Chapter 78
Chapter 75: Mind Your Own Business
Roy didn’t get why Leo was acting this way, but he quickly figured out Leo’s scheme.
The guy never thought of resolving the issue through negotiation; instead, he was directly slandering Roy, making Charlotte misunderstand him!
Leo timed it perfectly so his underlings would allow Charlotte to witness this scene, creating the illusion that the “King Brother exposes the truth, leaving Roy speechless!”
Maybe Charlotte wouldn’t turn against him on the spot, but it was enough to plant seeds of doubt in her heart.
Emotional rifts were the toughest to mend.
Roy turned around, eager to remedy the situation: “Charlotte, let me explain…”
But to his surprise, Charlotte had a serious face, her gaze icy, and she coldly replied, “You don’t need to explain anymore.”
Then, the blushing girl brushed past him, leaving behind an elusive trace of fragrance.
Roy was momentarily dazed.
He didn’t want to blame Charlotte for anything.
On one side was a brother who had been with him since childhood, sharing blood ties, while he had only met Charlotte a few times—there was no way to compare.
He just felt an unwillingness.
Was this what they called fate?
As the ‘villainous young master,’ no matter what he did, he couldn’t change the original plot’s direction. Was the only ending between him and Charlotte destined to be a rupture?
But at that moment, Charlotte’s cold shout sparked hope in Roy like a bright fire in the long night.
“Leo, what exactly do you want?!”
Roy turned around in surprise, only to see Charlotte not blaming him but glaring at her brother, sternly questioning him.
That crimson figure was so dazzling.
And Leo’s smirk completely froze.
“Charlotte, I was just concerned about you, helping you see who Roy really is…”
“Since you are my brother, I will ask you one last time, what do you want?!”
The princess’s reprimand interrupted Leo’s feeble explanation. The intense, fiery rage emanating from her was like an unstoppable blaze.
“I know you don’t like Roy, but this is too much! Lies, framing, slander—this is your version of concern? Don’t joke around!!”
The extraordinary flames spread, causing the knights to stir uneasily, but none dared to step forward.
Anyone bold enough to unleash extraordinary power against royalty would be treated as a traitor and executed on the spot, but no one said anything about how to handle one royal losing their temper at another!
Leo, who had slightly lifted the corner of his mouth just now, could no longer manage a smile; he was left gritting his teeth.
Roy’s character was irrelevant; what Leo hadn’t expected was that Roy occupied such a high status in Charlotte’s heart! So high that Charlotte would get angry with him for Roy’s sake!
She firmly believed that Roy’s feelings for her were genuine.
Ah, young love—so foolishly incomprehensible!
As an elder brother, Leo, realizing that Charlotte was genuinely angry, had no choice but to soften: “Charlotte, I was just concerned about you…”
Yet, he always forgot that just as he knew his sister well, she understood him too.
“You still haven’t answered my question,” Charlotte’s tone was filled with disappointment.
Even considering their sibling bond, she had already given Leo one last chance to explain.
“Stop using concern as an excuse.”
“From childhood, every time you felt guilty, you would change the topic, never willing to reveal the truth.”
The usually sharp Leo was left speechless: “I…”
But at that moment, Roy, regaining his composure, spoke up.
“Charlotte, actually, His Highness isn’t completely wrong.”
“Wha—”
“But he’s not entirely right either.”
Charlotte and Leo froze in disbelief, looking over.
Roy had to admit that the girl’s unwavering trust gave him courage, hence he dared to be so frank.
Moreover, since Leo definitely wouldn’t let it go easily, it was better to clarify things now and respond to Charlotte’s trust in him right here!
The only way to repay trust was through sincerity.
Roy looked at Charlotte’s incredulous, vulnerable eyes and calmly said, “You are a princess, powerful and beautiful; is it really so hard to understand my admiration for you?”
“W-what are you saying?!”
Such a sudden confession, especially in front of a group of knights and her own brother, caught Charlotte completely off guard.
“I also know that as a useless young master, I’m not worthy of the Lionheart Princess. But from the day we met, when you gave me encouragement, I took notice.”
“Are you admitting that you have ulterior motives towards Charlotte?!”
Leo seized the opportunity to twist Roy’s words, but to his surprise, Charlotte’s gaze was already filled with Roy, leaving no room for him.
Her heart and mind belonged to only one person now.
Roy took a deep breath, gazing into the eyes reflecting his image, and firmly stated, “I want more.”
Roy wasn’t lying.
Initially, he just wanted to avoid a fateful turning point, to cling to the princess. But he didn’t know when he became greedier.
The time spent with Charlotte felt like a beautiful sunset, increasingly precious, making it harder to let go.
“Power doesn’t matter. Beauty… also doesn’t matter. I want you.”
“Y-you want…” Charlotte trembled, her voice turning soft and off-key.
“I want your recognition. I want your trust, and I want to be able to be with you openly and proudly!”
“Dummy, I’ve always…” Charlotte lowered her gaze, lost in it, softly muttering, her chest unexpectedly warm.
The boy’s sincere words set off uncontrollable heartbeats within her.
From the very beginning, she had already acknowledged Roy; the remaining time merely drew her deeper and deeper.
Once those words fell, Roy casually glanced at Leo, hinting, “Unfortunately, your brother seems to have misunderstood something.”
Charlotte turned back, looking at Leo once more.
This was the biggest obstacle between her and Roy.
She stood by Roy’s side, firmly grabbing his arm, glaring at Leo, and spoke earnestly, “You heard him; Roy isn’t the kind of person you think.”
“My trust in him will never waver because of your lies! So don’t think you can meddle in our affairs!”
The girl’s declaration was so powerful that even the knights exchanged glances, stunned, while nobles in the distance noticed the chaos.
Leo’s face turned cold, fists clenched, his mood plunging into the abyss.
According to the plan, even if the effects were minimal, it should have at least shaken Charlotte’s trust.
Why was it like this? Why was it that this guy, with just a few words, made his usually fiery sister so attached to him?!
Leo couldn’t understand and didn’t believe in the notion of young love. To him, Charlotte was the one who had been blinded by falsehoods!
If he had previously felt disdain and irritation, at this moment, Leo finally felt genuine hostility towards Roy.
“Charlotte, are you really willing to turn against me, your blood relative, for him?!”
Charlotte noticed the increasingly cold gaze Leo was directing at Roy but stood tall in front of him, courageously meeting his glare.
“Leo, I’ll return your words! Are you really willing to turn against me to meddle in our affairs?!”
Between the royal siblings, their gazes crossed like invisible blades clashing, the air heating to a boiling point, ready to explode!
