Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 380 (Part 2):

The meeting between the Crown Prince and the Duchess of Renosa took place only after he sent a notice that he would be visiting her residence, leaving a brief interval before his arrival.

Charlotte greeted the Crown Prince dressed in the formal attire befitting a duchess.

Though aware he was the Crown Prince, there was no sign she was trying to present herself as a woman wishing to catch his eye. Her outfit simply reflected the proper decorum for her status.

“Welcome, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

“You must have had a long journey, and I appreciate the trouble. I only wished for some light conversation, so please, think nothing of it.”

Charlotte’s face showed a slight flicker of surprise upon seeing him. It was a common reaction.

The Crown Prince possessed not only status and ability but also extraordinary good looks. As people often said: if a man had both power and talent, no one would expect him to have such a handsome appearance on top of that—yet he did.

And it was no ordinary handsomeness; he was strikingly beautiful.

“I recall seeing you once when we were both very young. My memories are vague, but I remember a small, lovely girl. You’ve grown into quite a stunning beauty.”

“As someone raised as a swordsman, that sort of expression is unfamiliar to me, but I’ll take it as a compliment.”

“Of course, it’s a compliment. Though I imagine you must hear praise quite often.”

“I’m more used to receiving praise in other areas.”

Charlotte gave a slight smile. The Crown Prince found his gaze drawn to that subtle curve of her lips.

“…They say you graduated top of the swordsmanship department at Greta Academy. Now that I’ve met you, I can see why.”

He assumed she’d been praised often for her exceptional swordsmanship.

It wasn’t arrogance on her part so much as the confidence of someone who’d earned it.

The Crown Prince was used to noblewomen blushing shyly before him, so her calm poise and self-assurance were new to him. Quiet yet unmistakably prominent.

‘If Helmut is a born ruler, she’s the same—royalty material.’

The feeling was different, but there was a certain parallel. However, confirming Charlotte’s qualifications to head Renosa wasn’t his objective.

“Would you share some stories of your time at the Academy? I’ve never left the Empire myself.”

“I’m not sure if it’ll be an interesting story, but I’ll be glad to tell you whatever I can.”

Before long, as he listened to Charlotte talk, the Crown Prince found himself in a slight predicament.

She was impeccably polite and courteous, giving him no cause for complaint, and she spared no effort in treating him with all due respect. Yet it was in no way romantic.

‘A swordsman is a swordsman. She’s treating this conversation like she’s preparing for a duel.’

Inwardly, the Crown Prince clicked his tongue.

Charlotte maintained a certain level of composure, focusing and regarding him intently, as if always on guard.

“Duchess, you’re quite formal. Feel free to speak more comfortably.”

“How could I be anything but formal before Your Highness? I’m perfectly comfortable this way.”

There was a palpable wall between them. If Asuka were present, he’d probably point at the scene and burst out laughing, saying *Told you so!*

The Crown Prince assumed her caution stemmed from the fact that she was dealing with him—the Crown Prince. Even though Charlotte was said to have the makings of a ruler herself, she was here in the Imperial Palace, meeting the heir to the Empire at a time when relations with Renosa could be jeopardized.

That was a massive burden to carry.

‘I suppose I’ll have to push a bit more boldly.’

From Charlotte’s perspective, the reason she’d come to the Empire was connected to Asuka’s marriage talks. Meeting Asuka’s cousin, the Crown Prince, naturally meant she’d keep her distance.

But once the Crown Prince revealed his own intentions, her attitude might change. He wore the unshakable confidence of a man who’d never been refused.

“I’ve heard why you came here to the Empire. You were at Greta Academy with my cousin Asuka, correct? I understand you were close.”

“We were close as seniors and juniors, yes.”

Charlotte’s tone was level, but to the Crown Prince, it sounded like she was emphasizing that it had merely been a senior-junior relationship.

“When you first heard about this talk of marriage, what did you think?”

“I’m still a student at the Academy, so it was entirely unexpected and left me somewhat flustered. However, it wasn’t a direct proposal; Grand Duke Farnese simply told me to visit the Empire without feeling burdened. So, fulfilling my role as the Duchess of Renosa, I came to pay my respects to the Imperial Family.”

“Then…… have you considered that the subject of the marriage discussion could change?”

At this question, Charlotte’s mouth didn’t open so readily.

She looked up at the Crown Prince with dark eyes. He couldn’t decipher what she was thinking.

“I’ve heard nothing of the sort.”

“Then take it into consideration. My younger cousin Asuka isn’t the only unmarried young man in the Imperial Family.”

And the Crown Prince himself was unmarried. As the Crown Prince, it was customary to secure the lineage early, so marrying in his teens wasn’t unusual.

The fact that he had no fiancée even in his mid-twenties was strange.

There was one reason for that.

Before expelling the Temple from the Empire, he didn’t want to create any weaknesses.

Unlike Grand Duke Farnese, who could hide and raise a child, remaining unmarried was the best choice for him.

Thus, the current appearance of Charlotte, the Duchess of Renosa, was the perfect opportunity.

She was strong enough to protect not only herself but also the Crown Prince, and her relationship with Michael, who was friendly with the Temple, had soured.

He had heard that she was helping Helmut, so she likely didn’t have favorable feelings toward the Temple either.

Her stance should be compatible with the Empire’s desire to expel the Temple’s influence.

As Crown Prince, he couldn’t let mere emotions dictate his decisions. Nor were his emotions that strong in the first place. Rather, it was a rational attraction—her status, capabilities, and circumstances all made for an ideal match.

If he thought it through, there was hardly a better candidate for him than Charlotte.

Smiling serenely, the Crown Prince waited for her response.

“I…”

Charlotte was about to say something when, suddenly, the door burst open.

“You said you wouldn’t pull any dirty tricks!”

A furious shout rang out, echoing through the chamber.

“‘Dirty tricks’? Watch your tongue, Asuka. We were in the middle of a conversation; how dare you barge in like this?”

The Crown Prince scowled at him.

Asuka shot a fiery glance toward Charlotte, as if demanding how she could just stand there listening to such nonsense.

“Charlotte, wake up! That guy’s a womanizer! He’s definitely trying to sweet-talk you into something!”

“Asuka, you’re insulting me now. There’s no basis for such claims, and how could I treat the Duchess of Renosa so lightly?”

At that moment, Charlotte’s lips parted.

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