Even if the Dawn Abandons You - Chapter 43

When Andrew Layton decided to take a leave of absence from college and go cover the scenes of the Léans Revolution, his family and friends all thought he was crazy.

Even the relatively sensible advice to at least graduate before going was just the beginning. Among the journalists there, half of them had lost contact, and the veteran journalists who had chosen Léans with fiery passion and determination to uphold their beliefs seemed to sneer at him as if he were a chick with no passion to even eat.

They wondered why he was going all the way to Léans to cover a story that would leave a mark in history, saying, “Are you trying to do something that people said would be the death of you if you did it?” …

Andrew Layton brushed aside all those words and chose Léans.

He would be lying if he said he wasn’t disappointed or regretful.

It’s a story he never told anyone, but to be honest, Andrew Layton didn’t come to Léans because he had a great belief; he came because he was infatuated with it.

He had a romanticized idea of revolution. It was a romantic notion of some great change he had never seen with his own eyes, and it was also a romantic notion about those who had beliefs he did not possess.

Andrew Layton was part of a generation that grew up hearing about successful revolutions from the mouths of the victors. Although he was not naive enough to believe that all those ideals were real, the premise that revolution was inherently noble and wonderful was strongly ingrained in his mind from a very young age.

He was not a passionate person, but perhaps that was why he admired those who lived passionately. And the images of the revolutionary army reported by seniors who had been to Léans before him were enough to strongly stimulate his admiration.

People who willingly risked their lives for a value they could never give up even if they knew it was like hitting a rock with an egg, and then they finally started making their marks on the rock. He thought that if heroes existed in modern times, they would look like this. He wanted to watch it with his own eyes, capture it on camera, and put it into print.

He had to make preparations for various things, so he could only arrive in Léans after the Great Revolution had succeeded. But it didn’t matter. He was happy that the Léans Revolution, which he had been secretly rooting for for some time, had ended in success, and he thought that there must be something he could gain since it was right after the revolution ended.

However, when he actually met the members of the revolutionary army, it was very different from what he had imagined in his dreams. Of course, even if he said he met key figures in the revolutionary army, the highest-ranking among them was probably Ariane Champleign. He even thought that generalizing the revolutionary army based on her was not a wise thing to do. Léans’ Great Revolution was bloody, and at the moment of its success, the revolutionary army seemed blind to that bloody sight.

There may have been a way to go back disappointed, but Andrew couldn’t give up on covering Léans, precisely because of that. He had decided that he wouldn’t go back to Wisteria until he had at least one piece of the hopeful future that would fill Léans, a place where he could witness the image of a revolution filled with belief and ideals that he had imagined, even if it was only a small piece.

Moreover, whether it was because of that determination or not, it was his job to satisfy the curiosity that had arisen from meeting Ariane Champleign.

First, Andrew wanted to know why Anais Belmartier opposed the execution of the royal family. In that sense, he was very lucky. When he heard that Anais had come down to Basbourg, he hurried down with her, but he had no idea that Anais would be living on the top floor of the townhouse he was renting. He did not believe in God, but the expression God-given opportunity was probably created to be used in times like this.

And secondly?

“What brings you here, Mr. Layton?”

“Ah, Mr. Serdieu. It’s nothing more than…”

Standing in the corridor on the third floor of the townhouse, Andrew Layton opened the door, half protruding his body, and looked down at Leonard Serdieu, a sturdy man with reddish-brown hair. He did his best to offer a friendly smile.

“There’s some good liquor. How about having a drink together to get to know your neighbors?”

He didn’t mention that he had spent nearly half of this month’s rent on buying that good liquor. Andrew maintained a smile that didn’t suit his personality, hoping that the conversation from this moment on would make that expenditure worthwhile.

? ? ?

“Miss Valli, I think there is some misunderstanding. It’s true that we’re living together temporarily due to circumstances, but that is only because I have no other choice in the matter, and I and Mr. Serdieu… … .”

“I understand, I understand. Don’t worry too much about what I said earlier, Doctor.”

Anais looked embarrassed, and Stephanie burst out laughing as if it was a joke. Her wavy, dark chocolate hair swayed like waves to the sound of her laughter. She was surprised that she didn’t hate that sight.

She is a lively and energetic girl from Plana. Anais thought that Stephanie Valli was a lady worthy of everyone’s favor, and she knew that if she had met her under any other circumstances, she would have been helplessly caught up in her irresistible charm. She was sure.

However, Stephanie was a journalist. Moreover, she had shown great interest in Leonard since last night’s dinner. Thanks to this, whenever Anais met the lady in front of her, who seemed to be very accustomed to helplessly disarming her opponents, she had to be extremely tense and hold on to her spirit to avoid getting caught up in it.

“But even if it’s not because of Mr. Serdieu, I think it’s a shame not to buy a pretty new outfit when you’ve come shopping like this.”

Stephanie began to persuade Anais as if she were a shop assistant. Anais glanced at the shop owner, who had been beaming with pride since Stephanie’s arrival. It was the expression of having an ally. In fact, Anais felt a bit guilty repeatedly saying in front of the shop owner that she had no intention of buying any clothes.

“Some people may think that it is better not to indulge in unnecessary luxuries during times like these, but I think differently. I think that in times like these, we need to do our best not to sink too deep or despair. A moderate change of mood is not a luxury.”

“To avoid sinking too deep or despair,” Anais bit the inside of her cheek. Even though it wasn’t the intended nuance, Stephanie’s words made her feel as though they were pointing to her, someone who was already sinking endlessly into despair.

Perhaps the shopkeeper felt it was better to leave the task of persuading Anais to her, or maybe the conversation had become somewhat serious and burdensome, but he moved away from her and began recommending various outfits to Marie, who was still browsing the racks.

When the two of them were left alone in the small store, Stephanie started talking a little more seriously. Of course, the voice was still cheerful.

“Does this sound like irresponsible advice from a stranger who can leave whenever she feels like it?”

“Oh no, Miss Valli. I think that makes sense. I don’t think it’s irresponsible advice either. I know that reporters like Ms. Valli and Mr. Layton who come to Basbourg at this time are taking a very big risk. it’s not something anyone can do.”

Even at a time when the imperial family’s large-scale suppression continued and the success of the revolution was very distant, there were quite a few reporters who came to cover the revolutionary army, risking injury or death. On the night of the Great Revolution, they ran with cameras in hand, risking their lives to capture moments while charging towards the palace.

Anais admired their spirit. Although she is now on guard because she has something to hide, Anais Belmartier originally thought that reporters who jumped into dangerous territory, pressed the shutter and moved the pen for the world’s right to know were amazing.

When Anais said that it wasn’t something that just anyone could do, Stephanie suddenly burst into laughter. It wasn’t a humorous situation. When Anais blinked at the incomprehensible reaction, Stephanie waved her hand in front of her face, her voice still filled with laughter.

“Ahaha, this is the first time I’ve heard someone say that. People around me only said it was a reckless act of suicide. I even heard people tell me to shake off any regrets I have left in my life so I don’t end up like a ghost for no reason. It’s really too much, isn’t it?”

“That certainly sounds a bit too much… … .”

Lingering regrets. Anais, who affirmed Stephanie’s complaint that it was really too much, thought over the word without even realizing it. Stephanie’s next words continued cheerfully.

“Anyway, that’s why I bought a lot of pretty clothes.”

“Yes?”

“Since coming here, I make sure to buy at least one outfit a week.”

Stephanie smiled and ran her long, white fingers through the clothes hanging in the display case.

“These are my regrets, you see. If I find a tempting outfit and don’t buy it, I feel like it will haunt me when I die.”

That’s why she came out like this today. Stephanie Valli remained cheerful even as she spoke about her death. It was as light as talking about the meal they had yesterday, and it didn’t feel like a defense mechanism to hide any anxiety or reduce the burden of conversation.
Anais listened to Stephanie’s story in a daze, and Stephanie continued speaking in a cheerful voice with a smile on her lips. Anais listened intently to what she said, wondering what on earth could make this young lady show any emotion other than cheerfulness.

“In that sense, this is a question I have as a journalist, If you don’t mind,”

The lively eyes of the reporter from Plana were half-hidden like crescent moons.

“May I ask what your regret is?”