Chapter 63
“Please take good care of Aria.”
As soon as she handed Aria over to the Viscountess Kenis, Charlotte’s arms dropped weakly to her sides. If Ash hadn’t been there to steady her from behind, she might have collapsed right on the spot. Charlotte smiled faintly, but her eyes were filled with sorrow.
The Viscountess Kenis immediately began to cradle Aria as if she were the most precious treasure in the world. Aria smiled too, nestling comfortably in her new guardian’s arms. The bright, happy voice that rang out in the air made Charlotte’s heart ache even more.
They say blood is thicker than water and that familial bonds can’t be severed—but that only applies when blood ties exist. Aria was to become the adopted daughter of the Kenis couple. That meant Charlotte would have to ask permission just to see her again. And with time, Charlotte might vanish entirely from Aria’s memory.
Once the Kenis couple’s carriage left the castle gates, Charlotte would truly become a stranger.
Charlotte clenched her fists tightly.
It was fortunate that the Kenis couple was leaving at dawn. Fortunate that the clouds were heavy. Fortunate that the surroundings were dark—so no one could see the tears welling up in her eyes.
“Mommy! Mommy—!”
From the Viscountess’s arms, Aria reached out toward Charlotte. If not for Ash, Charlotte might have run forward and scooped the child back into her embrace. If Ash hadn’t reached out to hold her trembling hand behind her back, she would have clutched Aria tightly again, sobbing. But Charlotte slowly loosened her trembling grip, and Ash gently released her hand.
Instead of speaking, Charlotte chose to wave. She knew that if she tried to say “goodbye,” the tears she’d been fighting would pour down her cheeks. Aria kept calling out “Mommy” again and again. But it didn’t last long—her small hand slowly fell.
Aria stared at Charlotte without blinking for a long moment, then buried her face in the Viscountess’s shoulder. Even as the Kenis couple expressed their thanks and climbed into the carriage, Aria didn’t raise her head again. The door closed, the coachman took up the reins—
—and at the sharp crack of the whip, Charlotte’s heart dropped.
“Aria… Aria.”
As the carriage wheels began to turn, then gradually sped up, a sob broke free from Charlotte’s lips. She stepped forward without thinking, tripping over her skirt and nearly falling. Ash rushed to catch her, but Charlotte shook him off and ran toward the departing carriage.
“Aria…!”
The moment Charlotte cried out her name in anguish, the carriage passed through the castle gates. Watching it grow smaller and smaller until it was only a black dot in the distance, Charlotte collapsed to her knees. Her breathing trembled, and a wave of regret crashed over her.
She hadn’t doted on Aria at the end, afraid that doing so would leave lingering attachment. But that had been a mistake. She should have told Aria she loved her. Should have thanked her for calling her “Mommy.” Should have said she’d been happy caring for her. Why had she only waved? Why hadn’t she kissed Aria’s forehead while sobbing her heart out? Foolish… so foolish.
As Aria disappeared from sight, Charlotte recalled the day they first met.
A lonely child crying in the frozen winter woods—she had looked just like Charlotte herself when she was little. The more lovingly Charlotte cared for her, the more her own wounds began to heal. Aria’s pure affection had shown her what happiness truly was.
Yes, it had been Charlotte who saved Aria that winter day. But as time passed, Charlotte realized that it was Aria who had saved her. That’s why she had wanted to become Aria’s mother—to return the love she’d received a thousandfold.
But now… Charlotte lowered her gaze from the vanished carriage.
She knew she would never forget the warmth she’d felt living with Aria.
“Milady…”
Unable to stand it any longer, Anna approached and wrapped her arms around Charlotte’s shoulders. But she, too, was barely holding herself together—her face was streaked with tears. If Aria had been a daughter to Charlotte, she’d been like a little sister to Anna. She could still see the child calling her “big sister” so sweetly. Anna roughly wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
“I know better than anyone that this was the right thing for Aria… but why does it hurt so much?”
Charlotte’s voice broke as she spoke, as though each word were an effort. Anna shook her head.
“No, Milady. You made the right choice. You did…”
That Aria’s adoption had been the right thing—Anna was about to say those words when her golden eyes suddenly widened. Her lips parted in alarm, as though she’d just realized something. A cold drop touched her cheek—it was snow.
Snow shouldn’t have been falling; the snowstorm season had ended. Yet a biting wind began to blow as if another blizzard were about to strike. Anna set aside what she had been about to say and helped Charlotte to her feet. The ground had grown freezing beneath her.
“Milady, it’s snowing. We should go inside.”
“Enough.”
Ash’s voice stopped her. He looked quietly at Charlotte and spoke gently.
“I’ll escort her. You go warm some bathwater and add firewood to the hearth.”
Anna glanced at Charlotte with worry before nodding and hurrying back toward the castle. Once she was gone, Ash took her place. Kneeling beside Charlotte, he hesitated, then drew her into his arms.
Charlotte leaned weakly against him. As the wind grew stronger, Ash held her more tightly, shielding her from the cold instead of urging her to move.
“Was I right?” Charlotte whispered.
“Yes,” Ash answered without hesitation.
“Aria… she’ll be happy, won’t she?”
“She’ll be happier than anyone. So happy that whenever she remembers you—or even hears your name—she’ll feel nothing but gratitude.”
Charlotte stayed silent for a while before murmuring again.
“I promised her… that I’d come visit her. But I don’t think I’ll be able to keep that promise.”
Aria needed to grow up in the Kenis household. She could never come back here. Charlotte had realized that the moment she handed the child over. From now on, Aria would be known in society as “the devoutly adopted daughter of the virtuous Kenis couple.”
If Charlotte had kept her, people would have called her “the orphan raised by the cursed young lady.”
That was why she couldn’t even keep her promise to visit.
If anyone found out that I had raised Aria, rumors would spread and hurt her. If I were to visit her then, the gossip would spiral out of control. I can’t let that happen.
Charlotte rose unsteadily to her feet. But as soon as she put weight on her legs, she stumbled again. Ash caught her and hesitated before gently stroking her hair.
“May both you and Aria… find your sorrow to be short-lived.”
Charlotte’s shoulders trembled slightly, but Ash didn’t look down. He only raised his eyes toward the gray sky.
“…I hope the snow stops soon.”
The Baroness Bervel couldn’t sleep, even long after dawn. Her mind was in turmoil—worrying for Aria, and for Charlotte, who had sent the child away. She paced the drawing room restlessly, her husband following behind her.
“Dear, did we do the right thing?”
“Partings are always painful, my love. But soon you’ll see it was for the best. Come, sit down. Let’s have some tea and calm ourselves.”
The Baron was deeply concerned for his kind, tender-hearted wife. Ever since seeing the Kenis couple off at dawn, she hadn’t stopped frowning or even taken a sip of tea. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, trying to comfort her. Just then, a scratching noise came from the door.
“Suu, come here.”
Somehow, the little creature Suu had managed to nudge the door open and peek in. There had been too much to prepare earlier, and since Suu couldn’t be sent away with Aria, Charlotte had asked the Barons to look after her temporarily. The Baroness had grown quite fond of the small animal—when she patted her knee, Suu jumped up and curled in her lap at once.
As Suu tucked herself into a ball, the Baroness finally smiled faintly and stroked her fur.
“I’ll have to visit the young lady tomorrow. She must be heartbroken. After raising that child like her own daughter, how could she not be?”
“Originally, we were supposed to keep Suu for a few more days,” said the Baron. “But perhaps it’s best to return her tomorrow. Without Aria, the house must feel painfully empty. Suu’s company might help her…”
At that moment, Suu’s ears twitched. The creature lifted her head sharply, alert.
“Suu?”
Before they could think more of it, hurried footsteps sounded from the corridor. It was the butler, Bettley.
“My lord, are you awake?”
“What is it?”
“You’d best come quickly, sir. There’s someone here asking to see the madam—she says it’s urgent.”
“At this hour? Who is it?”
“The Viscountess Rosi.”
The Baroness tilted her head in confusion.
“I did agree to meet her. She was supposed to bring me the Samor tea leaves…”
Viscountess Rosi was a close friend, and the Samor tea leaves were a rare item recently imported to the capital—said to be beneficial for pregnancy. The Baroness had even paid extra to have her friend secure some. She’d asked to be notified as soon as they arrived—but certainly not in the middle of the night.
Yet when she met the woman at the door, it was clear this was no social call. In Rosi’s hands was not a box of tea leaves, but a rolled-up document.
“Madam!”
“Viscountess Rosi? What brings you here at this hour?”
“There was no one at the Steria estate—do you know where the young lady is?”
“What?”
Rosi had been away from the North and didn’t know Charlotte was staying at the lord’s castle. The Baroness tried to calm her down.
“Please, calm yourself. While you were away—”
“Where is Aria? Don’t tell me those people have already taken her!”
“Those people? Who do you mean?”
“The Kenis couple—the con artists who were supposed to adopt her!”
“C-con artists…?”
The Baroness stammered, confused. Con artists? What was she talking about? Then Rosi unrolled the document—and all the color drained from the Baroness’s face.
It was a wanted poster. The faces of the Kenis couple stared back at her, their crimes listed below in detail. And among the charges was one horrifying word—
Slave traders.
The Baroness collapsed where she stood.
