Carson tilted his head slightly to the right.
“If you’re going to say sorry, then stop.”
Ines bit her lower lip, having been hit hard.
“If I hadn’t seen you today, you wouldn’t have said anything to me.”
Ines, who was forbidden from saying sorry, couldn’t say anything.
“No matter where you go and what kind of dangerous thing happens, there will be days when I don’t even know that it happened to you.”
She suddenly felt that he was suffering. Just as a merciful God cannot ignore human suffering. So she couldn’t help but ask.
“Would you like me to tell you everything?”
“There’s no medicine. Just like there’s no medicine for nightmares.”
“...”
“To put it simply... You could say it’s a nightmare that I have during the day.”
Carson clenched his empty hands that had lost their warmth. And he couldn’t ask anymore.
Was there anything he could do if her nightmares continued? It wasn’t like he could erase the remaining two years of her time in the temple.
He had a harder time enduring helplessness than anything else in the world. How could he be any different from his father?
“I didn’t want to show you this...”
“...”
“To put it simply... You could say it’s a nightmare that I have during the day.”
Carson clenched his empty hands that had lost their warmth. And he couldn’t ask anymore.
Was there anything he could do if her nightmares continued? It wasn’t like he could erase the remaining two years of her time in the temple.
He had a harder time enduring helplessness than anything else in the world. How could he be any different from his father?
“I didn’t want to show you this...”
“If you’re going to say sorry, then stop.”
Ines bit her lower lip, having been hit hard.
“If I hadn’t seen you today, you wouldn’t have said anything to me.”
Ines, who was forbidden from saying sorry, couldn’t say anything.
“No matter where you go and what kind of dangerous thing happens, there will be days when I don’t even know that it happened to you.”
She suddenly felt that he was suffering. Just as a merciful God cannot ignore human suffering. So she couldn’t help but ask.
“Would you like me to tell you everything?”
She couldn’t bear to see him suffering any longer.
“Yes. Don’t hide anything from me and tell me everything.”
He would despair at not being able to go save Ines, but he didn’t want to live without knowing anything. At least Carson wanted to tell her that he remembered what she was going through.
“I will definitely do that. I promise. But, my lord...”
“Why?”
“You must meet me again in two years.”
Of course, he was not the type to go back on his word once he said it, but Ines had to get a definite answer once again after experiencing what happened today. Being able to breathe together in the space he was in was the only luxury she could enjoy.
Even though she knew he would definitely say yes, her heart pounded. With one word from him, her two years would go back and forth between heaven and hell.
The moment she finally got an answer from Carson, she heard a bell ringing in the distance.
The eight tolls that the two had agreed to meet had long since ended.
“I must go.”
If Carson had just said one word to the high priest, Ines could have been with him today. But he didn’t. She was the one who was left behind in the place he had stirred up.
So Carson decided to remain faithful to her shadow until the end.
“That’s right.”
He stood up and held out his arm. He did the kind of courtesy a nobleman would give a noblewoman.
“Come with me, Lady Ines Swenden. I’ll take you where you’re going.”
She smiled brightly at the familiar yet distant sight.
“Yes, thank you, Count Raymond.”
Carson escorted her just to the door. When the door opened, Ines broke away from him.
“From here on, I'm Ines, the maid.”
And she bowed slightly, like a woman who had been a maid all her life.
When she came out, it was still bright, unlike inside the room.
As Ines made her way toward the dining room, he followed her a little behind. Carson kept glancing down at Ines. She had worn high heels at Landhill, but here she was wearing very low and comfortable shoes.
Because of that, her plump forehead and rosy cheeks stood out a little more.
Then suddenly it occurred to him that her gaze was sparkling with meaning. With a slight smile on her lips.
Slowly following his gaze was the red-haired man.
Carson stopped dead in his tracks.
“Have you known each other?”
“Yes?”
Hearing his tone for the first time, his gaze naturally rose.
“The person you’re looking at right now.”
“Ah...”
He had been looking straight ahead, but he slowly tilted his head to meet Ines’ eyes. His golden eyes had a sharp, unclear light.
“I saw you two standing face to face and talking earlier.”
“When...?”
“Even in the training center, you were covering up the clothes he gave you.”
Ines felt something blunt scratching her chest at the unfamiliar expression. While she was unable to answer because she was trying to figure out Carson’s feelings, he leaned in.
“Who is that guy?”
She took a big step back from him because of the man who was striding towards her. But Carson didn’t allow that gap. He stretched out his arm to support her back and pulled Ines in so that she was completely pressed against his body.
“Tell me quickly. If you don’t, I don’t know what I’ll do.”
“Marcus Knights.”
His brow furrowed at the name that she had hurriedly uttered as if possessed.
“Marcus Knights...?”
“The knight of the lord’s castle, whom I cut with my sword.”
“Ah.”
“Yes. Don’t hide anything from me and tell me everything.”
He would despair at not being able to go save Ines, but he didn’t want to live without knowing anything. At least Carson wanted to tell her that he remembered what she was going through.
“I will definitely do that. I promise. But, my lord...”
“Why?”
“You must meet me again in two years.”
Of course, he was not the type to go back on his word once he said it, but Ines had to get a definite answer once again after experiencing what happened today. Being able to breathe together in the space he was in was the only luxury she could enjoy.
Even though she knew he would definitely say yes, her heart pounded. With one word from him, her two years would go back and forth between heaven and hell.
The moment she finally got an answer from Carson, she heard a bell ringing in the distance.
The eight tolls that the two had agreed to meet had long since ended.
“I must go.”
If Carson had just said one word to the high priest, Ines could have been with him today. But he didn’t. She was the one who was left behind in the place he had stirred up.
So Carson decided to remain faithful to her shadow until the end.
“That’s right.”
He stood up and held out his arm. He did the kind of courtesy a nobleman would give a noblewoman.
“Come with me, Lady Ines Swenden. I’ll take you where you’re going.”
She smiled brightly at the familiar yet distant sight.
“Yes, thank you, Count Raymond.”
Carson escorted her just to the door. When the door opened, Ines broke away from him.
“From here on, I'm Ines, the maid.”
And she bowed slightly, like a woman who had been a maid all her life.
When she came out, it was still bright, unlike inside the room.
As Ines made her way toward the dining room, he followed her a little behind. Carson kept glancing down at Ines. She had worn high heels at Landhill, but here she was wearing very low and comfortable shoes.
Because of that, her plump forehead and rosy cheeks stood out a little more.
Then suddenly it occurred to him that her gaze was sparkling with meaning. With a slight smile on her lips.
Slowly following his gaze was the red-haired man.
Carson stopped dead in his tracks.
“Have you known each other?”
“Yes?”
Hearing his tone for the first time, his gaze naturally rose.
“The person you’re looking at right now.”
“Ah...”
He had been looking straight ahead, but he slowly tilted his head to meet Ines’ eyes. His golden eyes had a sharp, unclear light.
“I saw you two standing face to face and talking earlier.”
“When...?”
“Even in the training center, you were covering up the clothes he gave you.”
Ines felt something blunt scratching her chest at the unfamiliar expression. While she was unable to answer because she was trying to figure out Carson’s feelings, he leaned in.
“Who is that guy?”
She took a big step back from him because of the man who was striding towards her. But Carson didn’t allow that gap. He stretched out his arm to support her back and pulled Ines in so that she was completely pressed against his body.
“Tell me quickly. If you don’t, I don’t know what I’ll do.”
“Marcus Knights.”
His brow furrowed at the name that she had hurriedly uttered as if possessed.
“Marcus Knights...?”
“The knight of the lord’s castle, whom I cut with my sword.”
“Ah.”
He sighed as if he remembered, but he didn’t relax his arms that held her at all.
For some reason, Ines felt a little uncomfortable. When had she ever felt his embrace like this? She was surprised at her own change, but she needed to get away from him for now.
“If you could just let go of these arms...”
He also raised his eyebrows, perhaps because Ines’s desire was strange.
“Why?”
“People pass by here.”
“...Since when did you start caring about that?”
Carson’s words were true, so she couldn’t say anything and just rolled her eyes here and there. After a moment, he snickered and let go of her arms. Ines adjusted her clothes for no reason and started walking again.
“But Ines, don’t get too close to him.”
“Huh? Why are you...?”
“Are you asking me when you don’t know?”
Ines nodded, really not knowing. Carson, seeing her innocent expression, laughed out loud.
“Isn’t that obvious? He’s going to be a priest.”
With that, he walked ahead of Ines.
She briefly considered whether she should say, “Marcus Knights isn’t here to be a priest,” but quickly shook the thought off.
It was clear that the fact wasn’t that important to Carson, and somehow she instinctively judged that there was no good in saying that now.
Ines started walking harder than she was doing now, trying to keep up with the man who was walking briskly on his long legs on such a nice day. The path they walked together was short, like a good dream.
When she saw a restaurant in the distance, she stopped him from following her.
“Go back and rest. I’ll be back when I’m done. I have something to give you.”
“I’ll go with you all the way .”
“No.”
For some reason, Ines felt a little uncomfortable. When had she ever felt his embrace like this? She was surprised at her own change, but she needed to get away from him for now.
“If you could just let go of these arms...”
He also raised his eyebrows, perhaps because Ines’s desire was strange.
“Why?”
“People pass by here.”
“...Since when did you start caring about that?”
Carson’s words were true, so she couldn’t say anything and just rolled her eyes here and there. After a moment, he snickered and let go of her arms. Ines adjusted her clothes for no reason and started walking again.
“But Ines, don’t get too close to him.”
“Huh? Why are you...?”
“Are you asking me when you don’t know?”
Ines nodded, really not knowing. Carson, seeing her innocent expression, laughed out loud.
“Isn’t that obvious? He’s going to be a priest.”
With that, he walked ahead of Ines.
She briefly considered whether she should say, “Marcus Knights isn’t here to be a priest,” but quickly shook the thought off.
It was clear that the fact wasn’t that important to Carson, and somehow she instinctively judged that there was no good in saying that now.
Ines started walking harder than she was doing now, trying to keep up with the man who was walking briskly on his long legs on such a nice day. The path they walked together was short, like a good dream.
When she saw a restaurant in the distance, she stopped him from following her.
“Go back and rest. I’ll be back when I’m done. I have something to give you.”
“I’ll go with you all the way .”
“No.”
“It’s just around the corner from here.”
She waved at him as she spoke.
She lightly left, wearing a black apron and her white skirt fluttering. She was disappearing into a painting depicting an old castle with an autumn landscape in the background.
That night, Ines kept her promise to him. However, she left a trace of herself outside the door as if she had no intention of showing her face again.
The unfinished gusset hung on the doorknob of his room. She had cleverly made an armor-piercing dagger and attached it to the gusset, which had his name engraved all the way to the end.
The two parted ways without any particular greetings. Carson simply watched her busily going back and forth since dawn from afar. It was a possible parting because it wasn’t a permanent parting.
Carson thought that if he rode hard on horseback, he could blow away the thoughts that kept coming to him in the wind. However, he gave up riding as he heard the sound of the horse’s hooves that kept going against the grain.
“Whew...”
Carson took a deep breath as he got on the carriage. He had been busy unifying the territory and not having time to open his eyes. He worked every single day to meet her. He thought that his boiling heart would calm down a little after seeing her.
“What’s on your mind?”
Noah asked as if it was natural, following Carson’s sigh.
People don’t know, but Carson didn’t usually like being serious. No matter how difficult the task was, he always smiled and shrugged his shoulders as if it was nothing. No one could know what kind of war was going on in his head.
But now, he couldn’t say that it was nothing, even in vain.
It meant that everything was outside his orbit.
“Well, maybe time isn’t flowing well...”
“Time can’t be stopped by anyone, so it will eventually flow.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
Before coming here, Ines’ time had been a problem. He had been worried about the slow pace of time in the new world she was experiencing. But somehow, now he felt like his moments would feel longer.
Then, suddenly, the name of the knight Ines had mentioned came to mind. His name was...
“Marcus...”
“You mean Marcus Knight?”
“How do you know that name?”
Noah tilted his head. Since he was young, he was used to reviewing documents and judging the world from them rather than actually encountering situations. For him, it was easier to remember people by name than by looking at their faces.
“The Knights have been a famous knight family for generations. I remember him as the third son of that family.”
“Smartass.”
“Ues?”
“But why can’t you recognize someone when you see them?”
“What is that... Ah!”
Only then did Noah remember that most men in the Knights family had red hair.
“Isn’t that Sir Marcus the friend who was stabbed by Lady Swenden?”
“Yes.”
Noah nodded as if he had a great realization.
“Now that I think about it, it makes sense that you two are close.”
“Close?”
“No, I meant that you two knew each other.”
“Why on earth is the third son of a knight family here?”
Noah hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should tell him what happened a year ago. However, he didn’t think long. Whatever it was, it was his duty to report it to his lord.
“In fact, Sir Marcus resigned from his knighthood right after meeting Lady Swenden.”
“What...?”
“At that time, everyone tried to dissuade him because he was going to take a difficult path. Even his father came to ask him to dissuade him.”
“But?”
“But he was stubborn. He felt deeply impressed by Lady Ines Swenden. He received great encouragement from her...”
She lightly left, wearing a black apron and her white skirt fluttering. She was disappearing into a painting depicting an old castle with an autumn landscape in the background.
That night, Ines kept her promise to him. However, she left a trace of herself outside the door as if she had no intention of showing her face again.
The unfinished gusset hung on the doorknob of his room. She had cleverly made an armor-piercing dagger and attached it to the gusset, which had his name engraved all the way to the end.
The two parted ways without any particular greetings. Carson simply watched her busily going back and forth since dawn from afar. It was a possible parting because it wasn’t a permanent parting.
***
Carson thought that if he rode hard on horseback, he could blow away the thoughts that kept coming to him in the wind. However, he gave up riding as he heard the sound of the horse’s hooves that kept going against the grain.
“Whew...”
Carson took a deep breath as he got on the carriage. He had been busy unifying the territory and not having time to open his eyes. He worked every single day to meet her. He thought that his boiling heart would calm down a little after seeing her.
“What’s on your mind?”
Noah asked as if it was natural, following Carson’s sigh.
People don’t know, but Carson didn’t usually like being serious. No matter how difficult the task was, he always smiled and shrugged his shoulders as if it was nothing. No one could know what kind of war was going on in his head.
But now, he couldn’t say that it was nothing, even in vain.
It meant that everything was outside his orbit.
“Well, maybe time isn’t flowing well...”
“Time can’t be stopped by anyone, so it will eventually flow.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
Before coming here, Ines’ time had been a problem. He had been worried about the slow pace of time in the new world she was experiencing. But somehow, now he felt like his moments would feel longer.
Then, suddenly, the name of the knight Ines had mentioned came to mind. His name was...
“Marcus...”
“You mean Marcus Knight?”
“How do you know that name?”
Noah tilted his head. Since he was young, he was used to reviewing documents and judging the world from them rather than actually encountering situations. For him, it was easier to remember people by name than by looking at their faces.
“The Knights have been a famous knight family for generations. I remember him as the third son of that family.”
“Smartass.”
“Ues?”
“But why can’t you recognize someone when you see them?”
“What is that... Ah!”
Only then did Noah remember that most men in the Knights family had red hair.
“Isn’t that Sir Marcus the friend who was stabbed by Lady Swenden?”
“Yes.”
Noah nodded as if he had a great realization.
“Now that I think about it, it makes sense that you two are close.”
“Close?”
“No, I meant that you two knew each other.”
“Why on earth is the third son of a knight family here?”
Noah hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should tell him what happened a year ago. However, he didn’t think long. Whatever it was, it was his duty to report it to his lord.
“In fact, Sir Marcus resigned from his knighthood right after meeting Lady Swenden.”
“What...?”
“At that time, everyone tried to dissuade him because he was going to take a difficult path. Even his father came to ask him to dissuade him.”
“But?”
“But he was stubborn. He felt deeply impressed by Lady Ines Swenden. He received great encouragement from her...”
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