“Wow, this seems even nicer than my bedroom when I was a noble.”
Carson quickly realized that she was talking about Fistera. He took a deep breath and Ines waited for a moment.
“I trust you. Whenever, whatever. But that doesn’t mean you can continue to cause trouble.”
Carson’s words of trust gave Ines courage this time.
“The entire southern part of the empire will soon be engulfed in a plague.”
He stared at her for a moment.
“Plague?”
The terrible epidemic that had suddenly begun one day had ultimately found no cause or solution.
“Did you read about it in a book this time? Are you going to say you saw a prophecy?”
“A few days before I left here, the maid who was staying with me in my room died. For no apparent reason. And another person died in the temple that day. I’m sure there were more by now.”
Ines had been thinking about it in the carriage for the past few days. It definitely wasn’t this year that the disease had broken out in Romfield.
Her fragmented and broken memory did not tell her the exact year, but it was definitely the following year that the first dead were found.
She had checked on Charlotte and Hansen for three days before coming here, but there was no sign of the plague. So there was little concern that she and her companions would spread the disease more quickly.
Ines was now twenty-two, the age she would be going to Romfield.
Given the isolation of the prison, it was possible that the disease would spread through the territory even faster.
Perhaps the temple or the temple where it was located was the source. The temple was also isolated and not a suitable place for the disease to spread quickly, but the temple was closer to the castle than Landhill. So the capital would be swept by the plague more quickly than here.
“It wasn’t a prophecy, but I read it in some book. I remember it was a history book from a distant foreign land. It said that countless people died looking exactly like that maid.”
“Of course, you don’t remember the title of the book this time, do you?”
The only way to know about the situation back in Romfield was through some of the magazines and newspapers she had read when she was dragged to Zemern’s room.
Ines didn’t know the exact time or content, but she only saw the headline that the disease had not crossed the mountain range heading north.
“That’s right.”
Ines, who was lying, couldn’t make eye contact with Carson this time either. Carson swallowed a breath of disbelief as he watched her eyes roll back.
“Don’t go around saying things like that. You could be accused of being a witch.”
Witch hunts had already disappeared from this land, but a remark like this could bring back the burning at the stake because of her. But she couldn’t help but tell him.
If you got that disease, half would die and half would live. The vicious disease would eventually kill one-sixth of the people in the empire before it ended.
All that was revealed was that there were people with a special constitution who were immune to the disease.
Surprisingly, there were many of them, and Ines was one of them. Since they stayed with the dead without getting sick, the guards entrusted the work of dealing with those who died from the disease to those with a special constitution.
The epidemic that terrified the entire empire tormented people terribly for about a year after it spread throughout the empire. And when the plague, which came like wrath, disappeared, it also died down just as quickly.
“I never talk about this anywhere else.”
“So what are you trying to say?”
While Charlotte looked around and chattered in a pleasant voice, Ines tilted her head at the familiar feeling. This room reminded her of her bedroom in Swenden mansion.
Especially the large balcony compared to the size of the room.
“Yes, it’s really nice.”
“Oh my, I can’t believe there’s a washroom too.”
Just like in Romfield, Charlotte adapted well anywhere. Of the four people staying with her, she was the one who was least harassed by the guards.
She spoke excitedly as if she had never lived as a noble. It wasn’t that she didn’t understand. There was only one washroom on each floor of the temple.
“Ines, aren’t you going to wash?”
Charlotte’s voice echoed slightly as if she had gone into the bathroom. Her body was tired from the long journey, but Ines was too anxious to rest. It was late at night, so it was difficult to ask Carson to meet her separately, so she hesitated for a moment, wondering what to do.
“You wash first.”
“Yes, I’ll wash first and go to bed early. If I don’t want to be hated by the maids here, I’ll wake up early and help out.”
The only work assigned to the two of them was related to Louis, but neither Charlotte nor Ines had any intention of taking it easy.
As Charlotte went inside, Ines made up her mind. It seemed right to convey the situation as soon as possible. Ines, standing in front of the mirror, was preparing herself and about to leave.
“It’s me.”
A familiar voice was heard from outside the door. She was surprised and ran to open the door. Carson was standing there with his hand raised, ready to knock.
“Your Highness!”
He smiled awkwardly.
“What about the other maid?”
“Charlotte? She’s just gone to wash.”
“Then, can I see you for a moment?”
“Yes, I was going to see you anyway.”
“Was you? Then I should have endured it a little.”
“Yes?”
“No, go ahead.”
Carson wanted to walk alongside Ines, but she followed him, slightly bending down. While he was mindful of the distance between them, Ines thought back to what had happened at the temple.
On the morning that Ines’ roommate died, as she had expected, there was another person found dead in the temple beside her. He was a low-ranking priest, and he had complained of the same symptoms as the dead maid for several days.
People simply thought it was death from overwork, but Ines knew. The shadow of death would soon cover the temple.
“...Nes, Ines.”
“Yes?”
“I don’t know what you're thinking about when I call you.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I was thinking about what happened at the temple...”
The two of them had already come to a beautifully decorated garden. Ines looked around with new eyes. He must have known where the moonlight was particularly abundant and had decorated the flower garden because even at night, the colorful flowers were in harmony.
Among them was the rare plumbago. It was Ines’ favorite flower. There were medium-sized trees adorning the surrounding area, and the beautiful deciduous trees surrounding the entire garden were beautiful.
Sometimes there were mansions where the backyard was decorated more beautifully than the main garden. While Ines was looking at the garden, Carson was watching her.
“Do you like the room?”
“Yes, the balcony was big, which was nice.”
“And the garden?”
“It’s amazing how many flowers I like there are.”
Carson smirked and raised his hand, swinging it around.
“There’s no one here right now.”
Then he slightly opened his arm, making room for Ines to put her hand in.
“How about going back to Lady Swenden, even for a moment?”
Ines hesitated for a moment, but there was no reason to refuse. This was not Edmont, but Landhill, and he was right in front of her. Now that she thought about it, he was still in his grown-up form. Everything was so perfect that she could have thought she was dreaming for a moment.
As she responded to his escort, she felt like she could hear music coming from somewhere. At this moment, neither the momentum of the plague that would soon hit the empire nor their fate would be because it mattered at all.
There were only two people strolling through a beautiful garden under the shining moonlight. They walked around every corner of the garden for a long time.
“Ines, aren’t you tired?”
When Carson used honorifics like before, Ines finally couldn’t stand it anymore and closed her eyes tightly. It was fortunate that she didn’t stamp her feet in awkwardness. She cleared her throat and answered as nonchalantly as possible.
“I’m fine.”
“Wasn’t it difficult to come here?”
“Yes, there was nothing difficult. Father Hansen took care of all the dirty work.”
Carson briefly recalled the handsome man with silver hair. Gray eyes were not common in Keynes. He had only seen him once in a foreign country. He had only exchanged greetings with Hansen, but he was a man who left an impression on him.
“I...Your Highness, would you please sit down for a moment? I have something to tell you.”
The two of them went to a bench on one side of the garden. They sat side by side. They still held each other’s arms.
Ines gripped Carson’s arm a little harder. Perhaps it was because she thought what she was about to say might upset him.
“Actually...”
Carson’s eyebrows narrowed at the confessional tone.
“I was in the waiting room at that time.”
“When... when?”
“When Your Highness met with the Empress.”
As she had expected, he quickly turned his gaze to Ines.
“What?”
She grabbed his arm tightly, not wanting to let go.
Especially the large balcony compared to the size of the room.
“Yes, it’s really nice.”
“Oh my, I can’t believe there’s a washroom too.”
Just like in Romfield, Charlotte adapted well anywhere. Of the four people staying with her, she was the one who was least harassed by the guards.
She spoke excitedly as if she had never lived as a noble. It wasn’t that she didn’t understand. There was only one washroom on each floor of the temple.
“Ines, aren’t you going to wash?”
Charlotte’s voice echoed slightly as if she had gone into the bathroom. Her body was tired from the long journey, but Ines was too anxious to rest. It was late at night, so it was difficult to ask Carson to meet her separately, so she hesitated for a moment, wondering what to do.
“You wash first.”
“Yes, I’ll wash first and go to bed early. If I don’t want to be hated by the maids here, I’ll wake up early and help out.”
The only work assigned to the two of them was related to Louis, but neither Charlotte nor Ines had any intention of taking it easy.
As Charlotte went inside, Ines made up her mind. It seemed right to convey the situation as soon as possible. Ines, standing in front of the mirror, was preparing herself and about to leave.
“It’s me.”
A familiar voice was heard from outside the door. She was surprised and ran to open the door. Carson was standing there with his hand raised, ready to knock.
“Your Highness!”
He smiled awkwardly.
“What about the other maid?”
“Charlotte? She’s just gone to wash.”
“Then, can I see you for a moment?”
“Yes, I was going to see you anyway.”
“Was you? Then I should have endured it a little.”
“Yes?”
“No, go ahead.”
Carson wanted to walk alongside Ines, but she followed him, slightly bending down. While he was mindful of the distance between them, Ines thought back to what had happened at the temple.
On the morning that Ines’ roommate died, as she had expected, there was another person found dead in the temple beside her. He was a low-ranking priest, and he had complained of the same symptoms as the dead maid for several days.
People simply thought it was death from overwork, but Ines knew. The shadow of death would soon cover the temple.
“...Nes, Ines.”
“Yes?”
“I don’t know what you're thinking about when I call you.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I was thinking about what happened at the temple...”
The two of them had already come to a beautifully decorated garden. Ines looked around with new eyes. He must have known where the moonlight was particularly abundant and had decorated the flower garden because even at night, the colorful flowers were in harmony.
Among them was the rare plumbago. It was Ines’ favorite flower. There were medium-sized trees adorning the surrounding area, and the beautiful deciduous trees surrounding the entire garden were beautiful.
Sometimes there were mansions where the backyard was decorated more beautifully than the main garden. While Ines was looking at the garden, Carson was watching her.
“Do you like the room?”
“Yes, the balcony was big, which was nice.”
“And the garden?”
“It’s amazing how many flowers I like there are.”
Carson smirked and raised his hand, swinging it around.
“There’s no one here right now.”
Then he slightly opened his arm, making room for Ines to put her hand in.
“How about going back to Lady Swenden, even for a moment?”
Ines hesitated for a moment, but there was no reason to refuse. This was not Edmont, but Landhill, and he was right in front of her. Now that she thought about it, he was still in his grown-up form. Everything was so perfect that she could have thought she was dreaming for a moment.
As she responded to his escort, she felt like she could hear music coming from somewhere. At this moment, neither the momentum of the plague that would soon hit the empire nor their fate would be because it mattered at all.
There were only two people strolling through a beautiful garden under the shining moonlight. They walked around every corner of the garden for a long time.
“Ines, aren’t you tired?”
When Carson used honorifics like before, Ines finally couldn’t stand it anymore and closed her eyes tightly. It was fortunate that she didn’t stamp her feet in awkwardness. She cleared her throat and answered as nonchalantly as possible.
“I’m fine.”
“Wasn’t it difficult to come here?”
“Yes, there was nothing difficult. Father Hansen took care of all the dirty work.”
Carson briefly recalled the handsome man with silver hair. Gray eyes were not common in Keynes. He had only seen him once in a foreign country. He had only exchanged greetings with Hansen, but he was a man who left an impression on him.
“I...Your Highness, would you please sit down for a moment? I have something to tell you.”
The two of them went to a bench on one side of the garden. They sat side by side. They still held each other’s arms.
Ines gripped Carson’s arm a little harder. Perhaps it was because she thought what she was about to say might upset him.
“Actually...”
Carson’s eyebrows narrowed at the confessional tone.
“I was in the waiting room at that time.”
“When... when?”
“When Your Highness met with the Empress.”
As she had expected, he quickly turned his gaze to Ines.
“What?”
She grabbed his arm tightly, not wanting to let go.
“Don’t be angry. I couldn’t help it. I know everything. The Empress and the Lord are not on good terms.”
“You sneaked in there? What if you got caught?”
Carson got angry, but Ines never said sorry. He had told her not to, and she didn’t really feel sorry.
Fortunately, he didn’t shake her arm. Ines trembled as she chose what to say. She had practiced countless times in the carriage on the way here, but it was useless in front of him.
“I was confident I wouldn’t get caught. I know the waiting room well.”
“That’s not what it was.”
“Anyway, I heard everything. About Monstera, and about Her Highness.”
“Ines, that’s not your problem. I can solve it somehow.”
“Yes, I know. I’m not saying that Your Highness can’t solve it. You might find it hard to believe what I’m about to say. But please believe me. At that time... Like that.”
“You sneaked in there? What if you got caught?”
Carson got angry, but Ines never said sorry. He had told her not to, and she didn’t really feel sorry.
Fortunately, he didn’t shake her arm. Ines trembled as she chose what to say. She had practiced countless times in the carriage on the way here, but it was useless in front of him.
“I was confident I wouldn’t get caught. I know the waiting room well.”
“That’s not what it was.”
“Anyway, I heard everything. About Monstera, and about Her Highness.”
“Ines, that’s not your problem. I can solve it somehow.”
“Yes, I know. I’m not saying that Your Highness can’t solve it. You might find it hard to believe what I’m about to say. But please believe me. At that time... Like that.”
Carson quickly realized that she was talking about Fistera. He took a deep breath and Ines waited for a moment.
“I trust you. Whenever, whatever. But that doesn’t mean you can continue to cause trouble.”
Carson’s words of trust gave Ines courage this time.
“The entire southern part of the empire will soon be engulfed in a plague.”
He stared at her for a moment.
“Plague?”
The terrible epidemic that had suddenly begun one day had ultimately found no cause or solution.
“Did you read about it in a book this time? Are you going to say you saw a prophecy?”
“A few days before I left here, the maid who was staying with me in my room died. For no apparent reason. And another person died in the temple that day. I’m sure there were more by now.”
Ines had been thinking about it in the carriage for the past few days. It definitely wasn’t this year that the disease had broken out in Romfield.
Her fragmented and broken memory did not tell her the exact year, but it was definitely the following year that the first dead were found.
She had checked on Charlotte and Hansen for three days before coming here, but there was no sign of the plague. So there was little concern that she and her companions would spread the disease more quickly.
Ines was now twenty-two, the age she would be going to Romfield.
Given the isolation of the prison, it was possible that the disease would spread through the territory even faster.
Perhaps the temple or the temple where it was located was the source. The temple was also isolated and not a suitable place for the disease to spread quickly, but the temple was closer to the castle than Landhill. So the capital would be swept by the plague more quickly than here.
“It wasn’t a prophecy, but I read it in some book. I remember it was a history book from a distant foreign land. It said that countless people died looking exactly like that maid.”
“Of course, you don’t remember the title of the book this time, do you?”
The only way to know about the situation back in Romfield was through some of the magazines and newspapers she had read when she was dragged to Zemern’s room.
Ines didn’t know the exact time or content, but she only saw the headline that the disease had not crossed the mountain range heading north.
“That’s right.”
Ines, who was lying, couldn’t make eye contact with Carson this time either. Carson swallowed a breath of disbelief as he watched her eyes roll back.
“Don’t go around saying things like that. You could be accused of being a witch.”
Witch hunts had already disappeared from this land, but a remark like this could bring back the burning at the stake because of her. But she couldn’t help but tell him.
If you got that disease, half would die and half would live. The vicious disease would eventually kill one-sixth of the people in the empire before it ended.
All that was revealed was that there were people with a special constitution who were immune to the disease.
Surprisingly, there were many of them, and Ines was one of them. Since they stayed with the dead without getting sick, the guards entrusted the work of dealing with those who died from the disease to those with a special constitution.
The epidemic that terrified the entire empire tormented people terribly for about a year after it spread throughout the empire. And when the plague, which came like wrath, disappeared, it also died down just as quickly.
“I never talk about this anywhere else.”
“So what are you trying to say?”
Comments
Post a Comment