Chapter 11 Loop 4-1
「Rea, are you sure you should be scarfing down on all the food now? The
wedding’s next week.」
「All’s fine, I’m confident about my metabolism and figure. And more
importantly, after I get married, I won’t be able to enjoy such hearty
meat dishes as often now, will I? So I’ve got to treasure it and save[1]
some now.」
「Well, I can understand why you feel that way——the food around the royal
capital is too refined for me, it affects my appetite.」
「Brother Mau, don’t reach an understanding like that, Rea will end up
getting carried away.」
…Ah, this was a week ago. This was the conversation between my eldest
brother, Maurice, and my second brother, Edgar, who had come back home to
celebrate with me in advance as they were unable to attend the ceremony.
That day, Theresa cooked up a large boar that Brother Mau had killed.
She made some boar steak nicely seasoned with salt——it was
delicious…
If I really had to get caught in a loop, I would’ve liked the loop to be
when we were enjoying the feast. That way, I can eat as much as I want
with no end in sight.
But why am I remembering all these? Was I having a flashback by any
chance? If I was going to have a flashback, couldn’t a more touching
memory be picked?
(lilies: breaking the fourth wall? Anyways, I’ll give you guys a
spoiler, this is actually an important clue :D)
◇
「…」
The loop begins again. This is the fourth time.
After properly calming down Theresa and the others, I peeled myself from
the pillar and sat down in front of the dressing table.
「…Sigh.」
After the third time, I wonder if Brother Tris was safe and managed to
survive. Although he was unarmed and poisoned, it was the first time I had
seen my brother struggle so much. Was it partly because he was protecting
me?
I know that he’s right below me at this time, happily drinking away with
good-looking men, but it still hurts my heart.
In the second loop, Theresa and the maids got involved and in the third,
my brother got involved.
If I died and got into another loop, time would be restarted for everyone
as if nothing happened. And yet, I don’t want to see anyone else die
anymore.
…What if someone dies because of me and it doesn’t loop?
Given the possibility that the number of loops is finite, I can’t do
anything that’ll put others at risk. Although it’s going to be hard, I
have to figure out how to survive by myself.
So far, time looped and rewound when I died during the night, but if I
survive this crisis and die of old age or illness at 70 to 80 years old,
would time still rewind?
It would be really tragic if the loop started again right after I died
while saying「I lived a long life〜」「It’s been a hard life〜」. Dying in
itself was already not an easy thing and looping endlessly sounded like
torture.
…Well, not really. If that happens, I make full use of the information
about the future and make a fortune.
「Have you given up, Lady Katrea?」
Only when Theresa called out to me did I realise dressed up and ready to
go.
When I looked in the mirror, I saw myself dressed for the evening, just as
I had been in the previous loop.
I was wearing a soft, thin silk dress and my hair was carefully combed
down. I'm sure I'll stand out wherever I go in this outfit. However, if I
were to tell them to prepare clothes that were easy to move around in, it
would surely put the maids’ guard up, so I can’t complain.
「I get it, Theresa, I will go have a word with the duke; I can’t keep
bothering you guys.」
「…You’re being so docile.」
Theresa gave me a look full of doubt. How many times have I been doubted
by her in the past day? Was I that untrustworthy?
「If I don’t go to the Duke, Harie and the others might be scolded.
Besides, it’s a marriage I agreed to, I feel a little bad causing trouble
for others because of my every whim.」
(lilies: katrea?!! you know self-awareness?? XD)
Even I thought this was a pretty good lie. I realised it as I said it, if
I’m being unreasonable and throwing tantrums, Harie and the other maids
might be held responsible for my actions. Although I find that pitiful,
I’m also risking my life over here. Let’s just pretend to be ignorant
about the consequences that might be burdened on them.
「Well, regardless of whether or not we would be reprimanded, we did take
quite some time to prepare. Let’s quickly move to the master bedroom.
Ines, lead the way for the madam.」
Harie was just as cold and business-like as ever.
Now that we’re in the fourth loop, I’m starting to understand the
personalities of the maids I had just met today and I’m beginning to a
sense of affinity for them. The more loops I go through, the higher my
favourability for them it, but the favourability the maid had for me would
always be reset.
(lilies: even this is not a novel with otome settings you can kinda
think of the favourability in that sense)
What a tragedy. Well, though the favourability I gained was so negligible
it didn’t matter even if it was reset.
…And right now, I about to do something they’re going to hate me
for.
「I’ll be off then, Theresa.」
「In any case, my lady, you have to carefully listen to the duke tonight
and do as you’re tell. Also, all you need to do is basically just smile
and nod——as long as you don’t talk, your faults won’t be busted.」
Whoa! That’s the first time I heard some advice from Theresa. Yet it was
something so mean.
However, I did not argue with her; I simply nodded and smiled without
saying a word.
「I’ll you the way.」
Feeling the eyes on my back, I walked out the door Ines had opened for me.
And the moment she closed the door——
I darted as fast as I could in the direction of the stairs.
「Ah! Madam!」
I heard Ines’ voice from behind me but I ignored it.
I descended down the stairs so fast it was as if I jumped straight from
the second floor to the first. The moment I reached the ground floor, I
instinctively ran down the hallway.
I simply dashed straight ahead, turning round a corner, and continued
forward again. When I finally turned around there was no sign of Ines. I
think I did a good job of running away.
After much thought, I came up with the best way to survive——it was to
escape from this castle by myself. I’m probably the sole target of
the killer but sometimes he will use the people around me to kill
me.
In that case, I should make a great escape by myself in a flashy manner.
That way, the killer won’t have to lay his hands on the people around me.
I’m sure there’s a limit to how far I can get away from the residence by
foot, so first things first, I need to get a horse.
I’ve only just arrived at the castle and have no idea where everything is,
but they must have stables. There’s a large garden outside the castle
building so I might have to go outside to look for it.
…So, where’s the gate leading to the outside? Or more like, where am I?
The price of making a break for it without properly thinking through was
already here to bite me in the butt. As I wandered down the corridor, I
heard footsteps pattering in the distance.
Was it Ines and the others? Although I can’t be sure, I had a feeling
those hurried steps belonged to someone that was looking for me.
I looked up and saw a flight of stairs that went up so I ran up without a
making a sound. At the top of the stairs was just a corridor same as any
other . I'm afraid I'm going to get lost in this house before I can even
manage to escape.
I was thinking to just go down this empty corridor when——
「Oh, you’re…」
I heard a voice from behind. Crap! I’ve been found.
Turning around hastily, what greeted me was not a servant, but a slender
young lady.
Please feedback to me in the comments below if you find any typos or
terrible grammar, etc that you think I should change. Or maybe you think my
interpretation is completely off lol Help me help you have a better reading
experience ahahah what a tongue twister XD
Thank yous!! (˶‾᷄ ⁻̫ ‾᷅˵)
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and have a great day!!
You can support me by sending some love in the comments or through the button below
Thank yous!! (˶‾᷄ ⁻̫ ‾᷅˵)
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and have a great day!!
You can support me by sending some love in the comments or through the button below
peace lilies~