◈ Episode 7
By the time I could see the back door of the Colosseum, sweat was forming on my forehead and I was out of breath.
When she came to a speaking distance from the gatekeeper, she had to bend down and take a moment to catch her breath.
The gatekeeper looked at her with longing eyes for a long time.
“what. There are no competitions now and there are plenty of women. “Don’t bother me and get out of my way when I talk to you.”
Irina held out a bag of gold coins. Her doorkeeper clasped her hands together politely.
“What do you need? ma’am?”
“ha… after… The carriage just arrived… … .”
“Aha, carriage? There is a separate place to park carriages, but if you go down this side road, you will find a more secret place where carriages are parked. “Please don’t just say I told you.”
He pointed to a side road to the left of Irina.
At first glance, it looked like the entrance to a lush, unmaintained garden.
However, upon closer inspection, there was a side road that could accommodate at least one person.
Irina entered the trees without answering.
“Ugh… … .”
As I walked along the side road, the leaves that grew randomly scratched my face.
If I hadn’t had good reflexes, I would have hurt my face several times from the protruding branches.
After walking for a while, Irina saw something quite surprising.
At the end of the road, there was a well-maintained vacant lot. It was a place that had been carefully maintained down to the floor.
There were carriages lined up side by side that I didn’t know how they got in.
And in the very back, a plain black carriage was noticeably creaking and shaking.
I had an unidentifiable, ominous feeling.
Go right now and open that carriage door. Check out what’s inside!
A warning bell rang sharply in my head.
Irina closed her eyes and shook her head slightly.
Instead of coming forward impulsively, she sat quietly for a while and first checked to see if anyone else was there.
Meanwhile, the carriage stopped moving.
Irina approached the carriage slowly, like a cat.
Everywhere Irina passed, a little bit of dirt fell.
I was fortunate that I was in the dark, unable to see an inch in front of me.
Her robe and hair were dirty, covered in grass, dirt, and dust.
She had an unsightly appearance that was hard to describe as an aristocratic woman.
Moreover, heavy raindrops began to fall one by one.
Irina bent down almost to the floor and came right next to the carriage.
It was close enough to open the door right away.
There was no sound.
According to the report, it is clearly this carriage.
Is something wrong? As I was thinking about this, I heard a beautiful male voice coming from inside the carriage.
It was my husband’s. Anyone who hears it will know.
Ferris has a voice that is so captivating that you cannot forget it once you hear it.
“You are truly amazing. Every time the technique… This… “This is really huge.”
I heard the husband and the woman laughing happily at the same time.
His voice was kind. His tone was more affectionate and sweet than when he spoke to his daughter Juliet.
Irina clenched her fists and swallowed dry saliva.
“Hehe… She came running right away to tell me that her wife had left. Did you miss me that much?”
A woman’s voice was heard.
Irina reflexively covered her mouth.
Before I even had a chance to feel betrayed, a strong shock struck my entire body.
It wasn’t Baron Yevny’s daughter. But he was someone I knew.
My heart was racing and I could feel the hot blood all the way to my fingertips.
I heard my husband laughing softly.
“of course. “You are my true love.”
I felt my heart sink.
I’m crying.
A hot energy rose to the area around my neck and eyes.
Irina bit her lip so hard that the skin peeled off.
I didn’t feel any pain. The throbbing feeling in my chest only became stronger.
It was something I hadn’t heard in quite some time. While I was about to hear tinnitus, I heard her husband’s voice again.
“I wish you were my wife. I think Irina is not good for a woman because of her scars. In fact, I almost go to bed with my eyes closed as a duty.”
I was out of breath.
3. Divorcee
Raindrops fell hard on the stone floor.
Irina walked aimlessly in the moonlight and raindrops.
As it rained in the cool early morning, my lips turned blue and my whole body became stiff.
But she didn’t know it was cold. She couldn’t even remember how far she had walked.
I had so many thoughts that I couldn’t think of anything.
An old memory suddenly appeared in her mind.
This happened when Irina was not yet 20 years old.
A spring day when flower buds have just ripened. It was one of the few sunny days in the north.
“Why on earth do you hate me? huh?”
Ferris, a 20-year-old with a chiseled appearance who had not yet shed his boyish appearance, grabbed the reins.
Eighteen-year-old Irina, wearing light armor and holding the reins, frowned.
“Let go, Arkensis Youngsik. “My shoulder is flying off.”
“no! “I’ll hold on to it, so mount it on a horse and run!”
“Why are you so stubborn?”
“Because I know you don’t hate me!”
Ferris clung to the back of Irina’s saddle as if he were going to climb on it.
Irina’s horse purred as soon as he rode it, ready to struggle.
Irina closed her eyes and sighed softly.
“You really are a man without answers, you.”
“If you don’t like it, just say no. uh? “You can’t look me in the eyes and say anything.”
“If it’s your wish, I’ll tell you.”
Ferris swallowed dryly. Irina looked down at him dryly.
“I hate pretty, stupid, light men like you.”
“… … !!”
Ferris’ jewel-like eyes were colored with shock.
Twenty-year-old Ferris’ face was so beautiful that passing carriages crashed into her several times.
It wasn’t a metaphor, it was something that actually happened.
A look of sorrowful astonishment appeared on such a bright and dazzling face.
Irina felt a bit of remorse. She said, no, she should have been better said to be guilty.
Irina tried to ignore him.
“Well, you’re very popular, so don’t get hurt because of something like me…” what are you doing!”
Irina urgently shouted at Ferris’ unexpected behavior.
He took the knife from his belt and tried to cut his own face.
At that moment, Irina quickly bent down and grabbed his arm.
“Puhihihh!!”
Irina’s startled horse raised its front paw.
Irina fell from the horse with a crashing sound and wrapped her arms around Ferris.
Irina rolled a few laps while holding him.
Flower petals and leaves stuck to their whole bodies.
As soon as his body stopped, Irina jumped up on top of him.
“it’s crazy? What are you doing all of a sudden? She’s trying to draw her own face! No, there were no injuries… … .”
“My face will become ugly. I can’t help but be stupid. “If I’m not pretty and popular, you won’t believe my sincerity!”
“Where could such a stupid idea come from… … !”
Irina, who was reflexively trying to scold me, quickly closed her mouth.
Ferris’ face, moist with tears, was breathtakingly beautiful.
“I am… … .”
Irina turned her head. Ferris immediately noticed that her earlobes were bright red.
“I don’t believe it. It doesn’t make sense that you like the same thing… … .”
“why! Why can’t you believe it? Just believe it. You just have to believe it! “You only have to do it once!”
Irina grew up seeing only honest and independent people, regardless of gender.
This was the first time in my life that I had been treated so recklessly.
Ironically, that’s why she was so strange and cute.
Moreover, it was quite effective for the Creator to whine about his appearance after putting in desperate effort.
“It worked, right? I know yeah. huh?”
Taking advantage of the moment when Irina was speechless, Ferris sat up.
“Ah, what is this doing? Get out of the way!”
“no.”
Irina appeared to be sitting on top of Ferris, who was sitting on the floor.
“Let go.”
“no.”
She was startled and tried to get up, but he grabbed her waist as if to hug her.
He narrowed his eyes and smiled softly.
“Lady Irina Levart. “You are my only love.”
His low whispering voice was sweet. It was inevitable that Irina’s cheeks would turn red.
The men of Levart’s estate did not dare to speak to her.
She was the only daughter of that fearsome general, Ratshi Levart.
It was my first time being treated like a lady, but the other person happened to be the most handsome man in the kingdom.
“Irina. “I promise forever that you are my only love.”
Young Irina eventually lowered her head as he whispered his words. Even the nape of her neck and the pinna of her ears were red.
Just thinking about it, it was the beginning of a bright and fresh first love.
“… “Why does this memory come to mind now?”
Irina, who was in her thirties, smiled blankly, feeling the emotions worn out by time.
After walking for a while, she stopped when she heard the sound of a carriage approaching from afar.
She had no choice but to step aside to a corner as a huge six-headed horse-drawn carriage was carrying cargo.
The driver drove the horse dangerously roughly, and she ended up covered in mud.
Irina quietly watched the water that had splashed on her body dripping onto the floor.
Raindrops fell into a puddle, creating numerous ripples.
The moonlight and her face reflected in the puddle.
I had no choice but to admit it. He was still the man who could hurt her.
My chest felt like it was being pricked by a rake, and the burn marks that I normally didn’t pay attention to felt huge today.
Pop!
When I roughly stepped on the puddle, water droplets splashed everywhere.
The voices of my husband and his mistress rang in my ears.
‘Now, kick her out and remarry me.’
‘If I feel like it, I want to do that. ‘You know.’
‘Poor man. He has to live looking at that ugly face.’
After hearing that, Irina escaped as if running away.
I saw my husband getting entangled with another woman so much that the carriage wheels creaked.
If it were her normal self, she could have opened the door and stabbed either of them with a knife.
But that wasn’t possible today. I didn’t want to face them like this.
Irina looked up at the dark sky.
“haha… … .”
A faint laugh escaped out.
It’s been about 10 years since I left everything behind and came to this city. She was still a lonely stranger.
Irina raised both hands and washed her face dry. She unintentionally ended up washing her face with rainwater.
“after… … .”
I covered my face and took a deep breath. And lowered her hand.
The blue eyes instantly regained their usual sharp shine.
Yes, I am alone.
For those who are alone, sadness, let alone self-pity, is a luxury.
Only those who can afford to sit down and cry can do it.
Always be sharp to survive. It was a lesson her father taught her.
Irina put her hood back on.
