“Madame left early in the morning and is not at home. She went to visit Countess Louisette.”
“I’m a step behind. I didn’t expect my aunt to move so quickly. Without bothering to ask further questions, Karl quickly got into the carriage, not answering Clovis’ questioning gaze.
In response to Clovis’s question about what happened, Karl simply said, “My aunt went to meet Countess Louisette,” summarizing the situation in a few words.
“Madame Pulcheria would never treat a count with respect.”
Karl strongly agreed with that. He knew his aunt Pulcheria’s personality better than anyone else.
In his view, his aunt was the epitome of a formidable lady. She never remained silent in the face of what she deemed unjust and was known to rectify any wrongdoing, even if it meant causing a scene.
Especially important to his aunt were propriety, decorum, and justice. These values were directly opposed to Celeste’s already tarnished reputation in society.
From his aunt’s perspective, Celeste was seen as unsophisticated and lacking in good reputation. Therefore, it was clear that his aunt would vehemently oppose this marriage. In fact, he would be lucky if she only opposed it.
“Seeing you personally visit so early, it seems she is quite displeased.”
Karl immediately worried about the current situation. Rushing to Celeste without confirming the facts first might lead to his aunt opposing the marriage and causing a commotion.
“I will ask the coachman to hurry a bit more.”
Karl nodded. He couldn’t help but fear the sharp words that his aunt might use to wound Celeste’s feelings. If he knew his aunt well, there was still much worse to come.
Unable to hide his anxious thoughts during the journey to the Count’s estate, Karl nervously bit his lip.
How many more minutes passed like this? Before he knew it, the carriage began to ascend the hill towards the Count’s estate, where a grand mansion belonging to Countess Louisette awaited further up the hill.”
As the mansion drew nearer, Karl’s heart beat faster. Time was of the essence. He had to hurry and prevent any words from coming out of his aunt’s mouth that could incriminate him.
Knowing for certain that she had not gone to visit the Marquis with good intentions, Karl had to quickly rectify the situation that had unfolded that morning.
Even if he had not made a slip of the tongue in a moment of weakness yesterday, Pulcheria would not have gone to Celeste from the morning.
Karl had intended to prevent his aunt from hearing rumors and angrily going to find Celeste before he could speak, but now that it had happened, Karl’s heart was heavy with sorrow.
“Your, Your Excellency has arrived?”
The polite servant of the Marquis recognized him and made an embarrassed expression. It was understandable that he was not pleased with the unexpected guests who had come without warning, especially nobles, whom he had to greet twice in the morning.
“Your Excellency has come to visit.”
Clovis, who understood the servant’s feelings, answered on behalf of Karl, but Karl had no time to wait for the returning response, so he immediately instructed the butler to open the door.
Following Lady Pulcheria, Duke Albrecht arrived at the mansion, causing the knights to hastily open the door with a surprised expression.
Karl couldn’t wait for the door to fully open. Ignoring the slowly opening gap, he rushed inside.
“What brings Your Excellency here at this hour?”
Mueller, the steward whom he had seen when he visited the Marquis last time, greeted him. Karl found some reassurance in seeing Mueller’s neat appearance, which showed no signs of disarray even in the early hours. If something serious had happened to Celeste, he wouldn’t be so calm. That thought gave Karl a bit of relief.
“I’ve come to meet Celeste.”
“If you had announced your arrival, I’m sure she would have come to you, Your Highness.”
“Is there someone who met her before me?”
Silence followed. Mueller’s expression conveyed as much. Reading the thoughts reflected in Karl’s eyes, Mueller silently stepped back. It was his way of indicating that he would guide Karl to where he was thinking.
“Has my aunt… been very angry?”
Mueller discerned that Karl was more concerned about the extent of damage Celeste might have caused rather than Pulcheria’s anger. Mueller promptly provided the appropriate response Karl wanted to hear.
“No, Your Majesty. Lady Pulcheria has not shown any anger.”
“My aunt didn’t get angry?”
That couldn’t be true.
“You mean she didn’t raise her voice in anger?”
“Yes. I have never heard her raise her voice.”
Is she cursing silently then? If that’s the case, it’s more serious…
As they walked down the corridor, Mueller paused and took a step aside. Then, motioning towards the drawing-room door, he indicated that he would immediately open it if Karl wished.
“Cele!”
Karl, in his urgency, had not even realized he was calling Celeste by a shortened name.
Considering the need to separate his aunt and Celeste, Karl, without even considering knocking, pushed open the drawing-room door. He ignored Mueller’s gesture of opening it for him as a courtesy.
“Celeste.”
As Karl opened the door and stepped inside, he was momentarily speechless at the unexpected sight before him.
“Ah…?”
The temperature inside was completely different from what he had expected. Instead of cold and crisp air, the room was filled with warm and cozy warmth.
“Aunt, this is…”
“Oh, you finally arrived? You’re late, Karl.”
Lady Pulcheria responded without even turning around, despite his presence. What was even more unbelievable was that she was smiling. It wasn’t a sarcastic smile, but a genuine one, so satisfying that her cheeks turned red.
“What… is going on?”
Even after looking with his own eyes, Karl blinked repeatedly, trying to understand what was happening.
Sitting on the carpeted floor instead of a chair, Lady Pulcheria was laughing joyfully, looking like a girl in love. The sincere smile she showed when facing an endless love seemed to send shivers down his spine.
At the end of Karl’s rush to prepare for war, a scene of peace and reconciliation unfolded.
“Perhaps you were just like this when you were young.”
“Phew, phew. Boo boo.”
It seemed as though Lady Pulcheria was exchanging words with Valerie. They were uttering words that may not be understood by anyone else, yet strangely, they seemed to communicate.
Karl had expected a fiery figure of his aunt, but instead, he was welcomed by a loving and compassionate grandmother filled with love, waiting for him here.
An absurd laughter burst out. As the tension in his body gradually eased, he called out to Lady Pulcheria in a subdued voice. Only then did she turn her head to look at Karl, still embracing the child in her arms.
“Wow. Look at this, Johann. Have you ever seen such a lovely child before? Oh my. I have never seen anything like this. No, you must have looked exactly like this when you were a baby. Valerie really resembles you as if she’s your spitting image. How remarkable! I must say, your daughter really takes after you, and that’s why she seems like the most adorable thing in the world.”
“Papa, papa! Pah-pah.”
Valerie, turning her head following Pulcheria, suddenly began babbling loudly. She reached out towards Karl, making cute sounds. Seeing this, Pulcheria was overcome with even deeper emotion.
“Wow. Valerie recognizes you! She just called you ‘daddy,’ right?”
“Pah-pah, papa. Pah-pah.”
Karl shifted his gaze to Celeste. She was sitting to the side, trying to smile but looking quite embarrassed.
He sent a glance to Celeste, as if asking for an explanation, but she just watched the situation with an unreadable expression.
“Wow, would there be another intelligent child like this! Indeed, she has inherited the true blood of the Albrecht family. Karl, come closer here quickly.”
“Yes, aunt.”
Luckily, the situation wasn’t as bad as he had feared. Karl hesitantly approached Valerie and Pulcheria with unsteady steps.
“Seeing her right next to you confirms it even more. Valerie really is a spitting image of you, Karl. It’s like they copied your face exactly. Oh, it’s so miraculous.”
Tears welled up in Pulcheria’s eyes. No, was she really that moved…? Valerie’s charisma was truly immense.
I had a thought that there might not be anyone who wouldn’t be deeply moved after seeing their nephew’s child like that. You must really love Karl so much. Suddenly, I felt envious of Karl.
“The Count really did a great thing. Producing a child who has inherited the blood of the Albrecht family so well, no matter how much praise is given, it’s not enough. I misunderstood the Count, didn’t I? Sharing this conversation today, he has dignity, manners, and thoughts. Above all…”
Lady Pulcheria’s expression was intense.
“Valerie is also there. The Count is your match, and there is no lacking as my nephew’s daughter-in-law.”
