Devotion

In the depths of the Rochefort Family estate in Hewenham Territory, the warm and gentle early summer sun shines on the meticulously maintained courtyard outside a secluded stone house.

Charlotte wore a loose and comfortable cotton dress, but even so, it was difficult to completely conceal her high, protruding belly.

With only a month left until her due date, she was moving much more slowly than usual, but in good spirits.

The most striking change was her hair.

Her once radiant, vest-length golden hair, as bright as the sunshine of Herwenham, has now been cut short by herself, leaving only shoulder-length hair, tied back with a simple ribbon.

This decision saddened her mother, Lady Isabella, for a long time.

She knew how much her daughter cherished her beautiful hair; it was part of her pride as a noblewoman.

Charlotte, however, said that long hair was too troublesome to manage during pregnancy, especially during childbirth, so she simply cut it off.

Lady Isabella understood that this was a sacrifice her daughter had made for the children, and she felt both heartache and pride.

At this moment, Charlotte was standing in the center of the courtyard, holding an unsharpened ceremonial rapier in her hand, slowly and rhythmically making simple slashing and thrusting motions.

Her movements were not very large; they were more like a gentle stretching and activity.

This is strongly recommended by the experienced Aunt Martha: even in late pregnancy, you shouldn't sit still for long periods of time. Moderate activity helps maintain your strength and makes childbirth smoother.

Charlotte is a restless person by nature, and after learning about Karl's feelings and promises from her mother a few days ago, she felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from her heart, filling her with hope and strength. In her good mood these past few days, she has even insisted on doing some light exercise every day.

Aunt Martha stood not far away, her eyes following Charlotte's every move closely, her face showing concern and vigilance, ready to step forward and help her at any moment.

"Charlotte, that's enough, come and eat!" Lady Isabella called softly from the doorway of the stone house, a loving smile on her face.

She was holding a plate of freshly baked snacks that smelled incredibly tempting.

Upon hearing this, Charlotte slowly stopped her stance, handed the rapier to Aunt Martha, wiped the fine beads of sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, and her face was flushed with the healthy glow of exercise.

She stroked her belly, feeling the movement of the little life inside, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up.

Lunch was served in the cozy little dining room of the stone house.

The meals remained light and nutritious, but Lady Isabella always tried to find different ways to get her daughter to eat more.

During the meal, the mother and daughter chatted casually with Aunt Martha while eating.

Halfway through the meal, Lady Isabella seemed to suddenly remember something. She took a letter sealed with Wax Seal wax from the embroidered basket beside her and handed it to Charlotte: "Oh, right, Charlotte, this just arrived this morning. It's a letter from your father in Fran City."

Charlotte's eyes lit up instantly upon hearing "father's letter"!

She almost immediately put down her cutlery and eagerly took the letter.

My heart began to pound uncontrollably, a secret hope welling up inside me. Could... could there be a word from Karl tucked inside? Or would my father mention more about Karl in the letter?

She resisted the urge to open the package immediately, quickly shoveled down a few mouthfuls of rice, and then couldn't sit still any longer.

She stood up, smiled apologetically at her mother and Aunt Martha, and said, "Mom, Aunt Martha, I'm full. I'd like to... go to the study to read the letters."

Lady Isabella nodded understandingly. "Go ahead, child, take your time, there's no rush."

Charlotte, carrying the heavy letter, strode into the small study connected to the bedroom.

She carefully closed the door, leaned against it, took a deep breath, and then, with slightly trembling fingers, cautiously removed the Wax Seal.

Pulling out the letter, my eyes immediately fell on the opening salutation, "My dearest daughter Charlotte," in my father's familiar and steady handwriting.

In an instant, an overwhelming sense of loss quietly crept into my heart; it wasn't Karl's letter...

She gently bit her lower lip, a bitter self-mockery rising in her heart.

Charlotte, you're so naive... He's with the Her Highness the Princess by his side now, his identity is sensitive, and his situation is complicated. How could he possibly risk writing to you? Being able to send a message through his father is already the best-case scenario.

She shook her head, suppressing her disappointment, composed herself, and began to carefully read her father's letter.

In his letter, the Count first expressed his usual concern for his daughter's health and well-being, urging her to rest and recuperate, and to put the child first.

The letter then quickly turned its attention to Carnford and Karl.

"... There has been a lot of new news about Carnford and that young man recently. The standard Official road to Carnford is now fully open, which greatly facilitates travel between the two places. Karl went through a difficult period after you left, but he has now recovered and is devoting all his energy to the reconstruction and development of the territory."

Charlotte's heart clenched at this sight; she could imagine Karl's pain at the time, but then she felt relieved by his resilience.

"He recently introduced a comprehensive and well-considered tax policy aimed at encouraging production, ensuring fair taxation, and stabilizing public sentiment."

"According to the news brought back by the caravan, Carnford is experiencing rapid population growth and thriving commerce. The entire territory is bustling with activity, and Karl himself... seems quite energetic and motivated due to his recent marriage and the busy affairs of the territory."

The letter's description was objective and calm, but Charlotte automatically filtered out words that might disturb her, such as "newlywed" and "energetic and ambitious." Her entire attention was focused on the fact that Karl was working hard to build up the territory.

A smile of satisfaction and pride spread across her face as her fingers gently traced the description of tax policy on the letter, as if she could see Karl's focused and earnest figure as he discussed matters with officials in the Lord's Hall and inspected the fields.

"He's keeping his promise..." Charlotte murmured to herself, her eyes sparkling with happiness. "He's working so hard to build Carnford, to make it strong...it must be for the future, for us, and...for our children."

She looked down at her growing belly, her heart filled with a gentle certainty.

She completely interpreted the subtle implication in her father's letter, "It seems that it is also because of the new marriage...", as a necessary pretense by Karl to lull the royal family into a false sense of security and secretly accumulate power.

She pressed the letter tightly to her chest, closed her eyes, and felt the silent support and love from afar.

All the waiting and effort became worthwhile at this moment.

She believes that Karl's heart has never changed, and that he is paving the way for their shared future in his own way.

"Keep going, Karl..." she whispered, her voice full of strength and support, "I'll be fine too, waiting for you."

Sunlight streamed through the study window, illuminating Charlotte's short blonde hair and her face, which radiated hope and determination.

Although the road ahead is still long, her heart is filled with light at this moment.