A Subtle Relationship Between Father and Daughter

As night fell, Charlotte arrived at the Governor's Office alone.

She rarely came here of her own accord; the grand yet cold building always stirred complex emotions within her.

This was related to her mother.

Charlotte's mother was undoubtedly Earl Rochefort's lawfully wedded wife, which was why the Earl doted on her so much.

However, the relationship between the Earl and his wife had long since chilled to the bone, not due to ordinary noble dalliances, but a profound political disagreement.

Back then, when Earl Rochefort was appointed Governor of the Northern Border, the kingdom's high command explicitly demanded that he leave his eldest legitimate son in the Royal Capital before taking up his post.

This was not targeted at him personally but was a long-standing custom for important officials stationed on the frontier: leaving the most crucial heir behind as a "hostage" to prevent powerful regional lords from colluding with foreign powers or even betraying the kingdom.

It was a cold, yet necessary, political check and balance.

However, Charlotte's mother could not accept it at all.

In her eyes, why should her precious son bear the risk and separation when a bastard son born to one of the Earl's mistresses could be sent to the Royal Capital as a hostage?

Because of this, the couple had a fierce argument. In the end, the mother chose to stay in the Royal Capital to accompany her son, while the father came alone to the harsh and cold Northern Border.

Internally, Charlotte could understand her father's difficulties and helplessness; it was a sacrifice a high-ranking official had to make.

But likewise, she could not fully agree with her father's seemingly "cruel" choice and deeply sympathized with her mother and elder brother who were left alone in the Royal Capital.

This feeling of being caught in the middle made her always feel an indescribable sense of distance and guilt when facing her father.

And her father's doting affection for her filled her with gratitude.

This conflict made her emotions particularly complicated every time she stepped into the Governor's Office.

She shook off these chaotic thoughts and walked straight to the office door, knocked, and pushed it open.

Inside the office, Earl Rochefort was confirming the supplies and personnel to be dispatched the next day with the Recorder, looking over several lists.

Seeing his daughter enter, a genuine smile immediately appeared on his stern face, and he waved the Recorder away.

"Charlotte? What a rare visitor. Coming to see me so late, is something the matter?" the Earl asked with a smile, his tone gentle.

Charlotte walked to the desk, trying her best to make her tone sound natural: "Father, it's about tomorrow's escort mission. I feel... bringing only thirty cavalry might not be stable enough. I'd like to request two more cavalry teams from you to ensure everything goes perfectly."

The smile on Earl Rochefort's face slightly faded, revealing a hint of suspicion.

He knew his daughter too well. Charlotte might have a strong sense of responsibility, but she would never suddenly care so much about those pampered brats she disdained, even proactively requesting increased security – it was out of character.

"Oh? Why the sudden caution?" The Earl leaned back, scrutinizing his daughter with sharp eyes. "This isn't like you. If it were your usual temper, you'd have shown restraint just by not finding an excuse to beat up those most annoying guys halfway there."

Charlotte felt a little guilty under her father's gaze. She wasn't good at lying, and her eyes instinctively flickered. She forced herself to calm down and said, "It's the kingdom's decree, after all. It concerns the stability of the Northern Border... and with a large group, it's easy for things to get out of hand. Bringing more people is always better..."

The Earl remained silent, simply watching her. His gaze seemed to penetrate everything, and a subtle silence filled the office.

How could her clumsy pretense fool the wily Earl? Rochfort watched his daughter's eager attempts to justify herself and understood.

He had already known about Karl's repeated visits to his daughter's residence these past few days. Few things in Fran City could be completely hidden from him, but he didn't want to interfere too much with his daughter's friendships.

The Earl spoke slowly, hitting the nail on the head: "It was Karl von Schmidt who sent you here, wasn't it?"

Charlotte's heart leaped. A flicker of panic crossed her face, and she instinctively wanted to deny it, but under her father's all-seeing eyes, she knew her little secret couldn't be hidden.

She slumped her shoulders as if deflated and mumbled, "...He said so, but it wasn't for himself. He felt..."

"He felt what?" the Earl pressed, his tone calm but carrying pressure.

Charlotte took a deep breath, looked up, met her father's gaze, and decided to tell the truth: "He said... he had a very strong, bad premonition. He felt we might encounter Sauron troops returning late, or those who never intended to withdraw on time. Although he couldn't provide any specific evidence, he insisted that the Blackwater Creek area was particularly dangerous and urged me to bring more men just in case."

She paused and added, with a hint of defensiveness she herself didn't notice, "He said if his premonition was wrong, he was willing to accept any punishment, but he begged me to trust him this time."

Silence fell again in the office. Earl Rochefort tapped his fingers lightly on the desk, his expression unreadable.

That Karl kid is indeed a bit uncanny. He arrived safely at Carnford, discovered the mine veins, and always seems to have a bit of luck, or... foresight?

As an old general who had fought in the Northern Border for many years, he had witnessed too many things that couldn't be explained by common sense. Sometimes, the "intuition" of old soldiers was more accurate than reconnaissance reports.

He looked at his daughter's face, a mixture of worry, pleading, and a strange trust in Karl, and sighed inwardly.

He knew that although his daughter was independent and stubborn, her judgment of people was actually very accurate. Her insistence probably wasn't just out of affection for Karl; to some extent, she also believed in that "premonition."

"Nonsense!" The Earl suddenly put on a stern face and reprimanded, "In warfare, how can we rely on vague premonitions? If every officer mobilized troops based on intuition, wouldn't it be chaos!"

Charlotte's heart leaped, thinking her father was going to refuse.

But the Earl's tone shifted, softening slightly: "However... being cautious is never wrong. In the Northern Border, no one can say for sure. Those Sauron barbarians don't always play by the rules."

He pondered for a moment and finally nodded: "Alright, on account of your... and Lord Karl's 'caution,' I will have the Recorder arrange for two more elite cavalry teams to be assigned to your command. A total of ninety men should be enough for you to handle any 'unexpected' situations."

Charlotte immediately breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on her face: "Thank you, Father!"

"Hmm." The Earl gave her a meaningful look. "Go. Tell Karl that I've noted his 'premonition.' I hope his premonition is accurate enough, and that my extra investment won't be in vain. Also, be sure to pay attention to your safety. If the situation turns bad, your priority is to preserve yourself and the cavalry. Understood?"

"Understood!" Charlotte nodded solemnly and then cheerfully left the office.

Watching his daughter's retreating back, the expression on Earl Rochefort's face gradually deepened.

He didn't entirely believe in the so-called "premonition," but he chose to believe in his daughter's judgment and in Karl's potential "special luck."

Sending more troops meant a little more expense, but if they really ran into the Sauron... then this investment would be well worth it.

Kid, did you truly foresee something, or... do you have another source of intelligence?

The Earl's fingers tapped unconsciously on the tabletop, his eyes flashing with a deep, vigilant light.

Regardless, he had provided the troops. Now, it was up to what happened tomorrow.