing thinly. Carson knew better than anyone how horrible it must be for a woman to see the betrayal of the man she loved.
It was because he had learned it over and over again from his mother in the palace.
After a while, the two walked out confidently through the door they had come in through.
Carson tried to quickly tidy up the place. However, the woman in his arms was still standing there as if she had been deeply shocked.
He wanted to give the betrayed woman time to sort out her feelings, but his own situation was not so relaxed.
“Lady Swenden?”
“...”
“The two of them left.”
At those words, Ines suddenly turned around.
‘Thump.’
He felt the moment her eyelashes closed more vividly than the messy scene unfolding before his eyes.
Carson, who was looking down at the strange sensation that was engraved for a moment, saw the hem of Ines’ green dress slightly sticking out through the curtain.
He slowly grabbed her dress with his hand and gently pulled it in front of him. At that moment, her thigh unintentionally brushed the back of his hand. Startled, he looked at Ines’ shoulder, but she didn’t show any signs of agitation. Although he was clearly touching not her body but only the fabric of her dress, he felt as if he was doing something wrong. However, he couldn’t let go of the strength in his hands that were holding her clothes.
At that moment, the two men and women continued to talk.
“Joseph, you know? A commoner can’t become a Viscount even if he were to wake up dead.”
“Viscount?”
Carson’s brow furrowed at the unbelievable words.
“Don’t you know that?”
“That’s why I want you to know. What kind of grace are you receiving right now?”
Joseph said in a tone that clearly ignored her, roughly lowering his body onto the sofa and immediately taking her place. Then he spoke in a firmer and clearer voice than ever.
“That’s why I’m trying to wake up from death right now.”
The woman smiled as if she was satisfied with his rough actions.
“Yes, it’s not bad to wake up from death once.”
“I’ll trust you with everything after that. The word impossible doesn’t suit the Graham family.”
The two of them were no longer visible, but the messy noise continued for a while.
Carson only watched Ines breathing thinly. Carson knew better than anyone how horrible it must be for a woman to see the betrayal of the man she loved.
It was because he had learned it over and over again from his mother in the palace.
After a while, the two walked out confidently through the door they had come in through.
Carson tried to quickly tidy up the place. However, the woman in his arms was still standing there as if she had been deeply shocked.
He wanted to give the betrayed woman time to sort out her feelings, but his own situation was not so relaxed.
“Lady Swenden?”
“...”
“The two of them left.”
At those words, Ines suddenly turned around.
‘Thump.’
When their eyes met, her heart beat loudly, not knowing whose it was. It was close enough for their breaths to mingle.
Ines didn’t even think about moving away, even though she was staring at his golden eyes so closely. He was shining brightly even in the darkness behind the curtains.
At that moment, it was Carson who averted his eyes first. Only then did Ines realize that she was not just completely pressed against his body, but that she was using him as a support and bearing all her weight.
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
Her face flushed in an instant. Without saying anything, he opened the curtains that had been covering them. And the first thing he did was to open the window to ventilate the room.
Ines sat down on the sofa opposite the two men and women.
Carson couldn’t sit down and stared at her blankly. He tried to find some kind of miserable light on her face, but it wasn’t easy. No matter how hard he tried to deny it, her reaction was still a bit special. It was hard to see it as the face of a woman who had just been betrayed by her lover.
So he couldn’t help but ask.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes? What...?”
But she didn’t look like she was completely okay. She looked like a young student with a difficult homework assignment in front of her, thinking deeply about something.
“You knew everything?”
As he kept asking, she finally looked at Carson with clear eyes.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He looked at the empty sofa that was slightly dirty and said to Ines.
“Let’s move.”
Ines was guided to the main office instead of the banquet hall. Since most of the servants had been mobilized to the banquet hall, the main office was more desolate than ever.
As she followed him, she recalled the words she had just heard. The contents that had not been organized were jumbled together haphazardly.
Carson was also absorbed in thinking about something, so the two sat facing each other for a while without saying a word.
“First of all, you are beautiful today.”
Ines raised her head at the sudden words.
“Ah...”
Ines, who had been wondering how to respond if she ever heard this from him, remained silent for a moment.
“The dress suits you better than I thought.”
Ines felt her face and ears turn red. So she finally got up from her seat. Carson’s eyes followed her, surprised by her actions. However, she naturally bent her knees and began her prepared speech.
“I should have thanked you first, but I’m sorry. Although it’s late, thank you for sending me such a wonderful dress, Your Highness.”
She tried to put on a calm smile that she had practiced while looking in the mirror, but he had already caught her in a panic.
“Sit down. I didn’t mean to hear that.”
As she sat down again, she felt him looking at Ines’ empty neck. She hurriedly continued.
“Thank you for the necklace, too.”
“You didn’t like it?”
“Of course not. It went perfectly with the dress today. But I just couldn’t bring myself to come.”
“Why?”
“I was afraid I might lose it.”
“Ah...”
“Your Highness has bestowed upon me a gift, so I will treasure it as a family treasure.”
“Don’t do that.”
“Yes?”
“No, what I meant was... Isn’t a necklace most valuable when it is performing its function?”
“Oh, I was short-sighted.”
When she sighed briefly, he snickered.
“That’s not what I meant.”
“...”
“So, next time we meet, be sure to bring it. I want to make sure that I really chose something similar to the color of your eyes.”
“Next time...”
At that moment, Emma knocked on the office door, saying that she had prepared tea.
“The maids are all at the banquet hall, so I am later than usual. I apologize.”
Ines responded naturally to Emma’s words, just like last time.
“Thank you, Emma.”
Carson thought that he couldn’t understand this woman at all. How could a woman who had just witnessed her lover’s betrayal be so calm?
However, he shook his head to clear his thoughts. It wasn’t good to be overly sentimental about her.
He brought up the main topic after clearing his head.
“Actually, I was planning to ask for a private meeting today.”
She looked at him with sparkling eyes. Feeling a little thirsty, he took a sip of the tea Emma had brought.
“Lena Mariere.”
“...”
“I heard that you helped change her mind a lot.”
“Did Lena change her mind?”
Was it her habit to call someone by their name in a friendly way?
“She had a young son named Jason.”
“Jason...”
“Count Graham was taking him hostage to silence her.”
“Did you save him?”
Ines was visibly relieved when Carson nodded.
“I knew it.”
“What do you mean?”
“That Count Graham planned it.”
When Ines seemed greatly embarrassed and closed her mouth, he stood up. He walked straight to the display case on one side of the office and took out the largest bottle of liquor.
It was clear that Ines knew more than he had thought. He approached Ines and handed her a glass, pouring it full.
“It’s time for us to be a little more honest.”
Ines took the glass and gulped as she stared at the amber liquid sloshing around the edge of the glass. He gave her a moment to think.
“I heard a rumor that Lena died in the fire.”
“That’s a false rumor. She’s still in the secret room of this mansion. With the child.”
“That’s good.”
“I’m going to hide her existence for now.”
“Why? Lena would probably testify that Count Graham was behind everything.”
“I’m not ready yet.”
Instead of sitting across from her, Carson walked to the window with his own glass. Ines drank her drink and quenched her thirst.
“Did you come into that lounge earlier because you thought the two of them would be together?”
“Yes, but if you’re asking if I knew about their relationship, then no.”
“The name of the escort is...”
“Joseph, Joseph Benois. I also just found out today that Joseph is working as Lady Graham’s escort.”
He thought she would keep quiet to hide their relationship, but Ines’s attitude was different from his expectations. He decided not to try to change the subject and try to get her to leave. Carson turned his gaze away from the garden outside the window and turned back to Ines.
“Your lover... is that right? The one who promised to marry you.”
Ines snickered at the word lover.
“Yes, that’s right.”
She didn’t even ask him how he knew that. As if it was natural for him to know everything.
“You must be very hurt.”
“No, I’m fine. I’m just curious about why those two mentioned Your Highness’s name earlier.”
Ines tried not to show it on the outside, but she didn’t feel bad about Joseph’s betrayal at all. Of course, she knew that she had to at least pretend to be trembling and in pain right now. However, she didn’t think of making up a lie in front of Carson.
She had learned more than she thought because she had just entered that break room. Of course, she wasn’t surprised by Joseph and Young Lady Graham’s relationship. But that was a minor issue compared to the things he would do in the future.
“Perhaps it is because of what I informed Count Graham today.”
“I think it is a big problem for Count Graham that my family is no longer part of Lesonia. I presume the Count hastened to the capital to inform His Majesty the Emperor of the matter?”
“Her Majesty.”
“Yes?”
“I think Count Graham went to see the Empress, not the Emperor.”
Ines didn’t even think about moving away, even though she was staring at his golden eyes so closely. He was shining brightly even in the darkness behind the curtains.
At that moment, it was Carson who averted his eyes first. Only then did Ines realize that she was not just completely pressed against his body, but that she was using him as a support and bearing all her weight.
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
Her face flushed in an instant. Without saying anything, he opened the curtains that had been covering them. And the first thing he did was to open the window to ventilate the room.
Ines sat down on the sofa opposite the two men and women.
Carson couldn’t sit down and stared at her blankly. He tried to find some kind of miserable light on her face, but it wasn’t easy. No matter how hard he tried to deny it, her reaction was still a bit special. It was hard to see it as the face of a woman who had just been betrayed by her lover.
So he couldn’t help but ask.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes? What...?”
But she didn’t look like she was completely okay. She looked like a young student with a difficult homework assignment in front of her, thinking deeply about something.
“You knew everything?”
As he kept asking, she finally looked at Carson with clear eyes.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He looked at the empty sofa that was slightly dirty and said to Ines.
“Let’s move.”
***
Ines was guided to the main office instead of the banquet hall. Since most of the servants had been mobilized to the banquet hall, the main office was more desolate than ever.
As she followed him, she recalled the words she had just heard. The contents that had not been organized were jumbled together haphazardly.
Carson was also absorbed in thinking about something, so the two sat facing each other for a while without saying a word.
“First of all, you are beautiful today.”
Ines raised her head at the sudden words.
“Ah...”
Ines, who had been wondering how to respond if she ever heard this from him, remained silent for a moment.
“The dress suits you better than I thought.”
Ines felt her face and ears turn red. So she finally got up from her seat. Carson’s eyes followed her, surprised by her actions. However, she naturally bent her knees and began her prepared speech.
“I should have thanked you first, but I’m sorry. Although it’s late, thank you for sending me such a wonderful dress, Your Highness.”
She tried to put on a calm smile that she had practiced while looking in the mirror, but he had already caught her in a panic.
“Sit down. I didn’t mean to hear that.”
As she sat down again, she felt him looking at Ines’ empty neck. She hurriedly continued.
“Thank you for the necklace, too.”
“You didn’t like it?”
“Of course not. It went perfectly with the dress today. But I just couldn’t bring myself to come.”
“Why?”
“I was afraid I might lose it.”
“Ah...”
“Your Highness has bestowed upon me a gift, so I will treasure it as a family treasure.”
“Don’t do that.”
“Yes?”
“No, what I meant was... Isn’t a necklace most valuable when it is performing its function?”
“Oh, I was short-sighted.”
When she sighed briefly, he snickered.
“That’s not what I meant.”
“...”
“So, next time we meet, be sure to bring it. I want to make sure that I really chose something similar to the color of your eyes.”
“Next time...”
At that moment, Emma knocked on the office door, saying that she had prepared tea.
“The maids are all at the banquet hall, so I am later than usual. I apologize.”
Ines responded naturally to Emma’s words, just like last time.
“Thank you, Emma.”
Carson thought that he couldn’t understand this woman at all. How could a woman who had just witnessed her lover’s betrayal be so calm?
However, he shook his head to clear his thoughts. It wasn’t good to be overly sentimental about her.
He brought up the main topic after clearing his head.
“Actually, I was planning to ask for a private meeting today.”
She looked at him with sparkling eyes. Feeling a little thirsty, he took a sip of the tea Emma had brought.
“Lena Mariere.”
“...”
“I heard that you helped change her mind a lot.”
“Did Lena change her mind?”
Was it her habit to call someone by their name in a friendly way?
“She had a young son named Jason.”
“Jason...”
“Count Graham was taking him hostage to silence her.”
“Did you save him?”
Ines was visibly relieved when Carson nodded.
“I knew it.”
“What do you mean?”
“That Count Graham planned it.”
When Ines seemed greatly embarrassed and closed her mouth, he stood up. He walked straight to the display case on one side of the office and took out the largest bottle of liquor.
It was clear that Ines knew more than he had thought. He approached Ines and handed her a glass, pouring it full.
“It’s time for us to be a little more honest.”
Ines took the glass and gulped as she stared at the amber liquid sloshing around the edge of the glass. He gave her a moment to think.
“I heard a rumor that Lena died in the fire.”
“That’s a false rumor. She’s still in the secret room of this mansion. With the child.”
“That’s good.”
“I’m going to hide her existence for now.”
“Why? Lena would probably testify that Count Graham was behind everything.”
“I’m not ready yet.”
Instead of sitting across from her, Carson walked to the window with his own glass. Ines drank her drink and quenched her thirst.
“Did you come into that lounge earlier because you thought the two of them would be together?”
“Yes, but if you’re asking if I knew about their relationship, then no.”
“The name of the escort is...”
“Joseph, Joseph Benois. I also just found out today that Joseph is working as Lady Graham’s escort.”
He thought she would keep quiet to hide their relationship, but Ines’s attitude was different from his expectations. He decided not to try to change the subject and try to get her to leave. Carson turned his gaze away from the garden outside the window and turned back to Ines.
“Your lover... is that right? The one who promised to marry you.”
Ines snickered at the word lover.
“Yes, that’s right.”
She didn’t even ask him how he knew that. As if it was natural for him to know everything.
“You must be very hurt.”
“No, I’m fine. I’m just curious about why those two mentioned Your Highness’s name earlier.”
Ines tried not to show it on the outside, but she didn’t feel bad about Joseph’s betrayal at all. Of course, she knew that she had to at least pretend to be trembling and in pain right now. However, she didn’t think of making up a lie in front of Carson.
She had learned more than she thought because she had just entered that break room. Of course, she wasn’t surprised by Joseph and Young Lady Graham’s relationship. But that was a minor issue compared to the things he would do in the future.
“Perhaps it is because of what I informed Count Graham today.”
“I think it is a big problem for Count Graham that my family is no longer part of Lesonia. I presume the Count hastened to the capital to inform His Majesty the Emperor of the matter?”
“Her Majesty.”
“Yes?”
“I think Count Graham went to see the Empress, not the Emperor.”
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment