Resetting Lady

Carynne stood up. And she put the hand back into the chest.

Women should always be prepared. Carynne got up, tidied her hair, wore the necklace and earrings, then changed her clothes. There was no maid by her side, so she had to do everything alone.

Carynne was not used to doing trivial things alone. She’s too old for this.

“It’s hard to change clothes alone.”

She sighed as she did her best to tuck herself into the cumbersome clothes. She gave up on tightening the corset—it wasn’t something that could be done alone—but she wondered if her belly was sticking out. As she wiped her face, the slight thought of it made her smile.

She turned her head up and put on her accessories. She had to pay special attention to the necklace.

Carynne picked up the pearl necklace. She quite liked this one. The necklace had three rows of thick pearls and several diamonds in between. She didn’t often wear such jewelry because it was too luxurious, but now was the time to wear it.

It was similar to Isella’s necklace, but Carynne’s was better. She hung it around her neck. It would have been better if she could wear clothes that were a little more comfortable.

It didn’t matter if her back had several cuts. She chose a dress that boldly revealed her back. She wouldn’t be appearing in front of many people anyway, so it’s going to be fine.

After all, Dullan secretly liked such clothes.

“The Dullan I know is a pervert.”

And so, Carynne got dressed and put on some make-up. Putting on red lipstick would make her look mature. Then, after everything, she wore a black cloak with a hood.

Covering her head with the hood, Carynne slipped out of the room.

Carynne did not want to have a happy ending that’s like this.

* * *

“Dullan must still be here.”

Carynne stared at Isella Evans’ mansion. Most of the lights were off. Before she knew it, night had already fallen.

“…Should I knock on the door?”

Her legs had gotten exhausted thus far, and her steps eventually stopped. She didn’t think that this mansion was going to be this far.

She couldn’t use one of the count household’s carriages because she had gone out without Countess Elva’s knowledge. She took a passenger carriage once on the way, but because this was private property, the carriage couldn’t get off the main roads.

And seriously, the Evans manor was too humongous. The carriage had stopped in front of their gates earlier. It’s a good thing that the way to the mansion was deserted because of how large the property was. Carynne had walked through the bushes.

“Is their land really this wide?”

Carynne went through the back door, which she used to go through a lot while she had been Isella’s handmaid. It was locked, but she knew that the spare key was being hidden underneath a small statue right next to the door.

When the door opened, she was faced with the sight of the cellar.

“…I don’t know which one is Dullan’s room.”

Only then did Carynne realize that she did not know. Even if Carynne had lived in the Evans manor many times before, this was the first time that Dullan had come with her until this point.

“…Haa.”

Sighing, Carynne walked forward cautiously. She recalled where the guest rooms were.

Ta-dak. Ta-dak.

Unbeknownst to her, the evening had settled in, and the house was entirely still.

Carynne took off her shoes and held them in her hands. Since the Evans family’s manor had marble floors, no matter how much she tried to be discreet, her footsteps were endlessly noisy. So, she picked up her shoes and headed towards the hallway of the guest rooms.

Even if the mansion was engulfed with darkness, it was not difficult for her to find her way around because it was a familiar place.

The splendid mansion was awash with slumber and darkness. Carynne did not want to wake anyone up. All she wanted was to meet Dullan. She wanted to avoid the flustering situation of bumping into Verdic Evans for no reason.

Different mansions had different internal rules. Still, Carynne knew the general rules of the Evans manor somewhat. If she happened to chance upon a locked guest room, then that would be Dullan’s. The people in the Evans manor didn’t bother locking any unused rooms.

“…Ah.”

The door was open. Carynne was slightly taken aback as the doorknob in her hand twisted smoothly, not getting caught. She peeked inside just in case, but as expected, it was an empty room. This was the first room along this hallway, so it was the first one that she checked.

Carynne closed the door and headed for the next room.

“……”

This room was empty as well. What the. Carynne was baffled.

Was Dullan not at the Evans manor? Why? He should be keeping Isella asleep for Carynne’s sake right now. Carynne was definitely baffled. Dullan should be here right now to take care of Isella. It’s not a normal illness, so he needed to be by her side to keep her constantly drugged. But why? At this hour? Where did he go?”

“…Who’s there?”

Carynne caught sight of a servant walking up to her some distance away, bringing a lamp with him. She quickly hid, rushing towards the stairs. But the servant kept coming towards Carynne.

She should avoid him at all costs. Carynne decided to go up the stairs.

“……”

She rushed up the steps. She knew where she was headed right now. It’s the top floor. And she had to check.

Over there at the top floor was Isella Evans’ room.

Something felt off.

“Who goes there!”

This time again, another unexpected person appeared. The house’s tranquility had been broken. Even if Verdic would give her lashings again, she needed to check.

Carynne nearly broke into a run.

Tadaktadak.

She saw a door. The door to Isella Evans’ room was locked, but Carynne knew how to open it.

She kicked the door down. Hard.

The door opened.

And.

“…Where did you go?”

Isella’s room was empty. There’s not a soul inside. Dullan wasn’t there, neither was Isella, who’s supposed to be lying down on the bed.

Carynne strode into the room and threw the bedcovers to the side. Empty. She moved again and looked at the trash can. Empty. It seemed like it’s been a while since anyone used it. What about the basement?

“What the hell.”

And then— someone from behind Carynne covered her mouth.

She felt a familiar sensation.

The sensation of being suffocated.

* * *

Dullan. Isella. Donna.

Inside the empty room, Carynne looked at her surroundings. It was dim all around her.

Still as ever, no one was there.

She opened her eyes. Then she closed them, and opened them again. She couldn’t see a thing.

It looked like it’s still nighttime.

Carynne closed her eyes and went back to sleep. The pull of slumber was strong as it tugged upon her consciousness. But then, she felt the odd sensation of cloth on her cheek.

She opened her eyes again. Her cloudy rationality was gradually returning to her.

It’s dark. Where was she?

Carynne squirmed on the bed that she was lying on now. There was a rope at the side of the bed. But she couldn’t reach it.

“…Ah.”

Carynne recalled what happened before she had lost consciousness. She was at the Evans manor.

She went there to meet Dullan. But Dullan wasn’t there. So, she went to Isella’s room, but she wasn’t there either. It was when she was looking around Isella’s room that she fainted.

Where was this place. Carynne lay face down on the bed and tried to recall. It’s extremely dark. So, it’s a place without windows. Or, a room with thick curtains. And what about the person who had kidnapped her from the Evans manor, where were they?

Carynne got up.

“Where is this place…’

It was extremely dark.

She sat back on the bed. It was too dark for her to stand up.

“Verdic Evans?”

She called out to the man, but she couldn’t hear any response.

Sitting there in the dark, she tried to figure out what was going on around her now.

She lost consciousness at the Evans manor. Was she still inside that place?

“…But it’s weird.”

Carynne stood up and fumbled around. She had to open at least one window so she could check out the room. Or, maybe open the door.

But it was too dark and Carynne was a little scared to walk around in this pitch-black darkness.

No. The dark wasn’t scary. That’s not what’s frightening.

Comforting herself, Carynne got up and reached out her arms in front of her.

She then started to walk around the room.

After a few steps, she reached a cold wall. The icy surface induced goosebumps to rise all over her skin. The stone walls were exceedingly cold.

Still, she had to walk with her hands on those walls.