ã€ŠFor The Butterfly That Disappearedã€‹


 CH 1

    Emmerville, the leading city of the province of Edelberg, was an artistic city with a meaningful history and beautiful scenery. As it was common for the wealthy classes to build villas in this kind of place, Rosebell House was also one of the villas of the prestigious Campbell family located here. The classic building was built on a hill overlooking a river stream. Not only did it have an impressive view, but the forest path leading to the villa after crossing the bridge was also very beautiful.

    However, the Campbell family rarely came here because the villa¡¯s owner, Lord Campbell, mostly went back and forth between the capital and the main house. The people who stayed at Rosebell House were mainly poor relatives or artist friends of the Campbell family.

    A few months after the end of the Delmore Western War, a young woman entered the previously unoccupied Rosebell House. She lived with the minimum number of employees and did not appear outside. But people could sometimes see her take a walk on the forest path, on the bridge or alongside the wildflowers on the river bank. The people who were curious at first soon withdrew their interest at the sight of her old-looking clothes and bare face. They thought that it might be someone indebted to the Campbell family as per usual.

    It was a sunny day in late spring. The harmony created between the dark green leaves and the blooming flowers was a sight to behold.

    Ibella was walking on the forest path next to her doctor, Bern, who had come to visit her. Today was the day of her psychiatric counseling but as it was a nice day, they had decided to talk while going on a walk.

    "It¡¯s already been three months since you¡¯ve come here. Aren¡¯t you thinking of going back, my Lady?"

    "I don¡¯t want to go back yet. The capital is too suffocating."

    Ibella answered in a bitter tone to Bern¡¯s question. She was staying at Rosebell House without revealing her identity as the only daughter of the Campbell family, the villa¡¯s owner.

    She had served as a nurse officer in the Delmore Western War, that had lasted a year, and became a hero at her return. This was due to the fact that it was the first time that the daughter of an aristocratic family had participated in a war and because her achievements as the general manager of the field hospital were highly regarded. She left the capital because the public¡¯s looks were burdensome, but that wasn¡¯t the only reason.

    "I¡¯ve heard that you rejected His Highness¡¯s marriage proposal again."

    "There¡¯s nothing I can do about it. I can¡¯t marry someone I don¡¯t have any feelings for."

    When the story about the king emerged, a dry breath leaked out by itself. What was as burdensome as the people¡¯s eyes were the feelings of King Philip¡¯s towards her. Philip, who had been hovering around her at some point, proposed to her as soon as she came of age. It was only after she had rejected him three times that he held a wedding ceremony with another woman. She thought that everything was finally over, but the tenacious courtship resumed after the queen passed away from an illness. In consideration of the king¡¯s dignity and the pressure from the people around her, she tried to accept him but her heart didn¡¯t move in his direction at all.

    "Don¡¯t worry too much. Everything will be resolved eventually."

    "That¡¯s what I hope too."

    "By the way, how are you feeling these days. You haven¡¯t recovered any memories recently?"

    Unlike a while ago, Bern¡¯s tone became serious. This topic was the reason she had come to this place and also why Bern visited Rosebell House once a week.

    "None. Aside from what I told you last time, nothing."

    Ibella replied flatly. Although it wasn¡¯t disclosed to the public, she had lost her memory towards the end of the war. Not all her memories had disappeared, only ten days as if pages had been torn out of a book.

    While carrying out a mission, she was captured by enemies with five other soldiers and came back ten days later. After the others had died or went missing, she heard that their bodies had been found. What could have happened to Ibella, the only survivor, that her memories of that time had completely vanished.

    "Don¡¯t try to forcefully remember. Your condition might get worse if you¡¯re not careful. Are you taking the medicine as instructed?"

    "¡­Yes."

    Actually, she did not take the medicine, but she answered obediently nonetheless. The medicine didn¡¯t bring back her memories, it only made her body sluggish and her mind hazy.

    "Why did my memories disappear?"

    "It is presumed that the brain sometimes erases someone¡¯s most intense memories. And it is very likely that most of those memories are harmful to the person."

    "Then, it might be better not to remember."

    "Maybe."

    Bern, who roughly knew the situation, quietly answered. Ibella could guess what he was thinking. He probably assumed that something horrible had happened to her during the time she was held captive.

    In fact, she had a similar thought. Because the desire to retrieve her memories and the desire to never remember somehow intersected. Everytime her peaceful life was disrupted by the frustration, she wished to remember something. But then, she was also afraid of being overwhelmed by the unbearable memories. One day, an unknown emotion tightened her breath. It felt like she had forgotten something that she absolutely had to remember, like she had let something slip away.

    The two people, who were talking, soon came out of the forest and reached the riverbank which was filled with wild flowers. At the end of the long bridge going over the river stream, a carriage was waiting for Bern.

    "I will take my leave now. Should I take you back to the mansion?"

    "No need. I will walk a bit more and, huh?"

    Ibella cut off her words and opened her eyes wide. A man was crossing the bridge and slowly coming towards them. His impressive height wasn¡¯t the only thing that stood out. His trousers and boots looked old and muddy, and he was wearing a ragged brown coat over a tattered shirt. Looking closely, his gait didn¡¯t look stable either.

    With his eyes fixed on them, he approached with unsteady steps. Eventually, he halted at a distance where the outline of his face was visible.

    Unlike his large and sturdy body, the man¡¯s face sporting a messy beard looked as hopeless as a person who had been suffering from a long-term illness. His left eye covered by a bandage was hidden under his scattered bangs. Had he become out of breath after walking for a long time? His chest rose and fell erratically. The man¡¯s eyes, which were blurred as if he was about to collapse at any moment, became stiff when they fell on Ibella¡¯s face. Her vision was held tightly in his unshakable eyes.

    "It looks like he¡¯s hurt."

    Ibella tilted her head and tried to step forward, but Bern stopped her from going farther.

    "Go back, my Lady. He must be a drunk vagrant, it wouldn¡¯t be wise to approach him recklessly."

    "But¡­"

    "I will take a look."

    "¡­Ok."

    She believed that a person who was injured, whether they were a vagrant or not, should be looked after. However, this time, she decided to retreat. The man¡¯s strange gaze weighed down on her mind, and Bern, who was a doctor, would be able to help him more than her anyway.

    After greeting Bern with a nod, Ibella went back the way she came. However, after only taking a few steps, an unknown force led her to turn around. Although Bern was talking to the man, he was only staring at her. Only one eye was visible but his gaze was so intense that it scared her.

    Did he take some weird medicine?

    Suddenly, goosebumps rose all over her body, and she turned around hurriedly. It was at the moment when she entered the shady forest path again with quick steps.

    Bang. White flames flashed in front of her eyes along with the sound of a gunshot. It was not something that she had actually seen or heard but an illusion. A part of her memory had arisen without warning.

    The sound of gunfire and the unidentified white flames.

    She felt a sudden sharp pain somewhere in her head as she was overcome with a severe headache.

    *****

    "¡­Hey. Can you hear me?"

    It was not until long after Ibella had disappeared from his sight that the man noticed the voice of a person holding onto him. He lowered his face and saw a middle-aged man frowning at him.

    "Aren¡¯t you hurt anywhere? I am a psychiatrist but I have basic knowledge in internal medicine, so tell me."

    "Psychiatrist?"

    The man repeated Bern¡¯s words with a blank face.

    "Haa. You don¡¯t look good, are you okay?"

    "I am fine."

    He answered in an exasperated tone as if he didn¡¯t want to be bothered anymore, and turned his head.

    "Okay, then. If you¡¯re hurt somewhere, go see a doctor right away."

    Bern, who was secretly offended, gave up without asking any further questions. It was because he was busy, but also because the man¡¯s odd appearance and gaze made him so uncomfortable that he didn¡¯t want to deal with him any longer.

    "Psychiatrist¡­Argh."

    The man who was left alone let out a short cry of pain while grabbing his side. From his back to his chest, his stomach, his thighs and even his toes, there was no place that didn¡¯t hurt. He shut his eyes tight as he tried to bear the pain, then reopened them slowly when the pain had dissipated to some extent.

    A strange vision unfolded in front of the man¡¯s eyes, who had lost all strength and fell. Dozens of butterflies fluttered over the wildflowers as if dancing. White, yellow, purple, blue. Some butterflies had only one color while others had beautiful patterns painted on their bodies in different colors.

    Some landed on the flowers, some hid between the stalks and others flew into the light and disappeared from sight. At that moment, a lilac butterfly fluttered towards the man. He instinctively reached out and quickly grabbed it in his hand.

    "Aargh."

    Unable to overcome the pain caused by the sudden movement, the man collapsed on the floor.

    In the middle of his fading consciousness, he heard footsteps hastily approaching.

    "Hey. Are you all right? Wake up!"

    Bern, the doctor, had returned and was trying to wake him up.

    The man, who barely managed to open his eyes, unclenched his fist and looked inside it. Inside his hand, a crushed butterfly was trembling faintly and relishing the final moments of its life. The remains of the butterfly were scattered gruesomely all over his palm like powder.

    "Can you walk?"

    Turning his attention away from the dwindling voice, the man looked at the pitiful creature in his hand. Then, some time after, he raised the corners of his mouth into a peculiar smile. Light slowly entered his heart that had been dark until just a while ago.

    The butterfly in my hand.

    Whether dead or alive, it¡¯s mine.

 CH 2

    Three years later. Pitera Palace, the Kingdom of Estonia.

    The Privy Council, a royal advisory body, reopened after many years. The council was made up of about twenty advisors who were either aristocrats from the royal family or senior statesmen. They sat in their assigned seats and waited for the King¡¯s spokesman. As the issue of the railway construction was to be raised before Parliament, their faces were full of disapproval. The Privy Council declared that the railway couldn¡¯t be built or should be postponed, but the King seemed to be stubborn.

    "A railway¡­ I¡¯m certain that this idea didn¡¯t come from the King himself."

    "That¡¯s right. It¡¯s undoubtedly Tristan, that poisonous snake, who coaxed the King into it."

    "I have no idea why His Highness hired someone from another country as a royal spokesman. What if the royal secret documents were to be leaked?"

    "Isn¡¯t it because Minister Harper actively pushed for it? Apparently, there¡¯s a special relationship between the spokesman and Minister Harper¡¯s daughter."

    Their complaints, which poured out continuously, involved not only the King but also Tristan, the royal spokesman, as well as Felix Harper, the Military Minister. Tristan was an official citizen of the Kingdom of Estonia, so their criticism didn¡¯t make sense. In fact, they didn¡¯t like that the King, who had always given in to the pressure of the Privy Council, started to get stubborn when Tristan was put by his side.

    After a while, the door of the hall opened and a man stepped inside. The people who had been badmouthing him until then looked at the man with their mouths closed as if possessed. The sight of the man wearing a luxurious suit and walking confidently captured the attention of the audience at once. He was tall, had wide shoulders and his firm body was visible even when covered by clothes. He had harmonious features and a youth that none of the other people in the room possessed. He was a beautiful and dignified man without any flaws.

    The man, who went to the center and stood behind the rostrum, looked through the audience after a short silence. There was a relaxed and arrogant expression on his moderately polite-looking face. A considerable number of advisors looked at him and frowned.

    "Good morning. I am Tristan Miller, the King¡¯s chief aide and royal spokesman."

    Tristan Miller.

    A beast-like man who conveyed and carried out the royal will on behalf of the King, and who crushed his opponents with his rhetoric skills rather than with a sword.

    He was born to an Estonian mother, but spent his childhood in Atlanta after she had remarried to an Atlantan aristocrat. He graduated at the top of his class from Thebes¡¯ Royal School, the hardest academy to enter in the Western continent, and entered the royal palace two years ago after obtaining Estonian naturalization. Thanks to his outstanding skills, he had managed to gain the King¡¯s trust in a short time, and now enjoyed great authority as the King¡¯s right-hand man. Rumors spread that it was difficult to understand or convince the King without going through Tristan first, and as a result, he garnered both admiration and jealousy from others.

    The advisors of the Privy Council were alert. They had to beat Tristan. They had to thoroughly step on him in order to get to get what they wanted.

    "I would like to thank all of you once again for being here. Today, I want to bring up the King¡¯s intention to build a railway. The matter of the construction of a railway throughout the Estonian Kingdom will be presented before Parliament."

    The hall was filled with rumblings. The advisors¡¯ faces twisted in displeasure at Tristan¡¯s announcement. He snorted inwardly as it was exactly what he had expected. They were about to hound him with their complaints.

    "I don¡¯t understand. How can we talk about building a railway when the reliability of the train hasn¡¯t been fully guaranteed yet?"

    "The slavery system has been abolished, so how will we cover the cost of hiring workers for the construction?"

    "Is it really the right time for our Kingdom to build a railway comfortably? We are in a situation where we don¡¯t know when a conflict or a war with the southern rebels might break out."

    As expected, doubts about the effectiveness of the train and the unstable situation of the Estonian Kingdom, now divided between the north and the south, emerged as the advisors¡¯ main excuses. Although they were seemingly revolting due to worries about the uncertainty of the situation, Tristan knew their true intentions. As veteran politicians and businessmen, they could not be unaware of the many benefits of a strong, fast and new means of transportation. They were basically saying that they would not cooperate unless they could secure their own gains. Tristan had already brought a bone to throw at the dogs, but he had no intention to obediently give it away.

    "Since the end of the Delmore War, countries have been scrambling to build railways. The Kingdom of Estonia has also put up a railway from Yukon to Emerville as a test and ran a steam locomotive, and there were no accidents."

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    "Compared to transporting the same amount of goods by carriage, the transportation time has been reduced by 30% and the loading amount has been increased by over fifty times the original amount. If the distribution of goods gets faster, not only will it contribute to commercial development but also to the economic development of the Kingdom as a whole. We cannot be left behind on our own while other nations are busy developing themselves by implementing new transportation systems."

    Tristan began to refute their two major complaints one after the other.

    "In addition, if we build a railway from Yukon to the central part of the continent, we will have the advantage of being able to provide military supplies immediately in the event of a collision between the State of Estonia and the southern rebels. You cannot ignore that the war supplies delivered by train as support became a huge help to bringing victory to the allied forces during the Delmore War."

    As of now, Estonia was split into the north and the south. Duke Sigmund Hezelkaiser, who had returned after making a great contribution to the Delmore War, rebelled and proclaimed the Republic. A southern region with Elcassus in its center fell into his hands and as a result, the citizens of the Kingdom called the north Estonia and the south Elcassus.

    "Let me ask you a question. Now, Estonia is at the border of the central part of the continent. If we build a railway from the capital, Yukon, to the central part of the continent, won¡¯t the southern rebels be able to use the railway to their advantage to get to the capital in the event of a war?"

    It was Lord Campbell, a young Republican Member of Parliament, who listened calmly before raising his hand to ask a question. His calm but sharp question showed his true concern for Estonia.

    "If that happens, we can just cut off the railway. As the railway is built on our side, they cannot cut it off if we come down but, on the contrary, we can easily cut it off if they try to come up."

    As if it were an expected question, Tristan added a detailed explanation to his answer. Lord Campbell threw a few more difficult questions, but Tristan was never stuck in answering them.

    At the persuasive answers, Lord Campbell fell into thought with his eyes closed. Murmurs continued in the midst of the silence, but no one refuted Tristan¡¯s words because nothing of what he had said was wrong.

    "You talk as if you''ve been to the army.¡±

    Someone spat out an irrelevant remark and attacked Tristan. Even though it was a very childish situation, others also sympathized with the man¡¯s words as if they had been waiting.

    "As someone who¡¯s never been to the army, let alone the battlefield, I wonder what exactly you know of it. You must not be thinking that our victory was solely due to the supply of goods, do you? The theory learned at a desk and the reality are two different things."

    A nobleman who participated in the Delmore War came forward and treated Tristan as a novice. Spiteful laughs erupted here and there. This would have been enough to discourage anyone else, but Tristan laughed leisurely instead.

    "Someone said that those who live in a cave see an object¡¯s shadow and believe it to be the real thing."

    "What, what the hell does that mean!"

    "It¡¯s nothing. I am just reflecting on myself who couldn¡¯t go to the battlefield, only looked at a shadow and talked as if it were real."

    At first glance, it seemed like a self-reproach or an apology towards the comittee members. However, everybody in the room was aware that Tristan¡¯s words were not sincere. On the contrary, it sounded more like he was rebuking them saying ¡®when I see you babble about me, whom you know nothing about, I wonder if you can do anything else beside childishly picking on others¡¯. Tristan put on a serious expression again and returned to the point of the conversation that had deviated.

    "Then, I¡¯ll get back to the point and disclose His Highness¡¯s proposal. If you help me pass this bill before Parliament, the railway building concession will be shared through a fair vote."

    Tristan''s words stopped the uproar as if it had never happened. The advisors'' heads were spinning fast. Obtaining the rights to lay a railway meant that they would provide the materials needed for the construction and that they could earn the same value from the State. They were ready to get on their knees and make a deep bow for such an offer as it could bring them enormous wealth if only they did well.

    Tristan smiled nonchalantly and explained his proposal in detail. Now, none of the twenty or so people in the room rebelled against him or threw unreasonable attacks at him. In the game led by Tristan, they followed eagerly. As the meeting was coming to an end, Tristan stretched out the corners of his mouth and smiled.

    "Then I trust you will help me."

    As if he had expected this outcome from the beginning.

    ¡®Despicable bastard.¡¯

    That''s what most people here were thinking. Tristan always blocked his opponent''s rebuttal on a rational basis and then offered an unsincere apology. After that, he would shut people up by presenting them with a tempting offer and control them as he wanted. A clever but wretched, capable but unsympathetic bastard.

    While the advisors laid their heads together to discuss the issue, Tristan walked to the window with his hands on his waist. Before he knew it, the sunlight coming through the window reached his feet. He willingly stuck out his feet and stepped on the light.

    *****

    "Spokesman Tristan Miller."

    Tristan, who had come outside, halted his steps at the voice calling him. Knowing the identity of the voice, he quickly turned around with a polite smile on his face.

    "Good morning, Marquis Harper."

    The person standing in front of him was Felix Harper, a Royalist Member of Parliament and the Military Minister. He had the greatest influence among the people who supported the King, and he had also gained his absolute trust. He and Tristan¡¯s father were very close, and that¡¯s how Tristan could easily enter the royal palace on the recommendation of the Marquis.

 CH 3

    "The railway was your idea, wasn¡¯t it?"

    "How could it be."

    "There is no reason to be humble. It¡¯s not an idea that the King would come up with."

    Although it was a very sensitive statement, the Marquis spoke without a qualm. It wasn¡¯t because he was close to the King but rather that he trusted Tristan.

    "I just voiced my opinion to the King when he asked me about it."

    Tristan answered while feigning a humble attitude, but in fact, the King didn¡¯t even think of building a railway. To his question about why other countries unnecessarily built railways, Tristan explained and since then, he had changed his mind.

    "In any case, it¡¯s impressive. That you managed to convince the inflexible Privy Council advisors and achieved your plan right away."

    "I¡¯m flattered."

    The moment he was getting tired of talking to the Marquis, a small commotion broke out on one side of the hallway. Four or five advisors were talking with a good-looking man in the center.

    Aslan Campbell was the son of Lord Campbell who had died three years ago. He was also the older brother of the war hero Ibella Campbell and the prospective brother-in-law of the King.

    His late father, Lord Campbell, was a famous politician to whom Aslan could not be compared. He was a figure that the King Philip was very much fond of, and a politician loved by the people of the Kingdom alongside Sigmund Hazelkaiser. When Sigmund Hazelkaiser rose in rebellion, he went to negotiate as the King¡¯s envoy and died in an accident on his way back. Thanks to the love that the father and daughter from the Campbell family received, Aslan was able to quickly settle down in politics. Of course, this was also possible because of his character and own ability.

    "Look at those ticks...."

    Marquis Harper, who was next to him, snorted and muttered.

    Tristan didn¡¯t respond and pretended not to hear. He knew why the Marquis harbored ill feelings against Lord Campbell. When Lord Campbell was alive, he would always be pushed aside by him. He couldn¡¯t catch up with Campbell in terms of the King¡¯s trust, the love of the people as well as the faith of his fellow politicians. Moreover, his own son was now being pushed aside by the current Lord Campbell, so he must have felt displeased. Even though he possessed everything now, his inferiority complex made a crack in his dignity from time to time.

    "I heard that Ibella rejected His Highness¡¯s proposal again. He must be devastated."

    "It can¡¯t be helped."

    "I really don¡¯t understand the Campbell family. How can you allow your daughter to go to the battlefield and vulgarly tend to soldiers? It¡¯s also remarkable that the brother follows the wishes of his younger sister even though he is given the opportunity to become the King¡¯s brother-in-law. He might be a good brother, but he is not a wise man."

    "Is that so?"

    Although he roughly humoured Marquis Harper, Tristan was quite fond of Lord Campbell. He hadn¡¯t met him often, but he knew him as a gentle and honest man. Although you shouldn¡¯t trust a politician based on appearances, he knew that his judgment was not wrong. Otherwise, would he have allowed his daughter to go to war as a nurse officer? Though there must have been conflicts between the two, he respected his daughter¡¯s wishes while being pointed at by others, which was commendable.

    "By the way, when are you going to stop by my house? My Ronen has been waiting for you."

    When Tristan didn¡¯t agree with him, Marquis Harper immediately changed the subject.

    "I will visit soon."

    "Please, do so. Wasn¡¯t the engagement delayed due to your urgent situation? You have no idea how much I¡¯ve been nagged at by Ronen about it."

    "I will."

    "You are aware of the relationship between me and your father, right?"

    "Of course."

    When the Marquis mentioned his father as a means of pressure, Tristan replied politely while suppressing his irritation. From a long time ago, an engagement with a woman he didn¡¯t know had been arranged without any consideration for what he wanted. His father told him that the help of Marquis Harper was required in order to attain his goal. He only informed him of the engagement but didn¡¯t ask for his consent.  Ronen, whom he had met for the first time after coming to Estonia, fell completely in love with him. Despite the fact that it was an arranged marriage, she wasn¡¯t a bad woman. She was pretty, quick-witted and clever.

    There was a time when he was ready to accept the marriage with Ronen as he didn¡¯t care about who he would get married to.

    "I¡¯ll be waiting. Let¡¯s have a nice cup of tea together."

    "Yes".

    But not now.

    His world had changed.

    *****

    Before writing the report, Tristan headed to the King¡¯s office. The King, who was sensitive by nature, would be impatiently waiting for the outcome.

    "Your Highness."

    "Come in, Tristan."

    "The matter of the railway construction went well."

    "It must have been resolved. There was no way it would fail since you were the one to take care of it."

    Philip von Beringer, the ruler of the Kingdom of Estonia, put down the newspaper he was reading on his desk and looked at Tristan. His thin and pale face, sharp jawline and strong chin portrayed his sensitive yet obsessive personality. Seeing as how his voice was filled with annoyance, he must be in a particularly bad mood today.

    "Why are you reading that?"

    As he approached Philip¡¯s desk and read the newspaper¡¯s headlines, Tristan finally realized why the King was upset.

    [The countries that chose the Republic]

    The article with the provocative title belonged to the Libertas newspaper. As nothing much was happening in the Kingdom, it used to be released on a weekly basis, but after the Delmore War, it was changed into a daily release. It was also winning the hearts of the people due to its fast and accurate news. The problem was that the Libertas newspaper often published articles opposing the constitutional monarchy.

    "Look at what these bastards are babbling about. How dare they compare me to Sigmund. Should I wipe it out?"

    With a nervous expression on his face, the King bit his thumb before flicking it out in a rough manner. The anger in his eyes clearly showed how unstable his mind was. He had a sensitive personality to begin with, but his anxiety worsened after the Duke Sigmund Hazelkaiser, whom he had trusted the most, betrayed him. As a result, it was natural for the King to get angry when the newspaper compared him and Sigmund on the same axis.

    "Leave it be. It¡¯s the favourite newspaper of the people, so it¡¯s dangerous to mess with it recklessly. The trust in the royal family has hit rock bottom so it might backfire if we intervene."

    "Who the hell is the editor of this damn newspaper? I ordered you to look for him a while ago, haven¡¯t you found him yet?"

    "I¡¯m looking for him but it¡¯s not easy. Don¡¯t worry too much. It¡¯s just someone who¡¯s passionate about writing."

    The Libertas newspaper once released an article criticizing the King. The Public Prosecutor¡¯s Office, which was watching them, seized and searched the newspaper before arresting the president, but they couldn¡¯t catch the editor in the end. Furthermore, they had to release the president due to the public outcry. Since then, the Libertas newspaper has been continuing a close tug-of-war without violating the laws of the Kingdom, while stealthily scratching the nerves of the royal family.

    "Tristan. You are a very strange person."

    "I¡¯ll take it as a compliment."

    "You remain aloof in any situation as though you¡¯ve died and come back alive."

    "I was born like that."

    "Yes. That¡¯s why I trust you and rely on you."

    "Thank you."

    At Tristan¡¯s unwavering attitude, the King seemed to gradually relax. After his small habit of fidgetting subsided, the King opened his mouth with a much calmer attitude.

    "By the way, there is something you have to do for me."

    "Tell me, Your Highness."

    "Go to Emmerville and meet with Ibella."

    "What do you mean, Your Highness?"

    "I informed Ibella that I would send someone. I asked Lord Campbell for his understanding as well."

    "I don¡¯t know what you are talking about all of a sudden. Why do I¡­"

    Tristan asked as if he had not expected this at all. Although he knew that the King wouldn¡¯t give up, he didn¡¯t know that he would arbitrarily send a letter without consulting him. It seemed that it was a big shock to be rejected by Ibella once again.

    "You told me yourself. That in order to persuade her, I have to choose a competent and trustworthy person to go talk to her."

    "I wasn¡¯t referring to myself when I said that."

    "Is there a more competent and trustworthy man than you?"

    ¡°However, if I go, I can¡¯t by Your Highness¡¯s side¡­"

    "Don¡¯t worry about that. Do you take me for an idiot?"

    "That¡¯s not what I meant."

    Tristan, who asked with a worried expression, lowered his head as if embarrassed. However, the King knew that the scolding given to Tristan wouldn¡¯t leave him any scratches.

    "I have been hanging on for years, but now I am too embarrassed to step back. And if I get married to Ibella, the bottoming credibility of the royal family will also rise."

    "Is that why you want to get married to Lady Campbell?"

    "Of course it¡¯s not just because of that. Ibella is a strong woman and I feel comfortable when I¡¯m with here. There are many reasons to get married to Ibella, so persuade her to accept my proposal at all costs."

    "I will."

    Tristan answered and politely bowed his head to indicate that he had understood. As he took a step back and turned around, a strange glimmer passed through his eyes. Even if the food given to the fish is not delicious, if it has starved for a long time, it will take the bait quickly. That¡¯s how the King got entangled in his scheme.

    It was when Tristan was almost at the door.

    "Tristan."

    "Yes, Your Highness."

    Tristan turned around, skillfully switching his expression.

    "Don''t seduce Ibella."

    "What do you mean?"

    The King¡¯s voice was lower than usual. Somehow, it sounded like a request and a plea at the same time.

    "I know that there is nothing that you can¡¯t do, that¡¯s why I am sending you but, just in case¡­ Don¡¯t make her fall in love with you."

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    "As long as you make up your mind, it¡¯s something that you are sufficiently capable of."

    ¡°Your Highness."

    "But not Ibella. I can¡¯t forgive that."

    Philip, who had stopped all movements, stared at Tristan. He didn¡¯t know with what intentions the King brought this up, but he could read the wavering emotions in his eyes. Fear or vigilance as great as the faith he had for his subordinate. Although he made the decision because he was driven into a corner, he was not sure whether it was his own will or the will of his aide. There was also unresolved conflict as to whether it was right or wrong to send Tristan to see Ibella.

    ¡°¡­¡­Don¡¯t worry, Your Highness.¡±

    Tristan dispelled Philip''s anxiety in a solemn tone. Only then did the King¡¯s expression relax, then he waved his hand to tell him to leave.

    Tristan left the King¡¯s office and started walking with regular steps. Stopping at the place overlooking the garden, he straightened his posture and clasped his hands behind his back.

    "Ibella Campbell."

    As soon as the woman''s name came out of his mouth, a faint smile spread widely across his face.

 CH 4

    The train was bending into the distance. It was a steam locomotive that departed from Yukon, the capital, and ended its trajectory with Emerville as the last stop.

    Humphrey hated this thing called ¡®locomotive¡¯. It looked like a black snake, puffed out gray smoke from the roof and made a piercing sound. It was horrible to think that this thing that had only carried goods so far would start carrying people starting from this year. He didn¡¯t know why people continued bringing such evil things into the world. They didn¡¯t know how beautiful and elegant the old world was.

    The train stopped completely and people began to get off. Humphrey frowned and stepped aside when he saw the crowd coming out. He was afraid that the people who were carrying luggage might bump into his body while passing by.

    When almost everyone had gotten off, a man who stood out from the rest frowned as he stepped down onto the platform. The man, who was wearing a luxurious suit and a neat-looking hat, poked the ground with a stylish cane. His clean-shaped eyebrows and sharp but elegant eyes drew attention. His fine lips were neatly closed under his sharp nose. Humphrey had met quite a few good-looking men while working for the prestigious Campbell family, but it was the first time he had seen someone this exceptionally handsome.

    "It''s him."

    Humphrey who had gained a good eye for recognizing people after living for a long time, realized that the man was the King¡¯s aide. The smooth appearance similar to a beautifully grown flower coexisted with the atmosphere of the wilderness being swept by the harsh wind. He was a man who gave off the feeling of being prickly and dangerous.

    The train¡¯s workers put down several pieces of luggage at the man¡¯s feet before disappearing. Humphrey approached him with the coachman at his side.

    "Are you perhaps Tristan Miller, the King¡¯s spokesman?"

    "That¡¯s right."

    The man¡¯s response was short as if he had understood Humphrey¡¯s identity as well. But since it wasn¡¯t a contemptuous attitude, Humphrey wasn¡¯t upset.

    "Welcome. I am the butler of the Campbell family and currently serving the Lady at House Rosebell. I¡¯ve prepared a carriage, so let us go. The coachman will carry your luggage."

    "Thank you. I will take care of this suitcase since it contains fragile things."

    Tristan didn¡¯t put down the suitcase he was holding. Unlike his blunt way of speaking, the appearance of walking with the suitcase was very delicate and careful, similar to someone who is worried that a person might appear and steal it.

    Humphrey guided him, thinking he was a bit unusual.

    The carriage left the train station and entered a quiet country road. Sitting with a straight back against the seat, Tristan looked at the scenery outside of the carriage. Worthy of a region famous for its beautiful landscapes, the scene that passed by resembled a picture.

    Humphrey, who was sitting across from him and watching him, frowned at the sight of the folded newspaper on Tristan¡¯s lap.

    The Libertas newspaper. The conservative Humphrey didn''t like the damn newspaper which stealthily sided with the Southern rebels. It was even more strange to see the royal spokesman reading such a newspaper.

    "Are there any good news?"

    "It''s always the same."  Tristan replied in an indifferent tone.

    "In any case, we need to quickly wipe out those guys in southern Elcassus."

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    "I am not sure why this issue hasn''t been taken care of. These southerners that have only been fishing and farming all their lives wouldn¡¯t know how to fight."

    "That¡¯s only what we see on the outside. There are many mines in the south. It means that there are sufficient resources to make weapons. Moreover, Duke Haiselkaiser is an excellent warrior, and many of his followers are young people and scientists. In the event that they train their soldiers systematically and carry advanced weapons, we cannot be confident that we will win."

    Somehow, Tristan answered fairly honestly. Actually, he didn¡¯t want to answer as he was tired due to the long journey, but it was not polite to cut off the conversation coldly after Humphrey showed considerable interest in the issue.

    "You don¡¯t think that their military power can overwhelm Estonia though, do you?"

    "I don¡¯t know how prepared they are."

    He knew as much information as it steadily came in, but he didn¡¯t want to say that much. Otherwise he wouldn¡¯t know until when Humphrey¡¯s questions might continue pouring out.

    Just before Humphrey¡¯s mouth opened again, Tristan opened the newspaper and covered his face with it. If you¡¯re smart enough, you¡¯ll understand that it means to stop talking.

    Fortunately, Humphrey was quick-witted and stopped asking questions.

    The carriage finally entered the bridge that led to Rosebell House. Travellers dressed in various attires were seen walking through the streets, the river bank and the bridge. Humphrey¡¯s eyes, that had been looking outside languidly, suddenly widened and he pulled the rope connected to the coachman.

    "Stop the carriage for a moment."

    Thud. As soon as Humphrey hit the wall with his hand and raised his voice, the coachman pulled up the reins and stopped the horse. Lowering the newspaper in his hands, Tristan looked at Humphrey with a puzzled look. Humphrey smiled awkwardly and said.

    "Ah, I am sorry, sir. An acquaintance of mine just passed us by, would it be okay if I talked to them for a little while?"

    "As you please."

    It was rude for an attendant welcoming a guest to behave this way, but Tristan replied without much emotion.

    As soon as he heard the answer, he impatiently got off the carriage and walked the opposite way.

    Tristan discreetly stuck out his head and looked at Humphrey¡¯s back. He was sharing a conversation with a woman holding a parasol but as she was going the opposite direction of the carriage, he couldn¡¯t even properly see her back. Seeing that her clothes and parasol were old and tacky, he thought that she might either be an employee working at Housebell House or a local resident.

    Tristan, who had lost interest, pulled his head back into the carriage and focused on the newspaper which previously had his attention.

    A little bit later, Humphrey returned to the carriage, wiping the sweat off his forehead. Inside the carriage that had started to run again, he secretly exhaled a sigh. It seemed that something quite distressing had happened as he couldn¡¯t even hide the nervousness despite his efforts.

    "I''m sorry to have kept you waiting."

    ¡°It¡¯s fine."

    Tristan ignored it and turned his head. He was afraid that if he asked what was going on, it would lead to a lengthy conversation again. The scenery outside of the window was still as picturesque. However, contrary to earlier, it seemed that a scratch had been made on the picture.

    What could be the reason?

    He frowned and touched his forehead due to the unpleasant feeling that suddenly hit him.

    *****

    Rosebell House and its orange brick-like roof contained a clean yet classical beauty. The three-story building had about ten rooms. The first and second floors west of the central stairs were used by the employees while the eastern parts and the entire third floor were dedicated to the owner and the visitors. He should have entered the mansion in a good mood, but Tristan¡¯s face was horribly distorted.

    "What did you just say?"

    "The Lady has gone on a trip."

    A maid called Dorothy Gibson answered Tristan. Contrary to Tristan, who was restless, the maid with her grey hair and strict face was calm.

    "Does that make sense? Didn¡¯t she receive the letter?"

    "I am sorry but I don¡¯t know."

    "When did she leave?"

    "It¡¯s been a while."

    Like a frozen human being, there was no warmth to Dorothy¡¯s gaze and voice. It was strange that her attitude remained calm even though the young and frail owner had left the house. She seemed to know something, but of course she showed no sign of trying to explain.

    "Where did she go?"

    "I don¡¯t know."

    "When will she be back?"

    "She didn¡¯t say a specific time."

    Speechless, Tristan gripped the cane he was holding. Although he was angry, he couldn¡¯t pour out his anger on the elderly maid who wasn¡¯t responsible. When he turned his head to the side, Humphrey was looking elsewhere with a stiff face. Did he already know about this? No. If that were the case, he wouldn¡¯t have been throwing questions at him so nonchalantly when they met at the train station and rode the carriage. Then, does it mean that Isabella was still at the mansion until he left¡­

    "Should I guide you to your room, or¡­?"

    ¡®Will you go back?¡¯, that¡¯s what she was asking through her gaze. It seemed to imply that he would never be able to meet the Lady so it would be better to just go back the way he came. Although he was annoyed for a moment at the undesirable circumstances, Tristan was also a man who could enjoy this kind of situation. After staring at Dorothy for a long time, he smiled widely and handed her his cane.

    "Take me to my room. I will stay in this house until the Lady returns."

    Dorothy Gibson was startled at his relaxed smile and frowned. Even though she didn¡¯t expect him to go back right away, she was surprised that he was this composed and didn¡¯t get angry. How much did Ibella overtly express her displeasure about the King for her subordinates to treat the King¡¯s messenger this way?

    But he didn¡¯t get angry. On the contrary, he wanted to play around as he found the situation entertaining.

    "This will be your room. Breakfast is at 7 am, lunch at 12 am and dinner at 6 pm. Inform me if you¡¯re uncomfortable or need anything else. There is a study on the first floor that you can use at your discretion."

    The voice of Dorothy, who was guiding Tristan to his room, was as stiff as the sound of a machine. Tristan looked around the room without replying. The room wasn¡¯t large nor fancy, but the luxurious furniture and the paintings from famous artists were impressive and made up for it.

    "Don¡¯t go to the third floor. It¡¯s the Lady¡¯s space."

    "¡­I understand."

    Tristan¡¯s answer was filled with indifference. He knew how to show courtesy as a guest. Although he didn¡¯t know whether he would stay only as a ¡®guest¡¯.

    "Ah. Could you send a letter? You see, I have to report to the King that the Lady has run away."

    "¡­.Yes."

    Dorothy¡¯s firm eyes shook noticeably. She looked worried after Tristan said he would contact the King to tell on the Lady.

    "Also, from now on, bring the letters addressed to me directly to my room. They are filled with important information, so you can¡¯t open them recklessly."

    "That goes without saying. We never open another person¡¯s correspond¡­"

    "You may leave."

    Tristan turned away as if he didn¡¯t need to hear more. He heard the woman stepping away a beat late and closing the door.

 CH 5

    Tristan opened the double lattice window by the bed and went out to the balcony. The ivy climbing up the wall wrapped around the balcony pillars. The scenery that spread before his eyes was even more impressive. Neatly trimmed lawn, blooming flowers and high garden trees. On the surface of the river flowing under the hill, the sunlight was shining like gold dust.

    "Is that why you don¡¯t want to leave this place?"

    He had learned from informants that Ibella had lost her memory. She seemed to have stayed in this beautiful and peaceful place for over three years in order to shake off the frustrating feelings.

    Since the situation had become like this, he decided to enjoy a long-awaited rest and took a cigar case out of his pocket.

    "¡­?"

    At that moment, his eyes opened wide.

    From far away on top of the bridge, a woman carrying parasol was looking in his direction. Although he couldn¡¯t see her face, it was clear that she was looking in the direction of the balcony where he was on the second floor of Rosebell House.

    "Who is it?"

    A traveler?

    As Tristan tilted his head in doubt, the mountain wind blew from the back of the mansion. After becoming a breeze and descending down the hill, it swept over the flowers and sparkling waves on the riverbank and finally reached the woman.

    Her long golden hair fluttered in the wind. While holding the parasol in both hands, she lightly bowed to him. It was not a meaningless gesture, but a polite greeting meant for an acquaintance.

    "It can¡¯t be!"

    With the cigar case in his hand, he hurriedly gripped the balcony railing and leaned forward. She was undoubtely the woman Humphrey had talked to while they were on their way to the mansion. A tall and slender woman who had turned her back on him and who had screwed him over.

    "Ibella Cambell!"

    His senses were numb as if he had been hit by a blunt object on the back of the head. He now understood why Humphrey had been so embarrassed, and why he couldn¡¯t look him in the eye after hearing the news that Ibella had left.

    "Ha!"

    It was the first time that he had been so ridiculously beaten, so he naturally burst into laughter. It meant that she had matched the time of her departure and intentionally passed by him although she knew the purpose of his visit.

    ¡®I will reject the King¡¯s proposal. So don¡¯t do anything useless and just go back.¡¯

    "You can¡¯t do that, Ibella."

    Tristan¡¯s lips, who was staring blankly, rose into a crooked shape. As soon as the thought that Ibella would be smiling turned into a certainty, a pleasant tension wriggled in his chest. As if the wind had entered his heart, his insides were filled with a burning yet refreshing desire to win.

    With a pleasant smile on his face, he stretched his arms forward and spread his palms wide.

    "Make sure to run away, Ibella Campbell."

    Tristan seized Ibella, who was walking the other way, in his hand. No matter how far away she was, she was imprisoned in his grasp, and only her head would sometimes pop out of his fist.

    "You are in my hands anyway."

    Showing mercy, Tristan opened his fist and let Ibella go. Ibella¡¯s appearance, which now seemed like a small dot, distorted into a faint shape and filled his vision. As if the wind had come all the way here, the palm that held her felt itchy.

    *****

    Three days later, Emmerville¡¯s Bourbon convent.

    It was a simple room with a desk, a wooden chair and a long bench where three people could sit. The rough furniture had worn smooth overtime, creating a humble sense of dignity, similarly to the owner of the room.

    "Thank you for lending me the cabin, Sister."

    Ibella, who sat opposite Sister Agatha, the director of the convent, smiled and thanked her. The director knew her identity and provided her with a place to say.

    "Don''t worry about it, my Lady. It cannot be compared to how much you have helped us with the convent and the orphanage. But, aren''t you uncomfortable because the cabin is old?"

    "It''s fine. They cleaned everything and brought in necessary items and food, so there is nothing inconvenient."

    Ibella rented an empty cabin on the outskirts of the convent surrounded by a small forest. It had become vacant after the owner, an elderly gardener, died. The large area, including the convent, forest and cabin, was surrounded by high walls, so no one could enter. For outside access, she used the side door on the fence next to the cabin instead of the front door, so she was able to live independently. Although she had come here in order to avoid the King''s messenger, she was having a surprisingly good time.

    "Will you be fine? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to welcome the person sent by His Highness..."

    "Don''t worry, Sister. Rumor has it that he is very clever, so he would have understood what I meant."

    "But, His Highness must be very angry. I am worried that something bad might happen to my Lady."

    Sister Agatha seemed to be bothered that Ibella was mistreating Tristan. Because he would surely report this to the King, and she was afraid that Ibella might become the target of the King''s anger.

    "His Highness won''t do that."

    Ibella knew Philip''s temperament. Although he was sensitive and irritable, he was not the kind of person to act recklessly. Everyone around them knew that the relationship between the King and her was one-sided. So, he couldn''t personally retaliate just because she had rejected him. There is no way that her brother and the other advisors would stand still if that happened. However, she couldn¡¯t exclude the possibility that if she ever found a man she loved, he would become the subject of the King¡¯s hatred.

    "Then stay here until your heart desires, my Lady. Ah, that¡¯s right. A few days ago, the construction of the building of the second orphanage was completed. Some of the children were already moved there. It''s all thanks to the Lady. I am really grateful."

    "Oh my goodness. I couldn¡¯t pay attention as I''ve been busy with work these days, but it is finally completed. That''s great."

    Ibella was so happy that she clapped her hands and smiled. She had been sponsoring various underprivileged people until now. Among them, she had paid special attention to the orphanage run by the Bourbon convent. After the Western War and the division of Estonia into the north and the south, the number of orphans increased, but the facilities to accommodate them were already at full capacity. For that reason, the convent had a hard time operating Bourbon orphanage, and Ibella who was aware of this, decided to sponsor the construction of a second building.

    "Then, are you going to move the children there already?"

    "Only some of the youngest ones. I am glad we were able to finish it before the opening of Emmerville festival. Although there are still a few things left to do."

    "I will help you, Sister."

    "How could I possibly ask for the Lady¡¯s help?"

    "Sister, I used to work at a field hospital. I am sure that I can easily do better than most men when it comes to using my body and my hands."

    When Ibella was a nursing officer, she didn''t only take care of the administrative tasks. She actually wanted to be dispatched as a nurse at first, but the position of nursing officer was given to her by the upper ranks of the military. She was in charge of the overall management of the field hospital, provided medical training to nurses, and directly squeezed out the pus and changed the bandages of wounded soldiers. Of course, she also helped with washing, boiling, drying, and folding the laundry that piled up like a mountain every day. For her who used to roll around on the battlefield, it was not a big deal to lend a hand.

    "Okay, then. I will be waiting for you, my Lady. The kids will love it."

    "I have to go to the hospital tomorrow, so I will drop by the day after tomorrow."

    She was not only volunteering at the orphanage, but also at a rehabilitation hospital for disabled veterans. It was a charity hospital set up for those who had received injuries or contracted illnesses in the army, but who could not receive proper treatment. As it was always short of doctors and manpower, she went there once a week to help out.

    At first, she started doing this to help the underprivileged, but she eventually received comfort from it. The injuries from the war, her lost memories, and the death of her father. The things that affected her mind were slowly being settled by doing these little daily services.

    Soon, the Emmerville festival will begin. The streets will be filled with music and people''s faces will regain their liveliness. Since she left the house, she planned to enjoy the festival and spend a lot of time volunteering. The King''s aide will wait for her for a couple of days before having to accept reality and go back. There was no need to quarrel, and it will become a clear rejection to the King.

    She had no desire for the Queen''s seat. She didn''t even want to go back to the capital now. Because the father she loved the most in the world was not there anymore.

    She will continue living here doing whatever she wants all the while being surrounded by beautiful nature. She didn''t forcibly try to bring back her lost memories and accepted her father''s death as the natural order of life. She believed that then, the path that she had to walk on would naturally be revealed to her.

    *****

    "Should I have bought them later?"

    Ibella put down the bags that she was holding in both hands, and looked up at the grey sky. After leaving the convent, she stopped downtown and bought a lot of presents. On the occasion of the festival, she ordered items to give to the patients at the hospital, and was currently on her way back with both hands full with presents for the children.

    Her footsteps kept slowing down due to the heavy load, but she suddenly felt a sense of urgency as a couple of raindrops fell down from the sky. Ibella, who resumed walking after picking up her bags, halted her steps with a strange feeling and looked back. She saw a short, chubby man quickly hide behind a wall.

    ''It''s that person again.''

    He had been following her for about a week now. At first, she thought he was someone who held feelings for her, but little by little she noticed something strange. He didn''t really show himself, and when she hid and looked back at him, she could often see him taking out a notebook and writing something down.

    Drip-drop. Raindrops hit the ground more and more rapidly.

    Ibella turned around and started walking briskly. A little farther, there was a collapsed building on the site of an old chapel. It was quite large, so she was thinking of shaking him off there.

    As Ibella''s pace quickened, the man followed her closely. As if a little nervous, he was revealing himself more and more often. Ibella was taken aback when the man followed her more tenaciously than expected. She couldn''t run because of the bags, her shoulders felt like they were about to fall off, and her neck hurt from constantly looking back.

    The heavy rain hit her face and her clothes started to get wet. It was when Ibella, who had finally climbed up the stairs leading to the chapel, turned around the corner while walking alongside the collapsed wall.

    Thud. A dizzying shock hit her head with the sound of wet bodies bumping into each other. The other person caught Ibella in surprise, and she collapsed into his arms, dropping her bags.

    "Oh. Ouch!"

    The two of them fell down the platform, holding onto each other. Although the height was around knee level, the pain of hitting the floor was not small. At least Ibella was on top of the overlapping body, so the shock was not as bad, but the other person, who had fallen backwards, couldn''t get up and let out a shriek of pain.

    "Ah. Ouch..."

    She couldn''t properly grasp the situation due to the dizzying shock. She raised her head with difficulty as she touched her forehead, still lying down. When she instinctively looked back, the man who had been following her had already disappeared and was nowhere to be seen. Phew. Barely relieved, Ibella turned her head and, belatedly grasping the situation, opened her eyes wide.

    "Oh, my god."

    Ibella finally realized that she was lying on top of a man. There was only about an inch of space between both of their faces. The two faced each other while their eyes intertwined and their breaths mixed.

    "....."

    As if they had promised, neither of them said anything. She couldn¡¯t move as if her body was frozen. The man with the wet golden hair was indescribably beautiful, and his deep, melancholic blue eyes seemed to drag down her mind into the abyss. She wanted to raise her hand and touch his features that were beautiful both together and individually.

    Ibella swore that she had never seen such a handsome man. And even more at a distance of about a hand¡¯s span.

    "How long are you going to stay like this?"

    Finally, a pleasant low voice poured out of the man''s mouth. At the same time, he reached out and gently wrapped his arms around her waist.

 CH 6

    "Ah! I apologize."

    The startled Ibella sat up by resting her hands on the man''s chest. Even in this situation, she could see that the man''s chest was as hard as that of a warrior. That was just case just looking at the texture of his chest, visible through the open collar of his shirt. The feel of his skin on her palms due to the wet clothes was clear.

    As soon the sky, that had been blocked by her face, was revealed again, his face was hit by the rain. Without showing much displeasure, he wiped his eyes with his hand, and raised half of his body. The distance between their faces, which had just widened, narrowed again.

    "Are you all right?"

    "Do I look fine to you?"

    "Pardon?"

    Not expecting the man to ask back, Ibella opened her eyes wide in embarrassment. He wasn''t outright angry, but there was an unconcealed annoyance in his tone.

    "My back is killing me. My clothes are dirty, and the rain hitting my face stings."

    "I''m sor..."

    "Because you are sitting like that, my lower body also feels heavy."

    "..."

    Momentarily feeling apologetic at the man''s complaints, Ibella shook her head trying to understand his last words. The way she is sitting, the man''s lower body, and something heavy that is poking her butt.

    "Oh, dear! So... sorry. It happened while I was trying to escape from someone chasing me."

    Ibela, who belatedly realized the situation, immediately lowered her leg and got away from him. To her dismay, she didn''t realize that she was sitting on the man''s lower body until he pointed it out. Whether it was because he was overly handsome or because she was distracted by his injuries and the rain, neither was an acceptable excuse.

    Why didn''t she notice it at all? It was the first time that something like that had ever happened to her, so she just laughed.

    "You''re the one in a dangerous situation, but somehow I am the only one hurt."

    The man stealthily blamed her, and smiled wryly. Regardless of his body getting wet, he slowly got up. A tall, well-built man instantly filled her vision. As he brushed the dirt off his clothes, he frowned as if he had injured his back.

    "Ah, it looks like I am more injured than I thought."

    "Does it hurt a lot?"

    "Well, it doesn''t hurt just a little."

    The man''s words pricked Ibella''s conscience. The back of his coat that was covered in dirt also added to Ibella''s remorseful feelings. Although it wasn''t her intention, in any case, the man had become in this state mostly because of her.

    "Where do you live?"

    Due to the strong rain, Ibella raised her voice and asked.

    "Far away from here."

    "Then..."

    Ibella hesitated for a moment. There was nowhere to hide from the rain, the man was injured, and both looked like a mess. The man had become like that because of her, so she just couldn''t leave him behind like that.

    "Do you want to go to my house?"

    The man didn''t look dangerous, and even if he was dangerous, she wasn''t afraid. Ibella learned swordsmanship as a child, and even learned the rudiments of shooting on the battlefield. As long as the man was not a soldier skilled at fighting, she wouldn''t be easily attacked.

    "Is there anything to eat there?"

    The man didn''t even thank her, and asked brazenly without hesitation. Ibella was strangely uneasy, but she had no choice because her body was already soaking wet.

    "Maybe..."

    Ibella replied, thinking of the few pieces of bread, fruit and cheese left at the cabin.

    The man bent over, and grabbed Ibella''s bags with both hands.

    "Lead the way."

    He urged Ibella, with a nod of his head.

    For someone who just a while ago complained of shoulder and back pain, he seemed to carry her bags fairly easily.

    *****

    "You can wipe yourself with this."

    Ibella took a dry towel from the shelf, and held it out to the man. She pretended to be calm, but her mind was a tangled mess. The man''s body and clothes were terribly wet, his coat was so muddy that he couldn''t wear it, and he had even sustained injuries. She is the owner of the house, so she has clothes to change into, but what about the man?

    "Do you live here alone?"

    The man asked indifferently, wiping his face and neck with the towel. As she was pondering the answer, his eyes circled around the house. Ibella, who was contemplating whether or not to say that she lived alone, realized that it was an unnecessary worry. With only a bed, two small chairs, a bookcase and a desk, it was clear evidence that this place was only for one person.

    "Yes. For the time being, I live alone. A ferocious dog entered my house, so I had to run away."

    "It is the opposite for me. A sneaky cat left the house, so I was looking for it."

    "At the place from earlier?"

    "Yes. It¡¯s a place where cats often pass through."

    The man took off his soiled coat, and answered indifferently. She didn''t see him as someone who would care about a small cat, but he seemed to have a surprisingly meticulous personality. Her wariness towards the man subsided just a little.

    "Cats are free-spirited, so it must be hard to find."

    "It''s okay. Since I know where it is."

    "That''s fortunate. I hope you find it and take it with you. Without getting scratched."

    At Ibella''s words, he smiled brightly instead of answering. The pure smile that appeared on the man''s face when he was in a good mood suited him well. He was handsome even when he was expressionless, but his smile had the ability to make people feel good.

    The man threw his coat over the back of the chair, and picked up an apple on the table. When they were outside, he''d asked if she had anything to eat, and it was obvious now that he was very hungry.

    "I will wash it for you, so please give me your coat. If you take off your shirt, I will also dry it for you."

    The man''s clothes were completely soaked, and dripping with water. It was not a problem to feed him, but she couldn''t let him eat in that state. Fortunately, she had lit the fireplace this morning in order to get rid of the humidity inside the house, and there were still some embers left. If she makes a fire to dry the man''s clothes, they will be dry enough to wear when he leaves. She would be able to change her clothes comfortably only after roughly solving the man''s troublesome situation.

    "Over there, the bathroom....!"

    She was about to tell him to change in the bathroom, but cut off her words instead. Before Ibella could finish her sentence, he put down the apple, lifted his shirt without hesitation and took it off. It happened so quickly that Ibella didn''t even think to turn her head. After that, she gazed up at his body as if possessed.

    The deep valleys under the shield-like pectoral muscles, the hard abdomen and strong flank lines. It was as if a beautiful valley and rocky landscape were unfolding over the man''s body. It was at that moment, when her gaze was climbing up the firm skin again and reaching the two mountain peaks.

    "Aren¡¯t you looking too blatantly?"

    The man frowned, and took a step towards her.

    "Somebody''s eyes are rolling all over my body, so it''s unbearably itchy."

    "It''s... it''s not that I was trying to look, you undressed so naturally that, without knowing, I..."

    Ibella mumbled excuses without realizing it. She couldn''t even understand what she had just done.

    A man she didn''t know took off his clothes before her, and yet, she wasn''t afraid nor offended. He looked handsome, and also familiar. She was embarrased because she knew it wasn''t a sensible reaction.

    "You can look, but..."

    The man paused and put his hand on the wall next to her.

    "I want to watch, too."

    As soon as the languid voice fell, the man''s gaze followed down her body from her face. Whether he meant it or was joking, every time his strange eyes met her body, it stung as if it were on fire. She also reflexively lowered her head and looked at her body, which was being swept away by the man''s eyes.

    God!

    Her rain-soaked clothes clung to her body. Her clothes were made of a thin, white material, so her shoulders, arms, collarbones, and breastbones were clearly visible. In a way, it felt more erotic than showing off her body openly.

    Ibella swallowed dryly, and struggled to maintain her composure. This man was so calm, so she didn''t want to be the only one nervously covering her body.

    "If you want to see it, use your imagination. Don''t you get a rough idea since the clothes are wet?"

    Ibella firmly retorted, and invited him to use his imagination. The man''s pupils dilated as if he hadn''t expected her to say that. A crack appeared for the first time on his face, which had been relaxed since the moment they met. Ibella felt a thrill as the opponent was taken aback.

    Before going to the bathroom to change her clothes, she threw out another decisive word.

    "By the way, it''s bigger than the apple you were holding just now."

    "Ha!"

    At a loss for words, he laughed out loud. At the same time, the bulging front of his trousers caught Ibella''s eyes. The fabric was wet, making it more visible. The size of it made her hold her breath.

    Her relaxed attitude changed at once. She hurriedly averted her eyes, but the clear afterimage didn''t disappear easily. Not knowing that her face and neck had gotten red, she pretended to be calm and opened her mouth.

    "Could you remove your arm?"

    When Ibella, who had struck the final blow, was about to grab the man''s arm, he pulled his hand from the wall, and grabbed her wrist first.

    "What are you doing?"

    "I have already seen it in my head. But, I can''t taste it with just my imagination."

    "What?"

    Ibella''s nerves were on edge at the man''s unusual words. The moment she glared at the man, he let go of Ibella''s arm and took a few steps back. Ignoring her inquisitive eyes, he picked up the apple he had just put on the table. The man, who had somehow regained some composure, raised the corners of his mouth and smiled gracefully.

    He placed the apple in his hands and began rubbing it left and right. It wasn''t a meaningless hand movement that someone made before simply eating an apple. Inside his hands, slowly, curiously.

    "..."

    Ibella, who was watching, couldn''t say anything. Although his actions were ridiculous and infuriating, she didn''t have the courage to reprimand him.

    He kneaded the apple to his heart''s content, before holding it in one hand and bringing it to his mouth. Capturing Ibella with his eyes so that she could not turn away, he took a big bite into the apple.

    ''Ah.''

    She didn''t know why, but suddenly, a tingling pain was transmitted to one side of her chest.

    The frozen Ibella watched the man while he grinned and munched on the apple. At some point, he noticed the apple juice that had dripped on the back of his hand, stuck his tongue out and licked it.

    "It''s delicious."

    The man smiled with a very satisfied expression.

 CH 7

    "..."

    At that moment, something flew by in the gust of wind and stabbed her in the chest. Emotions like anger or displeasure, as well as swearing, should be coming out now, but instead, there was an unknown palpitation. Why didn''t she feel any fear or repulsion towards that man? Why is she out of breath?

    "Put... put this on."

    Ibella picked up a shawl that was lying nearby, and threw it at the man. The shawl flew right at him, and covered his face as well as the hand holding the apple. Hahaha. The shawl started shaking as if he was laughing. Embarrassed, Ibella grabbed the man''s shirt and coat, and ran into the bathroom.

    "He seems like a strange person..."

    While grumbling to herself, she roughly washed up before changing into clean clothes. After shaking off the dirt and wringing out the water from his clothes, she came out to the drawing room and tilted her head at the warmth that welcomed her.

    "Are you done? Come here and sit down."

    At some point, the man had brought two chairs in front of the fireplace, and called out to her with a movement of the head. In the fireplace, the fire he had lit was burning brightly.

    She didn''t even tell him to do it, but he did well on his own.

    Ibella groaned inwardly, spread his clothes over the fire and sat down in a chair. The man also sat on the chair next to her, and covered himself with the shawl Ibella had given him. Although it managed to hide his embarrassing upper body, it looked quite ridiculous because the piece of fabric was too short on him.

    Ibella asked the man, swallowing her rising laugh.

    "What do you do in life?"

    "I am a traveler. And you?"

    The man answered briefly, and asked back. The pattern of questions between them had been like this since earlier. When Ibella asks, he answers and then asks her the same question.

    "I... just do this and that."

    Ibella was not in a situation where she could explain properly, so she just gave a rough answer. She couldn''t reveal her real identity while assuming the appearance of a commoner. She thought there was no need to explain her hidden circumstances to a traveler passing by. Because he was just asking out of politeness, and it wasn''t like neither side had much interest in the other anyway.

    Fortunately, the man nodded and didn''t ask more. Instead, he stretched out his long legs and leaned his head against the back of the chair.

    "You look tired."

    Ibella said as she looked at the man, who was making himself comfortable as if it were his own house. Even considering that everything that happened today was because of her, the man she met for the first time was sly and brazen.

    "I haven¡¯t slept in days."

    "I guess there must have been a lot to see during the trip?"

    "It''s not that..."

    He turned his gaze to her, not moving his head.

    "I was thinking about how to catch the cat."

    "It''s such a pity. You must really like that cat, but you lost it."

    "It''s okay. Because I will be able to see it more often now."

    The man grinned, tearing his eyes from her. Unlike when he was chewing on an apple and teasing her a while ago, he looked kind and comfortable to be with.

    He was a strange person no matter how you think about it.

    Ibella couldn''t disturb him any long as the man closed his eyes and fell asleep. The rain, which was hitting the roof and the windows, sounds like music. Her wet body relaxed, and the flickering flames eased the tension. Is it because of the warmth that her body and mind are at ease? Unable to overcome the drowsiness that came over her, Ibella, who was looking at the flames, fell into a deep sleep. How much time had passed?

    Tak.

    Ibella opened her eyes abruptly, startled by the small sound. The man sleeping in the chair next to her was no longer here. His clothes, which were hanging out to dry over the fire, were also gone. Ibella jumped up and realized that the shawl the man had put on earlier was now covering her body.

    She hurriedly opened the door and went out, but the man was nowhere to be found. Only his footprints remained on the muddy road where the rain had stopped.

    The man she met today by chance had left her. As if what happened today was a dream, leaving nothing behind.

    Ibella then realized that she didn''t even know the man''s name.

    *****

    Five days had already passed since leaving Rosebell House. Ibella was sitting across from Dorothy on a bench in Greenville Park. This day and this park were the time and place they had agreed to meet each other.

    "What... what did you say, Dorothy?"

    "He hasn''t left yet."

    "Why?"

    "I don''t know."

    "When is he leaving?"

    "How would I know? He just sticks to the house like dough."

    "Ha!"

    This was a completely unexpected situation. She met Dorothy today to inform her that she would be leaving in a few more days. Of course, this was under the premise that the King''s spokesman had returned.

    "Anyone would believe it''s his own house. Apparently, he is reading books, going for walks or horseback riding, and he even went swimming in the river the day before yesterday. Did he come to meet the Lady, or to take a vacation?"

    "He isn''t asking about me?"

    "Not at all. Humphrey and him must have a lot to talk about. When that man asked him to go hunting together, Humphrey was thrilled."

    Dorothy''s displeasure grew as much as Ibella''s surprise. To her, who cared so much for Ibella, the man who had created this situation was just a thorn in the eye.

    "What shall we do, my Lady?"

    "Leave him alone for now. If he asks about me, just tell him you don''t know anything."

    This was something she had to think over again. There must be a reason why her plan failed despite the high probability of working. Of course, the fact that the person involved was a well-known person made her even more uncomfortable.

    Tristan Miller.

    A person who graduated from the Royal School of Thebes in Atlanta at the top of his class, became a naturalized citizen of Estonia, and then a spokesman for the royal family. It was said that he was attractive enough to become a star in high society, and that he could lead the King by the nose due to his amazing intelligence. Then, he should have understood the meaning of her actions, but why was he still here?

    She couldn''t guess whether he had taken offense due to his pride, and was thus trying to see it to the end, or whether he decided to take a rest as Dorothy had mentioned. Is he clever enough to see through her tricks, and decided to go against her?

    According to what she had experienced, there was a world of a difference between the rumors and reality.

    "Then, how long will you stay out of the house?"

    "Until he goes back."

    He sounds like a pretty stubborn guy, but she has no intention of losing either. If he was going to stop by for only a day or two, she wouldn''t have left the house in the first place. Please, may he go back quickly, and announce clearly that there is no hope for her and the King in the future.

    "What if something happens again!"

    Dorothy''s voice rose, then stopped when she realized she had made a mistake. Her face showed that she was more concerned about Ibella rather than self-reproach.

    "Don''t worry, Dorothy. I haven''t had any of those symptoms lately."

    Ibella patted Dorothy on the shoulder to reassure her. The reason Dorothy couldn''t stand it and stuck to her was because of Ibella''s breathing difficulties. It was the most insignificant of the reasons why she did not go back to her family''s side in the capital. But for Dorothy, it was the biggest one.

    Occasionally, symptoms of hyperventilation or shortness of breath would appear, but the pain went away only by the time she was almost out of breath. The symptoms occurred when Ibella forced herself to recall her memories, or when she was biting into one of her weaker memories. No matter how hard she tried or waited patiently, she choked at the memories that never came back. It was fortunate that the symptoms had almost disappeared.

    "Phew. I understand. By the way, are you eating well? Are you sure this place is safe? Even if the house is inside the Bourbon Convent, how are you sure that some men won''t enter by going over the fence?"

    When the main discussion was over, Dorothy''s nagging began in earnest. Dorothy''s obsession with Ibella intensified after her honorable master, Lord Campbell, died suddenly in an accident. In particular, what she was most concerned about was Ibella''s health and safety. If Dorothy finds out that Ibella brought a stranger into her house yesterday...

    "I eat well, sleep well and live well, so don''t worry."

    Ibella shuddered, and rose from her seat. She has to leave this place before the nagging becomes worse. Before Dorothy squeezes out mournful tears again.

    "I''ll be on my way. If there is anything urgent, I''ll tell Lady Donna, so do the same, Dorothy."

    "My Lady. Think about it now."

    "I''m leaving!"

    Ibella cut off Dorothy''s words, turned around, and started running. In an instant, the thoughts that came rushing in intertwined in her complicated mind.

    Tristan Miller. The man whose face she doesn''t even know keeps getting on her nerves. She knows he is not the kind of person to stay still, but on the contrary, his placid attitude made her feel uneasy.

    What exactly is he scheming?

    He won''t be able to find her, but she doesn''t know why she feels so uncomfortable.

    *****

    The whole area of Emmerville was restless. Even though there were three days left before the actual start of the festival, everyone was already excited.

    Ibella deliberately put on some old clothes, and left the cabin. Today''s schedule was to go to the rehabilitation hospital for disabled veterans, and take care of the patients.

    With a creak, Ibella opened the iron door, and locked it with the key. At that moment, when she pushed the door, confirmed it was completely locked, and turned around...

    "Oh my goodness!"

    Surprised, Ibella took a couple of steps back without realizing it.

    It was him. The man who bumped into her in the heavy rain two days ago, came to her house and left a strong impression. Although it was bittersweet for him to leave without a word, she thought it was better that way. His face was occasionally reflected inside her head, but she thought it would soon disappear.

    "Hello?"

    The man smiled casually, like friends who had met the day before. She thought it was shameless of him, but she was glad to see him again.

    "What are you doing here?"

    "I felt sorry for leaving without a word, and I was contemplating whether I should go back to repay the debt I owed."

    "It happened because of me, so you don''t have to think like that. And this door is always locked, so it''s not a place where you can come in just because you want to."

    Ibella corrected the man''s misunderstanding, and naturally averted her eyes. She seemed to be looking at the door, but in fact, she couldn''t look directly at the man''s face. He looked radiant no matter where he was, but on a sunny day and neatly dressed, he was even more attractive. On this spring day, green trees and beautiful flowers form a faint background behind him.

    "If I can come in, will you let me?"

    "I said you can''t."

    "But if I can?"

    "Go in, then."

    In response to the unnecessarily persistent man''s question, Ibella gave an insincere answer. She didn''t think he was asking seriously. It must be like a joke to break the awkwardness.

    "I received permission."

    The man smiled brightly, slightly showing his straight teeth. Similarly to the weather, his voice sounded wet and clear. The moment the heavy yet warm voice flew in, her ears tickled along with a languid feeling.

    "My name is Tay."

    "...Please, call me Belle."

    Following his smiling face, her lips curled up as well.

 CH 8

    "It''s still not too late to go back. If you''re bored, you could find someone and ask them to be your guide."

    Ibella, standing in front of the hospital for disabled veterans, asked Tay again. He refused to ask if he could follow her because he was bored, but he persistently followed her.

    "If I was going back, I wouldn¡¯t have come this far. And the joys of travel are about the experience, not the sights."

    "Don''t blame me if you regret it."

    Ibella let out a short sigh, and scowled at him. This was a specialized hospital for soldiers who were disabled due to the aftermath of the war, or whose injuries had not yet healed. There were many people who had a lump inside even if they were smiling, and even if they were not bad people, they often spoke harshly. She was used to it and rarely got upset, but Tay, who seemed to have lived only while hearing good things, might be surprised.

    "Lead the way."

    Tay smiled leisurely, pointing at the path with his palm.

    She thought nothing bad would happen, but from the moment Ibella entered the hospital, she regretted bringing Tay with her. Among the female nurses and patients who were rougher and wilder than soldiers, he stood out too much. Tay received intense attention, and as he followed Ibella, her cheeks were stung by their arrows.

    "Who is it? Your lover?"

    Tasha, the most senior among the nurses, asked Ibella with a smirk. Naturally, her gaze was not on Ibella.

    "It¡¯s not like that. This person is..."

    "A friend."

    Instead of Ibella, who wasn''t sure how to introduce him, Tay created a relationship between the two. It wasn''t a relationship where they could consider each other friends, but Ibella didn''t retort. Because there wasn''t any other way to explain it.

    "He came to help with the hospital work today. I''ll make sure this won''t cause any trouble."

    Embarrassed for nothing, Ibella smiled awkwardly, and said.

    "Hm... Then, we are the ones who should be grateful. It will be good for our eyes too."

    Tasha, who was usually shameless, smiled as she looked Tay up and down. Embarrassed by her actions, Ibella glanced at Tay''s face. Fortunately, he was just smiling lightly as if he wasn''t offended.

    Thank God. Relieved, Ibella unknowingly wiped her chest. Then, after realizing that he was looking at her, she felt strange.

    "What about the doctor?"

    "He will be coming a little late today. Since it''s the day Belle comes, he is being lazy, I guess. Oh, this is the list of hospitalized patients. As usual, please check the dosage and precautions of the medicine written on here, and disinfect the affected area."

    "Got it."

    Ibella took the file from Tasha, and moved on. Tay, who had been listening quietly by her side, followed closely like a chick behind a hen. Of course, the eyes of the people pouring down on them didn''t stop.

    She was more concerned about the heated gazes than she thought, and slightly turned her eyes to look at Tay. He didn''t show any signs of hesitation despite being forced to do an unplanned hospital job. He put his hands in his pants and walked with regular steps, a happy expression on his face. Tay''s composure rather prevented others from approaching him recklessly. It is highly likely that this confidence was instilled in him through the environment in which he grew up.

    Does this person know what it means to be lacking? Has he ever been surprised or embarrassed in his life?

    Just because you have a good and wealthy family doesn''t mean you don''t go through ups and downs. But this man seemed to be an exception to those exceptions.

    "Belle. You''ve become prettier in the time I haven''t seen you."

    The sudden voice greeting her pulled her out of her thoughts.

    In the hallway on the second floor attached to the hospital rooms, patients who could not overcome the feeling of stuffiness spoke to Ibella. Most of them had become acquainted with her by going back and forth from the hospital for a long time, or repeating hospitalization and discharge.

    "Is the handsome guy next to you your lover? You won''t feel lonely at night."

    "You said you weren''t interested in men, how can you betray us like that?"

    "I heard that Bane prays every night, but he will be crying when he hears the news."

    One by one, they took turns throwing jokes at Ibella. The sound of giggles spread throughout the hallway. It''s not like she''s experienced it only once or twice, so Ibella put her hands on her waist and approached one of the men.

    "I was about to leave since it wasn''t funny, but there is a weird smell. Dwayne?"

    Ibella stuck her head out to Dwayne, and sniffed him. He changed his expression and stepped back, but the clear smell of alcohol emanating from him didn''t go away. Dwayne had internal bleeding and was completely barred from alcohol, but it seemed that he had sneaked out and drunk anyway.

    "What, what are you talking about, Belle? I quit drinking!"

    "Then did the alcohol follow you because it couldn¡¯t forget you?"

    "No, I just tasted it, just a taste."

    "Don''t you know that you can die? You know that you will get discharged if you don''t listen to the instructions? Shall I tell Tasha right away?"

    Ibella pushed Dwayne into a corner, harder and faster than usual. She usually had a calm personality, but naturally became like this when dealing with tough men. Still, not many of them had a bad character. Likewise, Dwayne''s mouth spout rough words but he was a soft-hearted person in reality. Ibella was genuinely worried about him.

    "I wasn''t going to drink, but Ray lured me. I''m saying the truth!"

    "When did I do that? You told me to trust you, and that we would never get caught!"

    "Both of you come to the treatment room when I call you later."

    Ibella glanced at the two of them alternately before delivering a chilling threat. They try to heal the aftereffects of their injuries, but they cannot overcome their old habits and end up taking harmful things. Today, she was going to nag them until they shed tears.

    She gave Tay a signal to go, and they started walking back to the treatment room. But within a few steps, she was caught by another person.

    "Hey Belle, it''s been a while."

    At that moment, she heard the voice of the person she hated the most. She was going to pass by, but an unforgivable remark made her stop.

    "Your butt is pretty. Your lover must have touched it a lot, huh?"

    He whistled at her, and threw out deafening remarks.

    Ibella turned around. Rusty, who had just come out of another hospital room while in a wheelchair, smirked at her. He often caused trouble inside and outside of the hospital, spent way too much time at the police station, and taught bad things to the other patients. Even the slightest mistake would result in violence, so other people tended to avoid Rusty when he appeared. Originally, he was not an inpatient, but it seemed that he came in after causing yet another accident.

    "Shut, up, Rusty."

    Ibella glared at Rusty, and clenched her fists.

    As if her words sounded funny, he made a lewd gesture with both of his fingers and moved them. It was a hand gesture implying sexual intercourse between a man and a woman.

    "If he can''t do his best, come to me. I will wear you out all night... heut."

    Rusty, who was spouting lowly words without hesitation, froze like a person who was beaten. His eyes were on Tay, not Ibella. He had an uneasy gaze, as if he had seen a ghost, and his trembling hands were gripping the wheelchair tightly. His face looked servile enough to overshadow his loudness from a moment ago.

    Instinctively, Ibella''s gaze turned to Tay. He was looking down at Rusty with a nonchalant expression. There was no word or movement, but the pouring eyes were like frozen iron spears. The anger in his sharp, cold eyes was overwhelming not only to Rusty, but to her as well.

    "Hey, hey. It''s a joke, a joke."

    Rusty, whose face had turned pale, stuttered as he felt conscious of Tay.

    "You have to be careful. There''s nothing worse than dying while joking, don''t you think?"

    Tay''s voice was steady and calm. Rather than swearing loudly, that appearance made the opponent''s hamstrings numb.

    "I, I have to go."

    Rusty rolled his eyes, and hurriedly pulled back his wheelchair. Soon he was gone and there was only a strange silence in the hallway.

    "Let''s go."

    In the frozen atmosphere, Ibella tugged at Tay''s arm. Seeing him being led obediently, she deliberately put on a bright expression.

    "Are you in a bad mood?"

    "Isn''t it strange to feel fine after hearing such words?"

    "The others don''t mean it in a bad way. As for Rusty, I can just ignore him."

    At first, she didn''t know how to properly respond to unexpected situations, so she went through a lot of trial and error. She cried, got angry, and reported them to her superiors so they could be punished. What she eventually learned was that among the people with lewd mouths, not many were genuinely bad people. The only difference was in the way they expressed themselves which was due to the poor environment they lived in and their lack of education. Of course, she didn''t close her eyes to the ones whose nature was of low quality either. If something happened even after warning and ignoring it a few times, they were expelled. She was known as an angel to her patients, but when she turned around, she was colder than anyone else.

    "So, be a little indulgent."

    They lost what was most precious to them while fighting for their country. Although their future became uncomfortable, the compensation was absurdly small, so sadness, anger and resentment were piled up inside. Isn''t it fine to try understanding those who express themselves in a different way?

    Hearing Ibella''s words, he turned and stood facing her. She stopped at his gaze, and looked up at him with innocent eyes.

    "Why, did you decide to work here?"

    "What?"

    "I am asking why, unlike other women, you didn''t get married, have children, and build a happy family, but instead went through such a difficult path."

    Tay''s gaze, demanding an answer, was serious as never before. Today, this man was showing her many sides. She answered, feeling a sense of wonder at the appearance of the man who seemed to be as immutable as a rock.

    "I just go on the path my heart tells me to."

    There was no long-winded reason about a mission or fate. It wasn''t like there was a big opportunity that would change her life either. She just saw the burden that people who were at the bottom of their lives were carrying, and wanted to walk by their side. She just did what she wanted to do while leading her own life.

    *****

    There was always a shortage of workers at the hospital, so Ibella continued to work without a break.

    She was busy talking to patients, giving them medicine and tending to their wounds as written in the records. Tay, who was by her side helping her with her work, went outside after being called by Tasha.

    "Belle! Belle!"

    It was a short, whispered call, as if fearing someone would hear it. As Ibella looked back with a puzzled look on her face, Rusty''s face appeared in a wheelchair by the door.