Subliminal Wayfarer

Carynne sighed.

So, what’s the point of becoming his daughter? And there was no chance Isella was still alive. Her death was merely for Carynne’s sake.

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”

“Carynne Hare!”

Thud.

Verdic stood up from his seat. Once again, persuading Carynne was impossible. Clues were scarce within this house. The subordinates of Crown Prince Gueuze grew increasingly lackadaisical, and his own men feared active involvement lest they get hurt.

What should he do.

Where could Isella be at this moment? Was she still alive? And if she’s alive, was she suffering?

If only she hadn’t died. If only she was still alive…

Verdic bowed his head, tears streaming down.

He would find his daughter.

No matter what state she was in.

 

* * *

 

“Miss, here’s the newspaper you requested.”

“Bring it here. Is it from the capital?”

“Yes.”

Carynne received the newspaper from the maid.

Lately, Carynne felt truly alive. Being alone with Raymond had its romantic moments, but she had to live a life while mingling with others. Solitude wasn’t enough.

The conveniences provided by Verdic made her feel more human.

Meals, cleaning, entertainment. Verdic even provided her with the pleasure of revenge! Carynne realized anew how suffocatingly she had lived until now.

“Hmm…”

The newspaper was filled with all sorts of stories.

The world kept turning without Carynne. The world she had been in was far too narrow. Carynne felt a tinge of regret for once thinking this world was just a romance novel. If one set out to explore, the world was this vast.

The world was overflowing with sorrow, tragedy, and comedy. Carynne first devoured the cultural section, her favorite.

But ‘today’ was just like the ‘today’ she had seen before, and she quickly lost interest. News she had already read wasn’t exciting.

Carynne flipped through the pages, skimming the news quickly.

Father.

She wondered if her father’s death might be mentioned, but the death of a rural lord wasn’t significant enough. Maybe in a local paper, but not in one published in the capital. His funeral was already over, so it was even less likely to be mentioned now.

But Carynne couldn’t take her eyes off the obituary section.

It wasn’t the person she was thinking of.

But at this time, someone who shouldn’t have died was dead.

 

[ The Demise of Prince Lewis ]

 

Why did Prince Lewis die?

Carynne was taken aback.

Prince Lewis wasn’t supposed to die at this time. It’s true that on Carynne’s 117th year—her 100th loop—Prince Lewis had died, but usually, that boy would survive and live a longer life.

Both Crown Prince Gueuze and Prince Lewis were people who lived longer than Carynne did until her 116th year—or, the 99th iteration. Only the 100th loop was an exception.

At the age of 117, as Carynne began to commit murders, events started to go awry, and the confrontation between Crown Prince Gueuze and Prince Lewis intensified. Eventually, Prince Lewis was killed by his own father. However, that was a peculiar and unprecedented event, something that only happened when Carynne was 117 years old.

“…Why?”

Carynne read the newspaper frantically. Something she hadn’t anticipated had happened. And it wasn’t a pleasant event. Why did Prince Lewis die?

 

[ …In the early morning of the 7th of the month, Prince Lewis was critically injured by a gunman during a street parade and was rushed to the hospital. However, he passed away on the 17th, entering God’s embrace. ]

 

Why?

Carynne couldn’t understand. It was entirely normal for Prince Lewis to participate in a street parade at this time. It was a common occurrence Carynne wouldn’t even need to wrack her head for.

The boy would just smile and wave at people on the street. There was no reason for him to die young.

Except for one person.

His father, Crown Prince Gueuze.

Crown Prince Gueuze hated his son. In front of Carynne’s very eyes, he had killed his own child. But, again, the events that transpired when she was 117 years old were born out of very special circumstances.

Now, Carynne was confined to the mansion. She knew this kind of life. She had such experiences. Even then, living modestly in her home, tended to by Nancy and other maids, she could still be aware of high society’s movements. Even then, Prince Lewis had lived till the end.

So, why did Prince Lewis die this time?

Thinking about it, Carynne felt she might know the reason.

Carynne didn’t know the world a year ahead. Verdic was a financial backer for Crown Prince Gueuze. However, he also funded nobles who weren’t on good terms with the crown prince and tried to build connections with them. But he didn’t pay much attention to Prince Lewis.

After all, Crown Prince Gueuze had no intention of making Prince Lewis king.

His son was merely a competitor for the throne—he did not consider him his child. Carynne realized it then. And Verdic knew of the crown prince’s intentions.

He might not have known when, but someday Prince Lewis would die, and there was no need to invest much in that young boy…

But at the same time, Carynne felt she understood why that boy, the supposed future king who admired Raymond, had died.

If only she had been there, Prince Lewis would have lived.

At least this year, that boy wasn’t meant to die.

The death of Prince Lewis was an event that only occurred when Carynne, at the age of 117, had resolved to commit murders. Even when Carynne was confined to the mansion like this, the boy was still alive.

He was supposed to live.

But this time, he died.

Perhaps because not only Carynne but also Raymond had returned to the past.

Raymond being tied to Carynne had undoubtedly altered the course of events. And apart from that, he had experienced all sorts of situations that Carynne did not know. It was impossible that he hadn’t foreseen the event of Prince Lewis’s death.

Even if the boy, Prince Lewis, didn’t matter to him.

The only thing that was important to him was Carynne.

“…Did you know about Prince Lewis’s death?”

“Yes, Miss. It was about ten days ago…”

“You knew?”

“Yes… it was in the newspaper. Why do you ask?”

“…No, it’s nothing.”

Carynne asked the maid, but the maid simply answered calmly. Carynne wanted to ask how she could be so composed, but she couldn’t. The answer was obvious. Verdic didn’t consider Prince Lewis as important as Crown Prince Gueuze.

“It just saddens me that a young child died.”

Carynne had no choice but to reply like that. She worried her voice might crack, but it came out perfectly normal. It was a relief. Carynne then turned the page of the newspaper.

This was the reaction of a normal person.

Whether Prince Lewis died or Crown Prince Gueuze lived, it was none of her business. It was just news in the newspaper. A story from another world.

There’s just one thing that mattered to her—only one person important to her.

The only thing that mattered was Raymond and herself.

“…I’m thirsty. Could you bring me some water?”

“Yes, Miss.”

 

* * *

 

“Should I call you Sir Raymond, or Baron Raymond now?”

Marquis Penceir asked Raymond in a strained voice.

“Since I’ll officially be appointed as the household head tomorrow, ‘Baron’ is fine, Marquis Penceir.”

“I see. You’ll be attending the funeral and then heading down there. It might be better for you to stay down there for a while. The situation is complicated right now.”

“Yes.”

Raymond responded briefly. His voice didn’t contain much energy. He was about to receive a barony and a major military distinction, but the mood was too somber.

The marquis’s nephew—the future king—had died. Was he also grieving?

Marquis Penceir sighed.

Prince Lewis had died suddenly. Someone had killed him. The announcement of his death was delayed for an appropriate time, but Prince Lewis had died instantly at the scene.

“I truly loathe my cousin.”

“……”

Marquis Penceir’s lips twitched before they were then closed. His thin lips quivered. He turned his head towards the window.

It was late summer. The sound of crickets and chirping birds was at its peak, but the one who should have died lived, and the one who should have lived died.

It was a day far too beautiful for someone to die.