Chapter 107
[I will definitely become a noble.]
It was something he always said whenever he returned from a deployment or a mission to subdue monsters. Since joining the Order of the Holy Knights, Theodore had wanted to become a noble. At times, he showed an almost obsessive attachment to the idea of holding a noble title.
I had asked him once why he wanted to become a noble, but he had looked flustered and brushed it off. After that, I never asked again. Instead, I quietly supported him, sincerely hoping that he would achieve his dream and become a noble, just as he wished.
Years passed, and finally, Theodore was on the verge of receiving the noble title he had long desired.
The grand banquet hall was decorated in gold, as if the walls themselves were gilded. The chandelier and elaborate lighting shone even brighter against it. People had gathered to celebrate the glorious moment of Theodore receiving his title. Their gasps and admiration filled the air. Charlotte turned her head slightly to look at Theodore.
She wondered what expression he would have. Would he be overjoyed at finally reaching the moment he had dreamed of? Or would the flood of all the hardships he had endured bring tears to his eyes? Where was Theodore looking now? At the marble dais where he would receive his title, or at the nobles who gazed at him with respect?
“This moment…”
“….”
“How long I’ve waited for it…”
Just as Charlotte had expected, Theodore was smiling. The corners of his eyes curved into a deep, crescent-shaped smile, clearly showing his joy. A flush of emotion had spread across his cheeks, and a clear laugh escaped his lips. But one thing was different from what she had expected—his gaze was fixed on her.
“Everyone’s looking at you,” Charlotte whispered quietly, using her lips that didn’t seem to move much.
“I should be looking at them, not you.”
“Why?”
“Why? You’re the one who brought me here. So I want to look at you.”
“I didn’t do anything. This is all thanks to your efforts.”
“Efforts that wouldn’t exist without you. Everything is because of you.”
The moment their transparent blue eyes met, Charlotte felt a heavy thump in her chest, and a fluttering began. She had felt nervous when waiting outside the main gate, but this was different. The pounding started from her heart and spread throughout her body. Unconsciously, she grasped his arm tightly. A slight warmth rose in her chest, tingling gently.
Charlotte exhaled softly and turned her head forward first.
“Let’s go. If we just stand here, they’ll stare at us oddly.”
She led Theodore forward. Feeling her own warmth rise, she deliberately focused straight ahead, but the sound of his light laughter kept following her to her ears.
As Theodore and Charlotte walked across the grand banquet hall, many eyes followed them. The murmurs began to grow louder.
“Oh my, Sir Arbelche’s partner is Lady Blanche?”
“So that’s why Miss Aria entered separately.”
“Could it be because she’s the teacher’s daughter that she entered with him?”
“That could be. Without Lord Ronan, Sir Arbelche couldn’t have become a Holy Knight.”
The identity of Theodore’s partner had remained a mystery until the day of the title conferment. Some had expected Theodore to attend alone, while others thought he might appear with his subordinates. Some suggested, via letters, that he should take their daughters as partners if he hadn’t chosen one yet. But among countless speculations, nobody had imagined that Charlotte would be Theodore’s partner.
“They really suit each other.”
“Yes, they even seem to have coordinated their banquet attire.”
Dressed in pure white banquet attire, Theodore and Charlotte looked perfectly matched to everyone’s eyes. Even those who usually found Charlotte disagreeable or those who recognized Theodore’s achievements but couldn’t accept someone of low birth becoming a noble agreed. Charlotte, sensitive to people’s gazes, whispered softly to Theodore:
“Theodore.”
“Hm?”
“I feel like too many people are staring at us.”
“It’s because you’re too beautiful.”
Charlotte blinked, doubting her ears, and shot back:
“…Do you usually say things like that?”
“Say things like…?”
“‘Beautiful,’ ‘pretty,’’ that sort of thing.”
“Yes. I say it often.”
Theodore paused and slightly bowed his upper body toward Charlotte.
“Of course, I only say it to you.”
…Was Theodore always this cheeky? Charlotte gave him a look that said, don’t say weird things, and then noticed a sharp gaze from somewhere. She turned her head to the left and frowned. There stood unwelcome people.
Rieta and Norman. Since the poison incident, they had left the capital, so it was the first time seeing them after returning. Fortunately, they were at a distance. Charlotte first focused on Norman. Dressed neatly, he frowned as if in a bad mood, standing beside Duke Winteraile. Watching him quietly, Charlotte realized that the harsh gaze she felt wasn’t from Norman.
Her eyes naturally shifted to Rieta. The saint of the Agent Empire, who had approached under the guise of friendship but tried to falsely accuse her. Rieta looked simple yet elegantly dressed, like a single daffodil, but her expression was stiff. Normally, her face would have contorted with anger, but with so many people around, she barely managed to maintain her composure.
‘She really sees me as an enemy.’
Rieta’s honey-colored eyes gleamed with clear hatred and simmering anger.
‘She still holds a grudge for not completely framing and expelling me.’
In the past, Charlotte would have trembled and fled in betrayal, but now, she could only let out a bitter laugh. When Charlotte deliberately glared at her, Rieta’s eyes darkened, and she stepped forward decisively.
If Rieta had come toward her, Charlotte intended to confront her. After all, this was the grand hall where the title ceremony was held, so no chance of poisoning or a staged incident existed this time.
But Rieta only took a single step and could go no further. Theodore, who had been quietly observing, clicked his tongue and pulled Charlotte close.
“Charlotte.”
“!”
“It’s alright.”
Startled, Charlotte slightly tilted her head toward Theodore, who said it was okay.
‘Why is he saying it’s okay? Does he know what happened with Rieta?’
When returning from Nostri, the story of her false accusation had faded from people’s attention. Nobody mentioned it anymore. Charlotte assumed Theodore didn’t know. She thought him saying it was okay was because he misunderstood her unease about people’s stares, not because of Rieta.
“Let’s go.”
Charlotte nodded and glanced once more toward Rieta. But Theodore’s figure blocked her view.
Shaking off all unpleasant feelings, Charlotte went toward Aria with Theodore.
“Aria.”
Aria was holding the hand of Marquis Blanche and exploring the banquet hall with Esche. At Charlotte’s gentle call, Aria’s bright blue eyes immediately turned to her. Blushing, she ran toward Charlotte with arms outstretched.
“Mom—”
The moment Aria called her “Mom,” a strange silence fell around them, but Charlotte ignored it. She scooped Aria into her arms.
“Our Aria, have you been behaving?”
“Yes, I’ve been good. I was holding Grandfather’s and the Duke’s hands while exploring.”
Aria nodded repeatedly, laughing and holding Charlotte tightly. Though not a loud laugh, the sudden quiet made her laughter echo unusually clearly.
Charlotte gently stroked Aria’s head and scanned the nobles’ faces. Most showed surprise. It was hard to tell if it was positive or negative surprise, but that could be seen gradually.
For now, it was more important to openly show that Aria was Charlotte Blanche’s daughter and a formal member of the Blanche family. Anyone who didn’t recognize Aria as her daughter and a member of the Blanche household could be completely excluded.
At that moment, the loud sound of trumpets pierced the silence, signaling the start of the title conferment.
“Theodore.”
Charlotte called to Theodore in a low voice. He nodded.
‘Finally, the time has come.’
As Charlotte murmured to herself, Silbert and the assistant priests, dressed in white ceremonial robes, appeared. Silbert’s entire body shimmered as if surrounded by a halo.
“Grandfather, that light flowing from the High Priest…?”
“It’s sacred energy. Think of it as a blessing. Silbert has been waiting a long time to confer the title upon Theodore.”
Silbert crossed the banquet hall and ascended the dais. At his signal, two assistant priests stepped beside him. One held a golden scroll, and the other carried an honorary brooch to be given to the hero.
“Sir Theodore Arbelche, receive the decree of His Majesty the Emperor.”
Theodore approached the dais where Silbert stood. His steps were heavy with significance. Kneeling on one knee, he waited as Silbert unrolled the scroll and began reading the Emperor’s decree.
To Charlotte, none of the decree’s contents reached her ears. All sounds faded, and only Theodore, waiting to receive his title, filled her vision. Her heart pounded. She tightened her grip on Aria and did not even blink.
“In recognition of these achievements…”
With a deep smile, Silbert spoke the final words:
“Sir Theodore Arbelche is hereby granted the title of Marquis.”
