《Seeking for Your Forgiveness》 Chapter 1 Marianne slowly inhaled as she stared at the heavy door. A thick oak door stood in front of her like a huge wall. Her livid blue eyes, which seemed to contain the universe, shone with a glint of anxiety. Marianne, who clutched the hem of her dress tightly, which wasnt like her, stared at the door without knowing her satin cloth was wrinkled. No, to be more specific, to the man beyond the door. Kristoff. Her husbands name came out of her lips. It occurred to her that one day she might regret this moment. In the future ahead, she might burst into tears thinking about this day. She bit her lips and pressed her hands against the door, holding back the weakness she felt inside. Knock, knock. There was no response. It wasnt until she knocked once more that a dry voice was heard from beyond the door that said, Come in. The voice was so heavy that it made her heart tremble every single time. Taking her deep last breath, Marianne turned the handle. A well-organized office slowly appeared to her sight through the opened door without any noise. A mahogany desk was placed in front of a large window where the sunlight fell like a curtain, a sofa as well as a table for guests were located across it. On one side of the wall, there was a high bookcase that seemed to reach the ceiling. The gentle spring breeze came in through the half-opened window. The livid blue colored curtains, which were the same color as her eyes, swayed gently each time. The office, which was full of books and documents, was always filled with the smell of dry paper. It was a familiar landscape that she could even draw eyes-closed. It was also the place she was quite fond of. Lastly, Marianne glanced at the man standing in front of the window. It was Schneider. Her husband, Kristoff K. Schneider, was a dark-haired man with black eyes piercing through his opponent. His invigorating stretch of eyebrows and nose bridge were manly, but the white skin, which was in contrast to his black hair, looked pale at the first glance. However, Marianne knew there was a firm and muscular body hidden under his business suit. His body was so firm that she couldnt even poke her fingers into it. Bearing the clear weight on her own, she used to feel the heaviness more after the feeling of security. It might be because she realized that the great man was entirely her responsibility. Kristoff, who was wearing a jacket over his black vest, turned around to glance at the door. Having confirmed that it was Marianne who stood at the door, he brought the documents on the desk into his bag. His heartless gaze and tightly closed lips felt as cold as usual. His black hair was brushed stunningly, even the business suit he was wearing had no wrinkles. Marianne could barely speak up as she stared at him, who seemed to not bleed even if she stabbed him with a needle. Kristoff. If its not important, we can discuss it later. Im going to go out. I have an appointment with Sir Judge Pottenstein. His low voice that pierced her inside was still her preference. Even his clean way of speaking as if he was cutting with a knife, also his voice was neither fast nor slow. However, she knew how cruel that voice could be at times. Nonetheless, that voice was the first reason she loved him. The second reason was probably because he has a handsome face. There might be one or two dozen people who dont agree with that word. As he wasnt a typical handsome man with blond hair and blue eyes. No, it was the opposite, people who met Kristoff for the first time felt somewhat uncomfortable because of his cold expression. However for Marianne, even Kristoffs sarcasm was one of the reasons she loved him. From the moment she met him for the first time, her eyes mustve been covered with a thick pod. Its an important matter at least to me. She added in a questionable tone. At that moment, she wasnt sure whether it was important to Kristoff or not. Kristoff, who checked his watch and casted a glance at her while frowning slightly. Cant we do it after I return? The judge is a strict man in making appointments. His firm tone unknowingly made her flinch. She was usually going to see him off with a smile during this time, but she had no chance to do it today. If not this time, she probably would lose the chance to resolve it. When Marianne didnt say anything with a stiff expression, Kristoff sighed briefly and spoke quickly. Ill give you three minutes. Make it short and simple. She suddenly burst out laughing. It was really the typical Kristoff. Mariannes unexpected laugh made his eyebrows twitch. Kristoff stared at her laughing figure with his pitch-black eyes. His eyes sparkled with the sense of persistence as if he could see through Mariannes mind. Just as Kristoff was about to speak again, Marianne stole the show. She answered while walking toward his desk. One minute is enough. She put down the documents in her hand to the desk. Kristoff casted his eyes at her instead of the documents after glancing at his watch again. An indifferent question came out of his mouth. Whats this? Divorce documents. Kristoff was silent for a moment. His expression quickly vanished from his face as if he had been splashed with cold water. Originally, he wasnt someone who had a lot of expression, but the difference was so subtle, although he looked rigid. Kristoff, who looked at her without saying anything, suddenly sighed. He massaged his eyebrows with an annoyed look on his face. An unpleasant tone of voice came out of Kristoffs mouth. What are you doing, Marianne? Divorce, I mean us. Mariann exhaled quickly as she finally managed to spit out those words. At such a critical moment, words that she thought couldnt come out of her mouth were easily delivered. It was natural as if she had been practicing it for a long time. Tsk. Kristoff clicked his tongue. After checking his watch once again, he held the bag in his hand. The dry voice came out of his also dry lips. Is it because of Veronica? Im sorry for my sister-in-laws death, but she obviously had jumped into the river. I checked the police investigation records on my own and met my roommate in the dormitory. According to her, she had a hard time when she was told about her breakup. Theres no question about this matter, Marianne. Marianne smiled bitterly at his firm tone. Veronica hasnt gone near the water since she almost drowned in a well when she was young. She was a scared child who turned around to another street when she saw a fountain. It was understandable that Veronica, who was betrayed by her lover, had to make an extreme choice as she could not endure the deep sense of loss. However, she couldnt believe that the poor girl chose to jump into the river. However, Kristoff didnt listen to her at all. Marianne was painfully helpless as she could not do anything for Veronica. No, it might be even more shocking that the important matter for her was considered nothing to Kristoff. If so, the truths that she had tried to ignore come crashing right before Mariannes eyes. The fact that she might not be very important to him as well. As Kristoff said, Veronicas incident was clearly a trigger for this. However, firewood has steadily piled up inside her for over the past three years. The only thing left was waiting for the flames to burn it entirely and violently. And then, only white ashes would be scattered in her heart. With no more love, resentment, and expectation that has gone with it. Would it be more comfortable than this? Stop playing a silly prank on me. Kristoff was extremely realistic and rational even at this moment when she asked for a divorce. It was clear that he thought she was being pretentious. Or, it seemed to be a threat in order to find out more about Veronicas case. Kristoffs indifferent attitude was a sign of credence that a divorce wouldnt happen without his consent. And Kristoff absolutely had no intention of divorcing her. Marianne casted a glance at his watch and gave a signal with her eyes. The business I have with you is over. We cant keep Sir Judge Pottenstein waiting, can we? Ill talk to you when I return. Kristoff strutted across the office without a single refusal. For him, the meeting with Sir Judge Pottenstein was more important than the divorce with Marianne, who had been staying with him for three years. Lastly, a bitter smile formed on Mariannes mouth. She thought it would be like this. However, it doesnt mean that she wouldnt be hurt. Tuk. She heard another piece of wood piling up in her chest. The wood that would soon get caught in fire and burn until it became black. Marianne. At that time, Kristoff stopped walking for a moment as he proceeded to leave the office. He turned around and stared at Marianne right in the face. There was a gaping wound in her and a bitter look on her face. After checking his watch for the last time, he proceeded to walk through the hallway again. Lets talk in the evening. Marianne slowly dropped her gaze while hearing the distant footsteps. Any chance for hope and expectation turned into disappointment and Kristoff unknowingly discarded his last chance. Marianne looked as if she was about to cry and raised her chin confidently. No, I cant see you in the evening, Kristoff. She mumbled to herself in the empty room where her feet lingered. Right, he would never get to see her again. It was a revenge toward Kristoff, who had abandoned his last chance, and a once-in-a-lifetime departure to protect himself. Carin! Marianne shouted out the maids name. Carin, who quickly appeared from somewhere, bowed her head and said, Did you call me, Lady Schneider? Lady Schneider. Marianne unconsciously flinched at those words. She smiled gracefully just like usual as if nothing had happened. Everything has gone as she expected so far. However, there was no guarantee that it would keep being like that. A perfect plan is bound to collapse with just a single crack. Marianne pulled the corners of her mouth into a smile as she looked at Carin with thoughtful eyes. Im going to go shopping right now, can you hurry up and prepare for the outing? Of course, Lady Schneider. Carin walked out of the office with frequent steps. Marianne casually looked around the room after staring at her from behind for a moment. She captured the last view of the office with her eyes to be kept in her mind for a long time. Even the appearance of the man who stayed there a moment ago. *** The car carrying Marianne and Carin drove slowly through the endless garden. The guard, who had been waiting with the opened gate, greeted the passing car. In the front part of the mansion, the private property was adorned by lines of metasequoia trees on both sides. They were tall trees that could only be seen by completely tilting their necks. The slowly speeding car crossed the endless road filled with Metasequoia trees. Marianne turned her head and looked at the distant mansion through the car window. A three-story white stone building that stood magnificently on the green grass. The blue roof shone more clearly in contrast to the white colored exterior wall. The fun things that happened there, kind people, and the memories she shared with Kristoff flashed through her mind like a flashlight. Whats the matter, Lady Schneider? Is there anything left behind? Carin looked at her and asked curiously. Marianne shook her head after coming back to her senses and smiled faintly. No, Carin. Theres no such thing. There couldnt have been any lingering feelings behind. Chapter 2 Marianne looked out the window and clenched her fist. The lady in the carriage, an old man pulling a cart containing milk, and a boy selling newspapers. The familiar scenery filled her vision. She was confident to have done a great job doing her role so far. Kristoff was the best lawyer in the capital at the moment, and she did her best to be Mrs. Schneider. At the couple gathering, she stood by his side and smiled beautifully like a flower, and even invited the wives of his business partners to have a tea time. That¡¯s not everything. When the time came, she was busy preparing for the banquet and attended events hosted by various organizations and she had to endure those boring times. Another thing not worthy to mention is social projects that support arts and charities. However, there was Marianne¡¯s life there. Only the life of Lady Schneider. At first, she was happy with just that. As she loved Kristoff, and he loved Marianne as well. No, at least she believed that he loved her. However, countless expectations were broken over and over again, so she had to learn to give up out of despair. He has a cold personality, so she shouldn¡¯t have been upset that he didn¡¯t express it. Everybody knows he was busy, Marianne. Therefore, she shouldn¡¯t nitpick him for not spending time with her. She has to endure it. It was only after she wasted so much patience to know the truth, which she didn¡¯t want to admit. Kristoff didn¡¯t love her. He just needed a decent wife. It would have been fine if the person by his side didn¡¯t have to be Marianne. Anyone didn¡¯t matter as long as they could do a good job as Lady Schneider. Nevertheless, Marianne knew Kristoff wouldn¡¯t easily let her go. He was a prestigious lawyer and grandson of Marquis Schneider. He was also a man with high self-esteem who had never experienced failure in his life. Marianne must not have been allowed to leave a stain such as divorce in his life. Therefore, she decided to run away. She wouldn¡¯t let anyone else control her life anymore. The experience of expectations turned into despair that had happened was enough for her. ¡°We arrived, Madam.¡± The car, which was traveling through the city center, stopped when it arrived in front of the luxurious department store. Gunter, the driver, casted his eyes toward her over the rear mirror. Marianne stepped out of the car slower than usual so that he wouldn¡¯t notice her trembling chest. ¡°But isn¡¯t the bag too big? Do you want me to hold it for you, Madam?¡± Marianne, who came back to her senses by Carin¡¯s voice, unknowingly grabbed the bag handle tightly. Her voice was laced with slight tension. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Carin. I looked at the catalog this morning, and this big bag becomes a fashion trend in spring.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Carin tilted her head and looked around. The ladies in fancy dresses were walking gracefully, but none of them carried a big bag like Marianne. However, Carin¡¯s questioning thoughts were dismissed. It¡¯s the Lady¡¯s taste, and something she couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°Which store are you going to visit first?¡± ¡°Shall we take a look at the new dresses first?¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± Carin skillfully took the lead. Marianne walked slowly and glanced at her back. Gunter suddenly followed behind them. ¡°Oh, hello, Lady Schneider. It¡¯s been a while since you visited. A new dress just came out this week. Do you want to take a look at it?¡± While listening to the employee¡¯s explanation about the new dress, Marianne¡¯s mind drifted away slightly. The plan that was repealed several times in her head was theoretically perfect. The question was whether it could be perfectly put in action. ¡°Please come again, Madam Schneider.¡± The clerk greeted with her forehead nearly kissed the ground toward Marianne after spending much more money than usual. Marianne nodded her head and slipped her fan between the clothes display in the store. Then, she leisurely looked around and walked away. Carin kept up with her pace while sticking by her side and Gunter followed one step behind them while holding a load of luggage in his hands. Marianne knew the success of the plan depended on how well she outwitted Gunter and Carin. Considering that it was the right time, she gave Carin a single glance and whispered. ¡°Carin, I want to stop by the lounge for a moment.¡± The lounge was a place where ladies who were tired of shopping could take a rest for a while. There is also a women-only bathroom behind the lounge to solve the urgent problem. ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± said Carin hurriedly after noticing the true meaning of her words. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting here, Madam.¡± Gunter, who arrived in front of the lounge, stood at the entrance with luggage in both of his hands. Marianne exclaimed in surprise after arriving in front of the lounge. Carin stopped walking along with her. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Madam?¡± ¡°Oh dear, what should I do? I think I left my fan in the store earlier.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Gunter was already turning around. Marianne hurriedly shook her head. She looked at Carin and spoke in an apologetic voice. ¡°Gunter, you have a lot of luggage in your hands. I don¡¯t remember exactly where I left it, so Carin, you should go since you¡¯re also friends with the clerk there. And also visit the jewelry store on the way and ask if the ring I ordered last time is finished, there¡¯s still a few days but I¡¯m curious about the progress.¡± ¡°Of course, Madam. I¡¯m trusting this store.¡± Carin answered confidently, as if telling her to trust the girl. Marianne nodded at Carin, who smiled brightly without a slightest doubt. ¡°Then, I ask for your help, Carin.¡± Carin, who was completely unaware that Marianne had lied to her, said ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± and turned around. ¡°Carin.¡± Marianne called her name almost casually. The innocent-looking maid turned her head and replied with, ¡°Yes?¡± Her brown eyes emitted a mysterious glint. ¡°¡­¡­No, thank you.¡± Marianne shook her head while smiling faintly. ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± Carin replied with a smile and turned her head again. She went back to where they walked through earlier. Marianne, who was staring at Carin¡¯s back, then greeted Gunter with a nod and went into the lounge. Only then did her tensed shoulders fall. The sigh that she held finally came out. ¡°First of all, I succeeded in getting rid of Carin as she has a good sight.¡± Taking a short yet deep breath, she looked around the waiting room. The large space was decorated with flowers and comfortable sofas, emitting a fragrant scent. Three elderly ladies were sitting on the sofa while chatting among themselves. Meanwhile, three maids also were chatting as they stood in the corner of the room while waiting for their respective masters. Marianne walked past them and went straight to the bathroom. She locked the door as soon as she entered and hurriedly opened the bag, taking out things inside it as if someone was hot on her tail. There were clothes, hats, and small handbags that she had prepared in advance. She changed her clothes as fast as possible and came out to check her reflection in the wash mirror. Wearing a black dress and a black veil, she looked like a widow who had lost her husband. ¡°Great. This is perfect.¡± Marianne walked across the lounge with a black handbag on her arm. The ladies who were chatting seemed stunned when they saw a widow suddenly appear out of nowhere. ¡°When did she come in?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen her before either.¡± ¡°Oh, we must have been occupied by our conversation. We don¡¯t even know there are people coming here. I think it¡¯s time for our return.¡± ¡°I guess so, hahaha. How fast time flies when I talk to all of you.¡± ¡°Who would say otherwise?¡± Marianne took another huff of breath before leaving the lounge. There stood Gunter a few steps away from her. Will he ever recognize her? Her plan was already perfect, but it would fail the moment he recognized Marianne. Marianne drew the black veil over her and covered her face with a handkerchief, pretending to wipe away her imaginary tears. Her lips kept getting dry. Her heart beat violently. Marianne left the lounge while playing the role of a grieving widow. She could see Gunter standing right before her. Thump, thump, thump. Her heart beat even faster. She lost her breath and her throat felt as if tightening up. Right at that moment, Gunter casted a glance at her as he stood at the entrance. Thump, thump, thump, thump. Her heart was about to leap out of her mouth. She hid her trembling hands in sorrow and buried her face in the handkerchief. She walked exactly in front of Gunter. Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump. Gunter, who seemed to be eyeing her for a while, soon yawned and looked bored. Marianne wanted to run away right after it, but it would gather people¡¯s attention toward her. She managed to drag her legs and got away at the usual pace. She felt as if Gunter would snatch her from behind and said, ¡°Madam, where are you going?¡± She unconsciously increased her speed in walking. Upon opening the door of the store and walking out of the building, she proceeded to climb into one of the lined up stagecoaches without taking a break even a second. ¡°Where can I take you?¡± The coachman, who tilted his hat slightly and greeted her, looked behind and asked. Marianne urged him in an anxious voice. ¡°Please go to the train station. Quickly.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ll arrive faster than the broken taxi right there, so please hold tight, Madam.¡± The arrogant coachman swung his whip ruthlessly, and the standing brown horse began to move its legs. The coachman whipped his horses impatiently as he was afraid she would be disappointed, the reason behind it was because he felt threatened in his job by the founding of luxury transportation called taxi. After the carriage turned around the corner, Marianne finally leaned her body on the chair while letting out a long sigh. The carriage carrying an old gentleman moved past them to the other side of the street, and the cart standing by the side of the road selling flowers to nearby people. A young girl was seen handing a match to a gentleman passing by, and the tough-looking gentleman hit her slender hand mercilessly. The scenery was the same as usual. There was no sign of Carin and Gunter chasing her anywhere. Finally. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Marianne took a huff out of her mouth as if drinking hot tea. She was finally free from Kristoff¡¯s grip. He would never find her again. No, he might not even be trying to find her anymore. A glimpse of unknown emotion flashed over her face. It seemed to be a lingering attachment to the past, a fear of the ambiguous present, and on the other hand, expectation of the mysterious future. She wasn¡¯t even aware it was such a complicated emotion. She felt guilty, fear, and excitement at the same time. Marianne lifted her head and looked straight ahead while clasping her own hands tightly. There was the sound of a chimney not far away. The sound was loud like the cry of a monster. She had already decided where to go. To Blauberg, the land where the sky and sea meet. Marianne stared at the train station up ahead with squinted eyes as if she was determined as it was getting closer. ¡°We¡¯re here, Madam.¡± The train station was filled with a lot of people. Those who arrived and left even created a wave. Swish, shoosh. The crowds who came in and out were swaying like a wave. Marianne looked at them quietly and soon got up from her seat, she handed a gold coin to the driver. ¡°You did a great job. Take the change.¡± ¡°Thank you, Madam!¡± It was time for her to find a life as Marianne Kloze, not Marianne Schneider. Moreover, the truth about Veronica¡¯s death would also be revealed. Without the help from anyone, using only her own hands. *** ¡°Be careful on your return, Mr. Schneider.¡± Kristoff, who was leaving the judge¡¯s mansion while being seen off by the butler, hid his satisfaction beyond the expressionless face. Although he didn¡¯t get everything he originally wanted, at least he achieved more than half of it. He didn¡¯t give anything after all, so it wasn¡¯t exactly a losing business. It¡¯s the main prize. It¡¯s not that bad. Kristoff, who was about to loosen his tie, became conscious of the eyes that seemed to watch him from somewhere. The driver, who noticed him walking, opened the back seat door as if he had been waiting. Chapter 3 If they were to pick up the most famous figure in the capital court in the current time, it would undoubtedly be Kristoff. The lawyer with a phenomenal performance in work, with a hundred percent winning rate. His pay was beyond thoughts, and his every move has always been able to get public interest. After the trial, the front page of the newspaper was always filled with his name. It was easy to predict how famous Kristoff¡¯s reputation was due to the widely-spread joke that prisoners on the death row would be released if Kristoff took up the defence for them. The scary thing was it wasn¡¯t a mere joke. There was record of him leading the acquittal of a nobleman who was accused of murder. Obviously, only God knows if the nobleman was really a murderer or not. However, everything in the world was bound to have two sides. Just as there is light, there is a shadow, and if there are groups that admire him, there are also groups of people who canvass him. The lawyer who was on the same side as him but doesn¡¯t want to meet him personally as an enemy. Shark lawyer, a predator under the sea whose bite is merciless and doesn¡¯t let go until death comes and doesn¡¯t spill a drop of blood even if it¡¯s poked by a needle. That was the word to describe Kristoff. His argument was impermeable and his attack was as sharp as a knife. He sometimes trampled on his opponent with dispassionate reason and logic, even went as far to provoke his opponent with insulting remarks, and was not afraid to use hive mentality. Even the most prominent prosecutor and lawyer couldn¡¯t help but suffered a defeat in front of him. Recently, there were even lawyers who abandoned their works upon hearing Kristoff as their opposing lawyer, so it was confusing whether it was fame or notoriety. Moreover, he was superb not just because of his own ability but also his family. When his grandfather, Marquis Schneider, met his death, Kristoff, as his only grandson, would inherit the title. Considering the power and financial resources he would own, he was clearly a fussy person in many ways. His life was smooth and nothing could get in his way. ¡°Do you wish to be taken to the mansion, Sir?¡± When being asked by the driver, Kristoff nodded once and sank his body in the backseat. He rubbed his temples out of a habit while closing his eyes as if he was exhausted. His head was throbbing because of the migraine. This was because talking to Judge Pottenstein really put him on guard all the time. Or he might still haven¡¯t gotten used to being in a car. ¨DDivorce, I mean us. He eventually recalled what Marianne said before he left the mansion. He clicked his tongue lowly with a bothersome expression. The driver glanced at the rear mirror to observe him. Kristoff sighed briefly, his head leaning against the seat. After all, Marianne¡¯s shocking statement was intended to scare him. A blank bullet has the same meaning as it is. Her attack didn¡¯t hurt him at all. As Marianne undoubtedly loved Kristoff. Kristoff didn¡¯t believe in love. He thought it was foolish to cease himself to such a formless feeling. Tsk, he clicked his tongue lowly. Despite his intentions, his memory was thrown back to the past again. ¡°The heir to the House of Marquis Schneider survives in a tragic accident!¡± When Kristoff was four years old, a car that headed toward the Schneider castle fell off a cliff in a horrible accident. The father in the driver¡¯s seat and the mother in the passenger seat died, and the young Kristoff was the only one who managed to survive. Everyone was drowned in sorrow by the tragic accident. Kristoff was also comforted as he was lucky to survive. His father turned the steering wheel to save the young Kristoff and his mother also hugged him, while he cried at their noble sacrifice. However, Kristoff was the only one who knew the truth of that day. The ugly secret which the marquisate doesn¡¯t even know about. Kristoff, who witnessed the masquerade of a human being, couldn¡¯t bring himself to believe in love. The feeling that went off faster than the fish on the land. Nevertheless, he believed that Marianne loved him. Her indigo-colored eyes looking at Kristoff seemed more affectionate than ever, and her voice calling out his name sounded sweeter than ever. Marianne loved Kristoff. It was as natural as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. The more she loved him, the more he buried himself in work. It was because her status also rose along with his reputation. He wanted to remove the fact that Madam Schneider came from a commoner background. He wanted to give her enormous power so that no one could talk about her carelessly. That was what he could do for her. In other words, it was something he had to do for her. Therefore, a proper jewel and romantic dinner would be able to soothe Marianne¡¯s anger again this time. As it has always been. ¡°We have arrived, My Lord.¡± The car came to a stop without him realizing. It seemed that he just fell asleep for a moment. The driver ran to the backseat door and opened the door, Kristoff rubbed his eyes and got out of the car. He glanced and casted his eyes at the clock, and straightened his back again before moving forward. He would have to tell Oliver to make a reservation for dinner tomorrow. No, he already planned a dinner schedule with his client tomorrow, so the day after tomorrow would be better. The butler, who heard the car engine, opened the door and came out to greet him. Kristoff frowned slightly upon seeing his pale face. Martin, the gray-haired butler who devoted his life to the Schneider Family. There wasn¡¯t much to confuse the old man. He suddenly had an ominous feeling. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Kristoff slowly faltered his steps with narrowed eyes. His eyes moved slowly and scanned Martin¡¯s back. Marianne would usually come out to meet him along with the butler. ¡°Welcome home, My Lord.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Martin?¡± He stopped in front of the old butler. Martin quietly held his breath upon sensing Kristoff¡¯s displeasure. There was something about him that intimidated his opponent. It wasn¡¯t that he was old or experienced. It wasn¡¯t just because Kristoff was the heir to the Marquis Family. He was naturally a ruler who reigned over others, and a powerful man who was accustomed to giving orders. He would have been a king if he was born in the royal family, and became king of the sea if he was born in the pirate family. A figure who stands at the top of the pyramid status regardless of the place. Martin, who closed his eyes tightly, spoke up. His voice was laced with shame. ¡°Madam is¡­¡­¡± Martin couldn¡¯t speak and swallowed with a gulp. Kristoff, who stared at his bald head, spat out quietly. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with Marianne?¡± Is she angry? Until she didn¡¯t come out to greet him? Kristoff muttered, ¡®It might be difficult for us to attend a candle dinner.¡¯ As soon as he thought so, Martin spat out the words that has been caught up in his throat. ¡°¡­¡­The madam is gone.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Kristoff, who was about to speak, closed his mouth again. The motionless air weighed down to the old butler. He felt suffocated for a moment as if he was being choked. Martin was struggling to lift his head as if he was going against the law of nature. It was when his eyes met Kristoff. ¡°!¡± He unknowingly took a step back. This was because his raven eyes were curved up when looking down at him. Languidly. ¡°Tell me again, Martin, what did Marianne do?¡± Only after hearing his low voice did Martin realize that Kristoff wasn¡¯t smiling. He was angry. He didn¡¯t raise his voice or spit out profanity, but he was more furious than ever. Martin, who has maintained his position as a close aide since Kristoff was a baby until now, was convinced that the man had never been so angry before. He suddenly began to worry about the madam¡¯s safety. Madam, what have you done? When Martin didn¡¯t say anything and kept silent, Kristoff quietly moved his lips to speak. ¡°Ran away. Who? Do you mean my wife, Marianne?¡± It was as if a cold hand was passing through his nape and left a chilly feeling. His words, which were neither slow nor fast, coiled around his old body like a big snake. Martin managed to hold back his legs from running away from there. And he reported to him about the incident today. Kristoff¡¯s face gradually turned cold. A clear smile finally made its way to his face. Ha. If a smile could seem cold enough to make the hearts of people who saw it sank. *** Marianne inhaled as she looked at the huge wrought-iron gate. The endless looking grass garden was visible through the black bars. A gray mansion stood tall among them. No, it looked more like a castle than a mansion. The stone wall, hit by the rain and wind for as long as she could remember, was like a strong veteran that had gone through a lot of battles, and the pointed spire looked like a huge spear held by the old man. Kristoff¡¯s mansion was also spacious and magnificent, one of the best residences in the capital. People who attended the banquet admired it wholeheartedly, so it¡¯s probably not completely wrong. But it couldn¡¯t be compared to this place. Marianne sighed briefly while recalling the distance from the entrance to the gate of the private property that took a long time to walk through even by a carriage. ¡°What do I do when I return? I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a carriage passing by here.¡± The next moment, she straightened her back and lifted her chin before ringing the doorbell. She didn¡¯t have time to contemplate here. It¡¯s not too late to think about other matters later. First, she has to solve the problem in hand. Before long, one side of the door opened and revealed a cheerful face. When standing around while looking for a car or carriage, he saw Marianne and opened his eyes slightly wider. ¡°What brings you here, Madam?¡± The guard asked in a polite manner while observing her behavior. However, his firm gaze didn¡¯t allow the slightest gap. He was a man who handled the uninvited guest well. All sorts of people tried to walk past the threshold of the mansion with ridiculous excuses. None of them obviously succeeded in entering the mansion. This was because the guard, who was armed with a friendly smile, did great in his job. Widow, this time the set up was intended to be pitiful. However, it wouldn¡¯t work for him. He gave Marianne a look while being armed like an iron fortress. Her face was covered with a veil and couldn¡¯t be seen. However, he could sense that she wasn¡¯t like most women just by the vibe she exuded. He couldn¡¯t figure out which area she came from, but it was because she exuded nobility and gracefulness. No, he almost got in trouble with the woman who pretended to be a noblewoman a few days ago. She must be an uninvited guest as well since they came all the way here without a carriage. She can¡¯t get through the gates of this mansion! As soon as the guard¡¯s eyes became more and more doubtful, Marianne moved her lips. ¡°I came to see the Marquis.¡± ¡°Did you already make an appointment?¡± Even though he knew it wouldn¡¯t be possible, the guard still asked. Somehow, the atmosphere surrounding her made it seem like it. ¡°No.¡± As if he already knew it, the guard crossed his arms in front of his chest and put on a stern face. After containing his laughter, he warned in a firm voice. ¡°Then¡­¡­¡± Even before he finished his words, Marianne quickly added an explanation. ¡°But if I say Mrs. Kloze is here, he will meet me. I¡¯m going to wait here, so you can go ask the marquis.¡± ¡°Did you just say Mrs. Klo¡­¡­ze?¡± The guard tilted his head as if it was the first time he heard such a name. He would know just by hearing the name if he were in Blauberg, but it was definitely a strange name. At the same time, it was Marianne¡¯s confident attitude that prevented her from being kicked out. Moreover, her tone was subtly commanding. The tone that was familiar in giving instructions. ¡°Please let the marquis know that Mrs. Kloze has came to collect her old debt.¡± Chapter 4 The guard frowned. She¡¯s here to collect the debt from the marquis? It seemed impossible that the woman in front of him would have more money than Marquis Schneider. In order to be owed a debt, she had to be at least a member of the royal family. He contemplated for a moment with a concerned look, and then said, ¡°I¡¯ll ask and come back again, so please wait here for a moment.¡± For some reason, he couldn¡¯t let her go away. Marianne slowly nodded. Creak. One side of the door in front of her was closed. As Marianne heard the guard¡¯s footsteps go far away, she casted her eyes at the cypress tree standing nearby. The breeze shook her black veil gently. Kristoff probably never imagined that she had fled here. And what she was going to do here as well. She was scared. It was a lie if she wasn¡¯t scared. In the past three years, she has made few decisions for herself. However, from now on, her life would change solely by her decision. She was being careful to even take a step ahead as if she were standing on a narrow single-wooden bridge. ¡°Will I be able to do well on my own?¡± The weak question that came out between her lips dispersed in the wind and vanished without a trace. Marianne shook her head after unconsciously grasping the hem of her dress. Then, she lifted her chin again. Her determination filled eyes were glistening like persimmon leaves during spring. *** ¡°Come in.¡± His old voice, which was as if showing the amount of days he lived, still contained a strong power. Upon being granted his permission, the butler opened the door and reached out lightly. ¡°Please come in, Mrs. Kloze.¡± The young butler whose face she had never seen before gave a soft smile. He¡¯s probably the assistant to the butler. Nodded, she fixed her back posture and went into the parlour. The afternoon sunlight shone onto the floor as if it were a carpet. Marianne walked by the luxurious furniture and paintings and headed to the gray-haired old man. The old man, who was sitting on the blue satin chair, had been giving her a sharp eye from the moment she entered the room. The old gentleman seemed to have just returned from the outing. He slowly rose from his seat while still wearing his business suit. The old man¡¯s wrinkly face looked relaxed and warm at the first glance. However, Marianne didn¡¯t take too long to notice his sharply flashing gray eyes. ¡°Mrs. Kloze?¡± Marquis Schneider spoke to Marianne who headed toward him. He asked with a wary voice, as if to confirm her name. ¡°Long time no see, Marquis Schneider.¡± The marquis¡¯ eyebrows twitched upon hearing Marianne¡¯s voice. He finally looked at her, whose eyes filled with confidence. Then, he frowned as if he had no idea why Marianne came to see him in this way, regardless of how much he thought about it. The wrinkles around his eyes deepened a bit more. ¡°Take a seat, Mrs. Kloze.¡± Marquis Schneider said while observing her mourning clothes. ¡°Ehem.¡± Marquis Schneider¡¯s gaze shifted away from her outfit. Recalling the face of his grandson, who was still alive, he rubbed his palm and glanced at the butler. ¡°First of all, I would like to serve you tea¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, My Lord.¡± Marquis Schneider slowly turned his head. The marquis, who was staring at her with a mysterious gaze, soon realized what Marianne was hinting at and signaled to him, it was as if telling the butler to leave. The quick-witted butler quietly left the room. Marquis Schneider looked at her again only after the door was closed. The marquis, who was staring at her, finally spoke in a friendly tone. ¡°Marianne? Are you really Marianne?¡± ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡± Marquis Schneider thought he knew his granddaughter-in-law quite well. She was sincere in helping Kristoff, and as the only woman in the Schneider Family, she also didn¡¯t neglect the family affairs. Marianne¡¯s face while standing next to Kristoff and smiling came to his mind. His eyes turned again at the widow who was wearing a black mourning dress. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Marianne?¡± Marquis Schneider, who couldn¡¯t figure out the answer, couldn¡¯t endure the lingering silence and finally spoke up. Marianne glanced up through the veil and made eye contact with him. The voice coming out of her mouth was laced with determination. ¡°I am going to divorce Kristoff, Your Lord.¡± Awkward. Marquis Schneider unknowingly let out such a noise. He brought his eyebrows together and frowned. The wrinkles around his eyes twitched. Right, he knew his granddaughter-in-law quite well. That she wasn¡¯t the type of person who recklessly says this. If Marianne talked about divorce, it meant that there was a serious matter happening between them. ¡°Marie.¡± Marquis Schneider said her name with a tender voice. His tone was soft, as if soothing a child. His livid eyes, which were paler than Kristoff¡¯s, stared at her affectionately. ¡°I admit that Kristoff is gruff. I know he can¡¯t treat a woman¡¯s heart well. He must have been so immersed in his work that he neglected his family. All the while you must have had a hard time. However, Marie.¡± ¡°Regardless of what you say, I don¡¯t intend to change my mind. It¡¯s already decided.¡± Marquis Schneider was silent once again. No matter how much he tried to back his grandson, he couldn¡¯t say that Kristoff had a friendly personality. Kristoff was gruff to everyone. He was a consistent man. He wasn¡¯t satisfied with the title of the next marquis of the Schneider Family, and he wanted to climb to a higher position on his own. It wasn¡¯t exaggerated to say that the goal has been achieved to some extent. At least, there was no one in the capital who didn¡¯t know his name. His grandson¡¯s fame has even spread to his estate, Blauberg. Therefore, he was shocked when Kristoff brought Marianne and said this was the woman he would marry. This was because he never expected to have a marriage out of love, even the arranged one as either. Although he didn¡¯t know the amount of love they had when they met in college, Marquis Schneider was already fond of Marianne at first sight. It was because she seemed quite a patient woman. And right now, even Marianne seemed to have given up. After a brief sigh, Marquis Schneider casted his eyes at her again. ¡°Did Kristoff agree to have a divorce? Considering he¡¯s¡­¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t speak furthermore and shut up on his own. The marquis¡¯ brows were slightly distorted while thinking about Kristoff¡¯s nature. If it¡¯s him, he would never have agreed. Marianne quietly replied, as if she had guessed what he couldn¡¯t say. Her voice was calm and composed all the time. She implied that it didn¡¯t happen accidentally. ¡°That¡¯s why I tossed the divorce papers and ran away.¡± ¡°Run away¡­¡­¡± Marquis Schneider opened his eyes wide as if he had heard something unexpected. He finally realized why Marianne was wearing mourning clothes and sighed. No, it was more like a laugh than a sigh. The sound of laughter soon made its way between the crevice of his teeth. It seemed like a genuine surprise for him that Marianne, who was gentle and chaste, turned out to have such a side of herself. He tilted his upper body forward and his gray eyes glistened with interest. ¡°Did you say you ran away? How did you get rid of the servants? They wouldn¡¯t have gotten away from your side at all times.¡± Marianne had an awkward expression on her face upon hearing his words, and quietly unraveled the things she had done. While listening carefully to her story, the marquis burst into admiration upon the part in which she passed in front of Gunter after escaping from the lounge. Her cheeks glowed even more awkwardly. Her cheeks turned even redder upon feeling even more awkward than before. ¡°Hahaha.¡± After hearing the whole story, Marquis Schneider burst into laughter again. Then, he resetted his expression right away and stared at her with a serious look. The appearance reminded her of Kristoff at first glance. Kristoff would probably look like him after he grew over the years and became rounder a bit more. ¡°All right, what is the reason that my granddaughter-in-law, who can barely escape from Kristoff, came to see me? Seeing that she came to collect the last debt I owed to her, it must not be an ordinary request.¡± As expected of Marquis Schneider, Marianne slowly took a deep breath. He knew why Marianne came here. ¡°Yes, there¡¯s something I would like you to help me with.¡± ¡°What if I pretend to help you and contact Kristoff behind your back?¡± Marquis Schneider asked, as if wondering. Marianne gazed at him thoughtfully and slowly pursed her lips. ¡°When I married Kristoff, My Lord, you congratulated us on our marriage and said that once in a lifetime, you would do us a favor, no matter what it takes.¡± He was reminded by his old promise. He narrowed his eyes and nodded as if recalling it. ¡°After graduating from law school, you decided to give up on your dream and focus on helping your husband. It was a sign of my own sincerity in appreciating it.¡± As he said, Marianne was one of the first women to enter law school. Conservative universities have opened their doors for women for the first time in line with the social situation, and she even entered the school with excellent grades. Marianne has always wanted to be a lawyer or a police officer. The lighthouse that reveals the truth, Marianne¡¯s heart pounded upon those words. Some of the women colleagues who graduated with her have already established themselves as lawyers. However, Marianne decided to give up on her dream and lived as Mrs. Schneider after graduation. She didn¡¯t feel unfair or dissatisfied about it. As she loved Kristoff. She thought her life as Mrs. Schneider was quite worth it. ¡°Yes, I do. I¡¯m still grateful to you.¡± Marianne continued with his eyes down. ¡°I know the fact that the promise coming out of the marquis¡¯ mouth is never blank. Therefore, I hope the marquis still keeps them now.¡± Marquis Schneider¡¯s eyebrows twitched at the way she spoke. He stared at Marianne with a gaze filled with unfamiliarity as if he were looking at something he never knew before. The thought that he might have been the only one who thought to know her well crossed his mind. The picturesque woman who assists her husband in a quiet and calm manner. She was, indeed, the perfect fit to have a seat beside Kristoff. However, today, the unexpected appearance of Marianne undoubtedly struck the marquis right in the back of his head. However, it wasn¡¯t meant to be offensive. He meant it was quite cool. He also felt very pleased to think about how his grandson would show up in the future. But then again, it¡¯s time for him to suffer hardship in life as well. A man who has never been let down before has no profundity. ¡°At that time, I thought you would ask for land or jewelry, but I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be in such a difficult situation. However, I can¡¯t take back the promise I¡¯ve made¡­¡­ so, tell me what can I do for you, Marianne?¡± Marquis Schneider asked brightly. After staring at him for a while, Marianne swallowed anxiously and finally brought up her intention. ¡°In here, please try with all your might to get me into the Blauberg Police Agency.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Marquis Schneider closed his lips with a face that looked as if he had been struck on the back of his head. The crease between his eyebrows deepened a bit more. It wasn¡¯t long before he had a frown on his face. ¡°Police Agency?¡± And then, Marquis Schneider asked again as if he didn¡¯t quite understand yet, ¡°Did you just say police agency?¡± in which Marianne replied with a nod. ¡°Yes, My Lord. You just have to state that you recommend me to the police chief. Since I graduated from law school, I won¡¯t be eliminated due to lack of education.¡± Blauberg was Marquis Schneider¡¯s territory. Even if times had changed and he couldn¡¯t wield absolute power as in the past, he still influenced the area almost as strongly as before. It wasn¡¯t just the police chief. Influential figures such as the mayor and local judges also bowed their heads toward him. Schneider was still alive and well. No, they are in a more glorious moment than in the past. Considering the fact that money begets money, it wasn¡¯t a new thing to know Schneider Family became one of the richest people in the kingdom. Furthermore, Marquis Schneider turned Blauberg, which was nothing more than a port, into the most prosperous trading town within the kingdom. Kristoff¡¯s skill might have been inherited from his grandfather. ¡°Police.¡± Marquis Schneider, who was merely reciting the word like a parrot, once again frowned. His eyes, which reflected years of experience in life, scanned her up and down. ¡°With such a woman¡¯s body?¡± Chapter 5 ¡°When I went to law school, the sanctuary had already begun to collapse. You also know that women are trying to get into occupations that were once considered exclusive for men. I heard that there are already many women who work as police officers.¡± ¡°However, it¡¯s also true that the reality isn¡¯t that easy, Marianne. The Police Agency is more exclusive to women than any other occupations. There will be fewer than twenty female officers throughout the kingdom. Moreover, there won¡¯t be a single woman in the Blauberg Police Agency. I may make a bet at it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I need your help. If Lord Schneider recommends me, the police chief won¡¯t dare to object.¡± Marquis Schneider realized that she had no intention to give up on this. Marianne gave him no space for it. The marquis¡¯ eyebrows twitched once again, wondering why she was so bent on this. His voice came out with a carefulness in it. ¡°Is it because of Veronica?¡± Marianne didn¡¯t answer with anything. However, her stiff chin, her slightly heaving breath, and the trembling eyes were equal to the answer he was looking for. Marquis Schneider leaned his back on the sofa and had a sorrowful expression on his face. He rubbed his fade-colored beard and half-mumbled to himself. ¡°I feel guilty for the accident that happened to Veronica. She was too young to be like that.¡± Then, he suddenly casted an incomprehensible look at Marianne. ¡°But why did you want to apply to the Police Agency in this territory? As far as I knew, Veronica went to the women¡¯s boarding school in the capital.¡± ¡°The capital lies in Kristoff¡¯s palm. There¡¯s no place he couldn¡¯t reach. If I have the will, the truth can be revealed here.¡± ¡°Are you saying that the husband is the last to know about this? No matter how gruff Kristoff is, he won¡¯t think that you¡¯d come to me. Yeah, so it is that. It¡¯d be more comfortable for you to become a lawyer, but I guess the reason you didn¡¯t take that path is because you¡¯re afraid to stumble upon Kristoff.¡± Marquis Schneider nodded as if he already knew it. He realized right then that it wasn¡¯t a plan she had prepared for just a day or two. She was serious about this. ¡°Besides, I have to work to make a living, but I think I¡¯d better do what I want.¡± ¡°To make a living¡­¡­ Hmm.¡± Marquis Schneider looked perplexed. As Mrs. Schneider, to be worried about making a living was the funniest joke he¡¯d heard recently. Marianne, who lightly cleared her throat, looked at him with her livid blue eyes that seemed to hold the whole universe. Marquis Schneider also stared into her eyes. Marianne spoke first upon the intimate silence. ¡°Will you keep your promise?¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t keep my promise, will you go somewhere beyond my reach this time?¡± Marianne closed her mouth stubbornly. It meant that she confirmed his question. Marquis Schneider felt like he just discovered the side of her which he had no idea about today. He didn¡¯t even know it might be Marianne. Not Mrs. Schneider, but Marianne Kloze. After pondering for a moment, he finally nodded. His voice was more pleasant than she originally thought. ¡°The weight of promise I set is never light. When I told you that, I should¡¯ve predicted this kind of situation, but it¡¯s my mistake that I didn¡¯t do it.¡± He murmured lightly and looked back while smiling at Marianne. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll recommend you to Chief Willhelm.¡± ¡°And¡­¡­¡± Marianne hesitated for a moment as if she were struggling to say something that was difficult to be spoken about. He wondered how much more difficult her request would be than what she had just said, the marquis silently urged for her to speak. ¡°Please lend me some money. I¡¯ll pay you back little by little every time I receive my salary.¡± Marquis Schneider seemed to be in a daze as if he didn¡¯t believe what he just heard, but opened his eyes wide belatedly. He looked as if he had been hit in the back of his head, but asked back, ¡°Did you just say money?¡± which made Marianne¡¯s earlobes redden. Her name is Mrs. Schneider. Marquis Schneider¡¯s granddaughter-in-law and Kristoff¡¯s wife, the most successful lawyer in the capital. And asked him to lend her money. He shed a silly chuckle and asked affectionately upon looking at Marianne¡¯s reddened face. ¡°Yes, how much do you need? 50,000 gold? 100,000 gold?¡± In his words, Marianne was the one who opened her eyes wide this time. For commoners, someone could be rich and use 100,000 gold for several years. She quickly shook her hand with a pale face. ¡°Ten gold will do. I couldn¡¯t bring cash because I was in a hurry. If I sell my jewelry, Kristoff might be able to catch me. I¡¯m thinking of settling into a boarding house in town.¡± ¡°Boarding House? Why don¡¯t you live here with me?¡± Marquis Schneider seemed surprised this time. Marianne slowly shook her head. ¡°I know that Your Lordship is a faithful man. However, there are too many servants here. I mean, you don¡¯t know where the information is going to spread. It¡¯s only a matter of time before Kristoff finds out.¡± ¡°My dear child, Marie.¡± Marquis Schneider called her affectionately. Regardless of how much he thought about it, he didn¡¯t find any good reason for her to settle in the boarding house, his mind wouldn¡¯t be at ease. ¡°Please, Lord Schneider. Please allow me to stay in the marquisate.¡± It was like a threat. Threat that works like, if he doesn¡¯t do her a favor, she¡¯ll run away from his reach. ¡°Ehem.¡± Marquis Schneider put off his answer and put on an unwilling look on his face. He couldn¡¯t let his precious granddaughter-in-law live in a small and dirty boarding house. Then, he stared at her eyes which seemed they wouldn¡¯t back off and let out a sigh as if he couldn¡¯t bear it. ¡°In return, you should show up more often. You¡¯re still my family, Marianne.¡± ¡°!¡± Marianne opened her eyes wide at his words. Her round eyes trembled helplessly. She turned her face as if she were about to cry at any moment, but she held a composed smile instead of shedding tears. ¡°¡­¡­Yes, Your Lord. I will.¡± Marianne rose from her seat as if it was the end of their conversation. And covered her face with the veil again. Marquis Schneider, who was watching the scene from a distance, suddenly spoke. ¡°Kristoff is my only grandson. My son and his spouse died young, so I put my expectations solely on Kristoff. I wanted him to be even more perfect, and reign over others. I wanted him to fulfill my dreams which I couldn¡¯t achieve. Being a man at the top of the empire.¡± Marianne slowly turned her head and stared at him. Marquis Schneider was staring somewhere in the air, not at her. As if there was someone he longed for. It was similar to a confession. Marianne quietly listened to his confession in the midst of silence. ¡°Kristoff did his best to meet my expectations. I have always been content to have him as a grandson. He was also a grandson that made me proud. However, it¡¯s true¡­¡­ Those expectations turned him into a cold-hearted man. No, in fact, it¡¯s my fault for pushing that child despite having known it.¡± Marquis Schneider, who was talking on his own bitterly, turned to Marianne only after that. His gray eyes shone with affection. ¡°Marianne.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Lord.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if you know this, but I really care about you.¡± Marianne couldn¡¯t get any word out of her mouth. She just nodded after letting out a slow and hoarse voice as if swallowing something hot. Her lower lip trembled slightly. ¡°I know, Lord Schneider. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Marquis Schneider nodded with a smile. That was probably not a compliment. After running away from Kristoff, she visited his grandfather, not just to catch him off guard. Perhaps, she could lean on him. Marquis Schneider continued half jokingly. ¡°But at the crucial moment, I will stand by Kristoff¡¯s side.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes, Your Lord.¡± It was an obvious matter. Marianne stared at him calmly, without any sign of disappointment. Marquis Schneider thought there was no one who fit to be Kristoff¡¯s wife more than Marianne. There was no other reason. It was because Kristoff chose her. He had no doubt that his grandson would have an arranged marriage. The marriage between similar families was more like a contract than a marriage, and Kristoff was more of an ambitious person than a dreamer. Therefore, political marriage was a reasonable and realistic alternative for him. Besides, he hasn¡¯t even seen Kristoff feel something toward someone, let alone love them. Then, he walked past the mansion¡¯s threshold while holding Marianne¡¯s hand, who was anxious at the time. Marquis Schneider still hasn¡¯t taken that moment away from his mind. ©¤When Marianne graduates, I¡¯ll marry her. He wasn¡¯t asking for permission. It was a firm declaration and report that doesn¡¯t allow any objection, regardless if it was Marquis Schneider. The marquis added in a tender voice after returning from his brief thought. ¡°However, I promise. I¡¯m on your side until that crucial moment comes. So, let¡¯s see how Kristoff will show up.¡± Marianne¡¯s expression, which had been composed until that moment, was greatly shaken upon his words. It fluctuated mercilessly like a sculpted ship in the midst of the storm. She dropped her gaze and whispered in a voice laced with emotions. ¡°Perhaps¡­¡­ It¡¯s fine. He doesn¡¯t even know I¡¯m gone because he¡¯s immersed in his work, just like usual. Or perhaps¡­¡­ he¡¯d probably already filed for divorce. I¡¯m not that important to Kristoff, Your Lord.¡± It was her who ran away from him, but she still hasn¡¯t given up the lingering feelings she has for him. No matter how much dry firewood has been piled up in her heart, she loved him so much that she couldn¡¯t bring herself to move on anymore. Her heart for him couldn¡¯t be cut off like cutting a tree. However, time would solve everything. She decided to believe it when she got away from him physically, and she might be able to get away from loving him. Marquis Schneider stared into Marianne¡¯s face over the veil. Then, he pulled the corners of his mouth upon seeing her trembling fingers grasping at the hem of her dress strongly. ¡°Well, I have a different opinion, but it¡¯s something you¡¯ll find out if you wait for a little while.¡± Marianne politely greeted Marquis Schneide after breathed out quietly and left the parlor. Marquis Schneider gave an instruction to the butler. She moved slowly. Marianne walked by herself through the endless hallway. She suddenly thought her life might be suited to stand in this path. At the end of the hallway, it led her to a crossroads. There were no servants around. After thinking for a moment, she turned to the left corner. She prayed there would be a light that indicated the exit. *** ¡°I¡¯m glad the marquis gave me a carriage. Or the sun must have already set when going down the private land.¡± While looking at the sky where the dusk began to fall, Marianne quietly spoke to herself. Her eyes were distracted by the unfamiliar townscape as her body followed the swaying of the moving carriage. The scene, which was similar to the capital but still quite different, unfolded before her. She also saw scruffy-looking children run around screaming and carts selling dried fish. There were men carrying long fishing rods, while neatly-dressed nobles were seen walking around like ladies and gentlemen. From time to time, foreigners with exotic appearance were seen crossing the street. Come to think of it, she could feel the salty smell through the breeze that brushed the tip of her nose. As she listened quietly, she heard a bot horn not too far away. The sound was lower in octave and heavier than the cry of the steam locomotive. It finally dawned on Marianne that she was standing alone on the land she had never been to before, finally leaving Kristoff¡¯s side. ¡°I should find a place to settle before sunset.¡± It was when Marianne mumbled anxiously while looking at the dim street. The running carriage came to a stop. Marianne looked around once again. She could see houses that were close to each other. She still had no idea where she was. Then, the door of the carriage opened and the coachman appeared. It¡¯s the butler assistant who guided her to meet the marquis. Marianne casted her eyes on him while arranging the veil that covered her face. ¡°Can I get off here?¡± Chapter 6 ¡°Yes, Mrs. Kloze.¡± The butler assistant, who nodded, pointed to a two-story red brick house in front of them. It was a cozy house with ivy adorning one side of the wall completely. ¡°I heard from Mr. Bowlen that Madam was looking for a boarding house. There¡¯s probably no house in Blauberg that¡¯s more pleasant than here.¡± He added secretly after giving a humble smile. ¡°It¡¯s owned by my mother.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Upon Marianne¡¯s ambiguous reply, he went on until he spat out his saliva in the process of talking. ¡°It¡¯s the house where my parents and my three brothers lived together, and then my father passed away and all of my brothers got married and lived separately. My mother is alone in here right now. She started the boarding house business a few years ago because she was lonely. It was very popular because the price was cheap and the food was delicious.¡± The butler assistant, who had been rambling, lowered his voice slightly while still looking at Marianne. ¡°Lately, bigger and more sophisticated boarding houses have rose and taken away all of her customers. It¡¯s an old house, but it won¡¯t be too bad for you, Madam. My mother also lost her husband in the early age, so she will understand Madam Kloze¡¯s feeling better than anyone else.¡± Marianne, who was sitting in the carriage, looked up at the red brick house. She felt reluctant because Marquis Schneider¡¯s influence seemed to work on her, but she thought it wasn¡¯t a bad choice either. In the meantime, the sun had completely set, and blue darkness covered the earth like a giant blanket. It would be hard and difficult to find another boarding house at this time. She decided to accept the marquis¡¯ kindness this time. ¡°Sounds good.¡± Marianne finally got up from her seat. She walked slowly toward the ivy-covered red brick house. Her eyes shone as bright and clear as Venus that had appeared recently. *** The light of bluish dawn came in through the window. The dark parlor was also shone with the bluish color of dawn, and the outline of things inside began to appear dimly. Martin watched Kristoff sitting in the middle of the parlor room with a confused gaze. Last night, he stayed up all night in the parlor. It was because his wife, Marianne, didn¡¯t come back. Before midnight, Kristoff was much more relaxed than he was at the moment. He thought Marianne would come in quickly with her tailed rolled up, and at least she wouldn¡¯t stay out all night. He thought throwing divorce papers and leaving the house was a short digression or rebellion to express her disappointment. He had no doubt that she would pick up herself before things got big. Of course, he seemed rather angry with Marianne. However, when she begged for his forgiveness, he thought about letting it slide willingly for once. On the contrary, he seemed to have a willingness to appease Marianne. He had no doubt about the confirmed incident report, but he was also prepared to look at it again if he wished to. However, none of them came true. The front door was only closed quietly, the blue light was the only one that appeared from the dark sky. It was quite unusual for Kristoff to stay up all night in the parlor. Considering his routine of always staying in the office and managing his work even after returning to the mansion. Kristoff hated it so much if others were disturbing his daily lives. It was no exception, even if it was Marianne. That¡¯s why the sight of him sitting in the parlor without even changing his clothes was quite unfamiliar to Martin. Ding, ding, ding. Kristoff eventually let out a chilly grin when the clock struck midnight. His eyes turned cold. Martin unknowingly took a deep breath when feeling suffocated. ?Marianne, what do you think you¡¯re doing and make me angry? Kristoff quietly tried to control his anger by staring into the air with his sharp blue eyes. Martin swore he had never seen the man so angry before. He was the personification of a cool-headed person, and he knew how to control his emotions thoroughly, regardless of how upset he was. However, Kristoff seemed to be engulfed in malicious anger at the moment. He finally grabbed the armrest. The bones on his hand protruded and turned white from how much strength he had put in it. He also felt like hearing the sound of a twisting tree, perhaps due to the current mood. ¡°Martin.¡± Kristoff called him in a low and hoarse voice, as if to suppress his boiling anger. Martin took a step closer to him and replied, ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡± his voice sounded louder than usual, probably because he was anxious. ¡°Prepare the car, I¡¯ll go to Kloze Family¡¯s residence right now.¡± ¡°Understood, My Lord.¡± He wished Marianne to be in her own home, Kloze Residence, to soothe Kristoff¡¯s anger, but upon thinking of Mrs. Schneider, who would be in trouble, he wished she wasn¡¯t there either. Looking out of the bright white window, Martin sighed for the umpteenth time. He sought God after a very long time with his eyes closed tightly. God bless Mrs. Schneider. *** The morning in the Kloze Family was quieter than usual. Even though they woke up at the same time, eating breakfast, taking care of horses, and getting ready for work, there was an incomprehensible loneliness within the house. The Kloze have yet to overcome Veronica¡¯s death. The absence of the lovely second daughter brought a deep sense of loss to them, and they regarded that name as taboo to not reopen each other¡¯s wounds. ¡°What time are you coming back today?¡± Upon Anna¡¯s dry question, Fabian took the boiled egg to his mouth and replied, ¡°It¡¯ll be as usual.¡± Although they shared the same conversation repeatedly every morning, both of them didn¡¯t look at each other¡¯s eyes as usual. Fabian Kloze, who works as a low-rank civil servant in the City Hall, wasn¡¯t a prestigious aristocrat, but a sincere and faithful man. His wife, Anna Kloe, was a sweet and modest woman. The two were experiencing the peak of misfortune upon the death of their second daughter after being in the peak of happiness when their first daughter married Kristoff Schneider. They withered away little by little like plants that hadn¡¯t seen the sun. They ate and talked with each other, but everything felt dull like an empty shell. It was during that moment. They overheard the sound of a car. It was Anna who noticed it first. She glanced out of the window and casted her eyes at Fabian. ¡°Who could be coming in the morning, Fabian? Is there anyone coming?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Fabian got up after noticing the existence of an uninvited guest. He walked straight to the front door. Anna followed him cautiously. The moment Fabian opened the front door. ¡°!¡± He was surprised by the black shadow standing in front of the door, and unconsciously trembled in his place. Fabian, who was staring at the uninvited guest with wary eyes, realized that the said uninvited guest was Kristoff, his son-in-law. The reason he didn¡¯t recognize the man as his usual self was because of his unusual vibe. Kristoff looked a bit disheveled, which was not like his usual self at all because he always looked perfect. The business suit he wore showed a few wrinkles here and there, and his ascot tie was also loose. His eye bags were also deep-colored. As if he stayed up all night. On the other hand, there was a slight hope in his raven eyes. His eyes were so sharp that they could cut someone¡¯s finger off. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Kristoff?¡± Fabian looked at him worriedly. Anna asked with her heart almost dropping behind his husband, ¡°Did something happen to our Marianne?¡± Fabian¡¯s expression also turned serious upon her wife¡¯s question. He let her second daughter have an unnatural death, but he couldn¡¯t bear to lose his first daughter as well. The moment Fabian wanted to step forward, Kristoff spoke up. The hoarse voice the man had never let out before coming out of his lips. ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Fabian couldn¡¯t come up with anything. It was bcause he didn¡¯t understand what he was asking. No, his body instinctively stiffened at his superior gaze and voice. ¡°Is she here?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Fabian was unable to come up with an answer again. His fingers twitched. He opened his eyes wide, as if making sure that the person standing in front of him was, indeed, Kristoff. Despite the difference in their status, Kristoff had never treated him recklessly. Fabian appreciated the fact that he always showed his best etiquette. However, the man standing in front of him wasn¡¯t the Kristoff he knew. Kristoff pushed him into the house, as if he thought he wouldn¡¯t be able to get anything from Fabian. He was unlike the usual Kristoff, who put manners before everything. He didn¡¯t hesitate to walk into the house even without the owner¡¯s permission. He looked around the living room like a general who savagely occupied the enemy¡¯s land, and headed straight to the bedroom. Creak. He opened the door. It was Fabian and Anna¡¯s bedroom. ¡°What in the world!¡± Anna screamed lowly, voice laced with bewilderment. However, Kristoff¡¯s face didn¡¯t change despite peeping into the couple¡¯s private place. After opening the doors one by one, he returned to the living room after confirming that no one, other than them, was there. Fabian and Anna followed him after coming to their senses belatedly. ¡°What the hell is going on, Kristoff? For God¡¯s sake¡­¡­¡± ¡°Have you heard from Marianne?¡± ¡°Marianne?¡± Fabian tilted his head with a puzzled look, and Anna asked once again with an anxious look, ¡°What happened to Marianne?¡± Kristoff stared at them with his sharp eyes. Persistent and sharp, as if looking for even the smallest lie. He swallowed every word carefully while blinking coldly. ¡°Marianne handed me the divorce papers and left the house.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Oh my!¡± Fabian opened his eyes wide and Anna covered her mouth with her hands. Fabian held her staggering wife with one of his arms and casted a glance at Kristoff. ¡°What do you mean? Suddenly asking for a divorce? Was there a problem between the two that we didn¡¯t know?¡± Kristoff narrowed his eyes at the words. They looked like they were not lying. He was staring into the air with twitching eyebrows, and whispered softly to himself. ¡°I truly wanted to know what the problem is about.¡± Yes, he wanted to know as well. Kristoff was the one who wanted to know the most about why Marianne tossed he divorce papers to his face all of a sudden. Slowly dropping his gaze, his black eyes met Fabian. Kristoff said politely as if his senses had returned. ¡°I apologize for being rude. If you ever get a call from Marianne, please let me know first.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Fabian nodded with a gloomy expression on his face. His face darkened after having been struck by lightning (aka Kristoff) in the morning. When Marianne brought Kristoff and said they would get married, Anna opposed the marriage, she said one side was too superior. She was sincerely worried that Marianne would be put in a hard time because of that. However, Fabian thought she knew nothing. Even the rumor regarding Kristoff was going to be his son-in-law changed the way his colleagues looked at him. And then, what about Marianne, who will hold the title of Mrs. Schneider? Her life was going to change dramatically. Fabian undoubtedly thought Marianne would be happy. However, what happened between them? Was Marianne not happy? Should he also have opposed their marriage just like Anna? Fabian¡¯s heart sank. All of this seemed to be his fault. It seemed that even his remaining daughter had been pushed to the depths of misery. ¡°Then, please excuse me.¡± ¡°Be careful on your way. She must have not gone far.¡± It was when Kristoff was walking with them behind him. ¡°Marianne isn¡¯t going to contact us.¡± Chapter 7 Anna sighed. Kristoff slowly turned his eyes and looked at her. Anna, who was so frightened that her face became pale, closed her eyes with a disastrous expression. ¡°If Marianne ran away on her own will, and she doesn¡¯t want to be caught by anyone, she¡¯ll never contact us. It¡¯s because she knew you¡¯d be the first one to come to us. My daughter, Marianne, is¡­¡­ a clever child.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Anna was right. Marianne was more clever than anyone else. When she entered law school, she knew Fabian acted pompously. He even paid for his colleagues¡¯ drinks that day which was equal to his monthly salary. Kristoff, who was exposed to the unexpected fact, made a puzzled face. His expressionless mask collapsed, the black eyes showed signs of anxiousness. The thought that he wouldn¡¯t find Marianne never occurred, even in the midst of his fury. She was always within his expectations, and it was only a matter of time before he got her back. But what if she doesn¡¯t eventually contact Fabian and Anna? What if she disappears like this? Fabian stared curiously at Kristoff, who hurriedly rubbed his mouth with his dry hands. The black eyes, which were always full of confidence, shook helplessly. Kristoff looked anxious, like a child who lost his mother¡¯s hand at the market. He was like a scared child, not having any idea where to go. Huft, Marianne, what the h*ll have you done? Fabian put his palm over his eyes. Kristoff¡¯s voice pierced his ears. It wasn¡¯t about the sharp voice that halted until earlier. It was the voice laced with anxiety and fear. It was hard to believe, but it¡¯s true. ¡°Then, where should I look for Marianne?¡± His voice continued inadequately. Kristoff finally realized that he knew nothing about Marianne. The place she enjoys going to, people she hangs out with, whether she has any friends to get help. He didn¡¯t know anything. Kristoff fell into a deep despair as if a survivor floating around in the vast sea and could only rely on a broken piece of wood. Then, he looked at Fabian eagerly. Hoping the man could answer his question. Fabian, who sighed loudly, lowered his hand that covered his eyes. Kristoff, whose face had disappeared from his vision, met his eyes again. His persistent gaze stared stubbornly at Fabian¡¯s lips. ¡°How do we know if Lord Schneider doesn¡¯t know either?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Fabian sighed once again while watching the trace of anguish slowly sink in Kristoff¡¯s pale face. Kristoff stood there, his fists were white. He looked sorrowful that he even imagined the ground beneath his feet was falling apart. Marianne, where the hell are you? Fabian looked blankly out of the window, forgetting that it was already past work time. Kristoff, who eventually came to his senses a while later, left the house in a hurry, followed by the sound of a car leaving. ¡°Honey.¡± Anna called him in a weeping voice. Fabian gently hugged the slightly trembling shoulders of his wife. Anna, who was sobbing quietly, whispered as she buried her face in his arms. ¡°Where is our poor child? She doesn¡¯t even have anyone to go to for help¡­¡­ What is our Marianne thinking?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Suddenly, he recalled Marianne who protested about Veronica¡¯s death which was concluded as suicide. No one ever listened to her, but Marianne wasn¡¯t convinced. ¡°Perhaps¡­¡­¡± Fabian couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. Looking up into the air, he closed his eyes gloomily. It suddenly came to his mind that an ordeal doesn¡¯t come by itself. He recited a silent prayer for his daughter, whose whereabouts he didn¡¯t know. *** The car ran past the wide open gate. As the engine roared louder, the mansion got even quieter. No one wanted to go against the owner¡¯s mood. Martin looked at Kristoff¡¯s face, which was as pale as a corpse, and noticed that he hadn¡¯t found Marianne in the Kloze Family¡¯s house. The wrinkled-eyed man released a deep sigh. After getting out of the car, Kristoff walked while thinking. Martin followed him without saying anything. Where should he start looking? Did Marianne get along well with Lady Angel? Kristoff suddenly stopped in his steps and frowned. No, Marianne wouldn¡¯t have asked Lady Angel for help, fearing the risk of social scandals. She had a strong sense of responsibility. Even after tossing the divorce papers, she wouldn¡¯t do such things to throw the Schneider Family as prey in society. Then where did she go? Kristoff headed straight to the office. Martin, who was one step ahead, opened the door for him. And then. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The first thing he felt was an unfamiliar scent. The scent of flowers spreading around the room stopped Kristoff. Then, his gaze slowly moved and headed toward the desk. To be exact, to the bouquet of purple flowers on the desk. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Kristoff¡¯s voice was as dark as someone who crawled up from hell. Martin stared alternately between the flower and him bewilderingly. ¡°Martin, do you think I¡¯m in the mood to admire flowers?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Martin had no idea why there were flowers. Last night, Kristoff, who returned to the mansion, stayed up all night in the parlor, which was unusual. Therefore, he didn¡¯t even know when the flowers were put there. Kristoff¡¯s eyes shone coldly as he buried himself in the chair. Martin urgently ran out of the room to find the oblivious servant. After a while, Martin returned to the office and spoke in a more perplexed voice than earlier. There was still something that he couldn¡¯t quite understand. ¡°According to the maid, Mrs. Schneider left it there.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Marianne?¡± Kristoff lifted one of his eyebrows at the unexpected answer. He stared intently at the purple flowers, as if it was Marianne. Right before she disappeared completely, she left the flowers for him. What¡¯s the reason? Marianne couldn¡¯t have done it for no reason. There must have been a purpose for this. The problem was that he didn¡¯t know what it was. Tsk. Kristoff clicked his tongue and had a frustrated expression. He clicked his tongue again after realizing it had been a very long time since he felt this ambiguous feeling. It felt as if a big wall was suddenly placed in front of him when he walked through the smooth path, it was as if the world had prepared this for him. No matter how much he stepped up, he couldn¡¯t see what was beyond the wall. The moment when the light of despair dawned on his shining eyes. Kristoff, who didn¡¯t take his eyes off the purple flowers for a while, slowly lifted his head. His voice came out rough. ¡°Martin. What are these flowers called?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ll call the gardener.¡± Martin was bewildered by the unexpected question, but he skillfully managed his emotion. He left the office again and returned in no time with the gardener. Peter seemed very nervous upon the sudden call of his master. He dropped his head while rubbing the hat in his hand. ¡°Peter, what¡¯s the name of the flowers on the desk?¡± Martin hurriedly asked on behalf of Kristoff before the man ran out of patience. Peter looked at both of them alternately before walking to the front of the desk. He replied confidently, as if there was nothing he could be afraid of. ¡°It¡¯s snapdragon flowers.¡± ¡°Snapdragon?¡± ¡°Yes, the flower¡¯s resistant to the cold climate, so it¡¯s largely planted for ornamental purposes. Colors not only purple, but there are also red, white, yellow¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Enough.¡± ¡°Pardon¡­¡­? Oh, understood.¡± Peter, who was trying to show off his knowledge, paused and shut up. He was worried that the snapdragon flowers on the desk would freeze to death because of Kristoff¡¯s cold tone. ¡°You may go out.¡± Peter nodded again with a relieved expression after hearing what Martin said. Kristoff, who was lost in his thoughts and didn¡¯t even notice the opening and closing of the door, suddenly rose from his seat. He headed straight to the first floor. He opened the door of the study room, and the room surrounded by bookcases came into sight. Thousands of books were stacked densely in the high bookshelves that seemed to reach all the way up to the ceiling. He was certain to have seen the book somewhere inside this room. Kristoff clicked his tongue anxiously and scanned each book. If he were to guess it right, he would find out what message Marianne left for him soon enough. His irritated gaze moved quickly. However, the book he was looking for was missing. Once again clicking his tongue, he eventually stopped in his place. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Kristoff, who swallowed through his dry mouth, slowly reached out. One book came to his hand in no time. The book was something he wouldn¡¯t normally look for. Flower Dictionary. He¡¯d heard that the ladies gave flowers as gifts and as a way to secretly exchange messages through flower languages. He couldn¡¯t do anything. How would they use it while keeping their mouth shut? He also remembered making a joke about it, ¡°Do they use it only to gossip about others?¡± Mrs. Schneider, who was at the center of society, couldn¡¯t have known that. No, she might also give meaningful flowers as gifts from time to time to others. A bouquet of flowers as congratulatory celebration for families, a bouquet of flowers as a sign of consolation for families who had a funeral. Sometimes, even a bouquet of flowers that had a meaning of friendship. He wondered about the message Marianne left to him. What would it be? Kristoff turned the pages of the book impatiently. Flap flap, the paper fluttered constantly. Did she leave a hint about her whereabouts? Or is it a desperate request to look for her? Kristoff¡¯s movement stopped for a moment. He finally found the flower meaning of the snapdragons. The motionless Kristoff swallowed wryly before reading the letter with trembling eyes. At the same time, his face was wiped of any expression. As if he was caught off guard. Kristoff carelessly lifted one of his hands to rub his chin. He swept down his chin continuously like someone who was at a loss. His eyes moved slowly. They remained at the meaning of the snapdragon flowers again. ¡°Pride.¡± That was her last message to Kristoff. It was neither a request to find her nor a hint of her whereabouts. It was only two letters, ¡®Pride¡¯. Kristoff¡¯s eyes, which were filled with hope, lost their light. *** The cart moved past just under the window. The rattling noise woke her up at dawn. People who had a longer day than anyone else were already busy from the early hours. She heard the dog barking in the distance. When it barked, all the nearby dogs began to bark as well. Marianne¡¯s morning was a commotion, too. The mansion where she lived was always quiet. There was no noise that woke her up because the ruckus of the town couldn¡¯t reach her residence. She stood up leisurely, dressed up with the help of the maids, and chose a dress for the day. After enjoying the meal that was so quiet even the dropping needle would be heard, she saw Kristoff off. That was her morning routine. ¡°Well, what should I wear?¡± Marianne looked into her closet and was facing a dilemma. There were only five outfits hung in the closet, which was incomparably less than the amount of clothes inside her closet in the mansion. They were purchased with money she borrowed from Marquis Schneider. Chapter 8 ¡°But it¡¯s better to appear neat because it¡¯s my first day at work, right? Yes, I should choose this one.¡± As if she had made up her mind, she took out the most modest navy-colored dress. The texture of the fabric was rough on her finger. However, the dress allowed her to move more easily because it had no shabby decoration. ¡°Good idea. It¡¯s not bad.¡± Marianne smiled pleasantly at her reflection. The rough fabric that rubbed against her skin didn¡¯t feel that uncomfortable. No, rather, it felt comfortable, as if she was wearing her own clothes. Marianne¡¯s father was a low-ranked official at the City Hall. Her mother split his low salary and they lived frugally. Her life as Lady Schneider was sometimes overwhelming for Marianne. Rather than arousing satisfaction, unimaginable prices for clothing and jewelry only aroused her fear. However, she thought her life once depended on Kristoff. If Lady Schneider appeared with shabby clothing, Kristoff would be the one to pay the price. She didn¡¯t want him to be in trouble. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be thinking about useless things.¡± Marianne shook her head lightly, as if to shake off her messy thoughts. The result of her every thought was always Kristoff. Kristoff Schneider. Her husband, the definition of a perfect man, was everything. ¡°Is he still my husband?¡± Checking herself in the mirror, Marianne opened the door and went out. Her blond hair, which had always been tied up beautifully, was braided one way and hung in front of her chest. When she arrived downstairs, she saw Madam Liszt, the landlord, carrying a bucket. ¡°Good morning, Madam.¡± Several days had passed, but Marianne was quite satisfied with the boarding house. This was because Madam Liszt¡¯s cooking skills were really great, which lived up to the coachman¡¯s words. However, she liked it even more upon knowing the fact that she was the only one who lived in this two-story building house. ¡°It¡¯s your first day at work, Ms. Klo¡­¡­ No, I mean Marianne.¡± She awkwardly corrected herself after calling Marianne as ¡®Madam Klose¡¯ when she appeared in all-black attire. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m very anxious about it.¡± Marianne whined while making a sullen face. It was something she never imagined when she still held the title as Lady Schneider. As a commoner, revealing their true feelings was considered shallow behavior. She thought that this is what they meant when clothes create a person. When she saw things that came out naturally, when she didn¡¯t do it back then. It wasn¡¯t Marianne Schneider, but Marianne Kloze. The side of herself that even she forgot about for a while. Marianne dropped her gaze and cried again. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep well last night. I had nightmares every time I fell asleep.¡± ¡°Oh, dear.¡± It was her first time being nervous about something. Although she knew it wasn¡¯t a big deal after she experienced it, she just couldn¡¯t stop being anxious on her own until then. She was still the same. On the day of doing her first errand, on the first day of going to school, on the day of her first exam. And on the special day, which was the day when she got married to Kristoff. Every time she got nervous to this extent she felt as if her heart was going to pop out of her mouth, but she did a great job on all of that so far. That¡¯s why she will do well again this time. There¡¯s no way she couldn¡¯t suddenly do it as she had been doing well so far. Marianne muttered those words over and over again as if to cast a spell on herself and raise her spirit. ¡°We¡¯ll see, aren¡¯t you going to bring an umbrella?¡± Madam Liszt, who was observing her, put down the bucket in her hand and asked. Marianne shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want any flaws of mine to be spotted. It must be an eyesore, but if I bring the umbrella, I will definitely be scolded, ¡®You must have come with great luck.¡¯.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Marianne.¡± Madam Liszt put her hands on her waist as if to forbid her from saying something she hasn¡¯t known yet. She raised her eyes slightly. ¡°Umbrellas are necessary to blow those kinds of people off.¡± ¡°!¡± Marianne suddenly burst into laughter after opening her eyes widely at the unexpected answer of Madam Liszt. Then, all of the tension seemed to have left her body. Ahaha, she laughed while wiping the tears around her eyes, and stared at Madam Liszt with an affectionate gaze. ¡°Thank you, Madam. I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°Have a safe trip. I¡¯m going to show off my cooking skills for dinner tonight, so you can look forward to it. Let¡¯s celebrate your first day at work together.¡± ¡°Wow, I¡¯m more energized than being cheered the other way.¡± After saying that, Marianne left the boarding house. Madam Liszt followed her to the front door and saw her off. Marianne didn¡¯t take out the umbrella, but she walked bravely, her hands swaying back and forth. If she met someone who picked a fight with her, she thought about blowing their head with her own fist, not the umbrella. *** The Police Agency was located in the middle of the old town. Blauberg, which embraces the mountains, flatland, and the sea, smelled like salt everywhere. Whenever she took a whiff of air, she felt the salty taste. It took only fifteen minutes from the boarding house to the Police Agency. Arriving quite leisurely, Marianne took a deep breath while looking up at the old stone building. ¡°This is where I¡¯m going to work from now on.¡± The Police Agency building, which was built of gray-stone walls, emitted a majestic vibe which somehow seemed to show the amount of years it endured there. It wasn¡¯t only the anxiety making her heart start pounding hard and beating loudly. The dream which she once let go, was now right in front of her. ¡°All right.¡± Marianne took another deep breath and walked ahead. Entering the building, she asked the first person she met for the location of the commissioner¡¯s office. There was a man who yawned with an exhausted face while looking Marianne up and down. His voice sounds dull. ¡°Why are you looking for the commissioner¡¯s office?¡± The man, who acknowledged the situation, asked in a defensive manner. If the answer he got wasn¡¯t the positive one, he would kick her out immediately. Marianne stared at him with a graceful smile. What she learned during her time as Lady Schneider is that sometimes a smile is more powerful than any words. Inevitably, the man scratched his head with a confused look on his face. His subdued voice fired back at her. ¡°Did you make an appointment with the commissioner?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Oh I see, this is different. The commissioner¡¯s office is upstairs, at the end of the corridor on the right.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, miss.¡± Marianne left him behind and moved on. The man watched Marianne while scratching his eyebrows until she climbed the stairs. The meaningful look in his eyes reminded him of the commissioner¡¯s mistress. Perhaps, many things will happen in the future. The police agency was a restrained place for women, and even more unsuitable for women to work in. ¡°I¡¯m saying it¡¯s been like that until now. I¡¯m not saying that will be the case in the future.¡± Marianne stood in front of the room at the end of the hall and fixed her clothes. Knock, knock, knock, she heard a voice giving her permission to come in. Marianne, who heard the voice was younger than she thought, questioned her own senses and realized the reason right away. The young man, who appeared to be a secretary, greeted her in a kind manner. There was another heavy door on the wall. ¡°Ms. Marianne Haveck?¡± The secretary stood up and pretended to be indifferent. ¡°Yes.¡± Marianne nodded solemnly. Haveck was her mother¡¯s surname before getting married. She was more famously known as Lady Schneider than Marianne Kloze, but there was no harm in being careful. She didn¡¯t know about others, but people like the commissioner might know her name. She didn¡¯t remember seeing the police commissioner at the banquet in the past, but Marianne was just being cautious. The secretary led her to the other door with a friendly smile. The secretary knocked on the door, and soon granted permission to come in. This time, the voice was as she predicted, experienced and somber. The secretary, who opened the door, stepped aside and casted his eyes on her. ¡°Please come in.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Marianne returned the smile that lived up to her manner and went in. The room was a bit smaller than Kristoff¡¯s office. However, the structure was not much different. There was a desk in front of the window, a bookshelf that filled one side of the wall, and a sofa as well as a table for guests. Maybe it was dictated by the law. But in most cases, it wouldn¡¯t be that outdated all the time. Marianne looked at the man sitting on his desk with a clear-looking face, as if he hadn¡¯t thought of a different idea. He slowly got up with raised eyebrows. The man, whose head was half-bald, had a fairly good body for his age. ¡°Nice to meet you, Commissioner Wilhelm Simon.¡± ¡°Call Nicholas.¡± Simon, who instructed his secretary, eventually looked at her. His dark brown eyes reflected his complicated mind. A stare of confusion, disapproval, and a hint of curiosity were directed at her. ¡°Well, so Ms¡­¡­ Marianne Haveck? I don¡¯t know how to address you. It¡¯s our first time accepting a woman in the police agency.¡± ¡°What do you call the other officers?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just call them by their name. Sometimes I call them by their position when I¡¯m angry, and it¡¯s because we¡¯ve known each other for a long time.¡± ¡°You can call me that way too. We¡¯ll probably see each other for quite a while.¡± Marianne didn¡¯t want to be treated differently. She glanced at him and pulled the corners of her lips. Simon, whose eyebrows twitched, represented his surprise, nodded. ¡°All right, Haveck.¡± ¡°Please call me Marianne, Chief.¡± ¡°Fine, Marianne.¡± Simon called her name in an unexpectedly refreshing way. Marianne straightened her back even more and her gesture caught his eye. Simon¡¯s eyes lit up upon seeing that. From her tone and gesture, it wasn¡¯t difficult to guess that she was a woman who came from a high-class background. Then, a cheap dress and hat without a trace of the designer¡¯s name. Simon, who was once again observing her appearance, had a mysterious expression on his face. As if assessing between her lofty attitude and unrefined appearance. Could she be the daughter of a ruined noble family? Marianne Haveck. Simon repeated the name quietly, as he had done for the past few days. However, there was no specific person who came to his mind. The name ¡®Marianne¡¯ wasn¡¯t uncommon, and he had never heard of ¡®Haveck¡¯ before. ¡°The marquis¡­¡­ has recommended you. I want you to do your best not to bring trouble to his name.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± ¡°But how do you know the Marquis?¡± Simon asked while trying hard to make it sound like a trivial question. However, Marianne knew that he was actually paying extra attention to her answer. She answered in a casual tone. ¡°I just treated him kindly last time, and I think he deemed it as a debt. He knew I wanted to be a police officer, so he granted me this opportunity. I¡¯m grateful to him.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.So you¡¯re not close with him?¡± ¡°Not at all. How do I be close to such a high-ranking person?¡± ¡°All right.¡± It was when Simon nodded at Marianne¡¯s hypocritical answer. The door opened after one knock. Dark-brown haired man with a square face entered the office. His sharp eyes and tightly-closed mouth gave out a stubborn impression. ¡°Did you call me, Chief Commissioner?¡± ¡°Oh, Nicholas.¡± Nicholas, who glanced briefly at Marianne, moved beside her. Simon introduced Marianne to him. ¡°This is Marianne Haveck.¡± Nicholas¡¯ gaze lingered curiously at her for a moment. Their eyes met, ¡°You can call me Marianne.¡± she said with a smile. Nicholas still looked stunned when he greeted her slightly. ¡°He¡¯s the police officer whom you¡¯ll work with in a team from now on.¡± Nicholas frowned for a moment. Forgetting the fact that his action was considered rude. Chapter 9 ¡°¡­¡­¡± There was a brief silence in the room. It wasn¡¯t a good one. Nicholas stared at Simon, Marianne, and back at Simon again with his big doe eyes. As soon as she thought his mouth was distorted, a rough voice like sandpaper came out from him. ¡°Chief, this is¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Times are changing. There are already ten female police officers working at the Metropolitan Police Agency. We can¡¯t be the only ones left behind forever, Nicholas.¡± Simon explained in a gentle voice as if to soothe a child. Marianne stared blankly at Simon. ¡°Furthermore, Marianne graduated from the Royal College of Law. She¡¯s too talented to work in the Blauberg¡¯s Police Agency. So, let¡¯s see what you can do here, Marianne.¡± Marianne was proud to have great discernment for people. It was because she met countless people as Lady Schneider. Most of them were devious human beings. People who despise inwardly but smile normally on the outside. People who humble themselves with hidden ambitions. Due to this, Marianne easily noticed that Simon was an ambitious figure. He wanted to establish his political position, rather than in the field at the moment. He might be aiming for a higher position than the chief of the Blauberg Police Agency. ¡°But¡­¡­¡± ¡°I made this decision after much consideration, so I won¡¯t allow any objection, Captain Stefan.¡± Simon stared at Nicholas with a stern look on his face. Nicholas tightened his lower jaw with a face of disapproval against his orders. He did say that when he was angry, he¡¯d call people with their job title. The air in the room cooled down rapidly. She even imagined sparks flying in between them. Marianne, as if a shrimp caught between the whales, quietly held her breath. Becoming the seed of conflict and a hot potato despite her wishes, she stood still, should she pose as a mediator. In this case, when she stood in between them, she was the cause of the fight. ¡°This is a command, not a request, Inspector Stefan. If you no longer want to protest, you¡¯d better take your leave now. Let the new officer know about her work.¡± Nicholas, who glared at him once again, turned his back on him in anger. ¡°I understood.¡± Marianne, who was looking at his back, hurriedly bid goodbye to Simon and followed Nicholas out. Simon let out a deep sigh and shook his head. He was also unhappy with the appearance of the female police officer. What can they do in the police agency? ¡°It¡¯s good if she doesn¡¯t get in the way.¡± However, he couldn¡¯t refuse Marquis Schneider¡¯s request either. This was because he needed the help of the marquis to jump to a higher place with his limited background. *** He swung his head away. Nicholas strode with a fearfully stern look on his face. Then, when he realized a quiet footsteps were following him, he stopped in his place. Marianne also stopped walking and looked at him with a smile. His unpleasant eyes scanned her up and down. Soft blonde hair, small fair-skinned face, deep blue eyes like the sea before shakened by a storm. Thin neck and slender body. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Nicholas also heard that there was a female police officer at the Metropolitan Police Agency. However, he remained skeptical about the female police officer. At the same time, he knew that he shouldn¡¯t have taken this out on her. Nicholas was a stern man, but not an irrational man. ¡°Marianne Haveck?¡± ¡°Yes, Inspector Nicholas.¡± Marianne stared at him with a smile on her face. His grim face might be scary, but she wasn¡¯t intimidated at all. She has got some nerve. ¡°Follow me.¡± He took the lead with an unwilling look. Marianne followed him with clenched fists instead of bringing her umbrella. Then, she realized that NIcholas¡¯ response was considered very gentlemanly. It was because she faced a more hostile reaction in the past. ¡°What did you just say, Inspector? A new officer? Who? This woman here?¡± ¡°Stop joking, Inspector, I¡¯ve told you several times, your jokes are not fun because they don¡¯t sound like a joke at all.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡­ she looks weak.¡± A red-faced, hot-tempered man pointed a finger at Marianne, and a slender, very pale-looking man said a sarcastic remark. A young man wearing suspenders looked at them and quietly added. Nicholas, who took a short breath, spoke in a brusque voice. ¡°It¡¯s the commissioner¡¯s order.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°When did our commissioner become sober?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since he left the field, so he must have lost his touch as well! I¡¯ll be off to the commissioner¡¯s office right now¡­¡­¡± ¡°No matter who goes there, we can¡¯t change the chief¡¯s mind. Maxim.¡± ¡°D*mn it!¡± The hot-tempered man called Maxim clicked his tongue and stared at Marianne. There¡¯s no way he would stare more fiercely than when he encountered the enemy who killed his parents. Marianne sighed silently, thinking that the air surrounding her seemed to have sharp thorns. Fierce looks that poked her from all directions as if she had a strange form. However, she didn¡¯t lose her smile. Kristoff wasn¡¯t the type to get angry very often. No, Marianne had never seen him get genuinely angry. He knew how to control himself, and his feelings were rarely shaken by others. However, there were times when he had to put up an angry act if necessary. Instead of screaming, Kristoff pressured his opponent with silence. And it was always Kristoff who won. Marianne looked around at her opponents with a light smile. She was thinking about who to choose among the four men, and she decided Maxim was her first target. As he seemed to be the one leading the atmosphere. She stared silently at Maxim. When he noticed Marianne¡¯s gaze, he glared back. He pushed out his torso as if threatening her, putting up an attitude that was ready to attack at any moment. Nevertheless, Marianne didn¡¯t back down a bit. Marianne¡¯s smile was firm, and Maxim¡¯s anger was at stake. Maxim let out a low groan and hit the desk. Bang! ¡°Sh*t, just do whatever you want!¡± Unable to contain his anger any longer, he ran out of the office. The winner of this silent battle was definitely Marianne. Oh, my. Now that she survived, she had to thank Kristoff. Marianne drew her attention to the other three alternately, flashing a smile by pulling the corners of her mouth. A sweet, yet determined voice came out of her lips. ¡°Nice to meet you, I¡¯m Marianne Haveck. Please feel free to call me Marianne.¡± She threw her eyes at the two men alternately. She acted elegantly as she waited for their responses. At that moment, Nicholas noticed that she wasn¡¯t as timid as she looked. The two men also opened their eyes wide in surprise. The pale-looking man pursed his lips and turned away, while the man wearing the suspenders wondered what to do with a puzzled look on his face. ¡°Hm.¡± Nicholas, who seemed lost in his thoughts for a moment, pointed to the mountain of piled-up documents on the desk. ¡°All right, Marianne. You have to organize those reports by case and by time in commemoration of becoming our colleague.¡± That¡¯s outrageous! Marianne, who was looking at a pile of documents as if she was about to faint, managed to swallow the scream on the tip of her throat. Then, she nodded in a relaxed manner. Showing an expression as if it was a piece of cake. ¡°¡­¡­Yes, Inspector Nicholas.¡± To add a little lie, the document was as tall as her body. The pale-faced man grinned, and the man wearing suspenders showed a worried look. Marianne walked bravely to the desk with her fists clenched. It wasn¡¯t yet the time to blow Nicholas¡¯ head off. The opportunity would come at any time. *** Martin hated this moment, which has been repeated for days. The old butler honestly felt that he wanted to avoid this if he could. Swallowing nervously, he knocked on the door to the office. Then he was granted permission to come in. Martin took another deep breath before entering the room. ¡°¡­¡­¡± It couldn¡¯t have been possible, but it seemed that winter only came back in there. Outside the window, the gentle spring sunshine and the bird¡¯s songs could be heard, and a dreary northern wind blew in the office. Kristoff, who was sitting at the desk, slowly lifted his eyes. However, Martin could read the nervousness and impatience reflected in it. It was quite a refreshing sight. His owner never showed his feelings, and even Martin couldn¡¯t read his innermost feelings most of the times despite serving him since he was young. ¡°What happened?¡± Kristoff, who couldn¡¯t wait even a bit for Martin to walk to the desk, asked angrily. It was also an unfamiliar sight. Is the man in front of him really the self-restrained Kristoff? It wasn¡¯t until Lady Schneider disappeared that Martin realized she meant something to him. In particular, when Kristoff, who was known to be a workaholic, said he would no longer take on any cases, Martin was flabbergasted. ¡°I¡¯m ashamed.¡± Martin lowered his head with a sorrowful look on his face. Ha, Kristoff looked up at the ceiling and burst into laughter. His pupil hardened coldly. Martin continued quietly while looking at his master¡¯s gaunt side that has lasted for days. ¡°None of the taxi drivers picked up Madam in front of the department store. We have to extend the search through the coachmen, but it¡¯ll take some time. There are so many more carriages compared to taxi drivers.¡± ¡°Marianne disappeared, and no one saw her? She must have risen to the sky or fallen to the ground. Is she a magician?¡± Kristoff spoke sarcastically with a cold voice. Martin, who had no come back, dropped his gaze as if he had nothing more to say. Kristoff involuntarily gripped his armrest. The amount of strength applied was unimaginable, his joints protruded out, and the bones on the back of his white hand even stood out. ¡°Marianne.¡± Kristoff recited her name. As it has been many times. His eyes turned to the divorce papers on the side of the desk. At the same time, Kristoff¡¯s eyes shone as sharp as a razor. Marianne¡¯s escape wasn¡¯t an accident at all. She planned it more carefully than anyone else, and finally succeeded. In other words, she greeted him as usual and talked, while thinking of running away. Even at that moment Kristoff believed in her love. His grip on the armrest became stronger. At a single glance, his eyes seemed shakened. ¡°Why?¡± Kristoff repeated the question that never left his mind at all these days. However, he didn¡¯t figure out the answer again this time. Veronica Kloze. The name of his sister-in-law suddenly came to his mind. He also remembered Marianne¡¯s face when she persuaded him that her sister¡¯s death was never a suicide. At that time, what did he say again? He probably had a quite annoyed look on his face. According to the case report he had skimmed through, it was obviously a suicide. ¨DIt was obviously a suicide, Marianne. ¨DNo, Kristoff. Veronica, she¡¯s¡­¡­ ¨DYou don¡¯t know anything about the investigation. It was undoubtedly an incident. Now, he remembered what kind of expression Marianne had back then. The expression slowly disappeared from her face and sorrow was faintly reflected on her face, deep despair and resignation sank on it. Kristoff bit his bottom lip hard. His jaw stiffened. The muscles were tense. At that moment, a bouquet of flowers on the desk caught his eyes. It was a bunch of arranged snapdragon flowers. Pride. ¡°Sigh.¡± Only then did he figure out the meaning of her message. Chapter 10 Yes, he was prideful. His great pride believed that Marianne would stand by his side forever. He was confident that she would always look at him affectionately and call his name sweetly. Therefore, he didn¡¯t make any effort. As he knew Marianne would love him anyway. He never thought she wouldn¡¯t love him. However, now she wasn¡¯t by Kristoff¡¯s side. D*mn, he clenched his fist while swearing under his breath. Why didn¡¯t he listen to her? Why didn¡¯t he comfort her through her sorrow? Kristoff wanted to hit his dull head. No, when she asked for a divorce and he caught her so that she didn¡¯t leave, he should have prioritized Marianne over meeting up with the judge. Would that have made a difference? Would Marianne be by his side now? All of it was just useless assumptions. Marianne had already left him, and regretting it now, was too late. No matter how early he knew about it, all that was left was to get her back, by any means. ¡°Martin.¡± The restrained voice came out of Kristoff¡¯s mouth. Martin, who was looking down at him sorrowfully, bowed. ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡± ¡°Call Oliver.¡± The young aide¡¯s face came into Martin¡¯s mind. He listened quietly, waiting for the following remark from his master. ¡°Tell him to bring Veronica¡¯s case report to me, right now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes, sir.¡± Although bewildered by the name of an unexpected person, suddenly coming out of his master¡¯s mouth, the old butler obeyed instead of asking questions. ¡°Oh, and also.¡± Turning to face him, Kristoff added as if he just remembered. Martin stopped in his place and looked at his master again. ¡°Send people to watch for Marianne¡¯s jewels that could be sold on the market. Since she didn¡¯t take any cash, she would have no choice but to sell her jewelry. Sooner or later.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡± Martin somehow felt his throat was becoming dry at Kristoff¡¯s meticulousness. He wanted Marianne to come back to his side as soon as possible. Otherwise, he felt as if a ferocious storm would engulf the entire mansion soon. Where are you, Lady Schneider? *** Objectively, Marianne was on the clever side. Indeed, no one could say that she was stupid because she graduated from law school. Moreover, she thought she was pretty good at her job. She was also competent, even if she was not as good as Kristoff, she quickly got the hang of her first task. Therefore, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh after eyeing the messy pile of documents. Reports and lists of evidence in various cases were all mixed up. ¡°Before this happens, shouldn¡¯t they just keep the documents separate from the beginning?¡± Marianne rolled up her sleeves and began to sort the documents by case. She took quite a while to finish doing that. There were eight cases in total. There were also various types of crimes such as robbery, assault, and fraud. After that, she organized the documents again by date. The time she used wasn¡¯t meaningless at all. Marianne was able to understand the rough process of how the investigation was conducted by looking through the written documents. She also read carefully on how they collected evidence and witness testimony. She also paid attention to the format in which the report is used. ¡°Huh?¡± Then, a thin sheet of paper fell from the pile of documents. Marianne picked it up inadvertently and her eyes were slightly wide open. There was a painting of a man¡¯s face. He looked pretty anxious with a skinny face and red cheekbones. The wart under his left eyebrow was unusually impressive. His folded ears which looked like dumplings were also unusual. ¡°He¡¯s a suspect in a jeweler¡¯s robbery. It¡¯s been more than a month since the incident occurred, but he hasn¡¯t been caught yet.¡± Marianne looked up at the voice coming from above her head. Nicholas scanned the desk while rubbing his bearded chin. ¡°Have you already sorted these out? You¡¯re fast.¡± His voice reflected neither satisfaction nor dissatisfaction. It was as dull as telling the truth the way it was. He turned his eyes carefully and stared straight at Marianne. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to give you special treatment just because you¡¯re a woman.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want it either, Inspector.¡± ¡°Even if you¡¯re a widow who lost her husband.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Marianne didn¡¯t say anything for a moment. She looked at Nicholas with bewildered eyes. Marianne never told him she was married. That was a fact that even the Commissioner Chief didn¡¯t know about. Where did they see information about me? Her expression hardened. Nicholas continued in an emotionless voice. ¡°Do you have to work for a living? Then, you wouldn¡¯t have had to be a policeman. Wouldn¡¯t a cafe or a flower shop be suitable for you?¡± Marianne rolled her eyes slowly when she saw his eyes lingered on her fingers. There was a white mark on her ring finger. That was where she used to wear her wedding ring. She felt around her nape. The ring was attached to the necklace and hidden under the dress. It wasn¡¯t just because it was expensive jewelry that prevented her from throwing away the wedding ring. It was more because of the lingering feelings that remained carelessly in her heart. Marianne lifted her calm eyes and looked at NIcholas. ¡°If I cause you any inconvenience, I¡¯ll go out on my own. However, I think it¡¯s unfair that I¡¯m not given a chance.¡± She had work to do here. Not only to search for her life, but to find out who killed Veronica. She didn¡¯t think about what would happen after that. Whether to bring him to face justice or wield the sword of justice with her own hands. Then he nodded. Nicholas opened his eyes slightly wide upon Marianne¡¯s reply. ¡°Alright. Then, after you finish your work, you can organize the documents on the desk over there. I hope you do your best not to lose your chance.¡± Marianne, who was turning her head after seeing his gaze, groaned lowly after spotting another pile of documents. While thinking about whether this was a territorial attitude that she had only heard of, Nicholas disappeared from her sight. ¡°Don¡¯t get hurt, he¡¯s originally blunt.¡± A timid voice came from behind her. Marianne turned around with a gloomy expression on her face. A young man wearing suspenders was looking at her with twinkling eyes. His red curly hair gave off the impression of youth. He reached out one hand to Marianne and raised his pointed chin. ¡°My name is Ian Weber. Your name is Ms¡­¡­ Marianne Haveck?¡± ¡°Just call me Marianne.¡± ¡°All right, Marianne. So in other words, ehem. I¡¯m your senior.¡± His stuck-up eyes were sparkling as if expecting something. Aha, Marianne, who guessed what he was thinking, smiled and held Ian¡¯s hand. ¡°Nice to meet you, Senior Ian.¡± ¡°Senior Ian¡­¡­¡± Ian, who was looking up into the air with a dreamy gaze as if savoring the words, suddenly dragged a chair and sat down beside her. Perhaps he was the youngest member of the team before she came around, and he seemed to start enjoying the resonating word of ¡®senior¡¯. His voice quickly became arrogant. ¡°Marianne. As a senior, I will give you some advice, so listen carefully.¡± ¡°Yes, Senior Ian.¡± She nodded with a solemn face, swallowing the creeping smile on her mouth. The man was probably younger than her, but does it mean anything? Every word from her mouth doesn¡¯t cost money anyway. Moreover, she was desperate to be on his side at this moment. ¡°First of all, Inspector Nicholas is the leader of our team. He¡¯s also the most competent detective in the Blauberg Police Agency.¡± She somehow thought so. He was, indeed, a clever man who even found the white mark of the wedding ring on her fingers in just a short time. ¡°And, Lieutenant Maxim Frank¡­¡­ Oh, it¡¯s the one who hit the desk and left a moment ago. You¡¯d better be careful not to get marked by him. He tends to hold a long grudge.¡± Ian leaned his upper body slightly and whispered in her ear, as if telling a secret story. Marianne nodded with a gloomy look on her face. ¡°What should I do if I¡¯m already marked by him?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡­¡± Ian scratched his head and swallowed awkwardly after recalling the situation earlier. Instead of answering, he gave her a mournful gaze. ¡°It¡¯s easier to give up.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± Ian hurriedly changed the subject as if he didn¡¯t want to talk about Maxim anymore. ¡°The other one is Sergeant Florian, Florian K?nig.¡± When he said that, Marianne was reminded of the pale complexion like a corpse. Her impression of him was that his name didn¡¯t go well with his complexion. The dark shade under his eyes made it seem like he stayed up all night. ¡°These four people are one team.¡± ¡°There are five now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. There are five people in the team including Marianne now.¡± Ian, whose eyes opened wide for a moment when she responded, shook his head. But then. ¡°Ian! What are you waiting for? If you have time to fool around, why don¡¯t you go on another patrol? Have you given up on the jewelry store robbery completely?¡± In the distance, Maxim roared loudly. Ian, who flinched and shook his shoulders, got up from his seat and replied, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go now!¡± Marianne, whose eyes met his, threw him a gaze of condolence this time. ¡°Get out now or I¡¯ll kick your a*s! You little brat!¡± ¡°Thank you, Senior Ian. It was a big help for me.¡± ¡°Senior Ian¡­¡­¡± Ian, who was staring into the air with a dreamy expression as if savoring the word again, hurriedly went out after seeing Maxim¡¯s fierce expression. Maxim stared at her with disapproving eyes. ¡°Please go ahead, Lieutenant Maxim.¡± Marianne smiled at him and began sorting out the documents again. Bang, Maxim kicked the trash can as he couldn¡¯t contain his anger. An umbrella seemed to be necessary for Maxim, not Marianne. Of course, if he got it, Marianne¡¯s head would be blown off first. *** Knock, knock. ¡°Come on in.¡± Martin breathed out a quiet sigh and opened the office door with a creak upon the sound of a formal and dry voice. Kristoff¡¯s jawline has become even sharper after a few days passed. The amount of food he had eaten recently has been less than usual. Moreover, the lights in the office didn¡¯t go out until late at night. He didn¡¯t take on a new case, nor because of work matters. There was only one reason. Lady Schneider¡¯s absence. ¡°How¡¯s the progress?¡± Marianne¡¯s outing attire has been found in the department store lounge. At the same time, a maid informed him that mourning clothes had disappeared from the madam¡¯s closet. Now, the person they were going after was a mysterious widow, not Marianne. ¡°On the day Madam disappeared, we found a coachman in front of the department store who picked up a widow. According to him, he dropped the widow off in front of the train station.¡± ¡°Train station?¡± Kristoff opened his eyes wide as if he just heard something unexpected. He thought Marianne was somewhere in the capital city. He thought if he searched the capital city thoroughly, he would eventually find her. But, a train station? Does it mean she left the capital city? The expression slowly vanished from Kristoff¡¯s face. He looked up blankly into the air like a man who had been hit in the nape with a hammer. Searching the empire was different from searching the capital city. Finding Marianne in this vast land would be hopeless, like finding a needle in a haystack. Perhaps, it was impossible. Is he not going to find Marianne forever? ¡°Martin.¡± At that moment, his voice, which lost its tone and feeling, came out of Kristoff¡¯s mouth. Martin looked at him pitifully. Not long ago, he was as dashing as a king who owned the entire world, but at this moment, he was like a gambler who lost everything. ¡°Yes.¡± Chapter 11 Or, he was nervous. Kristoff, whose lips twitched slightly, rubbed his face with his dry hands. He was clearly in a panic. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about Marianne.¡± ¡°¡­¡­My Lord.¡± ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Kristoff eventually buried his face in his palm. Martin involuntarily took a step closer, thinking his master was breaking down. However, he wasn¡¯t. There was a voice of utter despair through the palm of his hands. ¡°If not in the capital, where would Marianne be?¡± His murmur sounded so sorrowful, Martin looked at his fully-grown master as if looking at a child. He closed his eyes tightly and spoke slowly. ¡°I¡¯ll find her at all costs.¡± ¡°How.¡± Marianne went far away from his reach. That fact led Kristoff into deep despair. He felt like falling to the floor, helpless. Kristoff clenched his fists out of habit. His fists trembled slightly. The moment he thought he might give up just like this, he sprang out of his seat. ¡°I¡¯m heading to the train station right now.¡± He couldn¡¯t simply sit back and wait. His heart tightened after each passing moment. The worst scenarios flashed through his head. For the first time in his life, he realized that breathing was so hard. Rather than this, he thought it would be better to visit her by himself. By doing that, at least he didn¡¯t have to think about useless things. At that moment, he heard a knock. It was Gunter. ¡°What is it?¡± Gunter spoke politely when Martin asked him. ¡°Marquis Schneider is here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Grandfather?¡± Kristoff looked puzzled at the sudden visit of the Marquis. He frowned, getting annoyed. He didn¡¯t want to see him now. Even at this moment, Marianne would be getting further and further away from him. There was no time to chat. He had to close the distance between them quickly. Even if he had no idea where she was, he had to move to find Marianne. ¡°Tell him I¡¯ll visit him privately.¡± Kristoff, who was taking a step forward, stopped once again. It was because Marquis Schneider appeared behind Gunter. The old man entered the room slowly with a cane in hand and greeted him. ¡°Long time no see, Kris. You don¡¯t¡­¡­ look good.¡± Marquis Schneider clicked his tongue as he looked at Kristoff¡¯s gaunt face and his dead complexion. Kristoff, who checked his watch, suppressed his impatience and asked. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°I heard that you¡¯re all dying. I stopped by to see how crazy you¡¯ve been. Isn¡¯t it a sight you can rarely see?¡± Kristoff stared at the Marquis sharply, as if to see what he was thinking. However, the old marquis only snorted like a child. ¡°I know, do your best when you have a chance. It wasn¡¯t until Marianne ran away that the rope got burnt. What a nice look.¡± For a moment, Kristoff¡¯s eyes twinkled. He stared at Martin sharply. His voice turned cold. ¡°I should¡¯ve told you not to say anything about Marianne¡¯s disappearance.¡± If a rumor regarding her running away spread around, it won¡¯t end as a mere deviation. Even after Marianne returned, the rumor would continue to haunt her. That was not what Kristoff wanted. He didn¡¯t want to tarnish Marianne¡¯s name. He was going to protect Marianne and acted as if nothing happened until she returned. However, if the news reached the Marquis, who lived in Blauberg, his assumption is that there was no one in the capital who wasn¡¯t aware about this. Martin eyes¡¯ met Kristoff, and he folded his brows subtly as if he didn¡¯t get it. Kristoff¡¯s suspicious eyes turned to him. ¡°That can¡¯t be true. The gag order was strictly observed. There¡¯s no servant in this mansion who ever went as far as disobeying his master¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°!¡± At that moment, Kristoff¡¯s head turned toward the Marquis. How does he know that Marianne is gone when everyone in the mansion has been keeping their mouth shut? Suddenly, his eyes twinkled with anticipation. Logic and reason came as a form of conclusion. However, Kristoff knew he couldn¡¯t speak hastily. He was afraid of the excitement he found within him. He was afraid it would turn into disappointment again. His clenched fists trembled. His sharp gaze glued to the Marquis¡¯ lips. The Marquis leaned in with his hands holding the cane. ¡°If you didn¡¯t care about Marianne, and you were still absorbed in work, I was going to pretend not to know until the very end.¡± Kristoff unwittingly took a step toward the Marquis and his voice rose. An impatient question was shot at the Marquis. ¡°Do you know where Marianne is? Have you met Marianne?¡± The coachman¡¯s words suddenly came to mind, he said that he had dropped her off at the train station. Blauberg! A low exclamation slipped through his gritted teeth. The man is telling him that she was right under his nose. Kristoff never once thought she¡¯d gone to Blauberg. Blauberg wasn¡¯t even in his mind when he recalled all names of the places within the empire. Marianne, who ran away from Kristoff, turned out to have gone to his grandfather¡¯s territory. He was thrown off his guard because of her. As expected, it was Marianne. However, this wasn¡¯t the proper time to admire her resurgence. ¡°Where is Marianne now?¡± Marquis Schneider had never seen his grandson so excited. He had never been so emotional before. You¡¯re wrong this time, Marianne. You made this guy like this. ¡°The shirt is nearer than the coat anyways1. My grandson is always in the back of my mind, more than poor Marianne.¡± ¡°Grandfather!¡± Kristoff shouted when the Marquis paused. Marquis Schneider opened his eyes slightly wider. It¡¯s been a long time since he called the old man that. Kristoff used to call him less formally or addressed him more formally as Marquis, except when he was a child. Grandfather? Marquis Schneider pulled the corners of his mouth. It was worth coming all the way to the capital. If it¡¯s not this time, when would Kristoff call him that? He, who used to be called the cold-blooded King of the Sea, seemed to be getting old. It¡¯s new to him. ¡°Follow me.¡± Marquis Schneider turned around and showed his back to his grandson. Oh¡­¡­! Lastly, a sense of relief passed through Kristoff¡¯s face. No, it might be happiness. Maybe gladness as well. Maybe there¡¯s also other emotions as well. And finally. Standing tall with clenched fists, he slowly cleared out his throat. His Adam¡¯s apple moved up and down. ¡°¡­¡­Marianne.¡± Kristoff left the room while quietly reciting her name. Martin belatedly took his master¡¯s jacket and ran after them. ¡°My Lord, please wait for me.¡± *** The scenery outside the window passed quickly. Even the houses that were seen occasionally disappeared quickly, and the endless fields filled his sight most of the time. A cypress tree quickly disappeared from his sight. Kristoff¡¯s eyes lingered on the green site, but he wasn¡¯t looking at the tranquil scenery. Apparent from his faint frown, he was struggling to find answers to the questions that had been bothering him. ¡°Did you just say the Police Agency?¡± The question finally slipped out of his mouth. As if he couldn¡¯t figure out the answer no matter how hard he thought about it. Marquis Schneider nodded with his hands on the cane. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I said.¡± Kristoff¡¯s eyes instantly turned cold. He was like a sharp-edged knife all the time. A dangerous blade or black metal that could cut the opponent¡¯s hands without seeing their status or position at the slightest carelessness. There¡¯s no way Marquis Schneider could not notice that. However, he was surprisingly tough dealing with his grandson¡¯s sorrow. On the surface, he was someone who was once widely-known as the notorious Marquis of Sharks. He smiled and said leisurely. ¡°Don¡¯t blame me for doing Marianne a favor. I care for the child a lot. Perhaps, more than you think, Kristoff.¡± Kristoff, who was watching the Marquis with pitch-black eyes, quietly moved his lips. Instead of questioning the Marquis, he asked in a low voice. ¡°You said she¡¯s going by the name of Marianne Haveck?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the name she uses now.¡± Marquis Schneider stared at his grandson, whose jawline was sharper than the last time he saw him, and continued to speak in a benevolent voice. ¡°Let¡¯s see, today must be her first time working. By the time we get to Blauberg, it¡¯ll be the time when she gets off work. Despite my dissuasion, Marianne is staying at the boarding house on 31st Street. The boarding house is run by Louis¡¯s mother, the assistant butler. He¡¯s waiting for your arrival. You can follow Louis.¡± Kristoff¡¯s complexion suddenly darkened. His black eyes sank deeply without knowing how to get a grip of himself. He strained his lower jaw firmly, as if to swallow the rising emotion inside. Not Marianne Schneider, but Marianne Haveck. Does she want to abandon the name Schneider? Could she wish to break the link to him? Why? Unanswered questions flooded his mind again. At that moment, someone¡¯s name came to the surface. Veronica Kloze. ¡°You must be asking, is it because of Veronica that Marianne entered the Police Agency while having to hide her identity? ¡°¡­¡­¡± Marquis Schneider was able to read his mind as if hitting the spot right away. Kristoff slowly raised his gaze. He met the Marquis¡¯ eyes. It felt as if his grandfather¡¯s bluish-gray eyes were blaming his indifference. ¡°I reviewed Veronica¡¯s case myself. There was no problem with the case report written by the detective in charge. It was indeed, unfortunately, suicide.¡± A lame excuse slipped from Kristoff¡¯s mouth. As if Marquis Schneider was Marianne. The Marquis stared at his grandson. Kristoff Schneider with the face of a man with integrity. One day, a long time ago, when he heard about the accident that happened with his son and his wife, he found Kristoff standing still there. The four-year-old boy was looking at the distorted car body with his black eyes. He didn¡¯t cry, or scream. Red blood flowed from his torn forehead. However, the child didn¡¯t think about wiping the flowing blood, but only looked at the crumpled car beyond recognition without saying anything. He thought it was a relief. He thought for any successor of the Schneider Family to be fated to survive in a terrible accident. Enough to offset the loss of a son. After that, the Marquis even bet his expectations on Kristoff which he previously bet on his son. Fortunately, he was a remarkable man and the Marquis was satisfied with him in every aspect. However, the Marquis, who entered the autumn years of his life, belatedly realized his mistake. The fact that everything was to satisfy his greed. He still wished for Kristoff to be happy. He wished for it from the bottom of his heart. Having rebuilt the Schneider Family with his own hands, he hoped Kristoff could enjoy it comfortably. Tsk. Kristoff, who was looking out the window, clicked his tongue. It was as if he was frustrated that the train didn¡¯t run faster. The Marquis¡¯ mouth loosened. He sighed softly as he recalled the appearance of Kristoff he had seen in the office a while ago. Marquis Schneider had never seen his grandson lose his temper so much. He had never seen him so impatient and anxious before. It might be the first time for a man who had never experienced a single failure to face one in his life. Chapter 12 The Marquis casted his relaxed gaze out of the window. Before he realized it, the scenery outside had changed. Instead of the vast field, the deep blue sea rolling. The train seemed to have entered his territory. He bet his grandson would have a hard time here. The Marquis, who was reciting Marianne¡¯s determined appearance in his head, his eyes quietly curved up and released a sigh. Failure was also a hurdle for Schneider¡¯s successor to get through. It was better to collapse ahead of time rather than experience it at a critical moment later on. ¡°But.¡± Don¡¯t be so hard on him, Marianne. Nonetheless, he felt sorry for his indifferent grandson. Marquis Schneider leaned against the backrest and closed his eyes. He felt like he was getting really old as well. *** Marianne rubbed her dry eyes. She looked into the pile of documents all day, and her neck was stiff and her shoulders hurt. She felt like she had gotten a job as an office assistant, not a police officer. ¡°It¡¯s because this is the first day. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re going to get used to this soon. Take a good rest when you get home. Physical strength is necessary in this job.¡± Marianne and Ian¡¯s cheeks became orange because of the sunset. It was time to clock out of work, but Marianne and Ian were the only people who left the National Police Agency on time. She smacked her lips bitterly because it felt as if telling them where their place was. There was a pretty big gap between ideal and reality. Once she entered the Police Agency in Blauberg, she thought she would be able to show her abilities. She was confident that she would shut up those whining people with her shockening ability. However, the reality wasn¡¯t that easy. Far from doing any investigation, she only organized documents all day long, her presence as bothersome as a pile of papers on the desk. ¡°Did you patrol well while I was sorting up the mountain of papers, Senior Ian?¡± ¡°The robber who robbed the jewelry store must have already fled to another city. What kind of fool would stay in the city where he had stolen from, right?¡± She didn¡¯t despise his haughty voice. It was funny because she felt like watching a child who pretended to show off. ¡°Is that so? If he hadn¡¯t been caught by the police, he would have been very confident. He might still be hanging around here. While laughing at the policemen.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you don¡¯t know anything, Marianne. This is why you can¡¯t do anything, rookie.¡± Rookie? She somehow felt like having heard it somewhere very recently. Where did she hear it? Marianne, who was thinking, nodded and said, ¡°Oh.¡± This was because she remembered Maxim calling Ian, ¡°Rookie¡± Perhaps, she would succeed the pedigree from now on, too. Ian, who shrugged lightly, spoke in a haughty manner. ¡°I would have already become a lieutenant if I could catch the culprit so easily.¡± ¡°As expected¡­¡­ Huh?¡± Marianne, who was casually nodding her head, shut up. She stopped her pace, despite having been moving regularly. Ian, who was trying to have a long talk about the policeman¡¯s sufferings, looked at her curiously. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, rookie?¡± Marianne said nothing. She just stared at someone. A fat man. Wearing clothes that looked expensive at a single glance and arms crossed, he was just coming out of the restaurant with a slim woman. ¡°Do you know him, rookie?¡± Ian asked, tilting his head. Hearing him, Marianne also asked herself, ¡®Did I know him?¡¯ It certainly wasn¡¯t someone she knew. However, she felt familiar as if she had seen him somewhere. ¡°¡­¡­No.¡± ¡°What are you doing? Let¡¯s hurry up and go. Do you think it¡¯s normal to get off work on time? As your senior, I advise you to do your best on days like this. Do you get it, rookie?¡± This d*mn guy¡¯s calling her rookie. Marianne, who was glaring at Ian until the white part of her eyes was visible, shook her head to calm down herself the next moment. Nonetheless, there was no need to increase the number of enemies she had because there were already enemies in all directions. ¡°Yes, Senior Ian.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Senior Ian.¡± Ian, who was savoring the words with dreamy eyes, began to walk again. It was the moment when Marianne shook her head and tried to follow him. ¡°Oh!¡± The man¡¯s half-folded ears came into Marianne¡¯s full sight. She also spotted a wart under his left eyebrow. At the same time, the clear sketch of the criminal came to her mind. The sketch floated in the air and slowly merged with the face of the man which then turned into a painting. One picture that perfectly matches him. ¡°!¡± ¡°What is it? What happened, Marianne? Did you step on horse poop? Right, that¡¯s why you have to work within the road like me. That¡¯s why you¡¯re a rookie who can¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­¡­!¡± Marianne pointed her finger at the man. Then, she looked back at Ian with round eyes. Ian was staring at her with a puzzled expression. Puff. How come I don¡¯t know? His lips, which had been dangling hastily in frustration, opened, and finally the stagnant cry burst out. How come she didn¡¯t figure this out sooner? Her parted lips that had been twitching impatiently out of frustration, opened, and finally a faltering cry came out of her mouth. ¡°He¡¯s the jewelry robber!¡± ¡°What? Where? Where?¡± Ian looked around quickly with anxious eyes. Marianne moved her fingers along the man who was heading to the platform of the carriage. ¡°Look, there is a woman in a blue dress and a man coming out of the restaurant.¡± ¡°So where¡­¡­ Ey.¡± Ian, who was motivated, soon dropped his shoulders with an exhausted look. A sigh came out of him. ¡°If you¡¯ve looked at the sketch, you¡¯ll know that the robber was so skinny that his cheekbones were visible. He broke into the jewelry store through the narrow ventilator. However, that man is chubby.¡± Marianne was proud of herself for being quick-witted. Moreover, what she saw once was clearly engraved in her head and she could get it out whenever necessary. In short, she had a pretty great memory. That ability was very useful as Lady Schneider. Ladies change their appearance drastically with makeup. Some even went as far to wear wigs. Sometimes, they disguised themselves to enjoy secret meetings, or dressed in dark attire to hide their apparent illness. However, Marianne saw through them at a single glance. Thanks to this, she was able to avoid making unnecessary mistakes even in an invisible psychological war. It was the same this time. It wasn¡¯t just warts and half-folded ears. The shape of his eyes and eyebrows were also similar. People can easily gain and lose weight, but their physical characteristics couldn¡¯t change that easily. Marianne finally realized that the composite sketch of the unknown artist was extremely accurate. At the same time. ¡°There!¡± She shouted out at the man who was climbing the wagon. ¡°Ugh! Rookie! What are you doing there? Hey, stop right there!¡± Ian suddenly followed her whilst uttering harsh words as if he was bewildered. However, Marianne didn¡¯t pay him any attention. The man, who turned his head at the sudden shout, frowned at her. Then, when he spotted Ian¡¯s face chasing her, he looked around with a puzzled expression. He seemed to recognize Ian. Maybe he knew that Ian was a police officer. At that moment, Marianne¡¯s suspicion turned out to be true. The man pushed the woman standing beside him toward Marianne before began to run in the opposite direction. ¡°Ahh!¡± ¡°Are you all right, miss? Look, I told you he¡¯s the culprit, Ian! Why would he run away if he wasn¡¯t guilty? ¡°We don¡¯t know it yet! He might be running away because he¡¯s scared of your face! Or, he¡¯s in a hurry to go to the bathroom!¡± Marianne pulled her dress up to her knee and started to chase the man. People stared at her with their eyes wide open. ¡°Oh my, how indecent!¡± The lady covered her hands with hands and she burst into a small laugh. The man glanced back and made his way through the crowd. People who got in the way of the sudden chase screamed as they were kicked here and there. The chaos broke out in an instant. ¡°Ahaha.¡± She was panting heavily, but she broke out in a laugh. Perhaps, she¡¯s been hoping for this moment for a long time. This moment of running on her own feet, not standing beside Kristoff like a beautiful flower. ¡°You¡¯re chasing him with a crazy-looking grin, who wouldn¡¯t run away? I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll run away, too. Rookie, there¡¯s a scary expression on your face right now!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk after we catch him, Ian!¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the ¡®Senior¡¯ word? You have to call me Senior Ian!¡± Listening to Ian who was whining sulkily, Marianne regretted belatedly that she should have followed Madam Liszt¡¯s advice. If she had a parasol, she would have hit him in the head earlier. ¡°Ugh, d*mn!¡± Then, a loaded cart appeared in front of the man. The man, who was blocked by a sudden obstacle, hurriedly turned around while swearing profanities. At that brief moment, his distance with Marianne narrowed a little. ¡°I¡¯ll borrow it for a moment!¡± She exclaimed and snatched the cane of the gentleman standing beside her. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing¡­¡­.!¡± While the confused gentleman opened his eyes wide, Marianne suddenly swung the cane at the man. The man¡¯s shin was caught in the round handle, therefore he lost his balance and stumbled. ¡°Argh!¡± At the same time, Marianne flew at him. ¡°Take this!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± An unknown exclamation broke out behind her. Marianne¡¯s body flew in the air. It wasn¡¯t a metaphor or simile. Marianne, who literally flew like a bird, reached out her hands and grabbed his neck. Ukh!¡± The two rolled on the floor while being entangled with each other. ¡°Ugh.¡± A groan broke out of Marianne¡¯s mouth. It hurt. The dull pain ran all over her body as if she had been hit by a hammer. She thought maybe there would be black bruises all over her body tomorrow. ¡°Let go!¡± The man struggled out to get out of Marianne¡¯s grip and got up. He wriggled violently while glancing at Ian. However, Marianne clasped his legs like a sore thumb. ¡°You think I¡¯ll let you run away? Ian, hurry up and catch this guy!¡± The moment she shouted urgently. ¡°Marianne?¡± A familiar voice in her ear struck her in the back of her head. The voice was low and serious, which made her heart pound. Expression disappeared from Marianne¡¯s face for one moment. Shiny leather shoes unbelievably came into Marianne¡¯s view, and she turned her head slowly. Her eyes moved up slowly. After her eyes raked through the black pants that had crease sharp as a knife, silver vest, and finally a dark gray Ascot tie. ¡°¡­Kristoff.¡± His name escaped Marianne¡¯s mouth. His voice was dazed and sounded like a sigh. Kristoff looked down at her with a mysterious gaze. His always neat hair was a bit messy, and there was dark coloring on his eye bags similar to Florian. His cheeks seemed to be a little slimmer, and the shadow of his cheekbone looked darker than before. Kristoff didn¡¯t approach her hastily, but stood still on his spot with tightly clenched fists. His chest moved very slowly. As if swallowing the rising emotion within him. ¡°Marianne.¡± He called her name again. His voice sounded very desperate and nervous, but perhaps it was just her feeling. The pair of black eyes didn¡¯t waver for a moment, and only stared at her. Marianne was quite confused. She thought he might not look for her. Kristoff had more important things than her. However, he came much earlier than she expected. His Lord the Marquis. Marianne closed her eyes slowly. She hoped he would show up after all her lingering feelings had been dispersed. So, when she heard his voice, her heart wouldn¡¯t sink, and when she saw his face, she wouldn¡¯t be out of breath. ¡°¡­¡­¡± As soon as her hands lost their strength, the man in Marianne¡¯s grip swung his leg as if he had been waiting for that moment. Puk. ¡°Ahh!¡± [T/N: Actually, I really enjoyed working on this chapter, especially through the chasing scene. Hoping for more thrilling and exciting actions in the later chapters!] Chapter 13 While she was off guard, his knee hit Marianne¡¯s forehead. For a moment, it felt like a star was appearing in her vision. The physical pain she experienced for the first time in her life successfully made her dizzy. At the same time, Marianne curled up in pain. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The expression disappeared from Kristoff¡¯s face. No, it was the moment when his previous expression disappeared, and was replaced by anger. His eyes were as keen as ever, and the air surrounding him exuded an air as sharp as a razor. The man felt like he would cut his hand if he got a little closer. He strode up wordlessly. ¡°Don¡¯t disturb me. Get out of my way!¡± The man shook his legs once again. Marianne¡¯s hand, which was barely holding his leg, fell. The man turned his back hurriedly. And at that moment. ¡°How dare you.¡± Kristoff threw a punch at him. The man¡¯s jaw turned to the side. He opened his eyes wide with a puzzled look, as if he didn¡¯t know what had happened. He stumbled and collapsed on the spot. Marianne opened her eyes wide, forgetting that she was injured upon seeing the unfamiliar appearance of Kristoff, who had lived as a nobleman, a dignified intellectual all his life. She had never seen him swing his fist. And he was so skillful. ¡°How dare you? Do you know who this woman is?¡¯ Kristoff spoke with pressure in each letter, as if biting on his boiling anger. Then he took a step closer to the man who had collapsed. Kristoff swung his leg without hesitation. There was no time to stop him. The man couldn¡¯t even scream when he let out a strange noise and became limp. Tuk! A velvet pouch fell from the arms of the collapsing man. A blue jewel rolled out through the loose straps of the pouch and landed at Kristoff¡¯s feet. Marianne only blinked out of bewilderment, and Ian looked surprised, staring alternately between Kristoff and the man. She could hear the sound of a whistle as the police came to the scene. Meanwhile, Kristoff was staring at Marianne with his deeply subdued eyes. *** ¡°Marianne.¡± Kristoff called her name. It sounded as if he hadn¡¯t spoken for a very long time. Marianne only looked back at Ian and the police officers, dropping her shoulders after they took him away. She tried to speak calmly, pretending not to know her agitated mind. ¡°It¡¯s not the right place to talk. Shall we move? There¡¯s a park nearby.¡± She returned the cane to the dazed gentleman standing at a distance, and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± before setting off. She could hear quiet footsteps following behind her. Marianne bit her lips as she realized her determination decreased just by looking at his face. Dusk gradually began to fall. The park was sparsely populated by children, and had a different tranquility from the middle of the day. Marianne, who was looking for a suitable seat, finally sat on the empty bench. ¡°Hold on a second, Marianne.¡± Kristoff, who was staring at her, suddenly turned around. Marianne seriously thought about whether she would run away as she was looking at his back as he walked away. However, the idea was dispersed before she began to form it. This was because he couldn¡¯t have figured out about the boarding house and came all the way here. The person behind him must be Marquis Schneider. What should she do¡­¡­? Marianne looked up at the sky dazedly. A quiet sigh slipped out from her lips. Kristoff, whom she met again, was still able to make her heart beat. She suddenly remembered the first time she fell in love with him. He was elegant and graceful, as if he was in a different world all by himself. The relaxed and bold appearance as if he was the owner of it. The rumor failed to capture even half of his beauty. Nevertheless, Marianne knew that if she held his hand as it was supposed to be, she would repeat the same mistake again. Expectations, and disappointment, which ended with despair. She didn¡¯t want to return to that time anymore. She had felt enough despair until now. She closed her eyes tightly and opened them again to relieve her shaking heart. Just as Marianne clutched the hem of her dress. ¡°Here you are.¡± The black shadow engulfed her face. Marianne slowly opened her closed eyes. In the middle of her slowly opening sight, there stood Kristoff who was holding out a handkerchief. ¡°Put it on your forehead. It¡¯s already starting to turn red.¡± Kristoff wore a faint frown. At first glance, she thought to have heard a swear word, ¡°D*mn it.¡± Marianne, whose eyes opened wide, soon smiled faintly. That was impossible. Kristoff was the grandson of Marquis Schneider. He received the highest level of education since he was born and attended a private school which was exclusively reserved for the upper classes. His words and behavior were always well-educated. Sometimes, he was so out of their league that his opponent felt pressured. Marianne had never seen him say anything harsh before. Therefore, there was no way such a lowly-spoken swear word came out of his mouth. She might have heard it wrong. ¡°Thank you.¡± She received the handkerchief from Kristoff. When she took the cold handkerchief to her forehead, she felt the pain belatedly. Her whole forehead throbbed. Ugh, a brief groan slipped through her lips. ¡°I¡¯m gonna kill you, you son of a b*tch.¡± ¡°!¡± Marianne¡¯s eyes opened widely in shock again. She guessed that she wasn¡¯t mistaken this time. He looked like he was angry. Or, she thought he was sick. Why is that? Kristoff was extremely rational, and he wasn¡¯t the kind of person who sympathized with people¡¯s pain. He was better at coming up with a solution rather than offering sympathy. From what Marianne knew about Kristoff, he must have told her to sue the other person and introduced a lawyer he knew well. It was because the man didn¡¯t have enough free time to deal with violent and trivial incidents. However, Kristoff was staring at her forehead with clenched fists. His cold and firm gaze seemed to suppress the rising anger within. Marianne hid her bewildered mind beyond her indifferent expression. She could hear his slow breathing. There was a sheer silence between the two, which wouldn¡¯t be strange if it broke at any time. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Kristoff suddenly clenched his chin. He thought he had a lot of things he wanted to say when he met Marianne. There were a lot of things he wanted to ask her. He even thought he would explode in anger. However, none of it came out through his mouth. Clenching his back teeth, he managed to open his lips. ¡°Marianne.¡± A low, husky voice came out of his lips. His voice was so small that if she didn¡¯t listen carefully, she wouldn¡¯t have heard it. However, the anxious Marianne didn¡¯t miss what he said. A wave of air swept past her. ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back. It¡¯s enough for you to run away from me.¡± Running away. Marianne quietly stretched the corner of her mouth at his remark. Kristoff looked puzzled at her faint smirk that seemed like it would disappear at any moment. He was never embarrassed no matter how crucial the witness the opponent brought and he was never surprised by a situation that occurred unexpectedly, but he was speechless and just stared at Marianne¡¯s face. ¡°Marianne.¡± He nervously called her name again. Then, he caressed his chin with his dry hands. His voice was fast and impatient. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better for you to return before the rumors about your disappearance leak out? Unless you want to be preyed on by those who are thought of as hyenas. Nobody knows you¡¯re here yet. That¡¯s why you better return now. Let me take care of the rest.¡± Marianne stared at him with her blue eyes which seemed to hold the entire universe in them. Without saying anything. For what seemed like a very long time. Kristoff has always been the winner of the silent battle. He was a patient man, and he had never been afraid of the silence surrounding him. He couldn¡¯t endure the prolonged silence and spoke up again. For some reason, he felt thirsty. His stomach was wriggling. An ominous feeling flowed down his back. ¡°I¡¯m reviewing Veronica¡¯s case again.¡± Marianne¡¯s eyes shook for the first time at his remark. Kristoff finally breathed out a sigh of relief. Only then did he become convinced that the person in front of him was actually Marianne. ¡°Marianne.¡± He recited her name again. As if a child, who could only say that. Marianne, who was quiet again, slowly moved her lips again. He never took his gaze off her red lips. ¡°I¡¯m not going back, Kristoff.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± If Marianne lamented sorrowfully, Kristoff would have comforted her well. If Marianne was angry, Kristoff would comfort her as he used to. However, Marianne simply shook her head calmly. In a determined manner, where he couldn¡¯t find any gaps. At that moment, Kristoff sensed that something had gone completely wrong. He felt a chill on his nape. ¡°I admit that Veronica¡¯s case was a trigger to this. However, I didn¡¯t make such a huge decision only because of that.¡± Marianne looked up at him calmly, as if saying, ¡°I¡¯m not such an impulsive person.¡± Kristoff¡¯s heart sank. His face turned white. The icy grip seemed to have gripped his nape. If not just because of Veronica, then he wondered about her other reasons. The feeling of helplessness, which had been pressuring him for several days, slowly crawled up to his head again. Kristoff unconsciously took a step foward. If he didn¡¯t, he thought Marianne would disappear. ¡°Kristoff.¡± This time, she called his name. However, there was no emotion in Marianne¡¯s voice. D*mn it. Kristoff gritted his rear teeth. Having had a fierce legal battle in court for a long time, he had the ability to instinctively recognize when the opponent would say a crucial remark. The tight atmosphere and the momentary wave, which was like pulling a violin string, led him to guess it. And Marianne was now trying to tell him a crucial story. He did not want to hear that. He thought he shouldn¡¯t reach it. Kristoff hurriedly spoke up. ¡°Ma¡­¡­¡± But it was late. Before that, Marianne¡¯s voice already broke the silence between them. ¡°You have always been my sun from the first moment I looked at you.¡± He was. The preterite sharply scratched Kristoff¡¯s nerves. His determined eyes, which had always been confident, shook uncontrollably. ¡°Dazzling sun. And I was one of the countless stars hovering around you. The small, insignificant star that only shines when it receives your light. The star was so pitiful that one failed to figure out why you proposed to me. Of course, I also couldn¡¯t figure it out either.¡± ¡°No. Marianne, you¡¯re¡­¡­¡± Marianne slowly raised her hand and stopped him as if she wasn¡¯t over with her talk. Kristoff groaned softly and closed his mouth. ¡°However, it felt great. However, I was happy, Kristoff. Because I thought the more you shine, the more I shine as well. However, I realized it at some point.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If the sun is too bright, they can¡¯t see the star.¡± ¡°Marianne.¡± Marianne, who slowly lifted her gaze and faced Kristoff, gently pulled up the corners of her mouth. Her smile was kind, the one she always used to show to him. However, somehow it felt very far away as if it wasn¡¯t his. Or, it felt as cold as a frozen lake. ¡°That¡¯s why I decided that I¡¯m going to shine on my own now. I want to be a star that can shine without you. I¡¯m tired of leading a life with expectations, disappointment, and despair.¡± Chapter 14 Ah. Kristoff involuntarily let out a deep sigh. The word, ¡°I¡¯m tired¡± turned into a dagger and pierced his heart. Marianne¡¯s blue eyes, which used to always contain him, were now shining brightly. Without him. ¡°¡­¡­what is it that you want?¡± His cracked voice came out like a dry rice field. He wanted to say that if she wished for anything, he would give it to her. He wanted to say that he would help her achieve it if she would be by his side. Therefore, he said so. Kristoff eventually noticed that he had made a mistake upon seeing an empty smile adorning her lips. However, he didn¡¯t know what it was. He wanted to catch Marianne and turned around, but he had no idea what to do. Because it wasn¡¯t his duty to hold her back all this time. Marianne stayed by his side out of her own will. He realized it too late. That it was this will that could be taken away at any time. Snapdragon flower. Prideful. Purple flowers appeared clearly before his eyes. Kristoff, who was rubbing his chin, opened his mouth urgently. ¡°You do whatever you want. If you stay by my side and want to be a lawyer, I¡¯ll do my best to give you that. If you want to work for the Police Agency, you can do that as well. I can introduce you to the head of the Capital Police Agency. The environment will be much better than here, you know.¡± ¡°I told you, Kristoff. I want to shine on my own.¡± It seemed that he was choked by something, and something hot surged up within him. It was as if a piece of iron that had been heated on fire pierced the inside of his stomach. The burning, sharp pain seethed inside him. Kristoff clenched his jaw and stared at her intensely. At one point, his violent emotions soared. ¡°What do you mean, Marianne? Are you going to say that you don¡¯t love me anymore?¡± Marianne stared at him as he asked that question, holding back her sneer from crawling up to the surface again. He was still arrogant even at this moment. It seemed impossible for her to not love him anymore. Unfortunately, his arrogant mind was right. She still loved Kristoff. However, she didn¡¯t want him to catch her feelings. She hated the life where she could just wait for him to look back at her. The desolate hours she went through, made her other side, Marianne Kloze, close off on its own. Marianne nodded slowly while maintaining eye contact with him. ¡°Yes, Kristoff.¡± ¡°!¡± Kristoff looked surprised for the first time. No, it was probably a look of despair. His eyebrows rose above his forehead, and his black eyes opened wide. His lips opened slightly as well. He couldn¡¯t believe it. The fact that Marianne didn¡¯t love Kristoff anymore. It was as ridiculous as water flowing from the bottom to the top. Then, the expression slowly began to fade from his face. He felt the blood moving around his body freeze. Little by little, anger filled his expressionless face. ¡°Marianne.¡± He called her name with a cold and firm voice. Kristoff¡¯s eyes suddenly shifted downward. Marianne tried to guess what he was looking at down there. Her finger, which wasn¡¯t adorned with their wedding ring. Now, the only trace left was a white mark on her empty ring finger. As time went by, even traces of that white mark on her finger would disappear. Marianne desperately wanted her heart to be that way as well. As time went by. ¡°No.¡± Kristoff coldly reiterated the same remark in his head. The voice laced with anger, heartbreak, and perseverance clambered up at Marianne¡¯s feet. And ended up entangling her like a cold, stubborn snake. ¡°You can¡¯t do that, Marianne.¡± At the stubborn but arrogant tone, Marianne looked down only at her feet without saying anything. Faintly whispering to herself. ¡°No, I can do that.¡± The words, as if a pledge to herself, reached Kristoff right into his ears. His eyes shone brightly. A bleak wind that didn¡¯t fit in the warm season passed between the two. *** The sky was displaying the color of Marianne¡¯s eyes, and the streets were quieter than before. It was time for everyone to go home and have dinner with their family. A loud laugh broke out from one of the houses she passed by. A long trail of laughter followed her footsteps. Thump, thump. As I walked a few steps, a fierce thumping of feet shook the evening air. He was probably severely scolded, because the child¡¯s sorrowful cry came out a moment after. Marianne stopped walking. The quiet footsteps that had been following her for a while also dispersed. She looked back and swallowed a quiet sigh. ¡°How long are you going to follow me, Kristoff?¡± Kristoff stood five or six steps behind Marianne and stared at her. His stare was unfamiliar, as if he was looking at someone he¡¯d never been familiar with before. It took quite a while before he opened his lips again. There was his dejected voice. ¡°The sun has set.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Marianne showed a subtle frown instead of answering. It sounded like he was worried about her. No, that couldn¡¯t be. Marianne shook her head, trampling on the buds of expectations to prevent it from growing again. She held her lips tight so that he couldn¡¯t catch the sight of it trembling. Although it was said that society has become more equal than it used to, the title of Marquis was still so high to her that she didn¡¯t even dare to lift her head to look up at it. Therefore when Kristoff, the successor to the Marquis Schneider, said he would marry a commoner, her name almost appeared every day in the daily newspaper. ¡¸Love Story Beyond Status!¡¹ ¡¸The Birth of the First Commoner wife to the Marquis?¡¹ ¡¸An extraordinary marriage that crossed the line of status! Will it bring a new wind to society?¡¹ Marianne wasn¡¯t foolish enough not to know what that meant. That her words and actions would affect Kristoff¡¯s reputation. She had to learn high-class manners and social etiquette so as not to be a stain on the Schneider family. She deemed those times as worthless. Especially for Marianne, who was naturally free-spirited. She thought that that time was like pruning herself. It was when she cut one branch after another that grew out wildly in order to become what everyone wants. As a result, the last thing left of Lady Schneider, was an elegant and noble lady. The bright, cheerful, and curious Marianne was nowhere to be seen. Nevertheless, there were people who still looked down on her. In general, they were women of powerful families who had been involved in the nobility for a long time. Marianne had to struggle like a general who walked into the enemy camp on their own. The tea time she spent with them was similar to war, and the psychological attacks behind their laughter was like a fight between well-forged swords. She didn¡¯t want Kristoff to find out about her suffering. She didn¡¯t even want him to worry about it. She just wanted him to ask her once, even if it was just an exchange of words for good manners. However, he wasn¡¯t interested in the teatime and banquets she had to attend. He didn¡¯t even know how hard she was fighting there. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could be worried, too.¡± Marianne¡¯s indifferent voice came out of her lips. Kristoff only stared at her from afar. For a moment, his eyes trembled as if they were hurt. Marianne, who realized that her voice was colder than she thought, turned around as if to hide her embarrassment. Then, she continued with her walk. She heard footsteps following her one moment later. The two walked on. They were not standing side by side or facing each other. The heavy silence descended upon each of their footprints. A man who had become drunk early in the night, a cat snooping in the trash can, and the tree swaying in the wind passed by them. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Marianne finally stopped walking when she stood in front of the blue front door of the boarding house. After taking a slight breath, she climbed up the stairs without looking back. And she entered the boarding house without saying anything. Kristoff didn¡¯t hold her back either. ¡°I¡¯m home, Madam Liszt.¡± Marianne greeted in a cheerful voice. Madam Liszt, who was in the kitchen, came out after wiping hands on her apron. ¡°I was worried because it¡¯s already late. Is everything all right, Marianne?¡± ¡°Yes. Except I had to carry an umbrella as Madam advised.¡± ¡°See, what did I say? There¡¯s always one guy you have to hit on the head.¡± ¡°Hurry up and let¡¯s have dinner quickly,¡± said Madam List after speaking haughtily. Marianne nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll just change my clothes and come down again.¡± ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Madam Liszt headed to the kitchen to heat up the food. Marianne went up to the second floor and took off her hat. Phew. The sigh she had been holding back finally came out. After hanging her hat on the wall, she casually threw her gaze out of the window after opening the closet door. She could see a black shadow standing under the darkened sky. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The long shadow was standing motionlessly like a tree rooted in the ground. Marianne¡¯s eyes shook. Her moist breath came out, scattering through her lips, which she forced to be calm until a moment ago. Kristoff. At that moment, the shadow slowly raised their head. As if he heard her call. ¡°!¡± She quickly hid herself behind the wall. Her heart was beating loudly. She closed her eyes tightly as if to get rid of the afterimage from her mind. Why? Why are you suddenly doing something you haven¡¯t done before? Her resentful heart fluttered. It would be nice if he could let her go without any regrets. Kristoff seemed to be someone who put his hand in the door urgently just before it closed. Then, the conclusion was either one of the two. Whether he, who couldn¡¯t overcome the pain, hurriedly pulled out, or Marianne, who couldn¡¯t bear to watch him, opened the door again. Marianne wanted him to give up. Otherwise, it seemed that she would open the door to him at any moment. It would be harder than she thought to simply watch Kristoff suffer on his own. Because she was more concerned about one bump on his finger than her own wound, that left her mouth wide open with blood flowing out of it. She slowly opened her eyes and walked over to the dressing table, and exhaled. There was a reflection of her face in the mirror. She couldn¡¯t believe she looked like that when she was talking to Kristoff. If it was true, he must have noticed immediately that it was a lie. Marianne¡¯s eyes scanned the surrounding helplessly. Looking at herself once again in the mirror, she opened the drawer and took out the scissors. She directed the blade to her neck. And following it. Scrak, scrak. She was cutting her long hair off. Marianne bit her lips in prayer that her stubborn lingering affection would be cut off the same way as this. ¡°Marianne! Do you still need time?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go down soon, Madam.¡± After changing her clothes in a hurry, she went downstairs. That¡¯s why she had no idea that the dark shadow was still standing in front of the house. ¡°It smells delicious.¡± As well as the fact that he was listening quietly to her voice that could be heard from inside the house. Chapter 15 ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Marquis Schneider greeted Kristoff as he entered the drawing room. The old gentleman¡¯s eyes were slightly distorted when looking at his grandson¡¯s face. Kristoff¡¯s face was ridiculous. He could guess the fact that it didn¡¯t go well just by looking at his face. Marquis Schneider clicked his tongue lowly so that his grandson couldn¡¯t hear it. Kristoff only nodded at him and then turned his back. ¡°I¡¯ll go up first.¡± He walked up the stairs, loosening the ascot tie around his neck with one hand, maintaining his nice appearance, whether others saw it or not. He also unbuttoned his shirts one by one. Kristoff clenched his lower jaw. The blue veins of blood protruded around his neck. The room he uses every time he visits the estate hasn¡¯t changed a bit from the last time he came by. Kristoff remembered the last time he came, while throwing the ascot tie on the bed. It was his grandfather¡¯s birthday last year. Of course he came with Marianne. Even though it was Marquis Schneider¡¯s second birthday after their wedding, she was just as nervous as she was the first year. Kristoff couldn¡¯t understand her. It¡¯s not like the sky was going to fall just because she doesn¡¯t know such antiquated manners. There were countless ways to shut the mouths of those sarcastic people. Didn¡¯t their first meeting even go that way? All of a sudden, memories from a long time ago crept up to his mind effortlessly. The Imperial College has opened its doors to women as an action to adjust with the current trend. Marianne was one of three women enrolled in law school, which was also known to be conservative within the Imperial College. Kristoff was in his senior year and was busy practicing at the same time. It was not his concern whether a woman came in or a cat came in. Sometimes he felt strange to see a woman in a dress walking through the hallway. He heard that there were three female students who entered the law school, but he was also surprised at the fact that more female students came and went. Without noticing at all that they did that to get a glimpse of him. Kristoff was envied not only by his juniors but also by his peers. Coming from a good family, great brain, outstanding abilities, and even good looks. He was truly one of the chosen few who had nothing missing in his life. Moreover, the news about Kristoff as the successful candidate to get into ¡®Bagger¡¯, a large lawyer office that only receives one new employee every year, have circulated vastly. Perhaps, it wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. The children of the nobles were often married at the same time as they graduated. This was because belated marriages would only cause unnecessary scandals, so there was no need to scratch things up further. Dating could be done after marriage. Marriage was just a contract between two families, and it wasn¡¯t uncommon for each of them to have a mistress or lover after marriage. However, there wasn¡¯t even a shadow of a woman beside Kristoff. There was no engagement ceremony, but no nasty rumors followed him either. Everyone knew that he was too busy to get involved with women. Therefore, the question of which family¡¯s daughter Kristoff was going to marry has always been the talk of the town. There was also a faint expectation that the position could be theirs despite having not even been nominated. However, there were many more important things Kristoff had to do. He began practicing at the Bagger, the most prestigious lawyer¡¯s office in the capital, and didn¡¯t even have enough time to devote himself to it. When he was busy walking by himself whilst recalling the appointment he had with his supervisor. ¨DApologize. A firm voice penetrated Kristoff¡¯s ear. It wasn¡¯t sharp or shrill. Rather, it was a soft voice which sounded serene. Nevertheless, he could feel the power in her voice. If he heard that voice in the courtroom, he thought he might be persuaded. Kristoff, who slowed down his steps, turned to the place where he believed the sound came from. Dozens of students were circling something, or someone. He heard people in the back whispering, ¡°Kristoff Schneider, Kristoff Schneider.¡± He could sense their glances and even the sideways ones. Because Michael was there. Kristoff was one head taller than the other, so he could easily make his gaze through the crowd. His brows suddenly distorted. The third son of Count Hindenburg, he didn¡¯t have a very good reputation, which was the opposite of Kristoff. He deserved it knowing there was a rumor that he was successfully admitted to the law school because of his father¡¯s donation. Michael was staring at someone coldly. And the corner of his gaze caught a woman. The short hair hanging on her shoulder was so beautiful that it successfully captured Kristoff¡¯s attention. The blue eyes seemed so far away that their depth was unknown. He even stupidly thought it was like a star, sparkling brightly. Kristoff, who had been involuntarily distracted, belatedly noticed a woman sobbing in her arms. It didn¡¯t look good. He had no idea what¡¯s going on, but somehow he had a hunch that they were caught up in pretty big trouble. When Michael Hindenburg was involved, it was mostly that way. Sure enough, Michael threw a mocking smile. ¨DWhy should I apologize? This is not a chicken farm. You need to know your place, no matter how much times have changed, there is always a line to follow. How dare a woman enter law school? Even if you don¡¯t know the subject, you have to push yourself. Just stop talking. Unless you¡¯re Dike, the Goddess of Justice, you¡¯re just a laughing stock for everyone here. The words made the woman, who was sobbing quietly, grow louder. Only then did he understand what was happening. Michael seemed to catch his juniors, just like rats. It was a yearly event. It was one of Michael¡¯s bad habits to pick up a pushover among freshmen every year and bullied them until he was tired of doing it. However, that was not Kristoff¡¯s concern. ¡­¡­No. Kristoff took the watch out of his pocket. The maximum time he could afford for this was only three minutes. More than that would be dangerous. He was never late for an appointment. Annoying. Just when he took a step away after muttering so. ¨DVery funny. Kristoff stopped walking. He slowly turned his eyes and stared at the short-haired woman. Kristoff stopped walking. The surprising fact was the atmosphere was stirred up as well as people in the crowd. ¨DWhat did you just say? Say it again. Michael threatened her with a fierce look. However, she didn¡¯t back down one bit. She looked so confident that he even thought for a moment she was really Dike. ¨DWhat¡¯s wrong with a woman entering law school? Did you forget that Dike, the Goddess of Justice, whom Senior Hindenburg adores so much, is a goddess? ¨DUh. ¨DMore than that, do you feel the fact that a woman entered law school is more urgent as an issue rather than an unqualified person entering the law school? Are you confident to graduate, having entered the school with the donation from the Count of Hindenburg? You should make sure that you graduate before me who just entered this year. ¨D! The dismayed silence dyed the surroundings pale. Kristoff stared at her face once more. Only then did she realize that her blue eyes were glinting with anger. She wasn¡¯t calm. Her anger was at the top of her head. Michael, who had a blank look on his face at unexpected words, blushed belatedly. Upon feeling the gaze of the crowd surrounding him, his face looked even more grim. ¨DThis is how you¡­¡­. ¨DOh, let me just give you a piece of advice. Her words made her surroundings quiet. Even Michael didn¡¯t say anything. She was the only one who spoke calmly. ¨DIt¡¯s childish behavior that even a six-year-old kid wouldn¡¯t do, Senior Hindenburg. ¨DW-What are you talking about? Why are you interested in that? Michael had an unfair look on his face. The onlookers were agitated once more. Kristoff¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t waver, as if it had been glued on her. ¨DYou¡¯ve been hot on our tails for a week and harassed us. What¡¯s the point of doing that when you¡¯re not interested in us? So, between Sofia and me, who are you interested in? I say this for your own good, Senior is not my type. ¨DWho are you to care about such a thing! The shaking Michael strode at her. Unable to contain his anger, he raised one hand. Then he swung it toward her. She closed her eyes tightly for the upcoming pain. At that moment. ¨D! Tak. Michael looked at his arm, which flew quickly and stopped in the middle. Someone was holding his wrist. He twisted his eyebrows. ¨DWho¡­¡­ Before he gets to finish his words, ¨DThat¡¯s enough, Michael Hindenburg. A low, heavy voice engulfed the surroundings. The voice, which was accustomed to only give orders. ¨DHmph, Schneider. Michael looked back and bit his lower lip. Onlookers began to murmur about Kristoff¡¯s appearance. ¨DThere¡¯s no need to add fuel to the rumor. The spreading scandal is already more than enough. Therefore, don¡¯t tarnish the Count of Hindenburg¡¯s name furthermore. ¨DHmph. Michael glared at him. Anger and inferiority filled his eyes at the same time. However, he turned his back without saying anything. It was because he knew that he was no match for Kristoff. She finally dropped her tense shoulder when she saw Michael¡¯s back moving away from the scene. A relieved sigh came out of her slightly opened mouth. She seemed to have a lot of guts, was she scared inside? When Kristoff¡¯s head was filled with unanswered questions for the woman, she looked back at the smaller woman with a tender expression. ¨DAre you alright, Sofia? ¨DI¡¯m fine. Thank you, Marianne. Marianne. Kristoff softly recited her name. Marianne looked up as if she had heard him call her. Their eyes met and she bowed slightly. ¨DThank you. Her earlobes seemed to be flush. Her cold blue eyes seemed to embrace the faint warmth for the first time. It was as if the star were burning. ¨DThere¡¯s nothing good about provoking Michael. He¡¯s not someone who threatens with mere words. He could really hit women. ¨DIf he did, I would have sued him for assault. I should be treating it like criminal law practice. Kristoff opened his eyes slightly wider at her words. The outstanding Kristoff Schneider was speechless. Barely taking his eyes off her for a moment, he checked his watch once again and clicked his tongue lowly. Five minutes had passed before he realized it. The appointment time was tight anyway. He couldn¡¯t delay his steps any longer. He hurriedly turned his back from the two women. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Upon being kicked out from the long thought, Kristoff stared at the wall in front of him. Marianne, who was staring at him with a flushed gaze like a burning star, was not there anymore. She said she didn¡¯t love Kristoff. With calm eyes as if she was looking at Michael. His heart turned cold. His blood seemed to flow the opposite way. A reality that he had never thought about before finally began to take shape and weigh on him. ¡°What should I do, Marianne?¡± Kristoff asked in a weak voice, which was so unlike him. He sounded lost as if he really didn¡¯t know what to do. For the first time in his life, he felt anxious. Or, fear. Divorce. He recalled life without Marianne. It was a very dull life. Humans are adaptable just like animals, so he would get used to the previously boring life he had before, someday. Obviously. It might not take longer than he expected. His life without her was longer than life with her, so it shouldn¡¯t be too difficult. It was just as if he was going back to the life he once had. This time, he tried to imagine Marianne¡¯s life without him. Oh, dear. Chapter 16 ¡°¡­¡­¡± Maybe she would be happy. Maybe she will get to meet someone whom she truly loves and live happily together¡­¡­ ¡°!¡± Kristoff, who had been thinking that far, gritted his rear teeth hard. His eyes glistened furiously as if they belonged to a beast. The mere thought of her with another man made his blood boil. If the man was in front of him, he could snap his neck off at any moment because he was so furious and powerful. At least he couldn¡¯t see them as long as he kept his eyes wide open. Kristoff didn¡¯t believe in love. He thought there was no emotion in the world that could change as easily. Rather, hatred or hate would last longer than that. He thought his parents¡¯ words, who swore for eternal love, were very ugly. He knew how horrible the truth of that day was. Kristoff suddenly clenched his lower jaw as if to shake off the thought that crept up to his mind. Then, what was the name of the emotion he felt toward Marianne? A desire to monopolize or possess? If not, can it be an obsession? No one could answer the question. Kristoff didn¡¯t know the answer either. It was the first time he experienced such an emotion in his life. No one else was able to throw him into this sort of mess. Would it be better to drag her forcefully? Kristoff, who had been thinking for a while, shook his head slowly. Marianne generally followed Kristoff¡¯s advice, but she was not a pushover at all. If he were to drag her against her will, Marianne would escape from his grip with all her might. Just like Gunter and Karin, whom she deceived and headed to the Blauberg by herself. This time, he thought she was going to hide in a place he couldn¡¯t find. And Kristoff would miss her forever. That was not what he wanted. He didn¡¯t want to experience the same thing again. Feeling the blood all over his body dry up, because he didn¡¯t know where Marianne was. It was enough to happen to him once. Kristoff clenched his fists as if he had finally made up his mind. Then, there was only one way left. ¡°I¡¯ll make you love me again, Marianne.¡± So that her blue eyes would look at him again with the same subtle warmth as they used to. Kristoff intended to seduce her wholeheartedly. *** ¡°I¡¯ll be back!¡± Marianne bowed and left the front door brightly. Today would be a good day¡­¡­ When she thought today would go well, she quickly stiffened. Kristoff was standing there. In the same place as yesterday, with the same expression. ¡°!¡± Marianne, who thought he had been standing there all night, breathed out in relief. His clothes were changed. He didn¡¯t seem to have remained in front of the house all night. Suddenly, her eyes grew bigger. Kristoff, who had been staring at the front door for a while, couldn¡¯t easily take his eyes off her when she came out of the house. Her short hair was hanging on her shoulders. ¡°Marianne.¡± Her name came out of Kristoff¡¯s mouth. Knowing it was the time Marianne went to work, he stood there early in the morning to wait for her. He was frustrated at his thoughts while staring at the closed door. He couldn¡¯t sleep anyway, so he had time to do all of this. And she finally showed up. Marianne, who noticed that his eyes lingered on her newly-cut hair, looked embarrassed. She shook her head as soon as the thought that it didn¡¯t suit her crept up to her mind. Who cares if it didn¡¯t suit her? Kristoff¡¯s opinion didn¡¯t matter anymore. However, Kristoff¡¯s eyes were distorted right at that moment. Turning his eyes at Marianne¡¯s forehead, he swore in a low voice. ¡°That son of a b*tch, I¡¯m going to kill him.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Marianne swallowed involuntarily. Only then did she think about her bruised forehead. Madam Liszt, who was enraged at the sight of Marianne¡¯s bruise, forced the umbrella into her hand before she left the house. ¨DI don¡¯t know who did that to you, but go and blow his head off with this! Marianne embarrassingly fiddled with the old umbrella that seemed to be used by an old lady. Kristoff, who took a slow and deep breath, stared at Marianne as if swallowing the rising emotions inside. Suddenly, his lips opened up. ¡°However, no wound can mask your beauty.¡± ¡°!¡± The low and heavy voice made her fingers numb. Marianne opened her eyes wide as if she didn¡¯t understand what she just heard. Her shameless heart beat fast, but she pretended to be indifferent on the outside. She didn¡¯t think hiding her feelings as Lady Schneider would help at times like this. It was a relief. ¡°It reminds me of the day when we met for the first time. Even then, you had short hair like now. That¡¯s why you stood out among others.¡± Marianne was surprised that he remembered that day. She thought it was a memory that she only kept to herself. She thought she was the only one who treated those memories preciously. By the way¡­¡­ Kristoff said he remembered it. Their first meeting¡­¡­ Marianne deliberately spoke in a curt voice so that he wouldn¡¯t catch her agitation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m not masquerading as Lady Schneider. I am Marianne Kloze.¡± Kristoff looked uncharacteristically bewildered, as if he had heard something unexpected. He took a step closer to her with a nervous look. ¡°That¡¯s not it, Marianne. You are¡­¡­¡± Marianne stopped staring at him and walked off. She didn¡¯t want to talk to him. He would surely make his way into her mind effortlessly. Just like he always had. He would force her down completely. Kristoff, who was about to say something, closed his mouth quietly and followed her. His quiet footsteps scratched her nerves. ¡°Aish!¡± She suddenly got angry. He didn¡¯t even spare her a glance when she gave him endless opportunities, but now he came and irritated her. Swing. Turning her back, she glared fiercely at Kristoff. Facing Marianne, who wore an angry expression, he looked embarrassed like a child who didn¡¯t know what to do. A feeble and pitiful face. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Marianne eventually turned her back to him again without saying anything. She took steps forward angrily while shaking her shoulders wildly, such a manner was so unlike Lady Schneider. The persistent footsteps haunted her. *** ¡°Good morning.¡± Marianne, who greeted everyone brightly as she entered the office, felt a strange atmosphere and slowly stopped her footsteps. Nicholas, Maxim Florian, and Ian. all the team members were already in the office. Is she late? That can¡¯t be. She threw a brief glance out of the window and returned her gaze back into the office. The atmosphere was heavy. For some reason, Marianne couldn¡¯t get through them easily because she felt like she was under some sort of mysterious pressure and just stood there while looking at the four men. Maxim stared at her with his big and sharp eyes, Florian just turned away from her with a cold expression. Ian, just like her, watched the three men. And there was Nicholas. ¡°Marianne Haveck.¡± ¡°Yes, Inspector Nicholas.¡± Marianne replied more enthusiastically than before. Nicholas, who sat at the desk, folded his arms and stared at her. Just as his blue eyes seemed to become more mysterious. ¡°How did you figure it out?¡± ¡°What? What?¡± Nicholas frowned slightly at her question. Ian, who was beside her, spoke in a small voice, ¡°About the jewelry robber she caught yesterday.¡± ¡°A stolen gem was found in his house. We only found about half of it. The other half seems to have already been squandered.¡± Only then did Marianne, who nodded, scratch her cheek indifferently. It was a flippant act that Lady Schneider would never do, but it was natural for Marianne. ¡°It was easy to recognize him after looking at the montage.¡± There was another brief silence in her calm reply. The silence felt uncomfortable, as if it pricked her. Prick, her cheeks hurt. Nicholas remembered the face of a jewelry robber who had been locked up in the prison cell. Regardless of how many times he saw the montage, it was difficult to recognize the culprit at a single glance. It wouldn¡¯t have been easy unless it were Maxim and Florian, who have an old hand in this kind of stuff. He had to admit that she had special eyes. She might be more than he expected. ¨DLet¡¯s see what Marianne can do here. Commissioner Simon¡¯s words came to his mind when she came here for the first time. There¡¯s something she can do. Perhaps. ¡°D*mn it.¡± Maxim, who couldn¡¯t stand it, leaped up from his seat and left the office after releasing profanities through his teeth. Florian still stared coldly at the window. Nicholas spoke in a softer voice. ¡°Your appearance has changed a lot, but I still managed to recognize you. Good job.¡± Good job. There was a hint of warmth in his words. Marianne looked at him with an embarrassed gaze, and she muttered, ¡°Thank you¡± after a long while and entwined her lips. Her cheeks flushed brightly. Nicholas, who nodded, brought his butt off the desk and looked at the team members. ¡°Well, let¡¯s work hard today, too. Florian, I have to look at the current progress of the investigation, and Ian, go and get Maxim. And Marianne.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Marianne stared at him with so much expectations in the air. Her sparkling, indigo-colored eyes blazed like a star. Nicholas raised his hand and pointed to the desk where the documents were piled up. ¡°I¡¯ll ask for those papers today.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± With slumping shoulders, she trudged and moved weakly. ¡°Oh, before that,¡± she heard Nicholas call her again. Marianne turned her head sullenly. ¡°See the doctor first.¡± ¡°Doctor? Oh.¡± She brought her hand to her forehead. Although she felt a throbbing pain, she could still endure it. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Inspector.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not going to be the only place where you got hurt anyway.¡± Marianne opened her eyes wide at Nicholas¡¯ words that seemed to know everything. Could the inspector see through the scars under her clothes? ¡°Ian said so. I mean, you hit the killer while flying. I heard there was a suspicious noise during the fight. Is your bone alright?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± Marianne nodded while avoiding his gaze. After a moment passed, she thought she didn¡¯t have to do that. However, she couldn¡¯t think of any other way at that moment. ¡°In order to keep doing this job for a long time, you need to know how to save yourself. There¡¯s a small clinic one block away from here. It¡¯s a place that many police officers visit, so if you tell them you¡¯re from the Police Agency, they¡¯ll take good care of you. The doctor is a great guy.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Marianne nodded. She looked away from Nicholas¡¯ back and quietly repeated what he had just said. ¡°In order to keep doing this job for a long time,¡± A faint smile suddenly hung around her lips. *** ¡°Ms. Marianne Haveck, please come in.¡± Following the nurse¡¯s guidance, she opened the door of the doctor¡¯s office and entered. The small and cozy clinic gave off a clean atmosphere, as if it had just been built. Instead of the smell of disinfectant, it smelled a bit like dry paint. ¡°Ms¡­¡­ Marianne Haveck?¡± The doctor across the desk casted her a favorable look. Marianne couldn¡¯t hide her surprised expression and opened her eyes widely. He had a friendly impression with that attractive smile on his face. The mild atmosphere surrounding him was able to relieve the patient¡¯s anxiousness. He was quite different from the overbearing doctors she had met until now. Especially with Schneider¡¯s unfriendly doctor. ¡°My name is Liam Fluke. You can call me Doctor Fluke. Are you sick anywhere?¡± Marianne casually fiddled with her forehead. ¡°Oh, dear.¡± Chapter 17 The doctor frowned faintly and examined his bruised forehead. Marianne spoke in a shy voice and made eye contact with him. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Inspector Nicholas told me to come here.¡± The expression disappeared from the doctor¡¯s face in a moment. Staring at her with thoughtful eyes, he blinked slowly. His widened eyes disappeared, leaving only a pretty smile. Marianne unconsciously stared at him. ¡°Are you the detective who just joined the National Police Agency?¡± ¡°Do you know me?¡± When she opened her eyes wide, Liam laughed lightly. His impression of her became more meek. If he had to express it, she had a kind face that seemed to not be able to kill even a single bug. ¡°Officers come here frequently. They go to the clinic and tell me a lot of things. You can¡¯t even imagine how talkative those rough fellows are. You¡¯ve been a hot potato for a few days now.¡± ¡°I was that famous.¡± Marianne dropped her eyes in an unhappy manner. This was because the rumors surrounding her didn¡¯t seem to be very good. ¡°Call me Liam. We¡¯re going to see each other often from now on.¡± ¡°Will we see each other often?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say that Maxim and Ian are the regular customers who attend our clinic.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll be seeing you often, Dr. Liam.¡± Marianne nodded with hopeless expression. Hahaha, Liam laughed out loud, his back bent backward. It was a smile that made even the viewers feel cold. In the end, Marianne laughed along with him. ¡°Perhaps, it will. Inspector Nicholas¡¯ team is primarily responsible for violent incidents. If you want to keep doing this job for a long time, you¡¯d better learn to save yourself.¡± ¡°I also heard it from Inspector Nicholas.¡± ¡°Oh no, I said that first when I met him for the first time, but I lost because of his initiative this time.¡± Liam made a comical expression as if he was one step behind. Marianne was already very fond of him. Even though it was her first time meeting someone, she felt comfortable with him like a friend she knew for a very long time. Perhaps, it was due to the mild atmosphere surrounding her. Then, she realized that there was no one in Blauberg whom she could rely on. No, it wasn¡¯t just here. The same was true in the capital. The only person she could talk to was, Veronica. Her younger sister¡¯s face suddenly came to his mind out of the blue without any prior warning. A lovely child whom she shared secrets with which she couldn¡¯t tell her parents about. A poor child whom she could never see again. ¡°Lady Haveck?¡± Liam carefully called out Marianne¡¯s name while observing her expression. After a brief period of grieving inwardly, she pulled up the corners of her mouth out of habit. Rather than Marianne, that side of her belonged to Lady Schneider. A smile that hides her own emotions skillfully. ¡°¡­¡­Please call me Marianne. We¡¯ll see each other more often.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing if I can see Lady Marianne often, but meeting me frequently means there is something wrong with your body. I hope that doesn¡¯t happen. However.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to take my advice because you even fly in the air to catch a jewelry robber, right?¡± He squinted his eyes and smiled. Marianne shrugged with a subtle frown. He looked half hopeless. ¡°How far did the rumor spread?¡± Liam looked at her with his widened and bent eyes. It was a warm gaze that comforted the opponent¡¯s heart. ¡°You are welcome to visit me anytime, Marianne.¡± Marianne stared at him without a word. Great wariness suddenly weighed on her shoulders. Somehow, she felt that her life was very tiring. She had every right to feel that way. A lot of things happened in a short time. Veronica¡¯s death, divorce, and now having a new life in a strange place. ¡°You will have to do a lot of hard duty in the future. Not with your body, but your mind.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Marianne nodded slowly. It wouldn¡¯t be easy to blend in among men and do her part. Even the town doctor knew the rumor about her, so she couldn¡¯t even guess how far the story behind it would have spread. Her every move would be talked about for a while. When she was incompetent, she would be ridiculed; when she was competent, they would envy her. It was just something she used to know. Lady Schneider was not much different. As soon as Marianne¡¯s commoner status rose up, all kinds of envious rumors were hot on her tail. When she was clumsy, put in ridicule, she was envied when she had skills. Perhaps, if she had married another noble, she wouldn¡¯t have been insulted so much. Everyone coveted the position of Kristoff¡¯s wife. This was because the person sitting there was Marianne Kloze, whom no one had ever expected. Due to this, she had to practice hiding her expression. She had to listen to them talking about Lady Schneider¡¯s qualities whenever she made a hurt expression by their ridicule. ¡°I can listen to you as much as you want. That¡¯s why even if you¡¯re not sick, come visit often. I¡¯ve also completed a psychiatrist course before.¡± ¡°Are you trying to entice psychiatric patients this time?¡± Hahaha, Liam laughed again. His laughter held the power to relieve the opponent¡¯s wariness. Was it because he¡¯s a psychiatrist? There was also a pleasant smile hung on Marianne¡¯s lips. Then, she realized how long it had been since she laughed and dropped her gaze bitterly. Liam¡¯s gentle brown eyes overshadowed her bitter look. There were various types of crimes such as violence, theft, robbery, and murder. Sometimes there were cruel crimes which were frowned upon, and sometimes pitiful crimes which were enough to be pitied. However, Marianne felt much more pleasure now in organizing the crime reports than having a high-class tea party with the women of nobility. The time to chat about gossip and trends, which she was not interested in, was simply drudgery. ¨DOh, look at Lady Schneider. She can¡¯t even hold the teacup properly because it seems like she comes from a commoner background. ¨DShe doesn¡¯t get a strict education at home, so it¡¯s understandable. ¨DDid you hear the noise when she drank tea? Oh God, even my maid is not that clumsy. ¨DWe have to understand her situation, she¡¯s special. She¡¯s a woman from the Schneider Family after all. Marianne didn¡¯t realize that drinking a cup of tea had so much manners. She also learned for the first time that there was a rule of direction when stirring tea, and that the place where the teaspoon is placed before and after stirring tea is different. For Lady Schneider, Marianne Kloze¡¯s common sense did nothing to help in it. She was just like a baby. She had to learn everything from the beginning. It took a very long time to get used to their mockery. Until the time when there was nothing more to be coveted as a result of her bloody efforts, therefore no one could look down on her, it was when Marianne was finally able to have a talk with them. Even after that, she didn¡¯t feel comfortable. Nor become particularly close to them. However, she only did her best because it¡¯s the role she was assigned to. Each time her branches were creaking as it was being sawed off one by one. She used to think about it sometimes. She wondered if the tree with all of its branches sawed off would be the same as how it was at first. Is Marianne still Marianne? Is she still Marianne Kloze, who drinks tea gracefully and talks elegantly? If not, who is she? ¡°Your hand halted. Are you ready to play around, rookie? Everyone who graduated from the Royal College is like that, right?¡± At that time, the murmuring voice interrupted her train of thoughts. Instead of answering, Marianne slowly raised her head. Maxim was staring intensely at her with a displeased gaze. If it were in the past, she would have counter him in the same way. However it was Marianne, who was disciplined by the invisible malevolence of the noblewomen. Compared to them, Maxim¡¯s argument sounded cute. At least he was the kind of person whom she could see through. Maxim regarded her as an invader who got into his territory. He was wary that what he had built all this time would fall apart because of her. He probably treated anyone else like that, not just Marianne. Anyone who graduated from the Royal College, including him, must be generally territorial and obnoxious to anyone. Marianne smiled at him and pulled up the corners of her mouth. ¡°I¡¯ve just finished organizing this.¡± ¡°!¡± Maxim seemed surprised, as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. He didn¡¯t know if it was because she was quick in handling the work assigned to her or because of her thick guts, but the important thing was that he had no intention of praising Marianne for finishing her work. Maxim frowned faintly and glanced in front of the office. ¡°But who is that?¡± The corners of Marianne¡¯s mouth pulled up awkwardly to his question. She knew who was sitting there without turning her head. Kristoff Schneider. The office, which was open to the entire first floor, was crowded with detectives, uniformed officers, and citizens who came to do business. And Kristoff was sitting on the chair at the entrance office while staring at her. He didn¡¯t take his eyes off Marianne for a second in an intimidating posture with crossed legs and arms folded in front of his chest. Anyone who had no business here would be kicked out, but no one could confront him easily due to his presence. Neatly ironed business suit, ascot tie, and shiny shoes. His black hair combed over with pomade. He looked unusual to everyone. There was no one who lost their mind to ask about Kristoff¡¯s identity. The suit, which was different from the color and pattern, must have made anyone be able to guess his status. ¡°Sir Francke¡­¡­ Huh, huh.¡± It was then. The uniformed officer, who came running while panting, whispered something to Maxim as he breathed heavily. Maxim, whose eyebrows were slowly distorted, spat out harshly. ¡°Death case. Ian¡­..¡± He paused and looked around the empty office. Ian was going out with Florian to the shopping district. Nicholas was in the middle of a private meeting with the commissioner. He clicked his tongue hopelessly whilst looking around the office where nobody was there. This was because the principle demanded them to work outside in pairs. ¡°Should we wait for the inspector to come? The death case should be taken care of before it¡¯s damaged.¡± Marianne, who secretly heard the impatient speech, rose from her seat. ¡°Would you mind if I follow you? I just finished organizing the documents, and it seems that the inspector will take some time to finish.¡± ¡°No need¡­..¡± The next moment, Maxim flashed a smile full of intentions as he stopped his words. Marianne seemed to know what the man was thinking, but she didn¡¯t show it on her face. ¡°All right. Follow me.¡± Maxim pulled out his chest and shook his head as if showing off his confidence. Marianne hurriedly put on her head and ran after him. *** ¡°So, who the hell is that man?¡± Maxim glanced behind him, repeating the same question he muttered a while ago. Marianne couldn¡¯t answer again and just pulled up the corners of her mouth awkwardly. Kristoff was following the two, five or six steps behind. With his back straight and not causing a single disturbance. He looked very relaxed. Just why? Marianne had no idea what was on his mind. ¡°Give me three minutes, I¡¯ll keep it short and concise.¡± This habit of Kristoff¡¯s speaking manner as he was one of the busiest men in the capital. His time was money, and an astronomical sum was exchanged for his defense at once. The mere fact that Kristoff was staying in Blauberg was surprising, but it was even more surprising that he followed her around without doing anything. She didn¡¯t know for sure, but his aide, Oliver, must have been in a frenzy trying to sort things out right now. He must be running around all over the place with a tearful face. She offered her deepest sympathy to Oliver. Chapter 18 ¡°Have you taken any money from him? No matter how bad the situation was, you can¡¯t take other people¡¯s money. Do you think I¡¯ve seen a stabbing incident just once or twice?¡± Maxim mockingly scolded her. Marianne walked hurriedly, thinking it would be better if she had taken his money away. The persistent gaze tugged at the back of her head. ¡°Is it just me? I think he¡¯s staring at me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Marianne walked forward, pretending not to hear Maxim¡¯s blabber. There was something more important than that right now. It was her first time to be dispatched. Her heart was tense, enough for it to jump out through her mouth. She was worried if she could do as well as she expected. Marianne held her lips so that he wouldn¡¯t notice her anxiousness. ¡°Hello, Inspector Maxim.¡± The policeman, who was covered in his uniform, was guarding the front of the house and greeted him when he spotted the detectives. She slowly raised her head to look up at the house before her. It was a home which had a similar exterior to Madam Liszt¡¯s boarding house. A two-story brick house with a brown front door and three stones as stepping paths. Maxim walked past him in a condescending manner. ¡°Thank you for working hard.¡± Marianne also greeted them before going into the house. The uniformed officers, who seemed suspicious of her, soon recognized her and whispered, ¡°It must be the female officer in the rumor.¡± ¡°The one who flew to catch the jewelry robber?¡± ¡°A female officer? The world must be coming to an end.¡± Marianne, who was entering the house while pretending not to be aware of their sarcastic remarks, stopped at the next moment. ¡°Umph!¡± Expression quickly disappeared from her face. She managed to hold back her screaming by covering her mouth with both hands. There was a dead body at the bottom of the stairs. The body that fell from the stairs was bleeding in the back of its head. As soon as she recognized it, Marianne¡¯s face began to turn pale. The first body she encountered was far more shocking than a blurry imagination. The body of the man whose life has left like a piece of wood. Or, he was like a well-made doll. The strange gap brought chills to her heart. A foul smell pierced her nose, it was a smell of filth and blood. Marianne clenched her fist in spite of herself. Her stomach felt like it was being turned upside down. Maxim smiled in remorse as if he already knew it. He didn¡¯t even know he wanted Marianne to fall apart like this. She didn¡¯t mean to do what he wanted. Nevertheless, she couldn¡¯t stand the rising nausea. The physiological phenomenon couldn¡¯t be suppressed by her will. ¡°!¡± She eventually turned around and ran out of the house. Maxim giggled and laughed behind her, meanwhile the uniformed officers were seen shaking their heads sympathetically. Marianne ran straight to the back of the house. Shrubs were planted in front of the fence. She bent down there and immediately released the contents of her stomach. ¡°Ugh.¡± A deep sense of shame washed over her. To herself as she couldn¡¯t stand this much. There was a huge gap between imagination and reality. In her imagination, she solved the case quickly, but in reality she was frightened by the sight of body and felt nauseated. She might have thought lightly about the job of the police this entire time. As others say, she didn¡¯t even figure out that she was cut out for the police job. ¨DA female officer? The world must be coming to an end. What the uniformed officer said earlier lingered in her ears. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Her eyes were blurry. She didn¡¯t know if it was because of nausea or shame. However, the only thing that she could make sure of was that she was pathetic because she couldn¡¯t stand it. Wake up, Marianne Kloze. At that moment when she clenched her fist. Tap, tap. She felt a soft touch on her back. And Marianne became even more pale. A familiar smell of perfume brushed the tip of her nose brought by the wind. A deep and refreshing scent like the sea. She knew who the scent belonged to. Kristoff. He was so sensitive to cleanliness that he was thought to be a clean freak. He couldn¡¯t stand seeing dust in the house, and he had to change immediately even if there was merely a very small strange substance on his clothes. When he had to shake hands with others for business purposes, he hid his displeasure under his aloof expression. After that, he would wipe his hands when people weren¡¯t looking. But he was now patting Marianne on the back, who was vomiting. Marianne¡¯s eyes were wide open as she couldn¡¯t believe the fact without a frown. ¡°Are you alright, Marianne?¡± Only then did Marianne realize that she looked ugly in front of him. I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s like this from the next day. Marianne just came to realize that she must have looked ugly in front of him. She couldn¡¯t believe she would be like this the next day after making a huge scene? Ugh. Marianne tried to conceal her shame and nodded in an indifferent manner. Pat, pat, his touch on her back was tender, unlike Kristoff at all. That was the reason why she couldn¡¯t bear to look behind her. ¡°Take a deep breath.¡± Kristoff¡¯s touch slowed down slightly. The hand that was tapping on her back suddenly changed to sweeping down her back. As if he had an obvious intention. The fingers touching the back of her neck touched each of the bones of her spine. Persistent and meticulous, as if counting the number of bones in there. Marianne¡¯s shoulders were tense because of the stealthy yet blatant movement of his hand. Kristoff¡¯s eyes grew darker little by little. When his finger passed by her waist. ¡°Ukh!¡± Marianne suddenly stood up. Everywhere he touched, it burned as if she had been burnt with a flame. Her heart pounded wildly. She gradually ran out of breath. ¡°I¡¯m fine, now.¡± Kristoff¡¯s hand slowly fell at her act of complete refusal. Marianne bit her lips angrily, as if not wanting him to know about her pounding heart. Kristoff¡¯s stiff voice shook the air. ¡°Out of five senses of a human, smell is the highest fatigue phenomenon. It means that there will be a time when you get used to it so much, even the worst smell can¡¯t affect you anymore.¡± Marianne opened her eyes wide at his remark. How does he know that? Has he ever seen a dead body before? Marianne¡¯s eyes moved on him. Kristoff, who noticed her questioning expression, slowly straightened his knees before giving an answer. ¡°In case you forgot, I¡¯ve also been in charge of defending criminal cases.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Marianne thought she knew a lot about him. At least more than he knew about her. However, it dawned on her that it might not be true. ¡°Wait here for a minute.¡± At the end of his remark, Kristoff turned around. Marianne looked from the distance as he entered the house. Then, she heard a creaking noise of a door. ¡°?¡± When she turned her head, she spotted a boy sticking his face out through the slightly opened back door. He seemed to be about 12 years old. The boy, who was staring at Marianne, sucked his thumb whilst tilting his head. He seemed to be clumsy and young for his age. His shining brown eyes observed her with a glint of curiosity and vigilance. When he heard the approaching footsteps, he quickly hid himself inside the house again. The back door that led to the kitchen was slammed shut. The uniformed officer only stared at Kristoff, who was coming in and out of the house without a hint of hesitation. He seemed to be overwhelmed by his powerful presence and couldn¡¯t bring himself to ask. Kristoff didn¡¯t pay any attention to the officer either. ¡°Drink this.¡± He held out a glass of water to Marianne. ¡°¡­¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t readily take it, but simply stared at it. After swallowing her growing sorrow, she reached out to him for the first time in a while. Then, she slowly took the glass to her mouth. She felt pathetic. Miserable, too. A voice lined with indifference came from over her head. ¡°You don¡¯t have to blame yourself, Marianne. It¡¯s like an initiation ceremony for everyone who sees the dead body for the first time. Male cops are not much different either. I also saw a police officer running away while bawling his eyes out earlier.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Marianne quietly raised her gaze at his remarks. Was it consolation? She couldn¡¯t be sure because the person before her was Kristoff Schneider, not just anyone else. The epitome of cold hard logic and rationality. Rather than sympathizing with the victim¡¯s pain, he was a lawyer who cut his opponent with ruthless arguments. Kristoff was looking at her with his usual insensitive expression. As if telling the truth just as it was. After that, she felt more comfortable. Marianne took her mouth off the glass and rose from her bending position. Marianne was hesitant whilst looking down at her feet, so she whispered quietly. ¡°¡­¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°No problem. If you feel like submitting your resignation, I¡¯m always willing to do it for you.¡± Marianne smiled and pulled the corners of her mouth. ¡°It calmed me down a little. I¡¯m really fine now.¡± Seeing her embracing herself, Kristoff moved his eyebrows lightly as if he knew it. ¡°Here.¡± He revealed a mint leaf. A pungent and cool scent filled the surroundings. ¡°If you chew mint, you¡¯ll feel a little better. I use this method sometimes¡­¡­ Of course, there are scenes where even mint is useless, but wouldn¡¯t it be better than nothing?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Marianne chewed the mint as he suggested. The cool scent seemed to paralyze her sense of smell. She calmed down even more after that. Taking a deep breath and stretching her shoulders, she walked up bravely. Maxim, who was standing beside the dead body, spat out sarcastically with a grumpy look. ¡°Are you back already? I thought I wouldn¡¯t be able to make it today, but well, it doesn¡¯t look like you¡¯re crying. I thought I could see a good view, but it was such a shame.¡± His intentions were clear. So that Marianne curled up her tail and ran away. She can not do what he wants. Marianne looked at him and pulled up the corners of her mouth. An elegant smile that couldn¡¯t be beaten recklessly as if when dealing with the noblewomen. Maxim frowned with a suspicious look. ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡± ¡°Whose concern?¡± Marianne let his words slip into one ear and approached the dead body. A cold, lifeless body was waiting in front of her. She closed her eyes tightly and opened them again, looked at the body with eyes she put a lot of effort into keeping them open. It was a young woman. A woman who wasn¡¯t even married yet. Maybe about 15-16 years old. She laid face down on the carpet and looked at the floor. The clotted blood in the back of her head had already turned brown. Contrary to the bloody injury, the carpet was clean. Marianne watched the body meticulously, while holding herself back from wanting to run out from here. Maxim spoke smugly. ¡°There¡¯s no need to look at it so hard. It¡¯s an accident anyway. She must have rolled down the narrow, steep staircase. Well, a rookie doesn¡¯t know how to figure it out.¡± Marianne casted a doubtful glance at his remark. How did he know that by just looking at the body? Maxim pointed to the woman standing beside him with one of his hands. A middle-aged woman, who seemed to be so pale that it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if she fainted right away, was shaking while leaning her body against the kitchen wall. She was struggling to contain her emotions and soaring sorrow. ¡°She¡¯s the victim¡¯s mother. She said she witnessed it. The way the victim tumbled down the stairs.¡± Marianne¡¯s eyes were directed on the woman. Unable to look at the dead body, the woman held her hands together. Marianne¡¯s eyes, which were staring at the woman¡¯s trembling hands, returned to the dead body. A doubtful voice slipped from her teeth. ¡°She¡¯s lying face down and dead. Shouldn¡¯t she be facing the ceiling if she hit her head on the stairs?¡± [t/n: I¡¯m probably overreacting but Maxim makes me so mad and start to despise him at this point. Putting myself in Marianne¡¯s shoes and imagining myself going through this, I would have fainted on the spot. A good thing about this chapter is that the author writes Marianne to be as realistic as possible.] Chapter 19 ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense when you don¡¯t even know anything! For a mere woman, what do you know? I¡¯ve worked here for about seven years! I know more than you! You just have to do what I tell you to do. Got it?¡± He shouted furiously as if he would devour Marianne at any time. Maxim hated this situation where she invaded his territory. Objecting to his opinion was included as well. Kristoff, who had been quiet as if he was an outsider until then, stepped forward. He was a man of great presence in any sense. Just because of his movement, the eyes in the room immediately turned toward him. Kristoff, who had been through all sorts of hardships at the court, knew instinctively when to speak up. Marianne, Maxim, and the middle-aged woman¡¯s eyes were all directed upon him. He only parted his lips when the tension in the room reached its peak after having been silent. ¡°Who is this guy?¡± Kristoff pointed his chin at Maxim. At that moment, Maxim frowned at his arrogant attitude. ¡°Does this guy not know that you graduated from the Law Major in the Royal College?¡± Marianne stared at the two alternately with a nervous gaze. Maxim glared at Kristoff with his cold gaze. ¡°You must have thought the field is the same as the theory you learn at school, you bet. The crime doesn¡¯t take a smooth turn. And who are you to stay in the crime scene? Aren¡¯t you a rookie who doesn¡¯t even know basic common sense? That outsiders are not permitted to enter the scene.¡± Chuckle. Kristoff chuckled lightly upon hearing the word rookie. His smile was a somewhat spine-chilling one. He held out his right hand leisurely. Maxim, who flinched, looked at Kristoff¡¯s hand. ¡°My name is Kristoff Schneider.¡± ¡°Schneider?¡± In an instant, Maxim¡¯s expression stiffened. In Blauberg, Schneider¡¯s surname has more influence than one could imagine. It wasn¡¯t strange, given the fact that this entire territory belonged to the Schneider Family. Moreover, Kristoff Schneider¡¯s name was famous in other ways. The fact that Marquis Schneider¡¯s grandson was the most famous lawyer in the capital was the most common talk among people in Blauberg. Even the trial results he was in charge of were conveyed to Blauberg in real time. People were cheering and proud of his victory. ¡°I-I¡¯m Maxim Francke.¡± Maxim held his hand as if possessed. Kristoff shook his hands lightly and took a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his hands. As if he had touched something nasty. Gracious heaven! Marianne sighed, meanwhile Maxim was embarrassed and his face became red. However, Kristoff remained calm. ¡°I¡¯m in charge of legal consulting for the Blauberg Police Agency from today, but I guess you haven¡¯t heard about it yet. I was waiting for the personnel appointment to be issued, so you¡¯ll probably hear about me when you return to the National Police Agency.¡± Marianne¡¯s eyes widened at his remark. ¡°How¡­¡­!¡± Kristoff, who looked at her, replied with an expression that spoke as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal. ¡°I used the same method as you.¡± Marquis Schneider. Marianne closed her eyes tightly. The Marquis¡¯ words, when he said he cared for her more than anyone else, but would take Kristoff¡¯s side during the crucial moment, came to her mind. I think you¡¯re favoring Kristoff too much, My Lord. ¡°By the way, Sir Kristoff Schneider, why are you here¡­..¡± Maxim looked alternately at Kristoff and Marianne with a suspicious gaze. She stared at the stairs in front of her to avoid Maxim¡¯s gaze. Instead of answering him, Kristoff threw his gaze at the dead body. He didn¡¯t even blink when looking at the horrible sight of the dead body in front of him. He brought his gaze to Maxim again. Maxim somehow felt like he was pulled back. The cold atmosphere put him on eggshells. He involuntarily straightened his back. However, he also got a position. Regardless of being the successor of the Marquis Schneider, he couldn¡¯t back down easily. This was his territory. The castle which Maxim Francke has built bit by bit for over seven years. Kristoff spoke up first when he was about to say something. ¡°Marianne.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Tell me everything you¡¯re thinking about this. Don¡¯t mind the guy who just barks like a wild dog.¡± Kristoff stood straight and folded his arms. Maxim¡¯s face reddened even more. Glancing at his face, Marianne spoke slowly with a thoughtful expression. ¡°He said she hit the back of her head on the stairs when she fell, but there are no blood stains anywhere on the stairs. Furthermore, the wound is wide and obtuse, as if she had been hit by a blunt instrument rather than hitting the corner of the stairs.¡± ¡°Ukh.¡± Maxim hurriedly examined the body after groaning lowly. She was right. Great frustration was displayed on Maxim¡¯s face. Meanwhile, Marianne¡¯s voice shook the quiet air once again. ¡°There is a small amount of blood on the victim¡¯s fingernails, but it doesn¡¯t seem to be the victim¡¯s. If she just touched the wound, her nails would be smeared with a lot more than this amount of blood. Not just on her nails, but on her whole hand.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Kristoff, who nodded with a satisfied expression, glanced at Maxim as if showing off her skill. Maxim crumpled his face upon his smug expression as if bragging about his smart child. ¡°I-I also have already examined that much! However, that much doesn¡¯t prove it wasn¡¯t an accident!¡± Kristoff hated knobheads. He hated stubborn people even more. However, the person he hated the most was someone who was foolish and stubborn. Maxim is the perfect example of that kind of person. He eyed Marianne. One of his crooked eyebrows straightened. ¡°What else do you see, Marianne?¡± ¡°Although the wound is big, the blood smeared on the carpet is less than there should be. That means¡­¡­¡± She looked at Kristoff quietly for a moment, as if organizing her thoughts. ¡°Does that mean she was moved here from somewhere else? Why?¡± Kristoff was the most surprised in the room despite not showing any sign of it. Her explanation was logical and reasonable. Also, it was valid. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Kristoff, who looked at the middle-aged woman as if he had already guessed it, remained silent with a calm look on his face. The next moment, he hunched with one knee bent. And lifted the carpet. The white floor was exposed. ¡°Dust is piled up under the carpet. The carpet wasn¡¯t supposed to be here in the first place. You¡¯re right, Marianne. The body was moved here with the carpet. And.¡± Stretching his back slowly, he threw a serious look at the woman who was standing in front of the kitchen. ¡°If the blood on the victim¡¯s fingernails is not hers, there remains one answer.¡± ¡°The perpetrator?¡± She followed Kristoff¡¯s gaze whilst answering nonchalantly. Then, he noticed who was at the end of it and seemed shocked. Kristoff smiled faintly at the sight and murmured to himself in a low voice. ¡°You don¡¯t know how cruel a good person can be sometimes.¡± She hoped that she would never know. Marianne looked at the middle-aged woman, her pupils were shaking. A woman who was the victim¡¯s mother. ¡°Tsk.¡± Clicking his tongue slowly, Maxim approached her. Without asking for her consent, he rolled up her arms in a rude manner. The struggling and rebelling woman was held against her will, for her sleeves to be pushed up. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Her arms were clean. ¡°Ha.¡± Maxim looked at Kristoff with a sneer on his face. Kristoff¡¯s eyebrows twitched. At that moment a shady smile slid across Maxim¡¯s lips, a boy stuck his head out of the kitchen. In an instant, Maxim¡¯s expression disappeared from his face. The middle-aged woman who followed his gaze grasped Maxim¡¯s arm urgently. ¡°I did it, I¡­¡­! I accidentally hit Mary. I killed Mary!¡± His sharp voice sounded like a desperate scream. The silence that followed her cry was much more serene yet colder than before. He doesn¡¯t live as a police officer with meritorious deeds. Seven years of using his intuition has pulled him out of his shell. And in this case, his intuition was right a hundred times out of a hundred. Maxim shook off the woman who grabbed his arm and walked toward the boy. The boy shrugged his shoulders, as if frightened by Maxim¡¯s body who was approaching him. He grabbed the boy by the arms without saying anything. ¡°KYAA!¡± The boy screamed as if he was frightened. Marianne unconsciously approached him. ¡°Maxim! He¡­¡­!¡± However, Maxim was one beat faster than her. He rolled up the boy¡¯s sleeve immediately. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Her feet suddenly came to a halt. There were two reddened lines on his small forearm. Blood seeped out, sharp marks to be precise. Thud! The middle-aged woman knelt in her place. Maxim held the body of the violently struggling boy, and he finally burst into tears. ¡°Let¡¯s hear the details at the police station.¡± Maxim notified in a domineering manner. The middle-aged woman closed her eyes tightly with a sorrowful expression, meanwhile Marianne stood there and looked at the boy. ¡°Huhu! Mother! Mother!¡± The little boy was crying in utter terror. ¡°Mother! I¡¯m scared! I don¡¯t want to go! Mother! HUAA!¡± How could he express this feeling? It was different from resentment. It was also different from embarrassment. Even less than compassion¡­¡­ No, it was a mix of resentment, embarrassment, and compassion. ¡°Marianne.¡± Kristoff approached her and called her name. Marianne didn¡¯t know what kind of expression she had to put on her face. Kristoff stared at her with his deeply subdued eyes. He wanted to hug Marianne by the shoulder. He wished to hold her in his arms and gave a pat on her back. However, he couldn¡¯t. At this moment, Kristoff was keenly aware of what he¡¯d lost. He was no longer the man Marianne loved. He didn¡¯t deserve to embrace her. D*mn it. Quiet curses slipped through Kristoff¡¯s teeth. He didn¡¯t want to give other men what he didn¡¯t have. Kristoff stared into the air with icy eyes and clenched his empty fists. It had to be brought back. Her heart that left him. *** ¡°That man, doesn¡¯t he like you?¡± At that question, Marianne¡¯s eyes followed Kristoff¡¯s. There was Maxim at the end of his gaze. Maxim Francke, who seemed to be somewhat furious. Marianne frowned, as if she heard nonsense. Voice laced with displeasure slipped out through her teeth. ¡°Why on earth do you think so? Didn¡¯t you see that Maxim was dying to slaughter me, Kristoff?¡± Marianne glanced at him with a look as if saying it was impossible. Kristoff missed the right timing to answer because he was busy savoring his name that came out through her lips. He wasn¡¯t a fantasizer, but that moment was quite romantic for him. She made him like that simply by calling his name, Kristoff. Not the successor to Marquis Schneider, nor a high-profile lawyer, but simply Kristoff Schneider. What should he name this emotion? Too obsequious to be considered possessive, but also too sweet to be considered obsession. Chapter 20 While he was lost in thought, Marianne¡¯s brow twisted even more. The more she thought about it, the more she was displeased by what he said. Kristoff, who was glaring at Maxim¡¯s back in the distance with sharply narrowed eyes, clicked his tongue. Maxim turned his head and stared at Marianne before his eyes met Kristoff. He, whose shoulders seemingly stiffened, whiffed his head away. ¡°Isn¡¯t he messing around with you because he¡¯s interested in you?¡± ¡°What?¡± Marianne glared at him bewilderingly, as if she were wondering what kind of theory it was. Kristoff was quite confident with his question. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember about Michael Hindenburg?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± A vague sigh slipped out through her lips. Michael Hindenburg, the name she hadn¡¯t heard in a long time, and the face of a rude man crept up to her mind. When she entered law school, he was the one who harassed her like a thorn because of the mere reason that she was a woman. He was also a fickle man like the weather in the summer. On some days, he got mad just by making eye contact, and on some days, he was as cold as a chilly breeze. He suddenly made an entrance and brought useless gifts, looked at her with a tenaciously uncomfortable gaze, and readily gave up his seat in the library where the competitiveness was at its peak. In a word, he was a completely unpredictable person. ¡°You¡¯ve been popular amongst weirdos for a long time.¡± Marianne looked at Kristoff as if telling him to realize. Obviously. For a very long time. Did he know he also was a part of those weirdos? She passed her question to him without a word, and Kristoff pulled up his straight eyebrows. As if asking, why are you looking at me like that? It turned out that her question didn¡¯t reach him at all. Marianne shook her head and turned away her gaze, ¡°Never mind.¡± she answered. However, Kristoff was serious about it. One of the reasons he proposed to Marianne after graduation was that man, Michael Hindenburg. Michael¡¯ behavior was so obvious that even the neighborhood dog would notice it. The rumor that he liked Marianne has been known to everyone except the two parties involved. When his grade was settled, Kristoff felt somewhat impatient. He was nervous about what would happen to them in his absence, and what if Michael admitted his feelings to her? Michael was the third son of the Count of Hindenburg, although he was a man unworthy to get involved with. The son of the influential Hindenburg Family. It was a quite decent promise of marriage, and there were a few women he knew who set their eyes on Michael. Marriage was a family contract anyway. Therefore, Kristoff proposed to Marianne. No one expected that proposal. Even Kristoff himself. However, Kristoff never regretted his decision on that day. Even more after seeing Michael¡¯s face, who seemed shocked when he learned about their marriage. Would Marianne regret her decision on that day? Did she leave his side after throwing the divorce papers because she regretted the day he promised for a lifelong union? Unanswered questions crashed his mind one after another. At the time when Kristoff¡¯s thoughts were growing a longer line, Nicholas approached them. ¡°Inspector.¡± Nicholas caught the brief glimpse of Marianne and gave Kristoff a look before offering one of his hands. Kristoff responded to the handshake, pulled up his dark eyebrows and they were down in the next second. Marianne was terrified that he would behave abruptly as he did to Maxim earlier, but in the end, it turned out to be mere overthinking. Kristoff treated Nicholas in an impeccably polite manner. Marianne whispered in his ear quietly yet promptly. ¡°Don¡¯t forget. I¡¯m not Marianne Schneider or Marianne Kloze. I¡¯m Marianne Haveck.¡± As soon as she finished her words, Nicholas greeted him. ¡°I¡¯m Inspector Nicholas Stefan. I was told by the Commissioner. You¡¯re going to be the legal consultant of our police agency from today, Sir Schneider?¡± ¡®Sir¡¯ was not a title that was supposed to be given to a lawyer. However, considering that Kristoff already inherited the title of Viscount, the title ¡®Sir¡¯ wasn¡¯t particularly wrong either. Kristoff nodded in a straight movement that often appeared in the textbook. His eyes were filled with the arrogance trait of the noble. ¡°Sir Kristoff will do. As I have also told Commissioner Simon, I¡¯m not here as the successor to Marquis Schneider. It¡¯s for a personal reason. Therefore, I don¡¯t want Schneider¡¯s surname to be mentioned. Being the legal consultant of the National Police Agency is an informal position.¡± ¡°Informal¡­¡­ All right, Sir Kristoff, but.¡± Nicholas paused in his words for a moment, gazes bouncing between Marianne and Kristoff. ¡°May I ask what your relationship is with our new recruit? Your conversation seemed to have gone on quite intimately.¡± Nicholas didn¡¯t really like the current situation. In a few days, two personnel landed on his team through the commissioner¡¯s influence. He suddenly felt like a babysitter. Just as Kristoff parted his lips, Marianne quickly intercepted his answer. ¡°He¡¯s my senior in college in the past.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± There was a brief silence in the space. The silence no one had ever agreed on. Kristoff slowly turned his gaze and stared straight at Marianne. Marianne looked at him with a pricking gaze. It was a stern look, as if clamped him down from spitting nonsense. At the same time, NIcholas also shifted his gaze at Marianne, due to the nature of his profession, he was quite savvy with the high-class gossip and even got acquainted with the majority of it. Nicholas, who was lost in thought with taut eyebrows, remembered that Lady Schneider¡¯s first name was Marianne. Her last name wasn¡¯t Haveck, but her name was definitely Marianne. If he remembered correctly, it was something like Marianne Klein or Marianne Cleber, if that made sense. Though the title ¡®Lady Schneider¡¯ is much more well-known than her original name. Nicholas stared at her a little longer before turning back to Kristoff. ¡°Royal College¡­¡­?¡± Kristoff nodded a second later. He wanted to disclose the fact that he was Marianne¡¯s husband. He wanted to claim his ownership of her so that no one could covet her. However, he didn¡¯t want to get out of Marianne¡¯s eyes anymore. He was like a defendant waiting for his disposition. Perhaps, the verdict was one of these two things. Divorce or reunion. Dear Honorable Judge, he kindly asked for your leniency. ¡°I heard that Sir Kristoff is apparently the best lawyer in the capital, so is there any reason why you become the consultant to the Blauberg Police Agency?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no impossible thing I can¡¯t do, isn¡¯t that so?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Nicholas was utterly speechless upon the confident reply. Nothing was impossible. This was his territory after all. The Schneider Family was like a reigning king in Blauberg, no one could disobey them. At that moment, Kristoff added in a whisper as if he were talking to himself. ¡°There are things I need to gain back here.¡± He had to gain it back. Nicholas, who threw a sideways glance at Marianne, turned to Kristoff again. Commissioner¡¯s instructions, the first name ¡®Marianne¡¯, white traces of the ring on her finger and Kristoff¡¯s appearance. Nicholas, who was a competent investigator, matched the quite convincing truth with just several pieces of clues. He added casually. ¡°Then why did you pressure the judge to dismiss Timon¡¯s bail?¡± ¡°!¡± Marianne¡¯s eyes opened widely at the unexpected news. Timon, if it was not the name of a jeweler robber. She casted Kristoff a questioning look. Timon. He looked at Nicholas with a cold, stiff gaze. Kristoff¡¯s expression changed by the mere mention of his name. Even Nicholas, who met all kinds of criminals while working as a detective for fifteen years, was intimidated. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying.¡± However, Kristoff¡¯s voice was languidly indifferent as it slipped out through his teeth. At the same time, Marianne released a faint exclamation. ¡°Oh.¡± Kristoff¡¯s voice, who threatened that he would kill the son of a b*tch, resonated in her ears. Perhaps, that was the reason? Because Timon hurt her? Was that why he pressured the judge to not accept the man¡¯s bail? Marianne looked at him, eyes sparked uncertainty. Kristoff slowly turned his gaze at her. The eyes of the two eyes met. As though the night sky and the universe, extremely vast and deep that the ends couldn¡¯t be discovered, black and blue eyes were tangled together. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Just as Marianne¡¯s eyes were shaking. ¡°Mr. Lawyer!¡± Someone hurriedly entered the police station with a scream. An uninvited guest who was looking around with a pool of sweat and made a beeline right upon spotting Kristoff. All eyes were on Kristoff. Marianne immediately recognized who the owner of the voice was without even having to turn her head. Oliver Engel. Kristoff¡¯s aide, his hands and feet. He strode closer with a mixture of resentment, joy, and relief on his face. Kristoff¡¯s eyebrows twitched. Subtle enough that only Marianne was able to notice it. There have been such things happening from time to time. Kristoff was generally aloof and expressionless. In other words, he wasn¡¯t the type of person who showed their feelings through their face. He was probably educated that way from a young age. She also trained not to show her feelings after becoming Lady Schneider. However, she noticed subtle ripples in his emotions sometimes. From his wiggling eyebrows, twitching eyes, and the way he tried to keep his lips still. And what he just felt was annoyance. Marianne¡¯s lips twitched in one moment. As though eyeing a naughty child. ¡°Mr. Lawyer.¡± Oliver¡¯s breathing could be heard when she stood close to him. Compared to the last time I saw him, his face had become thinner, he must have suffered a lot of trouble. Marianne seemed guilty towards him as she assumed it was her fault. Oliver, who spotted her, opened his eyes wide. ¡°Lady Sch¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go out and talk.¡± Preventing Oliver¡¯s mouth from speaking any further and screaming, ¡°Please excuse us first.¡± Kristoff spoke to Nicholas. Did he help her by cutting off Oliver who was about to call her? Marianne sighed as she stared at Kristoff¡¯s back as he left the office. She couldn¡¯t figure out what was in his mind. ¡°All right, then.¡± Nicholas returned his gaze to Marianne and pointed to the desk piled up with papers. Marianne, who guessed the words waiting in his throat, took a deep breath with a determined face. It seemed that she had to organize the documents for the rest of the day. ¡°I want you to write a case report, Marianne. It¡¯s your case after all, so wouldn¡¯t it be better for you to finish it?¡± Chapter 21 Marianne opened her eyes wide in an instant. Nicholas told her to write an incident report, not managing papers. It meant that one person recognized her as a cop. After tightening her lips for a while, she said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Nicholas raised his voice when seeing Marianne dauntingly walking to the desk. ¡°That¡¯s your desk. You can just push the mountain of papers roughly anywhere. Oh, and.¡± Marianne just walked for a few steps before she looked back again. Nicholas, who was already walking on the other side with his back facing her, waved one of his hands. ¡°There will be a welcoming party after work today. There are two new recruits, so we shall drink until we¡¯re blind drunk.¡± *** ¡°Mr. Lawyer! What on earth are you doing here? The capital is in the state of chaos! You¡¯re not going to take over cases anymore, what on earth is going on here? What about the capital city, are you going to settle here? When on earth are you coming back? Pardon?¡± Kristoff, sitting on the bench with one leg crossed leisurely, acted as though he couldn¡¯t hear Oliver¡¯s nagging. With his arms folded in front of his chest, he turned his gaze up into the sky. The blue sky, white clouds, and vividly contrasting colors announced that it was the middle of spring. The tree branches that came into view at first glance had clear light green leaves, and the sound of cheerful birds from somewhere. He could feel the familiar taste of salt in the air. Considering the distance between the National Police Agency and the beach, it must have been impossible, but somehow he felt that way. Perhaps because he was in Blauberg. The land where the sky and sea meet. Only then did Kristoff realize that he was looking up at the sky for the first time in a long time. He didn¡¯t have enough time to look at the sky even just once in his daily busy life as he fought against urgency all the time. And the result of those bustles was Marianne¡¯s divorce request. She finally put the brakes on his accelerating life. ¡°Oliver Engel.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Lawyer.¡± Oliver replied sullenly. Kristoff¡¯s indifferent voice added. ¡°After graduating from Royal College, I opened my private law office through the Bagger law office. In the meantime, I have never gone on vacation. I have been working the whole time. Therefore, I think I¡¯m more than qualified to take a vacation, what do you think?¡± Kristoff was right regarding that. He was the most famous lawyer in the capital, and requests were constantly coming in. Moreover, he was also a workaholic himself. ¡°Understood, Mr. Lawyer.¡± Oliver pretended to take a step back and offered a compromise. ¡°Then lastly, let¡¯s just deal with Count Dietrich¡¯s case and go on vacation. I won¡¯t stop you after that. Count Dietrich is asking me to bring you right away.¡± However, it didn¡¯t work for Kristoff. That was because Oliver learned Kristoff¡¯s way of living. ¡°Just manage it properly. That¡¯s your role.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I can¡¯t manage it properly. He threatened to not let me go if I didn¡¯t bring you. There are still my wife and children. I don¡¯t know what will happen if I get taken away by Count Dietrich.¡± When the negotiations didn¡¯t work, Oliver changed his method and cried. Kristoff¡¯s voice suddenly became cold. ¡°Lord Dietrich touches my people? Then, he¡¯ll have to be prepared for that as well. I¡¯m not sure if he was that clueless.¡± His people. Oliver forgot that he had been crying until earlier and scratched his head with an embarrassed expression. Kristoff was cold and stoic as though he wouldn¡¯t bleed even when he got stabbed, but this was the reason why he couldn¡¯t leave the man. Once he was accepted by Kristoff as his people, the man would take responsibility until the end. Oliver¡¯s spirit was heartily broken. He sighed deeply and grumbled. ¡°Count Dietrich¡¯s third son got into another accident. It seems to be a pretty big accident this time. Money can¡¯t cover it.¡± Oliver, who was quiet for a while, looked around before lowering his voice. This wasn¡¯t the capital, but it was necessary to be careful. ¡°He provoked the Countess of Hindenburg. Lord Hindenburg must be enraged. Whether it¡¯s in the newspapers or not, he would go berserk unless you¡¯re throwing that son of a b*tch in jail. The only person who can handle this case is you, Mr. Lawyer.¡± Hindenburg. Michael¡¯s face crept up to his mind when he said that, Kristoff muttered, ¡°Those three always become problems wherever I go.¡± with a faint frown. It was somewhat ominous that Michael¡¯s name was mentioned frequently today. ¡°The second or third Countess of Hindenburg?¡± ¡°The fourth wife. He just got married for the fourth time, and is currently enjoying a honeymoon with his new wife.¡± ¡°Throw her. The third wife should¡¯ve gone to prison earlier.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the one who has been trying to cover up for her until now?¡± Oliver scolded Kristoff, but the man remained nonchalant. Oliver let out a heavy sigh and stared at his superior. Voice laced with suspicion slipped out through his teeth. ¡°Are you really going to close the office for a while? The damage will be enormous. You know it better than I do, those astronomical sums come and go every day.¡± ¡°Have I ever joked about this, Oliver?¡± ¡°Yes, I know. I know. You¡¯re not the kind of person who makes jokes or anything like that. That¡¯s why it¡¯s weird. Not just anyone else, but Kristoff Schneider closed his office. Despite being a workaholic!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a more important problem than that at this moment.¡± Oliver glanced at the entrance of the police agency upon his remark. He lowered his voice again. ¡°Lady Schneider won¡¯t come back, will she? I mean, what is Lady Schneider doing here now? Why are you at the National Police Agency? Aren¡¯t you staying at the Marquis Schneider¡¯s castle, Mr. Lawyer?¡± Kristoff also turned his head slowly. Through the open window, she could see Marianne¡¯s profile as she focused on something. Her short hair fluttered over her shoulders with each breeze. Her lower lip peeked out a bit. Her habit was peeking out her lower lip whenever she was focused on one thing. He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the window. Oliver opened his eyes wide as he took the sight of his superior. He didn¡¯t know what had gone wrong between them. However, he could see warmth begin to spread across Kristoff¡¯s face, which used to be pale and cold like a corpse lately. That was a relief. Oliver stared at Kristoff in the face. As he said, Kristoff had a more important matter to be taken care of. A prioritized matter over anything else. Perhaps, it was the matter that put his life at stake. He would have to step back from here. Oliver, who sighed heavily, said in a hopeless voice. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it my way, so please don¡¯t complain about anything else later.¡± Despite Oliver¡¯s words, Kristoff¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t divert to him. He stared at Marianne¡¯s face for a long time as though an extremist appreciating the work of a genius painter. Oliver let out a big sigh once again. *** Marianne, who was following Nicholas, stopped on her spot. The raucous atmosphere overwhelmed her like a wave. The nasty smell of alcohol and sweat naturally brought a frown to her face. ¡°Why? Is this your first time in a place like this? You must have led quite a sophisticated life, didn¡¯t you?¡± Maxim, who was following behind her, laughed after she stopped in her spot. Marianne straightened her back and began to walk again. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I know everything I need to know.¡± She didn¡¯t want to lose against Maxim. Her bluff was returned with a snort, ¡°Hmph, you don¡¯t know my *ss.¡± However, Marianne didn¡¯t mind. ¡°Here!¡± Ian, who had arrived first, spotted them and raised his hand. There were already several bottles of liquor on the table. Florian only drank beer with a bitter look on his face. His complexion grew even paler as he drank. Looking around, Marianne sat in an empty seat. The chair was made of rough wood. Maxim paused as he inadvertently tried to take a seat beside her. This was because a hand suddenly snatched the chair. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Kristoff sat beside Marianne gracefully which didn¡¯t match the shabby bar. He glanced at Maxim. Gaze. ¡°Tsk.¡± Maxim, who clicked his tongue lowly, walked to the other side of the table and sat beside Ian. Kristoff had no intention of giving up the seat beside Marianne to anyone. Even to the idiotic and stubborn Maxim. Nicholas looked at his teammates, raising a glass filled with half foam and half beer. ¡°Alright, everyone worked hard today. Especially Maxim and Marianne who discovered that the accidental death turned out to be a murder. Great job.¡± Maxim looked flattered at his remark, meanwhile Marianne dropped her eyes with a thoughtful look. The boy¡¯s face that she had forgotten came back to her mind. She felt uncomfortable. She had no answer when asked about what made her uncomfortable. However, something kept bothering her as if there was a small stone in her shoes. Kristoff stared at her with a deeply subdued gaze. ¡°Tomorrow is a holiday, so let¡¯s drink until we¡¯re blind drunk!¡± Nicholas, who drank it all at once, wiped his mouth and gave a low exclamation. Maxim, Florian and Ian took the glasses to their mouths. Marianne swallowed dryly with a nervous look before gripping her glass. Maxim, who was watching her, pulled up the corners of his mouth. Glug, she drank it all at once with eyes wide open. Gulp. ¡°Are you all right, Marianne?¡± Voices laced with concern came from the side. Marianne¡¯s eyebrows wriggled involuntarily. Concern, is there another word that doesn¡¯t suit Kristoff as well? ¡°I¡¯m cool.¡± Marianne exclaimed cheerfully. Nicholas and Ian¡¯s eyes turned to her as they put down the empty glasses. Ian opened his eyes wide as though he was surprised, and Nicholas looked satisfied. He ordered an additional drink from the clerk who happened to pass them. ¡°Marianne and Kristoff. Both of you are welcomed to our team.¡± ¡°Welcome!¡± Ian exclaimed cheerfully. Maxim and Florian, who were hitting each other¡¯s glasses with disapproving expressions, stared at Ian. Ian dropped his shoulders in abandon. Then, Kristoff rose from his seat and walked straight to the bartender. Despite thinking that the beer probably didn¡¯t suit her taste, Marianne took the glass to her mouth again. It was bitter. She didn¡¯t know how it tasted. However, she didn¡¯t want to lose to Maxim, so she gulped down her glass as if competing with him. And then. Click. A plate was placed in front of her. A long and fine-shaped finger came into her sight. She could tell the owner of those fingers without batting eyelashes at him. ¡°Eat this.¡± Marianne quietly turned her gaze. The gaze that followed the line of fingers went up through his arms, shoulders, and eventually stopped at Kristoff¡¯s face. He lifted his eyebrows faintly. ¡°You didn¡¯t even have lunch. Sandwiches are the only alternative for meals.¡± He didn¡¯t bring up the hidden words, ¡®because of the dead body¡¯. As he didn¡¯t want to spoil her appetite by saying unnecessary things. At the same time, a deep silence fell on the table. The surroundings were still raucous and boisterous, but somehow it was quiet here as though they were a different world. ¡°If we go back late, there won¡¯t be any remaining dinner.¡± Chapter 22 Ian murmured, ¡°I haven¡¯t had lunch either¡­¡­¡± while drooling at the sight of food, but no one listened to him. In the midst of the romantic atmosphere, Nicholas secretly turned his gaze away, meanwhile Maxim and Florian opened their eyes, trying to dig into the relationship between them. Marianne involuntarily bit her lips. Her heart was pounding. It seemed that she was intoxicated. The alcohol she gulped down in one go felt like spreading throughout the blood vessels. Otherwise, she couldn¡¯t have been this drunk. The heat in her body couldn¡¯t have risen this high. ¡°¡­¡­¡± She silently threw a glare at Kristoff. Kristoff, who received a resentful look, frowned with a confused look. Then, he scratched the tip of his eyebrows with his index finger. ¡°Did you not like sandwiches?¡± His voice wasn¡¯t laced with much confidence. Marianne took the remaining alcohol to her mouth instead of taking a bite of the sandwich. ¡°So, what¡¯s your relationship?¡± Maxim asked subtly, as if trying to sound him out. Florian pretended to be interested, and Ian looked surprised, ¡°What? What do you mean by relationship?¡± He asked. ¡°What kind of officer are you?¡± Maxim, who looked at the thoughtless Ian and clicked his tongue, then directed his gaze at Kristoff again. Ian, who heard the scolding, pouted his lips, sulking. However, Kristoff had no intention of answering. Instead of answering, he scanned the unfamiliar atmosphere of the place with his eyes. The bar where commoners chatted loudly after work. ¡°Tsk.¡± ¡°Come on, come on, don¡¯t be like that. Ian, go get some more alcohol.¡± ¡°What? Me? The youngest member of the team is over there¡­¡­¡± Ian, who was pointing at Marianne, stood up quietly after receiving Kristoff¡¯s chilling stare. The murmuring of the gossiping senior, the newcomers, and rookies were drowned by the rough voices of men and couldn¡¯t be heard properly. ¡°However, I guess Sir Kristoff doesn¡¯t like drinking.¡± Florian said in a nervous voice. He didn¡¯t mean to sound vexed. It was just something to his tone that was originally sharp. ¡°I drink.¡± Instead of answering, Kristoff stared at his glass. The brown liquid didn¡¯t shrink because he didn¡¯t even take a single sip. He didn¡¯t hate alcohol. However, he just hated the moment when his sanity disappeared due to alcohol. Florian, who had given up hearing words coming out from his mouth, snatched a new glass from Ian¡¯s hand. The alcohol went around the table. Kristoff was very bored with this. Flushed face, a conversation full of the smell of alcohol, and a loud noise came from all over the place. Everything was not his cup of tea. However, there was Marianne here. That fact alone meant a lot to him. She realized it too late. ¡°Moron¡± The moment Kristoff gently uttered a curse. ¡°?¡± There was something heavy pressed on his left arm. Kristoff, who casually turned his head, stiffened in his spot. Marianne¡¯s forehead was pressed on his shoulder. ¡°Well.¡± A groan of pain slipped out through her teeth. At the same time, there was a strong smell of alcohol from her. Kristoff couldn¡¯t even breathe much. He was being careful as if this moment would break even with a little movement. His left shoulder bore a faint heat. He didn¡¯t know whether it was because they met after a long time or because Marianne was intoxicated. However, it was clear that she was distracted by his scent. ¡°Marianne?¡± Kristoff called her in a low, somewhat patient tone. The moment he grabbed her by the shoulder. ¡°No, Kristoff.¡± She shook her head. Soon, the expression walked away from Kristoff¡¯s face. He reflected on her voice, which wasn¡¯t said with a cold and stiff expression. Kristoff, who slowly closed his eyes and opened them again, clenched his fist. Marianne grabbed him by the arm with her hands. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me to let go.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Oh. Kristoff involuntarily opened his mouth slightly. He looked dazed, as if he had been hit on the head with a blunt tool. Marianne¡¯s somewhat sweet voice lingered in his ears. She clung to Kristoff as if she thought he was going to slap her hands off. ¡°No, I won¡¯t go, Kristoff.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t let you go, Marianne.¡± Kristoff slowly raised his hand to caress her cheek. The warmth transferred on his palm was hotter than usual. Everywhere his fingers touched, she felt a burning warmth. ¡°You¡¯re drunk.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not drunk.¡± Marianne shook her head like a stubborn child. A faint laugh slipped out through his teeth. It was his first time seeing Marianne drunk. Was she the type of person who acted childish when she was drunk? ¡°Every drunkard in the world would always say they¡¯re not drunk.¡± His voice was basked in friendliness. As if coaxing a child. ¡°I told you, I¡¯m not drunk at all.¡± Marianne murmured, as if she had been wrongfully accused. Her eyes were drowsy as if she were about to fall asleep at any moment. Her eyelids kept covering her blue eyes. Kristoff tucked her hair behind her ears. Marianne rubbed her cheek against his palm. The movement seemed very secretive despite it not being a big deal. As if he saw something he wasn¡¯t supposed to. ¡°All right, get up. We¡¯ll go back now.¡± Kristoff got up first. Setting one of his knees bent in front of her, he carried Marianne on his back without difficulty. Her arms and legs sagged limply. She was light. However, he was happy. Her weight felt as it was when he brought Marianne into his arms. It was a hundred times better than grabbing an empty fist. Kristoff, who exhaled a satisfying breath, rose from his position with a relaxed movement. And he scanned the faces of those sitting at the table one by one. ¡°As you can see, Marianne will get back first because she¡¯s drunk.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The shocking silence hanging over them. The four men froze and their faces turned white with glasses in their hands. Their blank eyes busily bounced between Kristoff and Marianne. Their multicolored pupils widened to the limit. As if they didn¡¯t believe what they saw. However, Kristoff didn¡¯t care. Those were not his concern. Kristoff¡¯s only interest was the woman on his back. As if he had just remembered, he turned his head again and said, ¡°Oh.¡± His wry eyes turned on them. ¡°Every organization has a way to survive for a long time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°By watching their mouths.¡± Contrary to his soft voice, his eyes were freezing cold. Ian lowered his head in a hurry because he was afraid to make eye contact with him. Gulp, he swallowed dryly. ¡°Moreover, for the sake of the lady¡¯s feelings, you¡¯d better not tell Marianne what happened today. Marianne is on the shy side even after all this.¡± He warned them lightly as if talking about the weather before striding out quickly. Without looking back, Kristoff walked straight out of the shabby bar. The door shut behind him. ¡°¡­¡­¡± He paused for a moment. Darkness covered the sky, and the disturbance on the back sounded distant as if it could be heard from faraway. It felt as if there were only two of them in the world, him and Marianne. ¡°Kristoff¡­¡­¡± Then, she called his name. A brief yet intense euphoric sensation ran down his spine. It felt like going to the past. Back when she loved him. He closed his eyes tightly only to get them opened again. A raspy voice came out of his teeth. ¡°Yes, Marianne.¡± Kristoff began to slow down his step. He didn¡¯t want to rush. He wanted this moment to last forever. ¡°Kristoff¡­¡­¡± ¡°Yes, Marianne.¡± ¡°Why do you keep befuddling me? Don¡¯t do that.¡± His raspy voice as the aftereffect of alcohol filled with a slight tremor. It sounded like she was crying, washed up in sorrow. Or perhaps it was resentment. Kristoff swallowed the rising emotions and clenched his lower jaw. He asked back in a low voice after swallowing dryly. ¡°Are you befuddled because of me, Marianne?¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Swallowing a shallow groan, she remained quiet for a while. It wasn¡¯t until she took too long to think that she fell asleep as her breath tickled his back. ¡°It¡¯s hard. Waiting for you because you never look back¡­¡­ it¡¯s making me tired now.¡± This time, Kristoff was silent. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed up and down. The eyes that resembled the darkness of the night were clearly distorted. As if enduring a bitter pain. After he inhaled quietly, he managed to part his lips to speak. The voice that left his throat seemed to be squeezed forcefully. ¡°It¡¯s all right, Marianne. You don¡¯t have to wait for me now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m waiting for you now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m waiting for you now, Marianne.¡± Kristoff repeated the same thing over and over again, as if to tell her. There was no reply from Marianne. Kristoff was at a loss for words. It was only then that he began to feel nervous. She must have been disappointed in him, his lips dried up from anxiety. Why didn¡¯t she say anything? Did she now hate waiting for him? Does she not want to see him anymore? Then what was he supposed to do? The moment he just opened his mouth. ¡°Ma¡­¡­¡± He could hear the sound of her breathing from behind him. In the meantime, she seemed to have fallen asleep. Kristoff involuntarily let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Marianne.¡± He walked slowly, feeling the warmth behind his back. His own long shadow followed him. The cool spring breeze swept through his head. This was the perfect moment. He suddenly opened his mouth whilst walking quietly. ¡°If you¡¯re befuddled, I¡¯ll do my best to befuddle you, Marianne.¡± That was how desperate he was. He was desperate enough that when Marianne had a small gap, he would squeeze in somehow. ¡°You should be prepared, too.¡± His voice cracked upon the empty night sky. Woof! He heard a dog barking somewhere. When one barked, all the local dogs began to bark as well. Kristoff walked a long way to see if they would disturb Marianne¡¯s sweet sleep. It wasn¡¯t boring for him. It wasn¡¯t even hard. He was thrilled to learn that her feelings weren¡¯t completely closed. He still had a chance. And Kristoff was ready to seize the opportunity. He has never missed a single opportunity given to him. *** Marianne wasn¡¯t lazy despite it being a holiday morning. That habit of Lady Schneider still took hold of her. She got up early, got dressed, and had breakfast with Madam Liszt. Her hangover made her head feel like a mess, but she didn¡¯t lose her graceful smile. ¡°Sometimes, you remind me of myself when I was young, Marianne. There were no maidens who could catch up to me in terms of gracefulness. There were more than one or two men who dated me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Marianne put down her spoon and laughed at Madam Liszt¡¯s humor. The corner of her smile projected a hint of awkwardness. This was because there was a shadow of anxiety in the corner of her mind. She knew the cause of it. She didn¡¯t remember what happened yesterday. Her last memory was doing a drinking contest with Maxim. And at some point, the rest of the memories after had completely disappeared. Chapter 23 ¡°Thank you for the meal, Madam.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Marianne. Then, you should go up and rest.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Marianne couldn¡¯t help but feel uncomfortable even as she climbed the stairs. For some reason, the back of her head kept being tugged. She unconsciously shook her head, as if to shake off her ominous thoughts. ¡°¡­¡­No way, there must be something.¡± Her face was once again painted with anxiety as she sat on the desk. This time, her gaze fell upon the yellow paper. It was a written report. The case was closed, and there was no doubt. The culprit has been found out, and she only had to finish the report. However, Marianne somehow couldn¡¯t continue to write the report anymore. The innocent face crept back to her mind, it was when she stared at him. She also remembered that face burst into tears out of fear. He was a young boy who didn¡¯t know anything. Was it fair to hold a strange child responsible for all this? No, before that, was he really the perpetrator? Did she miss anything? She struggled to find the answer to the question, but she still couldn¡¯t find it. She might not even know if there was actually no answer. Back then when she studied law, Marianne thought the world was divided into black and white. The good man is rewarded, and the bad man is supposed to be punished. Reward virtue and punish vice, that was how Marianne viewed the world. However, there was a gray area in crime that she actually encountered on the scene. Guilty and innocence, the gray area that existed somewhere in between. When her thoughts grew even deeper. ¡°Marianne!¡± Madam Liszt called her downstairs. Marianne put down her cheap pen and walked to the door. ¡°Come down for a second!¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± Though her mind was in disarray, she wasn¡¯t so bold as to ignore Madam Liszt¡¯s call. Having raised three sons, she was an iron woman whose hands were ahead of her words. If she did something wrong, her back could have been gone. ¡°What is it¡­¡­¡± Marianne, who was about to ask Madam, stood motionless in her spot. Madam Liszt was talking to the man standing on the porch when she felt Marianne¡¯s presence. ¡°You have a visitor. His name is¡­¡­¡± ¡°Kristoff.¡± His name slipped out from Marianne¡¯s mouth, not from Madam Liszt¡¯s. The old lady clapped her hands with a bright smile. ¡°That¡¯s right, Kristoff.¡± Kristoff, who had treated the old lady politely, turned to Marianne. Madam Liszt already seemed to be enamored with him. ¡°Oh, he looks exactly like the young gentleman who came here. When I saw him last night, I thought he opened the door and walked in. I was surprised because I thought he was coming from the afterlife to pick me up.¡± ¡°Last night¡­¡­?¡± Marianne frowned and asked back in a questioning voice. An ominous feeling inside her rose again. Madam Liszt still replied with a casual tone. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember it? This young gentleman carried you on his back here last night, Marianne.¡± Oh. Marianne involuntarily clenched her eyes shut tightly. Why didn¡¯t her hunch turn out to be wrong instead? Sense of shame and embarrassment flared up. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Marianne was too engulfed in her shame that she didn¡¯t even notice she spoke colder than she meant to. She seemed to have overreacted to hide her bursting shame. ¡°¡­¡­¡± For a moment, there was a glint of hurt in Kristoff¡¯s eyes. Those eyes, as though the sea during the night where nobody could tell the end of it. Those dark eyes shook wildly, as if following the wind. Marianne was embarrassed again. Kristoff, was hurt? That couldn¡¯t be. She clasped her innocent dress to hold back from showing any emotion. Soon after, he recovered his usual indifferent expression and held out his hand which had been kept on his back. ¡°Oh, dear.¡± Madam Liszt squealed out a low exclamation. He had a bouquet of flowers in his hand. The dainty blue flowers were compiled together. ¡°This is for you.¡± ¡°!¡± At that, Marianne forgot that she was wearing a mask and widened her eyes. She asked in a greatly surprised voice. ¡°There¡¯s no way that you¡­¡­ brought it for me, isn¡¯t it Kristoff?¡± Kristoff raised his eyebrows lightly. As though saying who else would have bought this? ¡°Choosing flowers was harder than I thought. I have to figure out what flowers you like.¡± Yes, that was a very unfamiliar experience for him. He thought about Marianne the entire time he was selecting the flowers and hoped that she would be pleased by his choice. After that, he came to realize how insincere the gifts he had given her were until then. A bouquet of flowers and jewelry that were picked up by Oliver moderately. Marianne¡¯s face that showed a wry smile whilst receiving it also came to his mind. He thought she didn¡¯t like flowers at that time. Or, he thought that she didn¡¯t like jewelry. However, it wasn¡¯t the case. She knew all along it was the gift that Oliver had chosen for him. ¡°¡­¡­.It¡¯s Jacob¡¯s Ladder flowers.¡± Marianne clasped her lips. The calm voice crept out of her ear. Kristoff looked at her blankly and nodded. ¡°Yes, I think that¡¯s how they call it.¡± Marianne slowly brought her gaze up. Her eyes met Kristoff¡¯s. He extended his arms a little more as though asking her to receive it. ¡°Come back to me.¡± The meaning of Jacob¡¯s Ladder flower slipped out of her mouth. One of Kristoff¡¯s eyebrows twitched. Kristoff seemed embarrassed having his true intention revealed, asked while turning his gaze away, which was unlike him at all. ¡°Aren¡¯t you fond of Jacob¡¯s Ladder?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°That flower has a better meaning than the snapdragon flower.¡± She thought it was unlikely for Kristoff to notice the meaning of the snapdragon flowers she sent to him. He wasn¡¯t interested in flower language, but he was more clever and intelligent than anyone else, so he must have figured out the meaning in no time. However, this kind of response was unexpected. To see that he responded to the flower language she sent him with another flower. Such behavior was unlike Kristoff at all. Therefore, Marianne wasn¡¯t willing to take it. As though she saw through Kristoff, that she has to go back to him after receiving this bouquet. Kristoff didn¡¯t withdraw his hand as well and kept being persistent. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± She gave Christophe a likable smile. Madam Liszt suddenly accepted the bouquet of flowers after spending a while watching the two having a strange confrontation. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Kristoff. I¡¯ll put it in a vase and decorate Marianne¡¯s room with them. Oh, the room surely would be brightened.¡± ¡°Thank you, Madam.¡± Madam Liszt returned upon seeing Kristoff¡¯s smile, ¡°No need to thank me.¡± and turned around. Her cheeks seemingly reddened slightly. ¡°Where is the vase?¡± She disappeared after climbing up the stairs while mumbling to herself. Marianne sighed shortly at the scene that ended with Kristoff drawing victory. Come to think of it, this also happened before. He targeted Marianne¡¯s father first before marrying her. Kristoff was a strategic man and good at getting her entourage on his side. Marianne recited the same question once again, eyes still trained on him. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Is your head alright? You drank quite a lot yesterday.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Marianne unconsciously dropped her gaze. She could feel her nape and cheeks slowly heating up. However, she pretended to be aloof until the end. She wasn¡¯t sure if she could pull it off. ¡° Yesterday did I¡­¡­?¡± Marianne was about to say something but she shook her head in front of the dark eyes that bore into her. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± What¡¯s the point if she knows? That wouldn¡¯t change anything¡­¡­ ¡°Today is your day off.¡± His spontaneous remark made Marianne stop her thoughts and lifted her head. ¡°So?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we have coffee together? I know a teahouse you might like.¡± Marianne seemed doubtful, contemplating whether the person in front of her was really Kristoff. Spending a holiday with him was tantamount to luxury for her. She couldn¡¯t even imagine going out while being side by side with him unless it was for a business banquet or meeting, not to mention a teahouse. Faced with a strange situation, she involuntarily couldn¡¯t say anything. As the silence from her extended, Kristoff hurriedly added his words in fear she might refuse. ¡°I have something to talk about with you, regarding the case.¡± ¡°The case¡­¡­¡± Marianne inadvertently listened closely to his words and tilted her head. Then, she nodded because she wanted to hear what he had in mind. She also had something to tell him about the case. Staring at Kristoff for a brief moment, she soon turned around. ¡°Wait for me, I¡¯m going to change and come back.¡± ¡°¡­¡­You can take all the time you need to prepare yourself.¡± Kristoff finally answered softly, seemingly relieved. Marianne stopped walking with a wry smile. A half-personal murmur slipped through her teeth. ¡°This is the first time.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re waiting for me. I¡¯ve always been the one waiting for you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Kristoff didn¡¯t answer. No, it would have been more precise to say he could not. He inadvertently walked closer at the sight of a faint smile that would disappear at any moment. He wanted to muster up something. However, the memories that came to his mind were always the images of him that kept her waiting. ¨DI have an important meeting. We¡¯ll talk when I get back. ¨DSir Judge Bottenstein called me. I think I¡¯ll have to cancel our appointment this evening. ¨DHold on, Marianne. There is a case file I have to take a look at right now. He thought Marianne would always be there. No matter how late he was, he was so egotistical to think that she would wait for him. However, she was not. It was only her kindness and virtue that kept Marianne waiting for him, but it was no longer like that. Kristoff didn¡¯t realize it until he lost her. Snapdragon flower. Pride. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Kristoff moved up and down slightly, swallowing his burning emotion. He stared at Marianne with those dark eyes, resembling the scenery of the sea at night. It was as though a pair of strong hands were covering his mouth. Between that moment, a low and husky voice came out through his teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you this time. You can keep me waiting as long as I¡¯ve kept you waiting back then, Marianne.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You can waste my time as much as you want.¡± He realized it too late. Ugh. Marianne quickly turned around to swallow her rising emotion. Otherwise, she felt as though her shaking figure would be caught by him. Now. She clenched her fists to hide her anger. She struggled hard to straighten her back and climbed the stairs one by one. Kristoff didn¡¯t take his eyes off her back. His mistakes in the past struck him like a huge wave. He held out his legs so as not to be swept away by the strong current. There was nothing else he could do. Slam! Returning to her room, Marianne leaned back against the closed door. Then, she collapsed helplessly after getting out of Kristoff¡¯s sight. Marianne buried her face in her knees. Her mindless heart pounded again, and shameless expectation sprouted its new buds again. ¡°No, Marianne. Please don¡¯t be like this.¡± She alerted herself. She knew how useless it was for her to feel that way. ¡°Haa.¡± Sighing, Marianne stood up and walked toward her closet. After a while, she smiled bitterly at the sight of her reflection in the mirror. Low vividly colored purple dress, a bonnet hat, and a ribbon on her neck. Marianne inadvertently pulled out the best outfit from her shabby closet. She still wanted to look beautiful for Kristoff. How foolish. Chapter 24 Marianne took her time to look around the cafe, while thinking that there was no way Kristoff would have ever come here. As the place was located on the side of the beach, the cafe, which was decorated in white and blue chroma, gave off a clean and cool atmosphere. However, something caught her attention more than anything else. ¡°Oh¡­!¡± A low exclamation slipped through her teeth. The blue sea spread out on the other side of the window. The ocean is so vast that she couldn¡¯t even tell where it starts nor ends. Then, Marianne realized that she had never seen the sea before, even though it has been several days since she came to Blauberg. She felt like didn¡¯t have the time to look at the sea. The deep blue sea, deep enough that it looked black at first glance, seemed impossible for her to guess its depth. The atmosphere was quite different from the beach resort where people usually enjoy their summer vacation. She saw a tall red lighthouse in the distance. Large ships were gathering in the harbor one after another. The boat horn resounded from afar. Each time the sound was heard, Marianne¡¯s petite shoulders flinched in surprise. This was not a place for rest, but an ocean where fierce life unfolded. She thought the sea here was more beautiful than any vacation spot. At the faraway dockside, men with rolled up sleeves moved the luggage, and the stray cat sought a chance to steal the fish from them. Kristoff whispered in a low voice as she stared in a daze out of the window. ¡°I knew you¡¯d like it, Marianne.¡± Coffee and dessert were placed in front of them as they sat by the large window. Marianne finally dropped her gaze to the table. Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t know how to accept this situation. She lifted her gaze and glanced at him. Kristoff was taking the cup to his mouth, his back leaning against the chair leisurely. She was captivated by his impeccable appearance. Kristoff put down his cup and lifted his gaze, and when their eyes met, Marianne looked away out of embarrassment. She looked at the sea, meanwhile he was looking at Marianne. ¡°Kristoff.¡± Marianne, who turned her gaze back to him after a while, spoke up first. She couldn¡¯t stand the tickling silence. She somehow wanted to break the silence between them. ¡°Speak, Marianne.¡± ¡°About Paul.¡± ¡°Paul?¡± Kristoff repeated her words, folding his eyebrows faintly at the strange name that was mentioned out of the blue. There was no face of someone who immediately came to his mind. Who¡¯s that? He asked back in a confused voice. ¡°Your police colleague?¡± Marianne let out a long sigh with drooping shoulders. Kristoff shrunk back and looked at her. With a sulky look like a dog that disappointed its owner. ¡°The boy who was arrested for murder yesterday. Paul Keller.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Kristoff nodded as though he¡¯d just remembered them. And casted a curious glance. As if asking why she was suddenly bringing up the boy. Marianne dropped her eyes with a brooding look. She looked down at her dress for a while. She was hesitant whether to say it or not. She knew that Kristoff would do this job perfectly. At the same time, she also didn¡¯t want to be indebted to him. That was the reason she couldn¡¯t speak hastily. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The boy¡¯s big doe eyes stared at her. His bitter cry while calling out for his mother with a look of terror on his face. Marianne eventually spoke up after heaving out a long sigh. She would probably have a long day if she ignored Paul. You¡¯re going to regret it. She listened to her conscience. ¡°Can you be Paul¡¯s lawyer?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It must have been an unexpected remark. Seeing that the expression slowly disappeared from Kristoff¡¯s face, whose eyes still remained at her. His dark eyebrows twitched. ¡°Lawyer?¡± The incomprehensible voice was directed at Marianne. She straightened her back and faced him confidently. Marianne nodded her head. Most people don¡¯t even stand a chance to defend themselves unless they are nobles or wealthy people. Not just because they don¡¯t have enough money to hire a lawyer, but they also don¡¯t have the knowledge to do it. The poor had no choice but to rely on the judge¡¯s leniency. The existence of a criminal was determined by the judge¡¯s personal judgment, not according to the evidence and truth. Marianne continued in a composed voice as though she had been thinking about it for a long time. ¡°Inspector Nicholas said the sentence granted upon him would be at least seven years in prison. According to Paul¡¯s mother, it was an accident, an unfortunate one that could occur at any time.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no doubt at the part that he moved the body and tried to deceive the police. Why would the boy do such a thing if he didn¡¯t have a conscience about it? Maybe the boy¡¯s mother is working together.¡± Kristoff has already returned to his usual stiff form. Crossing his legs and folding his arms, he fired back in a professional tone. Marianne suddenly frowned. His despairing cry rang in her ears. The desperate appearance of his mother, who was crying while holding onto Maxim¡¯s legs and saying that she had done it, not her son, Paul. ¡°She did it because she was scared. She lost her daughter in a horrible accident, and she also had to lose her son because of the accident. What kind of mother will wait and watch?¡± ¡°Human¡¯s foolishness brings misfortune upon themselves, Marianne. Someone should bear the responsibility for what they did. That is the grand rule of law.¡± Kristoff flinched after he answered firmly. He spotted the disappointment in Marianne¡¯s eyes. He clicked his tongue quietly and realized his mistake. He was not Kristoff Schneider, the best lawyer in the capital at that moment. He was just a fool who frayed his nerves on Marianne¡¯s every move. He forgot that fact for a moment. Kristoff straightened his crossed legs and his back. A glint of conspicuousness suddenly flashed through his eyes. ¡°Marianne, do you know how much it costs me to work on a case?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like they can afford me. Don¡¯t tell me you want me to do free volunteer work?¡± Marianne looked down blankly. She knew better than anyone else that her request was shameless. Kristoff¡¯s voice became sweet as though coaxing a mere child. ¡°And what if I lose? What if my career got ruined even when we do it with good intentions? No matter how high my reputation is, it only takes a moment to fall, Marianne. This is clearly a battle where the prosecutor takes the upper hand. I¡¯ll be a laughing stock to them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry. Just pretend you didn¡¯t hear it.¡± ¡°So what are you going to do for me?¡± ¡°!¡± Marianne slowly raised her head at his sudden remark. Kristoff was looking at her with a deep gaze. As if a beast hunting its prey. ¡°If I take that risk and defend Pauk, what are you going to do for me, Marianne?¡± Oh! There was a glimmer of hope on Marianne¡¯s face. But it did not remain long before it turned into disappointment. She was obstinately quiet. Kristoff didn¡¯t say anything either. Heavy silence dawned upon them. It wasn¡¯t long before Marianne finally moved her lips first. The winner of this silent battle was Kristoff. His lips formed a smirk. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t demand that I come back again.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°So, I can do anything for you except coming back.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Kristoff nodded readily. Marianne surprisingly seemed pleased enough with the agreement. She finally came to a realization that she had fallen into Kristoff¡¯s trap. He slowly cornered Marianne as though hunting a fox. Leaving only one place to escape. Marianne walked gracefully into the trap he had dug. He didn¡¯t mean to tell Marianne to come back. He coveted something else. Revealing that he caught her in his ulterior motives through his expression, Kristoff drew a subtle smirk by pulling up the corners of his mouth. Perhaps, if Marianne was a little composed, she would never have been caught in his trap. After all, she was smart and wise. Scheme and compassion. Marianne, encroached by her humane emotions, didn¡¯t know what he was up to and seemed quite pleased. Kristoff looked at his deep subdued eyes and whispered softly. ¡°Spare me your day.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Marianne couldn¡¯t answer hastily. That day. As though she was quite fearing what would unfold on the day he requested for and what he would earn from her. Kristoff knew why she was having a hard time. He added furthermore, acting as a lawyer making his final defense. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it will help you to come to a decision, but let me tell you, it¡¯s never a losing trade with me. I¡¯m a much more competent lawyer than you think, Marianne.¡± At that moment. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Marianne burst into laughter at his confident attitude. Her eyes widened, and her lips curled up gently. A low laugh came out like a wave and broke out in his ears. ¡°!¡± At the same time, Kristoff¡¯s face was bare of any expression. He looked at her smile with a strange gaze as if seeing something unusual. Was Marianne the person who laughed that way? She looked so ethereal to the point where the surrounding scenery immediately escaped out of his sight. Kristoff, who was used to seeing her quiet smile, realized at that moment what he had taken away from her. Marianne Kloze. He had taken that side of her from herself. Back in college, Marianne was a woman who easily burst into laughter. She got angry and shed tears as easily as turning over her palm. She was always present at the scene of an accident where people gathered in a circle. However, at some point, he didn¡¯t see her showing her feelings anymore. He got used to her masking her expression just like Kristoff. D*mn it. Strong enough to stick out the bones. Kristoff clenched his lower jaw as though enduring the rising emotion. His face stiffened. He slowly clenched his hands. Marianne, who realized that she just laughed, bit her lips in blank dismay after seeing Kristoff¡¯s expression. He managed to smack his lips. A very small voice slipped out through his lips, which was unlike him at all. ¡°Yes, maybe this is the time we need.¡± Faint whispers could barely be caught by Marianne¡¯s ear. She cast a questioning glance to him, but Kristoff took the cup of coffee to his mouth instead of answering. The bitter smile on his lips went down through his throat along with the bitter coffee. ¡°You¡¯ve always been wiser than me. You¡¯re right again this time, Marianne.¡± It was when Marianne seemed more curious of him than ever before. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt, sir and madam.¡± The manager approached them with an embarrassed look on his face. Kristoff¡¯s gaze shifted very slowly in an agonizing way toward him. As if he expressed his visibly unpleasant feeling upon the man¡¯s interruption between their time. Every time he did so, Marianne thought of a predator. A predator who cornered its prey slowly, not a mere small animal that runs away quickly. He was someone at the top of the food chain. The manager, who flinched at the sight, spoke up while trying hard to mutter his most polite speech. ¡°I sincerely apologize, but our staff seems to have guided you to the reserved seats. We won¡¯t charge you for the coffee, so I¡¯d appreciate it if you could leave the seats.¡± Though his attitude was nothing short of politeness, it was a clear spurn. Marianne swept her eyes around the place. The hall was only about half full. There were vacant seats everywhere.