10. Her past.
France’s long-awaited order finally came.
I straightened my disheveled uniform and trimmed my tousled hair. I hung the sword I received as a supply from my waist and finished all preparations.
I look in the mirror and see that I am well organized. But there was also a uniform that covered her entire neck.
“Let’s go out now.”
I opened the door and stepped out. Passing by the gymnasium and heading to the main gate of the duke’s residence, a fancy carriage was waiting.
After standing in front of it and waiting for a while, Frances walked out.
Fairer skin than usual. Various ornaments are attached to the ears and neck. The dress was black to match the color of her hair, and was studded with jewels to create a gorgeous design.
‘It’s pretty to decorate.’
Well, even before that, she had a beautiful appearance.
Said Frances.
“Escort.”
“Oh, yes.”
…… I’ve never been an escort before.
You can just go to the side of the wagon and hold her hand. I hurriedly moved to the side of the carriage and stood at the side of the stairs. Frances took my hand and climbed into the carriage.
‘But how do I move?’
If it was Jean Barenberg, I would have known how to ride a horse, but I am not. How can I ride a horse without a license?
‘Is this possible since Jin’s senses remain?’
That was the time I was worried about.
“What are you doing without riding?”
“… Yes?”
“Come on, get on.”
“Do I go in the same carriage as my master?”
“Then you are my escort driver, would you like to move separately?”
I nodded and got on the carriage in a daze. The carriage door was closed. There are many knights riding horses around. The coachman leading the carriage was waiting for the driver’s signal.
And after a while.
“Let’s go!”
It’s rattled. There was a momentary shaking, but thanks to the soft chair, my butt didn’t hurt.
By the way.
“… ….”
“… ….”
It’s awkward. Serene stillness. I look up and see Frances staring at me with his head bent at an angle. I raised the corners of my mouth and showed a slight smile.
There was no response from her. The awkward smile turns into an inexpressible silence.
‘It’s uncomfortable… ….’
But you shouldn’t crumple your face just because of that. Because Frances keeps staring at me. I tried hard to keep my expression firm and pretended nothing was wrong.
At that time. Suddenly, Frances spoke to her.
“Aren’t you curious why this happened?”
“Yes?”
“Aren’t you curious why you are being treated this way?”
What are you talking about all of a sudden?
“What are you talking about?”
“As you can see, you saw how I was treated at the duke’s house, right? Aren’t you curious why this happened?”
Um. I’m curious, but I’m reluctant because I think the atmosphere will become heavy.
“I just follow the will of my master.”
Whether you say it or not, do it yourself. Because I know I don’t have a choice anyway.
From noble mtl dot com
“Yes… I think you might be curious, so let me tell you.”
Huh. As if trying to calm her mind, Frances took a long, deep breath.
“Her mother died at the same time as I was born.”
So.
“… Duke So and Prince Rhine must have thought that I killed my mother at the time.”
Is that something that doesn’t even sound like a word? For some absurd reason, my eyebrows twisted subtly.
“When I was completely young, I was just ignored, so there was no problem… It all started when I was 8 years old.”
I made eye contact with Frances and nodded her head. I just listened to her story without speaking.
“They told me. That you killed her mother I didn’t know what that meant at the time.”
Francese rested her chin on her chin and looked out the window of her carriage. Eyes full of boredom.
“That’s when the bullying started in earnest. Every time Duke So saw me, it was normal to gossip about me, and he assaulted me.”
Wow, Eden was such a crazy bastard. Her 8-year-old sister… ….
“Rine put the carcass of an animal in my room or forcibly confined me to solitary confinement. She even ordered her attendants to send rotten food.”
It must have been because of Line Descartes that the servants were ignoring it. Why are the children of this family so clueless? I’ll go crazy listening.
“Father… I also talked to the duke. But the answer that came back was that you should take care of yourself.”
Wamma, the duke was a crazy bastard too. If this was the case in Korea, they would have been arrested for domestic violence.
“Are you listening?”
“I am listening.”
“At least nod your head. Isn’t it strange that you seem to be talking to yourself against a wall?”
I nodded. Only then did Frances speak again.
“That’s how I started to be hated by everyone in the duchy since I was 8 years old. At least the butler respected me… For a while too. I’m on the sidelines now.”
That old man, I knew that. I nodded again.
“Isn’t my life itself funny? I wasn’t born because I wanted to be born, and I didn’t even want to see this world until I killed my mother, but everyone is blaming me.”
Something flowed from France’s tear ducts. It was a sadness that had been building up for a long time.
“It’s too unfair…… No one takes my side no one will be my ally Let alone allies, they won’t even listen to me…….”
As she listened to her story, her heart suddenly felt tight. Many emotions felt. Cheap sympathy that anyone can do, sadness due to empathy, and anger towards them without mercy.
I tried to clear my mind and nodded.
“After that, the bullying only got worse. The only thing I could eat normally was breakfast with the Duke. But I couldn’t allow even that, so they played pranks on my food.”
I asked.
“What if you said it was a joke?”
France smiled dejectedly.
“To put too much salt on my food only, to mix strange perfumed oils to make it smell bad, or not to cook properly. Well, it was like that.”
It was just a group of crazy bastards. Bastards who play with food are the worst corporations…….
There are a lot of vicious offspring in this duchy. Admiration comes out of their wickedness.
“I couldn’t stand it. I wanted to imprint that I was a crazy b*tch so that no one could touch me. So I asked the duke. Ask me to allocate activity expenses too. Then, surprisingly, they allowed it. I didn’t expect anything.”
Um. The duke is just indifferent, he allowed me to spend the money. Is it good or bad? From what I said earlier, I think the bad guy is right.
“That’s when I started to enjoy luxury. I bought all kinds of dresses, collected jewelry, and showed them off at parties. At least outside, don’t touch me.”
I didn’t really react, I looked at Frances and nodded.
She probably didn’t say it because she wanted to receive simple consolation or sympathy from me. It must have been a past that I wanted to tell someone to make my mind at least a little more comfortable.
So I just listen to her story. It is to resonate with her heart and empathize with her.
Because the only person who can put her mind at ease with France right now is me.
“So, after going to the party over and over again, changing my position, I finally have a hole through this damn dukehouse. It’s the Duke of Persia.”
…… I’m sorry to say this, but that would have been the worst choice you ever made. Frances Descartes.
I know the original work and have seen all the endings except for the hidden route, so I know what all routes have in common.
You can see it with your own eyes when you go to a party.
“I’m going to meet the Persian cow duke at this party. I got down on my knees before Duke Descartes and insisted on betrothing him. I got some criticism for that, but I think it’s worth it. He is my only escape.”
Smile. Frances smiled. Unlike the expression full of boredom from earlier, her face this time looked forward to a sliver of hope.
…… You don’t even know what future awaits.
Is it because he knows everything that will happen in the future? Once again, her heart ached. Nausea appears.
“You don’t look good. Are you even sympathizing with me?”
Franche glared at me displeasedly. I added her words.
“… Sympathy. It’s a feeling that anyone can have. Those cheap feelings also have a place in me, but the sadness from empathy is greater.”
“… ….”
“And there is also anger directed at them for whom there is no mercy.”
France looked at me with a delicate face. There was a sense of wonder in her expression.
“… Apart from pity or anger, can you relate to my feelings?”
I made an effort to make a gentle face.
“I’d be lying if I said I could do it blindly. Because I’ve never experienced such a life. But since my emotions moved, I think this might be empathy.”
Frances pursed her lips. She seemed to be trying to say something, but I felt that she was worrying a lot as if she couldn’t get it out easily.
And then a word came out.
“You speak well.”
Okay then. 1 Million mutuber jjambab doesn’t go anywhere.
“I often hear that.”
“Is it because they are members of the royal family who often show their faces in social circles and social circles? I was comforted a little.”
“I’m glad it was helpful.”
The expression on her face, which had been sullen throughout the carriage ride, finally smiled.
I thought that smile was good.
I don’t know how, but I’m drawn to Frances. It could be her protective instincts, or her wish to save her from her fate of being the villain.
Simply to live on, to get out of a predestined tragedy, Frances, who I tried to use, moved my heart.
Is it because I found out about her past? I no longer see her as her villain. She is just a victim of the story. At least that’s how it seemed to me.
At that time. Against my will, my mouth opened.
“I will be on your side no matter what.”
A word that I unknowingly spat out. I felt like I would regret it if I didn’t say this. Did it come from a mixture of Jin’s personalities, or were the words purely from me?
France’s eyebrows twitched after bruising for a while.
“Yes, it should be. Because that is my order.”
She laughed.
That alone gave meaning to what I just said.
“I’m glad I was helpful.”
Frances rested her chin on her chin, staring at her window in silence again. Unlike before, she had a nice face.
The corners of her mouth drew an arc, and the little bit of liveliness in her eyes made me proud.
But I keep feeling a sense of discord.
‘Is it the influence of Jean Warenberg?’
That was the time when I was staring at Frances in agony.
―It’s a raid!!
Wedge juice! Due to my keen senses, I heard the sound of cutting the wind. I instinctively hugged Frances. Clink! An arrow pierced the carriage window.
“What, what happened?!”
“Looks like a raid.”
“Attacking a noble’s carriage?”
“I don’t think it’s just a group of bandits.”
France’s eyes widened. Her hands started to tremble.
“Stay inside. And don’t worry. Everything will work out.”
I went out of the wagon. The duke’s knights are surrounded by assassins in black robes.
Um.
I didn’t have this kind of information.
Well, this is the first time I’ve seen it from the perspective of the villain, so it’s only natural that I don’t know.
I pulled out the sword from my waist.
The prince of a ruined country that is now destroyed.
It is the time of the sword master who has fallen into slavery.
