Resetting Lady - Chapter 69

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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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“May I sit beside you?”

“Yes.”

Raymond also sat on the sofa. The room was quiet and they both felt awkward.

“If we assume what you say is true, honestly speaking… my love doesn’t seem like such a big problem.”

“Why?”

“As I said before, I only look at faces.”

“Yes… I see.”

At Karen’s expression, Raymond covered his eyes with his hand and sighed.

“I don’t think my love, my feelings, have such great value.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because the world is too bleak for that to be true.”

“Is it?”

But that would only be true for you. Karen recalled the past when she pitied Raymond. That would only be true for you, who went to war and continues to kill people.

“Yes. So if, yes. If the reason you keep dying is because of my love, then I will love you. Emotions cannot come before death.”

“I appreciate the effort.”

“I mean it. And um, yes, it’s also true that I felt you were beautiful from the moment I first saw you. I’ve never seen anyone as beautiful as you in my life. When I saw you smile, it seemed like the surroundings lit up.”

Raymond speaks soothingly. If you want love, I’ll give you love. If that’s what’s needed. But neither of them knows how much that love amounts to. It’s Dulan who judges. And the problem was that both Karen and Raymond, while speaking seriously, both had cynical sides.

“Then wouldn’t that be insufficient?”

“What more do you think is needed?”

“Inner qualities…”

Ah, even saying it myself feels like a stab. Karen shut her mouth tight. Raymond’s gaze was piercing. But inner qualities, what inner qualities in this situation? Karen turned her gaze to the hydrangeas for no reason.

Should I just knock him down?

Could it succeed? Karen swallowed. I don’t know. If it were the old Raymond, he should have already confessed his love. Of course, they confess to each other daily, but are those confessions the kind Dulan demanded? Thinking about it, both seem like they’re not. It’s difficult to quantify emotions with numbers. Should I just suggest we sleep together? Karen surveyed Raymond’s body with the eyes of a scoundrel.

“Karen.”

There are many buttons, so it would be difficult to undress him. Karen was thinking such thoughts while eyeing Raymond’s body, so she heard his words belatedly.

“Yes.”

Fortunately, Raymond didn’t seem to know what kind of look Karen had given him. But at his serious face, Karen could immediately straighten her attitude. Raymond took out an invitation and showed it to Karen.

“I don’t know about other things, but this one would be quite difficult to refuse. He’s too big a figure.”

“Who is it?”

“Prince Guize.”

* * *

“I’m very excited that Miss Karen is coming too.”

“Me too, Mother.”

Lady Lian, daughter of Countess Elba, came running to Karen and hugged her tightly. Karen lifted Lian up and sat her on her lap.

“Are you that happy, Lian? Karen, you feel the same way, don’t you? Such opportunities are rare. Normally you’d only see his face after a debut ceremony.”

Countess Elba, who had agreed to accompany them, watched her daughter clinging to Karen’s skirt with sparkling eyes. Karen put down her hot teacup and tickled the child. Lady Lian laughed as if she couldn’t breathe. Karen played with the child for a while and carefully answered Countess Elba, who was watching them with fond eyes.

“I’m worried that my young age might be a burden. Is it really alright for me to go?”

Karen had been invited along with Elba. More precisely, she had been invited to a gathering that Elba had to attend. And the gathering that Elba and Lian were going to was for young nobles around Lian’s age, about ten years old, and their parents. Karen didn’t fit in many ways, whether by age or rank. Without a direct summons from royalty, it would be stranger to go. In fact, being invited at all was unnatural.

“It’ll probably be boring for Karen. Boys are really annoying.”

“Lian!”

“I really hate them. D’Artagnan is smarter.”

D’Artagnan was the Countess’s pet dog. Karen comforted and petted Lian, who was expressing the pain of social life from such a young age. Children of that age group, girls are much more mature than boys. And no matter how much you educate them, children are still children. There are limits to teaching resignation and manners.

“Lian, don’t cling to Karen too much. It’s rude.”

“I don’t mind, Madam.”

“Yes. I’m sorry, Karen.”

But Lady Lian didn’t throw any more tantrums and obediently returned to her chair and properly held her teacup. Karen also held her teacup while thinking of a future that wouldn’t come. Let’s not think deeply. I made that decision.

“Is this a gathering mainly for Prince Louis, Prince Guiz’s son?”

Lian answered while covering her face.

“Prince Louis is handsome.”

“This child… looks aren’t important. And you must behave well in front of him. Understood?”

At Countess Elba’s words, Lian answered sulkily.

“I am behaving well.”

“You must behave even better.”

“Does behaving well even matter? The Prince will marry royalty anyway.”

Countess Elba laughed while giving a cookie to her daughter, who gave an unusually realistic answer for a child.

“Marriage isn’t the only answer, Lian.”

Prince Louis is the same age as Lady Lian. If she became the Crown Princess, she would walk a golden path, but even if not, that gathering was for high-ranking nobles. Though they were young, that’s precisely why they needed to become friends from this time – that was their thinking. No matter how much wealth Verdick accumulated, he wouldn’t be able to fit into the intimacy among those nobles.

“No matter how I think about it, this doesn’t seem like a gathering I should attend. What do you think?”

In any case, it was a good gathering. But it wasn’t exactly a place for Karen to go. Prince Guiz had summoned Karen several times before, but not to this gathering. What he summoned her to were more sinister places with gambling and women, and it ended with just watching. This time he’s summoning her officially? But Elba, who took Karen’s reluctance as nervousness, just smiled brightly and comforted Karen.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. You’ll need a lot of help when you have children anyway. You’ll need a nanny, and a good tutor too. When you get married, children come quickly, so if you try to get advice then, it’ll be too late, you know?”

For Karen, it wasn’t a matter of liking or disliking it. The problem was the unnatural gathering. And until now, he had never summoned her to such ‘bright’ gatherings. They were always gatherings involving gambling and women where class and gender were relatively free. And even when summoned, nothing particular had happened.

“You resemble Catherine.”

That was all.

“That’s too early… I don’t even have children.”

Why is he summoning me so quickly this time? Was the gambling with Baron Ain the problem? Or did entering as Verdick’s adopted daughter catch his eye? Did he take interest in Father’s death? Or maybe…

“Could it be related to Mother?”

“It might be. He was famous for being quite interested in Lady Catherine… It wouldn’t be unreasonable for him to be curious about her daughter. Oh my, how romantic. He surely views you favorably.”

It wasn’t like that until now. Karen looked down at her teacup, falling into slight contemplation. For her, this was a good thing. He’s someone who knew Catherine more directly and well. Wasn’t this the kind of gathering that would have been hard to get involved with before? There’s nothing bad about becoming close to someone of high status.

“It’s something to be grateful for…”

In this life, everything happens a bit faster. It’s not strange. Changes of this degree have always occurred.

“Then will Prince Guiz also attend?”

If it’s to see Karen, he would. But Countess Elba tilted her head and expressed doubt.

“Well, I don’t know about that. He’ll probably skip it this time too? He hasn’t come very often until now. Even at a young age, Prince Louis usually hosts these.”

“Karen, Karen. Prince Louis is also very smart.”

From the side, Lady Lian spoke about the Prince while gazing into space with dreamy eyes. How precocious. Countess Elba looked fondly at her daughter, who had great affection for the Prince, and stroked her.

“Still, since Prince Louis is so mature, there shouldn’t be any problems.”

Entrusting gathering hosting to a ten-year-old, this country’s doom isn’t far off either. Karen laughed thinking this, but Countess Elba and Lady Lian were discussing clothes with faces that trusted Prince Louis greatly.

* * *

“Are you still contemplating?”

Raymond stopped writing his records while watching Karen worry over a list. Karen sighed while looking at fabric samples.

“I have no idea what to wear to a children’s gathering.”

“You said you lived for 100 years. What were you doing all that time?”

“I was in love.”

“Yes… I see.”

“Oh my, then what would Lord Raymond do if he lived 100 times over?”

At Karen’s words, Raymond shrugged without hesitation and answered.

“Isn’t it obvious? World peace.”

“You’re joking?”

“Well. But I can’t understand worrying about such things after living so long. It’s the second day. It’s not like a ball where you’re choosing the Prince’s bride, it’s just a gathering. No, even if it were that. Isn’t worrying for a week too much? Leaving me aside while I’m going on a long journey for work.”

Raymond clicked his tongue while looking at the book containing fabric samples that Karen was holding. Since it belonged to the Countess, it was thick. It probably contained most of the available fabrics. Decisions are difficult indeed.

Karen wiggled her finger as she answered. You still don’t know what’s important. Isn’t this ultimately the most important thing for me? He’s Catherine’s ex-lover. And he’s a Prince. It’s a gathering I’ve never been to before. Beauty is a woman’s weapon, and clothes are a woman’s army. Shouldn’t I prepare thoroughly and achieve victory?

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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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