CL Chapter 13

Charlotte hastily straightened her disheveled attire, hurriedly tidied up the desk she had left in disarray, and rushed out of the office.

 

She had no time to glance back at Leo. Clenching her fists, she stumbled forward, her retreating figure like a fugitive fleeing in disgrace.

 

Her face, paler than the freshly fallen snow, grew even more ashen as she walked down the corridor, as if she were suffocating.

 

Shame tightened around her throat with every passing moment.

 

Leo, who had suddenly appeared in her conversation with Ferndel, just hearing his name had been unbearable. She longed to see him.

 

He was close, just a few steps away. Yet, uncertain if she had the right to seek him out first, she regretted the days she had spent without seeing his face.

 

Her patience wore thin, and before she realized it, her steps had already changed the path. But even as she arrived at his office, she hesitated.

 

Had it not been for Ferndel’s inexplicable intervention, Charlotte would have surely turned back, resigning herself to merely locating the pavilion and waiting for another uncertain opportunity.

 

Unable to voice her feelings outright, she had settled for an excuse.

 

As Leo himself had pointed out, there was no reason for them to meet without reason. Her foolish excuse that ignored reality.

 

Charlotte had left the secluded palace and come to Rosa. She had been granted the unthinkable position of Duchess of carthenon.

 

She had been allowed to stay by the side of someone she can’t even dare to dream of.

 

All of it because of the misfortune that had befallen Leo.

 

Now, her very existence stood as proof of his downfall. A wretched tragedy had struck in the wrong place, and as a result, Leo was burdened with a woman like her.

 

“The princess and I only meet for this purpose.”

 

It hadn’t been a remark meant solely to wound her. It was a sincere wish.

 

I wish that damn stomach would just fill up already, It was as if Leo’s silent wish could be heard.

 

So what if he was only a few steps away?

 

How could she have even considered going to see him? No matter how much she longed for him, no matter that his vassal had cleared the path.

 

She was ashamed of her own shamelessness.

 

A wretched woman.

 

When she had first been introduced to Leo Carthenon as his fiancée at the age of eleven, Charlotte had wept in sorrow.

 

Now, by some cruel twist of fate, it was Leo’s turn.

 

But unlike him, Charlotte had no confidence that she could ever stop his tears. If anything, she would only make him weep even more.

 

Stopping her aimless escape, she glanced down at herself. The dress she wore had no pockets, nowhere to carry even a single handkerchief.

 

It felt like a reflection of her helplessness, her inability to do anything for Leo. Charlotte’s head drooped lower and lower.

 

If she were to rip off the hem of her shabby skirt and offer it for him to wipe his tears, Leo would be utterly disgusted…

 

“Isn’t it rather pointless how beautiful this scenery is, considering our lord will never see it again?”

 

A crisp voice abruptly interrupted her self-destructive thoughts.

 

Turning her head, Charlotte found Mona Illunie standing there, wearing a smile as artificial as a poorly painted portrait.

 

Since arriving in Rosa, this was the first time she had encountered Mona. Behind her stretched the castle corridor, bathed in the deep crimson hues of sunset.

 

Tall, latticed windows stood at regular intervals. The same scene must have unfolded behind Charlotte as well.

 

It was easy to see what Mona was thinking.

 

To her, it must have seemed like the clueless princess was leisurely admiring the evening sun, an unwelcome guest in Rosa, unaware of her place.

 

Charlotte, however, hadn’t even noticed the setting sun. But she didn’t feel the need to protest the misunderstanding.

 

Instead, memories of her past with Mona surged forth, crashing over her like an unstoppable tide.

 

“Princess. Princess, I beg of you.”

 

Mona had knelt so low that her knees brushed the hem of Charlotte’s gown, rubbing her hands together in desperate.

 

It had been right after Leo received the news of their broken engagement.

 

“Please, just reconsider this once. Please don’t abandon young master Leo like this.”

 

Charlotte had glanced at Mona’s bloodshot eyes, swollen from with held tears, then taken a step back.

 

That alone had been enough to make her intentions clear.

 

“P-Princess…”

 

Mona had trembled violently, her jaw quivering as she called out to her.

 

Charlotte had deliberately let out a long, weary sigh.

 

“You and your master are truly something else.” Her words, laced with irritation.

 

A teardrop finally fell from Mona’s eyes, which were as red as blood.

 

“How… how could you do this to Lord Leo…?”

 

It was a grief Leo himself had never voiced, finally breaking free through Mona.

 

“This isn’t just about feelings, and you know that! If this continues, Young Master Leo might die! Hic… Please, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, Princess. I was wrong. Forgive me. Please, forgive me.”

 

Mona had screamed like a woman struck by lightning, then crawled forward on her knees and prostrated herself at Charlotte’s feet, pleading as if she had lost her mind.

 

Charlotte had merely watched it all unfold, detached, as if it were someone else’s misfortune, then she had called for the guards.