Carson, who had turned his back, snickered as he felt the gazes pouring down from those around him. At the last banquet, he had only danced with her. And this time, he was personally leading her to his seat.
It was definitely the devil, Zemern.
As he approached her, bowing, Ines moved backward. The chair made a loud noise. Soon, she got up from her seat with a loud crash. The tableware on the table was struck by it, and the sound of metal clashing sharply echoed through the forest.
“Do you think you can escape me by leaving here?”
The voice that had been tugging at her hair on the last day of Romfield pierced her ears clearly.
Carson tried to grab her arm as he followed her up, but Ines slapped his arm away hard and took another step back.
“I will chase you to the ends of hell. Huh? Do you understand what I’m saying?"
Zemern stared at her without erasing his smile. His face grew and shrank repeatedly as the image overlapped with the illusion.
“Lady Swenden?”
Carson’s voice could be heard from afar, but she was so consumed by fear that she couldn’t even look away from Zemern.
When Zemern tilted his head with a still smiling face, Ines’s eyes became filled with fear.
In an instant, a large back blocked her path. As her vision was blocked, her breathing came in quickly.
“Countess Jefferson!”
The countess jumped up from her seat at Carson’s shout.
“I don’t want to greet him right now. Take the man and leave immediately.”
Noah, who had been observing the entire hunting festival from afar, ran toward them as the commotion grew louder. While he was quickly distracting the people’s attention, Carson brought Ines into the tent set up on one side.
Ines closed her eyes and tried to face the situation she was experiencing. But even after her breathing became clear and she could tell where she was, it didn’t subside.
As her breathing continued to increase, her body began to feel numb and paralyzed.
“Huk, huk.”
Her breathing was loud enough to be jarring even for her to hear, but there was no other way now.
“Can you hear me?”
She nodded at Carson’s question.
“Do you know who I am?”
This time, Ines nodded. Carson knelt down and took off her boots, then immediately took off her jacket, which was tailored to fit her body.
He hesitated for a moment, but he also unbuttoned three or four buttons of her shirt that were squeezing her chest.
Then, when he reached for the buckle to take off her pants, Ines grabbed his hand.
“Now, now.”
She wasn’t breathing yet, but her mind was intact. She strained her eyes to reassure him.
“Are you really okay?”
“Yes, asthma, mild asthma.”
“I’ll call the doctor.”
“No, I know my illness well. If I rest a little, I’ll be completely fine.”
Ines explained her symptoms and recalled the unbelievable situation she had just seen.
Zemern, Zemern.
Ines thought that if she didn’t go to Romfield, she would never meet him. But God had brought Zemern right before her eyes, mocking her complacency.
She knew that Zemern could not threaten her in this situation.
She knew it in her head, but her body could not. Her body, which had learned from countless repeated pains, convulsed as if it had been imprinted upon her as soon as she saw him.
“Would you like to go home?”
But even so, she could not avoid him like this.
“No, it is a passing symptom. I really don’t feel anything anymore.”
She knew that her body’s reaction which had started on its own would not be easily fixed by will alone. However, she had to know why Zemern had come to this place.
Just as a deer circles around a lion to check where it is, she can only feel at ease.
Carson carefully examined Ines’s complexion before taking his hand off her. Then he moved to where the water bottle and glass were. In the meantime, she had dragged her boots from the floor and brought them in front of her. She had bent down and groaned as she shoved her feet in.
“Young Lady.”
A glass of water suddenly appeared in front of her eyes.
“Ah...”
When she raised her head to express her gratitude, she saw that Carson had turned his head away from the direction in which he had held out the glass of water.
Only then did Ines realize what she was sitting in.
She quickly raised her hand and grabbed the front of her shirt.
“I’m sorry.”
As if she was mistaken, she heard him chuckle.
“There’s nothing to be sorry about.”
Ines quickly buttoned up her shirt and looked around. The jacket he had taken off had flown behind her back. She was so flustered that she couldn’t even button it up properly and when she got up to pick it up, her boots, which weren’t properly on, creaked once and her body tilted. At that moment, Carson’s hand holding the glass hit her, and the water in the glass soaked the back of her neck and shirt.
“Ouch!”
She was surprised when the cold water hit her and she stepped back. When she tripped on the chair and almost fell, Carson wrapped his arms around her waist. In an instant, their bodies were pressed together without a single gap.
Ines, who had her eyes wide open for a moment, instinctively tried to get away from him. However, Carson grabbed her waist more tightly.
“Just stay still.”
“Your clothes will get wet.”
Ines couldn’t even breathe properly as he pressed his arms tightly against her, freezing her.
“Please stop causing trouble, Lady Ines Swenden.”
For a moment, the two stood motionless. Only after they got closer did she realize that Carson’s clothes were also very wet. Startled, Ines quickly grabbed her sleeve and pressed it against his chest.
“Now... What are you doing?”
Ines stopped what she was doing, his voice somehow lowering, seeming a little angry.
“I think your clothes are wet... I’m going to wipe them off.”
“Please.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t do anything. I’m not in my right mind right now.”
Ines lifted the hand that had been pressing against his chest. He really seemed to be out of his mind, even closing his eyes tightly. His sharp jaw was taut because of his tightly closed lips. He exhaled deeply, and his breath brushed Ines’ cheek.
“My lord?”
“What is it?”
“I’m really okay now.”
Even though she had asked him to let her go, his hands did not lose any strength.
Was Carson’s body always this hot? When she felt the heat from their close bodies, she felt dizzy.
“Uh, my lord.”
“Carson.”
“Yes?”
The moment he opened his mouth to say something, there was a slight noise outside, and then Noah’s voice was heard.
“I brought the senator. I’ll go in.”
The two of them moved away from each other as fast as they had come.
“No! Wait a minute.”
Carson glanced at Ines, holding his forehead. He shook his head as if he was frustrated with something and walked around the table with large steps. After thinking for a moment, he made a decision and made a big turn around the table and opened a large trunk.
Men attending the hunting festival always prepared extra clothes. Only then did Ines realize what he was trying to do?
“Change into these.”
“I’m fine.”
It was obvious what would be said if she went out wearing his clothes now. There would already be a lot of talk because of what had just happened, and she couldn’t cause him much trouble.
“Aren’t you going hunting today?”
“No, but you can tell my maid to bring extra clothes.”
“Did you bring them to the hunting grounds?”
“No, but it won’t take too long.”
Carson shook his head.
“No, you can’t. You won’t be able to take a single step from here in that state. It’ll be difficult to stay here for too long.”
Perhaps he could no longer stop the rumors spreading about the two of them. Nevertheless, Carson had no hesitation. He was not sure what his feelings were for her, but when he met her again, one thing became certain.
No woman in the world stimulated his curiosity as much as Ines Swenden.
When Carson returned to his seat with her, several quick-witted people quickly stood up and made a seat for Ines. When she sat right next to him and Louis also sat down, people’s eyes followed as if it was natural.
Carson was curious about Ines’s feelings at this moment. She probably knew well how this situation would be perceived by others. Nevertheless, the woman simply complied, neither positive nor negative.
“Take a rest. There is still some time until the trumpet sounds.”
But he didn’t care. Ines was a woman who never wavered in any situation. Just because she didn’t show her feelings toward him, it didn’t mean she had nothing.
“I’m really looking forward to it.”
Carson smiled slightly as he watched the woman with an expressionless expression and speaking inappropriately. It seemed like there was nothing in the world that could shake this woman.
“Yes, you are that kind of woman.”
Since even his younger sister followed her, it didn’t seem bad to put her name first on Noah’s list.
Ines looked up at the sky for a moment, unable to imagine what Carson was thinking.
The moderate temperature, the occasional breeze, and the person next to her.
It was so peaceful that it almost felt unreal. She glanced over and saw Louis reaching for the snack again.
“Would you like some fruit instead of snacks?”
When the child nodded, Ines picked out the prettiest piece of fruit and brought it to Louis’ mouth. The child opened her mouth and ate the food Ines offered her as if she had been doing that her whole life.
“Oh, you!”
Just then, the voice of the former lord’s wife greeted someone was heard. She looked up reflexively and saw an unbelievable person standing there. Her hands began to tremble.
“Your Highness, it is the young man I told you about just now.”
Light brown hair, black eyes. A little taller than the others, thin, and at first glance, he looked very kind.
“This is Zemern Winningstone, who has just been granted the title of Baron.”
No woman in the world stimulated his curiosity as much as Ines Swenden.
When Carson returned to his seat with her, several quick-witted people quickly stood up and made a seat for Ines. When she sat right next to him and Louis also sat down, people’s eyes followed as if it was natural.
Carson was curious about Ines’s feelings at this moment. She probably knew well how this situation would be perceived by others. Nevertheless, the woman simply complied, neither positive nor negative.
“Take a rest. There is still some time until the trumpet sounds.”
But he didn’t care. Ines was a woman who never wavered in any situation. Just because she didn’t show her feelings toward him, it didn’t mean she had nothing.
“I’m really looking forward to it.”
Carson smiled slightly as he watched the woman with an expressionless expression and speaking inappropriately. It seemed like there was nothing in the world that could shake this woman.
“Yes, you are that kind of woman.”
Since even his younger sister followed her, it didn’t seem bad to put her name first on Noah’s list.
Ines looked up at the sky for a moment, unable to imagine what Carson was thinking.
The moderate temperature, the occasional breeze, and the person next to her.
It was so peaceful that it almost felt unreal. She glanced over and saw Louis reaching for the snack again.
“Would you like some fruit instead of snacks?”
When the child nodded, Ines picked out the prettiest piece of fruit and brought it to Louis’ mouth. The child opened her mouth and ate the food Ines offered her as if she had been doing that her whole life.
“Oh, you!”
Just then, the voice of the former lord’s wife greeted someone was heard. She looked up reflexively and saw an unbelievable person standing there. Her hands began to tremble.
“Your Highness, it is the young man I told you about just now.”
Light brown hair, black eyes. A little taller than the others, thin, and at first glance, he looked very kind.
“This is Zemern Winningstone, who has just been granted the title of Baron.”
It was definitely the devil, Zemern.
As he approached her, bowing, Ines moved backward. The chair made a loud noise. Soon, she got up from her seat with a loud crash. The tableware on the table was struck by it, and the sound of metal clashing sharply echoed through the forest.
“Do you think you can escape me by leaving here?”
The voice that had been tugging at her hair on the last day of Romfield pierced her ears clearly.
Carson tried to grab her arm as he followed her up, but Ines slapped his arm away hard and took another step back.
“I will chase you to the ends of hell. Huh? Do you understand what I’m saying?"
Zemern stared at her without erasing his smile. His face grew and shrank repeatedly as the image overlapped with the illusion.
“Lady Swenden?”
Carson’s voice could be heard from afar, but she was so consumed by fear that she couldn’t even look away from Zemern.
When Zemern tilted his head with a still smiling face, Ines’s eyes became filled with fear.
In an instant, a large back blocked her path. As her vision was blocked, her breathing came in quickly.
“Countess Jefferson!”
The countess jumped up from her seat at Carson’s shout.
“I don’t want to greet him right now. Take the man and leave immediately.”
Noah, who had been observing the entire hunting festival from afar, ran toward them as the commotion grew louder. While he was quickly distracting the people’s attention, Carson brought Ines into the tent set up on one side.
Ines closed her eyes and tried to face the situation she was experiencing. But even after her breathing became clear and she could tell where she was, it didn’t subside.
As her breathing continued to increase, her body began to feel numb and paralyzed.
“Huk, huk.”
Her breathing was loud enough to be jarring even for her to hear, but there was no other way now.
“Can you hear me?”
She nodded at Carson’s question.
“Do you know who I am?”
This time, Ines nodded. Carson knelt down and took off her boots, then immediately took off her jacket, which was tailored to fit her body.
He hesitated for a moment, but he also unbuttoned three or four buttons of her shirt that were squeezing her chest.
Then, when he reached for the buckle to take off her pants, Ines grabbed his hand.
“Now, now.”
She wasn’t breathing yet, but her mind was intact. She strained her eyes to reassure him.
“Are you really okay?”
“Yes, asthma, mild asthma.”
“I’ll call the doctor.”
“No, I know my illness well. If I rest a little, I’ll be completely fine.”
Ines explained her symptoms and recalled the unbelievable situation she had just seen.
Zemern, Zemern.
Ines thought that if she didn’t go to Romfield, she would never meet him. But God had brought Zemern right before her eyes, mocking her complacency.
She knew that Zemern could not threaten her in this situation.
She knew it in her head, but her body could not. Her body, which had learned from countless repeated pains, convulsed as if it had been imprinted upon her as soon as she saw him.
“Would you like to go home?”
But even so, she could not avoid him like this.
“No, it is a passing symptom. I really don’t feel anything anymore.”
She knew that her body’s reaction which had started on its own would not be easily fixed by will alone. However, she had to know why Zemern had come to this place.
Just as a deer circles around a lion to check where it is, she can only feel at ease.
Carson carefully examined Ines’s complexion before taking his hand off her. Then he moved to where the water bottle and glass were. In the meantime, she had dragged her boots from the floor and brought them in front of her. She had bent down and groaned as she shoved her feet in.
“Young Lady.”
A glass of water suddenly appeared in front of her eyes.
“Ah...”
When she raised her head to express her gratitude, she saw that Carson had turned his head away from the direction in which he had held out the glass of water.
Only then did Ines realize what she was sitting in.
She quickly raised her hand and grabbed the front of her shirt.
“I’m sorry.”
As if she was mistaken, she heard him chuckle.
“There’s nothing to be sorry about.”
Ines quickly buttoned up her shirt and looked around. The jacket he had taken off had flown behind her back. She was so flustered that she couldn’t even button it up properly and when she got up to pick it up, her boots, which weren’t properly on, creaked once and her body tilted. At that moment, Carson’s hand holding the glass hit her, and the water in the glass soaked the back of her neck and shirt.
“Ouch!”
She was surprised when the cold water hit her and she stepped back. When she tripped on the chair and almost fell, Carson wrapped his arms around her waist. In an instant, their bodies were pressed together without a single gap.
Ines, who had her eyes wide open for a moment, instinctively tried to get away from him. However, Carson grabbed her waist more tightly.
“Just stay still.”
“Your clothes will get wet.”
Ines couldn’t even breathe properly as he pressed his arms tightly against her, freezing her.
“Please stop causing trouble, Lady Ines Swenden.”
For a moment, the two stood motionless. Only after they got closer did she realize that Carson’s clothes were also very wet. Startled, Ines quickly grabbed her sleeve and pressed it against his chest.
“Now... What are you doing?”
Ines stopped what she was doing, his voice somehow lowering, seeming a little angry.
“I think your clothes are wet... I’m going to wipe them off.”
“Please.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t do anything. I’m not in my right mind right now.”
Ines lifted the hand that had been pressing against his chest. He really seemed to be out of his mind, even closing his eyes tightly. His sharp jaw was taut because of his tightly closed lips. He exhaled deeply, and his breath brushed Ines’ cheek.
“My lord?”
“What is it?”
“I’m really okay now.”
Even though she had asked him to let her go, his hands did not lose any strength.
Was Carson’s body always this hot? When she felt the heat from their close bodies, she felt dizzy.
“Uh, my lord.”
“Carson.”
“Yes?”
The moment he opened his mouth to say something, there was a slight noise outside, and then Noah’s voice was heard.
“I brought the senator. I’ll go in.”
The two of them moved away from each other as fast as they had come.
“No! Wait a minute.”
Carson glanced at Ines, holding his forehead. He shook his head as if he was frustrated with something and walked around the table with large steps. After thinking for a moment, he made a decision and made a big turn around the table and opened a large trunk.
Men attending the hunting festival always prepared extra clothes. Only then did Ines realize what he was trying to do?
“Change into these.”
“I’m fine.”
It was obvious what would be said if she went out wearing his clothes now. There would already be a lot of talk because of what had just happened, and she couldn’t cause him much trouble.
“Aren’t you going hunting today?”
“No, but you can tell my maid to bring extra clothes.”
“Did you bring them to the hunting grounds?”
“No, but it won’t take too long.”
Carson shook his head.
“No, you can’t. You won’t be able to take a single step from here in that state. It’ll be difficult to stay here for too long.”
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