Chapter 65
Eshe hadn’t worn a white ceremonial outfit, nor had he filled the surroundings with bouquets of pure white roses, but one thing was clear: this was a proposal. Anyone would be surprised by a sudden proposal. Charlotte was no exception. Yet, aside from that, a small hope flickered before Charlotte’s eyes. The lingering regret she had carefully tucked away resurfaced once more.
As Eshe had said, if she married him, she would no longer be unmarried and could formally adopt Aria. More importantly, Eshe was the ruler of the North. As the duke of the Valian family, which had close ties with the Blanche family, marrying him wouldn’t be seen as odd. From that perspective, it was a good opportunity.
‘But…’
She couldn’t use Eshe just to adopt Aria. Proposals were meant for someone you intended to spend your life with. No matter how cursed she was, or how difficult it might be to form bonds with others, it was only right to decline his proposal—for the man who had once been her brother, who had cared for her in the cold, lonely North, and had saved her life multiple times.
“Duke, I’m grateful for your consideration, but I cannot accept. I don’t want to adopt Aria that badly…”
“You do, don’t you? That’s why you’re not pushing my hand away.”
No matter how she tried to deny it, she couldn’t deceive Eshe. He had already seen through Charlotte’s heart. Charlotte probably didn’t know the expression on her face when he entered the attic. Seeing her on the verge of collapse, Eshe had wanted to propose right there.
If he were a more decisive and straightforward person, perhaps the moment she entered the attic, he would have told her he would become her husband. Eshe gently held Charlotte’s right ring finger. When she had sent Aria away and slumped to the ground, her nails had been cracked and damaged, as if she had scraped the earth.
“I am not forcing you, nor am I trying to burden your heart. If there is a way to adopt Aria without marriage, I will withdraw my proposal.”
“!”
“That is why I asked you not to see it as a means to an end.”
Eshe helped the still-tormented Charlotte to her feet.
“Shall we go get Aria?”
“…….”
“You need only say yes. I will take you to where Aria is.”
When Charlotte faltered, he held her arms and made her stand straight. He intended to place Charlotte on the horse and ride to bring Aria back from wherever she was in the North. It was a choice he believed was best for both Charlotte and Aria—and Charlotte felt the same.
Eshe’s final words gave Charlotte the resolve to steady herself. She bit her lips firmly.
Her judgment might be clouded by emotion, leading to an unwise decision… but she wanted to see Aria. She wanted to hold Aria’s little hands, whisper “I love you,” and embrace her. The spark of life returned to Charlotte’s eyes, which had been dull and shrouded in mist.
“I….”
Just as Charlotte gathered her courage and parted her lips, the attic door flung open. She had assumed no one else would come, but she was wrong. Someone else was there.
“Miss!”
Anna burst in. She had clearly run through the dark corridors without a lantern; her hair was disheveled, and she was gasping for breath.
“Miss, you need to come down!”
“Anna, what’s the matter?”
“The Baroness of Verbel has arrived.”
Eshe and Charlotte exchanged puzzled glances.
“At this hour?”
“Yes, and it’s urgent—it concerns Aria…”
“What?”
The moment Anna mentioned Aria’s name, Charlotte’s eyes widened. Had something happened while she was on the carriage? Her heart plummeted as she dashed out of the attic.
Indeed, the Baroness of Verbel waited near the castle gates in the dead of night. But…
“Miss Blanche!”
The Baroness wore a thin cream-colored indoor outfit with a robe over it, braving the harsh cold. Yet, what drew Charlotte’s attention first was that she was on horseback. The Baroness, who had blamed herself for not being able to have children because of her love of riding, was now riding a horse.
Charlotte couldn’t hide her astonishment. Why on earth had the Baroness come riding here?
“Madam, what brings you here at this hour?”
“My lady, I’m so sorry. I mistook someone—I truly apologize.”
“Pardon?”
The Baroness’ first words as she dismounted were tearful apologies.
“I thought they were good people and introduced them in good faith, but I never imagined it would turn out this way.”
“Madam, what do you mean?”
“Before coming here, the Marquise of Rossi visited the Verbel estate. She gave me this. I… I truly didn’t expect it to turn out this way. I’m sorry—it’s all my fault.”
Charlotte took the scroll, trembling in the Baroness’ hands. The rough texture of the paper sent a wave of unease through her. She swallowed hard and unrolled it. As her eyes traveled downward, her face turned pale, blood draining from her cheeks.
Charlotte felt as though she had been struck with tremendous force. She couldn’t even scream. The tears she had restrained came rushing back, and thick drops fell onto the scroll.
Eshe took the partially crumpled scroll from Charlotte and began reading swiftly. Soon, his face too turned pale, mirroring hers.
She shouldn’t have sent Aria… she had handed her to those fiends with her own hands.
Embezzlers who colluded with priests to steal temple assets. Criminals who sold information about children to slave traders. Aria had been delivered to cruel demons. With her own two hands.
Her heart ached. The choices she had believed right were entirely wrong. Where had it gone so wrong? It felt as if her blood was boiling and vessels about to burst.
Aria’s smiling face flickered before her eyes. Charlotte bit her lips until they bled.
‘…Now is not the time to think like this.’
The guilt of sending Aria to hell was excruciating, but simultaneously, her anger toward the Kennys—who had deceived her with smiles and taken Aria—blazed within her.
Aria. Beloved Aria. My precious daughter.
‘I have to take Aria back from them.’
By any means necessary. Guilt turned to anger, anger became drive, and a voice shouted from afar.
“Duke!”
Pedro, returning from the night patrol, approached quickly. It was surprising enough that a group of four or five gathered near the gates at this hour.
“Duke, what is happening? Why are you here at this hour?”
“Pedro, gather all the Snow Mountain scouts immediately. Seal the entire North and send people to the Shelter Village—right now!”
“Yes?”
Eshe issued commands with mechanical precision, but urgency leaked from his voice. Pedro furrowed his brows. His usually calm and composed young master had rarely lost composure. Sensing something dire, Pedro followed Eshe’s orders to summon the scouts.
Within ten minutes, all the Snow Mountain scouts arrived at the castle. Initially puzzled by the sudden summons, they were horrified to learn the truth about the Kennys. The couple, who had been coming and going from the castle just yesterday, were actually remnants of a slave trader’s faction!
The Baroness added further information she had heard from the Marquise of Rossi.
“It seems that a warrant for their arrest had already been issued in the capital.”
Eshe sighed.
“The blizzard delayed the news from reaching us.”
“That seems to be the case. The Marquise knew the Kennys intended to adopt Aria. She sent a courier to inform us, but the letter was rejected. So she rushed to Steria Castle, found no one, and quickly told me.”
The timing was unfortunate. The warrant and the blizzard coincided. Charlotte spoke carefully, her face a mix of concern, guilt, and determination to retrieve Aria.
“Would the Kennys have known?”
“They wouldn’t. The timing of the warrant and their arrival here are almost identical. Had they known, they wouldn’t have come.”
Eshe was right. Now was the perfect opportunity to rescue Aria and apprehend the Kennys. News hadn’t reached Nostria or Alexia Village yet. The Kennys would likely attempt to leave once the sun rose. They had to strike before then.
Charlotte, now mounted on a white horse, called to Eshe, ready to depart.
“Duke, please take me with you.”
“……”
Given the Kennys’ criminal status and ties to slave traders, bringing Charlotte might be dangerous—perhaps even burdensome. Charlotte knew this but still pleaded earnestly.
Eshe met her gaze without wavering. It didn’t take long for him to decide.
“If the situation turns to battle, you must withdraw immediately.”
“!”
Granting permission, Eshe seated Charlotte in front of him. To prevent her from falling, he wrapped the reins around her hands three times. Once ready, he cracked the reins, and the white horse reared and cried out before galloping toward Alexia Village, followed by armed Snow Mountain scouts. The wind tore through their hair and stung their skin, yet Charlotte faced forward without flinching.
‘Aria, wait just a little longer. We’re coming.’
