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Chapter 324: Every Beautiful Lady in Strasbourg Bears a Heavy Sin
🕑 Added 2025-03-16 16:04:00 +0000 UTCSophia Gallanord did not come alone; she brought along a retinue of household servants. Upon seeing Charlot Mecklenburg, she once again expressed her heartfelt gratitude for his previous life-saving act and apologized for the investigation he was currently subjected to.
Charlot, a person who could distinguish right from wrong, knew that this matter had nothing to do with the Rose of Strasbourg. Smiling, he said, “This can only be attributed to your overwhelming charm, Sophia. It is certainly not your fault.”
“If you were at fault, Sophia, then Miss Menielman must be deeply sinful. Indeed, every beautiful lady in Strasbourg bears a heavy sin.”
Sophia Gallanord had been deeply worried that Charlot would be upset by this incident. She wasn’t entirely sure why but felt uneasy, fearing he might distance himself from her because of it. Seeing that he was still amiable, even joking lightly without harboring any resentment, she finally felt relieved. She said, “I’ve already asked my father to explain this matter to Duchess Mostar on your behalf.”
“She will certainly not trouble you further.”
Charlot thought to himself, “I was just summoned back to Strasbourg to cooperate with an investigation by the Military Justice Department. How exactly does this indicate that the duchess plans to let me off the hook?”
However, he refrained from voicing these grievances to Sophia Gallanord. After all, he didn’t believe that the Minister of War would risk offending the Duchess of Mostar for his sake. Such complaints would be nothing more than signs of weakness and serve no purpose.
Although Charlot currently lacked the means to retaliate against the duchess, as a transmigrator, his mindset was unique. He firmly believed that one day, he would surpass the power and influence wielded by the Duchess of Mostar.
As the saying goes: “Better to cross an old noble than a young man with nothing. The dragon will soar someday; I refuse to remain in tatters forever.”
Sophia Gallanord clapped her hands, and one of her servants stepped forward, presenting the Whale Slayer. “I should have returned this to you earlier,” she said. “But you were always on the battlefield. Today, I can finally return it to its rightful owner, which is a relief.”
“To have had the honor of safeguarding the weapon of the Count of Victory Champagne, even for a short while, was a privilege.”
Charlot smiled faintly and did not refuse. He had never intended to gift the Knight’s Lance to Sophia Gallanord. The Whale Slayer was a lance of significant historical renown, its reputation far exceeding its practical value.
He instructed Mrs. Nancy to take the lance to his bedroom before turning back to Sophia with a smile. “May I have the pleasure of inviting you to lunch, Miss Sophia?”
Sophia Gallanord gladly accepted the invitation. Charlot asked Madam Umeboshi to prepare a relatively sumptuous lunch. On Elysée Avenue, one could find any kind of establishment, and by common standards, this meal was extravagantly rich. Madam Umeboshi’s culinary skills were also quite impressive.
However, Charlot, having interacted with many high-ranking nobles recently, was well aware of the opulence of their lifestyles. Compared to their standards, this meal would be considered modest.
Yet Charlot did not mind in the slightest. As a transmigrator who had worked his way up in this world step by step, he possessed an unshakable confidence that made him immune to the need to ingratiate himself with anyone.
During the meal, Sophia Gallanord invited Charlot to attend a ball. Charlot hesitated briefly before declining outright. “I’m sorry. While I would love to attend your ball, you know my humble origins. Such events may not bring me much joy and could even make others uncomfortable. It’s better that I don’t go.”
Sophia sighed softly. She knew full well that unpleasantness might arise. An invitation to such a social event would symbolically grant Charlot entry into her social circle, an unspoken declaration.
In truth, she wanted nothing more than to make such a declaration: that she and Charlot Mecklenburg were friends.
All she could do was murmur apologetically, “It was thoughtless of me. I’ll organize a smaller gathering next time and invite you instead.”
Sophia resolved to carefully screen attendees and ensure only the most considerate and reliable friends were present before extending another invitation to Charlot.
Charlot smiled faintly. In truth, he had other reservations about attending, but it was inconvenient to explain them.
After lunch, Sophia Gallanord lingered for a short while before taking her leave. She had deliberately brought no gifts this time, planning to use the excuse of “forgetting” a gift to return another day.
After seeing Sophia off, Charlot wiped the sweat from his brow. He had been anxious that Anne Mecklenburg might unexpectedly visit during Sophia’s stay. While the situation could be explained, it was undoubtedly better if there was no need to explain at all.
Since returning to Strasbourg, Charlot had refrained from inviting friends over for gatherings.
This was partly because Dolores, Anastasia, and Belisa had yet to return. Charlot could only invite Venie Arsenault and Sylvie Martin, but his relationship with the former was somewhat distant, and with the latter, it was somewhat awkward. So he decided not to bother.
Not long after Sophia Gallanord departed, Anne Bretagne arrived unannounced.
Seeing Anne, Charlot was delighted. She accompanied him upstairs to his bedroom, where she spotted the Whale Slayer and beamed with joy.
Without bothering to conceal her intentions, Anne said, “I think 221B Baker Street in the Val-de-Vas district could use a few decorative weapons. Wouldn’t it be perfect to place the Whale Slayer in the living room there?”
After some thought, Charlot replied, “I’ve just acquired another lance of the same type. I’ll bring both to Baker Street and set them up together.”
Anne’s smile deepened, her eyes gleaming with happiness. She had been eyeing the Whale Slayer for quite some time.
She waited cheerfully while Charlot carefully wrapped and secured the Whale Slayer to the roof of the dark and luxurious carriage. Together, they set off for the Val-de-Vas district.
On the way, Charlot inquired about Anne’s post-graduation assignment. Anne frowned slightly and said, “By rights, I should have received my posting long ago. But every time I ask, the Central Government Office tells me it’s still in process.”
“I can’t even find out where it’s stuck. It’s just too strange.”
Charlot smiled reassuringly. “I’m sure it’s because a big surprise awaits you!”
In truth, Charlot knew exactly what was happening. Earl Bretagne had even advised him not to tell Anne, as he wanted to present her with an extraordinary surprise.
Under the Earl’s meticulous arrangements, Anne’s assignment within the Lionheart Empire would match a position of equivalent prestige in the Fars Empire. The process was indeed intricate, especially since the Earl insisted that every detail be executed flawlessly.
When they arrived in the Val-de-Vas district, Charlot, who hadn’t visited in a long time, noticed several new items that belonged to Anne.
In particular, a set of pure silver cutlery caught his eye. The craftsmanship was exquisite, and the patterns were beautiful.
Charlot found this a little odd. In most households, cutlery was made of cheap tin, and wealthier families generally used silverware. However, a noblewoman like Anne would typically use something even more luxurious, such as porcelain.
He assumed Anne had opted for silver to spare his feelings, avoiding overly extravagant items.
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