Resetting Lady-Chapter 273

The banquet had ended.

Carynne collapsed onto the bed. The jewelry she wore weighed nearly half as much as she did, making it exhausting just to stay standing. She tried to take them off, but the intricate designs made it difficult to remove without assistance.

She needed a maid to help, but there was no one around her. It wasn’t normal. Even in a noble’s mansion—or her own house, for that matter—at least one maid would always be assigned to assist a guest, if only to help with changing clothes.

In the royal palace, there should have been even more attendants at her side. Yet, silence was all that filled the room. Maids typically hovered around even without explicit orders from their masters. Carynne sighed.

“His Highness Gueuze really isn’t very popular.”

Though uncomfortable, she had no desire to request a maid from Gueuze, so she tried to manage on her own. After a futile attempt, she gave up and sprawled across the bed. She thought about removing her makeup but felt too drained to go find someone. Imagine being the crown prince’s mistress and having to ask palace maids for a basin of water.

‘Well, I can understand why they wouldn’t want to come here.’

The room she was staying in had once belonged to the deceased crown princess. Even if she was a mistress, giving her such a room was not a wise choice. It was deliberate—a way to provoke discomfort for the king and Lewis, a declaration that she wasn’t just a simple concubine.

Of course, other nobles and commoners would condemn Carynne for brazenly using the crown princess’s chambers, calling her a witch. If she was going to be criticized anyway, she might as well indulge in luxury to the fullest. Grumbling to herself, Carynne closed her eyes.

If she were truly a tyrant’s mistress, she’d throw fits and demand extravagance, but she wasn’t even a real mistress. Everything was fake. The jewels piled on her weren’t true indulgence, especially since she didn’t have anyone to help her wear or remove them. Without servants, it wasn’t even luxury.

“I hate being alone…”

Being alone only brought dark thoughts. It was an old habit of hers—retreating into her own world. That was how she had spent a century.

How much longer would it last? A thousand years? Ten thousand? A hundred million? Carynne curled into herself, hugging her belly. How much longer would they have to endure until they finally reached death?

Grant me mercy. Cut away this endless life.

But her prayers never reached anyone. This fate was unchangeable. The god who imposed this destiny on women wasn’t the one who had set it ablaze with unquenchable fire…

She closed her eyes. Tears no longer came—they had dried up long ago. Only a long sigh escaped her lips.

Different thoughts, think of something else…

Eventually, she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Knock, knock.

“…Come in. You’re so late.”

Carynne opened her eyes slightly, her voice tinged with irritation. It was still groggy from sleep.

It seemed the maids had finally arrived. She’d been waiting forever. Now she could finally wash off the powder on her face and remove the constrictive gown pressing against her like armor.

Knock, knock.

Was the door locked? Or could they not hear her?

With effort, Carynne dragged her heavy body out of bed and shuffled toward the door. But as she reached for it, she realized there was no presence outside the door. No one was there.

Knock, knock, knock, knock.

The knocking wasn’t coming from the door—it was coming from the glass window beside it.

“What the… Sir Raymond?”

Carynne almost screamed in surprise but clutched her chest when she recognized the familiar figure.

“Why are you there? No, I can guess why, but… oh, you startled me!”

Flustered, her voice rose with the shock. Raymond, looking awkward, stopped tapping on the window and whispered from just outside.

“Carynne, could you… open the door? No, never mind, I’ll just let myself in.”

“Don’t break anything!”

“Shh, shh.”

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Click. Carynne unlocked the balcony door with the transparent glass panes. She hesitated just before stepping outside.

“Wait a moment…”

The surroundings were quiet. Carynne glanced around briefly before stepping out onto the balcony. A light drizzle was falling.

Raymond’s hair was slightly wet.

“Your hair is wet.”

“Yes, but thanks to that, there’s no one keeping watch. And fewer fires being lit… Where is Crown Prince Gueuze?”

“He’s in his room. Fires?”

“There was an incident. Does Crown Prince Gueuze visit you at night?”

Raymond paused briefly, then shrugged as if it was nothing and changed the subject.

“Not yet. There’s still time until morning. But we should be cautious just in case.”

“I understand. Are you hurt?”

“No.”

After hearing that answer, Raymond pulled Carynne into a tight embrace.

Carynne wrapped her arms around his waist. As she held his large, solid frame, she felt a sudden urge to cry. I knew you’d come. I knew we’d meet again. In this life, too, I knew you’d come and take me away. My knight. My one and only. ȒÁ₦𝙤𐌱Ě𝘚

“Carynne, wait a moment…”

Raymond’s wet hair clung to his forehead. Uncomfortable from the rain, he removed the eyepatch covering one of his eyes, revealing the scar that ran across it. He shoved the eyepatch into his pocket.

Carynne gently brushed her fingers over the area around his eye as she spoke. Though the scar was prominent, on his handsome face it gave him a rugged charm. Surely, he would age gracefully.

“The wound seems to linger longer than expected.”

“It has improved significantly.”

“And your vision?”

“I can still see.”

“…You said there wouldn’t be any issues.”

“Well, there are minor ones… but nothing major.”

Even though they hadn’t been apart for long, it strangely felt like it had been ages since they last met. Raymond looked down at Carynne with his hazy eye and smiled.

“Have you harmed or killed anyone recently?” he asked.

“…Your jokes are never funny.”

Just as she was starting to feel moved, he had to ruin the moment. Carynne, intending to pinch him, realized the fabric of his clothes would make it ineffective, so she stomped on his foot instead. But he didn’t even flinch, merely ignoring it. Raymond embraced her again, muttering softly.

“If you were executed again this time, I was planning not to visit your execution.”

“What? At least greet the executioner out of courtesy! What kind of talk is that? Anyway, this time you weren’t too late.”

“Thankfully.”

Even though she should have felt grateful and praised him, she wasn’t overcome with emotion. Perhaps it was because this reunion had been so expected, or maybe she was just too tired. Carynne, still holding Raymond, asked, feeling strangely drained.

“Did you come to take me away?”

“Yes. Prince Lewis has assigned the servants to other tasks. I know a route we can use to escape. If we leave now, this life will end without any further trouble. Let’s go home. Nothing good will come from getting further entangled with Gueuze.”

Was that why no one had been around her earlier? Prince Lewis must have held Raymond in high regard. Raymond let go of Carynne and gripped the balcony railing. Turning to her, he spoke.

“Carynne, hold onto my neck. We need to escape before the next shift change.”

“Now?”

“Yes.”

Raymond answered firmly. But Carynne shook her head.

“Crown Prince Gueuze has already declared me his mistress. My face is known to the nobles, and even if there are no servants around now, it’s impossible to escape unnoticed.”

“We can do it.”

“And my father and Verdic’s family will be ruined.”

“Why bring up Verdic Evans…?”

“Aren’t they my friend’s family? Don’t you sense that things are different this time?”

“……”

Raymond didn’t have an answer to that.

/subliminalwayfarer