Towards the Winter Cabin of Serenity and Madness, Cinderella Runs - Chapter 128
Her father had looked at Roel with a warm smile and then… disappeared forever.
At that moment, Roel remembered.
Yes, her father had passed away. This was just a dream. She realized the truth that her father was gone forever and then woke up.
Roel rubbed her damp eyes, realizing she had been crying.
“…”
For a while, she felt dazed. It was hard to shake off the lingering emotions from the dream, so she stared blankly at the ceiling before finally sitting up.
Looking out the window, she saw a blue sky. It seemed she had overslept.
‘Dad left in a good mood. Maybe he’s happy because I’m happy.’
Thinking that made her melancholy fade away, and she felt revitalized. Roel headed to the inn’s bathroom to wash up and change her clothes.
It had already been three days since she started staying at the inn. She had grown quite accustomed to her time there.
Yesterday, a servant from the Count’s estate visited her. He asked if there was anything inconvenient about her stay or if there were any messages she wanted to pass on to Kyden.
Are you doing well, when would you be returning, I missed you a lot, did you miss me… She had so many things she wanted to say, but it felt too embarrassing to share her feelings with a stranger.
So, she simply asked him to convey that she was doing well.
The servant responded that he would visit once a day and encouraged her to feel free to ask for anything she needed. Although she felt a bit disappointed, she couldn’t hold him back.
Roel made her way down to the dining area on the first floor.
The inn staff, who had mistaken her for a noble, greeted her warmly as if it was part of their nature.
“Good morning! You woke up late today!”
“Hello! What’s good to eat today?”
“The recommended dish today is gratin! The milk we received this morning is fresh!”
“I’ll have that, please.”
Roel smiled brightly and nodded.
Perhaps because the land was fertile and the living was comfortable, the people of the Count’s estate were friendly and warm, just like the people from her hometown.
Was it because the villagers of the valley village had long winters and high taxes that made them so harsh?
She didn’t know. Still, she wished there was some small reason behind their behavior.
Even if there were reasons, it wouldn’t erase the resentment and pain, but at least it might help her stop blaming herself for being inexperienced and naive when such things happened to her.
After all, she had been their prey, caught in their rage and inferiority complex, by sheer misfortune… That’s what she wanted to believe.
The painful memories and harsh words still lingered in her heart. However, Roel didn’t shrink back in helplessness. She felt something starting to sprout within her.
Roel asked the innkeeper.
“You mentioned there’s a bookstore nearby, right?”
“Yes! If you go two blocks toward the square, it’s in the right alley.”
She didn’t want to waste time waiting idly for him. Instead, she decided to start studying writing again while she waited.
The fact that she hadn’t been able to express her feelings honestly weighed on her heart. She wanted to write him a letter, a letter that could capture her true emotions completely.
After finishing her meal, Roel left the inn.
‘Is it too late to learn how to write? Will it be difficult?’
The cost of books wouldn’t be cheap. Wouldn’t it just be a waste of money? Although she felt worried, she didn’t let her resolve waver. She steeled her determination.
Living with sadness, helplessness, and unhappiness was just unfair to herself. If she crumbled in defeat, it would mean they had won.
Roel decided to prove to herself that their beliefs were wrong.
She wasn’t foolish, she wasn’t slow, and she wasn’t unfortunate. She would gradually show that.
Finding happiness—that was the true form of revenge, Roel was beginning to realize.
* * *
With the help of the bookstore owner, she purchased two writing books for a total of 6 silver. It was a considerable amount, and her hands trembled a bit as she paid.
Having spent such a significant sum made her even more determined to learn how to write. She couldn’t afford to give up now that she had invested money into it.
‘I’m definitely going to write him a letter.’
Would she be able to write it within a week? Back in her room, Roel opened the books with a pounding heart.
Suddenly, everything went dark in front of her. Drowsiness washed over her, her head spun, and she struggled to breathe as she fidgeted in her seat. In an instant, her motivation was crushed.
Life, after all, had no easy paths.
‘…Ugh.’
Working would be easier… Roel muttered as she tried to force herself to read. Yet, she didn’t give up.
Even if it was hard, she would endure and glare at the paper. Though she wasn’t a complete beginner, memories of her past studies started coming back as she began her writing practice.
Knock, knock—
Someone knocked on the door. Could it be a servant from the Count’s estate? She assumed and opened the door.
Before her stood a figure clad in a dark brown leather vest, presumably someone’s chest. Roel slowly lifted her gaze.
“What do you think you’re doing opening the door without asking who it is?”
A low voice chimed above her, chiding her for her carelessness. Hearing that familiar scolding made Roel smile brightly.
