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Chapter 330: Even Offending the Serpent of Fate Is No More Than This
🕑 Added 2025-03-19 16:10:01 +0000 UTCAlence Cook chattered incessantly, saying, “That Miss Bretagne even admitted that Charlot Mecklenburg has already met with the Count. This man is scheming, currying favor with nobility, and despicable at heart…”
Sophia Gallanord had stopped listening halfway through his rant. A sudden sense of urgency arose in her heart as she mused, “Have they already reached the stage of meeting the family? I need to take more decisive action.”
“Tonight, I’ll pay a visit to Mr. Mecklenburg!”
“An excuse…”
“Yes, an excuse…”
She glanced at Alence Cook, who was still tirelessly slandering Charlot. Delight flashed in her eyes as she thought, “Isn’t this the perfect excuse?”
Sophia Gallanord barely remembered this young man. While she had once asked her father to appeal to the Duchess of Mostar on his behalf, she had never bothered to pay attention to someone like Alence Cook.
Of course, Sophia Gallanord was also a Count’s daughter.
Her father was the Minister of War of the Fars Empire, wielding unmatched power, prestige, and martial influence at the pinnacle of the Empire.
Recalling Alence Cook’s earlier complaint about being sent to the front lines, Sophia asked, “Which front are you being sent to?”
Alence Cook responded bitterly, “Ferranden! Charlot set me up. Because I investigated his tax affairs, he had someone frame me, and now I’ve been reassigned to Ferranden.”
Sophia Gallanord replied softly, “That’s a place where great achievements can be made!”
“When you reach Ferranden, you can seek out my father. I’ll write a letter of recommendation for you.”
Alence Cook was overjoyed and was about to speak further when Sophia Gallanord lost interest and climbed into her carriage, heading straight for 58 Elysée Avenue.
Inside the carriage, Sophia penned a letter to her father, Count Gallanord. The main body of the letter expressed longing for him, but near the end, she casually mentioned:
“Recently, I’ve been troubled by a man named Alence Cook, who has publicly defamed my reputation. I heard he’s been sent to Ferranden.”
That single line…
As she passed an Imperial Postal Service branch, she instructed the coachman to deliver the letter. She also planned to write another letter later that evening for the household staff to send directly to the front lines to ensure thoroughness.
...
Charlot accompanied Annie Mecklenburg for a stroll, admiring the scenery, sipping coffee, and whiling away the hours until evening. When Annie expressed her intention to return home, Charlot escorted her for the second time to 58 Sixth Avenue in the Val-de-Vas district.
Once again, Charlot encountered Grandma Saint Karen, who silently welcomed her young mistress back into the house without acknowledging Charlot.
Despite feeling reluctant to part ways, Charlot knew there was no helping it. The Earl of Bretagne was clearly not an easy man to deal with, and Charlot held a certain wariness toward this foremost warrior of the Fars Empire.
Upon returning to 58 Elysée Avenue, Charlot was greeted by two visitors. While he wasn’t surprised to see Frederica, he was taken aback by Sophia Gallanord’s presence and asked, “Did you two plan this?”
Frederica recognized Sophia Gallanord, given her substantial fame, but Sophia did not recognize Frederica. The leopardwoman, having graduated years earlier, was no longer well-known even at Gorgias University. Sophia Gallanord, on the other hand, attended Sheffield University.
The sight of Frederica heightened Sophia Gallanord’s sense of urgency.
She offered a graceful smile and said, “I’m here for a different matter. Recently, someone has been defaming both your and my reputations. I find myself troubled and have no solutions, so I came to seek your advice, Mr. Mecklenburg.”
A seventh-tier Darkmoon Warlock, Sophia Gallanord was among the most extraordinary talents of her age. Only a select few, such as Ban Lamorak and Julian Arsilo, could compare. Typically, she exuded leadership among her peers, commanding even her senior classmates. But now, she portrayed an image of hesitation, timidity, and vulnerability—an appearance that could melt any man’s heart.
Charlot, being an upright man and aware of her impressive lineage, couldn’t help but feel a mixture of admiration and surprise. Sophia Gallanord’s appearance and demeanor reminded him of Marina Alexandrova’s portrayal of Catherine the Great—majestic and brimming with confidence. He hadn’t expected her to use such subtle tactics.
“Who?” he asked casually.
Sophia Gallanord lowered her voice and replied, “Alence Cook.”
Hearing the name of his adversary, Charlot’s anger flared.
He had no idea that poor Alence Cook had already been banished to the Ferranden front lines by Annie Mecklenburg, who hadn’t mentioned the matter to Charlot. She occasionally displayed her temper but was mindful of maintaining her ladylike image.
Likewise, Charlot didn’t know that Sophia Gallanord had already condemned Alence Cook to an uncertain future with just one letter to her father, the Minister of War.
Assuming that Alence Cook, driven by spite, had also slandered Sophia, Charlot fumed, “That guy is devious, cunning, and capable of enduring humiliation. A truly troublesome opponent.”
“I had initially thought of challenging him to a duel to settle the matter once and for all, but I didn’t expect him to reject it, even at the cost of his reputation.”
“Miss Gallanord, don’t worry. I will handle this matter.”
Charlot silently vowed, “I’ll have the Golden Rams Fleet deal with this problem!”
...
Annie and Sophia had both employed political tactics, each reflecting their respective upbringings and expertise. Charlot, however, preferred a more straightforward approach, albeit lacking in finesse.
As for Alence Cook, he could never have imagined that his “romantic rival” would resort to such shameless measures as deploying Saint-rank assassins against him.
Such was Alence Cook’s fate!
Even offending the Serpent of Fate itself could not be worse than this.
Sophia Gallanord felt a surge of satisfaction. To her, Alence Cook was merely a convenient tool, an excuse to visit Charlot Mecklenburg. His ultimate fate mattered little to her.
Feigning concern, she said softly, “I’ve heard he has powerful connections… the Duchess of Mostar, I think?”
“Yes, they are somewhat connected.”
Sophia Gallanord was genuinely unsure of the exact relationship between Alence Cook and the Duchess of Mostar, but her words conveyed her worries for Charlot.
Charlot, however, remained indifferent. In his two lifetimes, he had never encountered a woman as formidable as Sophia Gallanord.
Though, in truth, Annie Mecklenburg was no less impressive.
Meanwhile, Frederica, who had been silent until now, noticed Sophia’s subtle efforts to “woo” Charlot. Her feline instincts flared with competitive excitement.
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