Resetting Lady - Chapter 124

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The coachman bowed deeply.

“I’m truly sorry.”

“I know it’s not your fault.”

Karen sighed. Strangely, there were many obstacles at every turn. Trees had fallen, stones were scattered about. There was even cargo dropped on the road. She was curious and wanted to touch them, but Nancy stopped her.

“It’s dangerous to pass through the forest like this.”

Before they knew it, the moon had risen. And the carriage was still rolling along the forest path. Would bears come out? Karen looked up and counted numbers. Come to think of it, it was gradually becoming a day when dangerous things happened frequently. This time, she might face danger from wild beasts.

“Miss, if we go just a little further, there’s a clearing and a watchtower. It would be best to stop the carriage there for today.”

“Let’s do that.”

But as soon as they arrived, Karen blinked her eyes. It was an unexpected place.

“Here?”

Of all places.

Karen looked up at the tall tower before her eyes.

It was the tower she had fallen from and died at age 117.

* * *

It was a strange feeling to seek sleep in the place where she had died.

Come to think of it, she had died in her own home before, but this tower was a place where she had met a rather impressive death, so Karen could hardly fall asleep.

“The door was locked, but will it be okay? Won’t the owner get angry?”

“What could happen? It’s probably Verdick Evans’ private property anyway. Staying in the forest makes even less sense. Originally, places like this are meant for people to use.”

“I heard this place was also used as an execution site before.”

“If you have nightmares, I’ll erase them for you.”

“…Don’t joke around, even as a joke.”

Karen and Nancy entered a room inside the tower. The tower’s entrance was locked, but Nancy bent a hairpin and tapped it a few times, easily opening several locks. Verdick Evans, who was actually the tower’s owner, couldn’t open it and had to break his way up, but it seemed to be carelessly locked normally.

“If the caretaker comes, we can just pay him money.”

The bloodstains she had seen in her previous life weren’t there this time. Then when had those bloodstains appeared? Karen thought as she covered herself with the blanket Nancy brought up. Anticipating that someone would spill blood in this tower again before her death wasn’t comfortable.

“But you can’t sleep in the carriage, Miss. And sleeping outdoors is also problematic.”

“Right.”

Still, this method would be best. Karen didn’t particularly assert her opinion. Going into the forest was dangerous anyway. This method was ‘sensible.’ Karen really wanted to go on a trip with absolutely no one around.

A trip without any important figures—no Father, no Dulan, no Raymond, no Isella. She didn’t want to give up on this kind of trip. No matter how the flow changed, Karen was ready to willingly enjoy that change.

“We’ll leave as soon as dawn comes. Please bear with it a little.”

Life has meaning because it changes.

Karen lay down covered with the blanket. Sleep didn’t come easily. She kept feeling like she would fall, and she had the illusion that someone was continuously knocking on the door outside. It’s okay. This time Verdick has no interest in her. She hadn’t even met Isella. But Karen dreamed of Dulan stepping on her hand and making her fall.

And someone woke her up.

“Wake up.”

But before dawn came, Karen had to open her eyes to rough hands shaking her.

“…Can’t I sleep a little more?”

But the hands were rough. At those hands that were downright painful, Karen opened her eyes irritably. But her vision was blurry and she couldn’t see properly. Karen rubbed her eyes and looked at the person in front of her.

“…Who are you?”

It was a man she’d never seen before. Not just in this life, but throughout all her lives, a man Karen was seeing for the first time had shaken her awake. Karen looked around in confusion. There wasn’t just one or two people. The man grabbed Karen’s head and spoke in a rough voice.

“Who are you, what’s your relationship with Verdick Evans?”

And he roughly pulled Karen to her feet.

“What is this… A foreigner?”

It was an accent from beyond the White Mountains. Karen looked at the man holding her. And he wasn’t alone in the room either. One, two… At least six just in this room. There were elderly people and children too. It was as if a family had come out on a trip together. But their expressions were uniformly unpleasant.

“Answer.”

She had been sleeping just moments ago, but suddenly people had barged in and were doing this. What kind of situation is this? Karen shook her head that was still groggy from sleep. An explanation was needed.

“Nancy?”

“Mmph, mmph.”

The maid was there. But Nancy’s mouth was gagged in front, and Bowen and the coachman were nowhere to be seen.

The man gripping Karen’s forearm tightly asked her again.

“Who are you.”

They don’t seem to be just bandits. Karen recalled that Verdick Evans had come from his mouth. Someone connected to him must have had some plan here. But because Isella Evans had disappeared, there was confusion for Verdick Evans…

Damn, Karen cursed. Fucking Evans, even in this life he’s holding back her life. What a truly tiresome ill-fated connection. How is he never helpful even once?

“My name is Karen Hyer.”

“I don’t know that family.”

The man looked back at the people behind him. The old man shook his head. He didn’t know either. From that response, Karen realized these people weren’t from around here. Verdick Evans’ estate and her own weren’t very close, but they were within a day’s carriage ride. These people seemed to have come from far away. The accent was definitely a foreigner’s accent.

“We were passing through on a journey. It got dark so we came in to avoid wild beasts.”

“I can’t believe that. What’s your relationship with Verdick Evans?”

“We have no particular connection.”

“This forest is one of his private properties.”

“…He tried to purchase my father’s estate but gave up. So I came to dispose of the documents on my father’s behalf.”

Do I have to tell them all of this? But feeling the metallic touch at her throat, she answered obediently.

The man turned around and said.

“There’s nothing inconsistent in her story.”

“No, wait a moment.”

An unknown man from behind spoke up. He glared at Karen with a frown. Karen didn’t know this man.

“I remember seeing that face.”

“…I only recently celebrated my 17th birthday.”

“Who is your mother?”

So it was that connection. Karen lamented her father’s humble name. Father, please make some effort.

“My mother is Catherine Nora Hyer. Her maiden name was Enid.”

“She’s the granddaughter of Countess Enid.”

“Ah, so she’s the great-granddaughter of Archduchess Carla.”

They whispered among themselves for a moment. The old man who had been standing back approached Karen, leaning on his cane. This was quite a high tower, yet he had climbed up well with that old body.

“Why are you here?”

“We were trying to go somewhere else but got lost in the forest.”

She repeated the answer she had already given.

“May I ask what your name is?”

“It would be better if you didn’t know. Do you really want to hear it?”

“Then I don’t particularly want to hear it.”

“Wise.”

The old man tapped the floor with his cane.

“What should I do with you?”

“We should kill her. Being discovered isn’t good.”

The man who had recognized Karen said.

“Is there really a need for that?”

“There are rumors she’s Prince Guiz’s illegitimate daughter.”

There was such a rumor too?

Karen was dumbfounded and opened her mouth at this unpleasant rumor she was hearing for the first time. Then did Prince Guiz call for her knowing there might be rumors that she could be his daughter? No matter how reckless he is, that’s really too much.

While Karen was fuming thinking about Prince Guiz’s face, the people discussed Karen’s life and death.

“Verdick and Prince Guiz have quite a connection.”

“That man is a businessman. It’s not strange that he has his hands in various countries.”

“But if a young lady from an unknown family is Prince Guiz’s daughter, that’s a different matter. The story will obviously flow to Prince Guiz.”

Daughter. Karen muttered in shock. And she refuted his words.

“I am not His Highness Prince Guiz’s daughter.”

At least she had to refute that. Perhaps saying she was Prince Guiz’s daughter and negotiating might be the right choice, but she didn’t want that. No matter what, not that.

But no one listened carefully to her denial.

“I don’t know why there’s no messenger from Verdick. If you wait here, I’ll go to him alone.”

“It’s probably because Isella Evans disappeared and he’s in no state to handle things.”

Only then did they listen to Karen’s words.

The old man asked.

“…How do you know that?”

“I went there as Father’s representative and came back.”

“You’re talking about Prince Guiz.”

Karen held back a sigh.

“As I said before, that’s not true. Please protect my mother’s honor.”

But once again, people weren’t focusing on Karen’s words. People were murmuring and feeling anxious. Foreign families, people who were extremely wary of royalty and joined hands with merchants.

Ah, Karen thought she understood. Those people were nobles who had crossed the border to escape the war. Karen found it fascinating to see people she had only heard about in stories right before her eyes. So they had connections with Verdick too.

“…Hello?”

Karen waved at a young girl who was glancing at her from behind the old man. She was a girl who looked slightly older than Lady Lian. But instead of Lian’s bright smile, her eyes were filled with anxiety and restlessness.

“…”

She stepped back. Karen awkwardly lowered her hand after waving.

“As expected, this won’t work.”

The old man approached.

“Miss Karen Hyer, you’ll have to die. Our situation isn’t good either. We don’t want to leave even the slightest element of uncertainty.”

“I was just passing by and stopped in. If you let me go, I won’t say anything.”

“…I’m sorry about this.”

Karen looked at the old man who was apologizing to her. His clothes were high-quality. Unlike the man who had shaken her, there was no awkwardness in his accent. And she looked at his granddaughter. She thought she knew who they were. Raymond had mentioned it once before. They had once sought refuge with Verdick. Karen blinked.

“I see.”

Once again, hardship and threats were approaching.

In times like these, there were always great threats. This was another such incident. Karen looked at the old man, the child, the man, and the woman. Their eyes were desperate. Beneath their rough clothes, glimpses of garments made from the finest fabrics could be seen.

Karen wondered if she should just die this time and start over again. If it wasn’t something she could choose, dying quickly wouldn’t be so bad either.

“I was just sleeping, and if you hadn’t woken me up, nothing would have happened between us. You know that, right?”

“…I’m sorry about this.”

The old man stood up. Karen looked at the old man. The other man handed something to Karen.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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