Resetting Lady - Chapter 241

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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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When they returned to the manor after their long journey, their appearance was completely different from when they had left.

They had left the house with light luggage due to the urgent departure, but on the return trip, even seven six-horse carriages weren’t enough to carry all their belongings. Karen had bought all sorts of luxury goods, while Raymond had purchased rare plants.

Seeing the goods packed full in the carriages lined up in front of the manor, the servant grabbed the back of his neck and collapsed.

“Xenon, catch James.”

“Oh my. Pull yourself together, old man.”

“Master… at this rate we’ll go bankrupt… Xenon… stop the Baron… urgh.”

James lost consciousness with those final words.

Xenon scratched his head vigorously as he carried James on his back, but he too seemed worried about the situation before them.

“Baron, are you really sure about this? It seems like you’ve bought way too much.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll handle it.”

“…Oh dear, well then I don’t know anything about this.”

Raymond knew exactly what businesses would succeed next year and how international affairs would unfold. Because of this, he wasn’t particularly worried, but it wasn’t something he could explain to others.

“Did you see? The Baron who was so wise has suddenly become obsessed with hobbies…”

“Isn’t he going to go bankrupt at this rate?”

“He’ll at least give us severance pay, right?”

The murmuring voices of the manor’s employees could be heard. The only one who wasn’t worried at all was Karen. However, even Karen was a bit concerned about the massive greenhouse that Raymond had ordered built at the manor before their trip had even ended. Of course, it wasn’t about money.

“But the greenhouse does look a bit dangerous.”

“Oh my, even you’re saying that now. I told you it’s fine.”

When did you used to stop me from going outside. Now you’re confidently saying this kind of glass is fine. It’s a building I’ve never seen before, and it’s made of fragile glass at that.

Karen shuddered as she imagined the glass breaking one day and falling among people. It was a type of death even Karen had never experienced.

“It’s made entirely of glass with such thin pillars… Sigh… You said it will debut at next year’s exhibition?”

“Yes. But the design was already completed this year. There shouldn’t be any structural problems going forward. It’s a structure that will be widely distributed within a few years.”

Raymond had commissioned a trial design for Tess Manor from the garden designer who would present the Crystal Palace next year.

Since it was an opportunity to experiment before the major event of the World’s Fair, the designer gladly accepted the commission.

“It’s too innovative.”

Karen sighed as she looked at the greenhouse covered entirely in glass.

During their travels, Raymond had bought loads of plants and had also ordered the construction of a greenhouse to grow them. At the time, she thought it would be a small garden, but when she actually saw it, it was a completely new structure.

According to theory, a building entirely enclosed in expensive glass would receive direct sunlight, making it suitable for growing large southern plants, and it would be a space where one could enjoy the sight of roses blooming even in the depths of winter.

“After you’ve just given birth, there will be limits to how much you can go out even if you want to. So it would be better to have as many things to see as possible.”

“Raymond, this isn’t just your hobby, is it?”

“No… well, maybe just a little…”

“Yes. Anyway, it’s fine. I don’t want to complain about your hobbies, but while we’re at it, I’d like a fountain installed in the outdoor garden too. Being on the water all this time has made me want to see more water.”

“Understood.”

Karen stroked her belly.

Her belly was what had changed the most since before they left.

“Oh, it’s moving.”

“…It feels strange.”

“I’m the only one who would feel it.”

Karen said with a sigh. Raymond also placed his hand on Karen’s belly with a complicated expression. Becoming pregnant, giving birth, and raising a child. It was certainly a blessing, but the weight they felt was different from that of ordinary couples.

“I thought my belly wasn’t showing much, but maybe it was just small back then because the fetus wasn’t in good condition.”

“You’re still beautiful.”

“I know that.”

“What’s the problem?”

“…It’ll hurt more when it gets bigger, won’t it?”

“Ah.”

Karen sighed.

As childbirth approached, she became afraid of labor pains.

“So something the size of a watermelon has to come out down there… ugh…”

“…I’m sorry. I heard that my mother had quite a hard time because I was a big baby when I was young, so it might be my fault. I wonder if it’s a son.”

“It’ll be a daughter.”

Karen said decisively.

She didn’t want to give him false hope. Her maternal line always gave birth to only one daughter and then died. And this pattern continued to repeat. Karen thought of the daughter who would repeat an endless life.

“Perhaps I should apologize to this child.”

“Children should be grateful to their parents just for being born.”

“Are you serious, Raymond?”

“Since my lifespan is so long anyway, I’ll have earned a lot of money. So whether it’s a daughter or son, they’ll be able to spend my fortune freely until their seventies.”

“…You’re not talking about money.”

A daughter will be born. A daughter who looks exactly like me.

Just like me, 17 years later she’ll live repeating one year until she dies, ultimately choosing a man who suits her, having children, and passing on that life again.

A new generation repeating every 17 years. From Karen’s mother to her grandmother and great-grandmother, none of them lived long.

Even her great-great-grandmother wasn’t from that long ago, yet all of Karen’s maternal relatives died young. Whether by accident or illness. Karen’s maternal family was accustomed to death and often lived carelessly before dying futilely.

“I want to live a long time. I have many things I want to do.”

“That is my wish as well.”

“But when I think about my daughter’s life, I feel somewhat guilty.”

Raymond stroked Karen’s belly as he spoke.

“Don’t worry about it.”

There was only one way.

It couldn’t repeat forever.

“Just as we can’t ask children beforehand about giving them life, death is the same. Everyone lives that way. So it’s right to think like ordinary people about what we can give our child as parents.”

“For example?”

“Making a baptismal gown.”

“Nancy is good with her hands.”

Karen said with a frown. She wasn’t particularly bad at sewing, but after dying from tetanus from a needle prick before, she had avoided sewing since then.

“Well, I’m not forcing you to make clothes. I’m just suggesting one of the ways. Think about what you can give, what would be good to teach.”

What could she do when the child was born? Karen wanted to learn more shooting, but guns with silencers were too heavy and pistols she could handle were too noisy, so she postponed it until after childbirth. Raymond was writing a military science book beside Karen in his spare time.

Just as Karen was lost in thought, sunlight illuminated the inside of the greenhouse.

Raymond’s hair shone like gold. Every space enclosed in glass sparkled. In that moment, Karen felt the vitality from the tall plants surrounding him and the smell of ink from Raymond’s fingertips – everything felt perfect. And for the first time, she could be grateful to her mother.

That she was happy to be alive. That she was grateful for life itself.

It was the one love found in a lifetime of madness. The person worth risking her life for was right before her eyes. And she could smile with real happiness, not cynicism or mockery.

What should she do now?

That was something she could think about slowly from now on. Whether she traveled for life or stayed secluded. Whatever it was, the fact that her beloved was by her side wouldn’t change.

* * *

Forgiveness had been received in advance.

He had to clean up his own mistakes.

Dulan’s natural lifespan was quite long, longer than expected. So long it was pathetic. However, it was barely enough time to achieve the accomplishments he desired. Destroying a human body was easy, but restoring it was difficult.

And to do so within less than a year, and to restore a pregnant person so they could give birth safely, was truly difficult work.

But finally, Dulan found a way.

He sent medicine.

However, since the body’s condition varied so much depending on circumstances, he couldn’t let his guard down.

He knew he needed to visit in person for an examination, but going to see Karen before she called for him was still a frightening prospect for him.

So Dulan continued his research while waiting for the call.

Medicine, and theology.

“Priest Dulan.”

Dulan had been unconscious.

To forget reality, it was good to focus on studies. Dulan constantly delved into theology to grasp the countless flow of time. He might be able to find more clues. To receive forgiveness, he needed to find a perfect solution, not a stopgap measure.

Bowen shook Dulan, who wouldn’t wake up even when called. Even after finishing his studies and returning, he continued to follow the monastery lifestyle exactly. The reason he didn’t stay at the monastery permanently was because no monastery had anything more to teach Dulan.

Dulan was either surrounded by countless ancient books of unknown origin doing research, or he would go meet renowned doctors in the capital who called for him. Bowen couldn’t understand why he went to such lengths. As a doctor, he didn’t need to show such dedication. He could receive a lordship just by staying still, yet he always lived as if chased by something.

“Are you alright?”

Dulan opened his eyes. It was a bizarre sight, like a dry branch opening its eyes.

His black eyes were so dark and large that the pupils couldn’t be distinguished, resembling the eye sockets of a skull. His already thin body had become even lighter as he barely ate anymore. But even when he seemed to be dying, his eyes would suddenly blaze with fire as he madly pursued learning. That seemed to be the only thing keeping him alive.

“Would you like to sleep a bit more? You look very tired.”

“…No.”

Dulan leaned his back against the chair. Sleep had somehow fled, and his eyes were bright and alert. With a completely hoarse voice, Dulan asked about the matter.

“…What is it?”

“Miss Karen’s time for childbirth has come. A message arrived asking you to come and help with the delivery. The Lord will also be departing soon, so how long will your preparations take? Right now you look very… difficult.”

“…I’ll, I’ll go right away.”

Dulan got up, grabbed a large bag, and hurriedly prepared. It was impossible to know where such strength came from in his gaunt body. Dulan stood up and quickly stuffed tools into his bag and crammed in medicines.

“Do you really need to go yourself, Priest? It’s been quite a while since she married into the Baron’s family, so it doesn’t seem necessary for Priest Dulan to go all the way there for an examination. There must be many good doctors there too.”

Bowen spoke to Dulan, who was stuffing things into his bag and preparing to leave.

Honestly, he couldn’t understand it. She had already made an enviable marriage to a war hero from a noble family. Bowen, who was more concerned about Dulan due to the favor he owed him, hoped that Dulan would no longer obsess over Karen. But Dulan seemed to have gone slightly mad since receiving notice of the broken engagement.

“It’s already a finished relationship, wouldn’t it be better not to go.”

Even as Bowen said it, he thought he had spoken unnecessarily. Weren’t he and Dulan in a contractual relationship? It was excessive meddling. Dulan stared at Bowen with unreadable eyes and then answered.

“…You, you say that because you don’t know.”

“Pardon?”

“I have to go to end it.”

That’s what I’ve lived for until now.

With those words, Dulan began to walk.

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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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