Resetting Lady

Once upon a time, the wind was bleak as it grazed upon their bodies. Isella Evans slapped Carynne on the cheek and cussed at her, and the rest was history. Even that small thing did not go past inventory in the revenge reached by Raymond’s hands. Today was the day that Verdic Evans went completely bankrupt, and Raymond won.

Countless people congratulated Raymond and told him that they would attend his wedding. This would add to his honor and glory, they said. Raymond leaned forward and kissed his beautiful fiancée.

Carynne looked up at Raymond. Raymond looked down at Carynne. Her wide purple eyes were full of fear. Raymond wrapped his arms around Carynne’s shoulders and soothed her.

“There is nothing for you to be afraid of. Verdic has now lost all of his power.”

It was more than what Raymond had expected. One of Verdic’s main businesses had gone completely bankrupt. Raymond concentrated on one part of Carynne’s story, which was quite the speculation.

“Sir Raymond, I…”

“You helped me, and I will be with you for the rest of my life.”

“I am afraid. I don’t think I’m from this world. I know it sounds incredibly strange, but this is not my first life. …It truly feels like a world inside a novel.”

Unlike all the realistic and sound advice that she had given him before, this dreamlike story flowed from her lips. Now that he thought about it, the marquis once talked about Carynne’s mother. She lived in a dream, he said.

However, Raymond was willing to respect Carynne and her dreams. He would make sure that she could keep dreaming.

Even if reality was cold and bleak, as long as this beautiful girl, who herself was like a dream, could continue to be immersed in her fantasies, everything would be alright.

However, Raymond recognized that the emotion behind Carynne’s eyes was a little too drenched in resignation.

Still though, how could he believe what she was saying?

‘Sir Raymond, I know that you don’t believe me.’

Carynne’s eyes seemed to be saying so.

But what difference would his act of believing make?

Then, the very next day, Carynne died.

* * *

Once upon a time, it was a fine spring day. Raymond had to find a suitable excuse to break off his engagement with Isella Evans. Couldn’t there be a beautiful woman who’d pass by right now? Grumbling inwardly, Raymond flipped through his notes. Really, he was so pathetic.

“Hello.”

“Yes… Good day to you, Your Ladyship. Are you feeling well?”

“I’m fine. You saved my life. Thank you.”

“It is the right thing to do.”

Raymond glanced down at the red-headed girl named Carynne Hare. She was a chubby, round girl. Raymond wanted to poke her plump, ball-like belly just once, but he had to push down the urge to do so. He was sure that she’d hate that quite a bit.

“I thought it would be okay if I just gained weight.”

Carynne Hare sat next to him and spat out these words. Raymond pondered what to answer, but he soon remembered that Carynne had been in danger just now.

During the festival, he came across the daughter of the fief lord, who was surrounded by hoodlums who clearly had ill-intentions toward her. He rescued her from them and that situation.

“…They were about to r*pe— Mmh. I apologize for the crude phrasing. Those men aren’t the type of people who’d look only at outward appearances.”

“Yeah, but I thought it’d go differently at least. How disappointing, my life.”

Raymond heard here and there that Carynne Hare was quite a beauty when she was younger. Perhaps that’s why she gained weight? Raymond recalled that Carynne’s father was a fool for his daughter.

“I thought that getting bigger meant getting stronger. That no one could kill me anymore.”

“I am a man and a soldier, but even I’m scared to go into battle each time.”

“But it’s not the same case for me. I can’t even walk safely on these streets.”

“I suppose so. It can’t be helped.”

“…I guess.”

Really though, why was this woman talking to him at length? Was it because she had come to be infatuated with him? Raymond glimpsed sideways at Carynne.

“…What is it?”

However, going by the expression that was on her face, what she felt for him was far from infatuation or any type of liking. Rather, she gave off the impression that she was secretly preparing for battle.

Noticing his gaze, Carynne looked back at Raymond.

“No, well. I was trying to gauge whether you have a crush on me,” Raymond spouted.

“I have no such intentions of doing that, so turn your gaze forward, if you please.”

Embarrassed, Raymond turned his gaze forward, just as she said.

“……”

For some reason, his pride was wounded. With that childish pride, Raymond set down his notebook and turned to Carynne.

“But I’m handsome.”

“I know. And I told you to turn your gaze forward, didn’t I?”

“Do I need permission to take a look at what I’m looking at?”

“Yes.”

“I see.”

And Raymond thought, of course, it’s rude to give people unwanted looks. As he agreed with her sentiments, Raymond turned his head again.

‘She’s quite alright though.’

She was chubby, but her features still shined through, and her eyes were clear. What kind of face would Isella Evans make if he would say that he’s going to marry this girl?

She might be a good partner in life. Perhaps Isella would blow a fuse and everything would turn into a mess.

“My goal in life is to live for a long time. But why is that simple dream so hard to do?”

“Umm… Stay strong.”

“You too, Sir Raymond.”

Carynne’s eyes held within them firm resolution.

The moment Raymond saw this, he knew that she would reject him if he were to propose. Raymond himself had the occupational hazard of not living a long time.

“But why are you telling me about your life’s goal…?”

“Don’t fall for me. And just in case, don’t propose. I’m here to tell you in advance because I have an inkling you’re going to propose to me this time.”

Bearing witness to that confidence of hers, Raymond couldn’t help but laugh.

She sounded ridiculous, but she was fun to be around. That’s why he felt even more that it was unfortunate. She would never be safe by Raymond’s side.

“When it comes to women, I only look at their faces. You don’t quite fit my standards.”

Was she going to cry? Raymond glanced sideways to see Carynne’s reaction. With her head bowed, teeth gritted for a long time, she then got up from her seat.

“More than I thought… Sir Raymond, you’re… that kind of person.”

“Please take a look at yourself before saying that. You suddenly appeared here, and you’re saying these things.”

Carynne stomped her foot once and spoke again.

“Let’s agree to never see each other in this life, capiche? And once this is done, let’s continue the same agreement.”

“What are you talking about?”

However, Carynne was already stomping her way down the hill, huffing all the while. Raymond watched her retreating figure with a smile tugging up on his lips.

She’s quite fascinating, though a bit eccentric. He wished she could live a long life.

“……”

But then, this territory would soon fall into the hands of Verdic Evans.

Raymond sat down again, sighing as he arranged his schedule. Even such a wacky rural girl would fall apart, become depressed and completely miserable once Verdic would be part of her life. Just like Raymond.

This was what he thought as he gazed upon the fief lord’s mansion in the distance.

And then, Raymond was told that Carynne had died.

She failed to fulfill her life’s goal.

* * *

Once upon a time, it was a stormy day. Raymond rescued a girl from a river.

“I really thought I could die this time.”

“It’s not your time to die yet, so strive to live longer.”

Raymond looked at Carynne Hare’s ashen face. She was the daughter of the fief lord.

“…Please don’t cry.”

“God damn it… I’m alive again…”

Carynne was crying, swearing as she did. It looked like she hated the fact that she was alive.

“Have I interfered with your suicide attempt?”

“…Yes. Then, can you help me?”

“I don’t feel inclined to do so.”

“I knew you’d say that.”

As Raymond refused, he wrapped a blanket around Carynne Hare. He wanted her to live. For a long time. To be happy.

“My fiancé is here.”

Still with the blanket around her arms, she stood up. Now from a distance, Raymond stared at the girl’s retreating figure.

“…Th-Thank you.”

Stuttering, the priest expressed his gratitude. Receiving his thanks, Raymond responded to the priest.

“Your fiancée seems to be having a hard time, so please comfort her.”

“…I-It’s none of your business.”

Good grief. Raymond laughed bitterly. The priest was looking at him with the same gaze he’d see all the time amidst high society—a gaze that was constantly keeping him in check.

Those two weren’t a happy couple, but that’s none of his business, just as he was told. If those two were just another ordinary couple, then what about himself and Isella.

There were times when Raymond would nearly wish he could kill Isella. Just because her father was a criminal.

Those two would live a good enough life together. It’s none of his business. Even if Verdic was planning to take over this fiefdom and take away all their rights to it, that girl would be able to continue living with minimal food, clothing and shelter.

However, the look in that girl’s eyes—the despair over the fact that she was alive—continued to be ingrained in Raymond’s mind for a long time.

And, a year later, Raymond was told that Carynne eventually succeeded in dying.

* * *

Once upon a time.

Carynne died,

Right in front of his very eyes, falling…

…to her death.

Raymond placed a hand over her eyes and closed them.

* * *

Love, lust, sympathy, camaraderie, from feelings that tread the lines of friendship, to feelings that cross over to the lines of burning devotion.

So many of those emotions started swirling.

Emotions, too many to count, weighed down on Raymond.

Weight that was equivalent to one hundred years.

“……”

Raymond had to suffer from constant nosebleeds every morning, and insomnia every night.

“Carynne.”

Yet the owner of all those emotions was no longer in this world.

She’s already dead.

Will I be able to die this time?

Raymond cocked his gun against his temple. The cold metal and the pressing weight gave him a sense of stability.

“……”

Would he die and give himself repose? Would he be able to remember everything in the next life? All the memories that came back to Raymond were about Carynne. Not the next life. With uncertainty staring back at him, he could not possibly throw away the opportunities of today.

Not now.

One hundred years of pain was not enough to kill him right now. Raymond had too much work to do. If he wanted to find out anything more, he needed to live. Raymond had to live.

It was a tragedy, and it was a comedy.

Raymond wanted to die because of Carynne, and Raymond wanted to live because of Carynne.

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