Resetting Lady - Chapter 131
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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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She tensed for a moment, but it was Raymond. Karen sighed as she looked at Raymond’s golden hair and his body beneath it.
There was nothing to fear. Raymond was by her side. Raymond remembered her. He was the person who would enter the coffin together with Karen.
Even if the fear of death didn’t disappear, there was warmth that awakened her from nightmares.
“….”
But that was that, and Karen shook Raymond’s shoulder.
“Lord Raymond.”
“….”
“Raymond.”
“…Yes.”
Raymond barely answered. His voice was drunk with sleep. But Karen didn’t stop shaking him.
“…How can you get into bed without changing your clothes? Get up, change, and then lie down.”
“….”
Raymond frowned. Then he turned his body, which had been facing away, toward Karen. But his eyes were still closed.
“…Your clothes are extremely dirty right now, you know?”
“….”
No matter how much Karen pinched him, he wouldn’t get up.
Raymond opened his mouth in a voice that sounded almost tearful.
“Can’t you… let it slide…? I just… fell asleep a moment ago….”
“No. It’s filthy.”
If Raymond had been cleaning all day, it was obvious what would be on his body.
“I lit all the candles… but you didn’t even look….”
She wanted to hit him. Karen shook the shoulder of Raymond, who was rambling nonsense while drunk with sleep.
“I said I was going to sleep first. Raymond, at least change your clothes before sleeping.”
“I’m so sleepy right now… just a moment….”
“Should I sleep in another room?”
At those words, Raymond’s eyes snapped open.
“No. Don’t go, Karen.”
And he pulled Karen’s body tightly toward him.
“Sleep next to me.”
Karen frowned as her face became buried in Raymond’s dust-covered clothes.
“Then change your clothes first.”
“It’s already too late anyway. The blanket is dirty now.”
Then he squeezed his eyes shut.
“Just let it slide for one day… I really haven’t been able to sleep properly all this time….”
His uncharacteristically whining voice failed to finish.
“…Haa.”
Karen sighed and unbuttoned his vest one by one to at least get it off Raymond.
But even that didn’t succeed.
“…Ugh.”
Raymond pulled Karen tightly into his arms. Karen buried her face in Raymond’s chest and eventually gave up on removing his vest. She had said she would do the laundry herself anyway.
Karen grumbled and closed her eyes again. Karen had already slept enough. But Karen didn’t have the confidence to escape from Raymond’s arms either. In fact, Karen didn’t want to be separated from him either. She just wanted to grumble a little.
“….”
She turned her head slightly and used Raymond’s arm as a pillow. At least let his arm go numb.
Still, there were advantages. She could feel warmth touching her entire body. Early spring was still chilly. She could hear Raymond’s breathing.
Karen found it strange that they were both alive and in the same bed like this. It felt like the first time they were lying together like this. Karen thought that if she were to drown, she would rather sink with the bed instead of a coffin.
Even if her entire body became cold from the frigid water, if she could continue hearing breathing sounds beside her, she felt she would wake up from sleep. If this warmth enveloped her, there would be nothing left to fear.
Karen burrowed into Raymond’s arms. Raymond’s other arm resting on her waist was a bit heavy, but that weight actually made her settle into reality.
“….”
Had Raymond also suffered from insomnia during this time? Had he stayed up through endless nights waiting for death like she had?
It didn’t take very long for Karen to fall asleep again.
Raymond’s management work wasn’t exactly smooth, but it wasn’t the worst either. Since they didn’t use most of the manor, there was correspondingly less work to be done. The servants’ rooms were all unused, and there were no visiting guests either, so they only needed to organize the parts that two people used.
However, the comfort of their lifestyle had declined incomparably to before.
The first problem was clothing.
“I’m truly sorry, Karen.”
“….”
Karen knew she should accept Raymond’s apology, but looking at the pile of fabric that had been her skirt in front of her, she couldn’t bring herself to speak.
It had been the finest dress she owned. The one with layers of frills inside that she usually wore when she first met Raymond. Not only was it beautiful, but it was also light and had good insulation, making it a dress Karen cherished.
But at least during Karen’s lifetime in this life, she would never wear this skirt again. It had already become a pile of fabric that could hardly be called clothing.
“How did you wash it?”
“Just… together with other clothes… I dissolved soap and washed it.”
“…Together with Lord Raymond’s clothes?”
“…Yes. That’s right.”
Karen wasn’t a laundry maid, but she at least knew that such clothes shouldn’t be treated that way. Unlike work clothes, the delicate fabric of women’s clothing should barely be damaged, so most clothes should only have the dirty parts lightly cleaned and then shaken out.
“Did you put it in with the clothes you wear while working?”
“…Yes.”
Since such clothes were washed together with work clothes used for things like tents, the result was terrible. The shape of the dress was completely distorted and it had been dyed the dull color of work clothes.
“….”
“I’ll buy new ones soon.”
“….”
She should say it’s okay. It’s not his fault. Not knowing something isn’t a mistake. Isn’t he immediately admitting his fault and offering compensation? She should quickly answer that it’s fine.
“….”
But Karen couldn’t readily answer that it was okay. If it were her maid, she would scold them, and if it were Isella, she would give up, but the other party was Raymond. Karen opened her mouth but no answer came out.
“…I’m truly sorry.”
“…It’s fine.”
That was the best she could do.
In the end, Karen couldn’t say it was okay. Even though she understood with her head, her feelings were hurt. Loving Raymond and this kind of thing were separate matters. That night Karen turned her back to Raymond and fell asleep.
“I’m sorry.”
“I know, Raymond.”
“….”
Raymond closed his mouth.
Karen searched through all 170 rooms of the manor but couldn’t find any clothes to her liking. The employees had taken everything with them when they left.
“It’s okay….”
Karen made a resolution while looking at the clothes she was wearing in the mirror. They were black, plain clothes that maids wore. Karen didn’t wear an apron over them, but the fact that they were made of rough fabric remained unchanged.
Karen felt a slightly ominous sense of déjà vu.
The second problem was more serious.
It was the matter of meals.
Karen loved delicious food. She loved fine dining. She loved supreme pleasure. One of Raymond’s greatest charms was his house, Tess Manor. Among them, it was the chefs within the manor.
With grains from fertile soil and flocks of sheep and cattle, they used to create magic. Their skills were excellent, but thanks to the exceptionally high quality of the local products here, they made Karen fall in love with this land itself.
The large dining hall was a space where dozens of people could sit and eat, but now this space existed only for Karen and Raymond alone. The brilliant sunlight streaming through the large windows warmly embraced the entire dining hall, and eating alone together at the long, large dining table was quite nice in its own way.
Also, the fact that the person in front of her was someone with whom any conversation would be fine was an important condition for an excellent mealtime. However, Karen couldn’t easily reach for her fork and knife.
“…Is it not to your taste?”
“No, it’s fine. You worked very hard. Thank you.”
Karen answered while silently cutting her meat. She liked the plate. The cast iron plate kept the meat at just the right temperature. It was hot, but the degree to which the meat was cooked was perfect. At Karen’s knife work, a scraping sound was made as the meat separated, and the red parts were revealed, boasting proper cooking.
“That’s a relief.”
Karen cut off a piece and pushed it into her mouth. It was cooked using young lamb. Actually, there wasn’t much to call it cooking. It was simply boiled and then seasoned with pepper and salt. But because the quality of the meat was good, there was no gamey smell at all, and it was tender. It was a simple cooking method, but it wasn’t inedible.
“The taste is fine.”
If only it weren’t served for breakfast.
“But since I’m concerned about Lord Raymond’s efforts, you don’t need to go to such lengths in the future.”
Karen hardly ate breakfast. Even when she did, she made do with milk, tea, and some light snacks. She wasn’t being particular, and in most manors, that was the normal meal served. Even for the servants.
“It’s fine. Seeing you enjoy your meal is my reward.”
“….”
It was touching, in a way.
What Raymond served was meat, meat, and more meat. And without much skill at that—just boiled, grilled, or blanched meat. Karen found it depressing that the only side dish accompanying the meat was baked potatoes at best. At this rate, it was no different from being at a monastery instead of a mansion.
“…Lord Raymond.”
“Yes, Karen.”
“Do you usually eat meals like this in the military?”
“Usually it’s much worse than this.”
“…It’s delicious. I’m eating it gratefully.”
That wasn’t what she meant. Karen suppressed a sigh as she cut the meat.
When Karen didn’t respond enthusiastically, Raymond made another suggestion.
“I prepared this hastily, so the only bread we have is hard campagne. I thought it would be better to serve meat instead.”
“Don’t you have any flour?”
At Karen’s question, Raymond stiffened and answered.
“I’ll make sure to learn baking soon.”
So he has it but can’t make anything with it.
Karen didn’t look at Raymond and only glared at the meat. Raymond was also a nobleman. He would know what a proper meal should be like. But since he wasn’t usually in a position to host others, he was doing his best according to his own standards.
Can’t you just call for some cooks?
Karen held back the words circling in her mouth and stared intently at Raymond.
“Next time the porter comes, I’ll have him bring biscuits and bread.”
But it would still be a long time before the porter arrived. Karen felt gloomy at the fact that she would have to continue this bloody meal for several more days.
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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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