Obsessed with Regressors

When she looked confused, Lauren explained.

 

“You said I should continue attending the academy. I need to learn more.”

 

She had said something similar before. When she said she wanted to quit the expensive academy and focus on working in the wardrobe, she was told not to. Of course, Eugenie didn’t think Lauren needed to go to the academy to learn more. Because she thought she should have an escape hatch if things went wrong in the wardrobe. Everyone must have a final refuge. She thought she would be the one for Lauren at the academy.

 

“Lady Biscon is right. I need to learn more. It was like that even in my dreams.”

 

“Did you try to run a dressing room in your dreams?”

 

It makes sense, then, that Lauren was trying to do her dressing room. But that’s not it. Lauren said shaking her head.

 

“It’s not that, it’s how you see people. To be honest, I don’t even know why Lady Biscon helped me.”

 

In her dream, she lived in a house provided by Lord Sekay and hired her maid with his money. The problem was that Lauren had no idea how to manipulate people. She doesn’t know how to see people, how to make them do things, and there is no one who will respect the government, who has no one to help her. The people working at her house ignored Lauren, she didn’t do her work properly, and she occasionally stole. There was a time when her maid, whom she thought she had become a little closer to, gossiped about things she had said, and she was deeply hurt. When she found out that everyone around her was laughing at her and lamenting that she didn’t want to live like this, she really wanted to die.

 

“Hmm, well.”

 

Lauren’s words made Eugenie think about why she helped her. I do not know. There was just someone in front of her who needed help and she could help. So she just helped. She didn’t really trust Lauren or anything. Of course she didn’t tell Lauren this because it would hurt her.

 

“You are Julia’s friend and you looked like you needed help.”

 

Eugenie’s answer was simple. She’s not just saying it; she means it. She hadn’t thought much about it. Then she asked Lauren with an incredulous look on her face.

 

“I could have been lying, right?”

 

She knew very well how her people viewed her. She was patronized by Lord Masterson, a dapper damsel who coveted a nice dress or something, just for her pretty face. That was her image of Lauren. No one, not even the academy professors or the dormitory master, believed her. On the subject of receiving help, she thought, she had the audacity to criticize Lord Masterson. Eugenie was the only one who listened to her seriously and helped her.

 

“Things like that happen, too.”

 

Eugenie said, nodding her head slowly, leaning her body against the back of her sofa. To be honest, she didn’t think Lauren was lying. The fact that she saw her future as her dream is too absurd to be a lie. If she was really lying, she would have told a more believable story.

 

“Then why did you help me? With that, you…”

 

Well, what? Eugenie stopped lifting her teacup and looked at Lauren. Then Lauren spoke in a low voice.

 

“I heard that you were called and scolded by the queen because of me.”

 

“Oh.”

 

She remembered. Eugenie nodded, remembering her conversation with her queen. It was like that. Although she wasn’t exactly scolded.

 

“Was it worth it to me?”

 

Eugenie, who had been nodding her head in response to Lauren’s question, stopped her actions. Was it worth it? Her eyes widened as she couldn’t believe what Lauren was saying.

 

“It was your life, no?”

 

Lauren’s life was at stake. She doesn’t know whether it was her life that was actually at stake or not, but Lauren herself believed it anyway. She says her life is at stake. Then she has her life on the line. Eugenie thought so. Lauren quietly nodded her head. Eugenie said, sipping her tea.

 

“Why isn’t it worth it? It took your life?”

 

It was so straightforward that Lauren was left speechless. She is right. Her life was at stake here. So it makes no sense to say it has no value. But at the same time, there are those who betrayed her.

 

“I’m not sure.”

 

Lauren lifted her teacup and spoke weakly. To be honest, she understood Eugenie who helped her more than Mr. Liv who betrayed her. Did she help her see what she was doing on her own? She had no guarantee that she wouldn’t betray her Eugenie. Eugenie put down her teacup when she saw Lauren looking listless. It seemed like she kind of knew why she was like this. Mr. Reeve’s betrayal was quite shocking. She was the owner of a clothing store that was almost going out of business. With Lauren’s help, she was practically restored to being a knight. She thought she would be grateful, of course, but she was betrayed, so she must have been shocked. And at the same time, it was a time of self-reflection for Lauren. Lauren bit her lip and she said.

 

“Did Lord Masterson think so too?”

 

“What?”

 

“He betrayed me. He raised me for a long time…”

 

“Lauren.”

 

Eugenie put down her teacup and called out to Lauren. It went too far. She let out a sigh and leaned her body towards Lauren. And she asked cautiously:

 

“Do you think you betrayed Lord Masterson?”

 

“That’s not it.”

 

She never thought of it that way. Until she found out about Mr. Reeve’s betrayal. Lauren fiddled with her teacup and she said.

 

“The dream is fading. These days, I wonder if I really dreamed.”

 

Eugenie’s dream suddenly appeared in her mind. The dream where Elliot killed her family. When she first woke up from my dream of her, she cried until her eyes were swollen because of her fear and loss. But her dreams, like other dreams, have faded and she barely remembers these days. It was the same for Lauren. Before, she had dreams every few days, but now she wasn’t having them at all. Naturally, she only remembered the big events and the little things faded away. Her feelings, which seemed to be her own, also faded.

 

“Lauren, if you hadn’t had that dream, would you have done what Lord Masterson told you to do and met Lord Sekei?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Lauren nodded her head without delay in response to Eugenie’s question. Her good things were good, and since she was the one who took care of her, she would have done as she told her. Just like she did in her dream. This was the scary thing about dreams. Everything that happened there was something that would have naturally happened in that situation. Because of Lauren’s personality, if she hadn’t dreamed, it would have gone the same way as her dream. Because it wasn’t a dream.

 

“And you would have regretted it just as you did in her dream?”

 

“Yes.”

 

She would have acted exactly like her dream and lived the same life. And she must have regretted that she didn’t want to live like her dream.

 

“Then what’s the problem?”

 

Lauren blinked her eyes in confusion at Eugenie’s sudden question. What’s the problem? Eugenie said, looking like she didn’t know what that meant.

 

“You made the best choice for your life. You tried to avoid danger and tried to live a life different from your dreams. At least you have regrets that are different from your dreams. Isn’t this great?”

 

Was that so? Lauren didn’t know what to say, so she just kept blinking. She never thought of it that way. She’s having regrets that are different from her dreams? Have you tried to live a life different from your dreams? All of these were correct.

 

“Mr. Reeve was the one who committed betrayal. You didn’t do anything wrong. The same goes for your betrayal of Lord Masterson.”

 

She didn’t think she betrayed herself. Eugenie quickly added that and continued her sentence.

 

“You made the best choice for yourself. That’s enough for me. I think I did a good job helping you.”

 

‘Oh my god.’ Lauren bit her lip as tears threatened to come out of her eyes. Her emotions rose as she told Eugenie that she thought it was a good thing she helped her.

 

“Now, I don’t know if I’m doing well.”

 

Lauren stammered, her throat lumpy. And she quickly lowered her head. Because she didn’t want Eugenie to see that her vision was blurring.

 

“What?”

 

In response to Lauren’s confession, Eugenie tilted her head and asked. I don’t know if that means I don’t know what I’m doing well.

 

“I just keep failing. I failed to keep up with the, um, trends…”

 

She was also betrayed by Mr. Reeve. Lauren closed her mouth again grimly. Her self-loathing washed over her like a tide. She has decided that she will not live like a dream, but she is not doing anything right. If it weren’t for the help of Eugenie and Count Burns, she wouldn’t have been able to escape Lord Masterson. She promised to repay Lady Biscon and Count Burns for his money, but she was at a loss as to how to repay them. However, she was afraid that if she accepted the favor of the two people, she would end up living the same life as in her dreams. She was overcome with fear that she was failing, that her life was turning into a failed dream. The future, which had been clear when she first dreamed, suddenly disappeared like a mirage.

 

“Why is that a failure?”

 

Eugenie said, lifting her milk jug. Her failure and success are not closely related or facing opposite sides, like two sides of a coin.

 

“You are just practicing.”

 

She said and poured some of her milk into a glass. The color of her tea naturally became lighter.

 

“Who is good at following trends from the beginning? The way we see people is the same. If you have eyes for people from birth, it is a prophecy.”

 

Does a prophet have eyes for people? Such questions appeared in Eugenie’s mind, but she quickly shook them off. It’s not that important.

 

“But other people are good at it. Lady Biscon…”

 

“Eugenie.”

 

In response to Lauren’s rebuttal, Eugenie quickly spoke to call her Eugenie. Lauren’s face went blank at her words, but her eyes quickly widened.

 

Really? Could she call her by her name? The only people she calls by her first name are a few of her close friends at the academy. Lauren confirmed that Eugenie was sincere and continued her words with a blush on her face.

 

“Eu, Eugenie also broke off her engagement to Lord Rencid, but she is being courted by Count Burns.”

 

That might seem like her success. Eugenie paused for a moment at Lauren’s words. She didn’t even think about it. She looked at Lauren and took another sip of her tea.

 

“Would you like to hear a secret?”

 

—————————————————————

Translator Note: