That's not Ines
Carson met Angelina before leaving for war. She was wearing a blood-red dress. It was a flashy outfit that didn't match the situation as if she was enjoying lunch.
The first feeling that it was very out of place crossed his mind.
"You don't make a fuss like usual, so I guess you know what your father did."
Angelina was sensitive to his emotions. As he said, if she were normal, she would have screamed with blood running down her neck. She would have screamed in anger, saying that even if he was the Emperor, he wouldn't dare drag the daughter out of the garden of Manisut's mansion like an animal. She was a woman who had lived like that her whole life.
But Angelina couldn't say anything. She couldn't even breathe loudly, let alone speak.
Carson was a man she had always had in her sights since she was very young. She had never seen Carson so angry as he was now. Her throat naturally became dry and her shoulders hunched.
“If I win, you die, and if I lose, you die.”
Angelina quickly realized that the person he was talking about was herself.
“If my Empress dies, you die, and if she gets hurt, you die.”
“...”
“So you stand at the forefront of the battlefield and pray that Ines returns alive and safe. That’s the only way for you to live.”
“I, I...”
A trembling voice stopped Carson’s steps as he was about to turn away.
“I love Your Majesty. It’s not a crime to love Your Majesty, is it?”
Carson laughed out loud at her words. You must be really desperate, he said affectionately.
“Yes, love as much as you want. I don’t know if what you’re doing is love... It’s not a crime, as you said.”
He was a man who never lost his composure in any situation. However, the Carson she knew was not here now. Angelina’s hands trembled with fear.
“I have no personal ill feelings toward you, Angelina.”
“...”
“You have lived so well thanks to your father, so it is only natural that you should die for his sins.”
He paused for a moment and smiled brightly.
“To a family of traitors...”
Somehow that felt even more creepy, and Angelina eventually shed tears without saying a word.
“You know very well that words like abolishing the guilt-by-association system are meaningless.”
Carson turned around, stirring the wind. As soon as he slammed the door, the hem of her voluminous dress collapsed to the floor like a withering flower.
Carson and Manisut climbed up the hill, with a small basin between them.
Carson closed his eyes for a moment as the wind blew. It wouldn’t take long for the civil war to end, since it had suddenly broken out.
The enemy didn’t know, but their retreat was blocked.
“Where is Ines?”
“They said they found the enemy’s base, but there has been no news since then.”
Carson mounted his horse and watched the enemy’s movements. With Angelina in his hands, even the enemies in sight would not be able to attack easily.
Manisut would probably bring Ines and exchange her for his daughter. As Carson said, this would be the only way for the Princess to survive.
As soon as Ines was returned to his arms, he would start a war. As Carson raised his hand, the leader of the knights brought Angelina out.
It wasn't too far away, so he would be able to see his daughter.
In any case, an all-out war was unavoidable. Carson sent someone to where Landhill's private soldiers were. He told them to prepare for battle, as soon as possible.
The knight who was watching the situation from the top of Mount Ellin was to raise the red flag at Carson's signal. The knights of Landhill would attack immediately.
Carson looked down at Angelina, who was trembling and prayed in his heart.
Please let my wife return to me safely, safely. Otherwise, his wrath might turn this country into a wasteland.
Just as he was making unspeakable threats to the Gods, a messenger arrived from the opposing camp. Noah, standing nearby, waited anxiously for Carson to finish reading the letter.
“What does it say?”
“It’s as we expected.”
Manisut had sent a letter offering to exchange his daughter and Ines in the middle of the basin. His condition was that each knight should be accompanied by only one person.
Carson naturally accepted the offer.
And soon Ines appeared.
The Emperor squinted his eyes and studied her appearance. The first thing that caught his eye was her bright blond hair. Her face was blurred due to the distance, but the robe she was wearing was also Ines’s.
Her arms seemed to be tied behind her back, but she didn’t seem to be seriously injured as she stood there. A mask was immediately placed over her head. Soon, she walked slowly, led by the knight’s arm.
Limp, limp, limp.
Ines limped. Carson’s head felt hot and he closed his eyes. He couldn’t bear to look at her. Whose body did they dare touch?
Carson, who saw her leave, covered Angelina’s eyes and sent her down to the basin as well.
It wasn’t long before the two women were close enough to recognize each other’s faces. And it was at that moment that Carson felt something strange.
Even though he saw Ines limping as she approached, he strangely didn’t feel out of breath.
In his dream, in the square where she had saved Louis, and in the heavy rain at the Temple of Edmont, every moment that Ines limped, Carson’s heart beat irregularly.
It was a fear that his instincts, not his head, felt first.
‘No, no. That’s... ’
Carson, sensing something was wrong, pulled the reins. Noah’s eyes widened as the horse snarled and prepared to gallop. Going down now would be tantamount to going to death.
“Your Majesty?”
“No.”
“Your Majesty, what are you...?”
“Noah! That’s not Ines, bring the Princess back!”
As he shouted loudly as if he was about to run away, the knight who had gone down the basin stopped in his tracks upon hearing the Emperor’s voice. Soon, the knight tied up Angelina and began to climb back up the hill.
As soon as his daughter was out of reach, Manisut kicked the ground and shouted something.
No matter how angry he was, he couldn’t attack rashly unless his daughter was in Carson's hands. Manisut’s composure was completely shattered.
But at the same time, Carson also felt that his own composure, which he had maintained until just a moment ago, had been completely shattered.
If they had brought forward a fake, not Ines, then where did my real wife go?
He wanted to run away right away, but the assumption that Ines might still be in the hands of the enemy held onto his slim sanity.
The moment Angelina comes into his hands, he will put a sword to her throat and go into the enemy camp.
“Princess...?”
Although her eyes were covered, it was definitely Princess Manisut being dragged up the hill.
Looking at that, Ines realized the situation clearly. Carson, who had learned that she had been kidnapped, had taken Manisut’s daughter as a prisoner.
That also meant that even if she entered the basin, they wouldn’t be able to attack Ines easily.
Feeling confident, Ines increased her horse’s speed.
A deep smile gradually spread across her face.
But then, she saw Carson riding down the basin.
“Oh, no. Not yet. It’s dangerous, it’s dangerous!”
Ines desperately shouted at him even though he couldn’t hear her. But she knew. He wouldn't listen to her even if she told him to.
So Ines ran faster. She looked at the enemy camp and saw archers lined up in pitch-black formations, aiming their bows at the basin. The quick-witted knight ran down to Carson's side, dragging Angelina back.
Carson met Angelina before leaving for war. She was wearing a blood-red dress. It was a flashy outfit that didn't match the situation as if she was enjoying lunch.
The first feeling that it was very out of place crossed his mind.
"You don't make a fuss like usual, so I guess you know what your father did."
Angelina was sensitive to his emotions. As he said, if she were normal, she would have screamed with blood running down her neck. She would have screamed in anger, saying that even if he was the Emperor, he wouldn't dare drag the daughter out of the garden of Manisut's mansion like an animal. She was a woman who had lived like that her whole life.
But Angelina couldn't say anything. She couldn't even breathe loudly, let alone speak.
Carson was a man she had always had in her sights since she was very young. She had never seen Carson so angry as he was now. Her throat naturally became dry and her shoulders hunched.
“If I win, you die, and if I lose, you die.”
Angelina quickly realized that the person he was talking about was herself.
“If my Empress dies, you die, and if she gets hurt, you die.”
“...”
“So you stand at the forefront of the battlefield and pray that Ines returns alive and safe. That’s the only way for you to live.”
“I, I...”
A trembling voice stopped Carson’s steps as he was about to turn away.
“I love Your Majesty. It’s not a crime to love Your Majesty, is it?”
Carson laughed out loud at her words. You must be really desperate, he said affectionately.
“Yes, love as much as you want. I don’t know if what you’re doing is love... It’s not a crime, as you said.”
He was a man who never lost his composure in any situation. However, the Carson she knew was not here now. Angelina’s hands trembled with fear.
“I have no personal ill feelings toward you, Angelina.”
“...”
“You have lived so well thanks to your father, so it is only natural that you should die for his sins.”
He paused for a moment and smiled brightly.
“To a family of traitors...”
Somehow that felt even more creepy, and Angelina eventually shed tears without saying a word.
“You know very well that words like abolishing the guilt-by-association system are meaningless.”
Carson turned around, stirring the wind. As soon as he slammed the door, the hem of her voluminous dress collapsed to the floor like a withering flower.
***
Carson and Manisut climbed up the hill, with a small basin between them.
Carson closed his eyes for a moment as the wind blew. It wouldn’t take long for the civil war to end, since it had suddenly broken out.
The enemy didn’t know, but their retreat was blocked.
“Where is Ines?”
“They said they found the enemy’s base, but there has been no news since then.”
Carson mounted his horse and watched the enemy’s movements. With Angelina in his hands, even the enemies in sight would not be able to attack easily.
Manisut would probably bring Ines and exchange her for his daughter. As Carson said, this would be the only way for the Princess to survive.
As soon as Ines was returned to his arms, he would start a war. As Carson raised his hand, the leader of the knights brought Angelina out.
It wasn't too far away, so he would be able to see his daughter.
In any case, an all-out war was unavoidable. Carson sent someone to where Landhill's private soldiers were. He told them to prepare for battle, as soon as possible.
The knight who was watching the situation from the top of Mount Ellin was to raise the red flag at Carson's signal. The knights of Landhill would attack immediately.
Carson looked down at Angelina, who was trembling and prayed in his heart.
Please let my wife return to me safely, safely. Otherwise, his wrath might turn this country into a wasteland.
Just as he was making unspeakable threats to the Gods, a messenger arrived from the opposing camp. Noah, standing nearby, waited anxiously for Carson to finish reading the letter.
“What does it say?”
“It’s as we expected.”
Manisut had sent a letter offering to exchange his daughter and Ines in the middle of the basin. His condition was that each knight should be accompanied by only one person.
Carson naturally accepted the offer.
And soon Ines appeared.
The Emperor squinted his eyes and studied her appearance. The first thing that caught his eye was her bright blond hair. Her face was blurred due to the distance, but the robe she was wearing was also Ines’s.
Her arms seemed to be tied behind her back, but she didn’t seem to be seriously injured as she stood there. A mask was immediately placed over her head. Soon, she walked slowly, led by the knight’s arm.
Limp, limp, limp.
Ines limped. Carson’s head felt hot and he closed his eyes. He couldn’t bear to look at her. Whose body did they dare touch?
Carson, who saw her leave, covered Angelina’s eyes and sent her down to the basin as well.
It wasn’t long before the two women were close enough to recognize each other’s faces. And it was at that moment that Carson felt something strange.
Even though he saw Ines limping as she approached, he strangely didn’t feel out of breath.
In his dream, in the square where she had saved Louis, and in the heavy rain at the Temple of Edmont, every moment that Ines limped, Carson’s heart beat irregularly.
It was a fear that his instincts, not his head, felt first.
‘No, no. That’s... ’
Carson, sensing something was wrong, pulled the reins. Noah’s eyes widened as the horse snarled and prepared to gallop. Going down now would be tantamount to going to death.
“Your Majesty?”
“No.”
“Your Majesty, what are you...?”
“Noah! That’s not Ines, bring the Princess back!”
As he shouted loudly as if he was about to run away, the knight who had gone down the basin stopped in his tracks upon hearing the Emperor’s voice. Soon, the knight tied up Angelina and began to climb back up the hill.
As soon as his daughter was out of reach, Manisut kicked the ground and shouted something.
No matter how angry he was, he couldn’t attack rashly unless his daughter was in Carson's hands. Manisut’s composure was completely shattered.
But at the same time, Carson also felt that his own composure, which he had maintained until just a moment ago, had been completely shattered.
If they had brought forward a fake, not Ines, then where did my real wife go?
He wanted to run away right away, but the assumption that Ines might still be in the hands of the enemy held onto his slim sanity.
The moment Angelina comes into his hands, he will put a sword to her throat and go into the enemy camp.
If you don’t hand her over, I will go in myself and retrieve her with my own hands.
With that resolve, he raised his hand without hesitation. The knight on the top of the mountain who saw him raised a large red flag.
He must first penetrate the enemy camp before the signaled soldiers of Landhill rush in.
He will not let a single rat escape and will kill them all.
Carson held the reins with bloodshot eyes, ready to run at any moment. The blue veins on the back of his hands bulged as if they would burst at any moment.
The fear that seemed as if his heart would burst was skewering his brain and his entire body.
Carson turned his head completely toward the sky.
It had not rained for a while.
“It’s both good and bad that there isn’t much rain.”
As if it were a lie, Ines’ voice came from somewhere.
Unlike Landhill, there wasn’t much rain in the capital, so he could feel Ines’ breath gently leaning on his shoulder.
Ha, as Carskn took a deep breath, hot air spread across the sky.
If he can’t save her here, he’ll die. But even if she dies, he’ll hold Ines’ hand and die.
At that moment, when Carson made up his mind and was about to charge into the enemy camp, a dry wind blew hard from far away. Carson squinted and turned his gaze. Soon, he saw a dot-like shape running fiercely in his field of vision.
Who on earth would have fearlessly rushed into this place where countless lives were pointing their swords at each other, filled with murderous intent?
That was the first thought that came to mind. However, before he could continue his thoughts, Carson’s heart began to beat irregularly.
Thump, thump, thump.
The familiar yet unfamiliar sound of his heartbeat vibrated throughout his body.
It was not a beast of burden galloping toward him from afar. It was not a mad enemy. It was an old cart that looked as if it would break down at any moment.
And the one urging the horse on it was none other than his wife.
Ines judged the situation as she galloped toward him from afar.
She could not figure out why Carson and the Duke of Manisut were waging war here, but one thing was certain:
Her God and husband were waiting for her.
Ines grabbed the reins and turned the horse. It was dangerous to pass through the middle of the valley like this.
As she, unaccustomed to driving a carriage, suddenly got back on track, she heard a groan from inside and the sound of men rolling around in the carriage’s cargo area. But there was no time to worry about Marcus’s safety right now.
Carson, he was straightening up as if he would jump at her at any moment. As she got closer, she saw a familiar figure.
With that resolve, he raised his hand without hesitation. The knight on the top of the mountain who saw him raised a large red flag.
He must first penetrate the enemy camp before the signaled soldiers of Landhill rush in.
He will not let a single rat escape and will kill them all.
Carson held the reins with bloodshot eyes, ready to run at any moment. The blue veins on the back of his hands bulged as if they would burst at any moment.
The fear that seemed as if his heart would burst was skewering his brain and his entire body.
Carson turned his head completely toward the sky.
It had not rained for a while.
“It’s both good and bad that there isn’t much rain.”
As if it were a lie, Ines’ voice came from somewhere.
Unlike Landhill, there wasn’t much rain in the capital, so he could feel Ines’ breath gently leaning on his shoulder.
Ha, as Carskn took a deep breath, hot air spread across the sky.
If he can’t save her here, he’ll die. But even if she dies, he’ll hold Ines’ hand and die.
At that moment, when Carson made up his mind and was about to charge into the enemy camp, a dry wind blew hard from far away. Carson squinted and turned his gaze. Soon, he saw a dot-like shape running fiercely in his field of vision.
Who on earth would have fearlessly rushed into this place where countless lives were pointing their swords at each other, filled with murderous intent?
That was the first thought that came to mind. However, before he could continue his thoughts, Carson’s heart began to beat irregularly.
Thump, thump, thump.
The familiar yet unfamiliar sound of his heartbeat vibrated throughout his body.
It was not a beast of burden galloping toward him from afar. It was not a mad enemy. It was an old cart that looked as if it would break down at any moment.
And the one urging the horse on it was none other than his wife.
***
Ines judged the situation as she galloped toward him from afar.
She could not figure out why Carson and the Duke of Manisut were waging war here, but one thing was certain:
Her God and husband were waiting for her.
Ines grabbed the reins and turned the horse. It was dangerous to pass through the middle of the valley like this.
As she, unaccustomed to driving a carriage, suddenly got back on track, she heard a groan from inside and the sound of men rolling around in the carriage’s cargo area. But there was no time to worry about Marcus’s safety right now.
Carson, he was straightening up as if he would jump at her at any moment. As she got closer, she saw a familiar figure.
“Princess...?”
Although her eyes were covered, it was definitely Princess Manisut being dragged up the hill.
Looking at that, Ines realized the situation clearly. Carson, who had learned that she had been kidnapped, had taken Manisut’s daughter as a prisoner.
That also meant that even if she entered the basin, they wouldn’t be able to attack Ines easily.
Feeling confident, Ines increased her horse’s speed.
A deep smile gradually spread across her face.
But then, she saw Carson riding down the basin.
“Oh, no. Not yet. It’s dangerous, it’s dangerous!”
Ines desperately shouted at him even though he couldn’t hear her. But she knew. He wouldn't listen to her even if she told him to.
So Ines ran faster. She looked at the enemy camp and saw archers lined up in pitch-black formations, aiming their bows at the basin. The quick-witted knight ran down to Carson's side, dragging Angelina back.
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