try begging

Because he was still blinded by greed, all the calculations and guesses he was making to find that woman were probably wrong. Even though he knew that, Leon had a premonition that he would not be able to stop this foolish act until the day that woman returned.

"under...."

He suddenly burst into laughter.

The day that girl comes back? She comes back, Lani. You're crazy.

Now we have to admit this too.

That woman will not come back, for she has abandoned him.

Blanchard in his head laughed at Leon, who refused to accept the truth despite repeated urgings, as if he were being forced to drink a deadly poison.

"No, now I regret loving Grace."

Loving that woman. Stopping loving that woman. Regretting what you once loved. And even calling her name out loud.

Leon couldn't do anything easily, but he did it all without hesitation, strutting around in front of him as if he had the right to do it.

You cheeky brat, who are you?

But even then, Leon knew that even though they were both equally abandoned, he would never be able to say for the rest of his life that he regretted loving Grace.

In the end, it was him who was nothing.

He showed her only the truth. Furthermore, he was the one who ended up releasing her from her brainwashing. And yet, Leon was treated worse than a traitor by her.

Even after he promised her the future, leaving everything he had in her hands, she left. No, he was abandoned.

When he had accomplished all the tasks on his shoulders and was about to leave behind the cruel taunts, teasing, and betrayals she had inflicted on him over the years, she abandoned him.

Yeah, you're still like that.

That woman still easily abandons him. He can't even throw away a broken mirror.

Was it the heart that was torn by the shrapnel, not the back of the hand?

Leon looked up and stared at the shattered mirror, feeling regretful. It was just a mirror, not hers nor hers. He blamed himself for the ridiculous reason of breaking something that only occasionally reflected her.

The moment I broke the mirror, I realized that I wanted to leave everything here just as it was, just as the woman had been. I felt like an idiot for having such a foolish thought.

Everything that woman's hands touched became a relic that he had to preserve forever. What's more, he even picked up and brought in the things that she had thrown away. Whatever he did, it was just a foolish act.

The cracked face let out a self-deprecating laugh in the mirror. The laughter that broke out intermittently gradually faded and eventually disappeared.

He was no different. Leon Winston was just another piece of junk from the past that she had discarded.

Blood-stained hands held the distorted face. Crimson tears flowed down her cheeks.

It wasn't my imagination that this place felt like a mausoleum. This annex was the tomb of Grace Riddle's past.

Leon Winston will rot in this coffin along with the past that Grace Riddle abandoned.

º º º

The cafe was quite quiet on a weekday, an hour before tea time.

"So last night... ."

The waiters, who had been chatting at the counter with the radio on, all turned their gaze toward the entrance as soon as the door opened wide.

"welcome."

One of the people who had been exchanging curious looks approached the customer. What was surprising was that he was the type of customer who rarely visited the cafe at this time on a weekday.

A middle-aged man who at first glance appeared to be working class occupied a table instead of the bar. He was also unexpected for a male customer who came alone.

"coffee."

"Yes, a cup of coffee. I'll bring it right away."

As soon as I returned to the counter after taking my order as usual, the door opened again.

"Welcome."

This time, it was a very common customer at this time on a weekday.

A young woman wearing a red wine-colored cloche hat trimmed with black ribbon and a black cape with fur trim at the end stopped at the entrance and looked around.

The woman looked wealthy at first glance. At this café, located not far from the boutique street, it was common for women who had finished shopping to visit to enjoy a cup of tea or chat with friends.

"Do you have a companion?"

As the waiter approached and asked, the woman shook her head and took off a glove of the same color as her hat. A thin gold ring glittered on her left ring finger, and the waiter politely pointed around the room, adding his title.

"Madam, please sit wherever you like."

Among the many seats, the one the woman chose was the one right behind the man who had just come in. Only when the woman sat down did the waiter realize that the bulge in the front of her cape was not an illusion.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, it's okay."

The pregnant woman sat with her back turned to the stranger, barely a hand's length away, even though it was obviously uncomfortable. She then glanced at the menu on the table without even taking off her sunglasses.

Her eyes were not visible because of the sunglasses, but the bright red lipstick matched her well and did not look tacky, so it was clear that she was beautiful.

"hmm...."

The woman tucked her black hair, which reached down to the middle of her neck, behind her ear, and then thought for a moment before ordering.

"Please give me cream tea."

"Yes, a cream tea. I'll bring it right away."

As the waiter walked away, Grace sighed and patted her belly.

"Yeah, I'm hungry too. Just hold on a little longer."

It was something said to a baby who kicked his stomach the whole time he was walking from the tram station.

After six months, the baby's movements became much more distinct and active. Whether it was because he had his own will or not, he would always express himself by kicking, so I didn't know how many times I would wake up from sleep.

I see you're full of energy all day long. Is it a boy?

Honestly, I wasn't curious about the gender. I just wanted to get rid of it because it was heavy and annoying.

[Will the new royal family member be a prince or a princess?]

Be jealous.

Grace sighed as she listened to the radio news that the Queen was only about six weeks away from giving birth to her third child. She would have to stay like this until at least May.

Waiting for the tea and scones to arrive was already becoming tiresome. Grace opened her handbag next to her and took out one of the many newspapers she had neatly folded and spread it out on the table.

As soon as I turned the first page, I frowned. It was because I made eye contact with that man.

Again?

I was getting annoyed. I barely managed to get out of there, but I didn't know that I would end up seeing that man every day.

I expected that there would be a flood of articles right after the purge. I thought it would soon be a lull since it was the end of the year, but then came the surprise announcement of the award of the title, the special promotion, and the award ceremony a few days ago. That man was a constant topic of conversation for a whole month, taking up the airwaves and pages.

Why are there columns, analysis articles, 4-panel cartoons on the front page, politics page, economy page, society page, and even entertainment page?

You're a big star, man.

However, I thought the number of articles would gradually decrease after the front page the day after the award ceremony. Now, a mere article about Leon Winston's return to Winsford was printed on page 3 with a title like 'The Hero's Return' under a photo.

'You did it. A title, a promotion, and even revenge. Your father will be proud.'

Grace smiled leisurely at the man, the corners of her mouth quivering.

In the photo, Leon Winston was still as swan-like and god-like as perfection. I expected that he would be terribly ruined the moment she disappeared, but why?

No. If you still come looking for me, then you don't know the face behind that mask.

Grace smiled again, the corners of her lips that had previously fallen down. This time, even the corners of her eyes joined in.

'Hello, honey. How are you doing without me?'

Should I call you and tease you like this?

She's not a child, really. Grace let out a small sigh and picked up a few newspaper pages and flipped through them all at once. When she reached the lifestyle ads section, she read the job advertisements one by one.

There was only one word Grace searched for in all those advertisements.

Butcher.

It was a word that Blanchard's Revolutionary Army secretly referred to themselves, comparing themselves to butchers who slaughtered the royal piglets.

After the Blackburn raid, newspaper advertisements for butchers or for butchers seeking employment increased. If such ads contained incomprehensible numbers pretending to be phone numbers or gave the general location of a town where there could not possibly be a slaughterhouse, they were actually code words from remnants of the so-called revolutionaries.

Those who managed to escape from their swept away strongholds or safe houses throughout the kingdom gathered together to set up a new hideout and gather other remnants.

Since they had not yet set up a phone line and did not know when they would have to move to a new hideout, when an ad appeared in the newspaper saying that a butcher was looking for a slaughterhouse, those who had already found a hideout nearby would post an ad to let them know the date and location of the meeting.

Because he was still blinded by greed, all the calculations and guesses he was making to find that woman were probably wrong. Even though he knew that, Leon had a premonition that he would not be able to stop this foolish act until the day that woman returned.

"under...."

He suddenly burst into laughter.

The day that girl comes back? She comes back, Lani. You're crazy.

Now we have to admit this too.

That woman will not come back, for she has abandoned him.

Blanchard in his head laughed at Leon, who refused to accept the truth despite repeated urgings, as if he were being forced to drink a deadly poison.

"No, now I regret loving Grace."

Loving that woman. Stopping loving that woman. Regretting what you once loved. And even calling her name out loud.

Leon couldn't do anything easily, but he did it all without hesitation, strutting around in front of him as if he had the right to do it.

You cheeky brat, who are you?

But even then, Leon knew that even though they were both equally abandoned, he would never be able to say for the rest of his life that he regretted loving Grace.

In the end, it was him who was nothing.

He showed her only the truth. Furthermore, he was the one who ended up releasing her from her brainwashing. And yet, Leon was treated worse than a traitor by her.

Even after he promised her the future, leaving everything he had in her hands, she left. No, he was abandoned.

When he had accomplished all the tasks on his shoulders and was about to leave behind the cruel taunts, teasing, and betrayals she had inflicted on him over the years, she abandoned him.

Yeah, you're still like that.

That woman still easily abandons him. He can't even throw away a broken mirror.

Was it the heart that was torn by the shrapnel, not the back of the hand?

Leon looked up and stared at the shattered mirror, feeling regretful. It was just a mirror, not hers nor hers. He blamed himself for the ridiculous reason of breaking something that only occasionally reflected her.

The moment I broke the mirror, I realized that I wanted to leave everything here just as it was, just as the woman had been. I felt like an idiot for having such a foolish thought.

Everything that woman's hands touched became a relic that he had to preserve forever. What's more, he even picked up and brought in the things that she had thrown away. Whatever he did, it was just a foolish act.

The cracked face let out a self-deprecating laugh in the mirror. The laughter that broke out intermittently gradually faded and eventually disappeared.

He was no different. Leon Winston was just another piece of junk from the past that she had discarded.

Blood-stained hands held the distorted face. Crimson tears flowed down her cheeks.

It wasn't my imagination that this place felt like a mausoleum. This annex was the tomb of Grace Riddle's past.

Leon Winston will rot in this coffin along with the past that Grace Riddle abandoned.

º º º

The cafe was quite quiet on a weekday, an hour before tea time.

"So last night... ."

The waiters, who had been chatting at the counter with the radio on, all turned their gaze toward the entrance as soon as the door opened wide.

"welcome."

One of the people who had been exchanging curious looks approached the customer. What was surprising was that he was the type of customer who rarely visited the cafe at this time on a weekday.

A middle-aged man who at first glance appeared to be working class occupied a table instead of the bar. He was also unexpected for a male customer who came alone.

"coffee."

"Yes, a cup of coffee. I'll bring it right away."

As soon as I returned to the counter after taking my order as usual, the door opened again.

"Welcome."

This time, it was a very common customer at this time on a weekday.

A young woman wearing a red wine-colored cloche hat trimmed with black ribbon and a black cape with fur trim at the end stopped at the entrance and looked around.

The woman looked wealthy at first glance. At this café, located not far from the boutique street, it was common for women who had finished shopping to visit to enjoy a cup of tea or chat with friends.

"Do you have a companion?"

As the waiter approached and asked, the woman shook her head and took off a glove of the same color as her hat. A thin gold ring glittered on her left ring finger, and the waiter politely pointed around the room, adding his title.

"Madam, please sit wherever you like."

Among the many seats, the one the woman chose was the one right behind the man who had just come in. Only when the woman sat down did the waiter realize that the bulge in the front of her cape was not an illusion.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, it's okay."

The pregnant woman sat with her back turned to the stranger, barely a hand's length away, even though it was obviously uncomfortable. She then glanced at the menu on the table without even taking off her sunglasses.

Her eyes were not visible because of the sunglasses, but the bright red lipstick matched her well and did not look tacky, so it was clear that she was beautiful.

"hmm...."

The woman tucked her black hair, which reached down to the middle of her neck, behind her ear, and then thought for a moment before ordering.

"Please give me cream tea."

"Yes, a cream tea. I'll bring it right away."

As the waiter walked away, Grace sighed and patted her belly.

"Yeah, I'm hungry too. Just hold on a little longer."

It was something said to a baby who kicked his stomach the whole time he was walking from the tram station.

After six months, the baby's movements became much more distinct and active. Whether it was because he had his own will or not, he would always express himself by kicking, so I didn't know how many times I would wake up from sleep.

I see you're full of energy all day long. Is it a boy?

Honestly, I wasn't curious about the gender. I just wanted to get rid of it because it was heavy and annoying.

[Will the new royal family member be a prince or a princess?]

Be jealous.

Grace sighed as she listened to the radio news that the Queen was only about six weeks away from giving birth to her third child. She would have to stay like this until at least May.

Waiting for the tea and scones to arrive was already becoming tiresome. Grace opened her handbag next to her and took out one of the many newspapers she had neatly folded and spread it out on the table.

As soon as I turned the first page, I frowned. It was because I made eye contact with that man.

Again?

I was getting annoyed. I barely managed to get out of there, but I didn't know that I would end up seeing that man every day.

I expected that there would be a flood of articles right after the purge. I thought it would soon be a lull since it was the end of the year, but then came the surprise announcement of the award of the title, the special promotion, and the award ceremony a few days ago. That man was a constant topic of conversation for a whole month, taking up the airwaves and pages.

Why are there columns, analysis articles, 4-panel cartoons on the front page, politics page, economy page, society page, and even entertainment page?

You're a big star, man.

However, I thought the number of articles would gradually decrease after the front page the day after the award ceremony. Now, a mere article about Leon Winston's return to Winsford was printed on page 3 with a title like 'The Hero's Return' under a photo.

'You did it. A title, a promotion, and even revenge. Your father will be proud.'

Grace smiled leisurely at the man, the corners of her mouth quivering.

In the photo, Leon Winston was still as swan-like and god-like as perfection. I expected that he would be terribly ruined the moment she disappeared, but why?

No. If you still come looking for me, then you don't know the face behind that mask.

Grace smiled again, the corners of her lips that had previously fallen down. This time, even the corners of her eyes joined in.

'Hello, honey. How are you doing without me?'

Should I call you and tease you like this?

She's not a child, really. Grace let out a small sigh and picked up a few newspaper pages and flipped through them all at once. When she reached the lifestyle ads section, she read the job advertisements one by one.

There was only one word Grace searched for in all those advertisements.

Butcher.

It was a word that Blanchard's Revolutionary Army secretly referred to themselves, comparing themselves to butchers who slaughtered the royal piglets.

After the Blackburn raid, newspaper advertisements for butchers or for butchers seeking employment increased. If such ads contained incomprehensible numbers pretending to be phone numbers or gave the general location of a town where there could not possibly be a slaughterhouse, they were actually code words from remnants of the so-called revolutionaries.

Those who managed to escape from their swept away strongholds or safe houses throughout the kingdom gathered together to set up a new hideout and gather other remnants.

Since they had not yet set up a phone line and did not know when they would have to move to a new hideout, when an ad appeared in the newspaper saying that a butcher was looking for a slaughterhouse, those who had already found a hideout nearby would post an ad to let them know the date and location of the meeting.