Chapter 100

"Master Oswald, this presence...!!"

"…………"

It's a chill as if something is crawling over his skin. Oswald pulls Charlotte close, shielding her, and looks around.

"It's a killing intent, but it's not something born in a dream. -- Something is happening in reality."

"Could it be that Master Clyde...?"

"The inn's barrier should have been reinforced. But..."

Oswald furrows his brow and lets go of Charlotte.

"...Let's go outside the dream. When you wake up, run to a safe place."

With that, he disappears. Charlotte instinctively reaches out and then turns to the now blank white space.

There, a diary has suddenly appeared. Charlotte runs to it, sits down, and opens it.

'--Blessings'

The words, which seem to be written by Charlotte herself, stop there. Over them, messy lines run as if to erase them. Charlotte touches the lines with her fingers, as if rejecting the word 'blessings'.

(The me from before, who wanted to stop my marriage to Master Oswald more than anyone else)

The diary glows and disappears. Although she will check it properly later, Charlotte somehow feels that the same thing is written in the real one.

(I was so scared)

The image that comes to mind is of herself crying.

(More from the heart than the current me...)

Charlotte clenches her lips tightly, determined to face the issue and solve it.

(...I must hurry and chase after Master Oswald!)

She stands up quickly and faces forward.

(Well, but, it's difficult to wake up from a dream!? Master Oswald woke up quickly, but perhaps he can wake up at will even when he's asleep. Truly, a person with experience on the battlefield...!! I, too, must try hard!!)

She puts in effort and pinches her cheek hard. As she winces in pain, the dream world distorts greatly.

In the soft, melting sensation, Charlotte focuses on the hole that has formed on the floor.

"...And!"

She runs and jumps with all her might, and the dream scenery becomes even more indistinct.

Anticipating the crisis that awaits her upon waking, Charlotte tightens her resolve once more.

***

(...How detestable)

Clyde walks slowly through the streets of the holy capital, which are deep into the night. Even at this late hour, there are scattered people walking around. In the holy city, people who reek of alcohol can walk around freely, which is unbecoming of a sacred place.

"Damn...!!"

Feeling uncomfortable with everything he sees, Clyde spits out a curse. The words of the man he heard earlier still echo in his head.

'To hand over the body of the Holy Maiden Charlotte as a reward to you?'

The client had a mocking smile on his face when he heard Clyde's request.

'There is no way we would grant such permission. That little girl has always been ours.'

The man on the throne, who had sacrificed Charlotte, said this.

'They took her from us, so we must take her back. That is your mission.'

The man, with his crude smile, speaking of Charlotte as if she were an object, and even commanding Clyde to retrieve her, was unbearable.

"...What needs to be taken back is from your heretical hands."

As he walks down the night street, Clyde whispers softly.

He has shattered the communication magic mirror and re-established the barrier to prevent tracking. He has no intention of repeating the despair and regret he felt when he heard of her death as a child.

"I won't hand her over to you. Not to any country, not to Oswald... "

"Hey, bro"

A man who was about to pass by looks at Clyde with wide eyes.

"What's wrong? There's a lot of blood flowing from your hand!"

"..."

"You should get it treated. There's no Holy Maiden in this city, but the Great Cathedral can do simple healing..."

Even the man's words are annoying.

"No Holy Maiden?"

Clyde repeats the words he cannot ignore.

"There is. My Holy Maiden is in this city."

"Ah...?"

"She's with him now..."

Clyde tightens his lips and slowly extends his hand toward the man.

"What...?"

"...You have a decent amount of magic power. It's fortunate that many people in this city have excellent magical abilities."

"What are you talking about...?"

The man, who had been mumbling, becomes even louder.

"Ugh...!!"

The magic circle that Clyde conjures up glows at the man's throat. It shines with a sinister red light, and a muffled scream echoes around.

"Aaaaaaaah!!"

"Your screaming is helpful as bait."

Clyde whispers in a low voice. His gaze is fixed on the window of the room where Charlotte should be sleeping.

"Come to me, Lotti. I want to see your face."

He is, of course, aware that tracking magic has been set. He hasn't blocked it yet to make it easier for her to find him.

"--If you can just recover the memories from that day, you will choose to be by my side."