Karl smiled and asked Bert,
"Lord of Washington, what's with the outfit today?"
As he walked in, Bert loosened the scarf around his neck.
"I caught a cold. Felt chilly, so I put on a bit more."
The moment he spoke, his voice was terribly hoarse. After finishing, he coughed several times. Turning slightly away from them, he raised a hand to cover his mouth, suppressing the coughs before finally adding an apology,
"Sorry I'm late."
Seeing him in this state, Catherine, who was seated nearby, couldn't help but lift her gaze toward him.
His face looked somewhat pale, and his whole demeanor was weary and worn.
Catherine felt a pang of tenderness—how could she not? She had loved him so deeply.
Yet, thinking about the state of their relationship now, Catherine knew she couldn't be the one to show concern first—not until he explained clearly what kind of feelings he actually had for her.
