What traps people isn’t the place or status, but their own mindset. In that sense, I feel true freedom here.

Ines knew well why he was saying this.

Here, she had regained much of her former brightness. Daily meditation, disciplined life, and the feeling of divine favor had restored her mental wellness.

All the elements she believed could harm her were gone; she felt completely safe.

But one day, a sudden episode began. Nightmares ceased after that day, but the unexpected panic attacks that arrived without warning brought an intense feeling of impending death, along with physical suffocation.

And Markus had watched her symptoms closely, multiple times.

“I know what that look means.”

“……”

“You’re worried about me again, aren’t you? Don’t worry. I’m really okay. My mind is more peaceful than ever.”

Even though she spoke lightly, Markus’s face couldn’t relax. Ines shook her head softly as she entered the training ground. She didn’t want to discuss this topic any further.

The physical pain she was going through wasn’t trivial to Ines. At such moments, the agony was so great that she’d rather die. The attacks lasted for hours, mostly much longer than an hour.

The feeling of being choked was a great agony that nobody could understand unless they had experienced it.

Given that this place taught medicine, there were many medical books.

Though she was of a maid’s status, she could borrow books. She had tried to find the cause of her problems.

What could be the reason for the panic and confusion that still occurred, even though she thought she had found peace of mind? No book provided a clear answer.

However, it could only be presumed to be due to sustained physical and psychological abuse.

What Ines had gone through was not what her body was going through now.

Sitting in her place, Ines looked out of the large window and thought of Carson. Just thinking about him brought her immense joy. In just two more years, she could be by his side. What a blessed life it would be.

She held the Bible in her arms and sent up a brief prayer for him. Meanwhile, an old priest began his lecture, and outside the window, rain started to drizzle again.

When Noah arrived at the office, Carson was reading a newspaper.

“What’s this? Do newspapers have nothing better to do these days? Is this for my amusement?”

“Judging by the phrase ‘the greatest beauty,’ I’m certain.”

After Ines left, Carson promptly moved to the castle where Earl Graham had been residing.

Louie had been a concern, but surprisingly, the child showed little resistance to returning. Transforming Graham’s castle into ‘Carson-style’ didn’t take long.

Landhill, integrated with Rulsonia, was referred to as the capital of the south.

“The name ‘Rulsonia’ has been gone from maps for a while, why still use it?”

“Isn’t it a metaphorical expression?”

“You’re quite understanding, my aide.”

In Carson’s view, the social scene had become tedious. Even when he was younger, only royals, nobles, and titled individuals were considered as the social scene.

Though it demanded intellectual and sophisticated conversation, no matter how witty or vibrant, it all became the same at some point.

Now Rulsonia, turned into Landhill, had a large harbor, leading to a more diverse culture compared to other territories.

Lately, a middle class formed around merchants who conducted trade with large ships. Those who had accumulated some wealth were always anxious to enter proper social circles.
Especially, women imitated the styles of nobles and landlords, aiming to inch closer to higher social circles.

So now, having lost both its meaning and original intent, the social world left only indifference and coldness for him.

“Not really.”

Noah always stepped back on this matter. Even without emphasizing it, he, having lived his entire life as royalty, surely knew the importance of social circles.

The newspaper Carson put down had, in large print, the following written:

“The Belle Époque’s masterpiece, a rare wanderer in Lusonia’s social circles.”

One hundred years ago, the Keinz Empire had a bloody war across the sea with another kingdom. The emperor at the time had personally organized salons within the palace to soften the rough nature of the nobles through social interaction with elegant women.

“Exceptional naming indeed, ‘a rare wanderer.'”

“Even so, it’s the most influential newspaper. You can’t completely ignore it.”

At Noah’s words, Carson seemed to wince as if he had a headache. He surely wasn’t completely ignoring it, hence the frustration.

To become a beloved lord of the territory, one of his important tasks was to provide an enthusiastic platform for debate and encourage participation.

Social circles dealt not only with academics but also with art and philosophy.

Great thinkers were born out of this social milieu. Nowadays, even astronomy, physics, and even medicine were topics in the salons, so encouragement was necessary.

Yet Carson, true to the description of a wanderer, had not properly stepped foot in any salon.