Chapter 4

Three days before Erhen woke up.  

The lazy afternoon light poured in through the tall, glass windows.  

Michael Düsseldorf, the King who had downgraded the crumbling empire into a kingdom and led the revival of the new Rohadin, sat slouched on a plush sofa. Holding a poetry book in one hand, he recited verses aloud.  

Michael’s golden hair shimmered as if it were aflame in the sunlight, and his voice resonated sweetly. To the maids, it seemed as though an angel had descended to sing a heavenly hymn. They stole glances, captivated by the sight of Rohadin’s young king.  

‘Is this the reality of a divine countenance?’  

Even without words, Michael could sense their admiration, and the corners of his lips curled into a subtle smile.  

He cherished this time, granted to him after completing all his duties. A moment where he was not the ruling King, but a simple man enjoying literature. It was a time when he could tangibly feel the peace he had achieved.  

But that peace did not last long.  

The chamberlain, Günter, entered after a knock, his face marked with urgency.  

“Forgive me, Your Majesty. Earl Werner urgently requests an audience.”  

Michael raised his hand, signaling the others to leave.  

The Werner Earldom was a cadet branch of the Rosenheim Dukedom, a family that had once been vassals. Though the feudal concept of land ownership had declined, separating land from wealth and authority, the Werner family still chose to maintain its vassal status and remained aligned with Rosenheim.  

Thus, for Earl Werner to urgently seek an audience with Michael could only mean something had happened to Erhen.  

After the maids and attendants withdrew, and even Günter retreated with a backward step, a man of solid and imposing stature entered. The door closed behind him.  

“Peace to Rohadin. I greet you, Your Majesty.”  

“It’s unusual for you Earl to come in place of the Duke. What is the matter?”  

“Well…”  

After a brief hesitation, the Earl began detailing the urgent report from Philip. His voice trembled intermittently as he recounted the attack on Erhen, whom he regarded as a son.  

Michael, listening silently, furrowed his brow deeply at the unbelievable news.  

“Rosenheim’s Duke was attacked?”  

“…” 

“And he hasn’t woken up?”  

Michael, momentarily dumbfounded, repeated the information in disbelief.  

Only after some time did he speak again.  

“This is a warning directed at me.”  

The tasks Michael had assigned to Duke Rosenheim, Erhen, were diplomatic missions involving Illusion, a neighboring state along Rohadin’s border. These were not life-threatening assignments.  

It was merely a journey intended to give Erhen time to sort out his thoughts. Only Michael, who issued the orders, and Erhen, who carried them out, were aware of these tasks.  

This implied the presence of spies within the palace, eavesdropping on the king’s words, which posed a direct threat to him.  

Moreover, Erhen was Rohadin’s greatest mage. For someone of his caliber to remain unconscious suggested that the attackers were highly trained elites.  

“And he was found at Viscountess Lintz’s residence?”  

Of all places, his ex-wife’s home.  

Michael couldn’t help but chuckle at the absurdity of the situation, wondering if Erhen had finally decided on a course of action only when faced with death.  

“Earl Werner.”  

“Yes, Your Majesty.”  

“I will dispatch the Kaiserliche. Investigate the culprits together.”  

“As you command, Your Majesty!”  

Unlike the army, which required parliamentary approval to mobilize, the “Kaiserliche” was the king’s personal guard, entirely under his command.  

By deploying the Kaiserliche, Michael was signaling that the attack on Duke Rosenheim was an affront to the King himself.  

“And as for Duke Rosenheim, tell him to stay put until he’s fully recovered.”  

*   *   *  

“Lida, the Duke has woken up. Please call the doctor.”  

“Oh my, finally! Viscountess, you must be relieved!”  

“Well, what does that have to do with me…?”  

“Oh, and about the house repairs we discussed earlier…”  

“Right, call the contractor and have it checked.”  

After giving instructions to Lida, Charlotte wrapped herself in a blanket and sank back into a chair on the terrace.  

The magic device emitting heat couldn’t completely dispel the chill, but the temperature was just right for her to think calmly.  

As her emotions settled, an important matter came to mind.  

That organization with the snowflower emblem.  

As an avid reader of The Glorious Rebellion, Charlotte knew about the organization. She had simply forgotten.  

Charlotte opened an ordinary-looking notebook from her drawer. She had thought she would never have to use it again.  

Business Plan Collection  

Despite its ambitious title, the notebook was filled with traces of Charlotte’s struggles to survive after reincarnating in this world.  

Contemplating how to navigate the pre-determined flow of the original story was easier than the sleepless nights she had spent conducting experiments in her graduate school lab.  

Taking up a pen, Charlotte began listing the deviations from the original story—changes she had caused.  

1. Both Erhen and I are alive.  

Their survival was the most significant deviation from the original.  

In The Glorious Rebellion, Michael’s tale was one of heroism.  

While Charlotte had been an extra among extras, Erhen had been a key ally who led countless battles to victory. However, in the latter part of the story, he died protecting Michael.  

Charlotte had chosen Erhen as her lifeline after realizing her reincarnation.  

Setting aside the fact that Erhen was her favorite character, he was also the most attractive mage in Rohadin, with a tragic family history that added to his appeal. His death, just as the rebellion succeeded, had always weighed on her mind.  

Perhaps she saw parts of her past self in him. She couldn’t stand it. To endure such hardship only to meet death as a result—it was unbearable.  

2. The organization with the snowflower emblem.  

In the original story, this organization was briefly mentioned and quickly forgotten.  

The Republican Faction, Kopenbach.  

Based on ideals of liberalism and republicanism, the organization had spread its ideology among the Empire’s citizens in opposition to the Emperor’s tyranny before being purged.  

However, due to Charlotte’s unintended interference, they had missed their window to act prominently.  

Since their goal of overthrowing the Emperor aligned with Michael’s, Charlotte had thought there was no need to worry.  

It was a complacent assumption.  

Now, she didn’t even know who led the current Kopenbach.  

Thus, she couldn’t reveal everything to Erhen.  

She needed concrete evidence to confirm whether the organization with the snowflower emblem was indeed Kopenbach in this altered version of the story.  

Tap, tap, tap…  

Charlotte tapped her pen against the notebook, lost in thought.  

It had been 23 years since her reincarnation, and 23 years since she had experienced death in her previous life.  

Yet, the moment of her death remained vivid.  

A dark room. A lonely night in a studio apartment where no one came to visit.  

She had cried herself to sleep, and the death that had been beside her consumed her completely.  

Charlotte trembled. She never wanted to experience that fear again. Never again.  

If this was fate, she would defy it.  

Charlotte thought resolutely.  

She couldn’t easily give up the happiness she had painstakingly built.  

The pen, which had paused, began to move again, scratching against the paper.  

Her goal remained unchanged from three years ago: survival in this world.  

…But then.  

“Charlotte.”  

Why did the image of Erhen kissing her suddenly surface?  

And why did she keep thinking about his lips?  

Perhaps her thoughts had gone on too long.  

Charlotte shook her head vigorously and closed the notebook.  

When she turned around, there stood Erhen, looking at her.  

“Your Grace?”  

“Charlotte.”  

This time, it wasn’t her imagination.  

Erhen was leaning against the doorway to the terrace.  

Unlike Charlotte, who was bundled in blankets, he was only wearing a thin shirt.  

Without a second thought, Charlotte rushed to him.  

“Are you insane? It’s the middle of winter! You just woke up—what are you doing out here?”  

Charlotte scolded him, her voice rising without her realizing it.  

“Didn’t the doctor leave with Lida? And how did you even know I was here?”  

“Calm down, Charlotte.”  

“Do I look calm to you right now?”  

Charlotte unwrapped the blanket she had been wearing and draped it over Erhen’s shoulders.  

Though Erhen wasn’t particularly bothered by the cold, he complied with her actions without complaint.  

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”  

His voice was low but gentle.  

It was the same tone he had used when he first woke up and called her name.  

Charlotte’s hands, tying the blanket into a knot, paused briefly before finishing the task.  

In a slightly softer voice, she replied,  

“For a reunion after a year, this is quite dramatic.”  

“I suppose I owe you an apology for that.”  

“Well… I wasn’t fishing for one.”  

“I know. But I should say it anyway.”  

Erhen bowed his head to her.  

The sight of him, wrapped in a blanket and bowing, was both absurd and endearing.  

“Thank you for saving me.”  

When he lifted his head, a faint smile played on his lips.  

Following the curve of his smile with her eyes, Charlotte quickly regained her composure and muttered,  

“I only did what any decent person would do.”  

At her words, Erhen chuckled softly.  

But soon, a shadow of self-reproach appeared in his eyes.  

Attacked by unknown assailants, he had barely survived.  

In his dire state, the only thought that had come to him was of her.  

It had been his lifeline.  

But the result of that selfish desire had been to put Charlotte in danger because of him.  

“Charlotte.”  

Hearing him call her name in a calm voice, Charlotte looked up to meet his gaze.  

Was it responsibility?  

No, it was something deeper than that.  

“Let’s get engaged.”  

Erhen’s voice carried a quiet joy.  

It was paradoxical.