READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 176 - Side Story (8)
“Sister-in-law!”
“There’s no way. I already consider Carl as my partner for life.”
Carl was surprised by Fanora’s confession and became silent, but her expression remained unchanged.
Seeing this, Haniel calmly said, “Then, it really would be good to get married. Even if it seems like just a moment’s event, the scene of a wedding ceremony becomes an unforgettable memory for life.”
“…”
“
Ah
! Since I’ve been here, I’ve gotten to know some priests, and if
ㅑ
ask nicely, we could have a wedding ceremony right away. If the problem is Carl not bringing a dowry is the issue, I can cover all the expenses!”
She seemed eager to oversee their wedding immediately, but the response she received was negative.
“Money isn’t the issue.”
“Yes…?”
“Lady Felton, you might not know, but we are not in a position to make vows in front of a priest…”
Fanora began counting on her fingers, not holding the travel bag. Starting with her index finger, she listed the crimes they had committed.
“Murder, assault, desertion… Thanks to that, there are quite a few people out there looking for us with a vengeance in their eyes.”
“…”
“We can’t even invite guests, let alone write our real names on the vow documents because we’re dodging pursuit.”
Fanora rolled her eyes and opened her mouth. “Is it even reasonable for criminals like us to proudly participate in a wedding?”
Haniel eventually gave in to her stubborn attitude, and what followed was a farewell filled with regret.
“I’m glad to see you’re doing well. Sister-in-law, we’ll be on our way then.”
“
Oh
, by the way, on my way here, I moved his grave to a better location. I’ll tell you where it is so you can visit.”
“Is that so?”
Carl was no longer a child in need of guidance, so Haniel let him go with ease. But then…
“I have something to tell you.”
While Carl, who had disguised himself, went out to arrange for a carriage, Fanora, left alone, whispered to his sister-in-law.
“I said that earlier, but in fact if things calm down, we plan to have a ceremony.”
“!”
“So don’t worry about Carl. I’ll take responsibility for him from now on.”
Criminals who haven’t paid for their crimes shouldn’t walk with their heads held high. It’s a common saying, but reality often says otherwise. The world is full of people who commit atrocities yet accumulate wealth and power. Fanora was just one of those many cases.
“Take care, Lady Felton.”
She left her final words and followed in the footsteps of her partner. Haniel watched her departing back, praying for their happiness.
A while later, they boarded a cramped carriage and headed towards the countryside. After visiting the graveyard Haniel mentioned, they planned to leave Bellumel.
“Will we eventually call each other ‘honey’ if we get married?”
“A term of endearment?”
“Yes, it feels strange to think that word might become familiar one day.” Fanora, leaning on his shoulder in the rocking carriage, spoke.
Then, Carl responded with a gentle voice. “Then I really have to graduate from calling you ‘Lady Fanora’.”
The old, rented carriage moved slowly toward their destination. Meanwhile, Fanora took out a notebook from her leather bag. It was a black diary she no longer used.
“
Oh
, I think I’ve seen that before.”
“I was sorting through things earlier, and it caught my eye again. I’m debating whether to burn it.”
“To burn it?”
“…Maybe it’s no longer needed since I won’t have to look at it anymore.”
She fiddled with the black diary with a lingering touch. With the war between Kasius and Gamiel nearing its end, the story in the novel was about to end. But Fanora’s life continued.
In the end, why was the reason for me being given a second chance?
She pondered the phenomena she experienced and then put the diary back in her bag.
Holding onto a finished novel was pointless. Fanora decided to buy a new diary as they left Bellumel. It was time to record her own life, not someone else’s.
“Carl.”
“Yes?”
The couple began a simple conversation, watching the changing scenery outside the window.
“Sorry to change the subject, but we might need to switch carriages. Even if it costs more, we should find one that shakes less…”
“Why?”
“I’ve been feeling sick all day with this motion sickness.”
As usual, it was just another ordinary day.
* * *
After paying their respects, they acquired a new carriage and set off southward again.
I can’t believe Kasius’s army was pushed back to Taindem. It seems the capital has already collapsed. Before my regression, there were even talks of Kingdom Kasius rising to the status of an empire after winning the war.
Fanora looked out through the clean window. The luxury carriage, pulled by large Clydesdales, was as comfortable as she hoped, with less jolting.
Fortunately, the ruler of Gamiel isn’t the type to seek reckless territorial expansion. Hopefully, after this war, he won’t dream of unnecessary continental conquest….
Yet, Fanora still seemed troubled. She leaned her arm against the carriage door, deep in thought. The man sitting upright on the right side quietly observed her.
She mentioned being severely motion sick, but is she feeling a bit better now?
This time, Carl also had much on his mind, so the carriage fell into a brief silence.
I keep thinking about what my sister-in-law said.
Carl leaned back into the soft seat. The deeper his thoughts, the heavier his sighs became. What occupied his mind was none other than the conversation with his sister-in-law.
It’s the first time I’ve seen my sister-in-law so angry.
When Haniel reunited with Carl and heard they hadn’t even held a betrothal ceremony, she said.
“Carl, someone might think there are three Europa in this world. You don’t possess eternal youth, so how have you not prepared for marriage yet? Are you planning to live casually together, relying on Lady Celsius’s generous generosity? Family isn’t something that can be formed just by liking each other. Marriage is a solid promise that proves each other’s hearts, and who would want to commit their life to someone who can’t even make this basic promise? It would be good for you to seriously consider this…”
“…”
At that time, Haniel spoke in a roundabout way, but her expression was not so gentle. If Haniel wasn’t such a noble person, she might have outright cursed him for being out of his mind.
Carl closed his mouth tightly, his gaze fixed on the floor. The carriage carrying the two moved forward in silence.
It wasn’t until the sky turned a vivid crimson that the carriage came to a stop. They had arrived in a rural area near the city where Haniel lived, the first place one would reach if they took the carriage road down from the city. Due to the famous pilgrimage site nearby, there were many accommodations for travelers. They easily found a place to stay.
“Carl, I’m sorry, but I’m quite tired today.”
“Is that so? Do you want to go to bed early? But you haven’t had dinner since last night…”
As they were left alone on the white bed, Carl naturally clung to her as usual. However, Fanora, perhaps exhausted from the day’s journey, gently pushed him away.
“I’m too sleepy to even feel hungry.”
But Carl didn’t seem disappointed by the rejection. He just thought about getting her to bed quickly since she was tired.
Fanora fell into a deep sleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. It was only 11 hours later that she woke up again. The next morning.
Uh? Is the clock broken?
The person with black hair sat up in bed, looking bewildered. Fanora couldn’t believe she had slept for 11 hours.
Where did Carl go?
Ugh…
She pressed her hand against her throbbing temples and groaned. It had been a series of unlucky days. She was plagued by motion sickness all day, felt heavy even after waking up, and even had unsettling dreams.
They say vivid dreams aren’t a good sign.
Fanora quietly reflected on the dream she had last night.
In the dream, she was sitting in a room of the Celsius mansion where she lived as a child, and an owl with fluffy feathers sat on the wide-open windowsill. The owl stared at her dream self for several minutes with its eyes wide open. It seemed insignificant upon waking, but Fanora kept thinking about that dream.
“
Um
…”
“Lady Fanora, are you awake?”
Then, at that moment. The locked door swung open, and someone entered the room. A man wearing a gray robe with a hood pulled down over his face, holding a bunch of freshly baked bread that smelled delicious.
“
Ah
, I just woke up.”
“Did you oversleep? Are you still feeling unwell?”
“No, I’m not sick, but… Carl, is what you brought for lunch today?” Fanora greeted Carl, who had returned from his outing, with a smile.
“Yes. Since you haven’t eaten since last night, you must be very hungry. Let’s eat while it’s still warm.”
Bellumel was once a kingdom under Kasius’s jurisdiction, so Carl, who only spoke his native language, could shop without any trouble.
The rest of the day proceeded as usual. Carl placed the food he had bought on the table, and Fanora got up to tidy the bed. Soon, they sat opposite each other at a small tea table, beginning their belated breakfast.
“
Ah
, Lady Fanora! I saw it on my way here. There’s a huge lake nearby. The weather is nice today, so how about going boating…”
“…”
“
Um
… Lady Fanora, are you listening?”
It was then that Fanora began to faintly guess the cause of the unease she had been feeling recently. She held the fragrant bread in her hand and stiffened her expression. The smell of freshly baked bread, which she would normally enjoy without a second thought, felt strangely off today.
“Why are you doing that? Your complexion doesn’t look good.”
As Carl urged for an answer, Fanora said flatly. “Carl, it looks like we’ll have to stay here for a few more days. I just remembered it’s about to be the rainy season in this region. It’s not a good time for long-distance travel.”
“I see.”
“And.”
Fanora was about to say they should visit a doctor tomorrow but stopped herself.
Why raise expectations only to be disappointed later?
“…Thanks for buying bread this morning. I’ll go out tomorrow.”
She decided to open up the conversation once everything was confirmed and kept her words brief.
Seeing this, Carl, still looking worried, spoke up. “Are you not going out today?”
“Yes?”
“The lake was really pretty. It’d be nice if Lady Fanora could see it too…”
“Ah, right. You mentioned going boating. Sure.”
No matter how close Bellumel is to Kasius, that’s only in terms of borders. It’s not good to always stay indoors just because you’re afraid of being pursued. Fanora happily accepted his suggestion for an outing. Then Carl smiled brightly like sunshine.
If we keep heading south like this, we could see the sea, but is he this excited just because of a lake visit?
Fanora momentarily wondered at his unusually joyful demeanor, but it was a fleeting thought.
They soon made simple preparations and headed to the nearby lake.