Thanks, Charlotte
Not long after Lyon left, Charlotte returned, drying her wet hair and changing into clean casual clothes.
She noticed that only Karl was sitting there lost in thought, and asked curiously, "Hey? Where's Lyon? What did he want to talk to you about? He's being so secretive."
Looking at her refreshed appearance, Karl felt his worries lessen somewhat.
He sighed and told her exactly what Lyon had asked for.
Charlotte gasped in astonishment, her mouth agape for a moment before she could close it. "He... he wants to pledge allegiance to you? This... this is incredibly audacious! What if my father finds out?"
"That's why I have a headache," Karl rubbed his temples. "I'm thinking about how to marry you while also trying to steal your father's girlfriend... I even think it's a bit much."
Charlotte walked over to him, tilted her head and thought for a moment, then suddenly burst out laughing, "But... thinking about it carefully, it's actually quite interesting. That blockhead Lyon actually has such good judgment; he knows he has a better future with you."
She nudged Karl lightly with her elbow, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief and encouragement. "Hey, give it a try! At worst... at worst, I'll help you beg my father! I'll just say... I'll say that Lyon insisted on following you, and you couldn't refuse him!"
She started coming up with wild ideas, trying to relieve Karl's stress through this kind of joke.
Karl felt a warm current well up in his heart as he watched her trying her best to share his burdens, even at the cost of "letting her father down".
He reached out and took her hand, pulling her to sit beside him. He gently rested his head on her shoulder, inhaling the fresh moisture and delicate fragrance of her hair, and whispered, "Thank you, Charlotte. With you by my side, even the most difficult things don't seem so scary anymore."
Charlotte's face flushed slightly as she let him lean against her, muttering softly, "Who... who told you to come closer... your hair isn't even dry yet..."
But she quietly grasped Karl's hand in return, conveying silent support.
The two sat cuddled together in the quiet hall for a while, the afterglow of the fireplace stretching their shadows, casting them onto the cold stone wall, where they intertwined.
A sense of tranquility and gentle warmth, as if the world had survived a catastrophe, filled the air.
Finally, Charlotte stirred slightly, breaking the silence.
She nudged Karl's shoulder, her voice tinged with a barely perceptible shyness and concern. "Alright, stop lounging around. Go take a hot shower and get some sleep. You scared everyone when you fainted yesterday."
Karl remained unmoved. "I just slept for over ten hours, and I'm not sleepy at all."
Charlotte rolled her eyes at him and said reproachfully, "So what? Do you want me to tell you a bedtime story?"
Looking at her coquettish expression, Karl's heart stirred. Half-jokingly and half-seriously, he whispered, "No need for a bedtime story, how about you sleep with me? Just lean against me."
His voice trailed off, tinged with a mixture of probing and anticipation.
Charlotte's cheeks flushed instantly. She stood up abruptly, hands on her hips, glaring at him fiercely. "Dream on! Karl von Schmidt! What... what are you thinking! We... we're not even married yet!"
Karl stood up, gently took her hand, and pleaded earnestly, "I know, Charlotte, but you also know we're about to face the Count. Who knows when we'll be able to stay together like this again? There's a large army stationed outside, and we don't know if the Sauron will return... I just want... I just want you by my side, so I can sleep more soundly. I promise, just sleep, nothing else."
His words revealed a subtle dependence, touching the softest spot in Charlotte's heart.
Looking at Karl's slightly tired but sincere face, and recalling how he fought valiantly on the battlefield yesterday and collapsed unconscious, her heart softened instantly.
She bit her lip, her eyes flickering. After struggling for a while, she finally mumbled in a barely audible voice, "... It's... it's just sleeping! And... and you have to wear clothes! If you dare to do anything... I'll stab you with a dagger!"
As she spoke, she subconsciously touched her waist, even though there was no weapon there at the moment.
Upon hearing this, Karl immediately raised his hand and swore, "I promise! I will absolutely behave properly!"
Charlotte blushed, quickly shook off his hand, turned and walked towards the inner hallway, leaving behind the words, "Then... then hurry up and wash up! I'll wait for you in your room..."
The last few words were almost inaudible.
Overwhelmed with excitement and nervousness, Karl quickly finished his simple washing up, feeling as if all his fatigue had vanished.
He strode towards his bedroom and pushed open the slightly ajar door.
The room was lit only by a dim oil lamp, the light soft and gentle, and Charlotte was indeed already in the room.
Instead of sitting on the bed, she sat somewhat awkwardly on a chair by the window, her hands nervously clasped on her knees, her head slightly lowered, her long golden hair falling down and covering most of her face, but her bright red ears betrayed her shyness and unease.
When she saw Karl enter, she abruptly raised her head like a startled fawn, her azure eyes glistening with tears, a mixture of nervousness, shyness, and a hint of anticipation she couldn't quite articulate.
Karl gently closed the door, and the room immediately fell into a more private and subtle silence.
Neither of them spoke for a moment. The courage and jokes they had just shared in the hall seemed to have been diluted by the enclosed space, replaced by an unprecedented, heart-pounding ambiguity and silence.
Karl slowly walked to the bedside and sat down. He didn't urge Charlotte, but just quietly watched her.
The girl before him was beautiful, brave, and straightforward, yet at this moment, being alone with him in a room made her appear so shy and charming, filling his heart with indescribable emotions.
Scenes from his journey through time flashed rapidly through his mind, from the initial bewilderment and fear upon arriving in this strange world, to the struggle for survival and the arduous process of building Carnford step by step.
From being alone to winning the loyalty of Brendan, Edgar, and others, and then to meeting, getting to know, fighting side by side with, and falling in love with the Count before him...
He suddenly remembered his past life, a life of mediocrity, commuting to and from get off work by crowded subway every day, and returning to his cold rented room.
There was no one waiting for me at home, no hot food, and not even a trace of human presence.
Although the future remains uncertain and he is surrounded by powerful enemies, at this moment, he possesses a fortress worth protecting, a group of people who trust him, a group of subordinates willing to follow him, and... a beautiful young woman who is willing to keep him company in the dead of night, giving him warmth and comfort.
A tremendous sense of gratitude and happiness filled his chest.
He stood up, walked to Charlotte, slowly squatted down, and looked up at her.
Charlotte felt even more embarrassed under his gaze, her eyes darting away, her voice weak. "What... what are you doing..."
Karl didn't answer, but simply reached out and very gently and carefully stroked her smooth, long golden hair, feeling the delicate warmth of the strands with his fingertips.
Then, he gently pulled her into his arms and let her rest her head on his shoulder.
Charlotte's body stiffened slightly, then slowly relaxed, leaning against him obediently, and they could even hear each other's heartbeats becoming clearer.
Karl closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and whispered in her ear in an extremely soft but deeply affectionate voice:
"Thank you, Charlotte."
Thank you for being there, thank you for your trust, thank you for your companionship...
Thank you for giving me a reason to fight and a warm home in this cold and dangerous world.
Charlotte didn't answer, but buried her face deeper into the crook of his neck, reached out, and gently hugged him back.
All words seem superfluous at this moment; a silent embrace and a close embrace are the best answer.
As night deepened, the light of the oil lamp gently enveloped the two figures embracing, as if isolating them from all the storms and disturbances of the outside world.