Resetting Lady - Chapter 9

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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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How long was this meeting with the Evans family? For Karen, who already knows the ending, it’s a bothersome schedule.

If they build the roads as the Evans family wants and people flood in, the Hyer Estate won’t be able to handle that population. A project that would normally take at least ten years is being pushed through in just a few months by the Evans family, who have already absorbed the surrounding regions, and after struggling to collect insufficient taxes, they’ll go bankrupt and all rights will be transferred to the Hyer family.

How vicious, one might say. Karen closed her eyes.

She doesn’t particularly feel anger toward Verdick Evans. Just admiration at how quick his hands are. Seventeen-year-old Hyer Karen. Everyone sees her as that age, but inside she’s an old woman who has lived through 100 years. That said, she couldn’t even pretend to know all the ways of the world.

Repeating one year of a 17-year-old’s life 100 times doesn’t give you more sublime knowledge than scholars who make great discoveries. It’s a matter of innate ability, environment, and effort.

She’s well-versed in matters between men and women, but business like this is another matter entirely. After repeating the same thing for decades, trying to stop her father and sabotage the business, ultimately the best method was to give up this region and later apply pressure through Raymond. Until now, that was the only kind of revenge Karen could manage.

There was a time when she tried to protect the Hyer family from the Evans family’s pressure. She’ll skip this life so it’s pointless, but still, thinking about having her share stolen isn’t very pleasant.

“How many people came from the Evans family?”

“Well… Verdick Evans and his daughter Isela Evans, plus three related experts and two servants, one maid. Also, each of those experts brought one servant, and there are two dedicated coachmen.”

“Quite a lot of mouths to feed.”

“Yes.”

“That must be difficult.”

“…Yes.”

Donna didn’t hide her hostility. For a moment it was slightly uncomfortable, but she realized it was awkwardness at the fact that she wasn’t one of Raymond’s Mansion’s maids who didn’t show emotions well, and wasn’t Nancy’s reaction, who had cared for her like a mother.

Right, these maids and servants are all Hyer family people. And the Evans are those trying to take over this family. Since they were born and raised on this estate, it’s natural.

“There are five people we need to care for as guests, so we’re doing three times the usual work. These days I can barely get three hours of sleep. Do you know when they’re leaving?”

“Well. I hope they leave soon too.”

They won’t disappear until they take over this family.

Plunging her face into cold washing water, she realizes another day has begun. It’s still dark. Karen, who had stayed up all night, was tormented by the overwhelming fatigue.

Thinking she was tired to death, that expression soon seemed ridiculous to her.

A murderer complaining about being tired to death – how luxurious.

“Who’s attending to Isela?”

“Sera.”

Donna answered with a very displeased expression.

That expression is amusing.

“How is she?”

“…”

“Why, tell me honestly.”

When she spoke with a slight smile, Donna grumbled with a sour face.

“She complains that the food doesn’t suit her taste.”

“Hmm.”

Actually, that’s true. Karen agreed. Since transportation is inconvenient, high-quality ingredients don’t come in, and the estate’s main crops are mostly ornamental trees, so it’s not suitable for enjoying meals.

Moreover, because they focus more on handicrafts like woodworking rather than farming, not only the commoners but even the lord’s household treats meals simply as filling one’s stomach. For the youngest daughter of a wealthy magnate who only enjoyed luxurious delicacies, this place would be torture.

“She slapped Sera for not properly managing the clothes she brought.”

“Oh my.”

“Isn’t she arrogant? After all, she’s also from the working class like us.”

So you’re upset that she’s acting superior when she’s ultimately the same as you. Karen just smiled.

The Evans want to have Hyer, and we won’t be able to stop it. What does it matter if we mock them? Seeing Karen maintain silence, Donna realized she had overstepped.

“…I’m sorry. I overstepped my bounds.”

“What. Before God, people are ultimately equal, aren’t they?”

Probably.

“Oh, even before God it’s different. Unlike Sera or Isela, you’re of noble birth, miss.”

In the end, it’s just social status. It’s not like they have grand estates like dukes, counts, or barons. Judging by worldly standards, the Evans family ultimately has more influence than most nobles, so comparing them to a maid like Donna is absurd. In terms of wealth, they’re several times above the Hyer family.

Seeing Karen’s indifferent face, Donna goes further to emphasize the difference between Isela and Karen.

“Still! It’s different. You received God’s blessing, miss.”

That thing about being told at birth that you’d become the most blessed woman in the world? Karen snorted. Why take such pleasantries seriously?

Donna looks at Karen with admiring eyes.

“Your beauty is proof of receiving a blessing, miss.”

“Mmm…”

Having grown up her whole life amid such embarrassingly excessive praise, it’s natural she’d act this way. Karen felt complicated thinking about ‘Karen in the story.’

She must have grown up her whole life under such gazes and expectations. Then it would be natural for her to dream like that too.

Even street gypsies can give such blessings. Birth blessings weren’t given much meaning in cities. But in Karen’s case, her striking beauty became good gossip for country folk and was considered sacred.

To a girl who received only praise her whole life, Dulan wouldn’t catch her eye… Karen didn’t want to mock ‘Karen.’ In the end, it’s all fantasy. She too is ultimately the same as a character in the play. Script is script, role is role. But repeating the same imitation over and over makes it ridiculous and cynical.

How many novel heroines like ‘Karen’ dream of that shining future beyond reality? Whether it’s primitive desire-driven writings too common to be recognized for literary value, or those who mock such things – she’s seen countless of both. Those who mock women unable to control their vanity and fantasies gain comfort by bestowing pity disguised as ridicule.

In the end, to Karen, both ‘Karen’ who runs away claiming to seek love and ‘Dulan’ who mocks her carry equal weight. But that’s personal emotion and impressions of main characters, sometimes sighing long and lamenting the given role.

Then occasionally seeing ordinary supporting characters wearing the mask of society, like Donna looking at Karen while clothed in fantasy, made her heart feel constricted.

They just change clothes and play the same roles with similar lines. Nancy, Donna, Sera. In the end, nothing changes. And then… ultimately realizing that she too is just a doll imitating a role… that’s too…

“Miss?”

“Hmm, no. I dozed off for a moment.”

“I’m sorry for not being good with words. Since Senior Nancy’s vacation got extended…”

…So that’s how it’s handled. Karen wondered how long it would be replaced under the name of vacation. The corpse had disappeared. In an impossible way. But to simply conclude it was an external force, Isela had mentioned damage to the corpse that Karen hadn’t done. Had someone else touched it? Hands. Karen raised both her hands.

Clap.

“Ah, miss?”

“I’m sleepy.”

“No! Your face… how could you…”

“I’m sleepy.”

Don’t sink into the ocean of thoughts, Karen. What you don’t know, you don’t know. Then if you keep experimenting, you’ll find out.

“Donna.”

“Yes?”

“If it’s hard, don’t you want to take a vacation?”

“Hehe, no. Everyone has so much work that if I leave too, it’ll be really difficult.”

Clicking her tongue in disappointment, she checks the date.

“…Time passes quickly.”

Now it’s about time for him to appear.

Karen puts aside her brief rest and prepares to welcome the male protagonist. She needs to tighten her waist, care for her skin, and groom her hair. To welcome him, she doesn’t need lots of money or need to wield force, but there’s one thing she must absolutely maintain. She must be beautiful no matter what.

* * *

“What, when exactly is she coming?”

“W-well… at least 2 weeks of vacation…”

“What maid gets 2 weeks of vacation!”

Isela grabbed Sera and raged in bewilderment. But when the maid made a tearful face saying it’s really true, she soon grew tired of being angry and slumped down. Maybe it’s because of that time of month. Her lower abdomen was cramping. She held her stomach and lay down.

“…”

She got goosebumps with a chill.

“I saw it here.”

A strange apparition. A woman with her neck cut. To definitively conclude that it was a dream, a fantasy, she needed certainty. Seeing the living maid with her own eyes. But she had taken vacation and left that day, they said. Since no one had seen her, even while thinking ‘it can’t be, it can’t be,’ she couldn’t help feeling anxious.

A maid taking such a long vacation just because she’s in a bad mood? Strange. She’s not even a noble’s companion lady-in-waiting, just a country lord’s daughter’s personal maid at best. And one of low rank due to her dark skin color. A worker who has to do all sorts of odd jobs besides caring for Karen, sent on vacation during a busy time with many outsiders like herself, just because she said she wanted vacation. It didn’t make sense.

She wanted to ignore it, but unsettling suspicion lingered. Like menstrual cramps, a persistent and unsettling discomfort. Showing such a pathetic state to Karen – embarrassment mixed with doubt about whether it was really like that.

Could it all be fantasy? Isela had never suffered from such things before. During her periods there was irritation and pain, but never such extreme hallucinations. Far from hallucinations, she rarely even had auditory hallucinations or nightmares.

Even in darkness, there were always maids nearby to make her forget fear, and her bedroom was full of incense, decorations, and veils that promised pleasant sleep. After pleasant days came even better things, and her father’s business had never failed once. And now only a future of becoming a dignified lady remained. So why.

“No…”

Isela didn’t want to admit that she was feeling anxiety.

Don’t doubt the happy future. She is the precious daughter of the Evans family. There will always be only happiness.

“The necklace…”

A clean and splendid necklace with nothing on it. Had blood really been on this? Isela rolled the necklace’s gem with her hand. It didn’t suit such nightmares. The unchanging gem seemed to promise quiet and eternal peace, but Isela, who possessed a physical body, became more frightened looking at the gem. Even if gems are eternal, she realized she could die at any time.

“This estate is somehow strange.”

“Pardon?”

“Don’t you feel it?”

“…”

What’s the point of telling a maid from this place? Seeing Sera’s face mixed with suspicion and irritation, Isela stopped her questioning. Something was strange, but since the maids here weren’t her hands and feet, she couldn’t know. Even that ‘something’ was hard to grasp. She clicked her tongue and closed her eyes.

What is this place exactly? I’m going to become the owner here, but will it be okay? Is this something I can ignore? Where exactly should I start fixing things?

“Lady Isela Evans.”

“Huh?”

“A telegram has arrived from Lord Raymond.”

Thoughts about the maid were pushed to the back of her mind, and Isella joyfully snatched the letter to read the telegram. Then she made a tearful face.

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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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