Resetting Lady

07. Wedding

“Carynne, be completely honest with me on this one thing, please. Did you or did you not kill your father?”

“…Is that even important right now?”

Carynne watched idly as Raymond asked this as he grabbed her, and she fretfully rubbed the inside of her wrists. It felt stifling because they were tied so tightly with a rope.

Carynne must now be on her way to prepare for her death sentence. However, Raymond caught her.

“I’ve already been sentenced to death. The verdict won’t be overturned.”

“…Please tell me.”

“Who knows. It’s already come to this.”

However, Raymond continued to look into Carynne’s eyes and kept talking about the same thing.

“If you say you didn’t, I won’t give up on you.”

At this, Carynne sighed. Should she say that he’s pitiful? Or pathetic?

Raymond couldn’t seem to accept the ending even though it’s already set. And he still had lingering feelings. Carynne’s the one who’s about to die here, yet Raymond’s the one who’s so worked up about it.

“What if you won’t give up?”

Her words were sharp as she said this.

It’s been difficult. It’s been hard enough to persevere until this point. Right now, Carynne found it difficult to endure her own sadness and silence. She was fully aware about how her future was forever locked in the chains of eternity. It was difficult enough to stay calm during the trial.

“Sir Raymond, will there be anything that can change your mind?”

Right now, even Raymond should know that there was no point in trying. There’s no need to waste any more of either of their time. It’s over now.

“Just because you won’t give up and won’t stop trying, will anything change?”

“……”

Raymond’s efforts were meaningless. Raymond’s love was worthless.

Even if he’d try, Carynne would die. The death penalty would not be reversed. Also, even if the sky were to collapse, Carynne would just continue to be in this endless cycle.

“It’s time to go.”

The official executioners grabbed Carynne by the shoulder, which made her turn around. Raymond followed. He continued to follow her and said,

“If you say you didn’t, I’ll trust you.”

And what good would his trust give her? Carynne had an urge to answer him wickedly. However, the courtesy that she promised to give him squashed that urge.

Carynne looked up at Raymond’s face, and she replied.

“I did not kill my father. I did not start the fire.”

It was the truth anyway. She didn’t kill her father. Well, she might have tried to kill him, but it was Tom—not Carynne—who did the fief lord in eventually.

And it wasn’t her who started the fire either, it was Dullan. Not a single thing Isella said in her testimony was right. But let’s just say that the girl didn’t know anything.

“I.”

But Carynne hesitated before speaking.

“……”

She couldn’t speak.

It was Nancy, not her father, who she clearly recalled killing. Just because Isella claimed otherwise would not change Carynne’s essence.

“I’m, it’s just.”

She didn’t wish to speak so pathetically. Besides, what could Raymond do now? The mansion had already been burned down to ashes, the verdict had already been handed down.

Her time was already dawning to a close. And, once she’s executed, she would be brought back to life and he would remember nothing about her. It’s always been like that.

But what about Raymond, here?

She wondered if he’d be able to live his life without remembering her, and if he’d continue living in this life after her death. Carynne was curious about that.

Nevertheless, she knew that she would never know.

Would Raymond, who had confessed his love to her countless times now, still be the same person? Even if he looked the same, he would retain none of his memories.

Raymond would never understand her.

Time that was close to eternity would continue to flow between them.

Carynne kept thinking about the life Raymond would have after her death. When compared to her time, as she would live forever, his life was only but a single moment.

Carynne opened her lips to speak again.

I’ll just. I’ll just say this.

Don’t think too much.

“Yes, I killed them all. Now, Sir Raymond. Live your life.”

Carynne concluded with this, then followed after the executioners. No matter what happened, she was under the impression that Raymond would live well enough.

In fact, for a man of his stature, it would be rather difficult to live a terrible life. Would he marry another woman? Would he tie the knot with Isella? Considering the current situation, that would be a good thing.

“Forget about me.”

Now isn’t this quite touching. Carynne laughed inwardly. She’s sure that the courtesy she had shown thus far was sufficient. Next time, she’s determined not to prize Raymond’s face as much—she’d just straight up lock him in a room. Right now, everything was detestable. She herself was shackled to eternity.

Carynne went out of the courtroom and crossed the hall. The wind was cool on her skin. Time had passed before she knew it. It’s soon her moment to die yet again, here in this life.

Trudge, trudge.

There were so many people out front earlier, but there was no one now. As if they all planned it.

“Get on, Carynne Evans.”

“Yes.”

She got onto the carriage. The executioners didn’t help her, so Carynne had to struggle a little to get inside. She staggered into the old, worn-out carriage. It creaked a lot. Then, as she sat down, she heard someone calling out to her.

“Carynne!”

It was Raymond. The carriage was about to start, but he interrupted it.

Raymond climbed up the footstep to look through the carriage window.

“I didn’t give any money to Reverend Dullan. Because you really have gone crazy.”

“Ah, sure.”

Puzzled, Carynne replied like so. But Raymond stared straight into Carynne’s eyes and answered with frustration lacing his tone.

“So, I don’t believe you. And I don’t believe the priest. He lied to put you on death row.”

“……”

Carynne couldn’t understand what kind of train of thought he had now, insisting that he didn’t bribe Dullan. Uh-huh, okay. You’re innocent.

Looking at her quizzical expression, Raymond said to Carynne again.

“I will come and get you. Definitely.”

“I’m going away to die, Sir.”

“Carynne, just stay alive until the very end. I will go to you.”

Stop making such meaningless efforts.

Carynne tried to say this. But the carriage departed. The executioners had decided that it wasn’t worth wasting any more time here.

“Touching, isn’t it? I’m quite the sinful woman.”

Carynne murmured to the man next to her. The man on her other side drew the window’s curtains, aghast.

“We need to strengthen the security.”

Carynne agreed.

* * *

Carynne arrived at her place of execution. But wasn’t her death sentence supposed to be carried out three days later? As the carriage arrived at its destination, Carynne looked up at the old tower, arching her sore back.

“Who’s going to execute me? Will I be beheaded or will I be hanged? Or, I’m not going to be shot, am I?”

“……”

“Are you not allowed to tell me?”

“……”

The man kept his mouth shut. Carynne was all tied up with a rope, and she was being dragged away by the man pulling the other end. Barracks had been set up at a nearby vacant lot. She thought she’d just have a nice, quiet execution, but she was surprised to see that there were more people camped out here than she expected.

Still though, Carynne was not led to the barracks nor to the gallows set up at the square. The man pointed towards the tower, not the clearing. It was an old, white tower. Her neck started hurting as she looked up. She had never died at a place like this before.

She was led to the tower’s entrance below.

“Go up,” the man ordered her from behind.

“All the way to the top?”

Carynne could only sigh as she saw the countless steps going up in front of her. When exactly would she finish climbing all those steps? C’mon, just hang me.

She turned her head and asked the man.

“Are you coming with me?”

Bang!

The door slammed shut behind her. Then, she heard the lock being fastened.

“Hey, be rational here… Untie me at least.”

No one else is going. I’m going up on my own.

Carynne kicked the door with her foot. Rather than the door suffering any damage, only her foot got hurt. She let out a long, drawn-out sigh as she stared at the rope that’s keeping her wrists tightly bound. All she wanted was to die and lie down, but she’s not even allowed that leisure.

Carynne had to be Isella’s maid, had to stand trial, and had to wait for her death sentence.

“What kind of life even is this.”

Oh, how nice would it be to just get it over with—to have her head lopped off right now!

Carynne sighed. Nonetheless, she climbed the steps.