Pull Yourself Together

Karl asked, trembling, "Then... Charlotte... does she know?"

The Count lowered his gaze slightly, remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded, his voice low. "She knows, the contents of the Imperial Edict... I told her immediately."

Karl mustered his courage, looked directly into the Count's eyes, and said nervously, "Count Excellency, I... I have a request. Before that, I... I wish to see Charlotte one last time, is that alright?"

The Count remained silent, staring intently at Karl; the air in the office seemed to freeze instantly.

After a few seconds of silence, the Count spoke slowly in an almost cold, emotionless tone:

You're too late.

A deathly silence fell over the office, and even the light from outside seemed to dim.

The Count took a deep breath, as if uttering these words required immense strength, and continued, each word clear and cruel. "Charlotte left Fran City yesterday afternoon."

"Back to Hewenham Territory."

"I'm home."

Upon hearing the Count's news that Charlotte had left, Karl did not collapse or become agitated as expected; instead, he fell into an unusual calm.

He slowly leaned back in his chair, his gaze lowered, fixed on the ground, as if all his strength and emotions had been drained away in that instant.

He understands Charlotte.

He completely understood Charlotte's choice. Putting himself in her shoes, if he were Charlotte, his beloved was about to marry someone else in front of everyone, and the preparation and holding of this wedding might very well take place in the city where he grew up, right under the nose of his father, the governor...

This is undoubtedly the greatest humiliation and irony; every moment is like being slowly sliced to death.

Leaving, far away from this place filled with sad memories and impending turmoil, and returning to the relatively peaceful old home of Hewenham Territory, was indeed the only choice for a proud and sensitive girl to maintain her dignity and find final peace of mind.

At this moment, the Count's voice rang out again, carrying a deep sense of helplessness and the advice of an elder. "Karl, perhaps... it would be better for both of you to separate for a while."

He paused, his sharp gaze sweeping across the window, and lowered his voice. "You must understand, among Princess Louise's entourage and retinue traveling north, there must be Queen Empress Dowager Katerina's spies mixed in. Their mission is not only to escort the Princess, but also to monitor you, monitor Carnford, monitor... everyone and everything that might cause changes to this marriage."

The Count didn't finish his sentence, only shaking his head heavily, but Karl fully understood the unspoken warning he was about to deliver.

If the Empress Dowager's spies were to discover that he still had an entanglement with Charlotte, the daughter of the Earl Rochefort, and that their past relationship had not yet ended...

A border lord who has just achieved great military exploits in the north, possesses strong military potential, and is also the son of the Duke of Schmidt in the south, if he were to add the potential power formed by his marriage to the Rochefort family, who hold real power in the north, would be enough to make Queen Dowager Katarina, who rose to power through a conspiracy and whose foundation is not yet stable, restless and even fearful.

With the Empress Dowager's methods, she would never allow such a threat to exist; she would nip it in the bud.

At that time, not only will he and Charlotte face annihilation, but the Carnford, Schmidt Family, and Rochefort Family will also be dragged into a brutal Political Purge.

Karl took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and met the Count's gaze. His voice was hoarse but exceptionally clear:

"I understand, Count Excellency, you are right... Right now, maintaining distance is the best protection for everyone."

Seeing the undisguised sorrow on Karl's face, the Count sighed softly, his tone becoming even more profound, carrying an almost cruel rationality and the well-intentioned concern of an elder. "You understand the stakes involved, that's good, but Karl, listen to me, you absolutely cannot let this cause you to succumb and never recover!"

His voice suddenly rose a few decibels, carrying an undeniable force. "Now, Carnford is in dire need of rebuilding. Countless eyes are watching you, countless mouths are waiting to be fed. The burden of reconstruction, the pressure of defense, and the upcoming royal marriage—all these heavy responsibilities rest on your shoulders! You have neither the time nor the right to indulge in personal romantic entanglements any longer!"

Upon hearing this, Karl abruptly raised his head, a look of astonishment and confusion flashing in his eyes.

He hadn't expected the Count to offer such direct, even somewhat harsh, "Comfort."

Count Excellency, that's your own daughter! How can you be calmer and more magnanimous than I am?

The Count seemed to read Karl's mind. He walked up to Karl, his gaze sharp and complex, but his voice softened, carrying a deep pain and helplessness that only a father could understand. "I know what you're thinking. You must think that as Charlotte's father, I should be angrier and more unable to accept this than you are right now, right?"

He paused, a barely perceptible flicker of pain in his eyes, but his tone remained unusually firm. "Precisely because I am her father, I understand her best! I'm telling you, Karl, Charlotte's decision to leave was absolutely not because she didn't love you, or because she resented you."

"On the contrary, it's because she loves you so much that she can't bear to watch you marry someone else here, in her familiar city, in front of her father and everyone who knows her! That kind of torment is more painful for her than leaving you! The tearing and despair her heart is experiencing right now is probably no less than yours!"

These words struck Karl like a heavy hammer, sending a jolt through his body.

The Count took a deep breath, as if making a firm decision, and said something even more heartbreaking for Karl: "When she decided to leave a few days ago, I asked her... 'Would you like to see Karl one last time? Even just to say goodbye?'"

Karl's heart leaped into his throat; he held his breath, awaiting the answer.

The Count looked into Karl's eyes and said, word by word, "She shook her head and refused. She said... 'No need, Father. He's about to marry the Princess. If he sees me now and someone sees him, it won't be good for him.'"

Karl fell silent.

Only at this moment did he truly and completely understand the profound and hopeless love and sacrifice hidden behind Charlotte's resolute departure.

She was not only protecting her own dignity, but also protecting him by leaving, preventing him from falling into potential political risks because of their past relationship.

The Count's tone finally turned into a heavy admonition. "So, Karl, pull yourself together! Don't let her down, and don't let down all those who trust you. Turn this pain into strength."

"Only when you become strong enough, strong enough to control your own destiny, might... other possibilities arise in the future. But right now, you must survive, and survive better. That's the best way to honor everyone, including Charlotte."