Chapter 10 - THE THREE INEVITABLE COINCIDENCES (7)

THE THREE INEVITABLE COINCIDENCES (7)

Raw provider: Tsalispark

Translator: Rhyme_bean

Editor: SilverAndGold

“…Is this some kind of joke?”

“I don’t have a talent for jokes.”

Though Beth didn’t have a talent, she shook her head since she was really good at lying.

“If you are mocking me, then I can assure you that you won’t be able to see tomorrow’s sunrise.”

“It’s the truth. With my safety on the line, how can I mock you James?”

Beth confidently hit him back as she thought that he wouldn’t kill her easily since she had some estrangements with Dana.

“Then provide me with evidence to prove it.”

James’ eyes flashed with a chaotic light.

“Be-Beth-.”

At that time a small voice was heard.

“I am here, Young Miss.”

Claire looked at Beth with her round eyes from afar. As soon as Beth was called by her little lady, without a moment of thought, she stood up from her seat.

“Where are you going?”

James felt dumbfounded as Beth completely ignored his presence. Beth moved towards the sofa James sat on and whispered to him in a small voice.

“This year the Crown Prince will fall from the horse while hunting and the Great Emperor will announce that the Crown Prince won’t be allowed to go out until the ones behind the assassination attempt are caught. All will suspect the horseman to be under others’ orders, but the real one who received the orders is his man-servant.”

James looked at Beth with eyes full of disbelief but Beth who saw it in a glance took her attention off of him. Beth moved towards the place where Claire stood.

“Whether to believe it or not, is all up to you.”

When the time comes, he will have to believe it, but Beth hid those words.

*     *     *

Claire was very sleepy the moment she entered the horse carriage. She was not used to physical exercises, so she felt very tired even though she did not exert herself much. Beth watched Claire happily, as she fell asleep in the middle of the boxes which were filled with dresses.

A small fraction of things that should be enjoyed by her had finally returned to her.

This is only the beginning.

Claire can’t be satisfied only with this little bit of affection. It’s only deserving of Claire to get the position of Earl Gordon.

The people who snatch the happiness of others to become happy themselves are not qualified to obtain happiness. The current Earl couple must be crushed.

It would have been better if I connected with James later.

She had something to give him so that she could prove to him that she was able to provide him with information that no one could give him – only then would he be interested. James should understand that with this single exchange, besides the information she provided to him, there were many other things she knew.

Since she had already bound Dana with an amicable contract, it became impossible for James to kidnap her and extort information through torture.

“We have arrived.”

Beth carefully held the fast asleep young miss in her arms, who unconsciously held on to her neck as she muttered some unknown words. A soft smile bloomed on Beth’s lips as she thought that Claire had gained some weight. She felt her own spirits rise at the thought. But when she thought about how she won’t be able to hold Claire like this after a little more time, Beth felt a little lost.

Beth asked the maids to carry the boxes with dresses to the top floor of the mansion after she carefully came down the carriage.

The Earl mansion was quite noisy.

Beth realized that the root of the noise was an outsider.Claire seemed to be at the verge of awakening.

She moved towards a maid who carried a big box and asked in a low voice.

“Who visited today?”

“Ah, today, many Knights have come to apply to become the Young Miss’ sentinel.”

“Hmm….. Did many come to apply?”

A knight that was close to them and heard their conversation came up to them and said, “It’s because being an exclusive knight for the dignified young miss of the Earl mansion is a very respectable profession…”

The knight who said that hesitated for a moment and added.

“I..I want to be a guard for Beth more than the young miss….”

Beth said, “I am someone without any status, money or family so I am not important enough to protect. I shall kindly refuse.”

Beth walked faster as she left the disappointed person behind.

If this were true, Beth needed to go where the guards were being selected. Even if they didn’t stand up to Claire in the future, it was okay if the person was not a bum who would tell their every move to Earl Gordon.

Will there be a guy who wouldn’t bother with the work and just come with his eyes on the high salary?

Beth was unable to take the young miss to her room. As Beth thought of what was the best thing that could be done, she stood at the mansion’s door and looked at the noisy place where the knights were busy reporting their information. Catherine turned around and saw Beth and with an excited face, she ran towards Beth.

“Beth!!”

“Ssshh!”

Beth had a rarely seen frown on her face as she rebuked Catherine who yelled with a loud voice.

“Good news! Julia might get married and move out.”

“What?”

What the hell did she just say? Julia had a fiance? Julia was someone who shared almost all of secrets with Beth and she had never mentioned any guy to her.

“A really handsome knight wearing good clothing asked for Julia! I even forgot to breathe when I saw his face.”

“So it is like that.” Without any expression, Beth nodded her head at Catharine.

“Catherine, do you have any work now?”

“Oh? Ah…. I am taking a break.”

“If so, would you mind escorting Young Miss to her room?”

Beth handed over Claire, who had peacefully slept on her chest, towards Catherine. As if she hated to part with Beth, Claire whined in her sleep. Beth softly patted Claire’s bangs and quietly whispered a consolation to her.

“Why? Ah~ Do you also want to see that handsome knight?”

“Not because of that – rather, because I am the maid in charge of the Young Miss. I am going to quench my curiosity in the selection of the knight who will be assisting me in taking care of miss.”

“Oh.”

“I am entrusting the Young Miss to you.”

Beth left behind Catherine who didn’t try to hide her disappointed look as she went towards the Military Hall where the knights were gathered. When one chose a knight for the Young Miss, the person should not be too short and should have excellent abilities.

Such a person isn’t common.

If she were to choose between the two – a person with a good figure or good abilities – she would choose the better-looking one.

If the person is held tightly to a sense of duty, it would be possible for him to tell the Earl if he felt anything was out of place.

It was the same Military Hall she was familiar with when she used to sneak into the Tower. The hall was crowded with knights who had swords at their waists and spirited expressions.

All of their eyes are shining….

Beth looked at the crowded knights with unfocused eyes. She was soon discovered by the Earl who welcomed her with open arms.

“If it isn’t Beth! You came back already?”

“How are you doing Elder Master? I wish you a good afternoon.”

It would be good if others didn’t think that they are on close terms. If possible, she wanted to be in awkward terms with the Earl and to be as far away from him as possible.  Beth only wished to be the 101th audience when Earl Gordon was to be publicly executed. For Beth, it was more disgusting to see a smiling Earl Gordon than a trilobite.

Even if that person turned into a fossil, he wouldn’t have any value.

But in order to stay alive, she must not let out what was in her mind. With her usual expressionless face, she walked towards him and observed the crowd.

“Has everyone gathered, sir?”

“Ah.”

As if he remembered something unpleasant because of her question, the Earl’s eyes glazed.

“Earlier a brazen guy broke away from the test. That lazy lad, what does he take my Earl Mansion for…..?”

“!”

To get away from the test with ease, that guy seemed to be the type that does no work.

Even if he was asked to write a report, there would only be what he ate in the report. But when Beth saw how displeased the Earl was, she wanted to give him some extra points. Beth didn’t know how he looked, but this was not important.

They talked in low voices inaudible to the crowded men.

“How about selecting that person, Elder Master?”

“To select a person who looks down upon my Earl Mansion, are you out of your mind?!?”

“How would he dare neglect the high status of the Earl Gordon’s Mansion? Rather, he is the only person who really respects the Earl Mansion. Young Miss Claire is only a sham. All under the sky know that she is not special.”

“Hm Hm… That’s right. She is just a half-bake, not even fully grown.”

“A person who understands that he has no need to be loyal to Young Miss Claire  – he will also be more easy to control by the Elder Master.”

Beth’s words were very persuasive. Her remarks, though it had some compulsion, after one collected the thoughts, all would start to make sense.

In her previous life, Beth held a part-time job at a mart where she rotted in a tasting corner for half a year. But within those 6 months, all the products she sold increased its sales. When she had to quit after those 6 months due to  personal reasons, the management were reluctant to let her go.

Thus, it was not difficult for Beth to persuade someone, though they might feel strange when they looked back and reflected on her words. Since it was already a bygone work, Beth thought that the Earl was not thorough or smart enough to deeply contemplate on past events.

He completely fell for her words and slowly nodded his head.

“Then just continue with the test as a formality.”

“It is an excellent decision.”

The Earl, from the very start, didn’t have any sincerity in choosing an Escort Knight for Claire. He thought of choosing someone at random, but later he thought it over,  he realized it would be good to choose a person who was a bit impressive to him.

Though I am not sure if I like that lad.

“There he comes.”

Earl frowned at the man who walked slowly from behind Beth.

“You can take care of the rest of the matter.”

As if he didn’t wish to see that person anymore, after he waved his hands, he went back through the door at the rear end. Beth stood at a distance and listened to him attentively.

Step. Step. The sound of steady steps resounded.

From his steps alone, one could feel the owner’s leisured mentality. In order to confirm what sort of person he was, Beth turned her head.

“.……?”

“Ah~.”

The man walked towards her with the sun on his back and as soon as he saw Beth , his face bloomed into a bright smile. His smile was so sweet and warm that she felt it could even melt ice in the middle of winter.

“You said your name was Julia.”

In both of their previous meetings, she didn’t have any change in her expression, but today, her small eyes trembled. He looked like a brilliant workmanship added with gold.

“I said my real name, but it seems as though I was the only sincere one.”

Before long, he had already arrived before her and bent his body slightly to her eye-level.

Kedrick – his face always had a smile.

“It is said that if people meet by coincidence three times, they are fated to be – now can you give me your real name?”

If he and she were really destined, it must be an ill fated relationship.

Though she didn’t know many things about him, one thing was for sure.

His eyes now glistened with more brightness when compared to their previous meetings – just like Claire’s.