The ship that departed from Lemonde arrived at its destination in ten hours. It was around the time when the setting sun began to dye the sea entirely in red.
Reddish twilight, vibrant bustle, a jumbled mix of boisterous voices. The panoramic view of Litten, the capital of the Kingdom of Brit, unfolded before Olivia and Anne, who stood on the deck.
"Look, Anne. It's Litten!"
Olivia shouted, pressing down hard on the brim of her bonnet, which fluttered in the sea breeze, with both hands. Anne turned her gaze in the direction her slender finger was pointing.
In the distance, the famous clock tower of Litten, brilliantly lit up, came into view at a glance.
Olivia gazed at the approaching city with eyes mixed with anticipation and curiosity.
Her heart beat fast. Olivia's eyes, looking down at the unknown world, deepened.
When she opened her eyes after thinking she was dead, it was another world. It was the world of a commonplace romance fantasy that she had casually read.
There, she had become Olivia Blanchett, a lowly illegitimate child of a Count, conceived through adultery, and the Duke Johann Leopold's nominal wife.
Han Ji-an remembered that woman's name.
A woman blinded by jealousy. A pitiful and foolish woman.
In the original story, Olivia Blanchett, who had never been loved, failed in her love, and she clung stubbornly to twisted emotions that could not even be called affection, ultimately leading to her ruin.
'The defendant, Olivia Blanchett, is sentenced to death for attempted murder of Clara Sinclair and solicitation of murder of Diane Brooke and Matilda Fairbacks.'
And so, she decided.
This time, she would survive.
Olivia gazed at the city bathed in the sunset and gripped the handle of her trunk tightly.
Good luck in her second life.
Passengers disembarked from the ship after finishing their preparations.
As they came out after completing immigration procedures at the immigration office, porters rushed at them like a swarm of bees.
A boy wearing a newsboy cap approached Olivia and Anne with nimble movements and snatched their suitcases as if grabbing them.
"This way, ladies."
The two hurried to catch up with the rapidly disappearing boy.
The place where the carriages were lined up was a bit far from the pier, so Olivia and Anne, who arrived in front of the carriage, gasped for breath with flushed faces.
"Well, have a nice trip! One penny."
The boy greeted them brightly in a clear voice.
"Thank you. Have a nice day too."
Olivia smiled with rosy cheeks and placed two banknotes in the boy's palm.
"You gave me one more."
The boy raised his forehead, which was covered in beads of sweat, and handed back one penny.
"There were two bags."
Only then did the boy smile shyly, fold the banknote carefully, put it in the inside pocket of his jacket, and run energetically back into the crowd.
As the porter boy disappeared from view, Olivia turned her gaze to the coachman. She did not see Anne's eyes widen as she did so.
"Are we leaving right away?"
Olivia asked the coachman.
"We'll leave when it's full."
Olivia made a suggestion to the coachman, who was putting the bags in the luggage compartment and speaking indifferently.
"How much is the fare for a full carriage? I'll give you twice that. I'm tired and want to go to the hotel to rest quickly."
At Olivia's words, who smiled gently, the coachman readily agreed and opened the carriage door.
"Where shall I take you?"
"Please go to the Lancelot Hotel."
The carriage soon departed, and Anne silently stared at Olivia, who was sitting across from her.
The lady was still staring out the window with a dazed expression, just like she had been on the deck.
She did not take her eyes off the window even as the port of Litten, where the setting sun was scattering light, gradually moved away.
The lady Anne knew had never touched money.
Confined to the Count Blanchett's estate, she would have had no need for money, and after marrying Duke Johann Leopold, the secretary the Duke had assigned would write checks to the merchants for all of the lady's expenses.
That was why she could not help but be surprised by the lady's natural behavior a moment ago.
Paying the porter boy and bargaining with the coachman were all things that were far from the lady's usual self.
However, Anne felt relieved and anxious at the same time at her extremely human, ordinary appearance. It was because the saying that people change before they die came to mind.
Anne quickly shook her head to chase away the ominous feeling.
***
Having arrived at the hotel, the two were too tired from their journey and prepared to go to sleep as soon as they had dinner.
Anne carefully brushed Olivia's luscious brown hair, which she had changed into her pajamas, and tied it neatly into one.
Olivia burrowed into the cozy blankets. Anne, who had finished her evening prayers, lay down next to Olivia.
"Good night, Anne."
Olivia's voice was already drowsy with sleep.
"Sweet dreams, Lady."
Anne whispered softly.
If her mother, who had once been the head maid of the Count Blanchett's estate, saw this, she would be furious, but her mother was not here, so she decided not to worry about it.
The lady, who had miraculously survived after falling into the lake, had nightmares on rainy days. When she ran to her after hearing her screams, she was drenched in sweat.
'Anne, will you sleep with me?'
Her voice, coming from her pale face, was so earnest that she could not refuse. And so, the two fell asleep in the same bed.
How long had they slept? The scent of flowers blowing from the hotel's garden was fragrant, and a cozy breeze carrying the energy of dawn blew in through the open window. Olivia slowly opened her eyes at the touch of the breeze tickling her cheek.
In the silence as if the world had fallen asleep, Olivia carefully got up and went to the window. Dawn stars twinkled in the clear sky as if blue paint had been dissolved.
The sky, no different from the world she had lived in, continued on, and at the end of it, the world where Han Ji-an had lived might exist.
'Is that person safe?'
The face of the man who had ruffled Ji-an's hair lightly with his large hand and smiled came to mind, and she felt an indescribable longing.
"Lady?"
Startled by Anne's voice calling from behind, Olivia reflexively turned around. Anne, who had propped herself up, was looking at her.
"Sorry, I woke you up."
"No. I usually wake up at this time. I guess you were uncomfortable sleeping because of me? I can sleep on the floor."
"It's not because of Anne. The breeze is so nice. That's why I woke up. Anne, do you want to come and see?"
Olivia smiled and gestured, then turned back to the window. Anne smoothed her disheveled hair, slipped on her slippers, and stood next to the lady.
"I really like this time. And when the sun sets. It feels like I'm admiring the most dreamy landscape painting in the world. Look, isn't it wonderful?"
The boundary between the vermilion light of the gas lamps and the blue of the twilight was blurring, and in the distance, the red light of the sun, which had started from the sea where she had probably disembarked, began to paint over the world.
"Really, ... it's beautiful."
The two remained motionless at the window for a while.
***
Johann Leopold, who had recently acquired a steel company, sat in his office chair, smoking a cigar and scanning the acquisition contract with a nervous gaze.
He had been able to acquire it at a reasonable price, but because a small fry had muddied the waters, he had bought it by adding 10,000 pounds to the planned price.
In other words, Johann was quite annoyed right now, and it meant that his aide, Maurice, who had to report in front of him, was in a very difficult situation.
Maurice, who took a deep breath inwardly, parted his lips.
"Duchess Olivia Leopold, ahem. ... I stand corrected. It's a report on Miss Olivia Blanchett."
Maurice, who made a few dry coughs after his eyes met Johann's, who had buried his head in the documents and was only glaring, continued with difficulty.
"Miss Blanchett is currently..."
He couldn't bring himself to say the next words.
"Is currently, what."
Along with the low voice, Maurice, at the look that said, 'Hurry up and get out,' placed the photo he was holding on the desk instead of answering and quickly took a step back.
Johann picked it up to grasp the situation.
In the clearly printed photo, the backs of two women entering a building, one of whom was definitely his ex-wife, but what immediately caught Johann's eye was something else.
Maurice stammered at the fierce gaze that flew in earnestly as he whipped his head up.
"As you can see, she is currently... staying at the Lancelot Hotel."
"Here?"
"Yes. That's right."
Silence flowed after Maurice's answer.
After a few seconds, Johann's gaze slowly turned to the photo. Johann, who let out a shallow sigh, swept back his hair as a habit. His gaze went to the air and then closed his eyes.
Was she planning to provoke his temper in a place he couldn't see now that she couldn't do it by his side? Otherwise, out of the many hotels scattered throughout the tourist city, why.
Why would it have to be Edgar Lancaster Lancelot's hotel?
Ah! So that was it.
A clear displeasure was etched on Johann's dry face.
The answer to why she was in Brit, where she had no ties, was here.
Edgar.
His mood was already uncomfortable because of the guy who had stirred up trouble in this steel company acquisition, and now that his ex-wife had joined in, his damn mood was sinking into the mud.
How did that Edgar know about this acquisition, which he was secretly pushing forward?
Of course, Johann knew that the guy had eyes and ears around him, just as he had planted spies.
But it was completely unexpected that it might be Olivia Blanchett.
Since when.
The ash from the cigar, which he hadn't been able to finish smoking and was burning between his fingers, fell onto the desk. As soon as the seed of suspicion was planted, the branches spread out at an uncontrollable speed.
Blood is thicker than water, is that it?
Johann opened his eyes.
"Monitor thoroughly what those two are up to."
Johann gave a look that said he could leave now and looked at the photo.
Olivia.
It seemed like he had given her a divorce too easily. He should have been more careful and prudent in letting his wife go.
When the woman who said that there was no point in living without his love brought up divorce, there must have been something more.
Johann felt the need to think about what that was, what he had overlooked.
***
The third morning dawned at the Lancelot Hotel.
Olivia and Anne lazed around until their eyes opened, and when they got hungry, they went down to the first-floor cafeteria for a late breakfast and lunch.
Anne was secretly worried that she might become a lazy bear with this peaceful life these days.
But as soon as the ordered, extravagant three-tiered tray was placed on the table, she put her worries aside and picked up her fork instead.
Following Anne, Olivia also picked up her cutlery enthusiastically.
Now she had to live her life in this strange world. No longer as herself, but as Olivia Blanchett.
Nothing was decided yet, and the future was uncertain, but she decided to think about it slowly.
First of all, she was out of Johann Leopold's shadow.
She was satisfied enough with that fact alone right now.
Desserts topped with luscious strawberries for the spring season filled the plate and gave off a sweet smell.
"How did you find such a wonderful place, Lady?"
Olivia had been engrossed in reading a guidebook for tourists visiting Litten on the ship.
Olivia, who was about to dip a large strawberry in whipped cream and put it in her mouth, smiled and replied.
"They say the strawberry fraisier here is the most delicious in Litten."
Olivia smiled brightly and put the strawberry in her mouth and munched on it.
At this moment, the lady looked like the happiest person in the world to Anne. Anne also took a spoonful of strawberry pudding. Sweetness spread in an instant.
Anne thought that it was fortunate that at least one thing had not changed, looking at the lady, whose taste for sweets was the same.
After clearing the tray that had been devastated with fierce momentum and tidying up the table neatly, the two drank coffee and black tea with milk and honey.
It was a peaceful afternoon with lazy spring sunshine lazily hanging over the calm piano melody flowing from the gramophone.
The deserted cafeteria began to fill with tables as customers came in for tea after finishing lunch.
It was then that a group of noble ladies entered the room. A woman who was worried about the dress she would wear to the Rose Ball shouted in surprise.
"Oh my, isn't that, isn't that the woman over there? I mean, the Duchess Leopold."
The noble ladies' gazes all turned in the direction the fan was pointing. A woman was sitting in front of the clear glass window where bright sunlight was pouring in, drinking tea and laughing with her maid.
"Good heavens!"
It was definitely Olivia Blanchett.