Chapter 16
“Haha! I’ll be bringing in even more exquisite ornaments, so be sure to stop by again!”
Not wanting to lose Charlotte so easily, the merchant hastily called out to her.
Charlotte, who was soon planning to leave the capital, simply nodded out of courtesy before turning away.
In her hand, she felt the soft texture of the ribbon hair ornament. Even the slightly rough surface where the butterfly was embroidered felt familiar.
She stroked the ribbon again and again, smiling. Or at least, she thought she was smiling—yet her face was full of tears.
“Finding it like this… I’m glad.”
This was an accessory she had frequently worn in her past life. Of course, she had treasured the ones Noctem had left behind, but this one… she had worn it almost daily.
She lifted her hand to tie her hair right away but quickly stopped. Only now did she realize she was still wearing her hooded robe.
‘I should do it when I get home.’
She nearly made a big mistake in her excitement. Lowering the hand she had raised, she carefully tucked the ribbon inside her sleeve.
Rumble!
Just then, thunder rumbled from the overcast sky. The sudden sound made Charlotte flinch, and she gripped the hem of her robe tightly.
‘I need to find my carriage quickly.’
She hated rainy days. They always reminded her of Noctem’s funeral.
With her face gradually losing color, Charlotte quickened her pace. But cruelly, before she could reach her carriage, the rain began to pour down in sheets.
Plop, plop.
She could hear the raindrops pelting against her robe. Thankfully, since the fabric was thick, the rain hadn’t yet seeped through to her clothes.
But that wouldn’t last forever. Calculating the distance to her carriage, Charlotte let out a sigh.
‘It’s still too far.’
Every little thing she did was turned into gossip, and most of that information came from the coachman.
If the coachman mentioned her whereabouts to someone in the duke’s household, the rumor would spread like wildfire, twisting and turning as it passed from mouth to mouth.
To minimize that risk, she had deliberately instructed the carriage to wait far away. She hadn’t anticipated an unexpected situation like this.
‘Is there anywhere nearby selling umbrellas?’
Charlotte quickly scanned the surrounding shops. But it seemed that most people had the same idea—there wasn’t a single umbrella left in stock.
She let out a small groan, swallowing her frustration. The rain didn’t look like it would let up anytime soon, so she decided she’d have to make a run for the carriage and get wet if necessary.
But at that moment—
“…Ahem. We meet again, Lady Daphsine.”
A familiar voice rang in her ears, and an umbrella was suddenly held over her.
Naturally, Charlotte’s head tilted upward.
Her hood slipped down slightly, but the large umbrella covered her entirely.
Beneath the deep black canopy, hidden from the outside world, stood Charlotte and Noctem Aphros.
“…Your Excellency?”
Charlotte called out in a bewildered voice. She had never imagined that he would approach and shield her with an umbrella.
Especially considering that just a week ago, Noctem had lashed out at her in anger before storming off.
Noctem, aware of what she must be thinking, gave an awkward cough.
“Ahem. I was walking through the streets and happened to recognize a familiar hair color. I couldn’t just stand by and watch a noble lady get drenched in the rain.”
A lie.
Normally, he wouldn’t care if a noblewoman got caught in the rain or snow. Even if one came begging for him to hold an umbrella for them, he wouldn’t have batted an eye and would’ve continued on his way.
‘Was I being too nosy?’
Noctem clicked his tongue inwardly.
But the moment he saw Charlotte standing in the rain, his body moved on its own.
To be honest, it had been like that from the start.
His mind drifted back to the moment he had spotted Charlotte earlier.
***
He had been heading toward the temple in his carriage.
It had felt like fate when he spotted a hooded Charlotte walking along the streets of the bustling district.
Just like before, Noctem had immediately recognized her, despite the robe covering her completely.
It was uncanny, really.
Still, he had no intention of calling out to her.
He had simply stopped his carriage at the edge of the road, intending to watch her from a distance—just like he did in the fields.
And perhaps also to serve as an impromptu bodyguard, since she still seemed to lack a proper escort.
But then, Charlotte had stopped in front of a shabby street vendor and crouched down to examine a cheap trinket from the Eastern Continent.
She even asked for the price.
“This tiny thing costs 10 gold coins?”
Though her words carried a hint of disbelief, the way she held the ribbon was filled with a strange longing.
Even from afar, Noctem could sense it.
If he could tell, then surely the merchant could too.
And indeed, the merchant, seeing the look on her face, raised his voice eagerly.
“Ahem! This is just between you and me, but with the Duke getting married soon, this is a gift His Excellency has taken an interest in!”
Me? When did I ever—
Noctem let out a scoffing laugh.
What a ridiculous lie.
Who would believe such an absurd claim and actually buy it…?
“I’ll take it.”
“…She bought it?”
Noctem accidentally muttered aloud.
Though there was no way she could have heard him from so far away, he quickly covered his mouth and ducked into the shadows.
Thankfully, Charlotte didn’t seem to notice his voice.
And to his shock, she even paid double the asking price without hesitation.
Noctem was dumbfounded.
This woman… is supposed to be the infamous villainess?
She was practically an easy mark for scams.
How could people be terrified of someone so naive?
No wonder she got chased by a slave trader before. And now she’s getting swindled for an overpriced trinket.
He half-expected someone to step in and stop her, but no one paid her or the merchant any attention.
Noctem considered intervening but stopped when he caught sight of the faint smile on her lips.
‘…There’s no need for me to get involved. It’s none of my business.’
He forced himself to look away.
But then—
Rumble!
A flash of lightning split the sky.
Unlike Charlotte, who clutched her robe tightly, Noctem quickly ducked into a nearby store and bought an umbrella.
By the time he stepped back outside, raindrops were already falling.
Worried she might have disappeared, Noctem hurriedly ran back to where she had been.
But there she was, still standing in the same spot.
Why is she just standing there like an idiot?
If it started raining, she should have run to her carriage or at least taken shelter under one of the store awnings.
Sigh…
Letting out a deep sigh, Noctem finally stepped forward and held the umbrella over her.
With some ridiculous excuse about not being able to ignore a noble lady in the rain.
Thankfully, Charlotte didn’t reject his help. Instead, she bowed her head, thanking him with a dazed look.
“Ah… Thank you… very much…”
For some reason, Noctem felt his expression softening.
He quickly forced it back to its usual sternness and strode forward.
Though he hated the rain just as much as she did, he angled the umbrella toward her.
And before he knew it, his steps had adjusted to match hers.
He found it ridiculous, but his body moved on its own—what could he do about it?
Charlotte, glancing at his steps, wore a complicated expression.
Why is he acting like this…?
She couldn’t understand why he was being so considerate.
Especially when, just a week ago, he had been furious with her.
He didn’t believe me at all back then.
Of course, he wouldn’t have.
But now, here he was, holding an umbrella over her.
Why?
She let out an unconscious sigh.
“Why? Are you feeling unwell?”
Charlotte flinched at his sudden question and waved her hands.
“N-No, I’m fine, Your Excellency.”
But deep down, something was stirring.
For a moment… I thought he was my husband.
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