10
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Because of Gloria’s interruption, most of the barbarians were dead and wounded so they ignored the soldiers they captured and increased their patrols on the outskirts of the city.
It was less dangerous inside the city.
After three days, Esther and I had run out of supplies.
But the number of the injured had only increased.
So I decided to venture to the city’s medical center to see if there was any medicine left.
With a dagger, I was careful, but I still met the barbarians.
‘There’s a woman here! Come on! Take her back!”
The moment he called out, I stabbed him in the chest.
To avoid attracting more people, I turned and ran down the alley.
I knew the terrain better than they did.
But there were footsteps behind me, tensing me up.
As I passed a corner, listening to the sound, I pulled out the dagger.
My dagger paused.
It was Charles.
He put his hand over my mouth and leaned against the wall.
After the barbarians passed, he let me go.
“I thought you were dead.”
‘Do you want me dead?
I didn’t reply, but he said, “I said I want to die with you. You are alive, so I won’t give up.”
I didn’t think it was the right time for this.
“Shh. Listen.”
What?
I held my breath, and suddenly, I heard the voice of our soldiers. “The barbarian leader has been captured! Prince Edward is awesome!”
“Hail to Prince Edward!”
“We win!”
The overwhelming cheers filled my ears.
Tears blurred my
vision.
Later, I learned that this was actually Prince Edward’s plan.
They wanted to get the barbarian leader, so Prince Edward sent false news of
disappearance and sacrifice, tricking the barbarians.
He negotiated with the lord of Yugen in advance to let the barbarians into the city if we
couldn’t resist.
D
Overjoyed with the victory, the barbarians did not realize they were trapped.
They were caught off guard and couldn’t escape because Lambert’s men were waiting
20:13 Fri, 14 Feb S.
-7
He negotiated with the lord of Yugen in advance to let the barbarians into the city if we
couldn’t resist.
Overjoyed with the victory, the barbarians did not realize they were trapped.
They were caught off guard and couldn’t escape because Lambert’s men were waiting
outside.
Eventually, we got back Yugen and Dansto. The barbarians were defeated, and they gave us
five cities to make up for it.
That day, Charles suddenly stood behind my door, bit my neck, and said, “Why didn’t you run away? Do you know how dangerous it was since I wasn’t around?”
I pushed him away, recalling my previous life.
I was caught by a barbarian when trying to save a soldier, but I was prepared.
Charles found me just as I killed that barbarian.
That night, he held me by the waist and pinched my face, asking, “Do you want to die? I told -you to leave. Why didn’t you go? In the chaotic times, your life matters the most!”
I didn’t leave because I couldn’t wait to get rid of him.
And if I was able to save someone, I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.
Perhaps seeing the indifference in my eyes, that night, Charles pressed down on me and vented his anger on me. “Regina, next time, I won’t allow you to put your own safety at risk.”
I remained silent.
He didn’t know that every moment with him was killing me.
Charles hated my silence and pinched my mouth, getting even angrier. “Regina, speak.”
I closed my eyes, refusing to face him.
I hated him.
Just like now, I kicked him and broke free from his hold. “Charles, Gloria died for the country. As her husband, you should mourn for her. Yet you came to me. How could you do this?”
“I don’t love her.” Charles frowned.
“But that doesn’t change the fact that she is your wife.”
Charles seemed hurt by these words and tightened his grip on my hand. “Regina, do you know why I treated you that way before?”
I scoffed, “Because you were Prince Edward’s weapon. You had too many enemies, so you couldn’t have any weaknesses. You had to pretend not to care about me.”
A look of surprise flashed in his eyes.
“You knew that. Then why…”
Why?
Because I was an ordinary person who would get hurt after being abused.
The pain he brought lingered, and his presence was a reminder of the past torture.
Besides, I never had feelings for him from the very beginning.
So why should I tolerate his hurting me and restricting my freedom?
Love could have many disguises, but I didn’t like the way that made me feel unloved.
20:13 Fri, 14 Feb
Why?
Because I was an ordinary person who would get hurt after being abused.
The pain he brought lingered, and his presence was a reminder of the past torture.
Besides, I never had feelings for him from the very beginning.
So why should I tolerate his hurting me and restricting my freedom?
Love could have many disguises, but I didn’t like the way that made me feel unloved.
36%
Perhaps seeing the coldness and resistance in my eyes, Charles gently let go of my hand.
“What if I give you freedom?”
“But there’s a price, right?”
He didn’t reply.
I looked at him indifferently. “Charles, what if I make a suggestion? You give up everything you’ve gained from Prince Edward, give up your future, and go with me. Would you?”
He fell silent.
Silence was the answer.
I took a step back. “See? You can’t do it. The prime minister is so respected. You can avenge your parents, restore your family’s glory, and be second only to the King. Who would refuse that? So, Charles, we were never on the same path. You can’t give me what I want.”
As I opened the door, I heard his trembling voice. “In the previous life, I committed suicide after you died and was buried with you.”
But what did that have to do with me?
He came up to me and showed me a pair of small earrings in his palm.
They were probably the ones I wore when I was ten. I lost one, and I kept the other in my
room.
So, the stuff he held in the garden was the remaining one.
Before leaving, I whispered, “I don’t know why you loved me. Maybe you liked the feeling from
a long time ago, innocent and pure. But Charles, I never loved you, not at all.”
It was wrong from the very beginning.
So, even if I could do it all over again, I wouldn’t fall in love with him.
I asked Lambert to fake my death.
And I told him to tell the King that there was a brave woman during the resistance against
the enemy.
- me.
Her name was Gloria Laurent.
How stupid she was! Why didn’t she run away? As long as she was alive, she could still defeat
But she insisted on being a hero.
I wiped away my tears. What a fool.
Esther waved at me tearfully as she left. “Take care of yourself.”
From then on, there was no Regina Laurent.
I asked her to send a letter to my parents.
20:13 Fri, 14 Feb
S
ས ༢36%2
your parents, restore your family’s glory, and be second only to the King. Who would refuse that? So, Charles, we were never on the same path. You can’t give me what I want.”
As I opened the door, I heard his trembling voice. “In the previous life, I committed suicide
after
you died and was buried with you.”
But what did that have to do with me?
He came up to me and showed me a pair of small earrings in his palm.
They were probably the ones I wore when I was ten. I lost one, and I kept the other in my
room.
So, the stuff he held in the garden was the remaining one.
Before leaving, I whispered, “I don’t know why you loved me. Maybe you liked the feeling from
a long time ago, innocent and pure. But Charles, I never loved you, not at all.”
It was wrong from the very beginning.
So, even if I could do it all over again, I wouldn’t fall in love with him.
I asked Lambert to fake my death.
And I told him to tell the King that there was a brave woman during the resistance against
the enemy.
- me.
Her name was Gloria Laurent.
How stupid she was! Why didn’t she run away? As long as she was alive, she could still defeat
But she insisted on being a hero.
I wiped away my tears. What a fool.
Esther waved at me tearfully as she left. “Take care of yourself.”
From then on, there was no Regina Laurent.
HAL
I asked her to send a letter to my parents.
Later, I heard from her, saying that my mother went blind from crying after reading the letter and went to church every day.
#
She kept saying sorry to me and Gloria.
Yes, Mother, you did hurt me and Gloria.
If you hadn’t sown the discord behind the scenes and encouraged Gloria to come to Yugen, she might not have ended up like this.
If you hadn’t favored her in this life and the previous one, and constantly compared me to
her before Gloria, she wouldn’t have developed jealousy.
After all, Gloria and I used to be the best sisters in the world.
But it didn’t matter anymore.
The past was gone with the wind.
From now on, I would confront a wider world. I was free.
So was Gloria.
(The end)
Σ
