Resetting Lady

“What the hell is going on?!”

“Shh, Isella. Calm down.”

Zion placed a finger over Isella’s lips. The place they were in was often used for discreet meetings between men and women, but raising their voices here wasn’t a wise choice. Despite its grandeur, they were still deep in enemy territory. They needed to stay unnoticed.

But Isella grabbed Zion’s finger and pulled it away from her lips. As her tension eased, her voice grew louder, and her fear turned into anger.

“Calm down? How can I calm down?! Why is Carynne there! After all the risks I took to come here, why is she there?!”

“She probably found a way to survive on her own. If she gains his favor, at least she won’t be killed immediately.”

She had survived by gaining favor with Crown Prince Gueuze. But she had survived a little too well. To think she had managed to secure a position as his mistress. Carynne, standing beside Crown Prince Gueuze earlier, was dazzlingly radiant. At least for now, she didn’t seem to be in immediate danger.

But was that really fortunate? Rather, the situation had become even more complicated. How could they possibly extract someone who had become the crown prince’s mistress?

Women who became the mistresses of royalty often followed similar steps. High-ranking nobles did the same. The law of this country adhered strictly to monogamy, and illegitimate children were not recognized. Moreover, in this country, where religious influence was strong, an unmarried woman who caused a scandal with a man was considered disgraceful.

Therefore, those in power often married their mistresses off to a subordinate or a man with little political influence, granting her a formal position.

‘Ah, so that’s what it is?’

Zion began to think that Carynne might be planning to escape from Crown Prince Gueuze in the same way Catherine had.

First, she would enter the position of his mistress to appease him. However, both royal and noble mistresses were expected to be married women. If she were treated as just another corpse in the basement, it would be different, but becoming his mistress changed everything.

Zion, well-versed in society’s gossip, also knew about Catherine and Gueuze’s past. Catherine had used her legal husband as a shield to escape from Gueuze.

If Carynne were to designate Raymond as her ‘fake husband’, she might also find a way out of Gueuze’s grasp. Zion was the only one who knew about their relationship besides the two of them. Since Raymond and Carynne’s relationship wasn’t official, if they married, it could create an opportunity.

“I understand.”

“What?”

“If she becomes his mistress, they’ll likely marry her off first, and she might ask for Sir Raymond to be designated as her husband. I heard that Carynne’s mother, Catherine, resolved her situation in a similar way.” ȑἁΝỌ𐌱Еṡ

“…What? What are you talking about?”

“To become a mistress, she would need to be married. The fact that she was brought out so publicly at a party suggests that he intends to make her more than just a casual amusement.”

“No, that’s not it…. Why did you suddenly mention Sir Raymond? Are you talking about Raymond, your superior and my former fiancé?”

“Ah.”

Zion fell silent. He had made a serious slip of the tongue.

He tried to think of an excuse, but Isella didn’t give him the chance.

“What relationship does Sir Raymond have with Carynne that would make her designate him as her husband?”

“I misspoke. Of course, I didn’t mean him….”

“Then why did you mention Sir Raymond?”

“Well….”

He wasn’t ready to tell Isella yet. She had once admired Raymond, but she didn’t know about his relationship with Carynne. If Isella found out about their connection, it would undoubtedly cause trouble for Carynne, which was why Raymond had ordered Zion to keep it a secret.

“The important thing right now isn’t that….”

“No, don’t change the subject. I can’t understand why Sir Raymond’s name suddenly came up. Why would Carynne ask for him to be designated as her husband? What’s their relationship?”

“I misspoke. As you know, Sir Raymond is my superior and someone I know well, so….”

“Sir Zion, didn’t you promise me that we would have honest conversations to understand each other better?”

Zion was wrought with the urge to flee. No matter what Raymond had said, this wasn’t something he should have gotten involved in. He should have just charmed Isella into staying safe at the estate, playing along and trying to please her.

Isella’s gaze narrowed, and Zion began to sweat.

“It’s because I’m the father of her child.”

The answer came from behind.

“…What?”

Zion looked at his superior with a face on the verge of tears. Raymond entered the balcony space where Zion and Isella were standing, wearing a bitter smile.

“It’s been a while, Isella. I’m sorry once again for how things have turned out.”

It was the moment when a secret that had been kept hidden was finally revealed.

Zion had learned through Isella that Carynne might be pregnant. After wrestling with the thought, he had no choice but to confront Raymond just before he was about to move with the explosives. He had asked how involved he was with Miss Carynne Hare and mentioned that she might be pregnant.

Raymond confessed calmly to the glaring Isella.

“Carynne and I are together.”

Isella felt like she had been hit in the back of the head.

“So… you were with a woman you weren’t even married to… Sir Raymond…?”

“That’s right. The burden of having to take responsibility for Carynne made me cut off contact with her.”

Raymond answered without hesitation.

“As I told you before, I found that I was popular with people. After that, I realized how foolish it was to be tied to just one woman.”

“…So that’s why Carynne never mentioned anything about a man to me…”

“Of course, our relationship wasn’t serious. Why would I tie myself down to just one woman?”

So in the end, he was saying he had just met her briefly and left. If Isella had a gun, she might have shot Raymond right then and there. She continued questioning Raymond in a low, simmering voice.

“…When did you find out Carynne was pregnant?”

“Sir Zion informed me when he reported Miss Carynne Hare’s disappearance.”

Even Zion thought it was commendable how Raymond was trying to prevent Isella’s anger from turning on Carynne.

This was the moment when all the time Zion had spent lying about Raymond’s supposed promiscuity finally paid off.

Raymond now appeared as the ultimate scoundrel who not only slept with his ex-fiancée’s friend but also got her pregnant and then ran away from her.

‘Bastard.’

Isella glared at Raymond with icy blue eyes, filled with contempt. She cursed him inwardly. She began to understand why Carynne had tried so hard to stay close to her.

She could see why Carynne had acted as a maid, staying by her side, why she hadn’t returned home but instead volunteered at the Grand Cathedral, trying to make a good impression on everyone.

Given the situation, it made sense that Carynne had probably lost her mind, perhaps even convincing herself that she wasn’t pregnant, that she was infertile. But her instincts had driven her to find a place to stay.

For the first time, Isella began to truly understand and sympathize with Carynne. She realized how harsh the world could be to a ‘discarded woman’ in this place. Carynne had probably done everything to appease and please Isella just to survive.

And all of Carynne’s suffering was because of this man.

Sir Raymond Saytes.

A scoundrel with a pretty face.

In the end, both Isella and Carynne were suffering because of him. Isella had to restrain herself from pushing Raymond off the terrace.

“…But why are you here now? I don’t understand why someone who’s claiming to be such a scoundrel is standing here. Why is someone who acted so irresponsibly suddenly here?”

As Isella looked at him with cold eyes, Raymond pointed at Zion.

“Because Sir Zion Electra, standing beside you, convinced me. I didn’t want to sacrifice myself for a woman I had only met briefly. I thought living that way was foolish. But Sir Zion persuaded me, and he told me your story.”

Raymond then knelt on one knee in front of Isella, who was glaring at him with displeasure.

“You came all the way here for Carynne. Seeing your courage and Sir Zion’s efforts on behalf of Carynne Hare made me reconsider my sins. I realized that I could no longer run away. I learned that I cannot escape. Now, I kneel before you and ask for your help.”

His words were sincere.

“Please, help me, Isella Evans.”

***

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