Atonement, For Your Cruelty — Chapter 27

WHAT ON EARTH WAS I THINKING?

WHAT WAS I EVEN THINKING TO PULL A MAN HEAD-AND-SHOULDERS TALLER THAN ME INTO A TIGHT EMBRACE?

...WHAT DO I DO NOW?

EVEN LITTLE KIDS AREN'T SCARED OF IT,

AND YET I MISTOOK IT FOR AN EXPLOSIVE...

...HE MUST BE FURIOUS.

...YOUR EXCELLENCY,

LOOK.

S-SO...

I'M SORR...

YOUR EXCELLENCY, I AM SORRY.

I... I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THAT WAS.

I THOUGHT IT WAS DANGEROUS...

YOUR EXCELLENCY!

I WILL ESCORT YOU THIS WAY, YOUR EXCELLENCY.

PHEW... LOOKS LIKE I FOUND IT.

DELIVER THIS TO THE MANSION.

I APOLOGIZE, YOUR EXCELLENCY.

I'M HEARING THAT A LOT TODAY.

SIMON.

IS TRAUN VACANT?

YES, YOUR EXCELLENCY.

...TRAUN?

AH.

DO YOU KNOW TRAUN?

GREAT AIR, GREAT WATER.

IT'S A MUCH BETTER PLACE THAN THE COMPLICATED AND DANGEROUS CAPITAL.

ABEL.

GO TO TRAUN TOGETHER TOMORROW.

JUST NOW... WHAT DID YOU,

...LET'S GO.

...HURRY.

WHERE IS TRAUN?

HUH?

IS IT FAR FROM HERE?

...IT IS.

...DO WE GO BY TRAIN, OR BY CARRIAGE?

THERE'S NO STATION THERE. WE HAVE TO GO BY CARRIAGE.

THEN IS THERE A DEPARTMENT STORE?

THERE'S NO STATION, LET ALONE A DEPARTMENT STORE. THERE'S NOTHING THERE BUT MOUNTAINS AND LAKES.

A VILLA NESTLED RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A MOUNTAIN RANGE.

YOU LOST THE TARGET FOR A MOMENT?

LOOKS LIKE I NEED TO SHARPEN YOU UP A BIT.

EATING AND SLEEPING INSIDE A WARM MANSION,

I SUPPOSE YOUR EDGE HAS GONE DULL?

I AM SORRY.

DON'T STALL AND PISS ME OFF, JUST STEP BACK.

YES, SENIOR.

Tch...

Urgh...

I DON'T CARE WHERE YOU ROAM AROUND.

BUT LOSING THEM IS A DIFFERENT ISSUE, HUH?

THEY NEED TO BE BREATHING AND IN THEIR RIGHT MINDS,

YOU NEED TO SECURE AT LEAST TWO THINGS.

AND YET, IT'S NOT EVEN A BATTLEFIELD,

SO HOW DO YOU LOSE THEM IN A DUMP LIKE THAT?

...YOUR EXCELLENCY.

THINKING THAT A DEPARTMENT STORE WOULD BE PREFERABLE,

THAT WAS MY MISJUDGMENT.

HABITS ARE SCARY THINGS.

COME TO THINK OF IT, INSTEAD OF BRINGING THEM HERE, I SHOULD HAVE JUST SENT THEM STRAIGHT THERE FROM THE START.

HAD THEY BEEN CURIOUS AND ROAMED EVERYWHERE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NOTHING BUT FIELDS,

AND SINCE THERE ARE ONLY THE TWO OF THEM, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASY TO GET DOWN TO BUSINESS,

RIGHT?

TOMORROW MORNING, SET OFF AS SOON AS THE SUN RISES.

THIS IS THE LAST TIME I'LL LET IT SLIDE AFTER SEEING YOU PULL SUCH STUPID STUNTS.

...YES.

I WILL NOT MAKE ANY MORE MISTAKES, YOUR EXCELLENCY.

IT IS NOT A DIFFICULT DECISION.

IF SOMETHING IS BOTHERSOME, YOU SIMPLY GET RID OF IT.

THE GAZE STARING AT ME AS IF BEWITCHED BY SOMETHING WAS ANNOYING.

HAVING MY GAZE STOLEN BY LIPS THAT SEEMED TO OOZE A SWEET FRAGRANCE WAS ANNOYING.

TO THE POINT WHERE I WANTED TO WASH IT ALL AWAY SOMEHOW.

WHAT WAS IT YOU WANTED TO GAIN FROM THAT ACT?

WERE YOU EVEN AWARE IN THE FIRST PLACE?

WHAT ON EARTH DID YOU WANT TO DO?

IRRITATION WELLS UP INSIDE ME.

HA...

YOUR EXCELLENCY...

...YOUR EXCELLENCY.