My Beloved Oppressor — Chapter 5

I’M TIRED...

I WONDERED WHAT I COULD DO TO FIX THIS FAILING RELATIONSHIP.

WOULD HAVING A CHILD MAKE THINGS BETTER?

EVEN IF IT WASN'T A COMPASSIONATE NIGHT...

...HE DIDN’T REJECT ME.

I NEVER SAW HIS BARE BODY...

...AND WE NEVER HELD EACH OTHER UNTIL THE MORNING.

I WAS LEFT ALONE IN HIS FRIGID ROOM...

...BUT I HOPED HEINER WOULD GO BACK... TO HOW HE USED TO BE.

WHY? WHY DIDN'T HE REJECT ME?

THE SUN IS WARM.

WAS HE TRYING TO GIVE ME FALSE HOPE?

IT WOULDN'T BE BAD TO DIE LIKE THIS RIGHT NOW...

HELLO.

WHO...

AH, SHE'S...

...THE ONE WHO PROPOSED TO HEINER...

DO YOU HAVE A MINUTE?

CAN WE TALK?

...SURE.

SHE KNOWS MAJOR MARKOV TOO.

DID THEY FIGHT ALONGSIDE EACH OTHER?

I'VE BEEN WANTING TO MEET YOU.

I SEE.

HOW IS LIFE AT THE RESIDENCE?

I HEARD YOU'RE NOT GOING OUT MUCH.

I'M TRYING TO LIVE A QUIET LIFE.

YES, IT SEEMS SO.

I'VE ONLY SEEN YOU IN THE PAPERS, SO I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT YOU.

...MISS ANNELIE.

I KNOW YOU'RE NOT HERE FOR SMALL TALK.

IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, SAY IT.

...I HEARD THE COMMANDER ISN'T GRANTING THE DIVORCE.

TO BE HONEST, I DON'T REALLY LIKE YOU.

TO SAY THAT I HATE YOU WOULD BE MORE ACCURATE.

EVERYTHING THE MARQUESS DID, AND THE LIFE YOU'VE LED BECAUSE OF IT... I SHUDDER AT THE VERY THOUGHT.

I HAVE MUCH RESPECT FOR THE COMMANDER.

I DON'T THINK YOU'RE WORTHY OF BEING BY HIS SIDE.

THIS MARRIAGE MUST HAPPEN IN ORDER TO KEEP THE OPPOSITION IN CHECK.

THAT...

SHOULD BE DISCUSSED WITH MY HUSBAND, NOT ME.

...MADAM. I AM WARNING YOU.

I'M SAYING THAT WE CAN USE THE GOVERNMENT AND THE MEDIA...

TO MAKE HIM ABANDON THIS MARRIAGE.

MISS ANNELIE, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN USING ME IN YOUR PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN.

AT FIRST, I FELT WRONGED.

BECAUSE EVEN THE THINGS THAT WEREN'T MY FAULT WERE PUBLICIZED AS MY FAULT.

BUT IT'S NOT LIKE YOU WERE COMPLETELY INNOCENT--

RIGHT. EVEN IF ALL THAT WAS EXAGGERATED AND SENSATIONALIZED,

I CAN'T BE INNOCENT.

IT'S ALREADY BEEN THREE YEARS.

I DON'T RESENT YOU ANYMORE. I RESPECT THE CAUSE.

I TRULY MEAN THAT.

AS I SAID BEFORE, THE DIVORCE IS NO LONGER MY AUTHORITY.

BUT DON'T WORRY TOO MUCH.

...THIS MARRIAGE WILL END SOON.

Episode 5

THE AMOUNT OF DONATIONS THAT CAME TO THE CITIZENS' ASSOCIATION...

250, 300, 120...

YES, COME IN.

MA'AM. A GENTLEMAN SAYS HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU.

HE CLAIMS TO BE AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE...

AN ACQUAINTANCE?

HE SAID YOU WOULD KNOW THE NAME ANSGAR.

ANSGAR?

ANNETTE!

ANSGAR STETTER.

SECOND SON OF COUNT STETTER, FRIEND OF THE ROZENBERGS.

...IT'S BEEN A WHILE.

WE GREW UP TOGETHER,

AND HE EVEN PROPOSED TO ME.

WHEN I SAID NO, HE WENT TO STUDY ABROAD AT WEITERIS...

...AND WE LOST TOUCH.

YOU'VE GOTTEN A LOT THINNER SINCE I LAST SAW YOU.

ALTHOUGH HIS FAMILY FELL DURING THE REBELLION,

I HEARD HE AVOIDED THE WORST, HAVING BEEN ABROAD.

REALLY?

BUT YOU'RE STILL BEAUTIFUL.

BUT THE OPINION OF THE PADANIAN PUBLIC IS RIFE WITH ANTI-ARISTOCRATIC SENTIMENTS...

I SENT YOU A LETTER, BUT YOU DIDN'T RESPOND,

SO I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO COME TO YOU.

...AND I'VE ALREADY BECOME THE NATION'S VILLAIN.

DID YOU SEND IT TO MY OLD RESIDENCE?

I DON'T THINK I WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP HIM IN ANY WAY...

...OF COURSE NOT.

I SENT IT HERE. YOU'RE THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF'S WIFE.

IS THAT SO...?

MAYBE IT WENT MISSING. I'LL ASK ABOUT IT.

NO WAY...

HOW HAVE YOU BEEN, BY THE WAY?

ARE YOU BACK IN PADANIA FOR GOOD?

I'M JUST HERE TO TIE UP SOME LOOSE ENDS AND SEE YOU.

I'M WORKING AS AN AMBASSADOR IN FRANZE RIGHT NOW.

FRANZE?

YOU KNOW EVERYBODY FLED THERE AFTER THE REBELLION.

I DID THE SAME AFTER GRADUATION.

AN AMBASSADOR! CONGRATULATIONS, ANSGAR.

ON WHAT?

IF I HAD STAYED, THINGS MIGHT HAVE TURNED OUT BETTER.

TURNED OUT BETTER, HUH...

I WAS MARRIED. DIVORCED LAST YEAR.

REALLY?

I JUST DID IT BECAUSE I NEEDED THE CITIZENSHIP.

ACTUALLY, I'M HERE TO ASK YOU SOMETHING.

I KNOW HOW IT'S LIKE IN PADANIA.

THEY'VE BEEN USING YOU FOR PUBLICITY, AND YOUR HUSBAND PROBABLY DIDN'T HELP.

ARE YOU GOING TO CONTINUE THIS MARRIAGE?

WHAT?

WELL, I...

...FOR NOW.

I WANT A DIVORCE TOO, BUT...

NOW'S NOT THE RIGHT TIME.

BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOWHERE TO GO IF YOU GET DIVORCED?

HMM...

IF YOU'RE HERE TO REMIND ME OF MY SITUATION...

NO.

JOIN ME IN FRANZE.

...WHAT?

I STILL HAVE FEELINGS FOR YOU.

IF YOU MARRY ME, YOU CAN GET A CITIZENSHIP.

TAKE MY HAND, ANNETTE.

YOU'LL BE HAPPIER.

I WILL...

...MAKE YOU HAPPY FOREVER.

WHY AM I SUDDENLY...

...REMINDED OF THAT MOMENT?

MY HUSBAND...

MY HUSBAND WON'T APPROVE.

SO? ONCE YOU'RE DIVORCED, IT WON'T MATTER.

THINGS AREN'T LOOKING TOO GOOD FOR YOU.

I'M THE ONLY OPTION YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW.

...CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME TIME TO THINK ABOUT THIS?

IT'S A BIT SUDDEN.

SORRY. I'VE BEEN TOO FRANK, HAVEN'T I?

IT'S JUST, I'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS DAY...

BUT YOU'D BE SURPRISED, OF COURSE, TO HEAR THIS UNEXPECTEDLY.

THEN I'LL GIVE YOU MY CONTACT.

HERE'S MY CARD...

OH! I'M STAYING AT A HOTEL RIGHT NOW. HANG ON, I'LL WRITE DOWN THE ADDRESS.

THE FRONT DESK CAN-- NO. YOU CAN COME STRAIGHT TO THE ROOM.

HE FELT A BIT UNFAMILIAR A MOMENT AGO...

HERE.

...BUT NOW HE'S BACK TO HIS OLD SELF.

IT REMINDS ME OF MY CHILDHOOD.

BACK WHEN I DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER...

PLEASE GET BACK TO ME, ANNETTE.

LET ME KNOW IF YOU EVER NEED HELP.

I WILL. THANK YOU, ANSGAR.

WHY DID ANSGAR COME TO ME?

THE STETTER FAMILY. AMBASSADOR OF FRANZE.

EXILED NOBLES. ANSGAR'S MARRIAGE.

MY FATHER, THE KING'S NEPHEW. MY ROYAL LINEAGE...

RESTORATION... OF THE MONARCHY?

IN PADANIA THE FORCES IN FAVOR OF THE MONARCHY HAVE ALL BEEN CRUSHED...

...THANKS TO THE COMPETENCE OF THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, HEINER WALDEMAR.

HIS IDEAL RESOLUTION OF POST-REVOLUTIONARY CHAOS AND CONFLICT MADE HIM PADANIA'S IDOL.

ACCORDINGLY, THE NOBLES WHO FLED TO FRANZE, WILL NEED HELP FROM OUTSIDE FORCES.

TAKE MY HAND, ANNETTE.

IF I TAKE HIS HAND, I WILL BE ABLE TO HELP ANSGAR AND THE OTHER NOBLES.

IT'S ALSO THE CHOICE I NEED TO MAKE RIGHT NOW.

MY LAST CHANCE TO ESCAPE FROM HEINER...