Salvation Equation - Chapter 27. News

Madeline looked out of the window, at the sunset melting into the horizon. The indifferent tranquility of nature seemed to squeeze her chest instead.

 

She made several mistakes today. She almost made a dangerous mistake once, but Arlington stopped it. He sighed after a cold glance at Madeline.

 

“You seem exhausted, you should rest.”

 

“I can’t do that.”

 

“Take a rest, Miss Loenfield. Aren’t you overdoing it?”

 

“I said I’m fine.”

 

Perhaps she was more angry because Arlington was worried about her. Ian didn’t write any letters, so perhaps she was worried that he might be hurt.

 

Moreover, the news from Som was so terrifying that it was hard to bear.

 

Arlington sighed as Madeline responded in anger.

 

“You’ve been acting strange these past few days.”

 

“That’s impossible.”

 

“To be blunt, aren’t you getting in the way?”

 

Arlington’s face reddened for the first time. He seemed quite angry.

 

“Fine.”

 

She turned around with her head down, and Arlington grabbed Madeline urgently.

 

“Don’t take what I said too deeply. I just didn’t want you to over push yourself.”

 

Madeline shook her head as if she didn’t mind.

 

“If it’s true that I am disturbing you, I should step back.”

 

She stepped down from her seat. Arlington was right. It’s true that the number of minor mistakes she was making had been increasing

 

I must regain my composure. Having made up her mind and left the hospital room, a pale-faced Isabel ran toward her.

 

“Madeline, Madeline….”

 

“Isabel, did something happen?”

 

“My brother…. Ian…”

 

She burst into tears.

 

“…….”

 

Madeline’s face also turned pale as if she had a hunch. With trembling hands, she took the note Isabel was holding. It was a brief short message that Ian Nottingham was seriously injured and now hospitalized.

 

A serious injury. Madeline’s mind wandered at the various implications of those words.

 

Why? In the end.

 

The letters she sent were of no use. That alone couldn’t stop the man’s bad luck. Nothing could be changed.

 

What did I think I could change with a helpless piece of letters and lines?

 

She was now the most helpless thing in the world.

 

* * *

 

1918.

 

It could be felt that the war was coming to an end. The hospital was full of patients.

 

Those who welcomed the returning soldiers found it hard to believe that the people they loved had changed forever.

It wasn’t just the returnees. The people who waited also became completely different people. Facing each other’s changed faces was another pain.

 

But she had to have faith. Madeline waited. She waited for Ian Nottingham to return.

 

While working, she waited as she looked out the window into the main street. At least Ian was alive. There was no mention of his death.

 

That’s why…….

 

“Mother.”

 

It was Eric who had returned.

 

He returned from the rear and from the frontlines executing military operations, looking very mature. He was tall, lost baby fat, and completely transformed into an adult figure.

 

Although the mansion had been changed to a hospital, the servants who remained shed tears as they looked at the second master who had returned. Eric hugged his mother, the Countess, and then smiled at Isabel.

 

“You’ve become an adult, brother.”

 

Isabel smiled with tears in her eyes.

 

“…….”

 

Eric’s eyes wandered. Eric, who hesitated for a long time, suddenly hugged Isabel.

 

“I missed you, my little sister.”

 

“You can say it quickly now too.”

 

After the touching reunion of the Nottingham family, Eric greeted the servants by shaking hands one by one.

 

After that, he greeted the hospital staff and said good wishes, then looked at Madeline and smiled meaningfully.

 

Eric Nottingham was a young man with the same black hair as Ian’s, but somehow had a soft appearance. They looked similar, but the atmosphere created by their eyes and their facial features was different. He was a bit more chiseled and tidy. The energy of a vigorous young man was also evident.

 

Madeline smiled at Eric. She felt devastated inside, but she was glad to see him again.

 

 

‘I’m glad that someone who passed away in my previous life came back alive.’

 

Madeline herself didn’t know what she had done for that to happen, but she was relieved when she confirmed that her previous life was not repeating itself.

 

“Miss Loenfield. It’s been a while.”

 

Eric greeted, flustered. Madeline pulled the corners of her lips to smile. No one would have noticed the loneliness in it.

 

* * *

 

After Eric’s return, the house began to come back to life. Eric diligently helped the Countess. When the war was completely over and the family business was normalized, he would return to Cambridge to complete his studies.

 

Madeline’s gaze at Eric faltered. She felt very guilty, but she couldn’t help but keep looking at the young man.

 

Is Ian okay?

 

Will Ian come back alive?

 

How hurt is he? 

 

When, when can we meet again?

 

She couldn’t take it easy, even though she was distressed thinking about this and that. Because Madeline herself has no right to worry about Ian Nottingham.

 

She was just waiting for a reply that hadn’t come back, and there was nothing she could do.

 

After some time, when the sun began to set, Madeline sat down in a chair next to John. Recently John had been feeling very lonely and the only person who could talk to him was Madeline. She didn’t hate the role either.

 

The two talked about various things. Madeline told her story with some dramatizations (she didn’t tell the part where she fell off the stairs and it was in the past).

 

John also talked about his ‘dream’. Most of it were only incomplete memories, but based on his statements, Madeline sacrificed her night’s sleep to record and search data and asked around about his house.

 

There should be a clue somewhere. She looked for a house that matched based on the handbook that contained information about people that were in America. The country was also very wide from east to west. At this rate, it would be like finding a needle in a haystack.

 

There were a number of cases in which no reply came back even if a telegram was sent. But she didn’t tell John about it. She didn’t want to burden him with it.

 

“…….”

 

She wrote down what John was talking about for a long time that day as well. The man sighed when he saw Madeline eagerly writing down his story in a notebook.

 

“You…. can stop. You don’t need to write it down.”

 

“John.”

 

“It seems that my family has forgotten about me anyway.”

 

He softly spoke.

 

“Don’t say that.”

 

Madeline had a serious look.

 

“No. I’m sure they have forgotten.”

 

“… I’m sure we’ll find them, John. Don’t worry and….”

 

John closed his eyes as if he didn’t need words of consolation. He changed the subject.

 

“By the way…, Madeline. About that new young man.”

 

“Young man…? Eric?”

 

Before she knew it, Madeline became close with Eric enough to call him by his name. Eric was friendly and bright. Even Madeline, who had been constantly worried, had the strength to smile slightly.

 

“It seems like he really cares about you.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

Madeline almost forced a laugh.

 

​”Don’t try to hide it. You might not know, but……”

 

“It’s really not like that. And John, you should rest more.”

 

Madeline smiled amicably. She changed John’s posture with all her might and then left.

 

Eric? It was ridiculous. To put it bluntly, he had just returned from the war, so it’s possible that that he might feel a crush towards someone of opposite sex which he had not seen in a long time, but even that should be temporary.

 

Furthermore, Madeline was someone who refused Ian’s proposal. Eric couldn’t be interested in a woman like that. Madeline smiled bitterly.

 

‘I’ll do tomorrow’s work tomorrow.’

 

* * *

 

Madeline raised her head. She combed her hair and tied it in a knot. After washing her face with cold water, she ate breakfast, and then her hectic daily routine began. Looking after the patients like that, during lunch time, she bowed her head and ate.

 

The war was coming to an end. It was completely over after a few lengthy negotiations and administrative procedures. Of course the rehabilitation hospital would continue to operate. After all, the soldiers’ wounds heal slower compared to the conclusions of the war.

 

Madeline stood up. Today wasn’t Madeline’s turn to wash the dishes. After tidying up the dishes, she left the table. She thought of napping for a while.

 

It was then. There was a cluttering sound in the distance. A clanging sound, the raising of voices, the faces of the restless people. Madeline frowned trying to grasp the situation when Isabel came to her and shook her shoulder.

 

“Madeline, Ian has come back.”

 

“…. What?”

 

“Ian’s back!”

 

Isabel burst into tears. She lowered her head with a choking sound. The slender body trembled convulsively. Madeline tightly hugged her. She buried her face in the hollow of Isabel’s neck.

 

The faint smell of disinfectant. Madeline’s tears wet Isabel’s collar.

 

This time again, she was going to deny the tears. She decided to think that it was just the disinfectant hurting her eyes.

 

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