Besides…

 

‘Is her forehead okay?’

 

The wound he had been looking at all the way to the capital that it became annoying.

 

Sir Ahin must have been able to heal her without pain, but he could only feel relieved if he saw this with his own eyes. This doesn’t mean he doesn’t trust Ahin, he just doesn’t feel comfortable.

 

 

Carcel hurriedly got up and left the room. Charlotte’s room was diagonally across from Carcel’s room.

 

 

As soon as he opened the door, he saw a faint glimmer of light in Charlotte’s door slit.

 

He was about to knock on the door.

 

“Forget it, you should get some sleep.”

 

“Isn’t it too early?”

 

“You have to go to bed earlier than usual, aren’t you tired of the hard journey? Do not stay up late and go to bed immediately.”

 

“Uh understood . Emma should sleep soon, too.”

 

Hearing the voices that were inside, Carcel pulled his hand out to knock on the door.

 

His stiff hand and fingers hovered aimlessly in front of the door for a moment.

 

He quickly turned and left.

 

When his door closed, Charlotte’s door opened, and Emma came out with the candlestick and walked down the hall.

 

In the hallway where Emma walked, only darkness and silence subsided.

 

***

 

A few days later, Sir Heather’s funeral was held.

 

Externally, he was said to have died in an accident while protecting Theo from the Mana Gate.

 

His burial was solemn due to Carcel’s special care.

 

Charlotte, wearing the black dress of mourning the Heinst family had prepared for her, made her way to Theo’s room to pick him up.

 

Irina, who had prepared beforehand, said she was going to help Theo change his clothes, but somehow there was a noise coming from the open door.

 

“Young master!”

 

“Young master, it’s okay. Shall we try this?”

 

“Young master!”

 

Charlotte entered the room feeling dizzy. The scene happening in the room now was similar to what she had seen in the Lannia Palace before.

 

Theo cradling his body in the corner, and the maids few steps away from him.

 

‘Why is he doing that today?’

 

Unlike the servants of Lannia’s mansion, the ones in front of him now were familiar faces, so he shouldn’t have to do this.

 

“Theo, why are you doing this?”

 

“Sister?”

 

Theo, who was about to run to Charlotte as he usually does, froze in place as soon as he saw her.

 

He looked at Charlotte up and down, then turned around and back into the corner again. Charlotte looked at herself as did Theo.

 

‘Is he afraid of mourning clothes?’

 

It was a reasonable assumption. Perhaps children should not have dark colors, because everyone in the palace wears mourning clothes.

 

‘He must have sensed the gloomy atmosphere.’

 

The atmosphere was covered in dark color. Theo must have felt an ominous feeling as soon as he opened his eyes in the morning.

 

Furthermore, it was only natural that Theo had attended the funeral of his father, the former Duke of Heinst just half a year ago.

 

 

A child who has experienced an instinctive separation will feel an aversion to mourning clothes.

 

“I’m going to change Theo’s clothes.”

 

“Is that okay?”

 

Charlotte nodded at Irina, who had a worried face.

 

Irina couldn’t help but look at her with a worried expression and took the maids and walked outside.

 

“Theo, it’s okay.”

 

Charlotte sat on her knees and spread her arms out so that Theo would not be frightened.

 

However, Theo did not intend to move. Charlotte called him in the softest voice, as she had done before, when he woke up.

 

“Sigh… . Come to Sister.”

 

Theo looked at Charlotte up and down and cautiously approached her step by step. Charlotte went faster than him and got in front of him.

 

Theo looked at the black colored clothes that were in her hand and shook his head vigorously.

 

“Take it away.”

 

“Is the color too dark? But you should only wear this for today, okay?”

 

“Why ?”

 

Charlotte was suddenly silent at his naive question. Suddenly I felt her throat dry up.

 

She had no confidence in explaining to a child that this black dress was a mourning dress.

 

‘How do I explain that to Theo?’

 

A child still does not know what death or eternal separation is.

 

When they first met, Theo told Charlotte that his “knight brother “was asleep.

 

He hadn’t asked where he was since then, as if he was feeling bad. I thought for a moment that he was gone.

 

Unfortunately, Theo got used to the sudden breakup.

 

Since his father and mother had all of a sudden disappeared, he had thought that his knight brother had also disappeared.

 

But this does not mean that he has known death.

 

Charlotte asserted that she was not sure she could explain to Theo what death was. It was a difficult subject for him, even for her as an adult.

 

Eternal farewell. The pain of not seeing the person you love anymore. Eternal longing.

 

Can Theo understand those feelings?

 

Maybe he doesn’t know. But Theo is still young and doesn’t understand this complicated feeling.

 

After much thought, Charlotte did her best to explain it to the child’s mind.

 

“You must wear this to say goodbye to your knight brother.”

 

“Brother Heather?”

 

“Yes, you will say goodbye to the knight.”

 

“Why ? Does brother want to leave because of me?”

 

After the innocent child’s question, Charlotte lowered her head because she suddenly felt suffocated.

 

“Your brother knight doesn’t hate Theo… he loved you so much.”

 

“Then why should I say goodbye?”

 

“Hm, brother has something to do so he’s going on a trip.”

 

It was a bad explanation. Charlotte blamed herself for not being able to properly explain.

 

She must have been lucky, Theo didn’t insist on not wearing mourning clothes, but he didn’t understand.

 

 

Charlotte carefully put his mourning clothes on him, lifted his up and hugged him and walked out of the room.

 

“So shall we go?”

 

Irina, who was patting her eyes with a handkerchief in the hallway, smiled attentively at Charlotte’s voice and they both left.

 

Since the funeral was held in a cemetery in the east of the capital, the three traveled in a carriage.

 

Maybe feeling the suffocating atmosphere, Theo put His hand on her lap and looked at Charlotte.

 

Charlotte hugged him tightly.

 

Even during the funeral, Theo held Charlotte’s hand and was silent.

 

Charlotte looked around, and persuaded Theo to hide behind her skirt.

 

As the Knights shed tears as they mourned the deceased, it was evident how good Sir Heather had been during his life.

 

‘Ah, Carcel is there too.’

 

Charlotte’s eyes were fixed on Carcel’s back.

 

It was all black from head to toe, and unlike the others it had a flat back.

 

He turned his back, but it didn’t look like he was crying.

 

He must have learned to hide his emotions.

  

 

Just because he doesn’t show his inner feelings doesn’t mean he’s not sad. Carcel’s mourning for Sir Heather who died while protecting Theo must have been heavier than anyone else’s.

 

After a while, it was time to say goodbye to the deceased. The two , holding white flowers, approached the coffin where Heather lay.

 

Watching the scene quietly, Carcel approached Charlotte, and sat down before Theo, who was burying his face in the edge of Charlotte’s skirt.

 

“Theo.”

 

“Hm?”

 

“Let’s go and say goodbye to Sir Heather.”

 

Theo looked at Charlotte with worried eyes, and nodded.

 

Charlotte was worried that Theo was constantly looking at her, so she slowly followed them.

 

I heard there were many wounds because he had dealt with assassins, but Sir Heather was in good shape because all the wounds had been healed by magic.

 

At first glance, he looked as if he was sleeping, so it was okay for Theo to look at him.

 

Theo looked at Heather rubbing his face against Carcel’s shoulder and then raised his head.

 

“Is Brother Heather sleeping?”

 

“Yes .”

 

Carcel patted his back gently.

 

“Bye, Brother.”

 

Theo fiddled with his lip and swung his right hand.

 

“Farewell !”

 

It was a bright salutation not befitting a gloomy funeral.

 

***

 

Even after Sir Heather’s coffin was buried in the ground, the knights rarely left the place.

 

Carcel was one of them. He looked at the memorial that was on the ground with tulips on it.

 

However. Unlike the knights who consoled each other, he was lonely.

 

‘Well, who will console the duke.’

 

The position he was in was one in which he could not be easily humiliated or pitied.

 

Charlotte, who had handed the sleeping Theo to Irina, fiddled with the handkerchief she was holding.

 

Giving a handkerchief to someone who doesn’t even cry was a funny story.

 

But Charlotte somehow wanted to hand this handkerchief to Carcel, Who from the back looked rather lonely.

 

After a moment of thought, Charlotte was encouraged and approached him.

 

Sensing her presence,Carcel turned and widened his eyes.

 

“What is it?”

 

“I was going to give you this.”

 

Charlotte handed him the handkerchief she was holding in her hand.

 

“It’s hot because of the sun, you can wipe your sweat….”

 

Charlotte smiled embarrassed because Carcel did not pay any attention to the handkerchief.

 

It was time to take the handkerchief she was holding in her hand.

 

Carcel reached out and gently grabbed her hand.

 

‘…….?’

 

Contrary to her saying it was hot, it was cold today.

 

A while ago, Theo wrapped a blanket around his body, so he wouldn’t catch a cold.

 

However, unlike Charlotte’s hand which was cold, Carcel’s hand was strangely hot.

 

‘Do you have a fever?’

 

Charlotte, without realizing it, tried to put her hand on the back of his hand with her other hand.

 

But before that, Carcel took the handkerchief from her hand.

 

“Thank you …”

 

Carcel looked at the handkerchief, unable to continue.

 

“Is there a problem ?”

 

But the answer to her question was an entirely different question.

 

“Did the miss make this handkerchief herself?”

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