Chapter 83
He had known it even before leaving for the subjugation campaign. Since the region had once been Leopold’s stronghold, it could take over ten years to complete the mission. Even so, Theodore was determined to go. He wanted to stand before Charlotte not as a poor-born holy knight lifted up by Ronan Blanche, but as Theodore the Hero, the man who had flawlessly completed the monster subjugation.
And so, even when he swung his blade and severed the monsters’ necks with blood soaking his skin, he believed it was all part of the path to stand confidently at Charlotte’s side.
‘Theodore, you mustn’t get hurt. You have to come back alive.’
‘Don’t worry. I promise—I’ll return safely, without dying.’
The image of Charlotte, whom he last saw five years ago, replayed again and again in his mind until it became vivid enough to feel real. The deeper he ventured into enemy territory, where the air was so dense with demonic energy it was hard to breathe, the more he revisited Charlotte’s letters—each one carefully rewritten multiple times, their edits showing her earnest sincerity.
Five long years. As he returned, hailed as a hero, countless thoughts swirled in his mind.
What should he say first when he saw Charlotte?
The love he had held inside—so deep he couldn’t express it all even if he spoke one sentence a day for the rest of his life—raged through his mind. Still, he planned to greet her as if meeting a long-missed friend. Then, he wanted to casually ask how she had been and listen to the five years he had missed.
But then…
“I missed you.”
The heartfelt truth he had pressed down for so long burst out, rendering all the carefully chosen lovely words useless.
He clearly heard Charlotte calling his name, but he still couldn’t believe it. Was this a dream? Had he imagined meeting her so many times that now he was hallucinating?
But that smile was too vivid. The sight of it made his heart tremble and his mind go blank—this was reality. And even so, he couldn’t tear his gaze away from the smile spreading on her lips. It was the very smile he had longed for.
“…I missed you.”
Theodore confessed once more. Five years ago or now, he had never been able to properly put away his feelings for Charlotte. But this time, it was truly beyond his control. His emotions were too heightened by the joy of seeing her again. It was only after saying “I missed you” twice that he felt himself regaining his senses. He squeezed his eyes shut and opened them.
Charlotte had asked if he had been well, and he responded by blurting out that he missed her. How embarrassed must she be?
Just when he thought he should try to recover somehow, a gentle chiming sound came from right in front of him. Or rather—Charlotte’s laughter, soft and light like bell chimes.
“I missed you too.”
Her shy reply made his heart explode. Whether she said it to ease his embarrassment or meant it sincerely, either way it was beautiful. If she truly meant it… if Charlotte felt the same way as he did… the thought alone made his chest feel ready to burst.
Either way—he was simply happy.
“As I came here, I kept thinking about it. Five years ago, even though you were a holy knight, you still looked so youthful.”
Heat crept up Theodore’s neck.
“You’ve become truly handsome.”
…That was his line to say. Theodore barely swallowed down the surge of truth rising in his throat and steadied his breath.
“You haven’t changed.”
“Hmm?”
“You’re still kind. And warm.”
“!”
“The letters you sent… you don’t know how much strength they gave me. I should’ve written back, but… I couldn’t.”
Perhaps that was a bit much. But this wasn’t a thought that jumped out recklessly—it was something he truly wanted to say.
During the subjugation, they had steadily pushed in from the outskirts of Leopold’s former territory. By the time they reached the center, only a handful of holy knights, including Theodore, were capable of entering. Once inside, it took ages to return. So the letters naturally stopped.
Even so, Charlotte continued to send letters without expecting replies.
Letters filled with prayers for his safety, written with trembling sincerity. Personal funds and supplies she sent, saying they were for the knights. Those had become his source of strength during the grueling campaign.
When he said her letters helped him, Charlotte’s cheeks flushed pink.
It’s like facing a ray of sunlight.
To Theodore, Charlotte had always been sunlight. From the first time they met—when he was filthy from the slums and she smiled brightly, grabbed his hand, and led him along—she had always been radiant.
The heat that had risen to his neck now spread to his face. Just as he was about to be engulfed by it, Aria—who had been quietly watching their reunion—stretched her arms toward Charlotte. Theodore instinctively flinched and quickly caught Aria so she wouldn’t fall. Charlotte also stepped forward with the same reflex.
“!”
Their distance suddenly shrank. Theodore tried hard to act natural as he handed Aria over. But then—hadn’t this child called Charlotte “Mom”?
All his attention had been on Charlotte until now, and only now did something strike him as strange.
“Mom?”
“Oh—she’s my daughter. Her name is Aria.”
Theodore’s eyes widened. He guessed Aria’s age roughly, and then remembered what Mark had once mentioned in his report about Nostri.
“I heard you were looking after a child in Nostri… is it her?”
“Yes. And today, at the joint council meeting, I appealed to His Majesty. I said I wanted to adopt Aria.”
“!”
“Legally it’s forbidden, so we couldn’t sign any formal documents. But His Majesty recognized our relationship and granted me the authority to speak his name for her.”
Charlotte kissed Aria’s cheek lightly and glanced at Theodore. Other than her grandfather at the meeting and Ash, who knew the circumstances, Theodore was the first person to whom she directly said Aria was her daughter. She wondered what he would think. Would he worry? Tell her it was foolish?
Theodore didn’t know how she met Aria or how their bond formed. From his perspective, an unmarried woman suddenly adopting a child could be surprising.
But Theodore—unexpectedly—reacted in a completely different way.
“Weren’t you nervous?”
“…Huh?”
“I attended a joint council meeting once. I was so nervous I thought I’d faint while pretending to be fine.”
Then he bent down and met Aria’s eyes with a warm smile.
“Then you’re Aria Blanche now. Miss Aria Blanche, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you too!”
Lifting his gaze, Theodore smiled brightly at Charlotte.
“The name and surname suit her perfectly. She must’ve been destined to be your daughter.”
“!”
“And honestly—it’s incredible. To bring it up directly in front of high-ranking nobles, the High Priest, Their Imperial Majesties… If it were me, I’d be too scared to be so straightforward.”
Charlotte blinked in surprise. She had expected worry, doubt, or caution. Maybe warnings about rumors even if the Emperor approved.
But instead…
As she stroked Aria’s hair, she timidly asked,
“You’re… not confused?”
“About what?”
“That I decided to adopt Aria. You didn’t seem surprised.”
“I was surprised. But—you’re careful by nature. You don’t make rash decisions. The fact that you chose to adopt her and acted on it means you thought it through—and that’s enough reason.”
Charlotte’s eyes sparkled. She could feel the trust in his words. He didn’t even know the story behind the adoption, yet he trusted her judgment completely and supported her choice. It made her happy.
Right—she had forgotten, since they hadn’t seen each other for five years.
Theodore had always been on her side.
When she was young, she once brought a doll her father gifted her to a party, only to have Young Lord Delfino snatch it away, calling it a cursed doll. Upset, she shoved him, but unfortunately, there was a table behind him.
Though thankfully nothing broke, Delfino claimed she pushed him “for no reason.”
She cried helplessly—until Theodore appeared. He shoved Delfino’s shoulder again, so hard that he tumbled to the floor this time.
“Lying? Who taught you manners—your tutor or a street swindler?”
“W-why are you interfering!”
“What? You were standing still and she pushed you? If she pushed you, you must’ve done something to deserve it. With a face like a trampled fish head, at least speak politely.”
Delfino had never heard such rough speech in his life and froze on the spot. Nearby nobles testified that Delfino was the one who harassed Lady Blanche, and an apology quickly settled the matter.
And that wasn’t the only time. Theodore had stood up for her many times—always saying,
“I’m always on your side.”
He’s on my side again…
Her chest tickled with warmth. Charlotte stepped half a step closer to him.
He had grown taller; she had to tilt her head back to meet his eyes.
His shoulders were broad, his chest firm. The hand that had held a sword for years was surely much larger and calloused than hers. Even at a glance, his physique was well-built and solid. Up close, he no longer felt like a boy but a man—and for a moment it startled her. But the warmth in his gaze hadn’t changed, and it didn’t feel unfamiliar.
With a soft smile, Charlotte began boasting about Aria to him.
“Aria is adorable, right?”
“She’s just like you as a child.”
Charlotte laughed.
“Really? In what way?”
“In the way her face carries a hint of a smile… her pure white hair… how she hops around like a little rabbit… and how she loves being held…”
Theodore seemed to be thinking hard, yet the list of resemblances flowed easily. His gaze drifted to the hair near Charlotte’s ear. His voice trailed off just as his hand reached out.
He gently tucked her loose hair behind her ear—his fingertips a bit red from embarrassment.
“You resemble her. She’s truly lovable.”
