Chapter 11 – Part 1 (I Want to Be with You)

“This isn’t right.”

Carly, who was sitting on her knees in the hallway in front of Anne’s room, muttered to herself.

Inside the room, Anne had been lying there for two days, unable to eat and completely abandoning food.

Carly, who had been watching this scene, couldn’t bear it any longer.

In fact, this sight was too familiar….

She was afraid that Anne might collapse, just like the day Evan Davis fell apart.

Carly spoke to the servant sitting next to her.

“Your name is Suen, right? I need to meet Baron Vanessa. Can you request it?”

“What? That would be… a bit difficult, Lady Carly.”

Suen replied with an embarrassed expression.

“The Baron just asked us to watch over Lady Anne. He said she would come out eventually.”

“How long has it been since she shut herself in there? Anne hasn’t eaten anything in that time. She might have collapsed by now.”

Suen shook her head as she answered.

“It’s only been two days. And the master said it’s really dangerous to intervene this time. He seems to want his newly gained daughter to stay safe within this mansion.”

Carly let out a deep sigh. She had already made several requests over the past two days, but the answers from Baron Vanessa and his wife were always the same.

“The Duke’s final request was to ensure Lady Anne’s safety.”

“I know, I know.”

‘But if Anne doesn’t save Duke Davis this time, it might end up the same way.’

Hiding her true feelings, Carly sighed deeply.

At that moment, Kyle appeared from somewhere with a box full of tools.

“Suen, I’m sorry, but I must open this door and go in!”

“Kyle!”

Carly exclaimed with delight as she picked up the smallest hammer from the box.

“Lady Carly.”

Suen, startled, tried to stop them.

“Kyle, I’ll help too. It’s been too long since Anne has come out.”

Carly, holding a hammer while wearing a dress with abundant frills, looked quite peculiar as she choked back tears.

“Let’s break it down. It’s already been two days. This could be life or death.”

Carly’s sobbing intensified with every word Kyle spoke.

“Oh, this is not good.”

Suen desperately tried to stop the two people filled with madness.

Click.

The closed door opened, and there stood Anne with swollen eyes. Carly hugged her, crying.

“What is this, really! You had us all worried.”

“I’m sorry, Lady Carly.”

Anne soothed Carly’s whining with a gentle smile.

“I need to go to the Duke’s manor to meet Evan.”

At Anne’s bright response, Carly grabbed her shoulders and slightly pushed her back.

Contrary to the expectation that she would be bedridden and starving, Anne seemed rather spirited.

“Lady Anne? You should eat first….”

“I already did? I went to the dining room early in the morning.”

Anne had actually eaten more than usual to prepare for what was coming.

“But what have you been doing until now? You didn’t respond when we called!”

Anne responded with a puzzled look to Kyle’s scolding.

“When? Did you call?”

Only then did Kyle press his forehead and groan.

Anne was the kind of person who would be holed up somewhere devising treatment methods for the wounded in the field hospital, not even hearing someone call her.

Sure enough.

Anne squatted down and spread out a piece of paper she had in her hand.

“Look at this, Kyle.”

“You really are!”

“Sorry. I really want to do it my way this time.”

Unlike Kyle, who acted as if he was used to it, Suen and Carly, who had been worried all along, now showed relief at Anne’s revitalized state.

“You don’t even know the layout of the Duke’s manor, Anne.”

“That’s why I need your help. We need to bribe one of the soldiers guarding the place.”

“Do you have the money to bribe them?”

“Of course.”

Anne pulled out a suitcase from under the bed.

It was luggage that even Suen hadn’t seen inside by Anne’s orders. Inside was a large sum of one hundred thousand Milan. Kyle, shocked by the money filling the suitcase, shouted.

“You, you! That’s the hard-earned money you saved for a house!”

“I don’t need it anymore.”

“Well, that’s true.”

Kyle replied cautiously, sensing the situation.

“I hate to say this now, but if the Vanessa family were to cast you out….”

At those words, Suen stood up abruptly.

“What are you talking about! Our masters would never do such a thing!”

“It’s just a hypothetical. I’ve heard nobles can be very fickle!”

“You old man! How can you say such things!”

Caught in the middle of their argument, Anne looked back and forth between the two, feeling troubled.

“No, I understand your concern….”

“Wait, Kyle. Do you still think nothing good comes from getting involved with nobles?”

Kyle waved his hands, trying to deny it, but it was no use against Carly’s sharp retort.

“No, after all the time we’ve spent together! How can you say that?”

Even Anne, recalling their time in the field hospital, gave an awkward smile, feeling slightly troubled for once.

“It seems you haven’t come to a conclusion yet, Kyle.”

“Anne! Not you too.”

“Lady Anne, do you know how much I searched for Kayle back then? I tried so hard to convince him that, as your friend, I’m a decent person too! That getting involved could be helpful.”

At this, Anne burst into laughter.

Indeed, Anne thought that this time, with the two of them showing up together, Carly might be a bit hurt. She patted Carly’s shoulder.

“Carly, don’t be too upset. Kyle, you went too far.”

“Anne!”

“Anyway.”

Carly cleared her throat repeatedly to suppress the overwhelming emotions and continued.

“I’m willing to help with anything Anne wants to do. What’s the next plan?”

Anne’s fingertips trembled slightly. She couldn’t be sure if her plan was perfect.

Her entire body was gripped by anxiety, but she steeled herself, thinking of Evan, who would be alone.

“We need to deny all charges against Duke Evan Davis at the trial. I think we should meet with the commander to prepare the defense.”

“That’s the most important task.”

Carly agreed.

“Ah, just a moment.”

Anne briefly went into her room and came out holding a book.

“That day, when His Highness strangled the priest, it wasn’t with enough force to kill him. However, the priest quickly stopped breathing and there was blood, which makes me suspect Mecarte poisoning.”

This conclusion came from Anne’s extensive research into the substances of this world. The most common cause of death from Mecarte was asphyxiation.

The book described how the skin turned blue, with the airways and even the nostrils being blocked by blood.

“Mecarte?”

Carly, recalling Connor Johannes, grabbed Anne’s hand.

“Lady Carly?”

Anne tilted her head, seeing Carly’s sudden urgency.

“Anne, that’s it. I’m sure of it!”

“How do you know?”

Despite the strange looks from Anne and the others, Carly insisted, feigning nonchalance.

“Well… I have a source. I’ve heard that people from the Empress’s faction frequently use Mecarte.”

Anne, considering that Mecarte was an expensive and banned substance, thought it plausible that only someone like the Empress could procure it.

“Then we need to act immediately.”

At Anne’s words, Carly gave a faint smile.

Regrettably, Duke Evan Davis seemed to love Anne enough to choose death again, but he was unaware of another truth.

Anne, too, was a person who would take reckless risks.

And, Duke Evan Davis, ‘You are dearly loved by Anne.’

“Lady Anne, just keep one thing in mind. Do not, under any circumstances, think about sacrificing yourself in Duke Evan Davis’s place.”

Carly’s words drew the attention of the remaining two people to Anne. They awaited her answer, and after a moment of deep thought, Anne spoke with difficulty.

“I have no such intention.”

“Please keep that promise. I’ll head to Dehart Castle and organize the military forces there as a contingency.”

Realizing what Carly meant, Anne shook her head.

“Lady Carly, that’s bordering on treason.”

“I know.”

“You don’t have to align yourself with my intentions. I know I’m being stubborn.”

“…Anne, I have no intention of looking back this time.”

In her previous life, her life was already forfeit.

Just like before, the Crown Prince and Evan both faced imminent death.

Carly took a deep breath and continued.

“It will certainly take time. But standing by Lady Anne’s side is my own decision.”

“…Thank you.”

Kyle, seeing no other option, ran his hand through his hair and summarized the situation.

“Alright, so it’s roughly settled. Anne, I’ll help you get into the Duke’s estate. After that, you’ll have to handle things on your own, and then I’ll escort Lady Carly to Dehart Castle. Let’s delay going to Calohas for now.”

“…Alright.”

At that moment, Carly looked surprised, expecting Kyle to be opposed.

Kyle pointed to the blank space on the paper containing Anne’s plan.

“I have one suggestion. As Lady Carly mentioned, if we need military forces, there could be bloodshed. We should also prepare medics for any injuries. Let’s assign that to Hans, who has relocated to the National Army Hospital. He also mentioned in a letter that he has some documents in safekeeping.”

“Kyle, you’re bringing Hans into this too…?”

“I’m planning to. He couldn’t hide his resentment. He repeatedly offered his help if needed. He’s a trustworthy guy, isn’t he?”

Anne responded with a bright smile.

“Thank you.”

Kyle took a deep breath, driven by the fear of undertaking an unprecedentedly significant task.

Since considering Anne a friend, the realization that he was pursuing an unrealistic ideal never sat well with him. But he never regretted it.

Kyle brushed off his knees and stood up.

“I’ll go see Hans. Anne, good luck.”

“Yeah.”

Anne replied brightly, hiding her anxiety.

“My Lady. I won’t stop you, but you should tell the masters…”

“I have to talk to them.”

“If there’s anything I can help with, let me know anytime.”

“Suen…”

Watching all this, Carly felt a strange sensation.

It was different from the previous life.

People who had never even met her before were now moving for Anne, or rather, for Duke Davis.

Maybe this time, Anne and Evan could finally find happiness.

“Oh, Lady Carly, you’re just as emotional as our lady. Now stop crying. Instead of this, everyone needs to get moving. There’s a lot to do!”