I was definitely in a good mood until the afternoon.
I boasted to Callius about my bravery in stealing the treasure of Kavala and was filled with the feeling that everything would turn out well for me.
But by the time the sun had set, my mood had completely changed.
The sun sets very quickly in Ronheim.
It was early evening, and if it had been Arrental, the party wouldn't have even started yet, but in Ronheim, people were already getting ready.
I looked down at the Ronheim estate where darkness had fallen.
With the darkness, a sudden fatigue settled over my body and mind.
It was physical fatigue from continued insomnia and mental fatigue from adjusting to a new place.
'I don't feel well.'
As my body and mind became exhausted, ghostly, gloomy thoughts began to creep up from the tips of my toes and tormented me.
During the day, I was always mingling with people, greeting and chatting briefly with those I met, accompanied by several maids.
At that time, I wanted to quickly be alone and rest, but once I was left alone in the room, loneliness welled up in me.
In the quiet room, I stared blankly out the dark window, gripped by anxiety.
'What if everything doesn't go as planned?'
'What if Kavala eventually finds out that I stole the treasure and ran away?'
'What if I fail to win the hearts of the people here and get kicked out?'
'What if these sleepless days go on forever?'
Rationally, I thought it wouldn't be like that, but once I started thinking negative thoughts, they dragged me endlessly into the abyss.
'I'll end up alone.'
'What is the meaning of my life?'
'If only I hadn't come back to life, I could have rested in peace.'
'Andrea and Kavala must be laughing right now.'
'I may still be trapped in their clutches, being played around like a puppet.'
My breathing became increasingly difficult.
I crouched down, panting lightly as if I was being chased by something.
'It's hard. I'm scared. I'm anxious.'
As I sat there, hugging my knees and shivering on the chair, I suddenly remembered what Callius had said a few days ago.
“If you want to be like me, why not try exercising?”
“Exercise?”
"Muscles become stronger and larger the more they are repeatedly moved and stimulated. As muscle mass increases, the body becomes much healthier."
“Would someone like me be like that? I’m not sure...”
“Try it. Don’t you want to get stronger?”
“That’s true, but... myself...”
"Well, how about this? There might not be an immediate change, but a little movement will make you feel much better. Think of it as exercising to feel better."
“Does exercising make you feel better?”
"Oh, with muscle, you feel less cold. Trust me."
Then Callius taught me some exercises that were right for me.
At first, he suggested that I try holding onto something like a wooden pole and stretching out my arms to lift and put it down, but I couldn't even lift the pole he held out from the ground, let alone lift it up and put it down.
Callius also held out several other tools, items he could easily lift with one finger, but I had to grit my teeth and barely manage to lift them.
It was the first time I had seen Callius' expression so bewildered.
After much thought, he finally came up with a solution.
“Then, first... let’s try sitting down and then standing up from the chair.”
So I slowly got up from the chair and sat down repeatedly as he told me to.
'One, two, three, four...'
I was out of breath quickly, but I continued to exercise, breathing in and out slowly.
"I want to feel less cold. I want to be healthy. I want to be stronger and feel better."
With that thought in mind, I was sitting down and getting up repeatedly, enduring the pain in my thighs.
“What are you doing?”
It was the voice of Karl.
I stopped what I was doing and turned towards the direction from which the voice came.
I was so happy when Karl magically appeared, thinking I was lonely. I greeted him with a big smile.
“Karl! Here you come!”
“Then. Who am I?”
Karl came towards me with a squeak.
“But what are you doing? Why are you fidgeting so much, sitting up and down?”
“Oh, this is a workout.”
"workout?"
"Yeah. Callius says that if I do this, I'll build muscle and become healthy. I might even gain as much muscle as Callius!"
"Yes?"
Karl shrugged. His expression was somewhat displeased.
"What's the matter?"
"Nothing."
Karl pulled up a chair and sat down next to me.
'Come to think of it, there were a lot of things I wanted to ask Karl.'
There were a few things I had been thinking about asking.
Where he came from, who gave him the Platus bracelet he always wore on his wrist, how he came to Ronheim alone, and how he sneaked into Ronheim Castle, etc.
These were the things I absolutely had to ask when Karl appeared again.
But when I actually put Karl in front of me, I was reluctant to ask that question.
Somehow, I had a feeling that I shouldn't know.
So I ended up asking him all the questions I had planned to ask him, and ended up asking him random questions.
“Karl, can I introduce you to Callius?”
"What?"
Karl frowned in surprise.
I hesitated and whispered in a small voice.
“If you do that, you won’t have to come here secretly anymore... If I say you’re my friend, won’t he welcome you?”
I watched his frown grow more and more intense and added urgently.
“This place is different from the palace. Callius is definitely...!”
“Chloe.”
Karl glared at me.
I flinched because it was the first time he had looked at me like that.
"What's the difference? Is there anyone here who welcomes you? Do you think I don't know that everyone is suspicious of you?"
"That..."
"Last time I was here, and now, every time you open your mouth, he says, 'Callius, Callius.' Do you really think he's a good person?"
“Karl, he’s a good guy. He really is.”
Karl narrowed his eyes and scolded me.
"If he were truly a good person, why would he still allow his subordinates to suspect you? Either he's incompetent, or he's got a dirty back."
“That’s definitely the case..."
“Chloe!”
He sighed deeply, his expression filled with pity, as if he were dying from frustration.
"You said the same thing when Andrea pressured you and brought up Viscount Pelsus as your marriage partner. You said there must be circumstances. What exactly could possibly be the circumstances?"
I couldn't say anything at the sight of his upset expression.
He spoke earnestly, as if to ask me to please come to my senses.
"Don't trust a guy you've only just met. I'm telling you to be careful. Please, don't blindly trust anyone. Aren't you just having trouble standing on your own and need someone to lean on?"
It was hot.
Is that so? Karl might be right.
Maybe it's because it's too much to deal with Kavala and Andrea alone, so I want to trust and rely on just anyone.
I pouted and retorted softly, not wanting to admit that I trusted someone too easily.
“But Callius is... different from Andrea.”
“Where are you looking?”
“He’s sweet and kind. He’s a good person. That’s why everyone loves him.”
“Andrea was also kind and gentle to you at first.”
“Oh, no! I told you he's different from Andrea!”
Karl looked at me as if he were dying of worry.
“You’re really being too passive. What if he betrays you?”
"Betrayal..."
Those words brought back memories of my past life, of the betrayal I suffered from Andrea and Kavala, the only people I trusted and followed, and they tore at my heart hard.
Karl spoke firmly to me, and my shoulders slumped.
"If you want to trust Marquis Rodrian, trust yourself. I don't trust him. Don't tell him about me."
“Yes, I got it...”
Callius came into the room earlier than usual.
Contrary to what Chloe had expected, the bed was empty.
'Where is she and what is she doing?'
It was hard to watch her suffer from the curse every night, but it was still a great pleasure to talk to her before falling asleep.
These days, Callius looked forward to the nights because he enjoyed spending time alone with Chloe.
After spending time with Chloe like that, Callius would wake up early in the morning and start his day by searching for traces of his mother.
After his mother was murdered, he closed off and ignored the places where his mother had been or where traces of her remained for over a decade.
When he sees things like that, it really makes him realize that his mother is no longer with him, and it breaks his heart.
But despite such psychological pain, Callius has been trying to visit those places again and look through his mother's records.
Because he only wanted to save Chloe.
Anyway, today too, Callius was loitering in his bedroom, looking forward to spending time with Chloe.
At that moment, Callius heard Chloe talking to someone in her room.
I boasted to Callius about my bravery in stealing the treasure of Kavala and was filled with the feeling that everything would turn out well for me.
But by the time the sun had set, my mood had completely changed.
The sun sets very quickly in Ronheim.
It was early evening, and if it had been Arrental, the party wouldn't have even started yet, but in Ronheim, people were already getting ready.
I looked down at the Ronheim estate where darkness had fallen.
With the darkness, a sudden fatigue settled over my body and mind.
It was physical fatigue from continued insomnia and mental fatigue from adjusting to a new place.
'I don't feel well.'
As my body and mind became exhausted, ghostly, gloomy thoughts began to creep up from the tips of my toes and tormented me.
During the day, I was always mingling with people, greeting and chatting briefly with those I met, accompanied by several maids.
At that time, I wanted to quickly be alone and rest, but once I was left alone in the room, loneliness welled up in me.
In the quiet room, I stared blankly out the dark window, gripped by anxiety.
'What if everything doesn't go as planned?'
'What if Kavala eventually finds out that I stole the treasure and ran away?'
'What if I fail to win the hearts of the people here and get kicked out?'
'What if these sleepless days go on forever?'
Rationally, I thought it wouldn't be like that, but once I started thinking negative thoughts, they dragged me endlessly into the abyss.
'I'll end up alone.'
'What is the meaning of my life?'
'If only I hadn't come back to life, I could have rested in peace.'
'Andrea and Kavala must be laughing right now.'
'I may still be trapped in their clutches, being played around like a puppet.'
My breathing became increasingly difficult.
I crouched down, panting lightly as if I was being chased by something.
'It's hard. I'm scared. I'm anxious.'
As I sat there, hugging my knees and shivering on the chair, I suddenly remembered what Callius had said a few days ago.
“If you want to be like me, why not try exercising?”
“Exercise?”
"Muscles become stronger and larger the more they are repeatedly moved and stimulated. As muscle mass increases, the body becomes much healthier."
“Would someone like me be like that? I’m not sure...”
“Try it. Don’t you want to get stronger?”
“That’s true, but... myself...”
"Well, how about this? There might not be an immediate change, but a little movement will make you feel much better. Think of it as exercising to feel better."
“Does exercising make you feel better?”
"Oh, with muscle, you feel less cold. Trust me."
Then Callius taught me some exercises that were right for me.
At first, he suggested that I try holding onto something like a wooden pole and stretching out my arms to lift and put it down, but I couldn't even lift the pole he held out from the ground, let alone lift it up and put it down.
Callius also held out several other tools, items he could easily lift with one finger, but I had to grit my teeth and barely manage to lift them.
It was the first time I had seen Callius' expression so bewildered.
After much thought, he finally came up with a solution.
“Then, first... let’s try sitting down and then standing up from the chair.”
So I slowly got up from the chair and sat down repeatedly as he told me to.
'One, two, three, four...'
I was out of breath quickly, but I continued to exercise, breathing in and out slowly.
"I want to feel less cold. I want to be healthy. I want to be stronger and feel better."
With that thought in mind, I was sitting down and getting up repeatedly, enduring the pain in my thighs.
“What are you doing?”
It was the voice of Karl.
I stopped what I was doing and turned towards the direction from which the voice came.
I was so happy when Karl magically appeared, thinking I was lonely. I greeted him with a big smile.
“Karl! Here you come!”
“Then. Who am I?”
Karl came towards me with a squeak.
“But what are you doing? Why are you fidgeting so much, sitting up and down?”
“Oh, this is a workout.”
"workout?"
"Yeah. Callius says that if I do this, I'll build muscle and become healthy. I might even gain as much muscle as Callius!"
"Yes?"
Karl shrugged. His expression was somewhat displeased.
"What's the matter?"
"Nothing."
Karl pulled up a chair and sat down next to me.
'Come to think of it, there were a lot of things I wanted to ask Karl.'
There were a few things I had been thinking about asking.
Where he came from, who gave him the Platus bracelet he always wore on his wrist, how he came to Ronheim alone, and how he sneaked into Ronheim Castle, etc.
These were the things I absolutely had to ask when Karl appeared again.
But when I actually put Karl in front of me, I was reluctant to ask that question.
Somehow, I had a feeling that I shouldn't know.
So I ended up asking him all the questions I had planned to ask him, and ended up asking him random questions.
“Karl, can I introduce you to Callius?”
"What?"
Karl frowned in surprise.
I hesitated and whispered in a small voice.
“If you do that, you won’t have to come here secretly anymore... If I say you’re my friend, won’t he welcome you?”
I watched his frown grow more and more intense and added urgently.
“This place is different from the palace. Callius is definitely...!”
“Chloe.”
Karl glared at me.
I flinched because it was the first time he had looked at me like that.
"What's the difference? Is there anyone here who welcomes you? Do you think I don't know that everyone is suspicious of you?"
"That..."
"Last time I was here, and now, every time you open your mouth, he says, 'Callius, Callius.' Do you really think he's a good person?"
“Karl, he’s a good guy. He really is.”
Karl narrowed his eyes and scolded me.
"If he were truly a good person, why would he still allow his subordinates to suspect you? Either he's incompetent, or he's got a dirty back."
“That’s definitely the case..."
“Chloe!”
He sighed deeply, his expression filled with pity, as if he were dying from frustration.
"You said the same thing when Andrea pressured you and brought up Viscount Pelsus as your marriage partner. You said there must be circumstances. What exactly could possibly be the circumstances?"
I couldn't say anything at the sight of his upset expression.
He spoke earnestly, as if to ask me to please come to my senses.
"Don't trust a guy you've only just met. I'm telling you to be careful. Please, don't blindly trust anyone. Aren't you just having trouble standing on your own and need someone to lean on?"
It was hot.
Is that so? Karl might be right.
Maybe it's because it's too much to deal with Kavala and Andrea alone, so I want to trust and rely on just anyone.
I pouted and retorted softly, not wanting to admit that I trusted someone too easily.
“But Callius is... different from Andrea.”
“Where are you looking?”
“He’s sweet and kind. He’s a good person. That’s why everyone loves him.”
“Andrea was also kind and gentle to you at first.”
“Oh, no! I told you he's different from Andrea!”
Karl looked at me as if he were dying of worry.
“You’re really being too passive. What if he betrays you?”
"Betrayal..."
Those words brought back memories of my past life, of the betrayal I suffered from Andrea and Kavala, the only people I trusted and followed, and they tore at my heart hard.
Karl spoke firmly to me, and my shoulders slumped.
"If you want to trust Marquis Rodrian, trust yourself. I don't trust him. Don't tell him about me."
“Yes, I got it...”
***
Callius came into the room earlier than usual.
Contrary to what Chloe had expected, the bed was empty.
'Where is she and what is she doing?'
It was hard to watch her suffer from the curse every night, but it was still a great pleasure to talk to her before falling asleep.
These days, Callius looked forward to the nights because he enjoyed spending time alone with Chloe.
After spending time with Chloe like that, Callius would wake up early in the morning and start his day by searching for traces of his mother.
After his mother was murdered, he closed off and ignored the places where his mother had been or where traces of her remained for over a decade.
When he sees things like that, it really makes him realize that his mother is no longer with him, and it breaks his heart.
But despite such psychological pain, Callius has been trying to visit those places again and look through his mother's records.
Because he only wanted to save Chloe.
Anyway, today too, Callius was loitering in his bedroom, looking forward to spending time with Chloe.
At that moment, Callius heard Chloe talking to someone in her room.
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