Chapter 36
The Count came down the stairs, unable to hide his anger. Both Charlotte and his wife turned their heads at the same time.
“Dear!”
His wife rushed to him happily.
“What is going on here?”
The Count glared at Charlotte. She had been complaining and claiming innocence to her mother, but now her lips were tightly shut.
He was simply tired. Soon, she would no longer even be his daughter. He didn’t even want to argue.
“It’s nothing. You go upstairs for now.”
“What are you holding in your hand?”
She tried to see the papers he was carrying.
“Did you not hear me?”
Normally, his wife would be frightened by his sharp tone, but not today.
“Release Charlotte. Then I’ll go up.”
The Count looked at his wife, then laughed bitterly.
It was laughable that she was still protecting Charlotte when things had gone this far.
“I can’t let her go.”
“What do you mean?”
“Because this is a direct order from the prince.”
The Count stepped closer to Charlotte.
She shrank back, watching him nervously. He found her pathetic, but it didn’t matter. After today, he wouldn’t have to see her face again.
“F-Father…”
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to hurt you.”
He only came here to get her fingerprint.
“Open your hand.”
“…What?”
Charlotte blinked, not understanding.
“Hand!”
Frustrated, the Count shouted.
“Father?”
Charlotte clenched her fists in fear.
“Jerome! Roban!”
He ordered the servants to hold Charlotte down.
“Dear, what are you doing?”
“You stay out of this!”
The Count forced Charlotte’s hand open and pressed it into the ink. He was a second too late in realizing that his wife had grabbed the documents.
“You… you’re planning to disown Charlotte from the Rohiltern family?”
“……”
“How could you do that? Charlotte is our daughter! She’s your only child who has the right to inherit the Rohiltern family! How could you…?”
Charlotte also struggled and screamed.
“Father, do you not care if I’m thrown in prison or tortured? Do you not care if the prince does something terrible to me?”
“Then do you have another way?”
Finally, the Count snapped.
“If I don’t do this, the prince will destroy the entire Rohiltern family! Do you have another plan?”
His sense of injustice made his voice shake with anger.
“This wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t done such foolish things! Do you know? This is all your fault. Because of you, I had to kneel in front of the servants!”
He raised his hand to slap Charlotte, but it was stopped.
“Dear!”
“Wake up! We’ve raised her long enough. It’s time she takes responsibility for her actions! Am I wrong?”
The Count ordered the servants to open Charlotte’s hand again.
But this time, his wife was the problem.
“Give me back the papers.”
“No, dear. You know what the prince will do to Charlotte if we disown her. He’ll definitely do something horrible, things no noble lady should endure. Think about when Charlotte was born. That beautiful child looked just like you. She hasn’t changed at all. She just strayed a little off the right path, so—”
“So what?”
The Count smiled twistedly.
“Are you saying you’ll take Charlotte’s punishment in her place?”
“W-What are you saying?”
“Just say the word. The prince is coming tomorrow. If you’re willing, I’ll let him know.”
“I… I…”
She trembled, unable to answer.
She had been raised as a noble lady, treated with respect even in their poor territory. She had hit others before but never been hit herself.
The thought of being dragged before the prince and humiliated terrified her.
“Mother?”
Sensing something was wrong, Charlotte called to her, but she turned away without answering.
“Mother!!”
The Count had already seen through his wife’s weakness.
She loved Charlotte, but she loved herself more.
As a noble lady, she would rather sacrifice her daughter than endure disgrace.
“No, Mother! Don’t leave me! No, noooo!”
Charlotte struggled as the Count forced her finger onto the papers.
Even though it was just a fingerprint, Charlotte screamed as if she had been burned.
Being stripped of her noble status and falling to the level of a commoner left a deeper scar than any wound.
Her screams were filled with despair, but no one felt sympathy. Even the servants, who had often been beaten by her, felt secretly satisfied.
“Let’s go back.”
The Count tossed aside the now disowned Charlotte and turned away.
“No! I’m sorry, Father! I’ll never do it again! Please, no… I don’t want this!”
Charlotte’s screams echoed for a long time, but no one looked back.
Armian was standing in the forest where Bella’s carriage had been found.
He looked around and suddenly saw the carriage.
But instead of the burnt wreck he had seen days ago, this carriage was fully intact.
Armian froze at the strange sight.
The carriage door fell off, and a shadow stepped out.
“Why didn’t you come to get me?”
“Bella…?”
She looked completely fine, just as he remembered.
“It hurts, Your Highness.”
She stepped forward.
“It’s so hot and it hurts so much…”
Another step.
“But how…?”
As she came closer, Bella’s appearance began to change.
“How could you do this to me?”
She limped out of the carriage, covered in burns. Just looking at her was painful.
“I saved you. I gave you everything back!”
“I-I…”
“While I was dying in there, what were you doing, Your Highness?”
“Bella.”
“Shall I answer for you? You were bathing in warm water and eating delicious food!”
Her accusations pierced his heart like arrows. Armian froze, unable to move or look away.
“It hurts, Your Highness. Please… it hurts so much.”
Bella clutched her chest. She looked so pitiful and desperate that Armian could barely breathe.
“…No.”
He stepped back.
He knew this wasn’t Bella. She would never say such things to him.
“You’re not the real Bella.”
“How do you know my heart?”
“Because you’re just an illusion I created.”
Suddenly, Bella tilted her head unnaturally to the side, as if her neck had snapped.
She smiled cruelly.
“How funny. You created me just to ease your guilt.”
“!”
Armian’s eyes flew open.
He was drenched in cold sweat. He was in the bedroom of the Duke of Dyurnar’s house.
He had been having the same nightmare for ten days.
“…Ha…”
It was dawn. He had only slept a couple of hours, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep.
He quickly dressed and left his room.
“Your Highness?”
A knight from the duke’s house stood outside the door.
“Move.”
The knight hesitated, then quickly followed Armian.
“You can’t, Your Highness. The young master—”
“Do you think your master’s authority will protect you from my sword?”
Armian drew his sword and pointed it at the knight’s throat.
Even with red, sleepless eyes, he hit the exact vital point.
“Move, or I’ll cut you down. I won’t repeat myself.”
“……”
Armian shoved the knight aside and strode quickly down the hall.
The knights were confused but not surprised.
They knew exactly where Armian was going.
