“According to the knights who went out to scout, they said that they were more like searching for something than standing guard.”
The next day, Ines was loitering in front of a knight’s room.
According to Noah, she had snatched the knight’s sword from the room last night and mercilessly cut his arm. It wasn’t a serious injury, but Noah said he wouldn’t be able to attend training for the time being.
“Are you there?”
She summoned up her courage and called, but there was no answer. Sighing, Ines summoned up her courage once more.
“Are you there?”
However, Ines’ voice was almost crawling. Even though she knew that the people inside would not be able to hear her, she couldn’t speak loudly.
“Huh.”
Then, unbelievably, she heard a man’s laughter right in front of the door. Ines was surprised and took two steps back.
Then, the door opened with a squeak. She tilted her head slightly and looked inside, and there was a very tall man, as expected of a knight.
‘Is he as tall as my lord?’
Ines was unconsciously comparing the man in front of her to Carson.
“Hello, Lady Ines Swenden, right?”
“Oh, yes.”
Ines stopped estimating his height and smiled faintly at him.
“I’m Marcus Knights.”
“Hello, Sir Marcus. The reason I came here is...”
“I already told the aide. You want to apologize to me.”
He seemed like a very cheerful person at first glance. His red hair and pale blue eyes made him look more energetic.
“Yes, that’s right. I thought it would be better to meet you in person and apologize, so I came here.”
As she spoke, Ines looked at his arm that had been treated.
“I don’t know how badly you were hurt.”
“I heard that Young Lady also hurt her arm. Are you okay?”
Ines bit her lower lip in embarrassment.
The arm, which had not been properly treated, had opened wider due to the chaos yesterday. The doctor who saw her wound this morning sighed deeply. He even complained that even the wounds that did not need stitches had to be stitched up.
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“I heard you were pretty badly hurt, so I thought you would rest for a few days, but you came here so suddenly.”
As he had said, Ines began to have a fever around lunchtime. However, she could not delay her apology because of something like this.
“I’m on my way out now. Would you like to walk with me?”
Ines obediently followed his words. He headed to a small path on the way to the training ground.
“Sir Marcus, I sincerely apologize. I’m so sorry about yesterday.”
“You didn’t do it on purpose. You didn’t need to come here to apologize.”
“But you were hurt because of me.”
“As you can tell by the name, my family is a family of knights.”
Marcus Knights, Ines also thought that was a truly knightly name.
“I got hurt doing what I had to do, so you don’t have to feel sorry.”
“That must be so.”
It had already been five years since Count Graham had jumped into the business to obtain the right to build a railroad. The business plan he had presented had already been listed on the imperial agenda. Perhaps he had discovered something on the land of the Ines family while searching for the best railroad to pass through Landhill.
So all he could think of was to lure the innocent Young Lady Swenden into taking the title away... Since he couldn’t take the title away just by marrying her, it was obvious how much dirtier he had planned to do after that.
“By the way, how did Lady Swenden get hurt?”
Noah had returned to the mansion shortly after the hunting festival began, so he didn’t know much about the circumstances of Ines’ injury.
“Trying to avoid a dangerous animal.”
“Was there a dangerous animal?”
“A snake.”
“A snake?”
“Yes, it was a very long and ugly thing.”
“I’m glad she wasn’t seriously hurt.”
“Yes, that’s true.”
Carson wanted to think he was being sensitive. But he couldn’t let it go, considering Ines’s violent reaction to seeing that snake-like creature.
“Zermern Winningstone.”
“Who is he?”
“He was recently given the title of Baron. He’s desperate to become a real nobleman now. Find out why he wants to meet with the high-ranking nobles.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“And check his past and the people around him in detail. In particular, make sure he hasn’t caused any trouble for women.”
“Is he related to Count Graham?”
“No, not that.”
Carson thought of Ines sleeping on the other side of the office. His first thought was to get Graham and Joseph away from the woman.
And now there was Zemern. It was in his nature to get rid of anything that would get in his way.
Then he would ask her what she thought. The moment Louis told him today that Ines was in danger, he made up his mind.
The order of a marriage proposal from the royal family was different from that of a common nobleman. If she thought the same way, he had to go to the palace and get the Emperor’s approval for his marriage.
But strangely, he felt impatient. Was it because he couldn’t see the path clearly yet?
He focused on the task at hand to control his thoughts which were about to become increasingly anxious.
That night, Ines suffered from the same nightmare without fail.
It was the same court that had ignored her that day. Every witness who stood before her had insulted Ines, and every piece of evidence pointed to her as the culprit.
“Therefore, this sacred court, protected by the goddess of water, Heclesia, sentences Ines Benois to thirty years in Romfield.”
The face of the judge who was deciding whether to send her to Romfield came close enough to strangle Ines’ neck.
'Bang, bang, bang'
It had already been five years since Count Graham had jumped into the business to obtain the right to build a railroad. The business plan he had presented had already been listed on the imperial agenda. Perhaps he had discovered something on the land of the Ines family while searching for the best railroad to pass through Landhill.
So all he could think of was to lure the innocent Young Lady Swenden into taking the title away... Since he couldn’t take the title away just by marrying her, it was obvious how much dirtier he had planned to do after that.
“By the way, how did Lady Swenden get hurt?”
Noah had returned to the mansion shortly after the hunting festival began, so he didn’t know much about the circumstances of Ines’ injury.
“Trying to avoid a dangerous animal.”
“Was there a dangerous animal?”
“A snake.”
“A snake?”
“Yes, it was a very long and ugly thing.”
“I’m glad she wasn’t seriously hurt.”
“Yes, that’s true.”
Carson wanted to think he was being sensitive. But he couldn’t let it go, considering Ines’s violent reaction to seeing that snake-like creature.
“Zermern Winningstone.”
“Who is he?”
“He was recently given the title of Baron. He’s desperate to become a real nobleman now. Find out why he wants to meet with the high-ranking nobles.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“And check his past and the people around him in detail. In particular, make sure he hasn’t caused any trouble for women.”
“Is he related to Count Graham?”
“No, not that.”
Carson thought of Ines sleeping on the other side of the office. His first thought was to get Graham and Joseph away from the woman.
And now there was Zemern. It was in his nature to get rid of anything that would get in his way.
Then he would ask her what she thought. The moment Louis told him today that Ines was in danger, he made up his mind.
The order of a marriage proposal from the royal family was different from that of a common nobleman. If she thought the same way, he had to go to the palace and get the Emperor’s approval for his marriage.
But strangely, he felt impatient. Was it because he couldn’t see the path clearly yet?
He focused on the task at hand to control his thoughts which were about to become increasingly anxious.
***
That night, Ines suffered from the same nightmare without fail.
It was the same court that had ignored her that day. Every witness who stood before her had insulted Ines, and every piece of evidence pointed to her as the culprit.
“Therefore, this sacred court, protected by the goddess of water, Heclesia, sentences Ines Benois to thirty years in Romfield.”
The face of the judge who was deciding whether to send her to Romfield came close enough to strangle Ines’ neck.
'Bang, bang, bang'
The sound of the gavel that decided her fate rang in her ears. Everyone in the courtroom started cursing her like an evil spirit.
Ines gasped and got up from her seat. But when she opened her eyes, she was still in a nightmare.
'Please, please...'
She cried endlessly, but no one came toward her. Feeling like she was going to suffocate, she looked around and saw Joseph kneeling next to the carriage, pledging his love. She turned her head sharply, not wanting to see him, and the moment she did, she was lying on the floor, not in the carriage.
She heard the sound of rain and all the sensations from the day Ines died came back to her. As her vision flickered like that, Joseph, who had become much older than before, looked down at her and smirked. She wanted to strangle him, but her body wouldn't move at all.
Ines barely escaped that hell, screaming and struggling without letting out a single scream.
“Huk, huk.”
However, the place she looked around with her chest tightening was a very familiar place to Ines. It was a gray wall without a single window, and in one corner, a familiar figure was banging his head against the wall and mumbling something.
‘I killed the royal family. I killed the royal family...'
‘No, no. That can’t be. There’s no way I came back to Romfield.’
Ines, who was looking around while exhaling ‘colorful’ breaths through her nose, made direct eye contact with Zemern, who was staring at her with pitch-black eyes outside the iron bars.
“Ahhhhhh!”
Ines couldn’t stand it anymore and ran outside like a madman. The place before her eyes was still Romfield. Now, Joseph and Zemern were mingling haphazardly and circling around her.
“You can’t escape from me. You know that, Ines. You’re mine.”
Someone blocked her path. Instinctively, Ines pulled out a sword from the scabbard he was wearing. And she swung it wildly at the two hells in front of her.
When someone fell with an “ugh” from the sword she swung, Ines ran outside to avoid him.
As she pushed open the door with difficulty, it was raining.
The rough breath from her hot body created white vapor in the rainwater. Ines couldn’t come to her senses even in the heavy rain that seemed to pierce her body.
“Young Lady Swenden.”
Then a familiar voice began to call her. Ines instinctively looked around for her own safety.
“Young Lady Swenden! Put that sword down.”
But the two men still did not leave her and continued to circle around her. Joseph was laughing at her in front of her eyes, and Zemern was chasing her behind with a sword. Ines held her sword again.
“Ines!”
The moment her name was called, Carson, armed with white light, appeared between the rain and the pitch-black darkness. The only thing that caught her eyes was the figure of the man guiding her out of hell and into heaven.
'Ah, you came to save me again.'
He had always come to save Ines. Even when she was struggling in the cold river, even when she was standing in the square bleeding profusely, even when she was terrified after meeting hell in the forest, Carson von Raymond had always come to save Ines Swenden.
Soon, his long hands would grab Ines' arms. His wide arms would soon embrace Ines' shoulders. His beautiful lips would soon tell her that it was okay.
Clang.
Ines gasped and got up from her seat. But when she opened her eyes, she was still in a nightmare.
'Please, please...'
She cried endlessly, but no one came toward her. Feeling like she was going to suffocate, she looked around and saw Joseph kneeling next to the carriage, pledging his love. She turned her head sharply, not wanting to see him, and the moment she did, she was lying on the floor, not in the carriage.
She heard the sound of rain and all the sensations from the day Ines died came back to her. As her vision flickered like that, Joseph, who had become much older than before, looked down at her and smirked. She wanted to strangle him, but her body wouldn't move at all.
Ines barely escaped that hell, screaming and struggling without letting out a single scream.
“Huk, huk.”
However, the place she looked around with her chest tightening was a very familiar place to Ines. It was a gray wall without a single window, and in one corner, a familiar figure was banging his head against the wall and mumbling something.
‘I killed the royal family. I killed the royal family...'
‘No, no. That can’t be. There’s no way I came back to Romfield.’
Ines, who was looking around while exhaling ‘colorful’ breaths through her nose, made direct eye contact with Zemern, who was staring at her with pitch-black eyes outside the iron bars.
“Ahhhhhh!”
Ines couldn’t stand it anymore and ran outside like a madman. The place before her eyes was still Romfield. Now, Joseph and Zemern were mingling haphazardly and circling around her.
“You can’t escape from me. You know that, Ines. You’re mine.”
Someone blocked her path. Instinctively, Ines pulled out a sword from the scabbard he was wearing. And she swung it wildly at the two hells in front of her.
When someone fell with an “ugh” from the sword she swung, Ines ran outside to avoid him.
As she pushed open the door with difficulty, it was raining.
The rough breath from her hot body created white vapor in the rainwater. Ines couldn’t come to her senses even in the heavy rain that seemed to pierce her body.
“Young Lady Swenden.”
Then a familiar voice began to call her. Ines instinctively looked around for her own safety.
“Young Lady Swenden! Put that sword down.”
But the two men still did not leave her and continued to circle around her. Joseph was laughing at her in front of her eyes, and Zemern was chasing her behind with a sword. Ines held her sword again.
“Ines!”
The moment her name was called, Carson, armed with white light, appeared between the rain and the pitch-black darkness. The only thing that caught her eyes was the figure of the man guiding her out of hell and into heaven.
'Ah, you came to save me again.'
He had always come to save Ines. Even when she was struggling in the cold river, even when she was standing in the square bleeding profusely, even when she was terrified after meeting hell in the forest, Carson von Raymond had always come to save Ines Swenden.
Soon, his long hands would grab Ines' arms. His wide arms would soon embrace Ines' shoulders. His beautiful lips would soon tell her that it was okay.
Clang.
With the sound of a knife hitting the floor, her body collapsed together with the white light.
"You did well. You did well."
"I was wrong. I was wrong. Please forgive me."
"No, no. You didn't do anything wrong."
"I was wrong. Please forgive me."
"Yes, I will forgive you. Is that okay? Really?”
Ines raised her head to the sky and felt the pouring rain hit her face. Was it because she saw Zemern again today? Her nightmare did not end with that day in court.
“What on earth happened in your life?”
“I, I don’t know. But...”
As the rain beat down on her face, Ines was certain of one thing. She couldn’t live like this. She couldn’t breathe like this.
“I have to kill you all with my own hands to live. Only then will my life find true peace.”
Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to live. Even after leaving Romfield, her hell continued.
"You did well. You did well."
"I was wrong. I was wrong. Please forgive me."
"No, no. You didn't do anything wrong."
"I was wrong. Please forgive me."
"Yes, I will forgive you. Is that okay? Really?”
Ines raised her head to the sky and felt the pouring rain hit her face. Was it because she saw Zemern again today? Her nightmare did not end with that day in court.
“What on earth happened in your life?”
“I, I don’t know. But...”
As the rain beat down on her face, Ines was certain of one thing. She couldn’t live like this. She couldn’t breathe like this.
“I have to kill you all with my own hands to live. Only then will my life find true peace.”
Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to live. Even after leaving Romfield, her hell continued.
***
The next day, Ines was loitering in front of a knight’s room.
According to Noah, she had snatched the knight’s sword from the room last night and mercilessly cut his arm. It wasn’t a serious injury, but Noah said he wouldn’t be able to attend training for the time being.
“Are you there?”
She summoned up her courage and called, but there was no answer. Sighing, Ines summoned up her courage once more.
“Are you there?”
However, Ines’ voice was almost crawling. Even though she knew that the people inside would not be able to hear her, she couldn’t speak loudly.
“Huh.”
Then, unbelievably, she heard a man’s laughter right in front of the door. Ines was surprised and took two steps back.
Then, the door opened with a squeak. She tilted her head slightly and looked inside, and there was a very tall man, as expected of a knight.
‘Is he as tall as my lord?’
Ines was unconsciously comparing the man in front of her to Carson.
“Hello, Lady Ines Swenden, right?”
“Oh, yes.”
Ines stopped estimating his height and smiled faintly at him.
“I’m Marcus Knights.”
“Hello, Sir Marcus. The reason I came here is...”
“I already told the aide. You want to apologize to me.”
He seemed like a very cheerful person at first glance. His red hair and pale blue eyes made him look more energetic.
“Yes, that’s right. I thought it would be better to meet you in person and apologize, so I came here.”
As she spoke, Ines looked at his arm that had been treated.
“I don’t know how badly you were hurt.”
“I heard that Young Lady also hurt her arm. Are you okay?”
Ines bit her lower lip in embarrassment.
The arm, which had not been properly treated, had opened wider due to the chaos yesterday. The doctor who saw her wound this morning sighed deeply. He even complained that even the wounds that did not need stitches had to be stitched up.
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“I heard you were pretty badly hurt, so I thought you would rest for a few days, but you came here so suddenly.”
As he had said, Ines began to have a fever around lunchtime. However, she could not delay her apology because of something like this.
“I’m on my way out now. Would you like to walk with me?”
Ines obediently followed his words. He headed to a small path on the way to the training ground.
“Sir Marcus, I sincerely apologize. I’m so sorry about yesterday.”
“You didn’t do it on purpose. You didn’t need to come here to apologize.”
“But you were hurt because of me.”
“As you can tell by the name, my family is a family of knights.”
Marcus Knights, Ines also thought that was a truly knightly name.
“I got hurt doing what I had to do, so you don’t have to feel sorry.”
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