Ines rubbed her eyes as she saw Carson stepping into the backyard. As she was thinking about him, it seemed that he had inevitably appeared, so Ines shook her head and looked at him again.
Somewhere, a wind full of the scent of autumn passed by, ruffling Ines’s dark golden hair.
The slightly cooler wind seemed to cool down her hot head and chest a little. The two eyes that met each other as if they were entangling each other were saying too much, so Ines couldn’t say anything.
So Ines told him what she had to say, not what she wanted to say.
“Thus, those who want too much will eventually... go home empty-handed.”
Carson stared at Ines, who was looking straight into his eyes without avoiding his, for a while.
In that moment, the feeling he had forgotten came over him again. The suffocation that had suddenly come over him since he had first seen her. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. It felt like his stomach was boiling white with an inexplicable suffocation.
At that moment, Susan came to them with tea.
He could clearly hear the sound of the teacup hitting the saucer, and even the gentle sound of the steaming tea pouring into the cup. In the strange silence surrounding her, Susan forgot that she was pouring tea and looked at the two people.
As a result, she made a mistake she had never made before. The spout of the teapot she was holding went out of the teacup.
“Oh!”
As the tea that Susan had spilled flowed toward Ines’ Bible, Carson instinctively picked up her book.
“I’m sorry, Miss.”
Susan bowed her head and stepped back, and Ines stared blankly at the Bible that Carson was carrying.
At that moment, the portrait of Carson von Raymond that had been carefully placed inside the Bible fell out of the book without any resistance and began to fall freely.
Ines and Susan’s faces turned pale at the same time. Fortunately, the portrait that fell with a thud revealed the back side instead of the front. Susan quickly moved her body to pick it up.
But Carson’s long arms were faster.
Carson, who had picked up the paper and was examining it, tilted his head. Seeing that, Ines shouted urgently.
“Oh, my lord. Don’t think of anything strange.”
“What strange thought did I have?”
Ines bit her lower lip and reached out to snatch the portrait from him. But he quickly lifted it above her head.
“Tell me. What strange thought did I have?”
Ines was not short, but she was not tall enough to snatch something from his fingertips. She could not jump up and snatch the object from the royal family’s hand. Carson’s eyes, which met hers, were slightly crumpled with an unknown emotion.
“Give me.”
“What?”
“The thing you are holding in your hand.”
“So what is this?”
“Yes, my lord’s portrait.”
He glanced up at the object in his hand.
“Now that I think about it, it looks like that. But where did you get this?”
Ines even closed her eyes tightly. What good would it do to lie in this situation?
“Susan saved me.”
“Oh, your maid.”
Carson looked at Susan once. He smiled faintly, but she lowered her head further as if she had committed a crime, at a loss.
“Susan saved me... Does that mean you asked the maid yourself?”
“Yes, that’s right. But many people have a portrait of the lord. As you know, the lord is the most handsome man in the empire. I think half of the maids in our family have a portrait of the lord. Susan, Susan has one too. Right, Susan?”
Susan didn’t, but quickly replied, “Yes, yes.”
Carson was secretly surprised that Ines could talk so quickly and without pause. He had only thought of her as a woman with deep eyes who left a lingering impression.
But this wasn’t bad either.
“Do you have other people’s portraits?”
“Huh? No. Not really. But as I said, this is a trend that’s going around in the realm. So other noblewomen...”
“No, I don’t care what other women are like.”
Carson just sat down. He put the portraits he was holding back into the Bible. Ines couldn’t even blink and watched his actions.
“Here they are.”
Fortunately, he returned them carefully.
Ines took the Bible he handed her and carefully checked it for any wet spots. In the meantime, she didn’t forget to check if the portraits inside were intact. It was hard to believe that she was acting like that because she had just been caught in a scandal.
“Thank you.”
“I gave you back what was yours, so you shouldn’t be grateful.”
He shrugged and jumped up from his seat again.
“My Lord?”
Ines couldn’t believe herself due to the confusion she had been experiencing recently. However, when Susan leaned down and stepped aside, she knew that the Carson she was looking at was really the Carson.
Ines couldn’t believe herself due to the confusion she had been experiencing recently. However, when Susan leaned down and stepped aside, she knew that the Carson she was looking at was really the Carson.
Ines put down the Bible she was holding and jumped up from her seat. Her eyes were so swollen that they looked like they would shed tears at any moment.
He came closer and snickered at Ines.
“I didn’t know you would welcome me so warmly.”
Ines had been anxious ever since she heard that he would soon be leaving. Like a believer who realizes the absence of a God and is unable to find his way out, she trembles in fear.
However, she couldn’t bother him. But there was no way to stop his eyes from shaking without permission.
“How did you come here?”
Susan leaned down from behind and looked at the two. They were a couple that matched well at first glance. Although Susan had no experience in dating yet, she could tell that the gaze of the lord looking at the young lady was special.
Her eyes sparkled and shone like her younger siblings when they saw something very interesting.
However, she could not tell what the gaze of the young lady behind her was like.
“I have to leave today.”
“Oh, today...”
However, what was certain was that the young lady, who had grown up at some point, acted like a different person only in front of the lord.
The young lady, who sometimes spoke coldly and coolly to a face she had never seen before, would not make proper eye contact and trail off when she was with the lord.
So Susan could not help but know. That the young lady would soon be living in the lord’s castle.
“I came to spend time with you before I go. I have something to tell you, something to ask you, and something to show you.”
“I didn’t know you would welcome me so warmly.”
Ines had been anxious ever since she heard that he would soon be leaving. Like a believer who realizes the absence of a God and is unable to find his way out, she trembles in fear.
However, she couldn’t bother him. But there was no way to stop his eyes from shaking without permission.
“How did you come here?”
Susan leaned down from behind and looked at the two. They were a couple that matched well at first glance. Although Susan had no experience in dating yet, she could tell that the gaze of the lord looking at the young lady was special.
Her eyes sparkled and shone like her younger siblings when they saw something very interesting.
However, she could not tell what the gaze of the young lady behind her was like.
“I have to leave today.”
“Oh, today...”
However, what was certain was that the young lady, who had grown up at some point, acted like a different person only in front of the lord.
The young lady, who sometimes spoke coldly and coolly to a face she had never seen before, would not make proper eye contact and trail off when she was with the lord.
So Susan could not help but know. That the young lady would soon be living in the lord’s castle.
“I came to spend time with you before I go. I have something to tell you, something to ask you, and something to show you.”
Ines nodded without answering.
“I had to leave suddenly today, so I barged in without asking about your schedule. If you are busy...”
“No, no.”
When Ines, who had been looking down, raised her head, Carson smiled faintly.
“Please sit down first.”
When the two sat down facing each other, Susan quickly went inside the house to prepare tea and refreshments.
“First, something I have to tell you.”
When Ines nodded solemnly, he suddenly laughed out loud. This woman’s reaction was always new and unusual.
“The Count Graham’s trial will be held next week. The trial is generally open to the public, but as an exception, we have decided to hold it in private. If you want to attend, I will tell Noah.”
“Yes, I would like to attend.”
“And Noah will stay here until the Count’s trial is over.”
In fact, the trial was practically a done deal. Carson already knew what the court would decide. He had met Count Graham himself in the past few days and had learned a lot from him.
So Noah didn’t need to stay here. However, if Ines felt even a little bit more at ease because of him, Carson could bear the inconvenience.
“So if you have a problem, or if you are worried, or if you want to see him... you can go see Noah.”
“Yes.”
Compared to his careful delivery, Ines’s answer was too neat and dry. Her reaction always made Carson happy, but not today, when he had something to say.
On the other hand, Ines thought his words were unreasonable.
If there was a problem, or if she was worried, or if she wanted to see him, nothing would be solved by going to Noah. However, she was not unaware of his consideration.
“By the way, why are you going to the palace?”
Carson glanced at Ines’ hand, which was resting on the Bible. She was clenching her fist so tightly that it was almost transparent, and blue veins were standing out on her hand. It meant that she was asking a question with great courage.
“Ines, I am twenty-one this year.”
Ines blinked her big eyes at the ambiguous words that could hardly be called an answer to her question.
“And most members of the royal family marry before they turn twenty.”
“Oh, yes...”
This time, Ines’ answer made Carson hesitate unusually. He raised his voice a little to change the mood.
“What were you doing?”
“I was reading the Bible.”
“Can you read me some part of it?”
After going back in time, Ines started reading the Bible again and before she knew it, she was halfway through it. Ines opened the page right after where she was reading.
“To share in his glory, you must also share in his sufferings. You have longed for your own salvation, but what you see is not what you hope for.”
“...”
“Then his will alone will save you, and you shall follow his laws when dealing with your enemies.”
That part was a passage that Carson knew well. Although it was quite long and majestic, it felt somewhat sad when combined with Ines’ calm voice.
“I hope that your present sufferings will not be compared to his future glory. When he forgives your sins, no one will hold you guilty anymore...”
She slowly raised her head as she calmly read the Bible and looked at Carson. Her eyes that met his seemed empty, or as if they contained too much.
“If someone offers you a hand and asks you to walk ten steps with him, give him everything you have. So...”
“I had to leave suddenly today, so I barged in without asking about your schedule. If you are busy...”
“No, no.”
When Ines, who had been looking down, raised her head, Carson smiled faintly.
“Please sit down first.”
When the two sat down facing each other, Susan quickly went inside the house to prepare tea and refreshments.
“First, something I have to tell you.”
When Ines nodded solemnly, he suddenly laughed out loud. This woman’s reaction was always new and unusual.
“The Count Graham’s trial will be held next week. The trial is generally open to the public, but as an exception, we have decided to hold it in private. If you want to attend, I will tell Noah.”
“Yes, I would like to attend.”
“And Noah will stay here until the Count’s trial is over.”
In fact, the trial was practically a done deal. Carson already knew what the court would decide. He had met Count Graham himself in the past few days and had learned a lot from him.
So Noah didn’t need to stay here. However, if Ines felt even a little bit more at ease because of him, Carson could bear the inconvenience.
“So if you have a problem, or if you are worried, or if you want to see him... you can go see Noah.”
“Yes.”
Compared to his careful delivery, Ines’s answer was too neat and dry. Her reaction always made Carson happy, but not today, when he had something to say.
On the other hand, Ines thought his words were unreasonable.
If there was a problem, or if she was worried, or if she wanted to see him, nothing would be solved by going to Noah. However, she was not unaware of his consideration.
“By the way, why are you going to the palace?”
Carson glanced at Ines’ hand, which was resting on the Bible. She was clenching her fist so tightly that it was almost transparent, and blue veins were standing out on her hand. It meant that she was asking a question with great courage.
“Ines, I am twenty-one this year.”
Ines blinked her big eyes at the ambiguous words that could hardly be called an answer to her question.
“And most members of the royal family marry before they turn twenty.”
“Oh, yes...”
This time, Ines’ answer made Carson hesitate unusually. He raised his voice a little to change the mood.
“What were you doing?”
“I was reading the Bible.”
“Can you read me some part of it?”
After going back in time, Ines started reading the Bible again and before she knew it, she was halfway through it. Ines opened the page right after where she was reading.
“To share in his glory, you must also share in his sufferings. You have longed for your own salvation, but what you see is not what you hope for.”
“...”
“Then his will alone will save you, and you shall follow his laws when dealing with your enemies.”
That part was a passage that Carson knew well. Although it was quite long and majestic, it felt somewhat sad when combined with Ines’ calm voice.
“I hope that your present sufferings will not be compared to his future glory. When he forgives your sins, no one will hold you guilty anymore...”
She slowly raised her head as she calmly read the Bible and looked at Carson. Her eyes that met his seemed empty, or as if they contained too much.
“If someone offers you a hand and asks you to walk ten steps with him, give him everything you have. So...”
Somewhere, a wind full of the scent of autumn passed by, ruffling Ines’s dark golden hair.
The slightly cooler wind seemed to cool down her hot head and chest a little. The two eyes that met each other as if they were entangling each other were saying too much, so Ines couldn’t say anything.
So Ines told him what she had to say, not what she wanted to say.
“Thus, those who want too much will eventually... go home empty-handed.”
Carson stared at Ines, who was looking straight into his eyes without avoiding his, for a while.
In that moment, the feeling he had forgotten came over him again. The suffocation that had suddenly come over him since he had first seen her. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. It felt like his stomach was boiling white with an inexplicable suffocation.
At that moment, Susan came to them with tea.
He could clearly hear the sound of the teacup hitting the saucer, and even the gentle sound of the steaming tea pouring into the cup. In the strange silence surrounding her, Susan forgot that she was pouring tea and looked at the two people.
As a result, she made a mistake she had never made before. The spout of the teapot she was holding went out of the teacup.
“Oh!”
As the tea that Susan had spilled flowed toward Ines’ Bible, Carson instinctively picked up her book.
“I’m sorry, Miss.”
Susan bowed her head and stepped back, and Ines stared blankly at the Bible that Carson was carrying.
At that moment, the portrait of Carson von Raymond that had been carefully placed inside the Bible fell out of the book without any resistance and began to fall freely.
Ines and Susan’s faces turned pale at the same time. Fortunately, the portrait that fell with a thud revealed the back side instead of the front. Susan quickly moved her body to pick it up.
But Carson’s long arms were faster.
Carson, who had picked up the paper and was examining it, tilted his head. Seeing that, Ines shouted urgently.
“Oh, my lord. Don’t think of anything strange.”
“What strange thought did I have?”
Ines bit her lower lip and reached out to snatch the portrait from him. But he quickly lifted it above her head.
“Tell me. What strange thought did I have?”
Ines was not short, but she was not tall enough to snatch something from his fingertips. She could not jump up and snatch the object from the royal family’s hand. Carson’s eyes, which met hers, were slightly crumpled with an unknown emotion.
“Give me.”
“What?”
“The thing you are holding in your hand.”
“So what is this?”
“Yes, my lord’s portrait.”
He glanced up at the object in his hand.
“Now that I think about it, it looks like that. But where did you get this?”
Ines even closed her eyes tightly. What good would it do to lie in this situation?
“Susan saved me.”
“Oh, your maid.”
Carson looked at Susan once. He smiled faintly, but she lowered her head further as if she had committed a crime, at a loss.
“Susan saved me... Does that mean you asked the maid yourself?”
“Yes, that’s right. But many people have a portrait of the lord. As you know, the lord is the most handsome man in the empire. I think half of the maids in our family have a portrait of the lord. Susan, Susan has one too. Right, Susan?”
Susan didn’t, but quickly replied, “Yes, yes.”
Carson was secretly surprised that Ines could talk so quickly and without pause. He had only thought of her as a woman with deep eyes who left a lingering impression.
But this wasn’t bad either.
“Do you have other people’s portraits?”
“Huh? No. Not really. But as I said, this is a trend that’s going around in the realm. So other noblewomen...”
“No, I don’t care what other women are like.”
Carson just sat down. He put the portraits he was holding back into the Bible. Ines couldn’t even blink and watched his actions.
“Here they are.”
Fortunately, he returned them carefully.
Ines took the Bible he handed her and carefully checked it for any wet spots. In the meantime, she didn’t forget to check if the portraits inside were intact. It was hard to believe that she was acting like that because she had just been caught in a scandal.
“Thank you.”
“I gave you back what was yours, so you shouldn’t be grateful.”
He shrugged and jumped up from his seat again.
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