“May I have a brief conversation with my daughter?”

“What for?”

Pyotr was momentarily at a loss for words.

“No, you may not.”

Aster firmly refused once again.

“I can’t breathe, uncle.”

Charlotte pulled down the blanket that had been tightly wrapped around her. As she raised her head with a clear face, Aster frowned with a troubled expression.

“I’m fine.”

“What do you mean fine! Absolutely not. I won’t allow you to exchange words with that fellow until dirt enters my eyes!”

“I said I can’t breathe.”

“Even if you can’t breathe, that fellow is not allowed.”

The servants uneasily surveyed the situation.

“I’ll call for sir Cesar.”

Since the head of the family was absent, it would be best to call for his representative, sir Cesar.

Just as some servants were about to leave to find Cesar.

“Aster. Overprotectiveness is not good.”

Cesar had come to find them first.

“Wouldn’t Charlotte be embarrassed if you wrap her up like a three-year-old child?”

As he shielded Charlotte with his broad back, a restrained weight flowed.

“What business do you have with our child?”

“…’Our’ child?”

“Is there a problem with my way of addressing her? Though we left the child alone for a while, she clearly has guardians present.”

Cesar lazily moved his lips.

“You still act as if you’re that child’s guardian, which is quite displeasing to us.”

Stop snooping around and get lost. He issued an order to leave with just a few words.

“Charlotte!”

Pyotr shook his head vigorously and asked the child.

“Is it true that you shot a crossbow at that person?”

“Did they tell you that?”

“Are you… really the child I knew?”

Pyotr wore an expression of incomprehension.

No matter how much you’ve changed lately.

A person’s essential nature doesn’t suddenly change.

“Why?”

“That’s not something you should be asking.”

Pyotr suddenly stopped speaking. A silence as if breath had ceased passed between them.

The eyes looking at each other were the same.

Nothing had changed, only the feelings toward each other had altered.

The eyes of the child who had craved affection were now empty, and something was slowly going awry.

Pyotr suddenly remembered something.

“Was it really you who dug up that grave?”

When disbelief turned into certainty.

Pyotr shuddered, feeling a chill run down his spine.

“That you personally did that to your mother’s…”

Pyotr looked at the empty eyes and was certain.

“So it was true.”

Aster hid Charlotte behind his back and twisted his expression in disgust, as if looking at an insect.

“Have you finished blabbering?”

“This child is my child! Not that family’s child, but mine! Although I gave her up for adoption due to my circumstances, I am the father who gave birth to this child. I have been protecting this child for nearly twenty years…!”

Pyotr stopped speaking and took a step back.

Something was slowly settling. The ground beneath his feet squelched muddily.

Pyotr suddenly looked down at his feet. It felt like the ground was sinking.

Why do you look at me like I’m an insect?

Why do you look at people like they’re insects?

A crow cawed so loudly it made his ears ring.

Aster narrowed his eyes and muttered.

“This isn’t a hunting ground, yet beasts are still barking. Do I have to silence the beasts here too?”

Pyotr’s soul seemed to leave him for a moment. Whatever had risen to his chin in anger deflated helplessly.

“Who are you talking to…?”

“It’s quite chaotic with the sound of beasts crying as if this were a hunting ground. The crows seem to have gathered, smelling the carcasses of beasts.”

Cesar looked around the chaotic hunting ground once and put his hands behind his back.

“How about we part ways here today?”

Pyotr gritted his molars and replied.

“I will withdraw first today. When the time comes, I will return. You are my child, and I will come back to reclaim you.”

Pyotr left after saying that. Cesar turned his head and glanced down at Charlotte.

“Are you alright?”

Aster stroked her hair and whispered.

“Your father-daughter relationship is so hard to understand.”

Charlotte gave a faint smile.

“I’m tired today too.”

Though she smiled on the outside, something inside was slowly starting to creak.

‘Father dug up mother’s grave, they say.’

Everyone seems to be going mad. Me too. Father too.

No one understands.

Late at night.

What could it mean for a daughter to dig up her birth mother’s grave?

Death was so vivid.

With these hands, I touched and felt death. While reburying mother, I fully embraced that death.

The daughter who had starved for affection died.

Charlotte’s eyes reddened.

Mother, I’m sorry. I’ll bury my resentment and indignation for now. Just for a very short while. Please wait just a little longer.

I will surely bring them before your grave, mother.

I gave you my flesh.

So I will carve your bones.

[This is the timeline separator]

“It’s as if I’m seeing a completely different child.”

Pyotr muttered as if in pain.

“Even if I abandoned her, I am that child’s birth father.”

She was a child who had never shown her presence. Such a child now raises her voice to speak.

Saying that she is here. Telling me to look at her.

I knew she had matured while taking care of her sick mother.

“How could she bring herself to dig up her mother’s grave and take out the urn?”

That was just.

As chilling as if a corpse had crawled out from the underworld.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Just earlier you were like a rain-soaked cotton ball, and now you’re a tear-soaked cotton ball?”

Aster clicked his tongue in disapproval.

“Ah.”

Charlotte lowered her head blankly. Her eyes were already wet. Though her eyes were reddening and gradually becoming moist, tears did not fall in the end.

“Are you alright?”

Aster hesitated, extending and retracting his arm repeatedly. As he covered Charlotte’s head with a blanket and embraced her with his arms, the child collapsed into him.

“Your mother is resting peacefully. She must be happily watching you grow up. Of course! She might be cursing, saying how dare they pair such a ruffian with her precious daughter, disliking your fiancé.”

But still.

“As long as you’re doing well, that’s enough. Charlotte. Charlotte. It’s okay. It’s alright. Everything will be alright.”

The Windsor family, who should be the angriest, is embracing Charlotte. That fact was overwhelmingly regretful.

“Are you alright? Charlotte?”

“Charlotte. What’s wrong?”

Aster and Cesar addressed her in turn.

“Did something happen?”

“You need to tell us what’s wrong for us to know.”

Aster lifted Charlotte’s chin. Their eyes met. Seeing the empty eyes, Aster stiffened.

‘What kind of child…’

How could she have such eyes?

“Charlotte, are you in pain somewhere? Brother, please do something.”

Cesar looked down at Charlotte with his hands behind his back.

His niece, who resembled his younger sister so much, even had a similar personality. Tough and strong-willed.

“My dear niece is really worrying her uncles.”

Cesar spoke as if scolding a young child. Though he said with his own mouth that she wasn’t a three-year-old child, Cesar also treated Charlotte like a child.

“Charlotte, we understand you. We will embrace your sorrow as well. So, don’t harbor any lingering feelings for your father. Your family is here, isn’t it?”

Charlotte bit her lip.

It’s not deception.

She just wants to reduce the pain these people will experience.

‘Mother. Just a little longer.’

Let’s endure just a bit more.

“Are you in pain somewhere? Hm? Charlotte, tell us.”

Though her eyes were red and she seemed about to cry at any moment, her smile spread beautifully.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m fine.”

“Charlotte, you being fine is…”

Her eyes drooped drowsily. Charlotte fell asleep just like that.

[This is the timeline separator]

“It’s been three days. Three days! No, it’s been four days now. The child has been unconscious for four days…!”

Aster berated the doctor urgently.

“Sir Aster, please calm down first…. Young lady, are you awake?”

Charlotte blinked her eyes slowly. Her vision was blurry. Gradually her focus returned and.

“Charlotte? Are you awake? Are you awake? Have you woken up?”

“Uncle.”

“Are you conscious? Are you aware?”

“I can hear you. You only need to say it once.”

Charlotte groped for the bed and stretched out her arm. Her fingertips grasped Aster’s clothes.

She wiggled her fingers stiffly. She grasped the clothing tightly, raising the fine sensations in her fingertips.

“Ask slowly. One by one.”

“How can I stay calm when you’ve been unconscious for days, just sleeping?”

Charlotte slowly closed her eyes.

“How many days has it been?”

“Four days. Four days!”

“It’s been quite some time…”

“Why did you stand in the rain to that extent?”

Aster wrapped Charlotte’s hand with his trembling hands.

“You careless child.”

“You’re saying the same thing as Benjamin.”

“His Majesty saw you clearly. You’re too harsh on yourself.”

Children this age usually tremble at even a single thorn in their finger, but this child shows no such signs.

“Linton! Examine her more thoroughly!”

The doctor carefully examined Charlotte.

“It’s a cold. The young lady was born with a weak constitution, and she got caught in too much rain, didn’t she? She seems to have recovered now.”

“Are you sure she’s recovered?”

“F-for now.”

“Look at Charlotte’s condition. Does that look like a human face? She’s not some child abandoned on the street, yet she looks like she hasn’t even had a sip of gruel.”

Her complexion was pale from being sick for days. She’s the only trace left by his deceased younger sister.

If anything happens to this child… As Aster was about to speak again, someone knocked on the door.

“The head of the family has arrived.”

A maid announced Leandro’s visit.

“You slept well after sleeping for days?”

“Yes. I slept comfortably.”

“Without thinking of the remaining family members, try such a reckless act one more time.”

What should I do with you? What should I do? You’ve inherited your mother’s blood, not knowing how precious your body is.

“Has the fever gone down?”

“Yes. It’s significantly lower than last night.”

“You’ve suffered. Charlotte. You’ve suffered more than anyone. It’s alright now, so rest. Everything is fine. Even if it’s not, I’ll make it fine, so you can rest.”

Something seemed to be tightly blocking one side of her chest.

“Tsk… Why did you make this child sit up? Lay her back down on the bed. Butler, make sure this child doesn’t go outside for a while.”

Charlotte was forbidden from going outside for several days under the pretext of absolute rest.

“Grandfather?”

Charlotte was half out of her mind.

“I sent you as her guardians, and you bring her back in this state?”

“We’re sorry, father.”

“Linton, examine the child more closely, and if there are any medicinal herbs needed for the child, speak up. Recovering this child’s strength is the top priority. Use only the highest quality herbs, and even if the child says she’s bored and wants to go out, it’s not allowed. This time, you’re responsible for watching over her.”

The group of maids widened their eyes.

“We will watch over her carefully.”

Leandro spoke sternly.

“Charlotte, listen. If you try to leave your bedroom without the adults knowing, I’ll punish the maids, not you, so keep that in mind.”