"My Lord Earl, regarding the reconstruction plan of Northland College, the church has sent two documents that require your review and signature."
"In addition, Lord Viscount Ryan Castel sent a letter stating that as of yesterday, the review team had successfully completed the review of the three baronies in the south. Two other baron families suspected of having collaborated with the Bloodline were willing to pay Castel a huge ransom and hand over three castles and four manors in order to ask for your forgiveness."
"Your Excellency has enclosed the confessions of the two barons, awaiting your review and decision."
"… "
"Mr. Earl? Mr. Earl...?"
In the study where official business was handled, the clerk was reading the various documents that had been sent from various parts of the territory, while softly calling out to Charlotte, who was drowsy behind the desk.
Charlotte suddenly woke up.
She numbly glanced at the pile of documents on her desk that was growing taller as she processed them, and nodded slightly:
"Hmm... I understand. Just leave the file there and I'll take a look at it later."
"Then, about the signature..."
The officer asked cautiously.
"Bring it here."
Charlotte raised her hand to signal, and the clerk quickly handed over the document that needed to be signed with both hands.
Charlotte took it and looked at it carefully. After making sure there was no problem, she picked up the feather pen and dipped it in the fragrant carbon ink to write her signature in a flamboyant style.
After collecting the documents, the clerk respectfully took his leave, while Charlotte yawned, with two big dark circles under her eyes, full of fatigue.
"My Lord Earl, please have some milk coffee and some snacks."
The head maid Shirley brought a hot drink and placed it respectfully in front of Charlotte.
Milk coffee is similar to the milk coffee that Charlotte had in her previous life. It is a mixture of deep-roasted elven coffee and special hot milk produced from the Moon Goddess Island. It is also a common drink among the elves in the world of Miria. It has been popular throughout the continent for thousands of years.
For dessert, there's the Honey Workshop's Profiteroles, a wheel-shaped puff pastry stuffed with praline custard and almond powder.
Charlotte picked up the milk coffee, and the rich aroma rushed into her nostrils, making her feel much more refreshed.
She took a sip and found the sweetness to be just right, the aroma to be rich and delicate, and the taste to be full. She nodded with satisfaction, thinking that Shirley was understanding her taste more and more.
"Mr. Earl, although it is important to handle official business, please also take care of your health and get enough sleep. After all... your body is still growing."
Looking at Charlotte who was drinking milk coffee and eating snacks with her eyes narrowed happily, the head maid Shirley hesitated for a moment and spoke cautiously.
Charlotte: …
Although she knew the other party had good intentions, when she saw the other party's eyes falling on her head and chest, she suddenly felt that the milk coffee in her hand no longer tasted good.
"Well, I'll pay attention to that, thank you."
Charlotte smiled and said.
"If you have nothing else to do, go down first. I'll drink some milk coffee, look at the scenery outside the window, and rest for a while."
Shirley bowed respectfully and slowly withdrew, while Charlotte sighed and rubbed her temple tiredly.
She hadn't slept well for two days since the blood-descent earl named Yurst of the Ness clan left.
It's not that she's busy with official duties. Well... busy official duties are also one of the reasons. After all, Sebastian, who can help her, is not around, and many of the political officials in the direct jurisdiction have been dismissed due to the review. Now the direct jurisdiction office is short of staff, and she has to do many things herself... More importantly, she hasn't slept well for two nights.
Since the day before yesterday, Charlotte had been feeling uneasy, or more precisely, as if someone was calling her.
At first she thought that Sebastian had something to report again, but the Soul Contract of the Blood Scroll did not respond at all.
Later, she wondered if the werewolf Luf was holding some religious ceremony or recruiting new members. After all, this devout werewolf had been concerned about "spreading the faith of the True Ancestor" since he arrived in the North.
But after observing the spots of light deep in her spiritual world that symbolized believers, she ruled this out as well.
Charlotte wondered if she had encountered a similar situation as the last time the high priest prayed to her...
But this call was much weaker than the prayer of the high priest at that time, so she could not locate the source of this call.
Although it was very weak, this vague call was like a mosquito, lingering in her ears from time to time.
Especially at night, the buzzing sound became even louder and noticeably stronger, even causing her blood to surge and making it difficult for her to sleep.
Fortunately, during the day, the calls would be weaker and less frequent, so Charlotte felt that she might be able to take a break.
However, when she finished her milk coffee and ate the wheel puffs and was about to lean back in the chair and close her eyes to rest, that vague call came again...
Not only that, this time it was stronger and clearer than any previous time.
"What the hell is that sound coming from? It's so unclear and buzzing like a house renovation. Isn't it annoying?"
Listening to the call that seemed to come from the soul and blood, Charlotte could no longer bear it.
She stood up and ordered the maid not to be disturbed, closed the door of the study and locked herself inside, then sank into consciousness and directly used the blood power stored in the Holy Book of Blood.
She just didn't believe it. This time, even though she used the power of blood, she still couldn't find the source of the call!
Under the protection of the power of blood, Charlotte's brilliant golden hair instantly turned silver, and her azure blue eyes transformed into strange and mysterious red and gold children.
With divine power in operation and her perception greatly enhanced, Charlotte once again began to assume the posture of an "observer" who seemed to be able to see through everything.
And this time, perhaps because the call was stronger than before, she finally sensed the source of the call.
However, when Charlotte sensed the source, she was stunned for a moment.
The source of that sound was none other than the crimson sea of stars that represented the blood race deep in her consciousness!
No, to be more precise, it is a red star in the sea of stars that is much brighter than its surrounding companions!
"Is it a vampire? Is there a vampire... calling me?"
Charlotte looked surprised.
"Wait... this aura, why does it feel a little familiar?"
She seemed to be thinking about something.
After hesitating for a moment, Charlotte carefully touched the blood-red light ball that was emitting a hazy glow in her consciousness.
And then, she felt her consciousness being pulled, and after rising infinitely, it seemed as if it had passed through the boundless void and arrived in a dim room.
In the room, on the ground, the bloodstains that had gradually turned black were engraved with crooked symbols, which looked very familiar to Charlotte, just like her thorny rose.
In the corner, a noble man with disheveled hair and a pale face, as if he had lost too much blood, was sitting on the floor, staring numbly at the latest bloody symbol in front of him.
His eyes were a little dull, but seemed to contain some hope.
The symbol in front of him was the one that looked most like a thorny rose among the ghostly symbols scattered all over the room...
When Charlotte saw the other person's appearance clearly, she was stunned:
"The Earl of Eustace?"