Chapter 37

“Kyaaah!”

The peaceful Hamern train station was thrown into chaos in an instant. The gunshot that pierced the air sent panicked travelers fleeing in all directions. Screams echoed throughout the station as fear consumed the atmosphere.  

Erhen swiftly pulled Charlotte, who was staggering in shock, into his arms. Their escorts immediately surrounded them in a protective formation. Items from Charlotte’s bag, which had been torn open by the bullet, spilled out onto the stone floor of the train station.  

“Are you alright, Charlotte?”  

Erhen asked urgently. Even amidst the chaos, his sharp eyes darted around, trying to locate the direction from which the sniper’s bullet had been fired. Charlotte, trembling, tried her best to answer calmly.  

“Yes, I’m fine.”  

She said so, but a wave of terror surged within her. Charlotte had always managed to avoid danger by using her knowledge of the original story while assisting Michael and Erhen in preparing for the coup. This was the first time her life had been directly threatened, making the fear even more overwhelming.  

Her grip on Erhen’s coat tightened. Sensing her distress, Erhen covered her hands with his and formed a protective barrier around her.  

“Just hold on a little longer. I’ll handle it.”  

Bang! The second gunshot rang out, ricocheting off the barrier surrounding Charlotte and Erhen before embedding itself in a nearby pillar. The bullets, coming from multiple directions, made it difficult to pinpoint the sniper’s location.  

The two consecutive gunshots turned the train station into a battlefield of chaos. Amid the escalating disorder, Erhen thought to himself.  

In the past, he would have stopped time at the train station. But with his mana currently unstable, using such a method in a situation where he didn’t know how many enemies were attacking or where they were hiding would be a reckless waste of energy.  

Moreover, this wasn’t a battlefield where he was facing the Emperor’s forces, nor was it a moment like the ambush he had previously endured alone.  

He needed to choose a more efficient method. A more effective solution.  

It was then that Charlotte, trembling, shouted in a shaky voice.  

“It’s not because of you, Duke. I’m the target!”  

“What?”  

“Charlotte Rothschild.”  

The voice of the man who had called her name in the train’s dining car resurfaced in her mind after the second gunshot. For the past three years, Charlotte had not lived as Rothschild’s daughter. Ever since her contract marriage with Erhen, she had been the Marchioness of Rosenheim, and after their divorce, she was now Viscountess Lintz.  

So if someone had called her by her maiden name, she should have suspected it from that moment.  

“This world’s flow has been disrupted because that boy survived due to you. And now, to restore its balance, this world will continue trying to kill both him and you, who defy His fate.”  

Charlotte bit her trembling lip. Those were the words spoken by Lida, who had been possessed by the Overseer.  

As Erhen stared at her with a bewildered expression, Charlotte shouted again.  

“They’re targeting me!”  

Her declaration caused Erhen, Philip, and Ras—who were guarding her closely—to exchange glances.  

In an unspoken agreement, Erhen quickly made a decision. He grabbed Charlotte’s hand and stood up. At the same time, their escorts closed in around them.  

Philip, loading his gun, said, 

“We’ll cover you.”  

Erhen nodded. Still unable to fully grasp the situation, Charlotte squeezed her eyes shut as the third gunshot rang out. Erhen gripped her hand tightly and pulled her along.  

“Stay low!” 

Erhen commanded sharply.  

Magic, to some extent, adheres to the laws of physics.  

A barrier reinforced with elemental mass weakens under physical impact. Therefore, to avoid the barrage of bullets, they needed to minimize their physical profile as much as possible.  

At Erhen’s command, Charlotte immediately crouched and began running as he led her.  

As soon as they started moving, gunshots erupted in rapid succession, aimed at them. Their escorts returned fire, providing cover as Charlotte and Erhen sprinted across the train tracks toward the opposite side of the station’s exit.  

Amid the deafening roar of gunfire, Charlotte could hear the sound of the barrier being torn apart by the bullets.  

A primal fear of death gripped her. She clung to Erhen’s hand as if it were her lifeline. Erhen, in turn, held her hand even tighter.  

Her heart pounded as if it would burst.  

***

Thud.  

Erhen kicked aside the corpse lying at his feet and straightened up.  

The last of their pursuers, the one he had just killed, lay motionless. Judging by the absence of any further signs of pursuit, most of their attackers had likely been pinned down at the train station.  

Charlotte and Erhen had fled to a small mountain behind Hamern train station. Once they had put enough distance between themselves and their attackers, Erhen cast a concealment spell on Charlotte and ventured out alone.  

Now free to move as he pleased, Erhen showed no mercy. Just as Charlotte had said, their attackers had targeted her. Without any magical weapons, only firearms, they were no match for Erhen. With a single gesture, he dispatched them effortlessly.  

“Phew.”  

As he exhaled deeply, a white mist formed in the cold air.  

Despite his swift actions, darkness had already begun to settle around him.  

In the capital, he might have found a way to manage on his own. But with Charlotte in tow, the situation was far more complicated. Even though he had eliminated the immediate threat, there was no telling what might happen next.  

Moreover, the mountain they were on had no developed roads. Further movement was impossible.  

He hadn’t brought any magical tools, as he hadn’t been on a mission. Erhen loosened the cravat around his neck. After tying it into a makeshift magical tool, he snapped his fingers. The cravat disappeared instantly.  

He had already contacted Philip for emergency assistance. Once the situation at the station was under control, they would come looking for him and Charlotte. For now, he had done all he could. They would have to endure the night somehow.  

After confirming once more that no pursuers remained, Erhen turned back toward Charlotte.  

***

When Erhen extended his hand, the background of bushes shimmered with a crackling sound, revealing a glitch-like distortion.  

What appeared to be a thicket was actually the entrance to a cave, concealed by an illusion barrier.  

Finding the barrier intact, Erhen stepped inside and called out, 

“It’s me.”  

At the sound of his voice, movement stirred deeper within the cave. Footsteps quickly approached, and soon Charlotte emerged.  

Her face was pale as she rushed toward him. Before Erhen could say anything, Charlotte spoke hurriedly.  

“Are you alright? You’re not hurt, are you?”  

Her face was ghostly white, her lips drained of color. Her clothes were scratched and torn from running through the forest.  

Despite her disheveled appearance, Charlotte didn’t seem to care. She scanned Erhen’s face and body, checking for injuries.  

Her gaze landed on his arm, stained with a dark red mark. Her trembling eyes filled with alarm, but Erhen quickly reassured her.  

“It’s not my blood.”  

“Ah…”  

“Nothing happened. Everything’s fine.”  

“It was dangerous.”  

Charlotte’s voice trembled with anguish. Her breathing grew shallow.  

“It’s my fault. I should have been more careful.”  

“It’s not your fault.”  

“Who could it be? Who would do such a thing?”  

Her voice cracked, sounding almost like a sob.  

Despair and anger. Fear and guilt. Her trembling hands betrayed her inability to suppress her emotions. Despite her efforts, tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.  

“Charlotte.”  

“It’s all because of me. Because of me, you… Duke, it’s all my fault…”  

Her voice broke off as she lowered her head.  

Standing before her, Erhen silently observed her, overwhelmed by an unfamiliar emotion.  

The Charlotte he knew wasn’t someone who cried so easily.  

There had been only one time he had seen her cry during their marriage.  

That moment had solidified Erhen’s resolve against the tyrant Rufus. But from their first meeting, when she had confidently presented him with a marriage contract, to their preparations for the coup, and even after their divorce, Charlotte had always been composed, proud, and steadfast.  

But now, she was crying again, just like that time. Why? Erhen didn’t know.  

Without a word, he stepped closer and gently pulled her into his arms. He let her cry freely.  

“It’s alright. Everything’s alright.”  

He whispered softly, over and over, until her tears finally stopped.  

He truly wished for her heart to find even a moment of peace.