Chapter 60
The carriage carrying Ludiana and Roseline headed toward Brno. Without Carlos and Irene, the inside of the carriage was quieter than before.
It’s been a while.
The exterior of Roembeck Castle, visible from afar, looked no different than before. Yet Ludiana’s impression of it had changed.
Along with the spring air drifting in through the window came memories of the first day she had arrived here. Her heart warmed.
This is truly my home now.
“The lady of the house is arriving!”
Through the open window came the loud voice of a knight standing at the castle gate. At that sound, Ludiana leaned her head slightly outside.
Beneath the flag bearing the stag, the knights stood tall and dignified.
The Roembeck Knight Order.
Once Brno was stabilized, the very first thing Roseline did was strengthen the territory’s security. But reviving a knight order that had already collapsed was no easy task. Only now had they barely begun to take shape again.
Still, just the existence of a knight order bearing the name Roembeck filled her with pride.
Once we establish proper roads and mandatory education as well…
Her eyes wandered here and there as she sank into thought. Soon, the neighing of horses and the driver’s call reached her.
“We’ve arrived!”
The carriage door opened, revealing the Roembeck knights standing in neat formation. Their numbers were far fewer than Pianus or Nurnbern, but their posture was disciplined and impressive.
Roseline stepped down first and turned to offer her hand to Ludiana.
“Ludi.”
“Yes, Mother.”
Grasping Roseline’s hand, Ludiana looked up at her.
“Let’s go home.”
“Yes!”
Time passed since Irene and Carlos had taken the entrance exams for the Eastern Academy. The seasons turned several times. Before long, the fourth summer was approaching.
“I hope they come quickly.”
Roseline and Ludiana descended the flower-decorated steps. Ludiana, now grown tall enough to see eye-to-eye with Roseline, turned and smiled brightly.
“So do I, Mother.”
Her childish voice was gone, replaced with a soft, graceful tone that echoed down the steps.
Her cool blue dress rippled like waves in the summer heat, and her long hair, reaching to her waist, fluttered with each step.
“Has the Duke arrived?”
“It’s been a while, Lady Ludiana, Lady Roembeck.”
Allen, who had come to Brno to coincide with Irene and Carlos’s return, looked up the steps and smiled.
“Is this the first time in four years you’ll see Carlos again, Lady Ludiana?”
“Yes, about that long.”
Ludiana nodded.
Unlike Irene, who visited Brno during every school break, Carlos had never once returned.
The thought of seeing him again after so long made her heart flutter unknowingly, and her cheeks grew faintly red.
He must have changed a lot, right?
Of course, she knew what Carlos looked like as an adult—she had seen him in the papers, and in person, too.
Golden hair catching the sunlight.
Gray-blue eyes shimmering faintly, contrasted by lips glowing a vivid red.
Broad shoulders that even his uniform could not conceal.
Remembering the man she had seen in her past life, Ludiana’s lips parted.
Don’t get nervous.
She clasped her tingling palms together and tilted her head up to cool her flushed face. Just then, the castle doors opened.
“Sister!”
The moment the doors swung open, Irene locked eyes with her and rushed forward.
Ludiana staggered under her younger sister’s tight hug—this younger sister who had grown taller than her in no time.
“Irene, careful!”
A deep, steady voice rang in her ears, and a strong hand supported her back.
Startled, Ludiana’s shoulders flinched.
“Ludi, are you all right?”
A prominent Adam’s apple moved as the voice spoke. Raising her gaze, she met sharpened eyes—gray-blue and deeper than before.
“Carlos?”
Her voice rang high through the hall in surprise at their sudden reunion.
Smile.
His sharp gaze melted into gentle warmth.
“Have you been well?”
“I, uh…”
Caught off guard, Ludiana’s lips trembled.
Still stuck between them, Irene lifted her face from Ludiana’s shoulder and shouted.
“Move over! You’re squishing me!”
“You almost hurt Ludi.”
The siblings glared at each other, noses wrinkled. Ludiana, frozen until then, finally widened her eyes.
He supported me even with Irene in between us?
She glanced back and saw his hand, now larger than before, steadying her with ease despite Irene between them.
“Irene, let go now.”
“Tch…”
Pouting, Irene stepped aside, and Carlos came fully into view. He had grown so tall that Ludiana had to tilt her head up to see him.
“It’s been a while.”
“Have… you been well?”
“Yes.”
His thick eyebrows softened as his lips curled into a faint smile.
“I missed you.”
“Carlos!”
Flustered, Ludiana turned away, hiding her flushed cheeks with her hand. Meeting her eyes, Irene smirked and clung to her arm.
“Sis, I’m the one you missed most, right?”
“Irene.”
Carlos frowned and approached, but Irene only giggled and dragged Ludiana toward Roseline.
Watching her little sister, now half a head taller than her, acting spoiled made Ludiana burst into laughter too.
“So, Irene, did you miss Mother most of all?”
Roseline, who had quietly approached, spoke with a smile. Carlos, about to scold Irene, smoothed his expression and greeted Roseline.
“Lady Roseline, it’s been a while.”
“Carlos, you’ve grown so tall. You’ve truly become a fine young man.”
Roseline laughed behind her hand, while Irene puffed her cheeks in protest.
“Exactly! He’s insanely popular at the academy.”
“Oh my, is that so? You’ll have to tell me all about it over dinner.”
With a mischievous laugh, Roseline headed toward the dining hall.
At dinner, with the whole family gathered again, Irene chattered away excitedly.
“And this semester, so many girls confessed to him!”
“Is that so? Was he really that popular?”
Allen, intrigued, teased Carlos, and Irene nodded eagerly.
“Yes, really!”
“Irene, stop saying nonsense.”
“What do you think, Sister?”
Carlos, who had been brushing her off, suddenly fixed his gaze on Ludiana. At once, everyone’s eyes followed.
“Well…”
Ludiana set her utensils down quietly and looked at Carlos.
“Lu…”
“Carlos is always so kind.”
Her red lips curved into a graceful smile.
“Of course he’s popular.”
It had been the same in her past life.
Though he never married until the day she died, rumors abounded. Whenever Carlos attended a ball, the turnout of unmarried women was always unusually high.
His looks, his swordsmanship, and his manners—everything.
Women who met him were inevitably charmed by his kindness.
So it’s only natural he’s popular.
Ludiana’s gaze, tinged with something bittersweet, met his. He was frozen mid-motion, fork in hand, staring back at her.
“Carlos?”
At her puzzled call, he furrowed his brows, snapping out of it.
“Ludi. I’m not kind.”
“What?”
“I’m only kind to you and our family.”
Clink.
Setting down his fork, Carlos looked at her again.
“Got it? Only to you and our family.”
“Uh… right.”
Ludiana remembered the confession he had made four years ago. And with it, she suddenly felt the familiar weight of the ring he always wore around his neck.
Heat rushed to her face, and she quickly bowed her head. Irene, frowning, jumped in.
“Even if he wasn’t kind, he’d spar with anyone who asked. That’s why people lined up to train with him!”
“Ha, is that so?”
“Yes! He practically hung out with Marian every day.”
“He was always with her…?”
In her past life, Carlos had been the most eligible bachelor of society—so much that even his personality was analyzed in newspaper columns. One reporter had described him like this:
Kind to everyone, but never treating anyone as special.
That same reporter had even called him a “public asset.”
But now they say he spent every day with Marian?
Thump, thump, thump.
Ludiana’s heart raced wildly, though Carlos only sighed.
“Irene, about Marian—”
“What? It’s true.”
Giggling, Irene glanced at Ludiana and shrugged.
“Anyway, we had a good time at the academy.”
