The Extra Will Now Leave The Stage
Chapter 32 - Karus' Ulterior Motive

Chapter 32 – Karus’ ulterior motive

Translator: Lioness

When Karus and Lawrence looked at each other and said nothing, Alice quietly rose from her seat. And the Marquis also rose up after her. Lawrence saw them exit the drawing room, but that wasn’t what he was in a hurry with.

Alice would have her plan with her anyway, so there was no problem with her.

“What do you mean?”

“Isn’t that what I should have asked?”

Karus also asked Lawrence a question.

“The you I know is not the kind of person to ruin your reputation just because of a woman.”

“Then you got me wrong.”

“You made this mess because of a woman?”

“Yes.”

Karus smiled at Lawrence who answered casually. It was a such a laugh that he felt a need to punch him but he restrained himself.

“Did Alice Hamilton take your diamonds?”

“It has nothing to do with the diamonds of the abyss.”

“Why not? Isn’t it important enough to be called a national treasure of the Nakran Empire?”

‘Even that important item is nothing compared to the imperial family.’

 

It was something he couldn’t say to Karus. Lawrence swallowed the words to himself and stood up.

“I shouldn’t have gone as it is.”

Lawrence, who was about to leave the drawing room ignoring Karus’s words, hesitated. Without missing the chance, Karus opened his mouth again.

“I heard the Crown Prince was coming?”

“What did you say?”

“The crown prince of this country is looking for you.”

“What if I don’t want to?”

“Then, what should you do?”

“Don’t I have power?”

“Have you already forgotten? This is our zone. At least in this Erha Empire, there’s no way I’m weaker than you.”

When formally competing in swordsmanship, Karus and Lawrence were at odds with each other. However, this is the Erha Empire which makes it at a disadvantage for Lawrence’s side.

“Wouldn’t it be better to just sit down and listen to me?”

****

As Alice came out of the drawing room, Benedict and Plein followed. After escaping and returning to the marquis, Benedict was no longer a knight of the Marquis. Because the marquis, in anger, stripped him of his knighthood on the spot.

It was obviously not a good thing, but Benedict did not change his expression and calmly followed Alice. Amidst the fact that his title had been stripped of, he was still Alice’s escort.

“Shameless.”

The Marquis of Hamilton’s quiet words echoed down the hallway, and Alice, stunned by the sound of his voice, didn’t stop moving. The Marquis’ words seemed to speak to her.

‘I’ve raised her up until now, but never said the reason why she wants to run away.’

She heard the loud bang when the Marquis closed the door. It was also the representation of his mood, yet though distraught, she walked more confidently.

Otherwise, she was admitting she was wrong.

Externally, Alice was a woman blind to love. So, at this level, she couldn’t break down. She wanted to talk to the Marquis, but that’s why she didn’t make it alone with him.

‘I am a woman in love.’

Again and again, she groaned inwardly. She continued past the servants who came to watch until she reached her room.

Just before entering her room, Alice turned her body toward Benedict.

“I’m so sorry, Sir.”

“Why are you sorry for me?”

“Just.”

She liked him as her escort but in exchange for that, he lost the trust of the Marquis. She couldn’t understand what she was feeling deep inside, but she knew she felt sorry and pity for him.

In fact, the person Alice felt most sorry for was Lawrence. However, when she tried to be alone with him, she was unable to convey her words because the Marquis appeared out of nowhere and interfered.

Alice immediately went into the room and left Benedict and Plein alone. Sitting down on her chair, fell face down on the table. The cold of the wind brushed against her cheek, clearing her messy mind. Sᴇaʀch* Thᴇ NøᴠᴇlFire.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

“I don’t like it.”

The words that she said rang in her ears again. She really hated it, nothing had ever gone in her way. She tried so hard to stay away from the original story until it was over, and when it did, she’d have her chance to move freely, yet the reality was different. Things were different.

It was the same even now. She came into this world, but she hated that she fell here without a single proper ability. What could she do to earn money then? She was stuck in the same position, unable to move forward.

‘If I only have someone.’

(TL: The above words just imply that if she had someone to trust, maybe things were different.)

But it was too late to regret it. There were no people around her, all of them were owned by the Marquis. As she continued thinking of a solution, a name popped into her mind.

“What about… Lawrence?”

Lawrence seemed the only person who could take her out of this abyss.

‘It seems like I’m expecting too much….’

Later, Alice vowed that if the opportunity presented itself to repay her, she would be happy to do so.

“Relax.”

She clenched her fists thinking that everything was not yet over until she left this Empire.

‘It’s too early to give up.’

Alice jumped up from her seat. It wasn’t time for her to lie down like this. She had to go and grab the marquise’s pants as well in order to get out of this residence. As she opened her door and went outside, Benedict and Plein looked at her in shock.

She went inside sullen but she came out with radiant eyes. Before they could open their mouths, she was already striding.

“Miss Alice! Where are you going?”

“I’m going to the office!”

Alice, she said, had to go through her drawing room to get to her office. As she passed in front of the drawing room, she was nearly knocked down because the door was swung open.

“This… excuse me.”

Karus grabbed her by the waist since she almost fell backwards, but Alice grabbed his sleeve and at opened her eyes, surprised.

“My apologies!”

“Oh, no. It happened because I suddenly opened the door.”

“No.”

Hearing Karus’ kind voice, Alice raised her head. Then suddenly she heard the voice, and she froze on the spot.

Do you think I’ll leave you alone just because you’re hiding?

She stood motionless, looking at him strangely, and just as he was about to reach for her, Lawrence grabbed her and spun her around.

When the voice that had been buzzing in her ears suddenly cut off, she trembled.

“What have you done to my woman?”

Hearing Lawrence’s sharp voice, Karus was rather taken aback. It was clear to everyone that he hadn’t done anything, but there was no present to take his side.

“I didn’t do anything.”

“It’s as if you’ve already done something to disturb us, you.”

Not paying attention to the sharp words, Karus looked at Alice. He couldn’t see her expression as she was completely in Lawrence’s arms, but his eyes narrowed as he checked her trembling shoulders.

Lawrence brushed Alice’s trembling shoulder with that gaze as if she was estimating something. The trembling gradually subsided at her gentle gestures.

‘Strange.’

She never heard that voice when she stayed in this house. But why was that voice heard? Alice only bit her lips at the direction of the voice that was getting more and more unknown.

“I want to leave right now.”

Alice looked up at Lawrence and she whispered softly. As she scooted at him, her expression hardened. She couldn’t figure out why, but Alice’s overly fearful behavior was the same as what he had seen before in the imperial palace.

When her crying face overlapped with her lost expression, Lawrence, who felt a prick in a corner of his heart, put strength into his hand as she embraced her.

“It will be fine.”

“It’s not okay.”

It was a quiet voice, but everyone could hear it clearly. Lawrence didn’t know what she was so afraid of.

‘The Marquis and the Imperial Palace…’

It was understandable to be afraid of the imperial palace, but the Marquis wasn’t like that. What is there to be afraid of in her family?

‘There’s always Karus in every incident.’

 

Lawrence, guessing in his own way, pulled Alice a little further away from Karus. Lawrence didn’t know what kind of relationship she and Karus had, but he thought it was something Alice couldn’t say.

He guessed that Alice had a past he didn’t know, and that maybe she was trying to leave this empire to avoid Karus. Alice didn’t look fine at all.

‘If this guy was involved in any way, I won’t let him off.’

 

Lawrence’s eyes grew sharper as he estimated how many women Karus Shellington had at the academy. Then, he heard Alice’s small whisper again.

“I want to go to Nakran soon.”

“I will definitely take you there.”

Lawrence’s willful voice was carried by the wind and reached Alice’s ears. Her little nod was a pleasure, and Lawrence gently stroked her back. Her slender trembling body was against his hand which never stopped comforting her.

It was only then that Lawrence felt the lines of Alice that he hadn’t been conscious of.

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