The two uncles admired the gifted handkerchiefs.

“You certainly have no skill in embroidery. Your mother had no dexterity either. Don’t be too discouraged.”

“Aster, you have no filter when it comes to your niece.”

As Charlotte tied a firm knot, Cesar touched the scabbard with a profound expression.

“When did you prepare this?”

“I had it ready a few days before the hunting competition.”

Both of them silently touched the handkerchiefs.

Besides the handkerchiefs given to the two of them, there was one more left. This one was for Benjamin.

“Is there any prey you desire?”

“It seems like the Crown Prince will snatch it all anyway.”

As Charlotte responded with a laugh, Cesar’s expression turned peculiar.

“I heard they released rare blue birds in the hunting grounds. Shall I catch one for you?”

“If the opportunity arises. Don’t overexert yourself deep in the forest.”

The light conversation concluded at this point. The two uncles were busy inspecting the knights.

The hunting grounds were generally chaotic.

“I heard they released black wolves in the hunting grounds.”

“Weren’t they said to be twice the size of regular wolves?”

“It’s not just black wolves. They said they released plenty of black and white leopards too, so take good care of your life. Don’t let your guard down and get your throat torn out by the prey.”

This time, the hunting grounds were filled with rare game.

In addition to black wolves, black and white leopards, there were also white and red martens, as well as white and black tigers.

Small animals like martens were to be at the entrance, leopards in the middle, and wolves and tigers deep in the forest.

Especially with the black bears inhabiting the Pontria Forest, carelessly venturing deep into the forest with a half-hearted attitude was a good way to become bear food.

“It’s gruesome.”

Charlotte covered her mouth and laughed softly. Aster replied with a smile.

“Living and dying by arrogance is the way of a knight. Shall we return to the camp like this?”

“There’s still one more handkerchief left. Let me deliver this first.”

Benjamin turned his head from across. Their eyes met in the air.

“I’ll go to the Crown Prince as well.”

Benjamin was dressed in a red uniform. A white cloak hung from the epaulettes embroidered with the imperial crest.

He stood with an expression that it was cumbersome from head to toe, but there was no helping it since it was an official event.

Spotting Charlotte and her group, he began approaching straight away.

“Don’t you have anything for me?”

“Like what?”

“Think carefully. You have something to give me. If you don’t, Windsor will have no way to hide their deep disappointment…”

Charlotte led Benjamin by the wrist and hid in a place with few people. Behind the camp, it was relatively quiet.

“Charl.”

Benjamin stared down at the grabbed wrist, then overlapped his hand.

“How long are you going to hold on?”

“The hunting competition is about to begin.”

“So you’re not saying we should go together holding hands.”

Benjamin pulled out the grabbed wrist. The gesture of gently wrapping and pushing away the wrist was natural.

His movements were light and the emotions etched on his face were indifferent.

Benjamin fixed the scabbard to his uniform pants and draped one arm over it. In that posture, he slowly examined Charlotte.

“Where did you leave your crossbow?”

“I entrusted it to Catarina for a moment.”

Benjamin fiddled with the sword at his waist and asked again.

“Did you practice with the crossbow?”

“Yes. I’m somewhat familiar with the operation now.”

“Somewhat isn’t enough.”

His warning words were resolute.

“When you pull the trigger, do it boldly, with the feeling of aiming at the head of someone you hate.”

“…With the feeling of aiming at what?”

Benjamin subtly touched Charlotte’s cheek.

“What prey should I bring you? The hunting competition isn’t my taste, but it’s fine if you’re here. I’ll catch and bring you the prey.”

“What are you saying…”

“Wait. Charl.”

Benjamin brought his cheek to Charlotte’s neck. Shallow breaths touched and dispersed on her neck.

As Charlotte stuttered, Benjamin turned his head and met her eyes.

Their gazes met at a short distance.

A subtle breath flowed, and Benjamin spoke as if whispering in her ear.

“Then you will become the queen of the hunting competition. Charl.”

Benjamin caressed her red hair and recited.

“Stop it… Benjamin, it tickles.”

“You must be very ticklish.”

“What do you expect when you breathe so close to my ear?”

“Charl is gentle.”

“I have something to give you. Just a moment.”

Charlotte took out the last remaining handkerchief and placed it on Benjamin’s palm.

“Did you embroider it yourself?”

“…”

“You have poor skills, Charl.”

Benjamin looked at the embroidery on the handkerchief and laughed softly.

“Didn’t you say to pull the trigger with the feeling of aiming at the head of someone you hate?”

Charlotte looked at Catarina and said.

“Catarina, bring the crossbow.”

“Charl, that’s treason.”

Benjamin fiddled with her wrist.

“Tie it yourself.”

Charlotte tied the handkerchief to Benjamin’s scabbard.

The hunting grounds were quiet. The knights and nobles had left for the hunt.

“Everyone has left.”

“They will be back soon.”

Charlotte stopped walking after looking down at the empty assembly point.

“Young lady, that’s not the way.”

Charlotte abruptly stopped her steps.

“Did I take the wrong path?”

I came the opposite way. Charlotte retraced the path with her eyes but had no intention of going back. It felt like something was grabbing her ankle and pulling her underground.

And,

She soon found out the reason.

“The lady passed away not long ago, and you’re raising a child outside…”

Taking the wrong path led to the Tucher camp. Servants were sparse even in the Tucher camp.

“Let’s go back. Catarina.”

Just as Charlotte was about to turn back, she held her breath at their next words.

“The lord even dug up the deceased lady’s grave. Although it’s been covered with soil for now…”

“Be quiet! Someone might hear!”

Charlotte’s face contorted like a demon.

‘Who dug up whose grave?’

Of course, my mother’s urn isn’t there. Who was the one who personally dug up the grave…

She had dug up the grave with her own hands and headed to her maternal family’s home, embracing her mother’s urn.

Charlotte looked down at her own fists. Her mind turned white.

She abruptly raised her head and scratched the tree bark with her nails. The tree bark rustled and crumbled.

“Digging up the grave…”

If there was a reason for her father to dig up the grave, there was only one.

He must have intended to use the urn as bait to catch me by the throat. Just as my existence had strangled my mother’s life in the past.

“You people are pulling me out by force.”

Charlotte brushed her hair up and took steps towards the Tucher camp.

“Ah, young lady?”

“Why are you here, young lady?”

The maids blocked Charlotte’s path.

“Move aside.”

Catarina pushed them away with the scabbard.

“Wa-wait, you can’t go inside…!”

Pushing aside the tent with her hand and entering, a noblewoman with curly brown hair was laughing while fiddling with a teacup.

“What brings you here?”

“We meet again, madam.”

“I was completely fooled. I didn’t recognize you as that family’s young lady.”

Chloe was laughing while covering her mouth in the Tucher camp.

She was my father’s mistress who had taken my mother’s place.

“Everyone, leave.”

Chloe naturally dismissed the maids.

“Shall I take a look at my stepdaughter’s face?”

Charlotte smiled smoothly.

“Catarina, wait outside.”

As Charlotte gestured outside with her chin, Catarina stood guard at the entrance of the camp.

“Since you’re my daughter, can we speak informally? The lord said I should embrace you, so this mother should also prepare her heart to fully embrace you.”

A moth that can’t see its place of death flutters its wings in front of me.

“If you want to save that child’s lifeline, listen carefully.”

Unfortunately, I have no intention of breaking your wings right now.

“If you ever mention being my mother or daughter again, I will bury you alive, so watch your behavior.”

Strictly speaking, we are strangers. Even more than strangers. What can I expect from a father who has given up custody?

“You may find it difficult to understand why I’m doing this. You won’t be able to find a reason for my actions, and I don’t expect you to understand either.”

Charlotte laughed and muttered.

“It’s my greed to ask for understanding from someone who crawled out of a grave.”

I had decided to cut off the Tuchers, but why do you keep hovering in front of me? I thought I had severed the ties, but why are they still connected?

Charlotte took a step forward.

You have no idea. The child who struggled in death flailed miserably until the very last moment of dying.

The day I went back to the Tuchers with a stiff body.

You people who dug up my biological mother’s grave were there. The mother and daughter died like that. They lived a life worse than beasts and died torn to shreds.

“Why did you do it?”

“Do what?”

“Why, why? Why on earth did you do it?”

“Don’t come.”

“…”

“Don’t come close!”

Chloe spoke as if going berserk, and the maid who had been waiting outside returned.

“Madam?”

Charlotte whispered with reddened eyes.

“Hold tight to what you have in your hands and endure.”

I should have left that household earlier. If I had left earlier, I might have prevented someone’s miserable death.

To Charlotte, the Tuchers were traces of past regrets.

It seems that the fact that I was born became a sin to someone. If only they had given me a little more time…

‘I wouldn’t have lost my mother like that.’

It’s ridiculous. It’s so ridiculous that tears are falling.

“I said don’t come!”

Unable to suppress her anger, Chloe threw the teacup. The teacup hit Catarina’s sword and shattered.

The glass shards that shattered upon hitting the sword grazed Charlotte’s cheek. She slowly touched her cheek.

“It hurts.”

It stings.

“Young lady!”

Mother. Mother. They treat me worse than a beast.

Benjamin, didn’t you say it? If someone bothers you, aim at their head and shoot, thinking of the face you hate.

“Catarina. Bring the crossbow.”

“…”

“I said hand over the crossbow.”

Loading a bolt into the crossbow, she aimed directly at the target. Charlotte focused on Chloe’s head and pulled the trigger. Bang− The bolt that missed her temple lodged into the porcelain across.

With a sharp shattering sound, the porcelain broke, scattering shards in all directions.

“Try that wretched habit again. I’ll put a bolt in your head.”