Resetting Lady - Chapter 70
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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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“This is my first time at this gathering. And why would I worry about Lord Raymond?”
“I see. We’re just in a contractual relationship. My heart feels like it’s being torn apart.”
At Karen’s response, Raymond theatrically clutched his chest as if wounded. She chuckled at his action and replied.
“You’ll definitely win and come back anyway.”
“…Hmm, that’s somewhat comforting.”
“Lord Raymond, what’s this sudden business that you’re not going to?”
Raymond asked with a subtle smile.
“Try to guess. You claim to know the future.”
“You’ve never gone at this time before.”
Karen made a slightly disgruntled excuse, but at his deepening smile, she forced herself to think.
“Um, probably what you’re going for is… military-related business. It’s been moved up a bit, but usually everything you go to at this time was that.”
“Anything other than what anyone could think of?”
“At this time, they called Lord Raymond under the pretext of testing a silencer-equipped gun for the first time. And you went to do something you didn’t particularly want to do. You’ll return in 3 days.”
“What exactly is the business?”
“You’ve never told me before.”
“Is that so. Well, what a soldier has to do is obvious anyway.”
Raymond irritably swept up his fallen bangs. Karen felt slightly embarrassed about choosing dresses. Not that there was anything she could particularly do for him though.
“It would have been nice if I could go with you. It would help with future matters too.”
“Even if there was no business, it would have been difficult to go anyway. The invitation clearly invites only you.”
“Lord Raymond thinks so too, right?”
That’s what makes it more awkward. Even if only men were invited, it wouldn’t be strange for a fiancée to accompany them. But it’s uncommon for a man to go to a gathering where only women are invited. Such subtle etiquette is bothersome.
“Lord Raymond, do you think Prince Guiz will appear?”
“He seems likely to appear. Though it doesn’t seem like a good thing.”
“Do you know anything about him?”
“Well… I’ve encountered him a few times. Here and there.”
Raymond trailed off as if he didn’t want to talk about it. Karen looked at him and broached the subject.
“I heard he was a follower of Mother.”
“Being swayed by a face is only temporary.”
“Are you talking about yourself?”
“…I have nothing to say.”
“Anyway, how do you know?”
“If he were an ordinary man, no one would want to introduce their woman to him.”
“Don’t you have anything other than what anyone could say?”
“…”
Raymond, who had his own words thrown back at him, tilted his head this way and that before speaking.
“I don’t really want to tell a woman like you.”
“Oh my, are you criticizing me?”
“No, no, that’s not it.”
Raymond waved his hand at Karen. His face looked somewhat flustered.
“He’s… um, not someone with a very good relationship with women.”
“To be specific?”
“Um… why do you think Prince Guiz called for you?”
“Because he’s curious about me since he was Mother’s former lover?”
“I think the opposite.”
“Because he dislikes me?”
“No, not you, but me.”
Raymond pointed to his own chest.
“He doesn’t like me.”
“Uh… Lord Raymond, why did you do such a thing? When a superior gives orders, you should obey. The other party is royalty.”
“You’re saying that without even hearing what I did?”
“Whatever you did, you should have made a good impression!”
To say such things while being a soldier. Karen looked at Raymond who was saying ridiculous things. But he seemed to truly despise Prince Guiz.
“Well. To be honest, the person I know would prefer embracing his first love’s daughter rather than wanting to see her out of curiosity.”
“…”
It was a realistic and plausible guess. Karen was left speechless. And Raymond continued.
“And at the same time, giving me work doesn’t feel very good either.”
Raymond said while alternately looking at the invitation and the orders he received.
“Only bad blood remains with Mr. Verdick, and Countess Elba is merely taking you around as an ornament.”
“…”
Raymond then overlapped those two papers while saying.
“If I die, there will be no one left to protect you.”
He stared at the two papers beneath him in silence for a long while.
“Lord Raymond, Lord Raymond?”
Karen waved her hand in front of Raymond’s eyes. He looked up and met Karen’s gaze.
“If I die, the pension will go to you… Oh right, you have more money than me now. Still, just use the pension for living expenses. Don’t buy things like that.”
He pointed with his finger at the antiques Karen had bought. Look at this? Karen frowned deeply and grabbed Raymond’s hand.
“Excuse me, Lord Raymond.”
“Yes.”
“You still don’t believe me in the end. At least try to believe a little.”
Karen brought her hand to Raymond’s cheek and pinched it hard. She liked his slightly dazed expression. Come to think of it, he had pinched her like this before too. Karen smiled.
“Lord Raymond won’t die.”
“That’s easy for you to say…”
“You absolutely will not die.”
“…”
She stretched his cheek with her finger. It would be funny if it bruised. Karen gave a definitive answer. This is a prophecy. A truth that won’t change no matter what happens. He will not die. In any danger whatsoever.
“You absolutely won’t die, so don’t worry.”
Until the day I die.
“…I hope it’s nothing serious.”
Raymond watched Karen’s hand move away and rubbed his tingling cheek.
* * *
“Relax.”
“Hng… Ugh… a little gentler… Ah… wait!”
“Just a little more…!”
“…Please…”
“Just a little more… done!”
Did I perhaps gain some weight in the meantime? Karen gritted her teeth while tightening the corset. Well, she had been eating well lately. At the Evans Family, there was so much work that she had to eat well to be able to move, and now she was too relaxed. It was a brief but peaceful moment. Beautiful days. But was that peace making her gain weight? Karen gulped. Surely not.
“Did I gain some weight?”
“What? Not at all. You were too thin for a while. Even now you should gain more weight.”
Donna shook her head and refuted. But Karen sighed while looking at her pale face in the mirror, her waist tightly cinched. She had indeed been too lazy. Seduce Raymond, seduce. But perhaps that ship had already sailed. And it seemed like she had buttoned the first button wrong, so she kept grasping only traces of Mother. Yet there were no significant gains.
‘I was indeed too lazy.’
Karen blamed herself. Beauty was Karen’s greatest weapon. If Karen hadn’t been beautiful, Raymond wouldn’t have even approached her, and Donna’s admiration wouldn’t have existed either if Karen wasn’t beautiful. Countess Elba would have withdrawn the favor she showed her too.
To become so relaxed just because she got a few clues and life became comfortable. Karen put on her shoes while blaming herself. The shoes made of fabric fit Karen’s feet perfectly, unlike those fitted for Isella’s feet. The wounds had also almost completely healed. Because she hadn’t bothered to wear shoes next to Raymond. Come to think of it, wasn’t that also too relaxed a lifestyle now? Had she become too loose in front of Lord Raymond?
‘What did I even do to become so relaxed already?’
Karen gritted her teeth. They hadn’t even had proper sleeping together, let alone a proper kiss! Yet to become lazy and satisfied by rambling about repetitive life. Pathetic.
“You’re truly beautiful.”
Fortunately, it didn’t seem to be something to worry about yet. Donna’s eyes were still covered with admiration. Karen agreed while checking the back of her light purple dress. There were almost no decorations, but the fabric was so luxurious that nothing more was needed. The exposure was minimal except for the arms, making it a modest dress, but the price of this modest outfit was more than ten times that of the most expensive dress she wore at Hyer Estate. And today’s gathering was ultimately a small meeting mainly for children. For herself, who had become more famous for gambling, this level was appropriate to spend time peacefully. Luxurious but not flashy.
Also, it was appropriate not only for the gathering but also for seeing Raymond off. A wistful young lady seeing off her fiancé going to a battlefield. Karen knew he would return with greater honor, but she had to consider others’ gazes too. The maids’ eyes as well.
“I heard Lord Raymond is leaving soon too, will you see him off?”
Donna timely asked about her fiancé. Karen nodded.
“Yes, we’re leaving together today. I’m going first and he’s leaving soon after. Our schedules ended up being similar.”
“Isn’t that strange?”
“Right?”
As if someone had intentionally planned it. Karen swallowed her remaining words.
“Where is he going? He’s not going somewhere dangerous, is he?”
“I don’t really know either.”
“Um… aren’t you curious?”
Donna asked carefully while tying the remaining ribbon behind Karen, who answered indifferently.
“He won’t tell me anyway.”
And honestly, she wasn’t particularly curious either. She was certain he would return safely to Karen. He had sometimes shown anxiety about untimely summons before, but that always turned out to be nothing. He always returned with even greater glory. To Karen.
“How do you find staying here?”
“I like it.”
Donna answered with a faint smile. Indeed, for her as Karen’s maid, there were few places as comfortable as the Countess’s house. Lady Elba had provided them with the annex. Donna only attended to Karen and had no occasion to encounter the Countess’s maids. To think she would end up staying with her like this. This had never happened before.
Her connection with Nancy had ended at the manor, and even when there were maids to attend her, they were always employees working at other estates. Karen imagined striking Donna’s round head with an axe. If she had done that, this time would have been a little different.
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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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