NOVEL NEXT Carynne would need to be here to persuade Raymond when he comes looking for Isella. Ultimately, the reason she came here was to protect Isella, but Isella, clueless as she was, doesn’t even want to see Carynne.
Why was that girl acting so unreasonably when they’re inevitably going to meet once they went down to the estate?
It was difficult for Carynne to understand.
Isella was always like this. She got angry, and Carynne couldn’t understand her. She’d get jealous over trivial things, and she’d blow things out of proportion.
“Shall we be friends in the next life?”
It seems so far-fetched. How can Carynne become friends with a girl who didn’t even want to meet her? Especially when that woman was in love with Raymond?
“In love with Raymond…”
“Why do you say that?”
“Now that I think about it, becoming friends seems told you so.”
“…I thought it would be possible if I saved her.”
Carynne drank some water and wiped her mouth.
If Isella wouldn’t meet Carynne now and would get kidnapped by Raymond, then Verdic might suspect Raymond again. It was a repetition of events that Carynne didn’t want to see. She wanted to prevent that. In this life, she wanted to be somewhat cordial with Isella.
But it’s not like Isella was likable at all.
Carynne wanted to save her and aimed to be friends, but the path seemed distant and motivation was hard to come by. Even if she consoled herself that it was a new attempt for a new life, it was inevitable that she felt uncomfortable.
Carynne gripped her cup tightly.
“I’m… trying… to save her…”
But Isella wouldn’t know that.
Even trying to understand Isella’s position didn’t make Carynne feel any better.
Carynne handed her empty cup to Nancy. Nancy refilled the cup with water.
“But I’ll succeed. There hasn’t been a man I couldn’t charm. Would women be any different?”
Isella would be no exception.
Carynne kept drinking the cold water, making a promise to herself.
I will make it happen. Friends.
* * *
Carynne awoke with a sore back in an unexpectedly worn-out bed. She had thought she might not be welcomed, but she never imagined she wouldn’t even be provided with a place to sleep.
“It’s a pity. Even if the Evans mansion made me uncomfortable, at least the meals and beds were top-notch.”
“Really? I think this is pretty good.”
“It’s different when you have a point of comparison.”
Even if the inn’s meal wasn’t luxurious, it was greasy and edible enough. There was roasted chicken, boiled eggs, peas, and tea. Looking at the innkeeper winking at Carynne, it seemed he did put in some effort.
Carynne sighed and grumbled as she had breakfast at the inn.
“It seems the problem was that I went there empty-handed.”
“That might be it.”
Isella pretended otherwise, but she was materialistic. If Carynne had shown up bearing gifts, Isella surely would have met with her. Carynne thought so.
“How can I be by Isella’s side in a good way? Can you imagine what kind of gift would be good?”
“Cash is the best gift. The best gift is always cash.”
“Isella Evans? To make enough cash to her liking, I’d have to sell our house and all our lands, wouldn’t I?”
“Ah… That’s true.”
Nancy pondered, but as a gypsy, imagining a gift that could win over the immensely wealthy Isella seemed hard. Carynne felt the same, and Nancy likely didn’t have a better idea.
“Maybe we’ll find a good gift as we wander around.”
“I hope so.”
Carynne decided to first look for a gift as she started walking the streets quickly. She needed to be by Isella’s side. It was highly likely Raymond would visit her. And to meet Isella, bringing a gift seemed the most likely to succeed.
The weather was nice.
Late morning, nearing lunchtime, the streets were bustling. Carynne set off towards a more sophisticated small town than the capital. The capital, being an old city, had its traditional charm, but this place had been cultivated by the Evans family for hundreds of years as their support base.
The buildings’ walls were stark white, and the roofs were uniformly red. Overall, it was a vibrant small town. Merchants on the streets solicited Carynne as she passed by. She stopped next to one of the shops.
“Fruit for sale! Juice, too! Take a glass at a cheap price!”
“Do you have orange juice? We’ll have a glass please.”
Carynne observed a street vendor selling fruit, and Nancy quickly asked. After only having bland tea this morning, she craved something sweet. However, when Nancy tried to pay the price listed, the merchant smiled awkwardly.
“Oh, you have to buy two glasses.”
“No, only one.”
“It’s a bundle deal, cheaper for two. If you want one, you’ll have to pay more.”
“What? Oh, forget it. What a cheap trick.”
“What did you just say?”
As Nancy gestured aggressively at the merchant, Carynne stopped her. She didn’t want to ruin the good mood over something trivial.
“Just buy the two cups.”
“But, Miss!”
“It’s fine. You can drink one.”
“You need to save your money!”
“I’ll just pay for it.”
“Oh, thank you. Once you try it, you’ll see it’s worth every penny.”
“Miss, if you keep this up, those hawkers will take all your money!”
“It’s just two glasses of juice.”
Though Nancy grumbled, she disliked raising her voice over something so minor. The merchant began squeezing oranges into a juicer and handed Carynne a thin glass of juice. As she drank, walking away, the sweet pulp refreshed her, improving her mood.
Glancing at Nancy, who seemed to enjoy the taste, Carynne then noticed a shoe store. Stopping, Nancy asked,
“Are you thinking of buying shoes? As a gift for Miss Evans?”
“Well, I doubt Isella gets her shoes from places like this.”
And gifting shoes made little sense. Shoes were one of the most sensitive aspects of a woman’s attire. Isella was the kind of person who even ordered each pair of gloves from her preferred seamstress, so she likely wouldn’t appreciate shoes as a gift. And even if Carynne knew Isella well, she couldn’t remember the exact size of her feet.
“Then there’s no need to stay here. Let’s go somewhere else.”
“But I want to buy something for myself.”
“Miss… your money…”
“Ah, welcome! What are you looking for?”
“Have you got good quality leather?”
Carynne entered the store.
She bought a pair of shoes made from fine sheepskin and wore them. It was rare for Carynne to buy ready-made items, but the desire to wear them immediately outweighed the wait for custom-made ones after a slight adjustment to the heels and fit.
“Shall we look for jewelry next? Or is there something else you’d like?”
“Miss Carynne!”
Behind her, Nancy worried about her lady’s light wallet, but the immediate joy overshadowed her concerns. Carynne thought if she was in a hurry, she could always win money through gambling, so she didn’t hesitate unless it was about buying jewels at a luxurious level.
Carynne continued to buy various items. The pleasure of spending itself lifted her spirits. Even without great value, new items, first-time conversations with merchants, and the spring weather on streets she rarely visited made her happy.
“It’s peaceful.”
Walking down the street, Carynne felt light-hearted, enjoying the bright midday. The new shoes weren’t high-end but fit her perfectly. She might have spent a small fortune, but the satisfaction she felt as a result was significant.
She had never walked these streets with such a light heart before. For decades, she had either rushed towards death or despaired and shut herself away. How narrow had her world been?
But now, in the midday sunlit street, it was crowded with people Carynne didn’t know, except for Nancy beside her. Surrounded by unfamiliar streets and strangers, she felt a sense of peace wash over her.