Chapter 25

While strolling down the snow-covered main street, Charlotte thought again.

(Could the reason my memory was erased be due to the seal of divine power?)

It had been about three days since she woke up with her memory lost. Although she had been preoccupied with her infatuation with Ozvald, she decided to take a proper look at herself.

(I was told that my wedding with Lord Ozvald took place the day before I lost my memory. There, Lord Ozvald sealed my divine power... Ugh, ugh, not remembering that...!! But then, the kiss with Lord Ozvald. Just imagining it makes my memory fly away...)

Then, Charlotte had a sudden realization.

(Could it be!! The reason my memory was erased is because I was too moved by Lord Ozvald's kiss!?)

But she quickly drooped her head.

(...That's not it, is it...? I was told that before I lost my memory, I hated Lord Ozvald...)

What she imagined was the scene shown in the diary.

There, Charlotte was glaring at Ozvald with eyes full of hatred. The portrait of Ozvald that was included had the word "enemy" written on it. The words on the next page were a curse, "Disappear."

(Mmm. Let's assume that the trigger for my memory loss was the seal, not the kiss. However, from the way Lord Ozvald looked that morning, it seemed he didn't expect me to lose my memory. ...Likely, the same for the previous me?)

After all, Charlotte was a person who was hated by people and was an enemy to Ozvald. If she lost both her divine power and her memory, she would have no way to protect herself. The previous Charlotte would probably want to avoid such a situation.

(Having my divine power taken away and being married to Lord Ozvald without my memory, I must have been unwilling... If a kiss... a kiss... a kiss!! was needed for the seal, I would have resisted, right? For example, by biting Lord Ozvald's tongue...)

Just thinking about it made Charlotte turn pale.

(No, I can't!! Imagining hurting Lord Ozvald, even in my imagination, is a grave sin!! I'm sorry, imaginary Lord Ozvald, I will take care of you for the rest of my life...!!)

"Mom! That lady over there is praying to nothing!"

"Sure. She must have something in her heart that only she can pray to."

A passing mother and daughter were looking at Charlotte from a distance. Then, the little girl, holding her mother's hand, exclaimed happily.

"Ah! Hey, Mom, a big dog is being carried!"

"Really? That's a creature called Fenrir. It's different from dogs or wolves."

"Really? Hey, I want to see it up close!"

"Sure, let's go. But promise me you won't put your hand through the cage?"

"Okay!"

The mother and daughter, along with a few others, approached the stopped carriage. They all looked at the Fenrir in the cage with a slightly curious expression.

"Fenrir is so big."

"Big, but it listens very well to humans."

(...?)

Charlotte felt a strange sense of discomfort at those words.

(...The big Fenrir. It's fluffy, and I really want to see it up close...! ...I should want to see it, but...)

However, Charlotte's feet wouldn't move. She stood still, looking at the crowd from a distance from the Fenrir's cage. She naturally reached out to the wolves she saw at the Hyde Mary mansion.

(Fenrir is a creature that gets used to humans. If it's well-trained, it's not a scary presence. I somehow feel that way... ...But why...)

Charlotte furrowed her brow. Then, she looked at Fenrir again. The Fenrir, which had been crouching in the cage, opened its eyes.

And slowly stood up.

"...Mom. Hey, it's a bit scary..."

"Y-Yeah. We're in the middle of shopping, let's go."

The startled mother picked up the little girl. She pushed through the crowd and hurriedly tried to move away from the cage. Fenrir, as if scolding them, let out a howl from inside the cage.

"Uw...!?"

The people around them covered their ears at the sudden roar. Then, Fenrir growled, bared its fangs, and bit the iron bars.

"Hey!! Is this Fenrir trying to break the cage!?"

"No way, it's iron bars!? No matter how strong Fenrir is, it can't break them with its teeth..."

But a creaking sound began.

(No! What's breaking is...)

The sound was not coming from the iron bars. The top of the cage, though thick, was made of wood.

A completely iron cage would be too heavy for the horses. Perhaps for that reason, a cheaper and slightly lighter cage was chosen.

(Fenrir is usually a creature that gets attached to humans... ...But this Fenrir...)

"Wait, this is bad!!"

At that moment, the wooden top of the cage broke with a cruel sound.

"This Fenrir is targeting that child!!"

With a scream, Fenrir leaped out of the cage.