Translator and Editor: Effe and Yonnee

‘But why..’

Why was he constantly worrying about her?

Seven years ago, after that day, their relationship was shattered. Shortly thereafter, he held on to a feeble hope that it wasn’t, but after confirming her betrayal, he let go of even that. Hert no longer loved Tessa. He was sure.

These feelings towards her in the first place could not be love. Stained by her betrayal, brimming with hatred and misery, this was hardly what one would dare call love. This raw emotion was not even in its perfect form, and even tormented Hert.

So he was confused. If this feeling wasn’t love, he couldn’t figure out what the hell it was, and couldn’t even conclude why he cared so much about her.

In that, Hert thought about Tessa the whole time she was lying down. He herself wonders what he wants to do with Tessa. Did he want revenge on her, or did he want to make her his reward for his hellish past? Maybe both, maybe not. Because his mind changed from time to time.

Anyway, that’s the conclusion he has been thinking about for a long time. Unfortunately, it was an endless loop.

Nevertheless, one thing became clear through this incident. Hert wanted Tessa not to die. He wanted her alive.

At least in front of him.

* * *

Lange heard that the sixth wife of the former lord had just woken up. The soldier also reported that his superior had instructed to prepare her meal. He tapped his fingertips on his desk at regular intervals. On the desk lay the information his superior had asked for.

‘Tessa Jutert.’

Seven years ago, she became the sixth wife of Marquis Jutert on behalf of the famous daughter of Baron Settebien.

As the Marquis disregarded her, knowing that she was a substitute for the baron’s daughter, her position in this place was reduced at once, and in her early years she attempted to escape and commit suicide, causing all sorts of disturbances. However, it was written that at some point she became quiet and did not come out of her room.

The other thing is that she has been regularly abused by the Young Marquis.

Lange quietly lowered his gaze as he skimmed through interviews with people around her that were about the lengthy attachments to the escape and suicide protest and the abuse of the Young Marquis. He thought she was withdrawn every time but he didn’t know she had a story like this.

He already wondered what his superior would look like if he knew.

‘More than that.. It’s the same.’

Lange returned to the first page and skimmed through Tessa’s basic information.

Again, like his superior, he was unclear about her whereabouts seven years ago. He doesn’t know what Baron Settebien did, but there was no information about a woman named Tessa before she became ‘Tessa Settebien’. Both her origin nor her parents were blank.

However, Lange could only guess roughly how she had lived. She’s from the same background as his superior, so she’s probably from an orphanage. And the reason they separated seven years ago must have been the cause of his superior’s current feelings for the Madam. Of course, given the reaction or behavior of his superior, it was highly likely that she had wronged him.

‘Is the cause also what happened when Sir was transferred from the orphanage to be a gladiator slave?’

Although slaves were legal in the Mussieux Kingdom, the number was rare. It was not uncommon for ordinary people to become slaves. In the beginning, ninety percent of slaves were public slaves who were exonerated after a misdemeanor lived as a slave for as long as the sentence was given, and the remaining ten percent were private slaves who claimed to be slaves for various reasons.

But who would call himself a slave? Most avoided becoming a slave unless they were in debt that could not be repaid. Ironically, unlike the public slaves, the treatment private slaves received was not very good.

This was the case with gladiator slaves, who could be called the representative of private slaves. The treatment was so severe that most of the prisoners sentenced to death or life imprisonment went to the arena instead of going to prison. It wasn’t uncommon for a commoner to become a gladiator-slave right away, like his superior.

‘But can the Madam sell the Sir as a gladiator slave? In the first place, a slave contract would not be effective unless the person directly interfered with it.’

Lange narrowed his brow and once again tapped his fingertips across his desk. Then he shrugged his shoulders. Well, that’s all he had to do. He didn’t know what happened between them seven years ago, but it was something they had to settle between themselves. The only thing he had to do was what he’s been ordered to do. Of course, he couldn’t erase the feeling that something was amiss.

‘And if there is a serious problem, Her Excellency will solve it.’

Hert Shine was a dog that Marquis Borwen adored so much that the Marquis couldn’t let the problem that could become an obstacle be left alone. The reason his superior was able to rise to the top in the shortest period of time was mainly because of his excellent skills, but basically, because the Marquis looked after him.

‘Still, I don’t know, so I’ll have to report it to Her Excellency.’

Lange got up and lit a candle. Today’s work ended here. Now, all that remains is to hand over the information about the Madam to his superior as soon as dawn comes and take a shift with Sir Bosch. Unless something special happened, that was his schedule.

When he took the watch out of his pocket and checked the time, there were still three or four hours until dawn. Until then, Lange left the room with the intention of closing his eyes for a moment, and soon met someone who was waiting for him.

“It’s hard to see your face. Isn’t that right, Sir Geoffrey?”

Oh, he forgot for a moment. That woman was here.

‘It’s bothering me.’

Lange said with a smile.

“You’re not dead yet, she’s alive, Lady Vellodem.”

* * *

“What are you doing these days?”

Was she only sixteen years old? The little girl lying on her bed and fiddling with a book looked at her only sister. The sisters, who were as tall as men, boasted their splendid limbs, and had been staring out the window ever since.

“Lee.”

The little girl called her sister again. Then the woman, Beatrice, turned her head and met the eyes of the weak queen of this country, Jean. The eyes that embraced the black eyes widened narrowly.

“Are you so curious about what I am doing?”

“You know the terrible news going around in the palace these days about you?”

“When has it ever been good?”

Beatrice smirked. She moved away from the window, walked over to the bed on which the queen was lying, and pulled up the chair and sat down. Then she reached out and cleaned her sister’s hair, which was scattered around her.

The purple hair, which looked exactly like hers, was paler than before. But she didn’t show it. There was nothing to be surprised about now.

“Don’t worry. Things are going smoothly.”

“So what are you doing?”

“Who knows, playing the villain?”

Beatrice shrugged her shoulders as she said something she had heard from someone. At this, Jean furrowed her brows openly.

“What is it? Don’t do anything weird.”

“Well, how can I go against the will of my queen?”

At the soft voice, as if trying to appease her, the queen rather rubbed her mouth and looked at her sister with a skeptical look.

“Don’t take it lightly. It’s because your behavior is really strange. Rams is stupid and doesn’t know anything, but I can see it all in my eyes. Surely something will happen soon. For example..”

“Something like Chaldiweus’ coal mine strike?”

Jean’s eyes widened at her reply. What Jean was trying to tell her older sister was information that had yet to be known apart from very few. She also went to see her husband, and she accidentally overheard it in the study, and she can still vividly remember the cunning tongue teasing to seduce the king.

“What, how do you know? Could it be that Sister led the way?”

“It is not. Rather than that, doesn’t the Queen look down on me too much?”

“Do I, Lee? It can’t be.”

“Right. I know better than anyone that the Queen considers me special. Just saying.”

Beatrice made eye contact with her brother and smiled. But Jean frowned, as if she had not yet overcome her anxiety. Don’t do it, listen to me. She has been thinking about it for a while.. The queen continued her words, waving her book.

“It was last year that we joined hands with Tehera to bring in the railroad. The construction is now in the final stage. At least in a few months, the railway between Benshan and Rudiren will be opened. So if Chaldiweus strikes at this point, won’t we suffer huge losses? Of course, the price of coal will skyrocket, but we will have to deliver goods at a frozen price according to our promise. It’s not just that. Coal is somehow tied to everything. Everything is a chain. Not even this book. Did you know that it takes hundreds of coals to make one book? If the supply of coal is cut off, there will also be deals with Tehera, but the cost will start to rise and eventually, the price will soar. And that must be what they want.”

“Well, even though you’re only in the palace, you seem to understand a lot.”

Beatrice applauded as if she was proud of the outpour of words. The queen swung her book at her, telling her not to tease her. Seriously, listen! The book was quickly captured by Beatrice, despite the fact that she swung it as hard as she could.

Beatrice glanced through the book she had stolen from her sister. Then she unfolded the scribbled part of it, then lightly flicked Jean’s forehead with her finger. Jean wrapped her forehead and shouted lowly.

“It hurts!”

“It’s you who won’t value a book made of hundreds of coals.”

“No, that’s not the problem now..!”

“There is something you missed. First, the pact with Tehera will be voided. Second, there will be no Chaldiweus strike. Third, worse things will happen.”

“What? What does that mean..”

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