Resetting Lady

Blinded by the glare of the noon sun, Carynne winced. Where was the carriage?

As she turned her head, someone in the distance pointed at her.

“…That’s her!”

Someone shouted. There was a crowd. The sound of their footsteps rapidly came in. Raymond hurriedly pulled the absent-minded Carynne behind her, and she was soon surrounded in a circle by Raymond and the prison guards.

“Carynne, bow your head.”

Raymond took off his coat in a hurry, then he placed it over Carynne. Even so, the outcry had already been heard and was spreading throughout many people. Raymond led Carynne urgently.

“That woman killed him!”

“That witch!”

“Murderer!”

It sounded like something had been thrown. A dull sound rang out. Raymond must have gotten hit.

Splat— Splat!

Several more came in a row. Raymond hurriedly picked up Carynne and brought her into the carriage. She looked out the window. There were people. More than just one or two. Raymond took off the sullied coat that was over Carynne and threw it to the ground.

Then, he glared at the guards.

“Who are those people?”

“They started gathering early in the morning. They’ve been told to leave, but they won't listen…”

“Isn’t it your duty to keep them in line?”

Raymond flung his anger at the guards, but they just remained the same.

Raymond sat down next to Carynne, then drew the curtains of the carriage window.

Holding her shoulders, Raymond asked her. She was still in a daze.

“Carynne, are you alright?”

“…I’m fine.”

Because the one who got hit was Raymond, not her.

He lifted the curtain just a little then peered outside.

“It’s strange. Surely… Your trial should have been kept confidential. Where the hell did those people come from?”

“……”

Raymond lowered the curtain again.

“…Never mind. They won’t be a hindrance.”

After saying so, Raymond kept quiet. He didn’t seem to believe his own words. Carynne watched as he gritted his teeth.

“…It’ll be fine.”

Carynne’s gaze turned towards the coat lying on the floor. It was dripping with tomatoes and eggs. The once luxurious black military uniform turned dirty and trash-like. It would be difficult to put that back on.

“……”

Carynne turned away. None of this was her business. Nothing was important to Carynne now.

Good, evil, love.

Raymond’s sacrifice, Dullan’s secret.

Even though she should care, none of this mattered to her now.

But why did the mere sight of Raymond keep bothering her?

Carynne could not understand Raymond.

* * *

“We have arrived.”

As they waited inside the rattling carriage for a while, they finally arrived in front of the courthouse. Raymond escorted Carynne.

She stared up at the huge building, which had a long horizontal entablature. The colossal building that was the courthouse was lined with columns. The building exuded such an overwhelming atmosphere.

“Carynne, I have to go in first.”

“I know.”

The defendant would have to sit separately. Legally speaking, Carynne and Raymond were strangers because they had yet to marry. Even if they were engaged and had entered high society together, they were still legally mere strangers.

“…Because you’ve experienced it before? Still thought, you must—”

“Sir Raymond. I’ll stay still.”

Carynne cut off Raymond mid-sentence. He glanced down at her anxiously, but Carynne did not say anything more.

Raymond held Carynne’s hand one last time, squeezed it tightly, then let go.

“I’ll be with you again after it’s over.”

And so, Raymond promptly went up the stairs first. Carynne stared after him. After ascending the stairs, Raymond soon disappeared behind the columns.

When he was gone from sight, the guards tapped Carynne from behind. She was propping herself up by holding onto the stair railing because she felt like she’s about to collapse again.

“You need to be inside right away.”

“I know already. Can’t you take it easy?”

“……”

Carynne took a slow, deep breath. Then, after staring at the white, starlight-like stairs, she took her first step up.

Through the white columns, sculptures of saints were looking down on people. They were looking down at the sinners who were about to go inside.

Carynne looked at the massive door that was between two columns. It’s her first time here. Since she wasn’t just a mere petty criminal this time, but a fiend who had slain royal blood, this was where she was taken.

At a building she was entering for the first time ever, Carynne felt out of place.

“……”

She climbed the stairs. Strangely enough, her steps were light. She saw the guards by the door. They looked at her, then opened the door.

Ironically, she came here as a fiend, but it felt like she was being treated quite nicely.

After passing through the well-lit hallway, she now stood in front of the courtroom’s door. And, this door, too, opened for her.

Creeeak.

The courtroom. Gathered people. Serious faces. All looking down at Carynne.

There was an old judge at the front, a prosecutor on the other side, a lawyer on this side, and the jury on both sides. Raymond was waiting for her inside, looking at her with nervous eyes, then the guards were still behind her. The crowd watched her.

‘This is like—’

Carynne felt a wave of déjà vu.

‘Like a wedding.’

Eyes, eyes, eyes. Carynne scanned through everyone’s faces. Royalty, nobles, more nobles. Compared to a wedding, the caliber of today’s guests was even higher.

But of course, she was not greeted with applause.

“That girl is…”

“Oh my goodness.”

She was greeted with whispers.

But they weren’t all too loud. Carynne glanced sideways to look at them. She found a few acquaintances. Well, mostly nobles. Since the dead were members of the royal family, the date of the trial seemed to have been made known to only limited people.

That’s a relief. At least, none of these people would throw tomatoes or eggs at Carynne. She didn’t bring a change of clothes.

Carynne stepped into the courtroom.

Ta-dak.

Her footsteps echoed along the black marble floor. With a white ceiling up above, the judge was sitting there at the end, as if officiating a wedding. Of course, he wouldn’t be giving Carynne a blessed ceremony.

Ta-dak.

She raised her chin and kept her posture straight. This was her final courtesy—her courtesy to Raymond. A promise to impart the least violent ending to a man who strived so hard to live.

Carynne walked forward. She must sit there, at the sinner’s seat—the defendant’s seat. There was a white cloth hanging over her face. It was to block other people’s eyes. However, it reminded her of the white cloth that would cover a corpse’s face, right before the coffin’s lid would be closed. In reality now, they weren’t so different. She sat down. It’s fortunate that the chair had a backrest and armrests. Even through the thin fabric of the white cloth, she could hear their voices.

“That’s Carynne Evans. Have you ever met her before?”

“Sir Raymond Saytes’ fiancée… At least, she was his fiancée.”

“She’s still so young… But towards Crown Prince Gueuze… and His Highness Lewis…”

“Catherine’s daughter… My word, this really… how…”

None of what she did mattered now. Just, to be moved by an external force. Someone would speak, and she would move. She was just hoping that this trial would be over with soon…

Carynne was bothered by the hushed whispers echoing around her, and the gazes that persistently looked at her. Who are you all to me. What relevance do you all hold over me. I am someone from outside this world.

All that remained to urge her forward was her last piece of courtesy and sincerity towards Raymond.

“…Haa.”

Sighing onto the cloth, Carynne closed her eyes. Nothing mattered. Her only wish was that this would end soon. She’s terribly exhausted.

Tang, tang!

“Order in the court.”

People’s voices died down. Coughs followed, however.

“Before we begin this trial, let us take a moment to mourn the loss of our future king.”

This statement was tinged with emotion, even though the person who spoke was a member of the jury. In silence, everyone made a sign of the cross. After all, most nobles were distant relatives and were bound by blood.

Who were they mourning, Gueuze or Lewis?

Dazedly, Carynne appreciated their silence. But it didn’t last long.

Now was not the time to mourn. Rather, it was the time for judgment.

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