As she turned her head, answering in a crawling voice, Noah's face was also bright red from holding back laughter. It was clear that he also thought Ines was a troublemaker.
“That is a very serious disqualification. Doesn’t it mean that he can’t even handle his own emotions properly?”
“Yes, that is correct. I made a slip of the tongue.”
“No need to be so serious. And you’re indeed doing a good job, just like you said. You’re giving me a lot of trouble.”
When Carson snickered again, Noah continued.
“But what was his name? It was a bit strange...?”
“Well, Durpin.. what was it?”
At that moment, Ines’s face turned pale. Then she muttered to herself in a barely audible voice.
“Dropinua.”
The two men in the carriage looked at Ines at the same time. Noah spoke first.
“How does my lady know that name?”
However, Ines couldn’t answer and tried to recall her scattered memories. At that time, Charlotte had been working on removing the wrongly installed railroad tracks.
“I wish we could tear down our lives and start over again...”
“My lord, turn the carriage around. Right now!”
"Huh? That's him."
At that moment, Noah spoke with his smile still on his face.
"Who?"
"That central manager."
"Ah..."
While listening to the conversation between the two, Ines absentmindedly looked out the window. A man who was clearly angry was pushing the servant who was opening the door and getting into the carriage.
"With your temper."
"That's understandable. Did I bother you a bit? By today, you probably realized that everything you were trying to do was blocked."
The man was short and plump. Despite that, he looked quite sturdy. The carriage, carrying the ill-tempered master, raced in the opposite direction from Ines.
"So if you want to be successful, you have to stand in line."
"Yes, just like me."
“Yes, if you are good at flattering like me, you will soon see the light.”
“Not flattering.”
“You are foolish.”
Ines looked at Noah with slightly envious eyes. The two were always together. Perhaps that is why Noah treated Carson comfortably. He thought that he was probably the only person who could joke with Carson.
The two continued their light conversation after that.
“By the way, that official will probably return to the system.”
“Of course. The rope he was holding onto will soon be cut off.”
“He was a good worker except for his bad temper and bad habits, but it is too bad.”
“Noah.”
As the joke continued, Carson’s voice became a little serious. Then Noah’s tone also became darker.
“Yes, my lord.”
“You shouldn’t leave out his bad temper and bad habits.”
“Ah...”
At that moment, Noah spoke with his smile still on his face.
"Who?"
"That central manager."
"Ah..."
While listening to the conversation between the two, Ines absentmindedly looked out the window. A man who was clearly angry was pushing the servant who was opening the door and getting into the carriage.
"With your temper."
"That's understandable. Did I bother you a bit? By today, you probably realized that everything you were trying to do was blocked."
The man was short and plump. Despite that, he looked quite sturdy. The carriage, carrying the ill-tempered master, raced in the opposite direction from Ines.
"So if you want to be successful, you have to stand in line."
"Yes, just like me."
“Yes, if you are good at flattering like me, you will soon see the light.”
“Not flattering.”
“You are foolish.”
Ines looked at Noah with slightly envious eyes. The two were always together. Perhaps that is why Noah treated Carson comfortably. He thought that he was probably the only person who could joke with Carson.
The two continued their light conversation after that.
“By the way, that official will probably return to the system.”
“Of course. The rope he was holding onto will soon be cut off.”
“He was a good worker except for his bad temper and bad habits, but it is too bad.”
“Noah.”
As the joke continued, Carson’s voice became a little serious. Then Noah’s tone also became darker.
“Yes, my lord.”
“You shouldn’t leave out his bad temper and bad habits.”
“Ah...”
“That is a very serious disqualification. Doesn’t it mean that he can’t even handle his own emotions properly?”
“Yes, that is correct. I made a slip of the tongue.”
“No need to be so serious. And you’re indeed doing a good job, just like you said. You’re giving me a lot of trouble.”
When Carson snickered again, Noah continued.
“But what was his name? It was a bit strange...?”
“Well, Durpin.. what was it?”
At that moment, Ines’s face turned pale. Then she muttered to herself in a barely audible voice.
“Dropinua.”
The two men in the carriage looked at Ines at the same time. Noah spoke first.
“How does my lady know that name?”
However, Ines couldn’t answer and tried to recall her scattered memories. At that time, Charlotte had been working on removing the wrongly installed railroad tracks.
“I wish we could tear down our lives and start over again...”
“My lord, turn the carriage around. Right now!”
When Ines shouted urgently, Carson changed direction without asking a second time.
“That man, please follow Dropinua.”
As the carriage turned sharply, Ines’s body lurched violently. The wind caused Ines’ head and shoulder to hit the carriage wall. At that moment, the sensation of her own head being hit hard overcame Ines. Charlotte’s voice followed immediately.
“Ines, are you okay?”
“That crazy guy keeps hitting my ears. He’s already hard to hear. He’s doing it on purpose.”
Beep, the tinnitus that had disappeared now struck her ears again.
“Men must learn to hit women’s cheeks from a young age. My husband used to do that too. He was the same on the day he died. He hit me in the face as soon as he got home because something went wrong.”
Charlotte’s words, with a different tone and expression than before, did not continue. However, Ines had a gut feeling that today would be that day.
“Your Highness, there is a residence managed by the Imperial Palace near the castle.”
“Habenu Street?”
“Yes, that’s right. That man is staying there right now. With his pregnant wife. Charlotte, Charlotte is my friend.”
Just from what Ines had said, Carson could guess the general situation. The husband had a bad temper and was abusive, and the man was very angry.
Carson knocked hard on the carriage wall. It meant to hurry.
“On the way, on the way, can I pick up a doctor?”
It had been a long time since he had headed in the opposite direction from Ines. After what had happened, it was important to save him. Trying to kill your husband and actually having your husband die were two different sins.
Carson raised both hands and swept back his flowing hair.
“Yes.”
Then he opened the carriage door. The door slammed against the carriage wall with a loud noise due to the force of the running carriage.
“I’ll go to the mansion and take the doctor, so Noah, you run to the house.”
“Yes, I understand.”
He let out a short breath and grabbed the carriage door. He then called the horse that was following the carriage behind to come closer. Only then did Ines realize what he was trying to do?
“What the hell are you doing?”
But Noah stopped Ines. He had already seen his master jump out of a running carriage many times.
“It’s okay.”
As soon as the horse left, Carson jumped on the horse that had come closer. Soon, with a bang, lightning flashed across the sky and rain began to fall on the darkened day. He and his knights began to run through the rain.
Ines and Carson met again on the road leading to the palace. He was really carrying the doctor on his horse.
Even though horses were faster than carriages, it was hard to believe even after seeing it with her own eyes. However, something even more unbelievable happened later.
At the very moment when Ines and Carson stopped their horses and stood in front of the house, a man with a peculiar last name jumped out through the window that Charlotte had said she liked. It was a scene that was hard to believe even after seeing it with her own eyes.
With a loud crash, Dropinua fell to the floor. As soon as his back hit the floor, blood burst out of the man’s mouth. The doctor on the horse instinctively ran to him.
Then Ines and Carson ran inside the house.
The inside of the house was already a mess. All the lights that had been lighting the house had been broken, so the only one still shining was the one on the stairs leading to the second floor.
Ines’ eyes naturally followed the light. And she saw a woman sitting at the end of the stairs.
The hem of the woman’s skirt, which was shaking like an aspen tree, was soaked in blood.
“Charlotte!”
As Ines ran, Carson also came to his senses and chased after her. Charlotte’s face was already beyond recognition. Her lips were split and bleeding and her eyes and forehead were bruised.
But the blood that soaked her skirt was not from the wound. It was a sign that her baby was not safe.
“I...nes?”
“Yes, I’m here.”
Ines looked into Charlotte’s eyes carefully. Charlotte’s eyes were already losing consciousness.
“I, I killed my husband. I killed my husband.”
“No, no.”
You didn’t kill him. Ines couldn’t finish her words and hugged her.
“He hit me in the stomach. He tried to hit me again... he tried to kill my baby, so I, gasp, gasp, pushed him.”
The wood was broken here and there as if the man had been pushed down the stairs and grabbed the railing. It seemed as if he had been thrown out the window while struggling on the arched stairs.
“Baby, baby, are you okay? Ines, is my baby okay? Why does it keep getting wet down there? Is it raining outside right now?”
After assessing the situation, Carson picked up Charlotte. In the meantime, the doctor brought her husband inside the house. Charlotte had already lost consciousness.
“What’s her condition?”
“She’s bleeding badly, but if we treat her quickly, she’ll be fine.”
“We’ll take the carriage to the mansion. After treating her, we’ll explain the situation to the security forces and hand over the case.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Everything was quickly sorted out under Carson’s command. The carriage carrying them ran smoothly to Carson’s mansion.
“Charlotte Dropinua is asleep.”
Ines, who had come to Carson’s mansion, changed into the clothes Emma had prepared for her and waited for news of Charlotte. She had heard that her life was not in danger, but she couldn’t sit still, so she paced around the bedside.
When night fell and the rain that seemed like it would never stop stopped, Carson came to see Ines. He had a bottle and a glass in his hand. He held up the bottle and smiled.
“I thought it would help you sleep.”
“What about the baby?”
Carson shook his head. It was a night when even the stars had turned pitch black as if they were mourning the baby who had already disappeared. He set his glass down on the table and poured himself a full glass.
“Just one more glass and go to bed. I’ve already informed the Swendens, so don’t worry.”
“I’m sorry, it was all because of me...”
“It happened on my land. You shouldn’t apologize, I should be thanking you.”
Ines took the glass he offered her. It wasn’t too strong, so it was smooth to the touch. The drink went down her empty stomach, drawing pictures.
“If I had been a little faster, could I have saved the baby?”
“How long are you going to think such foolish things?”
“Yes?”
“Why do you blame yourself so much? You have too many apples. It’s like you were born with a debt to the world.”
Ines said nothing and just drank her empty drink. She hoped he would never know that she had really come back to the world in debt.
“If you had been a little later, the man could not have been saved.”
“Is he okay?”
“Yes. If he had died, he would have bled to death. The doctor had a hard time because of the broken glass, but he is okay, thank goodness.”
“Then what will happen to Charlotte?”
“Since her husband did not die, and it was accidental and self-defense, she will not go to prison. She will probably go to a temple or a monastery.”
Ines looked at him in surprise, really surprised. Was it really possible? So simple?
He smirked and poured her empty glass again.
“It’s not strong, so just one more. Don’t rush it.”
Despite her relaxed attitude, Ines couldn't feel at ease.
"But how do you prove that it was self-defense?"
"We saw it, didn't we?"
“That man, please follow Dropinua.”
As the carriage turned sharply, Ines’s body lurched violently. The wind caused Ines’ head and shoulder to hit the carriage wall. At that moment, the sensation of her own head being hit hard overcame Ines. Charlotte’s voice followed immediately.
“Ines, are you okay?”
“That crazy guy keeps hitting my ears. He’s already hard to hear. He’s doing it on purpose.”
Beep, the tinnitus that had disappeared now struck her ears again.
“Men must learn to hit women’s cheeks from a young age. My husband used to do that too. He was the same on the day he died. He hit me in the face as soon as he got home because something went wrong.”
Charlotte’s words, with a different tone and expression than before, did not continue. However, Ines had a gut feeling that today would be that day.
“Your Highness, there is a residence managed by the Imperial Palace near the castle.”
“Habenu Street?”
“Yes, that’s right. That man is staying there right now. With his pregnant wife. Charlotte, Charlotte is my friend.”
Just from what Ines had said, Carson could guess the general situation. The husband had a bad temper and was abusive, and the man was very angry.
Carson knocked hard on the carriage wall. It meant to hurry.
“On the way, on the way, can I pick up a doctor?”
It had been a long time since he had headed in the opposite direction from Ines. After what had happened, it was important to save him. Trying to kill your husband and actually having your husband die were two different sins.
Carson raised both hands and swept back his flowing hair.
“Yes.”
Then he opened the carriage door. The door slammed against the carriage wall with a loud noise due to the force of the running carriage.
“I’ll go to the mansion and take the doctor, so Noah, you run to the house.”
“Yes, I understand.”
He let out a short breath and grabbed the carriage door. He then called the horse that was following the carriage behind to come closer. Only then did Ines realize what he was trying to do?
“What the hell are you doing?”
But Noah stopped Ines. He had already seen his master jump out of a running carriage many times.
“It’s okay.”
As soon as the horse left, Carson jumped on the horse that had come closer. Soon, with a bang, lightning flashed across the sky and rain began to fall on the darkened day. He and his knights began to run through the rain.
Ines and Carson met again on the road leading to the palace. He was really carrying the doctor on his horse.
Even though horses were faster than carriages, it was hard to believe even after seeing it with her own eyes. However, something even more unbelievable happened later.
At the very moment when Ines and Carson stopped their horses and stood in front of the house, a man with a peculiar last name jumped out through the window that Charlotte had said she liked. It was a scene that was hard to believe even after seeing it with her own eyes.
With a loud crash, Dropinua fell to the floor. As soon as his back hit the floor, blood burst out of the man’s mouth. The doctor on the horse instinctively ran to him.
Then Ines and Carson ran inside the house.
The inside of the house was already a mess. All the lights that had been lighting the house had been broken, so the only one still shining was the one on the stairs leading to the second floor.
Ines’ eyes naturally followed the light. And she saw a woman sitting at the end of the stairs.
The hem of the woman’s skirt, which was shaking like an aspen tree, was soaked in blood.
“Charlotte!”
As Ines ran, Carson also came to his senses and chased after her. Charlotte’s face was already beyond recognition. Her lips were split and bleeding and her eyes and forehead were bruised.
But the blood that soaked her skirt was not from the wound. It was a sign that her baby was not safe.
“I...nes?”
“Yes, I’m here.”
Ines looked into Charlotte’s eyes carefully. Charlotte’s eyes were already losing consciousness.
“I, I killed my husband. I killed my husband.”
“No, no.”
You didn’t kill him. Ines couldn’t finish her words and hugged her.
“He hit me in the stomach. He tried to hit me again... he tried to kill my baby, so I, gasp, gasp, pushed him.”
The wood was broken here and there as if the man had been pushed down the stairs and grabbed the railing. It seemed as if he had been thrown out the window while struggling on the arched stairs.
“Baby, baby, are you okay? Ines, is my baby okay? Why does it keep getting wet down there? Is it raining outside right now?”
After assessing the situation, Carson picked up Charlotte. In the meantime, the doctor brought her husband inside the house. Charlotte had already lost consciousness.
“What’s her condition?”
“She’s bleeding badly, but if we treat her quickly, she’ll be fine.”
“We’ll take the carriage to the mansion. After treating her, we’ll explain the situation to the security forces and hand over the case.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Everything was quickly sorted out under Carson’s command. The carriage carrying them ran smoothly to Carson’s mansion.
***
“Charlotte Dropinua is asleep.”
Ines, who had come to Carson’s mansion, changed into the clothes Emma had prepared for her and waited for news of Charlotte. She had heard that her life was not in danger, but she couldn’t sit still, so she paced around the bedside.
When night fell and the rain that seemed like it would never stop stopped, Carson came to see Ines. He had a bottle and a glass in his hand. He held up the bottle and smiled.
“I thought it would help you sleep.”
“What about the baby?”
Carson shook his head. It was a night when even the stars had turned pitch black as if they were mourning the baby who had already disappeared. He set his glass down on the table and poured himself a full glass.
“Just one more glass and go to bed. I’ve already informed the Swendens, so don’t worry.”
“I’m sorry, it was all because of me...”
“It happened on my land. You shouldn’t apologize, I should be thanking you.”
Ines took the glass he offered her. It wasn’t too strong, so it was smooth to the touch. The drink went down her empty stomach, drawing pictures.
“If I had been a little faster, could I have saved the baby?”
“How long are you going to think such foolish things?”
“Yes?”
“Why do you blame yourself so much? You have too many apples. It’s like you were born with a debt to the world.”
Ines said nothing and just drank her empty drink. She hoped he would never know that she had really come back to the world in debt.
“If you had been a little later, the man could not have been saved.”
“Is he okay?”
“Yes. If he had died, he would have bled to death. The doctor had a hard time because of the broken glass, but he is okay, thank goodness.”
“Then what will happen to Charlotte?”
“Since her husband did not die, and it was accidental and self-defense, she will not go to prison. She will probably go to a temple or a monastery.”
Ines looked at him in surprise, really surprised. Was it really possible? So simple?
He smirked and poured her empty glass again.
“It’s not strong, so just one more. Don’t rush it.”
Despite her relaxed attitude, Ines couldn't feel at ease.
"But how do you prove that it was self-defense?"
"We saw it, didn't we?"
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