Chapter 54

The grand mansion of the Rosenheim family, which had shared in the history of Rohadin, was famous for its beauty and its expansive gardens befitting its grandeur. Though there was a time when it was poorly maintained, it regained its former glory after being restored during Charlotte’s brief stay.

In one corner of that garden, beneath a towering tree, Erhen lay with a book covering his face. 

Though it was spring, with the lingering chill not entirely gone, the cool spring breeze was enough to soothe his fevered body.

After a long date with Charlotte by Lake Shuvluv, Erhen had returned to the mansion only to change clothes before heading straight to work at the Royal Research Institute. It wasn’t until dawn that he returned to the mansion. This moment of lying down could hardly be called a break.

However, his rest did not last long.

The sound of footsteps brushing against the soil reached him, and soon, a small hand snatched the book covering his face. The sudden brightness made Erhen frown.

“Uncle!”

“…Danielle.”

The culprit was none other than Erhen’s niece, the young Lady of Rosenheim.

Dressed in a frilly gown, seven-year-old Danielle Rosenheim stood with her hands on her hips, her posture radiating indignation. 

The girl, whose calm silver hair tied high and voluminous resembled her mother, shouted at Erhen with her father’s piercing blue eyes.

“The scriptures say bread is not promised to the lazy!”

Erhen, who had intended to ignore her and close his eyes again, slowly opened them. His blue eyes, identical to his brother’s, turned to his niece.

“Who said that?”

“You did!”

“When?”

“Last autumn, when I scored 20 points on my Rohadin language test!”

At her words, Erhen pressed his fingers to his temples and sat up. Last autumn… She was six years old then. He must have said something absurd to the little one.

“You stayed out overnight yesterday, and now you’re just lazing around here today!”

Danielle, her cheeks puffed out with indignation, was unreserved in her treatment of her uncle. She was the only person in the mansion who could speak to the master of the house in such a manner.

Unlike Erhen, who frequently left the mansion, Danielle had spent time living with Charlotte, who had once been the lady of the house. Bright, cheerful, and unyielding in her exchanges with Erhen, it was clear she had inherited Charlotte’s traits.

After their divorce, the mansion had been on the verge of growing darker than ever, but Danielle had brightened it up.

Danielle had her reasons for being upset.

As if it wasn’t enough that her beautiful Charlotte had divorced him, now he was obsessed with work, disappeared without notice on extended absences, and even stayed out overnight!

“It was because of work.”

“Liar! Uncle Philip came home yesterday!”

Danielle refuted Erhen’s plausible excuse, bolstered by his usual behavior.

“And I’m a Rosenheim too!”

Another reason for Danielle’s anger was her pride. Her uncle, Erhen Rosenheim, was someone she deeply respected and admired, yet it seemed as though he only saw her as a child. 

She often learned news about him faster through the servants or newspapers than from him directly. Even during his absences, all she received through Philip were letters that always said the same thing:

‘How are you? I am well.’

That was it!

If it weren’t for the mansion’s kind servants, her grandfather-like Earl Werner, and Uncle Philip occasionally delivering letters, she would have hated her uncle forever.

Erhen noticed Danielle’s outfit and asked, 

“Where are you going?”

“Why should I tell you when you don’t tell me anything?”

With a huff, Danielle turned her head away. Erhen’s gaze shifted to Cassie, who stood behind Danielle.

“She’s attending a tea party at Earl Werner’s estate.”

“It’s a secret! Why did you tell him, Cassie?”

Cassie smiled awkwardly.

She understood Danielle’s feelings, but the withholding of information had stemmed from Erhen’s desire for his niece to enjoy an innocent childhood. However, seeing Danielle’s reaction, it seemed her young heart had harbored quite a bit of resentment.

Erhen let out a low sigh and spoke. 

“Danielle.”

“What?”

“Today is difficult. Let’s have dinner together tomorrow.”

“Really?”

At Erhen’s suggestion, Danielle’s face lit up, her earlier anger forgotten. Her joyful expression bore a fleeting resemblance to her father.

Maximilian, Erhen’s older brother, would often smile proudly and ruffle his younger brother’s hair, calling him “our little mage” whenever he let his guard down like this.

Lost in the memory, Erhen chuckled softly and nodded at Danielle. The delighted girl burst into laughter.

“The scriptures may not promise bread, but you’ll figure it out, Uncle! Rest well!”

With those parting words, Danielle disappeared with Cassie in tow. Erhen watched his niece until she was out of sight before leaning back against the tree.

He covered his face with the book again, intending to close his eyes, but sleep eluded him. His mind was too alert.

In such moments, rather than forcing sleep, it was better to let his thoughts wander to the person who inevitably came to mind.

…Charlotte.

“Are you really the same person?”  

Her wide-eyed question echoed in his memory. He thought back to the beginning, to when things had started gently between them. Their first night together had been similar—soft and tentative.

But this time, he had lost control. Consumed by a possessive desire, he whispered reassurances to her. Watching Charlotte crumble before him, her tears falling, filled him with a strange satisfaction. He was a madman to feel this way. Perhaps alcohol didn’t suppress his abnormal instincts but revealed them instead.

What have you done to me, Charlotte? Just when I think I understand, I don’t.

After a month of this relationship, could this be considered a positive sign? Yet…

“…Something feels off.”

Even though their time together resembled that of any loving couple, something about the way Charlotte looked at him unsettled him. Her eyes, her smile as she spoke of love, seemed to conceal something beyond his reach.

Memories of the day she spoke of divorce keep resurfacing the deeper he fell in love.

Shaking off the creeping unease, Erhen stood. If he let himself be consumed by baseless fears, this fragile happiness might vanish without a trace.

***

“Ah, that Marchioness?”

Charlotte’s steps halted abruptly as a sudden memory surfaced in her mind. She turned her head to look at the place that had once been the extravagant garden of the royal palace, where nobles often held opulent garden parties. Now, it served as a resting area for palace officials.

It was already her second visit to the royal palace, a place she thought she would never return to after her divorce. But here she was, entering the palace once again, compelled by Michael’s royal command and request. Naturally, buried memories began to resurface. Along with those memories, the remnants of that day vividly unfolded before her eyes.

Yes, it must have been that day.

The day she first became aware of how her heart trembled every time she saw Erhen.

“The commoner who supposedly bought her husband and status with money?”

The world of nobles might be even more savage than that of commoners. To speak so openly, knowing the person in question could hear them—it was astonishing. 

In the world of commoners, where Charlotte had lived before becoming the Marchioness of Rosenheim, such behavior would have undoubtedly led to a physical altercation, starting with hair-pulling. However, that particular day was her first social gathering at the imperial palace as a Marchioness. It was also the day Erhen had been dispatched to extract information from the Emperor’s private chamber, while Charlotte attended the event as a mere distraction. 

Seated at the round table, sipping tea, Charlotte could only watch as a lady, with a bright smile, mercilessly tore into her the moment she introduced herself. Until Erhen returned, she had to endure quietly.

“Oh my, your voice is too loud! This one tends to be a bit blunt. Don’t take it personally, Marchioness. Still, isn’t it true?”

Indeed, it wasn’t untrue.

But to insult someone so brazenly to their face—what kind of etiquette was that? 

If she could, Charlotte would have loved to throw cocktails in their faces, write down all their names, and order her parents to sever any business ties with their families. But she had to endure. This had to be a sacrifice for the greater good. 

Charlotte forced herself to smile.

“Still, the Marquis of Rosenheim is truly remarkable. He sacrificed himself for a crumbling family.”

“I feel a little sorry for the Marquis. Oh, a loveless marriage, how tragic.”

“But isn’t money wonderful? It elevated her status, didn’t it?”

However, the longer she stayed silent, the harsher the ladies’ words became. They seemed to mistake her silence for submission. The forced smile on Charlotte’s face began to crack. At the time, she hadn’t realized their venomous remarks stemmed from jealousy toward the woman who had taken the Empire’s most handsome man as her own.

Endure. Endure. 

It was said that patience could even prevent murder. She clenched her trembling fists under the tablecloth as she tried to hold back her emotions.

“But still, when you look at her like this… Oh?”

Suddenly, one of the ladies stopped mid-sentence, her eyes widening in surprise as she looked up at the sky. 

In the clear, windless sky, colorful flower petals began to drift down, twirling gracefully as if performing a waltz. Startled by the surreal moment, Charlotte also looked up.

It was magic. It was Erhen’s magic, something Charlotte had experienced several times before. 

…Had Erhen’s magic ever looked so beautiful as it did now, directed at me?