Chapter 74
He should have passed down only the good things — but somehow, Ronen’s stubbornness had been inherited intact as well. Before beginning what was sure to become a tense argument, Marquis Blanche let out a quiet sigh.
No matter how much he adored his granddaughter, she had not the slightest intention of backing down. And precisely because he loved her, he felt all the more compelled to stop her.
Marriage and adoption were vastly different matters—too different to even place on the same scale. This time, he was determined to break Charlotte’s obstinacy once and for all.
“I want to adopt Aria.”
“You may not.”
As soon as Ash took Aria and left the room to give them privacy, Marquis Blanche and Charlotte exchanged words for quite some time.
The marquis raised concerns about the negative public opinion and the inevitable gossip that would torment her, while Charlotte spoke of the time she had spent with Aria and declared her resolve to endure whatever came with it.
She did waver for a moment when he pointed out that Aria, too, would suffer the same scrutiny—but in the end, she did not change her decision.
However, the marquis still had one last card to play that might make Charlotte give up the idea of adoption.
“…Very well, let’s say I permit you to adopt Aria.”
“!”
“Then the next thing would be to prepare for your wedding. Do you at least have a potential husband in mind?”
Charlotte, who had not backed down a single inch until now, pressed her lips tightly together the moment the law came up.
This was a matter even her firm will could not overturn. She might persuade the marquis through heartfelt pleas, but she could not change the law.
When Charlotte hesitated and lowered her head halfway, the marquis quickly seized the opportunity.
“In the Argent Empire, unmarried men and women cannot adopt a child. Would you marry then? Are you planning to wed a man you don’t even love just to adopt Aria?”
Among the nobility, marriages rarely involved love anyway. Political interests and family alliances—those were the cornerstones of arranged marriages, so it wasn’t strange.
But Marquis Blanche thought differently.
Because Charlotte had been deeply hurt and carried a poor reputation in social circles, he intended to find a man who, even without love, would sincerely care for her and remain by her side.
“So then, who would you marry? I have no intention of giving you away to anyone beneath our family’s standing.”
He wasn’t looking for a man who would merely pretend to be a loving husband for the sake of adoption.
The marquis waited calmly for Charlotte’s answer. He hoped that by now, she would realize that changing the law was impossible and give up.
Yet when Charlotte lifted her head again, he knew instantly—his wish would not come true.
Her eyes were serene, like a still lake.
Even after he listed every possible misfortune and barrier she would face—obstacles that seemed insurmountable—she only wavered briefly and never yielded.
Instead, her determination grew even stronger.
Other people’s judgment had always been both a source of fear and an unshakable anxiety for Charlotte. That wouldn’t vanish overnight.
Soon, countless people would fix their gaze upon Charlotte and Aria. Just breathing would invite dozens of rumors to cling to their heels and chase them endlessly.
But she would endure. If that was the price she had to pay to be with Aria, she would bear it.
What had made Charlotte like this? Was Aria truly that precious to her?
There was not the slightest hint of hesitation in Charlotte’s gaze as she looked at Marquis Blanche.
“If that’s what it takes, I’ll marry and adopt Aria.”
The marquis said nothing. He knew no words would change her mind now.
“I’ll never again leave Aria alone.”
Charlotte took a steady breath as she remembered the look in Aria’s eyes the day she was carried away in the Kennises’ arms.
“If there were a way to adopt Aria without marrying and without breaking tradition… would you withdraw your objections then?”
It seemed she wasn’t pushing blindly ahead with this idea—she had thought it through. Whether her plan could actually overcome such a difficult situation was uncertain even to her, but her resolve to at least try was clear.
“If that’s the case, please promise you’ll support my decision.”
The marquis sighed instead of replying. Despite his vow to oppose her no matter what, her resolute determination made resistance meaningless.
In the end, he nodded in reluctant agreement.
“Charlotte was attacked by monsters while chasing the Kennises?”
“Yes. According to Jamil’s confession, the Kennises ran off with the child, who turned out to be the one under Lady Blanche’s care. Lady Blanche received the warrant only later and pursued them, but on the way, she encountered a horde of monsters.”
Theo, who had been listening quietly until then, suddenly scowled and repeated the words in disbelief.
Marc, expecting this reaction, nodded as if he had anticipated it and, without being asked, elaborated in detail.
“Why are you telling me that at the end?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I was afraid you’d grab your sword and head straight to the North to slaughter every monster there.”
As Theodore’s gaze grew increasingly sharp, Marc hurriedly added,
“I’m joking. Don’t look at me like that. I was just trying to be considerate.”
“Utterly useless consideration.”
Theodore glared coldly at him, but what came from his lips instead was a sigh heavy with worry.
He had remained calm while hearing of the Kennises’ arrest, the monster attack, and the lockdown of the Nostri territory. He was even calculating how many search units to dispatch—until he heard that Charlotte had been attacked.
Then his heart dropped.
He had felt uneasy all along, and once again, his intuition had been right.
If only for once it had been needless worry—but no, it was always spot-on.
Still, Marc reassured him that Lady Blanche had not been seriously injured and had safely returned to the capital with Duke Valiant. Considering she had faced monsters and escaped unharmed, that was a relief.
But just the thought that monsters had dared to bare their fangs at Charlotte filled Theodore with a burning rage.
Marc, oblivious to Theodore’s fluctuating emotions, grumbled at the earlier insult.
“How is my consideration useless?”
“You think it was useful?”
“Of course. I was going to tell you right away, but Lady Blanche asked me not to.”
Theodore froze mid-thought, his head snapping up. For a moment, he doubted his own ears.
“She sought me out before leaving for the capital,” Marc continued.
“Asked you for… a favor?”
“She said, since you’d worry, please don’t mention that she’d been attacked.
If it had to be said, tell you last—so you wouldn’t be shocked.”
Theodore’s eyes widened. He slowly stood up, turning away toward the wall.
The tips of his ears flushed red.
It wasn’t even a confession, yet just hearing that Charlotte had said such words made him inexplicably happy. The warmth that started at his ears spread to his neck, clear enough for Marc to see.
To be honest, she had later added, ‘…Actually, now that I think about it, he might not worry at all. Forget what I said.’
But Marc had decided to omit that part.
Theodore forced himself to cool down and sat back down. He pretended to be composed, but the icy air around him had definitely softened.
“…You’re right. I was wrong. That was an incredibly useful favor.”
“No one flips their attitude faster than you, Commander.”
“Even after losing contact for so long, she still worries about me.
If I’d known that, I would’ve gone myself.”
“Commander, are you even listening?”
He wasn’t. Theodore’s mind was still filled with thoughts of Charlotte despite his effort to focus.
Truthfully, he longed to see her more than anyone—but he also worried endlessly.
He had imagined their reunion countless times in his head:
It always ended the same—either Charlotte smiling softly, or giving him that slightly exasperated look.
If she welcomed him with a smile, nothing would make him happier.
But since it had been so long, what if she felt awkward, or distant? That thought alone made him hesitate.
Still, even if their relationship had to start from scratch, Theodore was willing to approach her again—slowly, carefully.
Even so, the conflicting feelings were impossible to ignore.
And now, hearing that Charlotte had said something like that to Marc…
He knew it wasn’t exactly something to rejoice over—but he couldn’t help feeling happy.
Even knowing she’d been attacked by monsters, his heart warmed at the realization that she still remembered and thought of him.
Charlotte, whether five years ago or now, was always the same—attentive and considerate.
Theodore pressed down the corners of his lips with his fingertips.
Get a grip, Theodore. She was attacked by monsters.
“I am listening.”
“You don’t sound like it.”
“Where were we again?”
“At the part where Lady Blanche, who’d been attacked, worried about you.”
Marc answered with an exasperated expression.
“Ah… Was she scared?”
“…What?”
“No, she must have been. Facing such horrific monsters, almost losing the child she cared for…”
“Excuse me?”
Marc blinked in disbelief.
He’d already heard from the mountain scouts that Lady Blanche had bravely driven away the monsters, rolled through flames, and rescued the child—practically like a hero out of legend.
He could still picture her vividly, threatening the Kennises in that calm, beautiful voice of hers.
Marc darted his eyes back and forth before speaking carefully.
“I’m not sure if she was scared, but I heard she turned the area into a sea of fire to drive the monsters away.
She also told the Kennises to be ready to pay for their crimes…”
Theodore’s expression was one of utter disbelief.
He hesitated, then muttered softly,
“Charlotte… did that?”
“Yes.”
“Truly?”
“I’m telling you, yes.”
Theodore looked like he couldn’t comprehend it.
What sort of image of Charlotte did he have in his head to react like that?
Marc, watching him sit frozen with a hand over his mouth, shot him a weary glance.
“What’s with that face? Are you… curious about how she looked while threatening them or something?”
“…A little.”
From his face, it was clearly more than a little.
Marc sighed deeply.
If just hearing about her turned the usually stoic commander into a love-struck fool, he couldn’t imagine what would happen once Theodore actually saw her again.
