If we can’t penetrate Pisterra for that reason, the railroad that was laid from the middle of Lesonia will all be useless. No, maybe we’ll have to start over from the border of Landhill.
“So!”
The moment Ines met Carson’s eyes, she realized what it meant to tell him what she knew. But she had no choice but to say it. Ines averted her gaze from him.
“So, I read it in some book... Of course, I don’t remember the title of the book.”
He looked at Ines with an expression telling her to continue.
“That mountain has weak ground, so we can’t dig a tunnel. It looks like a mountain with a lot of rocks on the outside, but it’s not like that when you actually dig it. It keeps collapsing.”
“Why is the ground weak?”
“That mountain is a region that is greatly affected by the sea breeze, so it has a lot of fine sand mixed in.”
“I read that... in some book.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“How did the author of that book know that?”
“Oh, maybe there was a ground subsidence phenomenon nearby? I don’t remember that much either.”
The woman, who had been unable to remember much since earlier, was trying to avoid eye contact with him.
“That’s something that Dropinua, who had been working on building the railroad for years, didn’t know.”
“So, didn’t he come up with this kind of design?”
Carson didn’t say anything. Ines thought that he was very suspicious of her. And his suspicion and caution were natural.
It was too absurd to ask him to believe her unconditionally. The weak ground was something that could not be known without digging the ground yourself.
“I guess... you wouldn’t be able to completely believe what I say, right?”
“No, I believe you.”
Ines raised her head, which had been bowed down. Carson and Ines’ gazes met in the air. At that moment, Carson realized that the strange sensation he had felt when he first saw this woman might not have been just suffocation.
Suddenly, his throat became dry at the sight of the woman sitting on the floor and looking up at him. He swept his bare neck for no reason.
“Really?”
He nodded, clearing his throat, and walked toward Ines with large steps.
As Carson approached, Ines had to bend her head back further to see him. As he got closer, her eyes naturally focused on his sharp chin.
“Yes, if that’s what you’re saying, then that’s what it must be.”
That one word of trust gave her courage. A bright smile naturally appeared on her face.
“Then, will this help?”
“Yes, it will.”
At the word of help, Ines jumped up from her seat.
“If he can’t build a railroad through that mountain, then the right to build the railroad is mine.”
He glanced down at Ines and continued.
“You may not even think about it, Your Majesty, but I started thinking about railroads a long time ago.”
“Then that’s really great.”
“Of course. So right now, I should be feeling really good...”
“...”
“Why does that feel irrelevant right now?”
His voice dropped to a low pitch, and there was a scratchy sound.
The moment she heard that voice, Ines remembered that she was alone with this man in a room with all four sides blocked off. Carson’s gaze swept hotly over Ines’ face.
Was it just her that felt the atmosphere in the room was heavy?
Ines stepped back a little to shake off the strange feeling. Carson seemed to smile slightly at her, but it wasn’t certain.
“Um, but my lord.”
Instead of answering, Carson tilted his head.
“Aren’t you upset?”
“What?”
“I have your portrait without permission.”
His brow furrowed slightly at those words.
“Should I be upset? I’ve never really thought about it.”
Ines lowered her head, thinking that she was relieved, and let out a quiet sigh.
“But now that I think about it, I feel upset.”
“Yes?”
When she lifted her face, he frowned and seemed to be holding back a laugh.
“That’s right. Who would look at my face at any moment? Who would do something with it?”
She didn’t mean to think bad thoughts while looking at the portrait, but he was absolutely right. Ines nodded.
“T-that’s right. I was short-sighted.”
“So, give it back?”
“Yes?”
“Are you going to give me back that portrait?”
“I should... I guess.”
Ines bit her lower lip. She didn’t want to give it back. Especially not now, when he had to go far away.
“No, don’t do that.”
Ines stared intently at him, unable to understand his intentions.
“I’ll only allow you to.”
“Yes?”
“And from now on, I’m going to be very angry at anyone who has my portrait without permission.”
“Are you saying I can carry it?”
“You said it’s fashionable to carry my portrait around.”
“Yes.”
“You don’t mind other women carrying my portrait around?”
It was a question she had never thought about. I can’t monopolize the face of a God, right?
But after hearing him say that, somehow... she didn’t like it.
“Take Susan’s too.”
Susan would have been very offended if she heard it, but Ines couldn’t say anything.
He came right up to her and met her gaze a little more. Then he reached out and tilted his body sharply to the left. At that moment, Ines closed her eyes without realizing it.
Carson stretched out his long arm and pulled the rope right next to the bed.
Ines was so amazed by his large and long body. Who would have thought that his arm could reach the rope from where he was standing? When she opened her eyes wide in pure surprise, she saw him close his eyes tightly.
For a moment, she thought she heard a hearty laugh.
Soon after, Susan appeared.
“Did you call?”
“Noah, call my aide.”
“Yes.”
As Susan was about to leave, he hurriedly called her back.
“Oh, not here, but to the Viscount’s office.”
As he gave Susan orders, Ines sat down on the floor again. He was thinking of organizing the things he had laid out.
After finishing the order, he looked at the woman who had already sat down again. Why does this woman not hesitate to sit down on the floor for him whenever he needs her the most?
When he reached out to help her up, she put her hand on his without hesitation, just like that day in the square. When he pulled lightly, she came gently along.
As she was about to raise her body, Ines realized that there were documents under her feet. She moved her feet to avoid stepping on them, and her body tilted to one side.
“Uh-huh!”
At that moment, Carson tightly wrapped his arms around Ines’ waist with the arm that was not holding her hand. Ines’s feet lifted off the floor.
He lightly carried her and put her down in an empty space. Even after their feet touched the floor, the two of them did not think that they had to separate from each other.
Ines placed both hands on his chest and looked down to see if the documents were okay.
And Carson placed his hands on her waist and looked down to see if Ines was okay.
She could have pushed away a man who had not properly conveyed his feelings, but she never did. Even that day when she had seen Joseph, her lover, do dirty things, Ines had left herself in his arms.
He wanted to know what this woman was thinking right now, and he also never wanted to know.
Then suddenly, a nasty curiosity occurred to him.
“Surely, you wouldn’t grab anyone who reached out to you, right?”
Ines snickered at his words. Carson realized for the first time that she could smile like that.
“You said two months?”
“Yes.”
The moment she answered yes, Carson realized that the time seemed very long to him.
“Don’t cause trouble in the meantime.”
“I’ll try... I’ll try.”
He hugged her again. Even then, there was no response from Ines. She was still neither positive nor negative, just compliant.
But Carson didn’t care. He thought that this innocent noble lady knew how to secretly obtain and keep portraits and make tokens to give to her lover, but she just didn’t know how to act in a man’s arms.
“After that time passes, our lives will... change a lot.”
Ines nodded. As he said, after that time passes, her life will be completely different. Carson let go of Ines and took a few steps back.
A serious expression appeared on his face that wasn’t there just now.
“I’ll tell Noah about Pisterra and leave right away.”
Ines also straightened up as he started to use formal language again.
“Yes, take care of yourself, and have a safe trip.”
Carson eventually left Ines in the room and went on his way.
Everyone with the surname of Swenden wanted to come out to the garden and see him off, but he told Noah what to do and rode away. Somehow he didn’t want such a grand farewell.
Count Graham’s trial was unusually quick.
Ines’s past life, her trial was very long. After being accused of Joseph’s murder, she fought a sluggish legal battle for six months.
The Keynes Empire was able to appeal twice, and her father naturally wanted a continued trial. The two trials were in writing, but the last one required everyone to appear in person.
Despite her father’s efforts, the inescapable web of cobwebs kept the first verdict intact.
Ines often wondered what would have happened if she hadn’t gone to that court that day. The memory of that place, which always drove her into terrible nightmares, remained an unforgettable scar.
“Are you okay, young lady? Your complexion is pale.”
All the way to Graham's courtroom, Ines was so nervous that her palms were sweating.
She knew Susan was worried, but she couldn't say anything in vain. But she still wanted to see it. The end of the one who had dragged her life into a swamp and was still eating away at her life.
No matter how heinous the crime, if you wanted it, you were given three chances. But the trial involving the royal family ended in a single trial. The rain that had been falling since morning slowed down the carriage.
The moment Ines met Carson’s eyes, she realized what it meant to tell him what she knew. But she had no choice but to say it. Ines averted her gaze from him.
“So, I read it in some book... Of course, I don’t remember the title of the book.”
He looked at Ines with an expression telling her to continue.
“That mountain has weak ground, so we can’t dig a tunnel. It looks like a mountain with a lot of rocks on the outside, but it’s not like that when you actually dig it. It keeps collapsing.”
“Why is the ground weak?”
“That mountain is a region that is greatly affected by the sea breeze, so it has a lot of fine sand mixed in.”
“I read that... in some book.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“How did the author of that book know that?”
“Oh, maybe there was a ground subsidence phenomenon nearby? I don’t remember that much either.”
The woman, who had been unable to remember much since earlier, was trying to avoid eye contact with him.
“That’s something that Dropinua, who had been working on building the railroad for years, didn’t know.”
“So, didn’t he come up with this kind of design?”
Carson didn’t say anything. Ines thought that he was very suspicious of her. And his suspicion and caution were natural.
It was too absurd to ask him to believe her unconditionally. The weak ground was something that could not be known without digging the ground yourself.
“I guess... you wouldn’t be able to completely believe what I say, right?”
“No, I believe you.”
Ines raised her head, which had been bowed down. Carson and Ines’ gazes met in the air. At that moment, Carson realized that the strange sensation he had felt when he first saw this woman might not have been just suffocation.
Suddenly, his throat became dry at the sight of the woman sitting on the floor and looking up at him. He swept his bare neck for no reason.
“Really?”
He nodded, clearing his throat, and walked toward Ines with large steps.
As Carson approached, Ines had to bend her head back further to see him. As he got closer, her eyes naturally focused on his sharp chin.
“Yes, if that’s what you’re saying, then that’s what it must be.”
That one word of trust gave her courage. A bright smile naturally appeared on her face.
“Then, will this help?”
“Yes, it will.”
At the word of help, Ines jumped up from her seat.
“If he can’t build a railroad through that mountain, then the right to build the railroad is mine.”
He glanced down at Ines and continued.
“You may not even think about it, Your Majesty, but I started thinking about railroads a long time ago.”
“Then that’s really great.”
“Of course. So right now, I should be feeling really good...”
“...”
“Why does that feel irrelevant right now?”
His voice dropped to a low pitch, and there was a scratchy sound.
The moment she heard that voice, Ines remembered that she was alone with this man in a room with all four sides blocked off. Carson’s gaze swept hotly over Ines’ face.
Was it just her that felt the atmosphere in the room was heavy?
Ines stepped back a little to shake off the strange feeling. Carson seemed to smile slightly at her, but it wasn’t certain.
“Um, but my lord.”
Instead of answering, Carson tilted his head.
“Aren’t you upset?”
“What?”
“I have your portrait without permission.”
His brow furrowed slightly at those words.
“Should I be upset? I’ve never really thought about it.”
Ines lowered her head, thinking that she was relieved, and let out a quiet sigh.
“But now that I think about it, I feel upset.”
“Yes?”
When she lifted her face, he frowned and seemed to be holding back a laugh.
“That’s right. Who would look at my face at any moment? Who would do something with it?”
She didn’t mean to think bad thoughts while looking at the portrait, but he was absolutely right. Ines nodded.
“T-that’s right. I was short-sighted.”
“So, give it back?”
“Yes?”
“Are you going to give me back that portrait?”
“I should... I guess.”
Ines bit her lower lip. She didn’t want to give it back. Especially not now, when he had to go far away.
“No, don’t do that.”
Ines stared intently at him, unable to understand his intentions.
“I’ll only allow you to.”
“Yes?”
“And from now on, I’m going to be very angry at anyone who has my portrait without permission.”
“Are you saying I can carry it?”
“You said it’s fashionable to carry my portrait around.”
“Yes.”
“You don’t mind other women carrying my portrait around?”
It was a question she had never thought about. I can’t monopolize the face of a God, right?
But after hearing him say that, somehow... she didn’t like it.
“Take Susan’s too.”
Susan would have been very offended if she heard it, but Ines couldn’t say anything.
He came right up to her and met her gaze a little more. Then he reached out and tilted his body sharply to the left. At that moment, Ines closed her eyes without realizing it.
Carson stretched out his long arm and pulled the rope right next to the bed.
Ines was so amazed by his large and long body. Who would have thought that his arm could reach the rope from where he was standing? When she opened her eyes wide in pure surprise, she saw him close his eyes tightly.
For a moment, she thought she heard a hearty laugh.
Soon after, Susan appeared.
“Did you call?”
“Noah, call my aide.”
“Yes.”
As Susan was about to leave, he hurriedly called her back.
“Oh, not here, but to the Viscount’s office.”
As he gave Susan orders, Ines sat down on the floor again. He was thinking of organizing the things he had laid out.
After finishing the order, he looked at the woman who had already sat down again. Why does this woman not hesitate to sit down on the floor for him whenever he needs her the most?
When he reached out to help her up, she put her hand on his without hesitation, just like that day in the square. When he pulled lightly, she came gently along.
As she was about to raise her body, Ines realized that there were documents under her feet. She moved her feet to avoid stepping on them, and her body tilted to one side.
“Uh-huh!”
At that moment, Carson tightly wrapped his arms around Ines’ waist with the arm that was not holding her hand. Ines’s feet lifted off the floor.
He lightly carried her and put her down in an empty space. Even after their feet touched the floor, the two of them did not think that they had to separate from each other.
Ines placed both hands on his chest and looked down to see if the documents were okay.
And Carson placed his hands on her waist and looked down to see if Ines was okay.
She could have pushed away a man who had not properly conveyed his feelings, but she never did. Even that day when she had seen Joseph, her lover, do dirty things, Ines had left herself in his arms.
He wanted to know what this woman was thinking right now, and he also never wanted to know.
Then suddenly, a nasty curiosity occurred to him.
“Surely, you wouldn’t grab anyone who reached out to you, right?”
Ines snickered at his words. Carson realized for the first time that she could smile like that.
“You said two months?”
“Yes.”
The moment she answered yes, Carson realized that the time seemed very long to him.
“Don’t cause trouble in the meantime.”
“I’ll try... I’ll try.”
He hugged her again. Even then, there was no response from Ines. She was still neither positive nor negative, just compliant.
But Carson didn’t care. He thought that this innocent noble lady knew how to secretly obtain and keep portraits and make tokens to give to her lover, but she just didn’t know how to act in a man’s arms.
“After that time passes, our lives will... change a lot.”
Ines nodded. As he said, after that time passes, her life will be completely different. Carson let go of Ines and took a few steps back.
A serious expression appeared on his face that wasn’t there just now.
“I’ll tell Noah about Pisterra and leave right away.”
Ines also straightened up as he started to use formal language again.
“Yes, take care of yourself, and have a safe trip.”
Carson eventually left Ines in the room and went on his way.
Everyone with the surname of Swenden wanted to come out to the garden and see him off, but he told Noah what to do and rode away. Somehow he didn’t want such a grand farewell.
***
Count Graham’s trial was unusually quick.
Ines’s past life, her trial was very long. After being accused of Joseph’s murder, she fought a sluggish legal battle for six months.
The Keynes Empire was able to appeal twice, and her father naturally wanted a continued trial. The two trials were in writing, but the last one required everyone to appear in person.
Despite her father’s efforts, the inescapable web of cobwebs kept the first verdict intact.
Ines often wondered what would have happened if she hadn’t gone to that court that day. The memory of that place, which always drove her into terrible nightmares, remained an unforgettable scar.
“Are you okay, young lady? Your complexion is pale.”
All the way to Graham's courtroom, Ines was so nervous that her palms were sweating.
She knew Susan was worried, but she couldn't say anything in vain. But she still wanted to see it. The end of the one who had dragged her life into a swamp and was still eating away at her life.
No matter how heinous the crime, if you wanted it, you were given three chances. But the trial involving the royal family ended in a single trial. The rain that had been falling since morning slowed down the carriage.
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