Chapter 389

No matter what, I had to talk to Charlotte. Due to her research on engagement potions, Charlotte often stayed at the palace. She watched who Alsbrenger chose and congratulated me before returning to the palace. On Saturday night, I stood in front of the warp gate with the artifact Charlotte gave me. I activated the brooch-shaped artifact and entered the warp gate. It was a dangerous item, but I made it to the underground of the Spring Palace. I climbed the stairs and saw a button that could activate a secret door. I pressed the button and saw Charlotte's bedroom. She was sleeping peacefully with black hair. "That and Charlotte's soul gradually merge and are now reaching completion. That's why Charlotte doesn't go wild or sweat. It's like showing that they have become one naturally. Although the power has invaded Charlotte, she is sleeping peacefully. Regardless of the engagement potion, Charlotte will be fine. As one with the Demon King. Is this really a good thing? I don't know. 'Charlotte.' I call Charlotte quietly. If this doesn't work out, it won't be okay in any other way. 'Charlotte, it's me.' 'Ung...' At the sound of someone calling her, Charlotte with black hair narrows her eyes and tosses and turns. 'Hey.' Eventually, when I call her a little meanly, Charlotte narrows her eyes and opens them quietly. 'Umm... huh?' Charlotte and my eyes meet. No. Come to think of it. If she sees me in a dark room, it would look like a villain suddenly invaded the room from the darkness, right? Seeing Charlotte's eyes widen as if they were about to tear. 'Kyah... Hup! Ugh!' '!' I blocked Charlotte's mouth in case she screamed. The moment I blocked it. At the same time, I wondered what was different from an irreversible crime in my head, and I could see fear in Charlotte's eyes that didn't recognize me. Now that I think about it, Charlotte was kidnapped by Sarkergar. From Charlotte's hair, which had lost her mind due to fear, a thick darkness began to flow out. And, dozens of dark spears appeared in the air, aiming at me. -Shiiing! This. I'm going to die. 'It's me! Me! Reinhardt!' '!' I could see dozens of dark spears that were flying around from all directions stopping just before they turned me into a hedgehog, before I could explain anything to Charlotte, who I had blocked. Really. I almost died so stupidly. * * * 'I'm sorry, Reinhardt...' 'No... it's possible. I came without notice.' 'I should have thought it could be you, but I was so surprised...' I apologized for the unauthorized intrusion and received an apology from the host. Charlotte seemed to be so surprised that she almost killed me, and she apologized without properly checking her own condition. 'I should have told you to come. You could be surprised. But you're not hurt.' 'I gave you permission to come anytime... um. Hmm. Okay...?' Charlotte spoke and then opened her eyes as if she had just checked her own condition. 'What... is it?' 'Yeah, I should be more concerned about your condition than mine.' Charlotte ran her hand through her hair and hurriedly stood in front of the full-length mirror in the bedroom. She had become completely black-haired, and her pupils were not the usual golden color, but had become black pupils." Charlotte's hands trembled. She would be crushed by the fear of being invaded by this power again.

"Again... again..."

"Calm down, Charlotte. You'll be okay soon."

Reinhardt now knows that when Charlotte is in this state, it is only a psychological problem that causes her to panic. When he hugged her, Charlotte buried her face in his arms, avoiding eye contact with the mirror.

"It's not like someone is controlling your consciousness like last time. It just happens occasionally, and nothing will actually happen. Trust me."

"Yeah... okay."

Although the external changes may raise suspicion among others, it can still be controlled somehow. However, even though she knows that everything is fine, the fact that she has changed is scary, and Charlotte trembled for a long time and continued to sweat.

After comforting her for a while, Charlotte stopped shaking. However, her hair, which had turned black, did not return to its original color.

Looking at her hair, which was dyed black, Charlotte muttered blankly.

"It feels... so strange."

Although it may feel creepy to be dominated by consciousness, once she calms down after changing like this, she won't actually feel any threat.

It may have been a backlash due to a sense of crisis, but Charlotte even used her abilities to attack me. She seemed to be instinctively learning how to handle the Demon King's power.

"Um, do you have something urgent?"

Is Charlotte more curious about my visit in the middle of the night than her own problem?

Where should I start with what I want to say?

I heard various stories from Berthus, but unless I marry you, you will eventually die.

What expression will Charlotte make when she hears that?

Will she be disgusted with receiving sympathy from Berthus?

"Let's say your condition is getting better."

I didn't start with that kind of talk right away. Charlotte nodded at my words.

"Yeah, I hope so."

"Then, does that mean all the problems are solved?"

"...."

Charlotte's expression quickly darkened.

"Then, can you live safely without any problems from now on?"

To my question, Charlotte couldn't answer anything.

* * *

Charlotte was not in a state where she could devote herself to the issue of inheriting the imperial power.

First, she focused on finding Valier, and second, she was in a state where she didn't know when she would be invaded by the Demon King's soul, so she was too busy taking care of herself.

Therefore, the distance between them grew too far, and Berthus made a big mistake. The name of the heir to the imperial power who did nothing but survive became a reality.

It was inevitable.

However, the fact that it was inevitable did not give Charlotte any extra points.

"Did you hear something from Berthus?"

"...". Reinhardt couldn't bring himself to say it. "If I had not focused on finding Valier, Charlotte would not have been able to overcome the after-effects of the curse from the demon. It may have been predetermined since I returned alive from the Demon King's castle. The truth is that my position has become very unstable. Those who supported me are now watching Berthus instead of me. Even my closest aides may know that there is something wrong with me. It is difficult to trust a lord who is anxious even about living a normal life. Above all, the moderate faction may have sided with Berthus, who is likely to be the next emperor, after seeing Charlotte's situation. If Berthus becomes emperor, my people, not Berthus's subordinates, may try to kill me to gain absolution. Berthus's aides do not need to urge me to die. There may be infighting among Charlotte's supporters, and they may kill her. In that case, Berthus will say that he did not harm Charlotte. Although Berthus and Charlotte's relationship has not been broken, it seems clear that Berthus has a lot of hostility towards Charlotte, as he has already won. 'I'm not sure. If I can solve my situation, it might be okay for as long as I'm at the temple.' Charlotte smiles at me. 'Do you remember what His Majesty said? He said that he would strip the succession rights of either of us if anything happened to our safety.' '...Yes.' When I was a freshman, the emperor sent a royal decree to the Temple Royal Class with that content. 'So, at least for a few years, nothing big will happen.' It's at least five years until graduation from the temple. Of course, that's assuming that there are no major changes in the emperor's circumstances by then. And the statement itself could become famous and meaningless over time. 'And during those few years, the situation could change...' Charlotte trailed off as she spoke. For the next few years, if Charlotte achieves something, the situation could change. That statement is true. But even Charlotte's supporters have sensed the outcome and turned away. We need to turn around quickly to avoid being out of the next emperor's sight. If we lose our foundation, it's over. There will be no next opportunity. So, Charlotte's words are just an excuse to reassure me. An excuse to make me feel at ease. Berthus's people may not harm Charlotte, but if Charlotte's aides do something foolish, it is an uncontrollable situation. The idea that we will be safe for a few years is also very likely to be untrue. We may not graduate safely from the temple." "At least for a few years, we can live free from the Demon King's soul," Charlotte is lying to me. "Originally, it was a life that couldn't be lived. But if I can live according to my will, for a few years like that...I'm satisfied with that." Charlotte looks at me and smiles sadly. "I'm content with just that." The protagonist realizes that their situation is far from secure, even though Charlotte reassures him that they will be safe for a few years. Charlotte is losing her support base, and politically, she will become increasingly isolated. The protagonist knows that they need to turn things around quickly to avoid being out of the next emperor's sight. Charlotte sadly smiled at my words. Her current situation was such that she had to rely on the power that almost destroyed her, and she was gradually becoming politically isolated. Even if she was just an intruder, she could have killed them with the Demon King's power and survived on her own. However, if she was freed from the Demon King's soul, she wouldn't even be able to defend herself. Charlotte and I both knew this. That's why even though she knew I had just invaded her room, she seemed to realize that if she ever faced a real intruder or assassin, she would have nowhere to turn but to the cursed power that the Demon King had given her. "Nothing ever goes as planned," she said with a lifeless smile, turning her head to look at me. After being kidnapped to the Demon King's castle, life must have been hell for Charlotte. She searched for Vallier but couldn't find him, and eventually learned that Vallier was the Demon King's successor. She even lost in the competition for the throne. She wanted to remove the Demon King's soul from her body, but now she might have to rely on it. "Charlotte..." "But still, you know," Charlotte said, taking my hand. "There's at least one good thing that didn't go as planned." She pulled my hand towards her and hugged me as if she was holding me in her arms. "Getting closer to you." The Class A delinquent and successor of a criminal organization. I had thought of myself as nothing more than human trash, but Charlotte and I had become so close that we could be together in the palace bedroom in the middle of the night in spring. This was not what Charlotte had expected, nor was it what I had expected. This was also something that didn't go as planned. "I'm really grateful for that." Not everything went as planned, but Charlotte didn't seem to think she had failed at everything. There was only one way to save Charlotte. There might be a few years of grace, but there was always the possibility that one of Charlotte's defectors could try to take her life tomorrow. It could be an actual threat or even poisoning. She might lose that smile forever. The sad smile, but losing that smile forever. Losing Charlotte forever. I couldn't bear that. "Then let's do this." "Huh? What?" I put my hand on Charlotte's cheek. "Let's do half a marriage." "Huh? Half a marriage? What does that even mean?" Even though I knew this decision would change so many things. "We can just get engaged." "Huh?" I couldn't lose everything I had managed to protect.