Chapter 47

“Ah! Charlotte!”

Lucas screamed in shock as he entered the room, finding himself staring down the barrel of a revolver aimed squarely at him. Despite his surprise, he instinctively raised both hands above his head.

“It’s Lucas.”

Ras was just as startled by the sudden change in the gun’s direction.

“Viscountess, take your finger off the trigger!”

“Oh.”

“Even if it’s not loaded, you should never point a gun at someone so carelessly!”

“Got it.”

Only then did Charlotte remove her finger from the trigger and lower the gun. Her anger at Lucas for placing her under house arrest had yet to subside. Clicking her tongue briefly, she turned her focus away from Lucas and back toward the target. Lucas cautiously approached her, but she ignored him, pretending not to notice.

Standing in front of Charlotte and Ras, Lucas finally spoke.

“Can we talk for a moment?”

“I don’t think the great and mighty older brother who ignored me when I wanted to talk, only to lock me in the house, has any right to ask for that.”

“For that, I’m sorry.”

Lucas apologized quickly. Charlotte sighed, muttering under her breath about the burdens of having an older brother.

“Ras, could you give us a moment?”

“Yes. Let’s continue later.”

As Ras stepped away, leaving Charlotte and Lucas alone in the shooting range, silence filled the space. The two stood facing opposite directions until Lucas, fiddling with the black revolver Ras had left behind, cleared his throat.

“You’re learning how to shoot.”

“Yes.”

“You must’ve been really shaken.”

“Yes.”

“Well, Ras is someone you can trust.”

“This conversation is pointless.”

Charlotte, who had been responding curtly, shot Lucas a fiery glare. He stood before her in a sharp, tailored suit, as if he had come straight from work. The cufflinks on his sleeves gleamed under the range’s lights whenever he moved. With a short sigh, Lucas finally got to the point.

“…Right. You’ve always hated unnecessary small talk before getting to the heart of the matter.”

“You know me well.”

“I wasn’t thinking straight. Hearing that you were targeted threw me completely off balance.”

“I’m also angry about how much you must’ve swayed Mom and Dad to make them agree with you on everything.”

“Well, you’re the youngest princess of our family.”

And that’s why, even though you’re an adult, I imposed house arrest.

Lucas thought as he picked up the gun. With a click, he loaded it and aimed it at the target. His finger rested on the trigger, but he didn’t pull it.

***

Lucas had met with Erhen just a day after the incident occurred. Although Sonne was co-managed by Caspar and Johanna, Lucas’s office was the one frequented by Rohadin’s nobles who dabbled in business. However, visits from high-ranking nobles of the Duke or Marquis level were rare. Thus, the sudden arrival of the Duke of Rosenheim surprised not only the staff but even the executives.

Lucas had received word earlier that afternoon about the Duke’s visit. He could already guess what Erhen wanted to discuss, but the tension in his body was impossible to suppress. When the appointed time arrived, Erhen stepped out of the Rosenheim ducal carriage and looked up at the Sonne building before entering.

Soon, the two men were seated across from each other in Lucas’s office. After tea was served and the secretary had closed the door behind her, Erhen finally spoke.

“Apologies for the sudden visit. I hope I’m not imposing.”

“If it’s a visit from you, Your Grace, I would gladly set aside all other matters.”

Erhen smiled at Lucas’s words and took a sip of tea. The subtle flavor and refreshing aroma of rosemary filled the air—a tea Lida often recommended to Charlotte, who drank coffee as if she were addicted.

Looking at Erhen, whose hair and eyes bore a striking resemblance to Charlotte’s, Lucas couldn’t help but think of her. It seemed absurd that he had come this far, consumed by thoughts of her.

As they drank tea together, Lucas finally broke the silence.

“If you wish to reprimand me, I’ll accept it.”

“Sir Lucas.”

“But I have no regrets about what happened yesterday.”

Seeing the look in Lucas’s eyes—so reminiscent of Charlotte’s—Erhen said nothing. It seemed that whatever he had come to say wasn’t the reason for his visit. After a brief pause, Erhen asked calmly.

“How is Charlotte?”

“…What?”

Before returning home with Lucas, Charlotte had forced herself to act cheerful, erasing all traces of the tears she had shed the previous day. The sight of her putting on a brave face, even as she was caught in an unnecessary battle of nerves between Erhen and Lucas, had left Erhen deeply unsettled. That was why he had come to Sonne, disregarding his pride.

“She seemed deeply shaken. She looked very frightened.”

“She’s eating and sleeping well. Knowing her, she’s already trying to get back on her feet and go out, which is why I’ve placed her under house arrest for the time being.”

“That was a wise decision.”

Erhen nodded in agreement with Lucas’s words. Of course, Charlotte would have been horrified if she had overheard their conversation. While the dangers she had faced during her marriage to Erhen hadn’t been life-threatening, the social battles she had navigated in the aristocratic circles were anything but trivial.

“She’ll need proper rest before she’s ready to return to the palace.”

“I’ve restricted her outings until the day after tomorrow.”

“Good. I’ll leave her in your care.”

“…Of course. Yes, of course.”

The two men continued their discussion, each expressing their concern for Charlotte in their own way. Lucas, however, couldn’t shake the strange feeling that something was off. The Duke of Rosenheim, who had every reason to act coldly toward him, seemed to wear his emotions for Charlotte openly.

With that, Erhen stood to leave. Lucas, caught off guard, quickly followed him.

“Wait—did you come all this way just to ask about that?”

“I didn’t want to obtain the information through illegal means.”

Illegal? Was he referring to breaking into someone’s home with magic?

Before Lucas could respond, Erhen, with his long strides, was already at the door. He turned briefly to bid farewell.

“Until next time.”

Left alone in his office, Lucas stood there, dumbfounded, trying to make sense of what had just happened. The Duke of Rosenheim, who had come all this way with eyes full of longing for Charlotte, had asked only about her well-being before leaving.

Lucas couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief as he rubbed his forehead.

***

A few days later, Tyche’s Moon rose in the sky. Unlike most celestial bodies, its light wasn’t overshadowed by the sun, shining brightly even during the day. 

This period, when mages inexplicably lost their magic, was an unofficial vacation for the royal court’s mages. However, it didn’t apply to Erhen, who, despite being a mage, served as the head of the engineering department at the royal research institute. Still, he had cleared his schedule for the first day of Tyche’s Moon.

As he walked toward his destination, the grass beneath his feet crunched softly. Finally, he stopped in front of a pale marble cross standing solemnly in the ground. A neat bouquet of yellow and white chrysanthemums lay upon the grave marker.

Had Michael been here first?

The king of this land was nothing if not diligent.

After quietly gazing at the flowers, Erhen sat facing the white cross. The wind blew gently, ruffling his bangs. As if acknowledging his presence, he smiled faintly and spoke.

“How have you been, brother?”

It’s been a year. Since we last met.