Resetting Lady

Marquis Penceir didn’t say anything back.

Silence stretched between them once more, but it didn’t last very long. The marquis spoke.

“Give me an explanation as to why Carynne Evans did not sin. A convincing explanation, in detail.”

Done.

In front of Marquis Penceir, Raymond wrote with a fountain pen on a piece of parchment, then spoke.

“If we reveal Crown Prince Gueuze’s collection, it would be convincing to say that Carynne killed him accidentally in self-defense.”

“You want me to willingly damage the reputation of the Royal Family?”

“I will pay the price.”

Raymond pointed to himself. But Marquis Penceir shook his head.

“He must have been… stabbed with the sword by Crown Prince Gueuze.”

“Didn’t you say that Carynne was the one holding that sword?”

“Yes, but it wasn’t Carynne who used it. It was His Highness Gueuze.”

“Evidence?”

“It’s not decisive evidence per se, but it must have been Crown Prince Gueuze who lowered the sword from the wall. He was the one who used the blade first, then Carynne picked it up.”

Thinking back on the sketches, Marquis Penceir realized that the story lined up.

“Isn’t it possible that she killed Gueuze first, and then Lewis?”

“It isn’t.”

“Why?”

“She can’t reach it.”

“Aha.”

It was for a simple reason.

“If we consider the timeline, then Crown Prince Gueuze lowered the sword first. Of course, he was the only one there who could have reached it. Thereafter, he used the sword on His Highness Lewis… Truthfully, I don’t quite understand. The first in line to the throne is still Crown Prince Gueuze. He could have just waited.”

At Raymond’s rumination, Marquis Penceir turned a deaf ear.

“It’s the Royal Family we’re talking about,” the marquis said. “Anyway, so when Gueuze and Lewis were in an altercation, Carynne strangled him from behind… But why did she pick up the sword again?”

“Most likely for her maid.”

“Her maid? Ah, yes. You mentioned that there’s one more. Why her?”

It was soon a forgotten fact that Donna had been there. But Raymond knew immediately how she had died.

“One each of her arms and legs was found in Countess Elva’s mansion… Crown Prince Gueuze had sent them to Carynne. From how much they had dried up, it’s clear that they were severed from the maid’s body a long time ago, and the characteristics of the body parts have been confirmed to be hers.”

And the reason behind why Carynne killed Donna was simple.

“It was a mercy killing.”

“Haa.”

Marquis Penceir rubbed his temples with both hands. He couldn’t wrap his head around it fully.

“Then why did she say that she killed them all?”

Raymond seemed certain.

“It’s…”

To start over.

To make sure that she would get the death sentence.

Because she must be thinking that it’s more interesting to get the death penalty rather than to commit suicide.

It would be a new, refreshing experience.

“Because she is mentally ill.”

That’s all Raymond could say.

Marquis Penceir sighed, then he brought a hand to Raymond’s shoulder.

“Everything you said just now is circumstantial. The trial will typically be handled mostly through her confession and through eye-witness accounts. And His Majesty wants a clear culprit. The loss of his children has made him exceedingly furious.”

“…I see.”

Raymond had already guessed as much.

Marquis Penceir continued.

“At the very least, make sure that your fiancée doesn’t talk nonsense. I’ll try my best.”

“Thank you.”

Raymond rose from his seat. He must convince Carynne. Her life’s precious. She can’t give up until the end.

Even if all honor and pride were to be thrown away to the gutters.

“Why did Crown Prince Gueuze… Hate Prince Lewis so much? He was just a boy.”

Raymond recalled the young royal prince who once looked at him with such admiration in his eyes. He could feel his stomach churning. The boy had been too young to die.

“He was a royal, therefore competition. He wasn’t just a boy. And Gueuze… Ever since Lewis was born, Gueuze had been under the firm impression that the child wasn’t his. Well, it’s not just his imagination anyway.”

“…What?”

“I thought you knew about it, too. His Highness Lewis was born in the later years of His Majesty the King, with his mistress Madam Berzel. A deal of some sort was made between the King and the late Crown Princess.”

“…Is that so?”

“Maybe it was the case, or maybe it wasn’t, but it seemed like the Crown Princess had been barren. She and the Crown Prince never had any children between them. Or perhaps His Highness Gueuze was the problem.”

Marquis Penceir rose from his seat, a bitter smile on his lips.

“In any case, His Majesty will be sure to think of your fiancée as his enemy now. Whether it was just one son or two that she killed, or rather, one son or one grandson. What’s the point of counting? Be sure to console your fiancée well. I have to meet His Majesty.”

* * *

“Carynne Evans will soon arrive.”

“Yes.”

Raymond went to the prison where Carynne Evans was locked up. It was a place where political prisoners were being detained because she had killed royal heirs.

If Carynne had killed only a maid like Donna, she would have been imprisoned in a deplorable place and had been made a plaything by male inmates and prison guards, but she killed too big of a fish.

So, ironically enough, Carynne was safe and sound.

“Go ahead.”

“Thank you.”

As the door opened, Carynne walked towards Raymond, all the while being watched by a guard. Inside this room were neat tables and chairs, a carpet on the floor, and a painting of the Holy Mother on the wall.

Even so, prison was prison.

The guards were expressionless as they stood there, guns and ropes and all. And bars were solidly in place at the windows.

Still, just by looking at Carynne’s extremely calm demeanor, it’s as if this place was not a prison at all. She even had a hint of a smile.

“Sir Raymond, your face is a mess. You could have cleaned up a little before you came, yes?”

Raymond laughed bitterly as he pulled out a chair for Carynne. Since there was no servant present, he had to do it himself.

Carynne sat down in the chair that Raymond pulled out for her, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

“On the other hand, you’re still as pretty as ever.”

Even in a situation like this.

When would Carynne not be pretty? This question suddenly passed fleetingly in Raymond’s mind. Why was this woman still so pretty in his eyes amidst all this? Did he go crazy?

However, regardless of what Raymond felt when he saw her, Carynne didn’t seem to think of this to be a big deal.

“Thank you.”

Raymond had been scrambling around until now, and he was the one who had become utterly exhausted and unkempt.

He went ahead and sat as well, in front of Carynne with the table between them. The guards were watching from the back.

Raymond spoke to them.

“Please give us a moment of privacy.”

“That is impossible.”

“What could we possibly do in this place? I am just her fiancé. You must understand how difficult the situation is.”

Raymond handed over a pouch full of gold coins. But the prison guard would not take it.

“I shall not accept it.”

“Don’t be that way.”

The little squabble made Carynne giggle.

“Wow, Sir Raymond. You’re even bribing people now? You’ve become corrupted.”

“…Carynne.”

Raymond’s face slightly turned red, but he hurriedly turned his head, and the guard stepped back with an amusing expression on his face.

“I will be right outside. And the door will be left open. No exception.”

“Fine.”

With her elbows on the table, Carynne waved at the guard, her eyes twinkling. It’s as if she was playing a little game.

“Hmm, are you going to interrogate me? That’s funny. I did think that it would end up like this.”

“Is this situation fun to you?”

“If I don’t find it fun, what’s that going to do?”

They had already confessed their love that starry night, but they both knew that their love could not come true.

“Carynne. Marquis Penceir will be the next king.”

“Oh my, really? Ahh, that’s because Prince Lewis is dead, huh… I wonder what the coronation will be like.”

Prince Lewis, you…

Raymond tried not to think about it anymore.

“You will be able to see it.”

“I won’t though?”

You know why I won’t.

Carynne propped her chin on one palm. And she crossed her legs. Ka-tak, ka-tak. He felt the reverberation of her nodding leg.

You can’t save me. It’s too late.

Watching her rebellious attitude, Raymond brought his hands together and leaned forward.

He must persuade her.

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