When My Enemies Began to Regret - Chapter 29

11. I (1)

Translated by alyalia

 

* * *

 

Too-too-too-too-toooooom!

 

“I already blew the trumpet, so he’ll soon return to the mansion.”

 

The way Carlos called for Carl was simpler than I thought. First, he called the servant to bring a trumpet painted red. Second, when the magnificent sound resounds that can make your ears fall, Carl will come back to the mansion.

 

‘It’s an efficient method, but somehow it felt like they were dealing with an animal.’

 

“But I didn’t see the stable when I was on the way in the carriage. If Carl is far away, he might not be able to hear the sound…”

 

And about a minute later.

 

I was struck by the astonishing sight.

 

“Ah, he’s coming.”

 

‘What’s he doing in his own estate!’

 

I didn’t expect him to appear right away, but striking red hair came into view after a few seconds had passed. It was natural that even the same horse would have a different speed depending on how the rider handled it. But his handling of a horse was so fast that it seemed dangerous, so I shouted,

 

“You don’t have to come in such a hurry!”

 

However, those words reached him when he had already sped up his horse and jumped over the bushes in the garden.

 

Hiiiek!

 

Perhaps he ran at full speed from the stable to here, and at the same time, as the horse made a loud noise, he grabbed the reins strongly and stopped right in front of us.

 

“Hello, Lady Vanora! I forgot you’re coming today.”

 

Carl Andras said hello. He is really a man who always made impressive appearances whenever I saw him.

 

“A man who makes such a rush in the garden… It’s my first time seeing someone like this.”

 

“Really? My whole family is like this.”

 

“…”

 

I have a lot to say, but I decided not to.

 

Carl slid off the horse, and the servant withdrew from there. Only then did I speak properly to him.

 

“The reason I came here today is… Wait a minute, the servant could show up again when we’re standing and talking here. How about going to the library?”

 

“Are you going to tell me a secret story?”

 

At my request, Carl looked around unobtrusively, and he responded with the same innocent smile as always.

 

“There’s a good place for that. Let’s go where I know.”

 

“…”

 

“Do you know how to ride a horse?”

 

I shook my head as I had never ridden it before.

 

“I want to learn, but I don’t know how to ride it right now.”

 

Then I wondered if we could move to where that place was with I sat in front of him, and he grabbed the reins from behind. Surprisingly, Carl didn’t allow me to ride with him.

 

“Then we should walk!”

 

“If I ride it with you, won’t we be able to get there quickly?”

 

“No! It’s dangerous if a beginner rides on a horse carelessly. Be sure to learn how to ride a horse properly before riding it.”

 

I wanted to refute his claim by saying, ‘Right, say by someone who jumped over the fence of his mansion earlier,’ but I endured it.

 

I walked a long walk with him. Soon after, a vast meadow spread out. There was nothing left nearby to the extent that the stable looked so small in the distance.

 

“This is where my brothers go for a walk when they ride horses. But today, my brothers are busy, and my father is away, so no one will come here except me.”

 

“You’re saying we can talk freely, right?”

 

“Yes, you can hear the trumpet sound faintly from here, so it’s okay even if you shout it out loud.”

 

The nearby leaves lay neatly with the wind blowing from afar. At the same time, a faint grass smell is felt. It somehow put people’s minds at ease, but I had to start saying things that didn’t go well with this beautiful scenery.

 

“All right, so let’s start with the matter of Shuteri first. First of all, you should be held accountable for his death…”

 

“That person? He didn’t have any family. The trial wasn’t even held properly. I’m sure the consolation money has gone to Lady Vanora’s family.”

 

“You did a good job, as I said. You even kept it a secret about that.”

 

I walked calmly with my clasped over my belly button, and Carl, who followed me, opened his mouth.

 

“By the way, Lady Vanora, is it really true that an apprentice knight named Shuteri died because of me?”

 

“You don’t think so?”

 

“I’ve had a similar experience before. But now I’m controlling my power so they won’t die…”

 

“You must have made a mistake this time.”

 

“No, it’s not.”

 

Step, step, step.

 

He followed me from behind, then he suddenly increased his speed and blocked me.

 

“It may look like that from other people’s perspective, but he won’t die from it.”

 

Carl’s eyes were certain of something. He started looking straight at my black eyes.

 

“I think I did well as you ordered. So at least, please don’t lie. Why did Shuteri die?”

 

* * *

 

11. I

 

It’s a question that has no significance now.

 

I stopped my steps and faced Carl, who stood in front of me. In his eyes, I saw my own face, a calm woman who had committed a heinous crime.

 

“It was necessary.”

 

As I stopped walking, Carl also stopped walking behind me and listened.

 

“Anyway, no matter what I say here, it won’t change the story that he died after a duel with you.”

 

“Are you thinking of blaming in the first place?”

 

“But I had to make sure your mouth was this heavy.”

 

Carl narrowed his brow at my remarks. It was rare for him, who always had a smile on his face.

 

“Did you kill an innocent person just to make sure I kept a secret well?”

 

His voice was full of disappointment.

 

Carl tried to cancel the contract at my answer. But the following words that came out of my mouth were neither ‘yes’ nor ‘no.’

 

“A long time ago.”

 

“?”

 

“There was one knight who was addicted to gambling.”

 

I put my interlaced hands on my stomach. My expression was calm.

 

“The knight owed a huge debt from gambling one day, and he couldn’t afford to pay it off, so he decided to flee to another estate.”

 

“…”

 

“He was going to run anyway, so he stopped by his friend’s shop and started ordering expensive food and drinks. Of course, he pays on credit.”

 

It was the common story of a gambling addict up to this point. I looked at the far end of the land and continued my words.

 

“And the knight wanted to go to the brothel for the last time… But he didn’t have cash, so he was beaten at the door.”

 

“…”

 

“In the end, the knight pulled out his honorable sword and pointed it to the poor girl who was out for a night walk.”

 

I didn’t have any interest in the story, and my tone when telling it was dull.

 

“Then the knight brazenly threatened the girl, saying, ‘It’s your fault for walking around in the dark,’ and ‘If you tell people about it, you will be blamed more,’ after that, he ran away.”

 

“…”

 

“Then, there was a person right in front of me who repeatedly did similar things while walking around this area and that area.”

 

“…”

 

“He needs to be killed because he’s crazy.”

 

As I continued the sentence in a gentle tone like reading a fairy tale, Carl’s expression changed strangely. But I still had something to say, so I took the lead before he opened his mouth.

 

“Well, do I have to tell a story like this to move on?”

 

“Lady Vanora.”

 

“You made a great contribution in the battle with the Sankrit at the age of 14. That means you’ve already cut the enemy leader’s throat before, but are you afraid of killing someone now?”

 

Carl shook his head at those words.

 

“I certainly have no resistance to taking their lives.”

 

“Then why…”

 

“But what kind of person are you if you hurt others as you want?”

   

 

I thought for a moment, then he moved a step closer to me.

 

“I’ve learned that it’s not right to kill people.”

 

“Therefore?”

 

“But I have the blood of Andras. In the end, seeing someone die makes me feel better.”

 

“…”

 

“That’s why I’ve made the rules. Let’s not kill innocent people.”

 

I was familiar with the story related to Andras’s blood. Unlike ordinary knights who suffer aftereffects from the guilt of killing someone when they go out on the battlefield, only the Andras family is said to be born into madmen who are excited when they kill the enemy from generation to generation. It was a horrifying rumor as if they were monsters like bathing in human blood, but it was true.

 

The scandal following Aloken may be false, but his cruelty is all true. 

 

“So I was wondering why Shuteri died.”

 

Why is there no hesitation in his eyes?

 

How can he look at me with such pure eyes?

 

I closed my eyes for a moment.

 

“…”

 

I, who had been choosing my words inwardly, opened my mouth.

 

“Carl, I will kill people from now on. This is my revenge.”

 

“Revenge?”

 

“But I don’t have the strength yet. I don’t even know how to defeat them.”

 

I wondered how he would react to this. Perhaps he will break our contract because it didn’t meet his expectations, but I think it’s time for me to tell the truth since he hasn’t lied so far.

 

“I need an accomplice.”

 

“So that’s why you-”

 

“If everyone I think of is guilty of a crime just like the knight in the story, just like Shuteri… Will you help me?”

 

‘Carl Andras, how will you judge the weight of the sins committed by Shuteri?’

 

I fiddled with the tips of my nails while looking at the floor.

 

“I’d like to say he deserved to die, but…”

 

However, Carl Andras’s expression subsided. He began to reply with a vague face.

 

“Well, taking someone’s life is worse than anything else.”

 

“…”

 

“I don’t know if Lady Vanora’s revenge is a proper judgment. What if someone gets an unfair ending for a small sin? What if there was a misunderstanding?”

 

“…”

 

“Besides, the people of the world will not forgive Lady Vanora who committed the murder, no matter what the reason.”

 

“…”

 

“Maybe revenge is the wrong way to go.”

 

I suddenly thought I didn’t want to hear his voice. All the words this person was saying were honest and upright. But his sentences were very awkward for me, who began to deviate.

 

“So, is there any other way to get revenge? Um, if there isn’t maybe a way of looking for your own happiness…?”

 

I couldn’t stand the words he brought up and became angry.

 

“No. I don’t have any. When did they get my permission to harm me? I was innocent at first, but they were the ones who ruined me!”

 

“…!”

 

“If you had been worried about paying them back too much, they shouldn’t have ruined my life so much! I finally got the chance to pay them back, and now, you said to forgive them?!”

 

I, who had been calm all the time, suddenly raised my voice. As my face turned red from getting angry, Carl tried to calm me down.

 

“Wait, that’s…”

 

“I know I’m going the wrong way! Still, still…”

 

“Lady Vanora.”

 

“Carl Andras!”

 

Then, I finally shouted his name. Then Carl was startled and shut his mouth. After that, my trembling voice echoed in the air.

 

“Don’t say nonsense, just answer this. I can give you the holy relic of Europa.”

 

“…”

 

“So, will you quietly help me get my revenge? Or are you going to stop me by stating the same reason?”

 

My gaze shook unsteadily. Carl stared at my eyes, then raised his hands gently, telling me to calm down. He looked very docile towards me.