Floleen found it strange—how could Charlotte be brought back by a girl, and the other party’s attire and bearing clearly marked her as a noble.
Could Charlotte have gone fishing for girls again?
Just yesterday, they had made an agreement, and although she might have said she didn’t care, it was impossible for her to truly not care.
Floleen was extremely displeased; Charlotte might be in trouble!
Two girls of similar age, their gazes clashed with the sparks of gunpowder.
Both of them were waiting for Charlotte’s next move.
Under the watchful eyes of Lilia and Floleen, he slowly walked over to Floleen’s side.
Floleen looked triumphantly at the girl who was about the same age as her, as if declaring that this was her victory.
“Your Highness Lilia Karen, let me introduce you—this is my fiancée, Floleen Vis.”
Charlotte gave Floleen a look, as if telling her not to cause any trouble.
Floleen beamed at Charlotte, clearly satisfied that he had chosen to stand by her at this moment.
Floleen elegantly lifted her skirt. “Respected Princess Lilia, hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you for the first time. I am Charlotte’s fiancée~” Floleen even deliberately emphasized the last syllable.
Charlotte sighed helplessly. Floleen was always like this, especially in front of other girls—she loved to proclaim her ownership of him, even though Charlotte had just tried to signal her to restrain herself.
At this moment, Lilia didn’t show any of the shyness of meeting someone new, but rather appeared completely poised and graceful.
“Hello, Miss Floleen, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
This actually surprised Charlotte a bit. The first time he had met Lilia, she had seemed very timid and barely dared to speak to him.
Charlotte now just wanted to see Lilia off. “Your Highness Lilia, thank you for bringing me home. Well then, shall we meet again another time?”
Lilia tilted her head, flashing a sweet smile. “Teacher, you still haven’t answered my question.”
Charlotte, interrupted, couldn’t remember the earlier question for a moment. “What was it you just asked me?”
“Marquis Charlotte, is it true that you said you wanted to marry me?”
As soon as this question was asked, the air fell deathly silent, with only the summer night’s cicadas humming in the background.
Lilia put on an innocent expression, her eyes wide as she eagerly awaited Charlotte’s response.
Floleen’s expression didn’t change much—she just wanted to hear Charlotte’s explanation.
Charlotte’s face was still expressionless, but in reality, he was starting to feel a chill down his back.
“Your Highness Lilia, didn’t you already refuse me? And didn’t we both agree to forget about that?”
Lilia placed both hands over her abdomen and faced Charlotte.
“Marquis Charlotte, I never refused you. I believe I said before, we could get to know each other for a while… so please don’t misunderstand me.”
Charlotte said, “Uh… I think I’ve already answered this question.”
Lilia looked past Charlotte, gazing at Floleen who was standing calm and composed behind him.
“I never heard Marquis Charlotte mention that he had a fiancée before. And if you’re only engaged, are you already living together?”
Floleen smiled lightly, her bearing in no way inferior to Lilia’s.
“Your Highness Lilia, with all due respect, my relationship with my fiancé doesn’t require commentary from outsiders…”
Floleen’s words were already rather blunt, but Lilia seemed oblivious and pressed on,
“Miss Floleen, I’ve heard rumors that Marquis Charlotte has a rather poor reputation in matters of the heart. What do you think of that? Why don’t you step forward to clear his name?”
Floleen realized this young lady was truly relentless.
Charlotte hurried to interject, “Your Highness Lilia, it’s already late. If you don’t return soon, Duke Ryan will be worried. As for those rumors about me, Floleen has always been very concerned for me, so there’s no need for Your Highness to trouble yourself.”
“Mm, then Teacher, if you have time, may I come and ask for lessons in advance?”
“Of course…” Right now Charlotte just wanted to send this troublemaker away.
If she kept talking, he didn’t dare imagine how angry Floleen would get. After so many years together, he knew her temper well.
“That’s great, then I’ve got your promise, Teacher~” Lilia left a mysterious smile, then turned and boarded her carriage.
Only after watching the carriage leave, returning home and shutting the door, did Charlotte finally let out a breath.
Floleen, too—her previous calm demeanor had vanished.
Although Lilia had acted as innocent and naïve as before tonight, for some reason, Charlotte couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
“Charlotte…” Floleen’s voice was tinged with complaint as she stomped her foot.
“I don’t think that young lady is as harmless as she appears in front of people…”
“She’s not usually like that. She might just be guarded around strangers.”
Floleen seized Charlotte’s hand firmly. “Then that means she really is interested in you. When a woman suddenly acts differently, isn’t that just to show you something?”
Charlotte seemed to realize this too. After all, Lilia had already brought up whether he really wanted to marry her today.
It seemed Lilia had already taken an interest in Charlotte, and tonight she had made it quite clear.
Charlotte knew exactly how to comfort Floleen at a time like this, so he pulled her into his arms. “Floleen, are you jealous?”
Floleen struggled symbolically in Charlotte’s embrace, but he held her tightly.
“Of course! Just yesterday you were holding me and coaxing me, and today you’ve run off to see another woman. I wouldn’t object even if you did want to marry her, but I get the feeling she doesn’t like me at all.”
Charlotte spoke up in Lilia’s defense. “Miss Lilia actually hasn’t interacted much with people before. If you really wanted to be friends with her, I think she’d treat you better too.”
“I don’t think she’s as gentle as she looks. She sounds so innocent, but everything she says is really just blaming me, right?”
Lilia’s earlier question was indeed accusatory.
When Charlotte was the subject of rumors, why hadn’t his fiancée stood up to defend him? Come to think of it, didn’t that make her the bad guy?
Floleen was quite unhappy.
Because Lilia’s stance was “defending Charlotte,” it made her, the legitimate fiancée, look at fault and negligent.
So the whole feeling was just strange.
Charlotte is obviously my husband!
But Floleen couldn’t directly express her displeasure. After all, she was the one who’d done it, and if anyone pressed her, she’d have nothing to say.
Seeing Charlotte remain silent, Floleen urged, “Charlotte, say something!”
It was as if she wouldn’t be happy unless Charlotte stood by her side and criticized Lilia too.
Charlotte took Floleen’s hand, and with his other hand stroked her platinum hair.
“Alright, alright. The person involved doesn’t blame you—why care if others do? You’re my fiancée, after all. If you’re in a mood, I give you full permission to take it out on me. It’s fine.”
Being patted made Floleen especially happy, and she deliberately pouted.
“Honestly, you always say such sweet things! You took my most precious thing just yesterday, and today you smell like another woman’s perfume—go take a bath!”
“I haven’t even had dinner yet… If you want it, can we wait a bit?” Charlotte replied.
Floleen’s face flushed red. Did Charlotte misunderstand what she meant by taking a bath?
“I just want you to wash off the fatigue of the day. That’s all, nothing else.”
For once, Charlotte flashed a mischievous grin. “So, you mean nothing’s happening tonight?”
Floleen now grew shy. “N-not exactly… Just go take a bath already… I’ve already washed up.”
“Alright, I’ll listen to you.”
Floleen watched with a bright smile as Charlotte obeyed her wishes.
A sense of happiness rose within her—she felt as if she was already living as Charlotte’s wife.