Chapter 152: There's Only One Right Answer
Chapter 152: There’s Only One Right Answer
Roel’s mind went completely blank when Charlotte’s lips came into contact with his cheek. He couldn’t bring himself to reject Charlotte’s kiss, not just because of how charming she looked at the moment but because the kiss represented her sincerity too.
It was a kiss for blessing and fortune, a lady’s reciprocation toward the man who brought forth a beautiful butterfly for her. It was a proper and dignified ceremony that would be inappropriate to reject.
Roel had no idea how much courage Charlotte had to summon to carry out this ceremony, but at the very least, he was certain that it had not been easy on her to do so.
And unexpectedly, this kiss actually brought about the long-awaited resonance in their bloodlines once more.
Many visions flickered across Roel’s eyes in an instant. There were so many of them that he couldn’t even attempt to remember them. All noises seemed to vanish as he was brought several centuries back in time.
A man and a woman appeared before his eyes. The woman was tall and sported auburn hair, whereas the man had a solemn face. It was a series of snapshots involving the two of them under many different circumstances—during wartime, day-to-day life, casual light conversations, speaking to someone with grave looks on their faces, and last but not least, a goodbye kiss between the two of them.
Wait a moment, this is…
Looking at the woman who was waving her hand to send off the man whom she had just kissed, Roel suddenly felt a mysterious feeling.
She looks like Charlotte, but at the same time, she isn’t her. What in the world…
While Roel was still feeling confused over the odd resemblance between the woman and Charlotte, the man in the vision suddenly turned his head over. His eyes seemed to peer through space-time to meet Roel’s gaze, allowing Roel to properly see his appearance for the first time.
It’s him!
Waves of shock washed over Roel’s heart, but at the same time, he also felt enlightened too. The vision came to an end right after, and sounds of cheering slowly crescendoed in his ears as he was pulled back to reality.
“Hooray!!!”
Jubilant shouts could be heard everywhere. Even the observation platform of the singles area was currently filled with a huge crowd, who were excitedly watching the commotion. True to the saying, ‘love transcends boundaries’, this joyous celebration was partaken by everyone, regardless of where they had come from.
“Roel, the vision earlier was…”
“Yes. It’s a little confusing for me, so allow me to calm down and think things through first.”
The young duo, who had just separated after the kiss, were left dazed by the overload of information just received. However, the crowd interpreted their reactions very differently.
“A huge round of applause for the demonstration of true love between this lovely couple. O’ great Sia, may their love be blessed by fate!”
“Oooooooh!!!”
Resounding cheers echoed from the crowd as the atmosphere rose to a new high. The peeps over at the singles area began hooting loudly, and the lovers in the couples area began swooning for one another once more. Only Roel and Charlotte’s emotions didn’t match with the festive atmosphere, they were left in their deep thoughts while surrounded by chaos.
It was only until the host finally said his next words that the two of them finally snapped out of it.
“Now, the two of you may head over to your suite to rest.”
“Mm… Huh?”
Roel turned his head over in shock, only to meet with the deep, meaningful smile of the middle-aged host.
“Sir, I wish you an unforgettable night.”
…
The Milton House was meticulous in its services. It might be due to them learning from the Sorofyas’ expertise over the years of their partnership, but in any case, it was clear that they had a knack for creating unforgettable experiences.
For one, the now famous Nightglow Butterfly Festival had not always been a tradition of the Austine Empire. It was due to the Milton House constantly hyping the event in recent decades that the festival grew larger with each passing year, building up its name throughout the Sia Continent.
The ‘suite’ mentioned by the host was also the product of the Milton House’s business ideas. It was basically a room located at the very tip of the mountain, the highest level of the Leumann Palaces, offering the best view of the resplendent scenery. It boasted a size similar to presidential suites in Roel’s previous life, and in terms of grandeur, it wouldn’t lose out to any royal palace.
This ‘suite’ was usually exclusive to the Austine’s Pureblood Faction, but on the night of the Nightglow Butterfly Festival, it was opened to the couple who managed to incubate the brightest butterfly.
A loving couple blessed by the crowds being offered the most luxurious room boasting a magnificent night scenery; it wouldn’t take a genius to figure out what they were going to do.
It was only unfortunate that the ‘couple’ chosen this time around weren’t particularly appreciative of the significance of this room.
“You… Are you sure you didn’t do it on purpose?”
“Of course not! You were present back there too! You should have turned down this suite!”
“How in the world was I supposed to refuse the suite? You saw the atmosphere back then too!”
On the big bed in the suite, an auburn-haired girl was hugging a pillow tightly, hiding half of her head. She stared pitifully at the black-haired boy, who was anxiously trying to explain himself. There were traces of fear in her eyes, but strangely enough, there were also slight hints of anticipation too.
Charlotte was having such an intense headrush that she couldn’t even make sense out of what was going on anymore. From the moment Roel presented her with the butterfly, she couldn’t help but think that he had turned into a different person, and that left her feeling a little uncertain yet excited at the same time.
It was also the same for Roel too.
Holy shit, why is this lass so adorable?
Roel eyed the girl who was sitting cross-legged on the bed. She kept secretly sending him glances from time to time as she half-hid behind a pillow held in her arms. Her shyness contrasted with the bold red dress she was wearing, making her look incredibly enticing. Her current appearance was really gnawing away at Roel’s heart.
“S-speaking of which, your mother doesn’t seem to have recognized you earlier.”
“It has already been 5 years. I was only 7 the last time we met, and my appearance has changed greatly since then. Besides, I don’t take after her.”
“I guess so…”
“… Between me and her, who do you think is more beautiful?”
“Huh?”
Roel was halfway through a yawn when the question caught him off guard. He looked at Charlotte, who was shyly hiding her face, as he blinked his eyes in confusion.
“What kind of question is that?”
“J-just answer it!”
“Of course it’s you. How could Adelicia compete with you?”
Roel looked at his fiancée, who was suddenly throwing a tantrum for some reason, and answered with a helpless tone. To be fair, Adelicia did have a young appearance, looking to be someone in her twenties. But in Roel’s mind, he couldn’t help but think of her as an old lady, not to mention that she had an ugly heart too.
“Hmph. At least you know how to speak.”
Charlotte appeared to be satisfied with Roel’s response. Behind the pillow, the corners of her lips curled up as her eyes twinkled with joy. For a moment there, Roel thought that he saw a cat’s tail curled up beside her in a happy and content manner.
The fanatic cat stroker blinked his eyes for a moment before swiftly shaking that thought out of this head. Charlotte was a bit confused by Roel’s unusual reaction.
Slowly but surely, the two of them started to calm down, which brought their attention back to the events from earlier.
“So, w-when I kissed you earlier, you saw it too, right?”
“… I did.”
Roel responded to the shy girl with a contemplative nod, seemingly replaying the vision he had seen in his mind. He heaved a deep sigh before continuing on.
“I know who ‘Fief Lord’ is.”