Chapter 20
Talking about someone she loved, yet looking so unbearably lonely—it was astonishing.
The moment Alfonso saw that expression, he decided to marry Charlotte.
The reason was simple.
Just as he had told her—he needed her cunning.
And…
She will definitely leave me.
The love Charlotte had briefly revealed—so deep that even attempting to measure its depth felt like arrogance.
He believed in both the fervor of that love and Charlotte’s shrewdness.
If it was her, she would surely make full use of Alfonso’s proposal and then leave.
In truth, one year is short for a marriage.
But from the beginning, Noha and Edouart had been a ridiculous pairing.
Even if they divorced after merely one cycle of the four seasons, no one would find it strange.
And Alfonso would naturally return to being alone again.
That was the picture Alfonso wanted.
The most reasonable outcome, in his opinion.
—
Never keep anyone by your side, Alfonso. You must not.
—
The silence of the corridor grew longer.
His thoughts had begun to trail off, dragging up even old memories.
Alfonso instantly felt irritated.
He cut off the train of thought in his usual way and started walking again.
By the time he reached a place touched by moonlight, he spotted long silver hair shimmering in the distance.
“Ah, Alfonso oppa! They said Ludwig came this way, and you really are here!”
“…Sophia?”
“Did you meet Lady Noha? How was it? What did she say? And with Sir Alois—”
“What you told me earlier turned out to be nothing but baseless rumors. Next time, confirm the facts before spreading stories.”
“What? Really? Now that you mention it, Sir Alois’s expression did seem strange.”
At the mention of Rohan Alois, Alfonso’s expression turned peculiar.
“Rohan Alois looked strange?”
“Ah, you didn’t see it, did you? Earlier he suddenly burst into anger, and the whole banquet got pretty chaotic.”
What Sophia relayed was this:
When Rohan entered the banquet hall with an awkward gait, one of his close friends had stopped him.
—
“Where’s Lady Noha? Why did you come back alone? You two seemed quite close.”
—
Just a casual remark.
Yet at those trivial words, Rohan had erupted in anger and stormed about furiously.
“So everyone assumed Sir Alois got completely dumped by Lady Noha. Is that what happened?”
“Well… he did get kicked.”
Quite literally.
When Alfonso had opened the door earlier, Rohan had been rolling on the floor—his condition leaving no other explanation but that he had been kicked.
The problem was that it would hardly be good for Rohan if that fact spread outside.
He’s inviting his own death.
Alfonso thought of the people he had left behind earlier.
They shared nothing in common except for their green eyes—yet that alone made it obvious they came from the same root.
Seeing them together felt like watching a snake with two heads on either side but no tail.
If someone were swallowed by them, not even a trace would remain.
If Rohan had sensed that even a little, he might have acted more wisely.
But perhaps that too was his fate.
Alfonso dismissed the thought.
Sophia beside him was sparkling with excitement.
From experience, he knew there was only one reason she looked like that.
“…If you have something to say, say it.”
“Are you really going to marry Lady Noha?”
“If she accepts my proposal.”
“And if she doesn’t? Then you’ll look for someone else?”
“Yes. If she doesn’t want it, I can’t force her.”
“Really? Truly?”
Sophia’s eyes gleamed strangely at his answer, but Alfonso failed to notice.
“Even if you ask like that, she’ll probably accept. I made an offer she can’t refuse.”
“You don’t have much time left, do you? How long are you going to wait?”
“I won’t wait long. The Founding Festival is coming soon anyway. It’ll be settled before then.”
Then Alfonso added quietly,
“…Unless someone interferes.”
* * *
Inside a rattling carriage.
“So,” Quincy broke the silence, “why exactly was the Duke of Edouart with you? Care to explain now, Charlotte?”
Charlotte, who had been staring out the window, slightly furrowed her brows.
“I told you already. It was a coincidence. The only thing we talked about was the proposal.”
“And he still wants to marry you?”
“Yes.”
Strictly speaking, there had been a bit more.
Not just a proposal—he had talked about a contract marriage.
Quincy’s gaze lingered on Charlotte, as though checking whether she was lying.
But it didn’t last long.
Soon he looked away and sat upright, elegantly curling his lips into a smile.
“He’s unusual. Do you know why he wants to marry you?”
“…I’m curious about that too.”
What exactly was the problem Alfonso mentioned?
If she only knew that, she might be able to help him even without marrying him.
“Well, not everything needs a reason,” Quincy said lightly. “Given the situation, I’ll admit—I never liked the idea from the start. Edouart doesn’t suit you, Charlotte.”
“Yes. He doesn’t suit me…”
The end of Charlotte’s voice trembled slightly.
Quincy seemed to assume it was because the carriage jolted, showing no reaction.
He simply moved his thumb slowly along the bones of his gloved hand.
“At the dinner table you said you’d marry him, so I couldn’t stop you then. But I like your decision not to marry.”
Charlotte raised her eyes slightly and looked at him.
“I thought you said marrying the Duke of Edouart was necessary for Noha.”
“Are you still holding that against me?”
Quincy chuckled lightly, resting his chin on his hand.
“It was necessary. You can’t deny that. Noha’s position is weakening. But there are other ways to recover.”
“Easy for you to say.”
“Don’t marry him, Charlotte.”
The laughter vanished from Quincy’s voice.
The warmth disappeared from the carriage’s dark interior.
“Do you remember what I once told you? That only we are Noha. And—”
“That Noha exists for us,” Charlotte finished quietly.
Of course she remembered.
She had lived her entire life by those words.
—
“Your name is Charlotte? A name more precious than your origins. I don’t dislike it. Names often carry the desires of those who give them. The one who named you must have wished for a noble life for you.”
“Charlotte, I will make you precious. Only you and I will bear the name Noha. Only we will become the meaning of Noha’s existence.”
—
That had been when there were still many half-siblings in the Noha mansion.
And it was the moment Charlotte came to trust Quincy completely.
I still don’t know why he chose only me among them.
But Quincy had kept his word.
Of all those siblings, only Quincy and Charlotte remained in Noha.
“It may be greedy of me,” Quincy continued softly, “but I want you to stay in Noha as long as possible.”
You belong here.
Charlotte smiled coldly.
Right.
Filth belongs in the mud.
Their conversation ended there.
The carriage had arrived at the Noha estate.
As Charlotte stepped down from the carriage holding Quincy’s hand, he spoke again.
“Oh, Charlotte. Did you know Father is returning tomorrow?”
“…Already?”
“Yes. And when he returns, he’ll surely ask about the marriage with the Duke of Edouart. How about staying away for a few days?”
Just before entering the mansion, Charlotte turned slightly.
The garden was pitch dark without even a single lantern.
The voice she had heard at the banquet echoed in her mind.
—
I will give you a week to think.
I don’t mean to rush you, but I don’t have much time left.
So please stop avoiding me. It’s been difficult just to see your face.
—
Just as Alfonso said—he did not have much time.
A week was probably the longest he could give her.
“…Yes. I should leave for a while. Just for a few days.”
When she returned, this restless heart might settle.
Then she could face Alfonso properly and talk about his proposal.
I thought I had no lingering feelings left.
But every time she met Alfonso’s eyes, those feelings gathered like clouds.
It could be called greed.
The hollow hope that everything could start over again kept tempting her toward the wrong choice.
Even though she had no right to it.
