Revenge Costs Interest [EN]: Chapter 186

Extracurricular 6. Sarah’s Journey

2024.02.02.

The year Leia’s children turned seven, she was in Reborn Port with Terran.

Today was the day Sarah returned from Lomerica.

Years ago, Sarah had expressed her desire to become a nurse to Leia. Of course, Leia had actively supported her dream.

It felt like only yesterday that Sarah had entered the school introduced by Dr. Karen, but she was already graduating and returning to Lubeck.

“Why isn’t Sarah visible?”

The ship had already arrived, and people were pouring onto the pier like a tide, but Sarah was nowhere to be seen among them.

Around her, people meeting their families after a long time were embracing and exchanging emotional greetings.

“I even prepared a bouquet for Sarah.”

As Leia grew anxious, Terran wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

“Wait, it will take some time for everyone to get off that big cruise ship.”

“Yes.”

Although she answered, Leia’s gaze remained fixed on the people disembarking from the ship. Then, a familiar face appeared.

“There! It’s Sarah!”

As Leia excitedly waved, Terran, having already spotted her, smiled with his hands behind his back. However, Sarah was not alone.

“The gentleman next to her….”

The man with glasses had an ordinary appearance and neat attire. He was tall and slender, exuding an intellectual aura.

“I have a guess.”

“Me too. They look good together, don’t they?”

“Indeed.”

Sarah had been sending regular letters, so they knew what had been happening.

She had naturally met Dr. Karen’s cousin while attending nursing school.

And not long ago, she had shared the joyful news that they had gotten married.

“Miss!”

“Sarah!”

The two women, finally meeting, ran to each other and embraced.

Overwhelmed with emotion, they shed tears. Meanwhile, Terran shook hands with Sarah’s husband, exchanging greetings.

“I missed you so much, Sarah.”

“I missed you too! I’ve been so worried about our twin young masters. I was worried for a while.”

“Because they followed Sarah so well. The children were upset after Sarah left, and the nannies had a hard time comforting them.”

Leia and Sarah repeatedly cried and laughed, finally separating after exchanging heartfelt greetings.

Sarah looked at the bouquet Leia had given her and smiled brightly.

“Duke and Duchess, allow me to formally introduce you. This is my husband, Charles Fleming.”

Sarah introduced her husband to the two.

“Nice to meet you, Dr. Fleming.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you from Sarah, Duchess.”

Leia quickly assessed Charles.

“You have a very nice voice.”

“I’m not as handsome as the Duke, so at least my voice should be good.”

Even though it was their first meeting, he spoke naturally, suggesting he had an easygoing personality.

“That’s why I fell for Charles’s voice.”

Sarah added.

Indeed, he had a naturally beautiful voice, but his pronunciation and tone were also very refined. Anyone would see him as a doctor, scholar, professor, or artist.

“Alright, let’s go to the Duke’s residence. Everyone will be waiting.”

At Terran’s words, they all hurried towards the car.

* * *

It was a very lively and enjoyable dinner after many years. When they heard that Sarah was coming from Lomerica, everyone gathered at the Duke’s residence.

Sarah was surprised that Chaner and Luke had two children.

It was only after seeing the four children Pauline brought that she realized how much time had passed.

The Duke’s residence was so chaotic with children running around. Thanks to that, James was busy going around and giving warnings.

“Sarah, are you back for good?”

After the banquet, Leia spent time alone with Sarah.

“Actually, I came to do medical service. After it’s over, I’m going to discuss with Charles where to settle down.”

“Medical service? Where are you going?”

At Leia’s question, Sarah hesitated for a moment, only moving her lips. Then, she finally opened her mouth with difficulty.

“Reef Island.”

“Huh?”

That was the island where Allen was imprisoned, so she couldn’t understand why she would go there for medical service.

It couldn’t be because she still had feelings for him.

“I heard some bad news recently.”

Sarah began to speak in a calm tone.

It was the tragic news that prisoners were dying every day due to severe labor.

The more serious problem was that Reef Island not only had a large prison but also many residents, and there were no doctors to treat them when they got sick or injured.

“So you’re going to treat the prisoners?”

“It’s not just us. Charles’s medical school classmates have also decided to join us. After going there and seeing the poor environment and situation with our own eyes, we need to ask the Gardencia Imperial Family for help or do something.”

“Well, who would care about the prisoners on Reef Island?”

“They may be prisoners, but they also have human rights.”

Sarah looked away.

Then, realizing this wasn’t right, she looked directly at Leia and said.

“To be honest, I’m curious about what Allen is doing. But it’s definitely not because I have feelings for him. I’m just… uncomfortable.”

“I know.”

“Are you serious? Aren’t you angry? That I’m going to help the bad person who made you like that….”

Leia smiled quietly at Sarah for a while. What should she say for her to understand?

No, she felt like she knew Sarah’s feelings too well. She herself was often curious about Allen.

He was a person she hated so much and wanted to kill, but he kept popping up in her mind against her will.

“When I said I had finished my revenge, my heart wasn’t relieved at all. But I definitely don’t regret taking revenge. Even if I could turn back time, it’s something I would have done. But something that wasn’t completely healed remained in my heart like a lump.”

“That’s right. That’s it, Miss.”

At the time, she felt like she had to tear him apart and kill him.

But after taking revenge and time passed, she realized that as much as she had severely punished the other person, a large wound had formed within her as well.

“Sarah, don’t worry about me. Do what you believe in.”

Leia held Sarah’s hand tightly and encouraged her. Sarah had no peace of mind.

She lived more painfully than anyone else, struggling with her unhappy childhood and the guilt of betraying the people she served.

But she was happy that she finally had the leeway to look back on others.

“I have something to show you, Miss.”

Sarah took out a small folded newspaper from her pocket and handed it to Leia.

“I happened to see it.”

Leia listened to Sarah’s words and unfolded the newspaper.

Soon, she was startled to read the newspaper article. It was an article with pictures of prisoners working on Reef Island.

But the problem was that she recognized someone in it.

‘Is that Allen?’

She recognized him at once, but he was not the same as before.

Allen in the picture was just a prisoner forced to do hard labor. He was in such a miserable state that she couldn’t even hate him anymore.

“I’m not going to pity or forgive him. Allen killed many people, so he deserves to pay for his sins.”

Sarah said very firmly.

“Yes, I know why you’re trying to go.”

Anyway, Allen was destined to live paying for his sins for the rest of his life.

“I can’t let him die like that. He shouldn’t get sick if he wants to realize how badly he did wrong until he gets old.”

Leia knows.

Although she was speaking coldly, what Sarah wanted from Allen was not for him to die in pain but for him to sincerely repent.

* * *

After having a long conversation with Leia and spending enough time with the people she missed, Sarah headed to Reef Island with Charles.

Fortunately, with Terran’s help, Empress Teresa agreed to cooperate with their volunteer work.

They were tired after a journey that took as long as ten days, but the two were busy looking around the island.

The scenery was beautiful, which was perplexing, considering it was an island with a prison.

White sandy beach, blue sea, intense sun. White houses built on the hill.

It was a completely different world from Reborn, which was hazy with gray air due to rapid industrialization.

“It’s like time has stopped.”

Sarah said, watching the fishermen mending their nets.

“Who would believe that this is where a maximum-security prison is located?”

Charles also seemed to have fallen in love with the scenery of Reef Island.

“Are you Dr. Fleming?”

A middle-aged man approached them.

“Yes, I am.”

“I am the administrator of Reef Island, the chief in charge.”

“Oh, I see.”

“I received news from the home country. We have prepared a clinic and accommodation for the doctors in advance.”

Sarah followed his guidance to the accommodation.

The whole time, she doubted whether there was really a prison for violent criminals here. But that doubt didn’t last long.

In the distance, workers were building a breakwater.

They were not only wearing prison uniforms but also had shackles on their legs.

If a prisoner was slow to work, a guard would rush over and whip them with harsh curses.

Sarah stood there blankly, watching the scene. Then, the administrator laughed and said.

“They are prisoners. They do hard labor like this during the day. Don’t worry about it.”

“That prisoner looks too old.”

The sight of an old man with a bent back being cruelly whipped for not moving a stone in time didn’t look good.

“They deserve to be beaten. They are heinous criminals. They shouldn’t have committed crimes. That old man will die soon. This is how they pay for the crimes they committed.”

Suddenly, Sarah felt suffocated.

Charles also had a bad expression after seeing the scene. He quickly scanned the prisoners with his eyes.

“That prisoner’s ankle is necrotizing [suffering from tissue death]. The shackles must be removed.”

At Charles’s words, Sarah muttered to herself.

“Is it really fair to whip prisoners to death just because they are prisoners?”

She had roughly expected it after reading the article, but it was more brutal when she came to Reef Island and saw it with her own eyes.

Then, Allen, dragging a large stone, came into Sarah’s sight.