Chapter 2

A Duke of a nation, moreover the King’s closest confidant, was found in front of a mere Viscountess’s house. And by morning, no one from his entourage had come looking for him.  

These two sentences, which defied all logic in this world, had become a reality in a single day.  

Had his entourage been wiped out? 

That was impossible. Erhen Rosenheim was a magician capable of annihilating a hundred soldiers on his own.  

An assassination attempt targeting Erhen alone. And this was something that had never occurred in the original story.  

After staying up all night in thought, Charlotte arrived at this conclusion.  

“Lida, send a message to the Duke’s household.”  

Having made up her mind, Charlotte gave instructions to Lida.  

“Tell them the Duke is here.”  

“Yes, Viscountess.”  

“And Ras.”  

Charlotte turned around. Ras, who had been waiting beside Lida, stepped forward as if he had been anticipating her call.  

She pulled out a small piece of cloth she had found in Erhen’s pocket and handed it to him.  

“It’s time to show off your skills after a long while.”  

“What if I’ve gone rusty?”  

His tone was light, not matching the gravity of the situation.  

Strictly speaking, Ras was a bodyguard and informant Charlotte had hired to protect herself after regaining memories of her past life.  

Now that the original story had ended, there was no longer a need to maintain their professional relationship. Yet, thanks to the bond they had formed back then, Ras remained a loyal servant and close companion to Charlotte.  

Recognizing his playful intent, Charlotte smiled faintly.  

“Then I’ll have to terminate our contract.”  

“Don’t say such terrifying things, my dear Viscountess.”  

Ras swiftly snatched the cloth from Charlotte’s hand.  

On the cloth was a design of a flower with its petals drooping downward.  

“A group using a flower motif to orchestrate murder—how amusing.”  

“Yes. Find out which group uses this symbol.”  

“I’ll do my best.”  

Once Lida and Ras exited, Charlotte’s gaze returned to Erhen, lying on the bed.  

Was it really necessary to go this far for someone whose ties with me had already ended?  

Yet, strangely, the thought that she must do this consumed her mind.  

***

The Duke’s household sent someone by the time morning broke the next day.  

The representative of the Rosenheim Ducal House was Baron Philip Rimelt, the Duke’s aide and a former soldier, much like Erhen during the rebellion.  

Watching him dismount from his horse, Charlotte rose from her chair.  

“Madam… I mean, Viscountess Lintz.”  

Philip, who had apparently set out in haste upon hearing the news, revealed a face still marked by shock beneath his hastily removed hat.  

He almost addressed her by her former title as the Duchess but managed to correct himself and use her current title instead. With his gaze lowered, he looked visibly shaken.  

Seeing Philip, who had rushed such a long distance after hearing of his lord’s injury, Charlotte felt there was no need for the usual greetings exchanged after a year of absence. She simply nodded lightly.  

“The Duke has passed the critical stage and is recovering. He has not regained consciousness yet.” 

As they moved to where Erhen was resting, Charlotte relayed his condition. Philip’s face showed a trace of relief at her words.  

But only briefly.  

When he saw Erhen’s body, covered in wounds and lying unconscious, his expression hardened grimly.  

After composing himself, Philip touched his ear and muttered something briefly before speaking again.  

“The Duke’s guards are on their way and are expected to arrive this evening. I’ve just informed Earl Werner as well.”  

“I see.”  

“Thank you so much for taking care of the duke, Viscountess Lintz.”  

Well, given that he was found right in front of my house…  

Charlotte swallowed the words she wanted to say and instead offered a faint smile.  

Perhaps it was the modest size of the room, much smaller than any in the Duke’s residence, but Philip’s gaze began scanning the surroundings before stopping at the table behind Charlotte.  

“Did you get any sleep?”  

“Pardon?”  

“The coffee still looks hot.”  

Since when was Philip such an observant man?  

Caught off guard by his unexpected comment, Charlotte quickly responded.  

“Oh, I’m fine. But let’s step outside so the Duke can rest comfortably while we talk.”  

“Understood.”  

In the drawing room, a warm milk tea and soft roll cake had been prepared on the table.  

The food was meant for Charlotte, who had sustained herself on coffee, and Philip, who had traveled all night.  

Charlotte and Philip sat facing each other at the table.  

“I believe you have the right to know, so let me explain.”  

Philip calmly began recounting the last time he had seen Erhen.  

“The Duke was as he always was.”  

According to Philip, Erhen, who was typically stoic, had remained so on that day as well.  

However, at some point, he had begun traveling alone without his entourage, something he had never done before.  

The first time Erhen announced he would travel without a proper escort, they had secretly assigned guards to follow him. But when Erhen discovered this, he had said:  

“Do my words not sound like words to you?”  

It made them realize he must have needed time alone.  

So, this time as well, he had left the estate, saying he was going on a trip.  

But it was the first time he had been gone for so long, and just as they were beginning to worry, the message from Viscountess Lintz arrived.  

Wait, Erhen traveled alone? Was that really in his nature?  

“I was so shocked when I received the message, especially since the sender was—of all people—you, Viscountess. I couldn’t believe it.”  

“I understand. I never imagined I would find the Duke in front of my house either.”  

“To confirm the duke’s condition, I came here first.”  

Philip once again bowed his head to Charlotte.  

Instead of responding with words, Charlotte handed him the cloth with the symbol.  

“This was found in the duke’s clothing. I believe this assassination attempt is connected to the organization behind this symbol.”  

“This is an unfamiliar emblem. We’ll conduct our own investigation and inform you of our findings.”  

Charlotte nodded.  

The identity of those who attacked Erhen remained a mystery, but with even this small clue, it seemed only a matter of time before the truth was uncovered.  

***

Charlotte dampened a handkerchief with water and gently dabbed Erhen’s forehead, which was covered in cold sweat.  

It had already been a week since he had fallen unconscious. Although she had been reassured that he would be fine, the fact that he had not yet awakened was unusual. 

Was there something the doctor had overlooked?  

As worry began to harden her expression, Erhen’s eyelids twitched, and soon his eyes slowly opened.  

“…Your Grace?”  

“Charlotte….”  

Her name escaped his lips like a faint murmur.  

As soon as Charlotte realized that Erhen had awakened, she jumped to her feet. She stepped back hurriedly, intending to call for someone, but in her haste, she lost her footing and stumbled.  

And in that instant—  

“Ah.”  

Just before she fell, Erhen grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms. However, the strength of a man who had just awakened was far from sufficient.  

Charlotte fell onto the bed, landing on top of Erhen.  

Their cheeks brushed, and she could feel the heat emanating from his body.  

Charlotte quickly pushed herself up. The sight of his face so close made her head spin.  

“I-I’m sorry!”  

She had inadvertently ended up in a compromising position with someone who was still recovering. Panicked, she tried to move away, but the grip on her wrist held her in place.  

Before she could fully comprehend the situation, she heard something that made her freeze.  

“So, I’ve finally died.”  

His voice was calm, almost unbelievably so.  

Charlotte stopped struggling at his words. One of her wrists was still held by Erhen, while her other arm supported her body, keeping a slight distance between their faces.  

His deep, blue eyes locked onto hers, gazing at her intently with an emotion that seemed to carry a profound yearning.  

Charlotte found herself speechless under his piercing stare.  

Her disheveled hair, loosened from her sudden movements, cascaded over her shoulders. Some of it brushed against Erhen’s cheek.  

A faint breath escaped his pale lips.  

“Or perhaps this is a dream.”  

“No, this is reality….”  

Erhen, who had been toying with her hair, reached out and cupped her cheek, lifting her head slightly.  

Before she could even react to the unfamiliar sensation on her lips, something hot slipped past her parted lips, leaving Charlotte stunned.