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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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“Charlotte?”
Ed set down the flask and stepped out of the lab.
But the hallway was empty.
Charlotte had left while he was working on another chemical formula.
“Fix, are you sure Charlotte was here?”
“Weeooong~!”
“Hmm…”
Ed scanned the hallway again.
But there was no sign of her, no sound, no movement, only the intermittent flicker of lightning and the rumble of thunder.
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In Charlotte’s dormitory room, she reflected on her weakness.
This experience had shown her that she wasn’t alone in facing life’s challenges.
Even Ed, her seemingly perfect ideal, struggled and experienced setbacks.
‘Ed…’
She felt a strange mix of emotions.
She was saddened by Ed’s distress, yet also comforted.
She had always seen him as an untouchable figure, but now she knew he was human, capable of failure and disappointment, just like her.
“But Ed didn’t give up.”
He had persevered through countless failures and ultimately succeeded.
The difference between those who shone and those who didn’t was their will, their unwavering determination in the face of adversity.
That resilience was the key to a brighter future.
“Ed… praised himself.”
How could she cultivate that unwavering spirit?
She found a clue in Ed’s words.
After achieving his desired result, he had praised himself and Fix, reaffirming his self-worth by using his family name, a name he hadn’t abandoned even after becoming a Count.
“Verdian, you can do it!”
Charlotte imitated him, like a child mimicking its parents.
She would follow Ed’s example, starting by bolstering her self-confidence.
“My approach was wrong.”
And then, she needed to analyze her failures.
Ed’s research journal was filled with detailed accounts of his failures, not just expressions of disappointment, but also analyses of the causes and proposed solutions.
Charlotte was impressed by his scientific approach.
“Why didn’t anyone buy my flowers…?”
She retraced her steps, visualizing herself trying to sell the flowers.
“……”
It was awful.
She had been timid and insecure, her speech hesitant.
Her hair was a mess of unruly curls, and her glasses were clunky and cheap-looking.
Who would buy flowers from someone like that?
She took out the hair straightener Ed had given her, carefully combing and straightening her hair.
It wasn’t as perfect as when Ed had done it, so she washed her hair and tried again.
Straighten, wash, repeat.
“……”
Finally, her hair resembled the style Ed had created.
Without her glasses, she looked quite presentable.
“My skin, too…”
Her skin was dry and freckled from neglect.
She took out the cosmetics Ed had given her and applied the foundation, evening out her complexion.
It looked too obvious.
“Again.”
She washed her face and reapplied the makeup, repeating the process until she achieved a more natural look, just like Ed had done with his experiments.
“Now, I need to decide what flowers to sell.”
Having improved her presentation, she needed to refine her product.
She began brainstorming.
“Aha!”
An idea struck her.
This time, she was confident it would sell.
She immersed herself in the research and development of her new product.
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The following night, Charlotte, her hair straightened and dressed in her best clothes, walked towards the plaza.
The air was cool and refreshing after last night’s downpour.
She had a good feeling about tonight.
“Hmm. A-hem.”
But that depended on her execution.
She cleared her throat and recalled the countless hours she had spent practicing her expressions, gestures, posture, and tone of voice.
She envisioned a blend of Enya’s cheerful energy and Isabella’s aristocratic elegance.
‘Verdian, you can do this!’
She repeated Ed’s motivational phrase and opened her eyes, holding a glowing flower basket.
She approached her first potential customer.
The reaction was drastically different from before.
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A beautiful woman.
That’s what the man, on his way to a dinner date, saw.
Charlotte, dressed impeccably, was a sight to behold.
“Lovely weather, isn’t it? Are you meeting someone special?”
Charlotte addressed him with a graceful smile.
The man was momentarily captivated and stared at her before stammering a reply.
Charlotte took a flower from her basket.
“Well then, handsome sir, wouldn’t a flower be the perfect gift for your date? This flower blooms even more beautifully at night. I’m sure she’ll love it.”
She gently shook the flower.
A soft glow emanated from its petals, releasing a sweet fragrance.
It was Charlotte’s latest creation, the “Nightbloom.”
“This is…?”
“A Nightbloom. One of a kind.”
She offered him the flower.
He accepted it hesitantly and inhaled its fragrance.
It was invigorating.
“Lovely scent, isn’t it? It has a special formula that clears the mind.”
“How much is it?”
“Thirty thousand Orden.”
“Thirty thousand…”
“That includes the wrapping. You can write your date’s name on the wrapping paper, and when you rub it…”
Whoosh!
“…her name will appear in luminescent ink. What do you think?”
Charlotte finished with a bright smile.
The man, charmed, chuckled and pulled out his wallet.
It was her first proper sale.
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Three days later, Charlotte had amassed a considerable sum.
Word of her Nightblooms had spread and attracted customers of all ages and backgrounds.
“I… I… I…”
She was in disbelief.
She, the insignificant Charlotte, had earned so much money on her own.
“It’s all… thanks to Ed.”
She looked at the hair straightener and the diamond necklace on her desk.
Ed’s gifts, and the glimpse of his vulnerability, had given her the strength to rise again, to achieve something she could be proud of.
She could finally pay her tuition without relying on anyone.
“A… a… a gift…”
She decided to buy Ed a gift.
She had only ever received from him.
She wanted to give him something in return.
“H-How much is this…?”
“Seventy thousand Orden.”
“I’ll take it.”
She bought a high-quality journal made of fine leather and paper, hoping it would be filled with his successful inventions.
“I’ll add a scent…”
She infused the journal with a calming fragrance, hoping it would soothe him even when recording failures.
“Done…”
She examined the gift from every angle, wondering if Ed would like it.
He had access to everything, but this was unique.
A scented journal that calmed the mind didn’t exist in this world.
“……Sniffle.”
Suddenly, tears welled up in her eyes.
She had finally earned the right to stand beside him.
Why was she crying on such a happy occasion?
“Sob… Sniffle… Sob… Waaah…”
She didn’t know why.
She clutched the gift and sobbed uncontrollably.
As she cried, she realized why.
She was purging the memories and emotions that had weighed down her self-esteem, releasing the pain and insecurities.
She was healing the wounds of past unrequited affections with the blossoming of new love.
Her long period of growing pains was finally over.
“Waaah… Waaaaah…”
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Cute
Go Charlotte