Chapter 55
I-I just
He had completely lost himself in the indulgence of unconditional love. And as he weighed that love on the scale, the result was the destruction of oneself. He made it so that his childs mind was empty, and even when she had gone ahead to murder people, he rationalized his actions in accordance with this with love.
The love for his child, the love for his wifebecause he loved both of them. However, this love eventually did not weigh more than his own life. One might say that this was inconsequential, but that was not the case for the fief lord. Catherines love was not the only thing that mattered. The fief lord despaired at the fact that the love he felt weighed less than his own life.
Its alright. I understand.
Even so, another emotion stood above that understanding. It was the feeling of inevitability.
Haha
Carynne let out a dispirited laugh. Haha, look at this, Mother. Your love. Look at your male lead. Hes crying because hes scared witless.
Then thats the limit of both your love and belief. Ah, Im not accusing you. Father, this is how everyone is. You see your own death in the way that other people would. Theres no such thing as love that transcends death. So thats not the answer either. It must be something else. Because its not you, Father! That much love is fine. That much belief is alright. Sure enough, Ill find the answer. But your guess was wrong. Ha, something like eternal love that can overcome it all, goodness.
I-I Im
The fief lords expression was a disaster. Carynne spoke bitterly.
I dont need it. Father, its alright. Im not denying your love.
Carynne grinned.
If its possible to overcome this with ordinary love, then shouldnt there be a different solution out there, something else other than an ambiguous emotion?
She wanted to comfort the fief lord. She did so very sincerely.
Its alright, Father. It truly is!
Carynne smiled broadly as she said this. And she laughed oh so delightfully.
Im not such an immoral person that I desperately want to see my fathers corpse. Ah, isnt that right? Anyway, its like that. It doesnt matter, just like that. You chose your life!
Clap!
Then, she clapped her hands together.
Life is great! No amount of hatred, love or power means anything in the face of death! And among them all, even love! Yes, Father. So you chose life! If you stopped breathing with just one word of mine, then that kind of life would be an act of blasphemy! Yes!
Carynne clapped and laughed. Oh what joy!
Im being serious, if you had died, Father, then Id have made Sir Raymond take some drugs and hypnotize him into falling in love with me. Mm, uh-huh. I just wanted to see how far I could go. But we dont have to go to that point.
Unlike Carynne, who became more comfortable now, the fief lord was feeling miserable.
I Catherine
Fufu, Im glad. Seriously Its terrible to know that the one hundred years I spent is connected to such a fleeting emotion. But Im so happy, Father!
Carynne stepped closer to her father.
He was trembling. He brought his neck to the noose, but he couldnt kick the chair beneath his feet. Before this, he hid some corpses, killed people, brainwashed her daughter and gave her drugsall in the name of love. He was blind to that extent.
I
The fief lord believed his wife, and so too did he believe his daughter. He did. He believed them. Thats what he thought. His wife was from another world, and so was his daughter. They repeated their lives until theyd find their true love. Catherine fell in love with him and was released from the spell, and Carynne had yet to find her true love, and so she was doing all sorts of things.
My dear.
He recalled Catherines final words.
You dont believe me, do you? You also think that its absurd.
Its not like that, Catherine. My wife, my dearly beloved. My goddess. I believe everything that you say, everything that is about you. I am your god, just as you are my goddess. Even more so, how could I not believe your final oracle.
Then please, believe in Carynne. That child, too, will find love in the end. No matter how she behaves, trust her.
Catherines entire body was wracked with a disease that couldnt be named. She faded, as though her existence refused to be tethered to this world. Her body was thin enough that her bones stuck out, and the once milk-like skin had turned ashen, close to the color gray. The fief lord rushed about every which way, but Catherine took everything in stride.
Finally, death welcomes me.
He clung to his wife, who said that death was her old friend, but it was all meaningless. Even if the period in which their love blossomed, time could not be turned back. The fief lord was not Catherine. Even when he believed her, even when he loved her, the time Catherine had was not the time he had. Catherine comforted him, saying she had gone back in time so shes been with him for a very, very long while nowthat, even when death came to embrace her, she was no longer afraid.
I hope that Nancys medicine will help her.
Ill give you as much medicine as you need.
Dont give me any more. It doesnt even taste good.
Catherine chuckled. Even laughter had become difficult for her. As she coughed, blood also came out.
Do you believe me?
Yes.
You dont believe me.
Carynne laughed.
That makes me happy.
* * *
Verdic dragged Isella roughly into an empty room, and here, Isella shoved off Verdics hand.
Have you gone mad?
Im not going to let something like that go.
Isella gnashed her teeth in anger.
Ill crush that face of hers. Im going to cut her hair first, pour tar all over her head, and then her face
Verdic gaped in bewilderment. Did this child lose all rationality over her jealousy? As his daughter muttered and said harsh things, he berated her.
Are you out of your mind? What kind of disgrace did you just show Lady Elva? Huuh? Even if she owes us money, shes a countess for Christs sake! And that girl is not your maid! I cant believe you slapped Catherine Hare during dinner!
Father, you call her Lady Elva, too.
What?
If you knew about it, why didnt you tell me? What kind of father are you that you didnt tell me? Right then just a while ago, I, do you know just how much Carynne humiliated me?
Verdic was hitting his chest out of frustration. He couldnt believe how jealous and angry his daughter was right now that she wasnt even thinking of what kind of mistake she had madeand over a trivial matter.
Do you not understand what just happened? Do you not realize how you must have behaved in front of those nobles?!
He yelled at his daughter. In her indignation, Isella retorted back angrily.
Then shouldnt you have been born as a great noble?! Father, do you know just how much Ive been humiliated just because youre not a noble?
Isella!
Overcome by fury, Verdic eventually raised his hand. Isella cowered for a moment, but she soon recovered her rage as she answered back.
Go ahead, hit me! In the end, youre just an upstart who has a bit of money!
Crash!
AHHH!
Verdic picked up the pot next to him and threw it at her feet. Then, as he ignored how frightened his daughter was, he took a step over the broken pieces of the pot, taking in a deep breath.
I will not hit you Your engagement is just around the corner, keep that in mind.
Feeling too much anger could also render someone calm. Verdics mind right now seemed to have turned completely white with rage. However, compared to his fury, the words he spoke now sounded normal.
Keep in mind just how many contracts and people are involved in your marriage. If you throw any more tantrums, know thisI will punish you in a way that will not leave any traces.
Hic
Go to your room this instant. And apologize properly to Miss Carynne Hare and Countess Elva!
Isella sobbed out of anger and frustration, but when she realized that Verdic was truly mad at her, she no longer spoke up. As much as he indulged his daughter with material things, he also demanded that she move as he wanted. It was like that now, and it was like that in the past as well.
Isella trudged out into the hallway. She just wanted to leave this mansion already.
Its cold.
She walked down the hallway with her arms crossed over her torso. It was so cold here. Even though it was summer, the frigid air permeated through her entire body.
I wanna go home.
The thought crossed her mind that this mansion didnt suit her. Its cold, its hard. Only strange things happened in this place. She wanted to go back to the warmth of her own home. She once thought that this place was refined, but that was only an illusion. Her father believed that this mansion had history, but for Isella, its nothing but a tacky, unpleasant place.
Apology? Whos apologizing to whom!
Isellas expression was stained with deep-seated resentment and irritation as she recalled Carynnes words a while ago. She pretended to be polite and gentle, but evidently, she was never that kind of person on the inside.
Its cause the parents ruined the child.
How dare
How dare a girl like you! Isella promised herself that she would pour tar on Carynnes hair. Although she was a little shocked by how violent her own imagination was, in her mind, Isella had already mutilated Carynne in more ways than one. As she did this, she felt a little better.
Does that satisfy you?
No.
Huh?
With how casually the answer came back, Isella knew that the distant voice was Carynnes. Isella had arrived in front of the fief lords voice. It was a room that didnt interest her, but hearing Carynnes voice inside lured her in.
Do I open the door, do I not.
Was that girl being scolded by her father, too? Or perhaps Isella could feel her pounding heart. As her curiosity was provoked all kinds of dark suspicions blossomed. A dead maid. A missing corpse. Hallucinations. A dreary priest. A woman addicted to drugs.
Creeeeak
The door opened quietly. And.
AAh?
A dead body was hanging on a noose.
And Carynne was staring at that dead body.
Then, with those same eyes, she looked straight at Isella.
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m