I’m Really Not Trying to Be Chased by the Heroine as the Villainous Playboy! – Chapter 850

Chapter 63: What is the Heartfire

With some clumsiness, I brewed a pot of black tea, poured it into a cup, and handed it to Rob with a reluctant semblance of respect. Charlotte pulled over a chair and settled beside Rob’s bedside.

Bathing in the sunset, we took small sips of tea.

After all these years, it was a rare moment of daughterly devotion amidst paternal kindness.

From this perspective, Rob even felt a bit grateful to the dragons. After all, from the time Charlotte could understand, she had been closer to Leisha than to him.

“I saw your performance; you truly are my daughter, brave and strong! Even that brat Naz couldn’t match you when he first stepped into Sequence 5!”

Only with Charlotte would the usually stern Rob break into hearty laughter, showering her with praises.

Charlotte first smiled faintly, but looking at her arm wrapped in bandages, her expression turned a bit regretful.

“What a pity, I still got injured.”

“If you had Roy backing you up, defeating that sour dragon wouldn’t have been impossible.”

In her one-on-one battle against the giant dragon, Charlotte truly realized how lucky she was to have Roy’s support.

Even if Roy never unsheathed his sword, simply his imposing presence was already an excellent aid to her.

Seeing his daughter’s thoughts drifting elsewhere, Rob grunted in displeasure.

“Speaking of which, why didn’t that brat come with you? He was busy protecting the saint back in White Harbor; how could he not stay by the princess’s side at a crucial moment? Not very knightly of him!”

Rob’s intention was to stand up for his daughter.

Unfortunately, Charlotte didn’t catch her father’s grievance at all and waved her hand impatiently.

“Alright, alright, Roy has other matters to attend to.”

“Lord Karl’s troops are under siege; he and the Crown Prince went to provide support, so we had to split our paths.”

Rob seemed like he wanted to say more, but Charlotte shot back with wide eyes, “Isn’t that what I wanted? Knights should just follow the will of their lords, right? Are you saying I’m wrong?”

The little scraps of jealousy had never ceased, but Charlotte was well aware that when it came to significant matters, Roy would never let her down.

“No, no, no, yes, yes, yes!”

In response, Rob had no choice but to back down; the family hierarchy was clear.

“And I heard seven great dragons are going after Lord Karl; I wonder how they’re doing right now…”

Murmuring this, Charlotte’s expression darkened. Though she mentioned Karl, we all knew who she was truly concerned about.

At that moment, Rob chuckled heartily.

“Don’t worry, the Ainbrad family will never let us down. Just wait for their good news.”

“Uh-huh.”

Rob cleverly changed the subject, looking at Charlotte with a smile: “Speaking of which, I haven’t congratulated you yet.”

“Congratulations on officially being promoted to Sequence 5. Your talent surpasses mine; ordinarily, I would hold a grand feast for you…”

Pausing slightly, Rob’s tone turned serious: “But to win this war, Sequence 5 might still not be enough.”

Rob lowered his head, clenching his bandaged hand, his mood sinking into shadows, full of unwillingness, yet helpless.

“Nidhogg, that bastard is dangerous. Though it’s also Sequence 4, its power far exceeds the Crimson Blood Dragon from nineteen years ago, even other heavenly dragons.”

“Dragons call it ‘He,’ revering it as the leader of all dragons. Even in a one-on-one situation, I wouldn’t stand a chance against it.”

Charlotte’s heart skipped a beat upon hearing this.

As blood relatives, she knew how proud Rob could be.

Back when Rob was in Sequence 5, he dared to face the Crimson Blood Dragon head-on, refusing to back down, embodying the perfect image of a knight’s fiery spirit.

The【Black Dragon – Nidhogg】had historically been known as the Demon Dragon, a fierce creature following the fall of the【Evil Dragon – Fafnir】.

Legend has it that even among its own kind, it showed no mercy, completely losing its sanity.

Just one Crimson Blood Dragon nearly destroyed the kingdom nineteen years ago, so Charlotte couldn’t afford to underestimate Nidhogg’s existence.

However, for a creature mighty enough to gain the recognition of the kings of beasts in the mountains and forests, the sheer force of Nidhogg tightened Charlotte’s heart.

“I know this may be pushing the limits of some strong ones, but you can’t be complacent yet; you need to speed up your promotion to Sequence 4.”

“I know… huh?!”

Charlotte looked a bit confused. “Sequence 4? Me? But I just stepped into Sequence 5…”

Transitioning from mid-tier to high-tier is a chasm that many Extraordinary Beings can’t cross in their lifetime; it represents the largest qualitative change on the path of the Extraordinary.

Once crossing into high-tier, one not only gains tremendous power but also significantly lengthens lifespan, enough to become a true mythical creature.

However, the difficulty involved exceeds that of any bloodline rank before.

Being tasked with such responsibilities so soon after reaching Sequence 5 made even the generally proud Charlotte feel a bit rushed.

Rob explained, “Sequence 5 has actually fully digested the Magic Potion, integrating it into your bloodline. What you need isn’t time, but an opportunity. Once you seize that opportunity, crossing that step is just a matter of an instant.”

“But, aside from me, isn’t there also Brother Naz?”

“Naz…”

Rob’s expression turned a bit complicated.

“His talent isn’t much worse than yours, but he can’t do it; at least not right now.”

“Charlotte, remember this.”

“Our【Lionheart】bloodline’s promotion isn’t complicated; willpower is fuel, ignite the heartfire, find what pushes you forward, find the direction that guides you, find your motivation, and then simply let your heartfire burn and blossom without thinking too much.”

Willpower as fuel, igniting the heartfire—this is a promotion principle that every member of the【Lionheart】royal lineage learns from a young age.

Even now, Charlotte wouldn’t dare overlook the teachings of the only Sequence 4 in the kingdom, seriously engraving those words in her mind.

Indignant for the suffering people, passionate with the knights who share blood, leading the charge through fire and sword, only then can one qualify to guide their people forward.

This is precisely the path to kingship that resides in Charlotte’s heart. It’s also the lesson she learned from Rob.

Without hesitation, Charlotte blurted out, “The kingdom is my fuel, and it’s also my reason to break through Sequence 5 and proceed to this point.”

However, Rob responded to her with a complicated smile.

It wasn’t disappointment, but it also didn’t express full satisfaction.

Like she got it right but not completely right.

“That’s only your fuel, not your heartfire.”

“Huh?”

Rob sighed, “You’re just as outstanding as Naz.”

“He’s also willing to dedicate himself to the kingdom, accumulating enough fuel to make me proud. But even he hasn’t yet found his heartfire, but Charlotte, you’re different.”

“If the fuel is the accumulated grind over time, the motivation to push you forward, then the heartfire is the grand moment that ignites it all, guiding you onward.”

With the watchful gaze of a father, Rob cautioned, “This is something you must comprehend on your own for it to hold significance. Charlotte, think carefully, what exactly is your heartfire?”

What exactly is my heartfire?

Gazing at the sinking sunset outside the castle, a flicker of confusion emerged in the princess’s crimson eyes.