LIGHTNOVELONLINE Upon opening the window, the chilly early spring breeze brushed against the tip of her nose. Until just a few days ago, not a single plant had sprouted, but now, a hint of green was beginning to show at the tips of the branches. As Carynne gazed at this, Nancy approached and started a conversation.
“Miss, do you really think you can stop the business once you get there?”
“No, it seems difficult. What kind of money and power do I have right now?”
Carynne answered Nancy with complete honesty. There was no need to put on airs in front of Nancy. It would take months before Carynne could have any significant power.
Nancy seemed somewhat incredulous at her response.
“Then, really, why are you going? What benefit is there in going to meet those people?”
“Do people only move when there’s something in it for them?”
“Didn’t you say you were tired of staying at the mansion? It would have been better to just travel to a relative’s house. That would have made His Lordship more readily agree.”
“That won’t do. I’m going to meet Verdic Evans and Isella Evans.”
This was not a simple trip. Going to the Evans’ mansion was not out of mere curiosity. If it were for curiosity, a new place would be more attractive. But Carynne’s journey to the Evans’ mansion was to meet those people.
“I keep telling you already. I’ve already lived this life before, so try and think about it again with that in mind.”
“Um… I’m getting more confused. If you’re not going for some benefit, then… Ah, is your lover there? That man you mentioned, uh, Sir Raymond?”
“Yes. Probably.”
Carynne nodded. Raymond was likely to be around there now. In the last iteration, Raymond dealt with Isella right away—but it wasn’t right after the loop restarted.
During this time, Raymond would be on the battlefield. Therefore, Carynne had to meet Isella before Raymond could.
“I’m going there partly to meet him, but that’s not the main reason. I’m going to meet Isella.”
“Isella Evans, not Mister Verdic Evans? Aren’t you going to meet him to stop the business? At least to plead with him to stop the business…”
“That’s just a superficial reason, honestly. The business is… not my main concern.”
“…That’s shocking. Miss, aren’t you going to help your father?”
“It would be good if the business could be stopped as well. But that’s not the biggest reason. I just needed a plausible excuse to tell my father. If I don’t go, Sir Raymond will kill Isella Evans, so I’m trying to prevent that.”
Carynne smiled at Nancy.
Nancy looked at Carynne for a long while without saying a word, her face utterly bewildered.
“To be quite honest, I really don’t understand. If Sir Raymond is going to kill her, why are you stopping it? At least regarding the Evans’ business at the fief, wouldn’t it be better if she died? If his daughter suddenly dies, Mister Verdic would have a hard time focusing on his business, wouldn’t he?”
“Sometimes I think you jump to quite cruel thoughts, kiddo.”
“…Is that something you should say, Miss?”
Not exactly.
But Carynne didn’t know how to explain herself. She shuddered at the thought of the slightest association of forgiveness and love with Verdic Evans. Yet, thinking of Isella in a roundabout way made the aversion slightly less.
“Were you friends with her?”
“No, we were almost always enemies.”
Carynne reached out and plucked a branch. A tender pink petal was caught in her hand. It was an early blossom. Carynne toyed with the petal, thinking of a certain foolish girl.
“Lord Raymond!”
That girl, who harbored feelings for Raymond.
Isella and Carynne were never friends. Even when Carynne completely submitted as Isella’s maid, Isella always despised Carynne.
Isella disliked that Carynne’s family had a more prestigious lineage than her own, and she even envied the way Carynne walked or the accent with which she spoke. It wasn’t just about looks and Raymond.
Despite having a lot, Isella always craved for what she didn’t have and didn’t hesitate to act rudely without a second thought.
“So, what do you want to do when you get there?”
Carynne sighed as if to vent. It was something she didn’t look forward to, but it was worth a try this time.
“I want to try being friends.”
“…Even though you said she’s your enemy?”
Carynne murmured as she fiddled with the flower.
She wanted to try something hadn’t done before. And that included things related to Isella and Verdic. Even though loving or forgiving Verdic might be hard, saving Isella could be somewhat less burdensome.
“I’m thinking of putting into practice the saying ‘love thy enemies’ in this lifetime.”
“…Haa, I just can’t understand you, Miss. You’re talking about your enemy.”
“Yes, but after tugging at each other’s hair for about a hundred years, you somehow grow attached.”
Carynne shrugged her shoulders and continued, even as Nancy looked at her disapprovingly.
“And promises are meant to be kept.”
Carynne thought of a past Nancy couldn’t remember. She had killed Nancy. And she had made a promise to her.
“Next time, I’ll die by your hand.”
Carynne had kept that promise with Nancy. As she strangled Nancy, she made that promise. And in the next life, she indeed died by Nancy’s hand, with a bullet lodged in her head. Even if Nancy didn’t remember, the promise was kept.
Somehow or another, it was pride built over a long time. She had to make goals to live by, even if it meant having no one but her own self to hold accountable.
“Isella, next time… shall we really be friends?”
Perhaps this time, the proposition of becoming friends with Isella was worth trying.
Until now, they had grabbed each other by the hair, covered each other’s heads with trash, and testified falsely in court. Several people were involved between them. There was Verdic, and there was Raymond.
Because of Raymond, Isella was jealous of Carynne, and Verdic killed Carynne because of Isella, and again, Raymond killed Isella because of Verdic.
But what if Carynne and Isella became friends?
Until now, becoming friends with Isella seemed nearly impossible. Isella was only satisfied when Carynne completely ignored Raymond and submissively entered into servitude as her maid. They were never truly friends.
Love thy enemy.
It was a remarkably new endeavor.
Carynne decided to try it in this life.
* * *
Verdic Evans sipped his coffee and closed his eyes.
He enjoyed this rich and bitter taste. Tea was the trend in the capital nowadays. Verdic also had been involved in the tea business until now, but he was keen on introducing a new beverage. Above all, he personally preferred coffee over tea.
The coffee’s unique heaviness overwhelmed his tongue and throat. Verdic looked at his wife and daughter with satisfaction.
“What do you think, Dear? And you, Isella?”
However, Verdic’s wife, Selena, looked unimpressed.
“I don’t like it much. It’s too bitter. How about adding some sugar and milk?”
“What do you know to say that?”
“Not everyone is like you.”
“Ordinary people can enjoy this drink as well. And sugar and milk? I think people in this country lack dignity for adding milk to their tea.”
“You’re one of the people of this country now too. There’s still unpleasant things being said about the Evans family precisely because of that attitude.”
Verdic turned his head away from his wife to ask Isella.
“I can’t trust your mother’s opinion. What do you think, Isella?”
Isella was startled.
“P-Pardon?”
Her mother quietly urged her from the side.
“Isella, it’s okay to speak honestly. It’s ridiculous to distribute this as is. And who would drink such dark water? It lacks dignity even in color, doesn’t it?”
Both Verdic and Selena looked down at Isella, their faces saying, ‘Agree with me, quickly.’ Isella, holding the coffee cup, swallowed hard.