Seeking for Your Forgiveness - Chapter 17

The doctor frowned faintly and examined his bruised forehead. Marianne spoke in a shy voice and made eye contact with him.

 

“It’s nothing. Inspector Nicholas told me to come here.”

 

The expression disappeared from the doctor’s face in a moment. Staring at her with thoughtful eyes, he blinked slowly. His widened eyes disappeared, leaving only a pretty smile.

 

Marianne unconsciously stared at him.

 

“Are you the detective who just joined the National Police Agency?”

 

“Do you know me?”

 

When she opened her eyes wide, Liam laughed lightly. His impression of her became more meek. If he had to express it, she had a kind face that seemed to not be able to kill even a single bug.

 

“Officers come here frequently. They go to the clinic and tell me a lot of things. You can’t even imagine how talkative those rough fellows are. You’ve been a hot potato for a few days now.”

 

“I was that famous.”

 

Marianne dropped her eyes in an unhappy manner. This was because the rumors surrounding her didn’t seem to be very good.

 

“Call me Liam. We’re going to see each other often from now on.”

 

“Will we see each other often?”

 

“Let’s just say that Maxim and Ian are the regular customers who attend our clinic.”

 

“Then I’ll be seeing you often, Dr. Liam.”

 

Marianne nodded with hopeless expression. Hahaha, Liam laughed out loud, his back bent backward. It was a smile that made even the viewers feel cold. In the end, Marianne laughed along with him.

 

“Perhaps, it will. Inspector Nicholas’ team is primarily responsible for violent incidents. If you want to keep doing this job for a long time, you’d better learn to save yourself.”

 

“I also heard it from Inspector Nicholas.”

 

“Oh no, I said that first when I met him for the first time, but I lost because of his initiative this time.”

 

Liam made a comical expression as if he was one step behind.

 

Marianne was already very fond of him. Even though it was her first time meeting someone, she felt comfortable with him like a friend she knew for a very long time. Perhaps, it was due to the mild atmosphere surrounding her.

 

Then, she realized that there was no one in Blauberg whom she could rely on. No, it wasn’t just here. The same was true in the capital. The only person she could talk to was,

 

Veronica.

 

Her younger sister’s face suddenly came to his mind out of the blue without any prior warning. A lovely child whom she shared secrets with which she couldn’t tell her parents about. A poor child whom she could never see again.

 

“Lady Haveck?”

 

Liam carefully called out Marianne’s name while observing her expression. After a brief period of grieving inwardly, she pulled up the corners of her mouth out of habit.

 

Rather than Marianne, that side of her belonged to Lady Schneider. A smile that hides her own emotions skillfully.

 

“……Please call me Marianne. We’ll see each other more often.”

 

“It’s a good thing if I can see Lady Marianne often, but meeting me frequently means there is something wrong with your body. I hope that doesn’t happen. However.”

 

“?”

 

“You’re not going to take my advice because you even fly in the air to catch a jewelry robber, right?”

 

He squinted his eyes and smiled. Marianne shrugged with a subtle frown. He looked half hopeless.

 

“How far did the rumor spread?”

 

Liam looked at her with his widened and bent eyes. It was a warm gaze that comforted the opponent’s heart.

 

“You are welcome to visit me anytime, Marianne.”

 

Marianne stared at him without a word.  Great wariness suddenly weighed on her shoulders. Somehow, she felt that her life was very tiring.

 

She had every right to feel that way. A lot of things happened in a short time. Veronica’s death, divorce, and now having a new life in a strange place.

 

“You will have to do a lot of hard duty in the future. Not with your body, but your mind.”

 

“I know.”

 

Marianne nodded slowly. It wouldn’t be easy to blend in among men and do her part.

 

Even the town doctor knew the rumor about her, so she couldn’t even guess how far the story behind it would have spread. Her every move would be talked about for a while.

 

When she was incompetent, she would be ridiculed; when she was competent, they would envy her. It was just something she used to know. Lady Schneider was not much different.

 

As soon as Marianne’s commoner status rose up, all kinds of envious rumors were hot on her tail. When she was clumsy, put in ridicule, she was envied when she had skills.

 

Perhaps, if she had married another noble, she wouldn’t have been insulted so much. Everyone coveted the position of Kristoff’s wife. This was because the person sitting there was Marianne Kloze, whom no one had ever expected.

 

Due to this, she had to practice hiding her expression. She had to listen to them talking about Lady Schneider’s qualities whenever she made a hurt expression by their ridicule.

 

“I can listen to you as much as you want. That’s why even if you’re not sick, come visit often. I’ve also completed a psychiatrist course before.”

 

“Are you trying to entice psychiatric patients this time?”

 

Hahaha, Liam laughed again. His laughter held the power to relieve the opponent’s wariness.

 

Was it because he’s a psychiatrist?

 

There was also a pleasant smile hung on Marianne’s lips. Then, she realized how long it had been since she laughed and dropped her gaze bitterly.

 

Liam’s gentle brown eyes overshadowed her bitter look.

 

There were various types of crimes such as violence, theft, robbery, and murder. Sometimes there were cruel crimes which were frowned upon, and sometimes pitiful crimes which were enough to be pitied.

 

However, Marianne felt much more pleasure now in organizing the crime reports than having a high-class tea party with the women of nobility. The time to chat about gossip and trends, which she was not interested in, was simply drudgery.

 

―Oh, look at Lady Schneider. She can’t even hold the teacup properly because it seems like she comes from a commoner background.

 

―She doesn’t get a strict education at home, so it’s understandable.

 

―Did you hear the noise when she drank tea? Oh God, even my maid is not that clumsy.

 

―We have to understand her situation, she’s special. She’s a woman from the Schneider Family after all.

 

Marianne didn’t realize that drinking a cup of tea had so much manners.

 

She also learned for the first time that there was a rule of direction when stirring tea, and that the place where the teaspoon is placed before and after stirring tea is different.

 

For Lady Schneider, Marianne Kloze’s common sense did nothing to help in it. She was just like a baby. She had to learn everything from the beginning.

 

It took a very long time to get used to their mockery. Until the time when there was nothing more to be coveted as a result of her bloody efforts, therefore no one could look down on her, it was when Marianne was finally able to have a talk with them.

 

Even after that, she didn’t feel comfortable. Nor become particularly close to them. However, she only did her best because it’s the role she was assigned to.

 

Each time her branches were creaking as it was being sawed off one by one. She used to think about it sometimes. She wondered if the tree with all of its branches sawed off would be the same as how it was at first.

 

Is Marianne still Marianne?

 

Is she still Marianne Kloze, who drinks tea gracefully and talks elegantly? If not, who is she?

 

“Your hand halted. Are you ready to play around, rookie? Everyone who graduated from the Royal College is like that, right?”

 

At that time, the murmuring voice interrupted her train of thoughts. Instead of answering, Marianne slowly raised her head. Maxim was staring intensely at her with a displeased gaze.

 

If it were in the past, she would have counter him in the same way. However it was Marianne, who was disciplined by the invisible malevolence of the noblewomen.

 

Compared to them, Maxim’s argument sounded cute. At least he was the kind of person whom she could see through.

 

Maxim regarded her as an invader who got into his territory. He was wary that what he had built all this time would fall apart because of her.

 

He probably treated anyone else like that, not just Marianne.  Anyone who graduated from the Royal College, including him, must be generally territorial and obnoxious to anyone.

 

Marianne smiled at him and pulled up the corners of her mouth.

 

“I’ve just finished organizing this.”

 

“!”

 

Maxim seemed surprised, as if he couldn’t believe it. He didn’t know if it was because she was quick in handling the work assigned to her or because of her thick guts, but the important thing was that he had no intention of praising Marianne for finishing her work.

 

Maxim frowned faintly and glanced in front of the office.

 

“But who is that?”

 

The corners of Marianne’s mouth pulled up awkwardly to his question. She knew who was sitting there without turning her head.

 

Kristoff Schneider.

 

The office, which was open to the entire first floor, was crowded with detectives, uniformed officers, and citizens who came to do business.

 

And Kristoff was sitting on the chair at the entrance office while staring at her. He didn’t take his eyes off Marianne for a second in an intimidating posture with crossed legs and arms folded in front of his chest.

 

Anyone who had no business here would be kicked out, but no one could confront him easily due to his presence.

 

Neatly ironed business suit, ascot tie, and shiny shoes. His black hair combed over with pomade.

 

He looked unusual to everyone. There was no one who lost their mind to ask about Kristoff’s identity. The suit, which was different from the color and pattern, must have made anyone be able to guess his status.

 

“Sir Francke…… Huh, huh.”

 

It was then. The uniformed officer, who came running while panting, whispered something to Maxim as he breathed heavily. Maxim, whose eyebrows were slowly distorted, spat out harshly.

 

“Death case. Ian…..”

 

He paused and looked around the empty office. Ian was going out with Florian to the shopping district. Nicholas was in the middle of a private meeting with the commissioner.

 

He clicked his tongue hopelessly whilst looking around the office where nobody was there. This was because the principle demanded them to work outside in pairs.

 

“Should we wait for the inspector to come? The death case should be taken care of before it’s damaged.”

 

Marianne, who secretly heard the impatient speech, rose from her seat.

 

“Would you mind if I follow you? I just finished organizing the documents, and it seems that the inspector will take some time to finish.”

 

“No need…..”

 

The next moment, Maxim flashed a smile full of intentions as he stopped his words. Marianne seemed to know what the man was thinking, but she didn’t show it on her face.

 

“All right. Follow me.”

 

Maxim pulled out his chest and shook his head as if showing off his confidence. Marianne hurriedly put on her head and ran after him.

 

***

 

“So, who the hell is that man?”

 

Maxim glanced behind him, repeating the same question he muttered a while ago. Marianne couldn’t answer again and just pulled up the corners of her mouth awkwardly.

 

Kristoff was following the two, five or six steps behind. With his back straight and not causing a single disturbance. He looked very relaxed.

 

Just why?

 

Marianne had no idea what was on his mind. “Give me three minutes, I’ll keep it short and concise.” This habit of Kristoff’s speaking manner as he was one of the busiest men in the capital.

 

His time was money,  and an astronomical sum was exchanged for his defense at once.

 

The mere fact that Kristoff was staying in Blauberg was surprising, but it was even more surprising that he followed her around without doing anything.

 

She didn’t know for sure, but his aide, Oliver, must have been in a frenzy trying to sort things out right now. He must be running around all over the place with a tearful face.

 

She offered her deepest sympathy to Oliver.