Chapter 22

The Heinst family credited Theo’s safe return, saying that it was thanks to the Lannia family and the people of Lannia County.

In addition, the Lannia family was compensated with the necessities of the nobles and a festival was held for the inhabitants of the territory.

Baron Lannia, his wife and Charlotte were happy to see the young people enjoying delicious food after a long shortage, forgetting the farming worries.

Theo, who attended the festival for the first time, joined the children of his age and danced and played.

‘It was a pity that I wasn’t able to attend a festival, but the harvest was amazing thanks to him.’

As in all estates with advanced cultivation, Lannia also held a simple festival due to the autumn harvest.

There were no strangers coming because of the smallness of the festival, but the young people spent the whole day laughing and chatting.

Charlotte loved the harvest festival atmosphere.

Unlike last year when there was no harvest festival due to famine, I wondered if I could not see happy people again this year, but thanks to Carcel I was able to enjoy it.

Finally, tomorrow they will go to the capital.

Charlotte looked at Theo’s back with a rather gloomy feeling.

Theo was playing a game of putting shapes into holes of the same shape.

‘I thought it would be fine….’

I know I won’t leave Lannia’s estate forever, and I will come back one day.

At the earliest, I will be back in half a year or five years, even if things don’t go as expected.

However, somehow I felt uncomfortable.

‘By the way, I’ve been here for three years.’

She closed her eyes slowly, and Charlotte recalled the events of the past three years.

The three years she spent here were not happy.

How hard was it to adapt and live in an unfamiliar world overnight?

The beds were unfamiliar, the clothes were uncomfortable, and the food did not suit her taste.

Certainly not just good memories. However, the thought of that place warmed her heart.

‘I don’t know why I’m so emotional.’

To get rid of the gloomy mood, Charlotte opened her eyes with a smile, then was surprised.

It was because she saw Theo’s face right in front of her.

Theo bowed his head very close to her face and shook his head back and forth.

“Sister, don’t cry.”

“Is your sister crying?”

Charlotte responded immediately, but Theo couldn’t get over his frown.

He shook his head again and hugged Charlotte tightly, rubbing his nose on her cheek.

Because of this sudden act, Charlotte could barely step back and hug Theo’s body.

Rub, rub, rub, Theo kept rubbing his face.

To be honest, it was even more painful because it was itchy, but Charlotte couldn’t tell him to stop.

It was painful, but it was a strangely good feeling.

“Are you comforting sister?”

“mhm”

Charlotte pats Theo on the head and kisses him on the cheek.

Theo, who brushed his teeth a while ago, had a strange sweet smell.

“Theo, do you know you’re going home tomorrow?”

Because of my calm voice, Theo raised his head.

His face, staring at Charlotte, was pale and tired, as if he had seen a ghost.

“No ! Theo is staying with sister!”

“Yes. I will also live with Theo.”

“Theo here…. Huh?”

Charlotte looked into his eyes and spoke word for word.

“Your sister will go with Theo and live in Theo’s house.”

He must have understood, but Theo was still puzzled.

His lips curled like a carp.

“Are you going to live with Theo?”

“Yes that’s right.”

“With Theo and brother?”

” Brother” Charlotte paused for a moment at that word.

“Yes. I will live with Theo and his brother.”

“Wow !”

Theo rubbed his face on Charlotte’s again, but this time it was a sign of joy.

Theo, who was rubbing his face, sped off to the game he was playing with again.

After about ten minutes later, Theo’s hand slowed and his head lowered

Theo was stunned and picked up the puzzle again. (Theo B. is playing a puzzle)

However, it was difficult for him to hold back his sleep.

This time he tilted his head back.

Charlotte grabbed Theo, who was about to fall quickly. Theo rubbed his face with Charlotte’s arm and got up to play the game again.

“Theo, let’s go to sleep. We will have to ride the carriage for a long time tomorrow.”

“Yes.”

Is it because Charlotte was with him?

Theo nodded his head politely.

Charlotte put Theo on the bed and brought out a book of fairy tales. However, Theo didn’t listen much and quickly left for Dreamland.

It’s time for Charlotte to cover Theo with a blanket and get up.

The door opened and Carcel appeared.

“Uh.”

He stopped at the door, unaware that Charlotte was inside. Charlotte put her index finger on her lips and whispered softly.

“Theo just fell asleep, I was about to leave. Come on .”

He bowed his head to Charlotte.

When Charlotte tried to leave, he grabbed her.

“What is there ?”

“I have something to give you, can you wait here?”

“Ah,ok .”

Carcel left the room with quick steps, saying that he would be back again.

Charlotte sat in the room at a corner table and waited quietly for him.

Perhaps it was because Theo, who was chattering, fell asleep and got dark.

The gloom that had been buried away for a while started to flow in again.

Charlotte looked at Theo, who was sleeping, turning over in bed to ease her grief.

Shortly after, Carcel returned.

He shut the door so as not to make a sound from outside, and went inside, and what he handed to Charlotte was a flat green velvet box .

Charlotte’s gaze was aware of it.

“This ….”

Charlotte, overwhelmed by desperate expectations, did not dare to receive the box.

If the thing you thought was not in the box when you opened it, you might not be able to stand the overwhelming disappointment.

Carcel spoke softly to her, perhaps because he had noticed what was in Charlotte’s heart.

“Please, open it.”

As soon as she opened the box, she saw exactly what she was expecting.

Sapphire bracelet

It shines in front of the faint orange candle.

It looked like the last time she saw it.

“How did you do this ….”

Her voice trembled at the end.

“You knew Sir Heather’s origin and thought it would be a good idea to bring him….”

Hearing this, Charlotte gently wiped the sapphire necklace, bracelet, and earrings.

Is this because of my heart shaking? A tear fell on the sapphire necklace.

I tried to hold back my tears after thinking that I would be ugly in front of Carcel, but another tear fell.

A sapphire necklace, not a diamond.

It was a gift that Baron Lannia and his wife had prepared with all their hearts, but in fact it wasn’t very expensive jewelry.

The sapphire was less transparent and the sphere was not developed.

But for Charlotte, these jewelries were more precious than anything in the world.

It was a symbol that she became ‘Charlotte Lannia.’ It was the driving force that allowed her to live as ‘Charlotte’.

She still remembers the first time she received this two years ago.

Her parents and brothers, who looked at her with great anticipation, and the servants who praised her when she wore it.

In fact, when she received profits from the mine, she thought that she wanted to get this necklace back.

The dividend was more than the debt and despite this she might be able to pay for the jewelry.

But she soon gave up.

Even if this year’s crop was fruitful, this year’s crop was not very good, and it had to prepare for the next year.

If she could find this necklace, she would have preferred to spend the money on cultivation.

That was the noble virtue I had learned from the Lannia family during the three years.

‘It’s already out of my hand, so it’s no longer mine.’

However, regardless of thinking this way all that was left was regret.

“Thank you .”

Charlotte said, barely swallowing her escalating feelings.

“I did what I had to do.”

Charlotte’s words to Carcel each time were a “Thank You”.

Nevertheless, Charlotte was grateful for his work on purposely keeping track of the contract.

“However, thank you. It is something I cherish.”

Charlotte smiled at him with all her heart.

For a moment it seemed that something had changed in his face, dimly reflected in the candlelight.

But the change was so slight that she couldn’t tell what had changed.

Carcel licked his lips as if he was trying to say something.

Charlotte looked into his eyes and waited for him to speak.

However, she couldn’t hear anything from him, so she looked at the jewelry again.

Necklace, earrings and bracelet.

It was time to admire this stuff in front of her because she didn’t have time to do it right, and then Carcel’s voice fell off.

“It’s getting late, we have to leave early tomorrow. So you better sleep.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Okay, goodnight.”

Carcel glanced at Charlotte’s forehead and then left the room.

He looked like he was a bit rushed, maybe because of his temper, he was moving with great strides.