When My Enemies Began to Regret

Fanora, looking down at the empty bowl on the table, raised her head to meet his eyes. Her eyes did not waver.

“So don’t think about anything else. Just stay with me for now.”

After finishing her words, Fanora got up from her seat with a small smile, intending to clean up the empty bowls.

“Carl, is this all you ate? Do you want some more?”

She picked up the empty bowls, stacking them neatly. Just as she was about to turn around with the bowls in hand, she paused at Carl’s delayed response.

“You keep saying that, and it’s not reducing my greed.”

“What sudden greed?”

“I should be the one begging to stay by your side… forever…”

“

forever.”

She thought he was going to say something serious with that earnest face. Fanora laughed at his words, her tone light as a feather scattering in the wind.

“I like it because it’s romantic.”

She didn’t believe in eternal love, but there was no need to stir up trouble. She just thought that if the day came when Carl’s feelings cool off, she would let him go freely. She also thought he would honestly tell her if he ever fell for someone else.

“Go rest. I’ll do the dishes, Carl.”

“I was about to do them…”

“It’s our first day off. You worked hard chopping wood yesterday, so don’t do anything today.”

After saying that, Fanora simply washed the used dishes with the water from the jar she had previously collected. Carl, not wanting to just stand around while she did the dishes, started cleaning the dust-laden cabin, seemingly wanting to make it cleaner. He also opened the only small window for ventilation.

“You’re doing this again when I told you to rest.” After finishing her morning chores, Fanora playfully scowled as she approached where he was.

Carl had finished cleaning and was now sitting listlessly on the bed in the house’s center. Their humble abode left them with only the rocking chair outside as a proper place to relax. So, Fanora also had no choice but to sit on the available space on the bed.

“…The cabin finally looks like people are living in it.”

“I know, right. When I first saw the Libo’s wall, I was worried about how to break through such a tight place, but in the end, this is how we live.”

“Don’t even talk about that time. I’ve never seen a place more difficult to pass through than a place for illegal immigrants.”

It was their first day off since finding this refuge. So, they just sat on the bed, chatting away without any particular agenda.

It was 10 AM. Normally, at this time, they would be enjoying garden parties, tea parties, and home invitations in a beautiful mansion. Yet, here they were, looking more lively than they ever did in their glamorous socialite life.

“Anyway, it’s a relief we’ve had a chance to catch our breath.”

Fanora’s expression especially brightened. She regretted not running away sooner, as she now found this life so much to her liking. With all their accumulated wealth, they were wealthier than the upper class of commoners, making adaptation not too difficult.

“Now all that’s left is to master the accent of Kollaeng…”

“Even on a day off, Lady Fanora wants to study it?”

About 10 minutes into their casual conversation, Carl’s warm voice filled the peaceful setting, and Fanora, gazing intently, soon spoke up. The topic was simple and trivial.

“But really, Carl, how long do you plan on addressing me with such formality?”

“Yes?”

“When we were working together, I let it slide as it defined our roles. But now…”

“…”

“I feel it’s time for a change.”

After all, they are now lovers. Fanora clearly defined their relationship without much denial, and Carl, seemingly embarrassed, covered his mouth and turned away.

“Isn’t it okay to use formal language? After all, you’re superior to me, and in a way, you’ve lived longer…”

“

are you counting down the age I lived before regression?”

“How old did you live?”

He seemed genuinely interested in this topic, his eyes shining as he asked. Age before regression.  Fanora pondered for a moment before slowly answering.

“After the war, I killed Haures on the day of the victory celebration. Let me think… Was I 21 or 22?”

“

, it’s not much older than now.”

“Still, living those few years was a big deal for me.”

She then briefly reminisced. Those memories now seem distant, like a brief dream, but when she sits down and thinks back, she still remembers a few events clearly.

“I almost got poisoned to death right after meeting the owner of Europa, and then I was on the verge of jumping off a cliff filled with bright blue water.”

“The Earl went to war, and Hanar remained in the capital as the acting family head. That’s when I almost got poisoned.”

“Poisoned? By the countess?”

“I didn’t understand it back then, but now it makes sense. It was probably due to external pressure. People were discontent with Hanar’s son, a commoner, inheriting the family. So, when the count was away, the relatives must have interfered.”

“…It must have been hard.”

“I was actually planning to die at that time.”

She briefly narrated her past, from almost being poisoned soon after meeting the owner of Europa to reaching the cliff filled with bright blue water. The highlight of her past narration was this part.

“But standing on that cliff, I felt so wrong. I decided to seek revenge instead of dying and stubbornly survived.”

“…”

“I wanted to take revenge on either Haures or Naverius as a companion, but both of them were out on the border where a war was taking place. Haures went voluntarily, and Naverius followed his family.”

“So you waited for their return after the war.”

“I didn’t expect both to come back alive…”

Choosing just one of them to accompany her was incredibly difficult. Fanora shook her head with a bittersweet smile, trying to shake off the sad emotions of the past.

“When talk of the war’s end started, I did some thinking. How could I naturally meet Haures? Then I targeted the victory celebration, where all the nobles would gather…”

“Did you meet Haures there?”

“It was a tough journey. I had to look presentable to go to the victory celebration, so I forced myself to eat and even humbled myself to catch a ride in my family’s carriage.”

After finishing her story, Fanora gazed out of the open window for a while, then turned her head back. “I’ve strayed from the topic. Anyway, I’ve lived a few years longer than others.”

“Yes.”

“But that doesn’t mean I feel like I’ve matured. I wonder if counting mental age is really appropriate.”

Saying that, she fiddled with the ends of her short hair. Her expression was calm, but a few seconds later, it changed. Fanora suddenly had an interesting thought, and with a sly smile, she turned to Carl.

“But you do look younger than me.”

“Yes?”

“I first met you knowing your future self. When I saw you on the stairs, I was surprised because you looked younger than I imagined.”

“Is that so…”

“Maybe it’s because that naïve image remains in my mind. You often feel like younger rather than the same age.”

Sitting on the bed, she measured his height with her palm on top of his head. Fanora wasn’t particularly short for a woman from Kasius, but she always looked small next to him.

“Carl, should I start speaking informally to you first?”

“Are you going to drop the formal language?”

“If I set an example, maybe you’ll find it easier to drop the honorifics.”

She reasoned that calling each other with formality didn’t seem very commoner-like. It would be better to change their refined manner of speaking to blend in.

“I find it hard to speak without formal language…”

“We’ll fix that slowly. Speaking informally is actually not a big deal.”

Seeing Carl hesitant to drop the formal language, Fanora took the initiative. She leaned forward on the bed and demonstrated informal speech with clear enunciation.

“Just drop the ending of sentences like this, Carl.”

“…!”

He flinched at her brief words, his ears turning bright red.

“Why are you reacting like that?”

“It feels like you’re being much more friendly…”

“Well, it’s a less formal way of speaking.”

Fanora urged him to try it, but Carl joined his hands together, fumbling for a while before cautiously speaking.

“Fanora… Lady.”

“Drop the honorifics.”

“…”

“Come on, now’s your chance to speak freely! If I give unreasonable orders, you might want to protest. Use that memory and just let it out…”

But Carl couldn’t let go of his formal speech despite her repeated persuasions. He just shivered like a nervous puppy, unable to hide his discomfort.

“I can’t do it. I understand in my head, but the words just won’t come out. My insides are ticklish…”

“…”

“Can’t I just keep calling you Lady Fanora?”

She sighed at his plea, his face sweaty from the effort. It was just a few simple words.  Fanora reluctantly let it slide. What difference did it make if he never changed his way of speaking? His sentences were still filled with kindness.

“If it bothers you that much, it’s fine. What’s wrong with sounding a bit aristocratic?”

“Lady Fanora…”

“People will just assume we’re from a fallen noble family.”

“

, that’s true.”

“So, don’t make the mistake of mentioning our real names in front of others. We’ll be using aliases thoroughly in Kollaeng.”

Fanora spoke as if it didn’t matter much, then suddenly leaned back and flopped down somewhere. She had laid down on Carl’s lap, their contact now as natural as any ordinary couple.

“…Are you sleepy?”

“No.”

Carl didn’t show any irritation at her using his lap as a pillow. On the contrary, his face turned red, as if feeling this contact was affectionate.

. After a brief thought, Fanora spoke in an indifferent voice. “It’s a random inspection.”

“

?”

“To see if you dislike or like being in contact with me. I need to shock you first and then check.”

As she lay on his lap and looked straight up at him, Carl looked down at her with a wide smile. It was a smile bursting with happiness as if he couldn’t contain his joy.

“If only inspections were like this, everyone in the world would love the inspections,” Carl murmured softly and then bowed his head. Soon, his lips gently touched her forehead.

The scene of them laughing and sharing affection was like the final chapter of a sweet romance novel.

* * *

However, even the closest couples have their moments of disagreement.

“Carl.”

It was an afternoon in winter. Trouble, uninvited, had entered their otherwise happy life.

Today was the day they had planned to repair the wall cracks that let in the cold. But Fanora looked at Carl, who had brought soft clay for the interior wall repair, with a subtle expression. Her arms were crossed, and her face was unmistakably annoyed.

“Why, what’s the matter? Isn’t this the right clay?”

“…”

“I’m sure I got it from where you told me to…”

Fanora glanced at the bloodstain on his hemp shirt and then spoke in a displeased tone. “The problem isn’t the clay right now.”