Chapter 41

"Ah... O-Ozvalt-sama...!?"

I feel like I just heard something incredible. For Ozvalt to utter the word 'kiss' is a big deal for Charlotte. However, she can't afford to lose consciousness here.

"No, but, that's not it!! It's definitely not like that...!!"

"What? It's not?"

"W-Well, you're right...!?"

Ozvalt's nonchalant statement left Charlotte at a loss.

The seal is performed by touching the parts of the body where the arrays are inscribed, between the caster and the target.

And both Ozvalt and Charlotte had arrays inscribed on their tongues. To reseal or to release the seal, they had to touch each other's tongues.

(In other words, I can't get sealed by Ozvalt-sama unless we kiss...!!)

If that were to happen, she would collapse. Not knowing what to do, Charlotte protested with tears in her eyes.

"Why did you inscribe the array on such a place...!? Wouldn't it be better to have it on hands or fingers...!?"

"In case of an accident, it wouldn't be possible to touch the inscribed parts. This was the most secure and practical place."

"Ah, Ozvalt-sama's pragmatism...!! I love that about you...!!"

She covered her face with both hands, trying to cool down her flushed cheeks. However, she had to steel herself.

(Kissing Ozvalt-sama and staying sane is absolutely impossible! ...It's impossible, but I have to be prepared, whether I faint or go into a daze...!!)

With tears in her eyes, Charlotte pleaded with Ozvalt.

"Ozvalt-sama, please. I'm truly sorry for having to ask you to kiss me. But, please, reseal my divine power..."

"......"

He stared at the tearful Charlotte for a while. Then, closing his eyes, he let out a small sigh and said:

"---Let's see how it goes."

"Let's see...?"

Charlotte tilted her head at his words.

"I won't seal your divine power for now."

"E...! But my divine power is recovering!"

"Of course. However, when sealed power starts to recover, it initially increases significantly, but then the increase tapers off to a minimal amount. I believe the same applies to divine power."

"So... my divine power has increased a bit, but it will soon return to a slow recovery mode?"

"Yes. Besides, your divine power was sealed to the brink of sustaining your life. Even with some recovery, it's still limited... right?"

Ozvalt gently lifted Charlotte's chin with his hand and pressed his thumb against her lips.

"!"

She was startled.

While holding her breath, Ozvalt opened her lips.

"Stick out your tongue."

"Wh...!?"

She let out a scream at the command but closed her eyes tightly and complied. As Charlotte slightly extended her tongue, Ozvalt observed the array and said:

"From the look of the array, it's not much. If your pre-seal power was a thousand...?"

"Yes..."

"......Well, it's about ten now."

"Ten..."

Indeed, if it was only ten out of a thousand, it didn't seem like much had recovered. But was that really enough?

"Alright. You can put your tongue back."

"...Ozvalt-sama! About the resealing..."

"I have some discretion from His Majesty. This amount is still within the range necessary for sustaining life."

His red eyes looked straight at Charlotte.

"---The resealing is on hold for now."

"!!"

She pondered the meaning of his words.

(Maybe I can still remember the daily things about Ozvalt-sama...?)

Thinking this, the tension in her heart, which had been tight for several days, suddenly eased.

"Y... Yes..."

"Charlotte?"

The moment of relief caused the tears she had been holding back to overflow from her eyes.

"...I'm so glad..."

"!"

Ozvalt was taken aback by Charlotte's sudden tears.

"Thank you, Ozvalt-sama...!"

"It's not something to cry about."

"No. ...No...!"

Shaking her head, she sobbed and pleaded.

"Actually, this is very important to me."

"Charlotte..."

"It's the only thing I can call 'mine' now..."

It wasn't her divine power. The treasure Charlotte had now was her love for Ozvalt.

(I love Ozvalt-sama. ...I adore him. The only thing I have left after losing my memory...)

Her divine power didn't matter.

But, she was incredibly happy that it had remained, allowing her to remember Ozvalt. Thinking this, her tears wouldn't stop.

"U... U, Uuuu..."

To Ozvalt, who didn't know about her memory loss, it probably looked like she was happy that her divine power remained. But that was fine.

Tears streaming down her face, Charlotte cried out loud.

"...Really..."

Ozvalt, watching her, reached out to her again.

This time, instead of holding her cheek, he gently wiped away her tears with the side of his finger, carefully collecting the droplets.

Then, Ozvalt said softly:

"...You seem to be a bright and strong woman, but you cry quite easily."

"..."

His somewhat exasperated smile made her heart tighten.

"Come on. Stop crying."

"Uuu, okay..."

But even with Ozvalt wiping away her tears, they wouldn't stop. Ozvalt asked in a somewhat teasing tone:

"What? What can I do to make you stop crying?"

"Um... If Ozvalt-sama stays healthy and lives a long, happy life every day..."

"Ha, ha."

Ozvalt laughed and then nodded at Charlotte's sniffing response.

"Alright. ...I'll try my best. Is that okay?"

"......!"

Charlotte was taken aback by his gentle expression. His smile was the most beautiful she had ever seen.

"...Yes. Look, I've stopped crying, Ozvalt-sama!"

"That's good. ---Good girl."

She was very, very happy to be praised. When Charlotte finally smiled, Ozvalt spoke again.

"Hey, Charlotte."

But he didn't continue.

"---!"

Ozvalt suddenly turned as if he had been startled. He shielded Charlotte and glared at a certain point.

Immediately after, a sound like ice cracking was heard, and someone appeared before them.

"---So, you were here, Holy Maiden."

(...?)

A silver-haired man stood there, dressed in a military-style white uniform. He pushed his bangs up and smiled at Charlotte.

"...Prince Randolph."

The man, whom Ozvalt called by name, had a murky light in his eyes.