Chapter 9

Lucas’s hair was a slightly lighter pink than Charlotte’s. Whether it was a family trait or not, he had emerald-green eyes and a handsome face.  

He was clearly flustered as he stared at Erhen.  

“…Sir Lucas.”  

Erhen, recognizing the man without difficulty, responded.  

The man was Lucas Rothschild, the second son of the Rothschild family and heir to Sonne. In other words, he was Charlotte’s second older brother.  

Sonne, operated by the Rothschild family, was a company with Sonne Construction as its parent corporation. It was the embodiment of the bourgeoisie and the rising aristocracy, with subsidiaries across various industries.  

Caspar and Johanna, the co-CEOs of Sonne, had three children: Richard, who became the Earl of Essen; their only daughter, Charlotte; and Lucas, whom Erhen was now facing.  

After Michael ascended to the throne, it was revealed that the Rothschilds had secretly supported the rebel forces for their daughter’s sake. As a result, they were awarded the highest honor a commoner could receive: the First-Class Knight title.  

Since the eldest son and youngest daughter already held titles, the title was naturally set to pass to Lucas.  

“It’s been a while.”  

“It has indeed, Your Grace. How have you been?”  

Lucas belatedly finished greeting Erhen, but suspicion lingered in his eyes.  

The awkwardness of this encounter between a former in-laws was palpable. Philip quietly retreated, leaving the scene.  

It had been three hours since Charlotte had sent a telegram requesting additional security personnel.  

Lucas, who had been staying in a city near Heringen for a business trip, had rushed over in a carriage, fearing something had happened to Charlotte.  

The state of Charlotte’s home, which he hadn’t visited in a long time, was a mess. The increased security presence was unusual, and upon entering through the gate, he saw the main building under construction, magically separated into spaces. Unsorted luggage was piled in one corner, as if everything had been hastily moved.  

When Lucas asked a servant about the construction, he couldn’t help but click his tongue. 

The daughter of Rohadin’s top construction company!  

It was embarrassing enough to tarnish the company’s reputation. As he was surveying the scene in disbelief, Erhen, his former brother-in-law and Duke of Rosenheim, suddenly emerged from the annex.  

“Don’t misunderstand.”  

Erhen spoke, setting his cup down on the saucer.  

In the small greenhouse of the garden, refreshments were quickly prepared for Erhen and Lucas.  

Since the annex lacked a proper space to receive guests, the greenhouse was turned into an impromptu reception and dining area.  

The advantage was that, being in the greenhouse, they could enjoy tea regardless of the weather outside. However, the downside was having to move between buildings for meals or tea. Still, Charlotte had been quite fond of the arrangement, considering it a success for an impromptu setup.  

“I think this table should stay here even after the main building is rebuilt.”  

Erhen recalled Charlotte saying this with a satisfied smile.  

As Erhen unconsciously smiled at the memory, he quickly composed himself when his eyes met Lucas’s still-suspicious gaze.  

“I’m staying here temporarily under royal orders.”  

“Royal orders? What kind of orders would…”  

Lucas trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.  

What kind of royal orders could possibly involve a divorced couple?  

It sounded like something out of a third-rate tabloid novel.  

Still, since it was a royal order, he couldn’t immediately refute it. 

Should I investigate the matter and lodge an official complaint with the royal family on behalf of the company? 

The thought gave him a headache.  

Seeing Lucas’s tense expression, Erhen added,

“It’s nothing you need to worry about.”  

“But—”  

“It’s also my duty to ensure that nothing happens to warrant concern.”  

Erhen offered a small, reassuring smile.  

If it were truly a trivial matter, the Duke of Rosenheim would have calmly explained the royal order in detail. However, all he said was “royal order” and deliberately withheld further explanation.  

What’s more, Lucas was taken aback by Erhen’s unfamiliar smile. 

Was the Duke of Rosenheim even capable of smiling so warmly at someone?  

And why was he being so polite, addressing me with formal honorifics? 

Now that he was divorced from Charlotte, there was even less reason for him to do so.  

“…Yes, Your Grace.”  

Amid his jumbled thoughts, Lucas managed to reply.  

Erhen took a sip of his tea, feeling an unrecognized sense of unease slowly dissipate.  

There might be others in the future claiming to be Charlotte’s man, but for now, there was no such person.  

After all, no matter how kind and approachable Charlotte was, she wouldn’t recklessly bring men into her home.  

At that moment—  

“Lucas?”  

The greenhouse door opened, and Charlotte entered, her mint-green dress fluttering.  

Having left work early, Charlotte had heard that Erhen and Lucas were in the greenhouse and came in.  

When Lucas waved at her, she quickly walked over and sat naturally beside Erhen.  

“What brings you here?”  

“What do you mean? You requested additional security personnel from our company. I thought something had happened to you.”  

One of the major changes after the successful rebellion was the establishment of a centralized government. Nobles’ territorial control was transferred to the state, and private armies were disbanded.  

The soldiers who had once guarded each noble’s territory were reorganized into Rohadin’s standing army. Some refused to transition into military roles, either joining their former lords’ private security forces or avoiding the low pay of a soldier.  

Lucas didn’t let these individuals go to waste. He established Sonne Security Company, recruiting the latter group.  

While it resembled a mercenary guild, the company was different in that it systematized its personnel and operated openly.  

The result was a resounding success.  

“With the Duke here, we can’t just do nothing.”  

Charlotte, instead of giving a direct answer, picked up an éclair from the table and munched on it as she spoke. Her words made Erhen’s expression briefly harden.  

Lucas noticed this subtle change and felt as if he understood something.  

“If something happens, you should contact me directly, not send a telegram to the company.”  

The Duke of Rosenheim’s expression resembled his own from years ago.  

When he had felt that his current fiancée and childhood friend, Adele, didn’t see him as a man, he had unknowingly made the same expression.  

But if that were the case, wasn’t their divorce surprisingly smooth?  

As he pondered this, he glanced at Charlotte, who was admiring the éclair with a look of awe, and suddenly realized.  

Lucas muttered under his breath, almost like a sigh, 

“You’re the problem, Lotte.”  

“What’s that supposed to mean?” 

Charlotte snapped, indignant.  

In truth, Lucas had never thought poorly of Erhen, as he didn’t believe their marriage had been based on true “love.”  

Erhen had been someone who could offer what their family couldn’t: a noble title, a life as the King’s closest ally, free from worry.  

Now, seeing the emotional complexity, Lucas reconsidered.  

“Well, never mind. I’ll send selected security personnel.”  

Lucas shook his head slightly.  

There was no point in staying longer and trying to pry information from them—they wouldn’t give a straight answer. It would be faster to investigate the matter personally.  

Besides, he felt strongly that this wasn’t the time to play the protective older brother.  

Having made a quick decision, Lucas backed down without further resistance.  

“Thanks. But what about you? What brings you to Heringen? Did you really come all the way here just to visit?”  

“There’s a meeting at the Burhausen Hotel. I stopped by since I was in the area.”  

“Hmm, so we won’t be able to have dinner together.”  

Charlotte pouted in disappointment.  

Lucas smirked mischievously, gesturing outside.  

“Why don’t you explain that construction mess to me in detail?”  

“Didn’t you say you had a meeting? Shouldn’t you go, Director?”

Charlotte quickly brushed away her disappointment.  

A short while later, after seeing Lucas off in his carriage and returning, she found the greenhouse empty.  

‘Has he already gone inside? I was going to ask him to eat with me.’  

The reason Charlotte had left work early today was to have dinner with Erhen.  

For better or worse, Erhen was someone she had to survive alongside in the most literal sense. Therefore, there was no benefit in treating him as merely her ex-husband.  

Thinking she should go upstairs and talk to him directly, she reached the second floor and noticed Erhen’s door was open.  

Charlotte’s and Erhen’s rooms were symmetrically positioned, facing each other. As she arrived at the doorway, her eyes naturally landed on him standing with his hands on the desk.  

The desk was piled high with numerous documents he hadn’t yet cleared away.  

‘What’s with all those papers? Why is he working?’  

Just as Charlotte was about to say something, she froze.  

“You…”  

Erhen’s low voice reached her ears, stopping her in her tracks.  

His voice continued.  

“You still don’t trust me, then or now.”  

In his voice, tinged with self-reproach, Charlotte found herself at a loss for words.  

Erhen, still leaning on the desk with both hands, stared at her intently.  

“You always make me out to be a pathetic man.”  

He clenched his fists, crumpling the research papers beneath them.