Chapter 38: Who Are You, Azmaria Will?

It tasted so normal that I wondered if it was really poisonous. The taste of black tea was moderately bitter, and the heated milk was moderately soft. I didn’t intentionally draw attention. I just tasted the taste while staring at the colorful desserts decorated like crafts for young children.

What about fever? What about chills? By the time I thought I couldn’t feel anything, the feeling of swelling in the esophagus became prevalent. I dropped the cup I was holding due to sudden dizziness.

Clink!

Someone jumped up from the seat next to me. It was Azmaria.

“Su…!”

“It tastes shockingly terrible.”

Don’t make a fuss. I looked up at Azmaria’s face, which became a blank page. The ability to set the stage was great, but it seemed to be insufficient to maintain calmness in unexpected situations. I stared at the Giorta siblings with an expression as casual as possible.

“It’s so shocking that I can’t decide whether to go back to Ingord or not.”

“Sorry for d, disappointing you….”

“Mill.”

Craig interrupted Mill. The warm affection he showed to his old friend Azmaria in his eyes disappeared without leaving a trace.

“Did I expect too much?”

Now all I have to do is wait for Ingord poison to completely detoxify my body. It was somewhat funny to say that poison detoxifies poison, but this is worthwhile to be addicted to Ingord poison.

“You’ve gone all the way, Azmaria.”

Craig muttered in a voice boiling with a sense of betrayal.

“Where did you, who used to be pure and good, go? It’s not enough for you to betray us, to use the same woman as your shield now!”

“C, Craig. Azmaria doesn’t want to do that either.”

“Shut up, Mill! You still can’t believe it? Azmaria cannot go against the will of the Duke of Richton. She is doing what she wants!”

Mill hung on Azmaria’s arm with a pathetic face.

“Azmaria…”

“He’s right, Mill. I betrayed you guys. This is not the will of His Excellency Richton, but my will.”

Azmaria’s determined voice dropped tears from Mill’s eyes.

“Uh, Huek… Why? What’s wrong with you, Azmaria? Why are you doing this? You know you’re the only one for His highness, Wilhelm……!”

“That’s not true, Mil. I can’t trust him, so I risked everything I had to sir Richton.”

When Susan touched her throat, she felt her throat was also swollen. She should go back before she faints. When will this boring play end?

“Ha! His Excellency? His Excellency? Now you’re completely a monster, Azmaria…. You dirty traitor.”

I want you to shut up. I wanted to shout so much, but my throat was swollen and I couldn’t speak.

“I’ll give you one last chance. If you want to protect the Will family’s honor, kill yourself right now. I will bring that coveted hair to your highness, Wilhelm!”

My vision is getting blurry, how long does this damned Azmaria intend to argue? At this rate, if Mill began to whine and cry, it would not be strange if my head breaks down due to the headache. At times like this, it’s more efficient to rush out and bring Kean out….

“Sir Kean?”

I raised my head. Following Azmaria’s gaze, I saw a familiar red-haired man with a large stature. The man’s gaze was exactly towards me.

“As lovely as ever, I was sweeping the mane of my love, Juliet. Suddenly, an unfamiliar beauty appeared and pulled my arm to help her. Not one, but three.”

And he suddenly said strange things.

“I pretended that I couldn’t win and tried to be dragged away, but suddenly I remembered what His Excellency said. There are no people in the world who are ignorant enough to directly target Ingord’s master..”

Kean shrugged. He walked up this way with his long legs.

“Well, I explained everything… What I was going to say was simple. Now I’m going to have to take the ladies back to Ingord.”

Craig, who jumped up, put strength on his stomach and shouted.

“That’s rude, Sir Kean. This is Giorta, not Ingord. A land where you can go as you please….”

“I’m sure you’ve heard of my incredible martial arts. Rumor has it that I overpowered seven bandits who were aiming for Ingord’s wagon with their bare hands. Oh, it’s not a threat, so be relieved.”

It was clearly a mocking tone. Kean, who passed past me, stopped walking right in front of Craig’s nose. He looked down at Craig with threatening eyes from a height that seemed to be one more head different.

“It’s not a threat, but if you don’t want your head caught in front of Count Giorta alive, I recommend that you obey me. Unlike my master, I am still very compassionate.”

“You savage bastard! Do you know what sin you are committing now? Without Duke Richton’s name, you are incapable of doing anything

Keane did not shrink out of courtesy. Rather, he threatened with his unique shameless smile.

“If you’re going to punish me, you’ll have to get ready to face His Excellency’s anger. If you don’t want to look like Marquis Crohertz.”

“Y, you son of a bitch! How dare you say the name of Marquis Crohertz?”

“I think that’s the end of the story. Will Young Lady? Let’s go to the carriage.”

Immediately after Kean’s words, someone hugged me. Now it was completely dark in front of me, so I couldn’t see anything. I helplessly leaned against Kean’s chest with my limbs dangling down. I heard Craig’s voice shouting loudly nearby.

“You… talk too long.”

“This is what pre-emptive pressure is.”

His steps gradually accelerated, and accordingly, my mind drifted away. Now, even breathing was becoming difficult. The only thing left in my fading reason was Kean’s familiar voice.

“Have a comfortable sleep, Miss Mary. You’ll be back in your bedroom when you open your eyes.”

***

My whole body hurts like being stabbed by a needle. This pain was familiar to me and unwelcome. This is because it was terribly the same as the process of being addicted to Ingord poison.

Poison and me, who I thought would have no relationship for the rest of my life, seemed to have become best friends.

The time when I was able to open my eyes properly was the time when the blue light of the dim dawn brightened. My throat was still swollen with blurry vision, and I was dizzy as if I was wandering in a dream. However, the dizziness decreased a lot, so I thought I could walk properly with two legs. While lifting myself out of bed to relieve my burning throat. To be exact, I tried to get up but my body just couldn’t move like a wet cotton. It was only then that I realized. The fact that the room I am lying in is not my bedroom.

“Your body is mine, not yours.”

Familiar ceiling and familiar voice. However, the soft texture of the fabric wrapped around my arm is unfamiliar. The embroidery of the curtains half-covered the window was splendid. It clearly remained in my head because it was a curtain that I changed just before the autumn banquet. Maybe I hung it in Richton’s room.

“I’ll compliment you for your bravery. But I can’t accept the second time.”

“What if you can’t accept it?”

My reasoning was faint. I struggled to answer by moving my dry tongue.

“You can’t do anything about me anyway.”

I was frustrated that I couldn’t see his face. However, my body was exhausted from getting up like this. The extreme fatigue that made me feel like I was sinking into the deep sea weighed me down.

“As I’ve done so far, I just use everything that’s available. As it was for you.”

I, myself, didn’t know what I was talking about either. I moved my lips like the waves swaying the paper boat on the sea.

“Poor Richton. You…..When will you ever give up on me?”

A long shadow fell over me.

“It’s you, Agrane.”

A muffled, hoarse voice called me. In the blurred vision, I struggled to lift my eyelids and find the owner of the voice.

“You’re coming back to me.”

Richton, who speaks like that, had a miserable face that I had never seen before, as if he had abandoned everything in the world.

***

I didn’t know how long it had been. The sun rose once and set once more. When I came to my senses, it was a bright daytime where I could hear a bird chirping. Fortunately, my body moved this time. It was stuffy like sand stuck in my neck. As soon as I raised my upper body, I felt a hand holding my shoulder. It was Azmaria.

“Wait, Susan.”

She handed me a cup of water.

“Thank you.”

“No, that’s what I should do.”

I felt like my dead mind was coming back clean after a glass of water. I sighed for a long time, flipping my tangled hair. I swallowed poison with curiosity, but pain was also new and regrettable every time I felt it. I should refrain from using my body. It was Azmaria who started talking in the frustrating atmosphere.

“Susan, I….”

“Do you trust me now?”

There was no more confusion in Azmaria’s eyes. She seemed determined while I was lying down. Yes, that’s how you should look. What did I endure the pain for?

“Yes.”

“Then, let’s have a little productive conversation from now on.”

In a short word, the air flowing between her and me changed. I swallowed another sip of water and continued calmly.

“I’m Susan. But I’m not the original owner of this body.”

Even if I wanted to tell you my old name, there was no way. I did not intend to hide, but because I did not know at all. What kind of person was I before entering 『The River Where the Sun Manoeuvres』? I tried to think of it but had to give up repeatedly because I had a severe headache and ran out of breath. However, I thought this introduction would be enough to talk to Azmaria.

“Who are you, Azmaria Will?”

Azmaria breathed in calmly. Soon she stared at me with a straight and bright gaze, as if she had made a big decision.

“Agrane Karold.”

Azmaria’s voice was clear and pure without a little tremor.

“My real name is Agrane Karold. I don’t know why and how, but I came into the body of Azmaria Will, who died of illness.”