When My Enemies Began to Regret

It was the next day.

“Lady Fanora!”

The day after the next day.

“Lady Fanora, it’s snowing a lot today!”

And the first day of the week.

“Have you eaten yet? Lady Fanora.”

Fanora stood in the hallway and looked puzzled at the man who appeared. Because, since that day, Carl hadn’t missed a single day to visit.

“I haven’t eaten. Because I have no appetite.”

“I knew you would. I brought some fruit. Would you like some?”

“No.”

“Ah, okay…”

Since Fanora collapsed after drinking poison, Carl was worried that she would die. So, he visited her mansion every day and helped her feel like she wanted to live.

“Don’t make that face. Okay. I’ll just eat one.”

“Really?”

It seemed like a reckless method, but it worked quite well.

The first morning he came to Fanora, she still wanted to give up everything. But her anxiety started to subside by the second day as she talked to him. And by the third day, her sense of time that had disappeared came back. It had already been a week since she was swept away by his words about living just one more day and the day after tomorrow.

Wearing a white dress gown, Fanora took a bite of the fruit he gave her. As her teeth pierced the soft shell, she crunched into the chewed flesh. The refreshing scent made her like it.

“The weather is really nice today, right?”

“Yes. It’s warm for the first time in a while.”

“Then we…”

While Fanora was eating fruit, Carl pointed out the gate and said, “I’m going for a walk today. I know a sunny place. It sure would be nice to sit there and read a book!”

“Book?”

“Don’t you like books?”

“But how did you know?”

“Lady Fanora, you often smell like books.”

What? At those words, Fanora slowly raised her arms and took a breath.

Even if it wasn’t a bad smell, she couldn’t help but be concerned if she smelled like something.

She didn’t know if Carl knew how she felt. He snooped around with a kind face and said, “Are you not in the mood to go out?”

That’s true. She couldn’t become a different person in just a week. Fanora was still suffering from a feeling of helplessness.

“Does it look like that? I’ll be right back with my coat on. Wait a minute.”

But she didn’t turn down Carl’s offer. She didn’t want to waste her energy in pointless arguments, and she was grateful that he thought of her.

“…”

Carl murmured, watching her close the front door and enter the mansion. “Lady Fanora uses questioning words when she wants to lie.” Although she hid her lie on her way, it was clearly visible in his eyes.

“I’m bothering her too much. Will this make her affection decrease?”

Even though he had a calm face, his heart kept getting anxious, and when he lay in bed and thought about it, for some reason, everything he did in front of her felt like a fool.

He never felt comfortable. Nevertheless, Carl wanted to be with Fanora even for a moment longer.

* * *

As he suggested, Fanora, dressed in outdoor clothes, first stopped by the town bookstore. As Carl chose the book he wanted to read, she reluctantly took out her favorite book before her regression. After that, she picked up the book she had purchased from the bookstore and climbed the small hill.

“How did you know this place?”

“I happened to be riding a horse and looking around.”

Fanora was amazed when she arrived at the place where he guided her. She didn’t expect much. But she couldn’t believe there was such a clean field in the capital.

“…”

Moreover, a wide tree stump was positioned perfectly like a chair in the center of the field. There were moderately white clouds in the sky and warm sunlight that wasn’t cold flowed through the clouds…

There’s no wind today. Sitting at the tree’s trump and getting some sun, she felt like she was sweating. Fanora took off the coat she wore over her clothes.

“It’s certainly a good place to ride a horse.”

She stared at the brownish winter fields.

Standing next to her, Carl handed her the book he had bought. “It’s also good for reading books.”

“…”

It’s been a while since she got her hands on reading, her favorite hobby.

Fanora looked up at him while looking at the book in his hand. “Isn’t it you who’s hanging out with me for no reason?”

“Pardon?”

“As you know me, I know you. You don’t like books.”

Carl sat down in the spare spot at the base of the tree and opened up his own book. What he chose was a children’s book. Although there were a lot of pictures, the book was thin, so no matter how much he read it carefully, he couldn’t keep up with Fanora.

“Was it obvious?” Carl spoke awkwardly, with a clear smile. “But for some reason, I felt like if Lady Fanora was reading, I should do the same…”

“Don’t force yourself to do that.”

“Really? Then, should I lie down here and take a nap? Lady Fanora, do you read a book?”

Fanora gave a subtle look to his suggestion that followed. It didn’t seem like it was good or bad.

“Do as you wish. I won’t be sitting down for long anyway…”

“Why? It’s such a thick book.”

“I’m tired… Maybe that’s why I don’t feel the same excitement when I look at the books.”

Will this be meaningful? Fanora opened the book as she had no choice. She had read this book several times before regressing, so the familiar page caught her eye.  

“It’s something you once liked. I’m sure you can get better again.”

She turned to the sweet voice from her side and looked down at the book again. There was no change in her expression.

Fanora originally intended to return to the mansion after only moderately reacting. Because in this state, it was obvious that she would have no interest in books. However…

Something unexpected happened. Surprisingly, she could read it. The pages didn’t turn as quickly as she used though.

The weather was warm, and the clear letters reflected in the sun gradually piled up in her head. Fanora quickly became engrossed in reading at the quiet field.

After a few minutes, she turned her head after finishing a chapter of the book. She thought that Carl had fallen asleep earlier because the surrounding was quiet.

“…”

But the moment she turned her head. She came across red eyes staring at her.

“Didn’t you sleep?”

“Yes. By the way, do you like the book?”

Even at this moment, the sun was shining between them. Warm weather, the fresh air in a long time, and the faint smell of old paper. These were all things she liked, so there was no way she wouldn’t like being surrounded by an environment like this.

“It makes me wonder if someone like me would even dare to enjoy something like this.”

Fanora barely felt happy after a long time. It felt dim, but it was enough for her.

“Then let’s live one more day! That book is really thick. It will take four more days to read it all.”

Carl approached with a smile. He repeated what he always said. ‘Something good will definitely happen tomorrow, so let’s stay away from poison and live healthily.’

“I can read a book like this in one sitting.”

“Yes…?!”

Fanora shamelessly spoke at Carl’s recommendation. Seeing his complexion turned pale at every word she said made her laugh.

“I can, but I won’t.”

At first, it was delicious food. He said that there were many delicacies in the world that she hadn’t tried yet, so she decided to live for one more day. Fanora was a person with a small appetite, so she wasn’t really moved when she heard that.

Then he brought a toy the next day. He tried to persuade her that if she played with these and concentrated, some bad thoughts would disappear, but Fanora was indifferent to those words.

“…”

However, the conversation with him on the third day was enjoyable. He told her a story about being on the battlefield, which was the only thing that interested him, so he talked for a long time.

It was from then on that her feeling of helplessness began to fade away.

“I wondered if I would fall deep into that gloomy pit again.”

Fanora began to truly feel the importance of life. Like Carl said, it would be better to live somehow than to die and go to hell. Thinking normally would be possible only with the help of others.

“Thanks to you, Carl.”

She spoke with a light look on her face. There, she declared that he wouldn’t have anything to worry about from now on.

“I felt energized. Somehow, I feel like I can go back to my daily life now.”

“!”

When he heard that, Carl opened his mouth wide. His eyes drew a gentle curve, and smiled. His face was brighter than ever. “If Lady Fanora is happy, I’m happy too.”

Fanora gazes at his face, which resembles the blazing sun. A bright smile that seemed to transfer to you without even realizing it when you looked at him. How could he be so kind?

“Why are you so kind to me?”

She closed the book she was holding and brought up what she was thinking.

“Carl… I don’t know what you’re thinking. I’m clearly a bad person because I have harmed people, but instead of punishing me, you treat me gently.”

Fanora couldn’t understand why Carl was doing his best to save himself at a time when Europa’s deal was also in the final stages. Isn’t he too kind?

So Fanora asked him to pay him back. “Is there anything you want from me? I’ll listen to you if you want anything other than Europa. I have a lot of money left.”

Certainly, Carly had something he wanted from her. Much more than she could think.

“…”

The red-haired man, who hadn’t taken his eyes off her, pressed his lips. He wanted to say this right away.

“Lady Fanora.”

Did she know? He had always enjoyed talking to her. He was happy when she listened to his hobby that others didn’t understand. The small talk she had given him in return for those words was all interesting, so he started to listen to her voice.

At one point, he fell asleep, looking forward to what they would talk about next. So, whenever he meets Fanora, he really can’t help but smile. Sometimes, he laughed so hard that he wondered what would happen if it became obvious that he liked her.

“I…”

He likes the serious expression she makes when she thinks about something. He likes the strong attitude she shows sometimes. He actually likes her burning desire for revenge. Fanora’s strong personality is very attractive, so her half-hearted smiling face didn’t suit her very much.

But why? Even though he knew it didn’t suit her.

“I want to see you smile these days.”

It’s probably because he wants her to be happy.

“I.”

Maybe that’s why he has been having more bad thoughts these days.

“Just hope Lady Fanora smiles often.”

Because of her, the number of people he hates has increased. His stomach hurt when he saw Fanora getting close to someone else. He’s afraid that the more time she spends on other people, the less she’ll talk to him.

It’s a strange feeling. She isn’t his to begin with. But does he feel like she has been taken away from him?

“You want me to smile? Is that all?”

“…”

“Carl, do you tend to become happy when you see other people smiling?”

What thoughts could countless poets have had as they wrapped these raw emotions in beauty?

It wasn’t strange for a person to want to be happy. He wants to have fun every day. He wants to talk to her every day…

“Lady Fanora.”

“Yes.”

“…”

“…Why are you sighing and not saying anything, Carl?”

Carl wanted to tell her all these thoughts at once.