The issue suddenly arose as to why Ines and Carson’s party had sought Charlotte on a rainy night. Moreover, what was this about summoning a family council?
However, he claimed that he had gotten lost due to the heavy rain and had heard a loud noise, directing him towards the house where Charlotte lived. He said that he had no obligation to explain about the summoning of the family council.
Even the court could not dare demand an explanation for every action of the royalty.
Ines merely concurred with his statement in writing. It must have been Carson’s consideration, as he also did not want to put her on trial. No believer could be as merciful as Carson.
Once Charlotte had calmed down a bit, Ines asked her about the verdict she received.
“I didn’t hear it clearly. They just said I have to serve in the temple for five years.”
Becoming a temple maiden meant that she could no longer maintain her noble status.
It seemed like a heavy punishment considering it was an accidental crime, her husband was still alive, and it was self-defense. But the laws of the Kaines Empire were much harsher on women, especially when a wife committed a crime against her husband.
She suddenly wondered what punishment her husband had received but had no intention of finding out on her own.
“The temple’s name is Edmont.”
“Edmont? That’s a temple in Sanskria.”
“Ah…”
Charlotte smiled as if she had just remembered.
“Yes, I had forgotten. The temple of Edmont in Sanskria. Well, I can take a train on the way there.”
Charlotte had always wanted to ride a train at least once in her life. Of course, being dragged there as a criminal wouldn’t provide the romantic atmosphere she had mentioned.
“I get to ride a train.”
“Yes.”
“I thought I might never get the chance.”
Ines gently tapped the back of her hand. It was a comforting or perhaps encouraging gesture. For a moment, she looked at their clasped hands and spoke again.
“But Ines, there’s something I really want to ask.”
“…”
“Why are you so kind to me? We’re friends, but we haven’t known each other for that long.”
Ines shook his head.
“Time is not important.”
The words whispered were sincere.
“Charlotte, I’d like to know your maiden name.”
“Maiden name?”
“Yes, your original name.”
She hesitated and then finally spoke, as if uttering the name meant starting over.
“I am Charlotte, Charlotte McFadden. It feels a bit… awkward to say it after so long.”
“McFadden, it suits you well.”
“Does it?”
“Yes, so live as Charlotte McFadden. Make your life truly your own.”
Since her status had changed after the marriage, either party could naturally opt for divorce. So now she was free from violence. Charlotte smiled as brightly as she could.
“Will you do the same?”
“Yes, I will also protect myself from any harm.”
Ines nodded, and Charlotte showed a playful smile she had never displayed before.
“Getting to ride a train in exchange for noble status isn’t a bad deal.”
They hugged tightly and parted. They might never meet again. But the time they could spend together was not important. What mattered, as Carson had said, was that they each had someone to think of.
Ines, upon exiting, didn’t head home but directed the carriage to the market. After Ines disappeared and the household was upended, Susan never left her alone. Ines had to keep moving busily, as there were things that were needed.
Most things could be found within the house, but not iron wire. At a general store selling various iron-made tools, Susan asked with an uneasy voice.
“Why do you want to buy something like this?”
Of course, Ines had a reasonable excuse prepared.
“Lord will soon vacate the estate. I want to make the rope that connects the armor and sword. Making it myself will have meaning.”
“But why buy so much?”
“It’s my first time making it. There could be failures.”
It was a time when guns had already been invented. Knights in heavy armor were no more. Yet, the rope connecting the armor and scabbard still had symbolic meaning.
The rope prepared for a man going to war contained the hope that he would never lose his sword and survive safely.
“So that’s why you needed such a coarse iron wire.”
Of course, she wasn’t entirely against gifting it to him. But the reason for buying this wire was to make a snare.
The device that became a noose when the rope was twisted into a loop and pulled was a snare. Ironically, her ability to make a snare came from having fallen victim to it several times.
In Romfield, the guards would create snares to catch prisoners when they got bored working in the forest.
When a prisoner’s foot was caught by a snare and they dangled in the air, the guards chuckled among themselves. Instinctively, the prisoner could only struggle more.
But the more they struggled, the tighter the rope became. The increasing laughter of the guards was still vivid in her mind. If a snare broke, the guards would have the prisoners fix it.
Ropes or cords didn’t cause severe injuries, but iron ones did.
There were prisoners who could never walk properly again due to untreated ankle injuries.
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
Link to read
