<strong>Trantor:</strong> Happybear13 <strong>Editor:</strong> Kassy


    Charlize approached slowly.


    Were they surprised? Not just Dn, but all the employees were stiffened.


    “Your Highness, I’m back.”


    Her vacation was fifteen days. The bet ended earlier than expected, so Charlize came back a day earlier.


    “…Master.”


    “We’re d to have you back, Grandmaster!”


    The employees bowed their heads in unison.


    Dn somehow walked with blushing cheeks. Charlize’s gaze reached Dn’s hand.


    There was a ribbon in the Crown Prince’s hand.


    ‘Ribbon?’


    The Crown Prince’s pce always had a calm atmosphere, resembling Dn. But somehow, today it was decorated in great splendor.


    To be precise. It seemed like he was preparing something. What was it?


    Charlize didn’t know.


    “You came earlier than expected.”


    “Somehow it just happened.”


    Charlize retorted at Dn’s words.


    Wait a minute.


    Charlize had a hunch. This is, so…


    “I just wanted to throw you a surprise party.”


    Birthday celebration?


    Dn seemed to be bashful.


    “But I’m very happy to see the Master a day earlier.”


    “Ah…”


    Charlize was weak against such tickling. Her birthday – it was tomorrow. She had forgotten about it.


    Charlize has only remembered it as the anniversary of the Grand Duchess’s death.


    Even the employees who had prepared the birthday party eagerly smiled awkwardly when they saw Charlize.


    It looks like they wanted to surprise her, but they were afraid they couldn’t meet her expectations.


    “If I knew you were preparing something, I wouldn’t havee back in a hurry.”


    Charlize said sadly.


    “Those words.”


    Dn approached.


    “May I take it that the Master has missed me too?”


    Charlize blinked slowly. Dn, who sincerely missed Charlize, took a step closer.


    A refreshing scent shed through him. Charlize looked up at Dn.


    “I missed you, Master.”


    Charlize felt strange.


    It seemed like Dn keeps tapping deep in her heart.


    Asking her to open it. Asking her to trust him. Like raindrops hitting a window.


    Quietly and covertly.


    “So did I, Your Highness.”


    It was good that she came back in a hurry because she wanted to see Dn.


    Even though Dn was embarrassed, he looked down with joy. The eyshes covering his blue eye were long and pretty.


    Charlize handed out the document first.


    “This.”


    “…”


    No further exnation was added.


    Dn, who looked down at the envelope given by Charlize with a strange look, soon took it carefully.


    Dn opened the envelope, took out the document and read it. There. It stated the purpose of Charlize’s vacation.


    [As the head of the Duke of Kenin, I dere that I have made a knight’s oath to His Highness the Crown Prince.


    There was no problem with the procedure because the Grandmaster of the Crown Prince ‘Charlize Ronan’ was appointed as His Highness’s sacred deputy.


    I will devote my life and be loyal to the Lord.


    Duke of Kenin’spensation.]


    The Duke was a powerful man that even the emperor could not match.


    The Duke who protected the North was famous for having no Lord for generations.


    The only exception was the first emperor who founded the empire.


    Such an aloof nobleman made a knight’s oath to the Crown Prince.


    “…How.”


    Dn was unable to talk.


    The Duke even stamped it with his seal. This was.


    Charlize’s ability. He wouldn’t have gotten it if it weren’t for her.


    ‘How far is the Master’s ability?’


    There is less than half a year left until the rebellion that Dn notified previously. In his hands came a man who would serve as the basis of enormous military power and political power.


    It was close to a miracle. In terms of value, it was equivalent to discovering a diamond mine.


    cing something extremely valuable in his hand, Charlize stared at Dn calmly.


    “Would this be enough to repay His Highness’s trust?”


    Just like the day when she gave a Heelu-herb in his hand and freed the pain of the 7th concubine.


    Charlize captured Dn. Taking all his attention. Like there was nothing she couldn’t do for Dn.


    Such firm eyes.


    “Master.”


    Dn moved his lips slightly.


    Ah, so.


    How should he express this gratitude? Would theree a day when he could repay her in his heart?


    Dn was overwhelmed with the many things he had received.


    Because he knew how valuable the effort Charlize put behind him was. The back of his neck tingled.


    “Beyond a reward. It’s a miracle for me.”


    He couldn’t express even one percent of his gratitude.


    Charlize, who opened her eyes wide with surprise, soon smiled at Dn. An enchanting smile of joy.


    Her enchanting eyes bent gently.


    “I’m so d to hear that.”


    Just in time, the wind blew.


    The scent of Charlize drifted slowly. A deeper smile. Her glistening hair was bright under the sun.


    A halo seemed to shine around her, as if she were radiant.


    She smiled as if she was happy to be trusted. This was the way to be honored with the choice of Charlize.


    “Long time no see. Your Highness.”


    Charlize whispered sweetly.


    Dn suddenly thought,


    He wanted to kiss Charlize.


    Not a gentle kiss touching the lips. But a kiss that was harsh and rough enough to take your breath away.


    ***


    The Grand Duchy.


    The atmosphere had subsided.


    Fortunately, Charlize survived the ‘ckshaw’ safely.


    [Yes? The Lady woke up? You mean she’s not dead…?]


    The doctor, who heard the news, was shocked and couldn’t shut his mouth.


    [Should she have died?]


    In Akan’s unpleasant reaction, he exined quickly.


    [There’s no such case in medical science. Miraculously or theoretically. Anyone who has reached more than that level can ept extreme poison and survive alone. But that means the Lady is…]


    [It means that she is above the Master level.]


    The doctor immediately denied Dante’s murmur.


    [Of course, it can’t be that way. It’s either an antibody formed by chance or some miracle happened.]


    [Is it possible that Charlize is more than a master?]


    The doctor replied more politely to Akan as if he saw someone telling a silly joke.


    [If so, wouldn’t it have been widely known?]


    A reaction that seemed to not even be positive.


    But even if Akan had never seen it, if there was anyone whose rank was more than a master, he thought the closest genius to it would be Charlize.


    When Charlize taught Dn, she was performing swordsmanship that he had never even dreamed of.


    ‘No one knows about it.’


    Still, Akan felt guilty.


    ‘Because of me.’


    Even a mere doctor who was an amateur to the sword denied Charlize’s status.


    No, he didn’t even think that Charlize was good at handling swords.


    It was appalling that he had even almost killed Charlize with the ckshaw flower.


    The Grand Duke, who convened a family meeting, also looked lost in thought.


    “What’s the matter, father?”


    Only then did the Grand Duke open his mouth to Dante’s question.


    “It didn’t work.”


    The Grand Duke wiped his face with both hands.


    “His Highness the Crown Prince said he would leave it all to Charlize’s will. The request to withhold the expulsion request was rejected.”


    “…”


    It was theirst hope, but that too failed.


    Akan couldn’t do anything but bite his lips like a sinner. At least Dante came to his senses and broke the silence.


    “Tomorrow. It’s Charlize’s birthday. Isn’t it the anniversary of mother’s death?”


    Dante continued.


    “Maybe it’s ourst chance.”


    At that remark, Akan replied with a bitter smile.


    “The gift that I gave to Charlize to wish her a happy birthday was a ckshaw. How could I dare see her tomorrow? Besides.”


    Akan spoke with difficulty as if he were vomiting blood.


    “It looks like His Highness is preparing for Charlize’s birthday party. It’s probably the first time for her. She was a kid who always spent each of her birthday like a dead rat, saying she was mourning the Grand Duchess.”


    T/N: Dead rat is a metaphor for a very quiet state.


    Never before in the Grand Duchy. To celebrate Charlize’s birthday. It would be a good thing if he didn’t hurt her with his words instead of the party.


    Dante replied carefully.


    “…Our mother’s memorial room is located in the Grand Duchy, so maybe she’lle here on her birthday. Brother.”


    Charlize had never returned to the Grand Duchy since she became Dn’s teacher.


    Because it was a reality that they wanted to ignore. All three men pretended not to acknowledge it.


    After a long time, the Grand Duke opened his mouth.


    “Then all we can do is wait. Just wait.”


    He didn’t think it would work out well if they were just to idly wait. However, provoking Charlize was counterproductive.


    “…I don’t know how to ask for forgiveness.”


    Words that might not havee out of the mouth of the Grand Duke for the rest of his life were now uttered with deep regret at this moment.


    ‘If I were given a chance to go back to the past. I would never leave Charlize alone.’


    The Grand Duke thought.


    But regret always came toote.


    It was impossible to go back to the past. Time always went forward.


    When he had found out that Charlize might die, the Grand Duke first admitted his fault.


    ‘It’s my fault.’


    He had put all the me on the innocent Charlize and hurt her.


    Charlize was born not just out of the Grand Duchess, but also out of the Grand Duke. It was not a sin to be born. Her existence could not have been wrong.


    Dante’s gaze turned to the Grand Duke as if he were surprised, but that was all.


    For Charlize only. All of them were sinners. They could never be free from the past.


    ***


    Dn opened the parlor door.


    Charlize stood up and looked into the flowerpot.


    A white finger touched the newly-flowered buds.


    Somehow, Dn knocked on the open door because he felt like he shouldn’t have peeped at the scene.


    <em>Knock, knock.</em>


    “…You came early?”


    Charlize turned around and stated.


    Dn asked her to wait for a while, so she was spending time alone. Charlize’s gaze reached Dn’s hand.


    Dn approached her with pottery in his hand.


    “I don’t know how to express my gratitude.”


    “Me neither. I didn’t know you were preparing for a birthday party.”


    The white pottery was decorated with splendid jewels. Steam rose from it as if it contained warm water.


    Charlize noticed Dn’s intentions. Because Dn used to wash her feet.


    “Just for a moment. Would you please sit down?”


    Charlize slowly sat down in the chair, looking at Dn.


    Dn put the pottery down on the floor. And the Crown Prince slowly knelt his knee before Charlize.


    “Your Highness, why…”


    “It must have been a hard journey, so I’d like to give you a simple massage.”


    Dn’s movement was so natural that Charlize missed the timing to stop him.


    It was a little embarrassing. Though she never felt bad.


    He carefully took off her shoes while holding Charlize’s calf. Her bare feet that were exposed were small and smooth. A pure white foot that no one had ever seen.


    Charlize took a deep breath.


    <em>With a ssh.</em>


    Her two feet soon fell into the water.


    Dn had a polite and calm face while in a kneeling position.


    The Crown Prince undid his cuff button. And he rolled his sleeves up.


    “…Ah.”


    Charlize groaned with heat.


    He poured water on her feet with his bare hands. It was warm.


    Charlize’s breath tickled.


    But it was weirder to show that she was conscious here.


    Why all of sudden.


    ***