The moment Charlotte decided to walk out and confront Carter, she suddenly received an epiphany.

  ‘What could she do to move Carter?’, this was a problem that she hadn’t been able to figure out a solution to all along.

  Carter was a powerful vassal of the Theocracy, the patriarch of one of the Five Eminent Noble Houses. With the power and authority he wielded, there was hardly anything the Sorofyas could offer to change his will.

  However, if she were to put aside all of those titles and view him as the father of a single-parent family, a man who had lost his spouse for many years and had yet to marry even after many years, there was one thing she could think of that was likely to be able to touch him.

  Earnest sentiments.

  In the pragmatic circle of nobility which valued interests above all else, Carter was one of the rare few who displayed great sentimentality, especially when it came to the feelings between a man and a woman. While political marriage was the convention in high society, he remained true to his feelings and opted for a marriage built on love.

  This was also the reason why he didn’t have a high opinion of their engagement in the first place. No matter how they phrased it otherwise, this was indubitably a trade between both of their houses.

  But what if Charlotte could prove to him that this was something more than a trade? What if she could show him her true sentimentality, something that he valued above all else?

  These were all deductions from Charlotte at the moment, and she had no way of knowing if she was right or not. However, she was willing to bring out her truest feelings here to make this gamble.

  “I’m in love with Roel, and I plead with you not to hinder our love. This is the only request I have in my entire life.”


  The moment Charlotte bowed down, everyone in the room was astonished, be it Bruce or Carter. The extravagant old clock ticking by the side of the room had never sounded as clear as it did at this moment. A few seconds later, Carter finally frowned with a troubled look.

  “Miss Charlotte, you might be misunderstanding something here. Rise up, and we can……”


  “Uncle Carter, I believe that you’re also aware that I’ve been misled in my first meeting with Roel……”


  Before Carter could dismiss Charlotte’s request, the latter suddenly raised an old incident.

  This immediately caused Carter’s face to darken. He thought that Charlotte was blaming him for that incident by raising it at this timing, which caused his mood to sour a little. Charlotte was aware that he would react in such a manner, and her following words caused him to widen his eyes in surprise.

  “I have no qualms about that matter. It wasn’t just those who misled me who thought that our engagement was inappropriate; I, too, believed the same as well.”


  As she said those words, Charlotte finally raised her head to face Carter with her emerald eyes.

  “A hundred-year-old engagement contract sounds momentous, especially if one considers the historical context behind it too. However, marriage isn’t something that should be determined by the past. It represents the future, signifying a choice between two individuals to support one another through thick and thin. It’s beautiful and sacred, and it shouldn’t be bound by anything.”


  “.…… Yes, that’s indeed the case.”


  ‘Believer of Freedom of Love’ Carter nodded in acknowledgment of Charlotte’s interpretation of marriage. Seeing that the other party was willing to hear her out, Charlotte’s heart quivered in agitation. She thought about her entire relationship with Roel before continuing on.

  “That was why many misunderstandings arose when I first met Roel. It might even surprise you to know that we started off hating one another, but love and fate are ever so unpredictable.

  “We encountered many dangers while searching the ruins of the Sofya Kingdom. We fought alongside one another, bravely barging through obstacle after obstacle so as to save one another. Roel once stepped forward to take a blow for me, and I once entrusted my final hope of survival to him. It’s in such an environment that our love bloomed. There were many difficulties that could have brought us down, but our feelings for one another helped us to overcome all odds and emerge victorious.

  “Uncle Carter, do you think I can give up on Roel after all we have been through?” said Charlotte with a choked-up voice.

  This was the first time Carter was hearing of the experiences Roel and Charlotte had been through, and it left him at a momentary loss. Seeing this, Charlotte didn’t push her case further but silently lowered her head once more.

  “Uncle Carter, I know that I came late. I’m unable to protect Roel as Her Highness Nora can, and I don’t have the deep bond he shares with Miss Alicia. However, I’m confident that my feelings for Roel won’t lose to anyone! Please, give me a chance. I’m begging you……”


  Halfway through her words, Charlotte’s teardrops had started trickling down and stained the mat beneath. Carter was also stunned by the intensity of her emotions.

  Charlotte’s earnest sentimentality came as a huge shock to Carter, and it moved him. For a moment there, he seemed to see the profile of his already deceased wife, as well as those nobles who vehemently opposed his marriage back then. He had never thought that he would end up standing in the same position as them many years later.

  An indescribable emotion welled up in his heart, and the look he directed toward the auburn-haired girl became gentle.

  “Haaa, I’ve grown old.”


  The black-haired middle-aged man sighed softly as he gazed down at the weeping Charlotte.

  “Child, get up…… I’ll accede to your request.”


  “Uncle Carter? You mean that……”


  “I won’t oppose your relationship with Roel anymore, but at the same time, I still won’t approve of it yet.”


  Carter sighed deeply. He had already expressed his support for Nora and Alicia earlier on, so this was already the greatest leeway he could give to Charlotte.

  “I don’t have the power to control Roel’s thoughts. You only have yourself to count on here.”


  “Y-yes, I understand! Thank you!”


  To some degree, those words showed that Carter was finally acknowledging her. All of her pent-up worries and tension in her heart were finally released, yet her tears still wouldn’t stop streaming down.

  It has been so difficult, so difficult……

  Having finally made a comeback, Charlotte felt that she had finally managed to take a step forward. While Carter only promised not to get in her way, his neutrality would still increase her chances of winning by manyfold.

  After giving his response, Carter turned to Bruce and apologized for the matter. Bruce naturally voiced his understanding of the matter while inconspicuously dropping a good word for Charlotte. Toward that, Carter revealed a slightly bitter smile, but he didn’t say anything at all.

  The children can sort it out by themselves. There’s no need for me to interfere here.

  With such thoughts in mind, Carter looked out of the window to gaze into the dark night……

  Under the same night sky, Roel had finally escaped from the clutches of a dangerous angel and was gasping for air in his carriage. Thinking about the events that had transpired earlier in the Seyer Tower, he realized that he might have unintentionally made a grave mistake.

  Having known Nora Xeclyde for a while now, he was very familiar with her personality, which was also why he was a little shaken to see her in such a low mood. He had never seen such a side to her before, and his astonishment was further exacerbated when he realized that he was the reason for it.

  It was this tinge of guilt that wavered his determination, leading to him making a wrong decision when Nora offered her finger to him. The consequence of his mistake was dire—Nora ended up going on a rampage.

  Just gazing out of the window to look at the balcony of Seyer Tower, Roel’s face began reddening uncontrollably.

  “No one should have seen it, right?” murmured Roel as he touched his lips lightly.

  Due to Nora’s earlier overexcitement, she bit down on his lips while kissing him. It didn’t really hurt since she did pay attention to the force she exerted, but still, it made Roel more conscious than ever of her tendencies.

  “Tsk. Now that I think back on it, there are so many problems with what I told her. I advised her to be herself, but that’s no different from encouraging her sadistic tendencies!”


  Roel clutched his head in frustration as he swore to himself that he would be wiser the next time around. It was in such an exasperated mood that he returned to his room in the Hundred Birds Gallery and looked at the two items placed on the table.

  Having undergone Nora’s Purification Spell, his condition of undead reanimation had been dispelled. With that, there was only one thing left to do.

  He first instructed the servants not to disturb him before uncorking the bottle on the table and gulping it down. Then, he sat on a chair by the side and gazed at the black bell beside him.

  Tonight, I shall advance to Origin Level 4!