This proposal was blunt and bold. At Karl's words, a faint blush immediately rose to Henry's fair face. Somewhat at a loss, he looked at Louise, then at his mother and sister, as though he had not expected Karl to arrange things so directly.
Princess Louise's face reddened slightly as well, but she did not object. Instead, she gently squeezed Henry's hand, expectation shining in her eyes. Lady Isabelle and Charlotte exchanged smiles, clearly delighted by the prospect.
Henry was not, in the end, a hidebound man. Having endured the trials of life and death, he cherished even more the time he could spend with his beloved. He nodded with a touch of reserve.
After the banquet, Karl deliberately found an opportunity to take a nighttime stroll with Henry and speak of things between men.
"Henry." Karl looked straight into Henry's eyes, his tone sincere. "First, I want to offer you my most heartfelt apology for what happened before... between Her Highness the Princess and me. Circumstances forced our hand then, and there were many things we had no choice in. But no matter what, that experience hurt both you and the princess. That was my fault."
Henry fell silent for a moment, seemingly weighing his words.
"Lord Karl," Henry began slowly, his voice still gentle, "you need not blame yourself too much for it. Father and Charlotte later explained some of the situation to me. You were husband and wife in name, pawns manipulated by the royal family and the political situation."
"In that kind of situation, many things were beyond one's control. If anything, the people who should truly bear responsibility for all this are those in Plai's imperial palace." He paused and shook his head. "So in this matter, there is nothing you truly did 'wrong' that