Chapter 45

That day, Charlotte had a dream.

In the dream, a woman was walking amidst rising flames, and Charlotte was watching her from behind.

The woman's skin was pale, her hair a light golden color, and overall, she appeared very fair.

Her dress was also white, making her figure seem almost unreal, as if a ghost were walking.

Charlotte realized that the ghost-like woman was, in fact, herself.

(Could this be a dream from before I lost my memory?)

What pained her heart even more was the scene of the battlefield.

Smoke billowed, screams echoed, and the sound of swords clashing and magic colliding could be heard from afar. On the roadside, several soldiers crouched, moaning.

"Milady..."

A fallen magic soldier reached out, pleading for help from the 'Charlotte' walking ahead.

"Please, have mercy... Heal me..."

The 'Charlotte' who was addressed smiled gently and looked down at the soldier.

Bending down, she took the soldier's hand, and he sighed in relief. But his face soon turned to despair.

"Huh...?"

The 'Charlotte' immediately erased her smile and let go of the magic soldier's hand.

"Please wait...!!"

No matter how much he called out, she did not turn back.

Desperate cries were repeatedly thrown at her back.

"Milady, heal me...!! Please, help me, help..."

(......!)

Watching this, the present Charlotte felt her heart constrict with pain.

(Why don't you help them?)

Even knowing it was a dream, she still questioned her former self.

(You have the power, don't you? You are the Holy Maiden, aren't you? ...Why don't you use it to help the people here?)

"......"

Her former self stopped and chuckled.

"Remember this."

(!)

It was no mistake.

Her light blue eyes were indeed looking directly at her. She, the Charlotte who had lost her memory, was being warned by her former self.

"The divine power of the Holy Maiden can also be misused."

(......)

Then, Charlotte opened her eyes with a snap.

Sitting up in her bed, the blanket slid off her body.

Her eyes fell on the diary, which was still faintly glowing in the dim room.

Slipping out of bed, she opened the diary and found that she could now turn the pages that had been stubbornly closed before.

On the fourth and fifth pages, written on one side of the spread, were Charlotte's own words.

"......Let me go."

"......"

This single phrase was written in much smaller letters than those on the previous pages.

***

"Hehehe... Hehehehehehe, hehehe...!!"

By the lakeside, Charlotte had been smiling all along.

Even though she tried to keep a straight face, her cheeks relaxed after a few seconds.

Recalling the morning's memory and ruminating on it, she covered her face on the bench.

"You seem very happy today, young lady."

Sitting to Charlotte's left was the old man she had met a few days ago.

The old man, who said he did the garden work for the mansion, was wearing a blue scarf that was a memento from his wife, and he smiled as if watching over Charlotte.

"Yes! Absolutely...!!"

Charlotte answered energetically and sighed.

"Recently, something very good has happened..."

It all started the day after the ball.

After Charlotte regained consciousness, Osvart visited her room and said with a serious face:

"From today, you will have your meals in the dining room with me."

"Eeeeh...!?"

The situation left Charlotte speechless.

"Please wait, why!?"

"There's no reason. I've been observing for a few days, and your maid problem can't be left as it is. However, it's also true that it's difficult to find new staff."

"Firing..."

Charlotte turned pale.

The maids were just afraid of her and didn't want to abandon their work.

Seeing this, Osvart sighed.

"...I'll write letters of recommendation for all the maids."

"!!"

"There are plenty of noble families in this country that lack staff. I've heard that they were originally excellent workers, even though they abandoned their duties here."

Hearing this, she felt deeply relieved.

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

Osvart is indeed the kindest person. After a moment of joy, Charlotte reflected on Osvart's words again.

"Huh...? Osvart-sama, just to confirm. What did you say at first...?"

"Because. With the maids on probation, there aren't enough people to prepare meals. Since my butler will be preparing them, you will have your meals with me from today... Why are you falling off the bed!?"

She didn't fall.

Charlotte lay on the floor, praying to everything.

"Ah, ah, thank you...!! The good fortune of today, the beauty of life, and the gratitude for being able to live another day...!!"

"Stop it!! I said we're just having meals together!! Don't rub your forehead on the floor, stand up!!"

"Uuu, I'm sorry, Osvart-sama...!! I can't follow your command right now, please let me savor this moment a little longer...!!"

"Stand up, we're going to the dining room!!"

"Aaaaaah!! How can you peel me off the floor like that, it's so rude...!!"

After such a struggle, Charlotte had her meal with Osvart.

The breakfast and dinner from the day before yesterday, the breakfast and dinner from yesterday, and even today's breakfast were all shared with Osvart.

(Seeing Osvart open his mouth to eat... His beautiful use of the knife and fork...)

Just thinking about it made her heart full.

"Ah... I'm glad I met you today, old man. After Professor Hydemarie's class ended, I couldn't share my excitement with anyone..."

"The mansion you mentioned has a large greenhouse, where it's said that beautiful flowers bloom. If possible, I would have liked to see it with my own eyes..."

"Is it not possible? If you, who created this garden, were to ask, I'm sure Professor Hydemarie would welcome a visit."

The greenhouse is likely managed by the gardener. However, the old man shook his head.

"Hehehe. That mansion is protected by a male-repelling barrier."

"Really!"

"The barrier set by the former Holy Maiden, Hydemarie, cannot be broken easily."

Hearing this, Charlotte understood.

There were no men in the mansion, and even the magician who delivered her was a woman, which explained the situation.

(No men allowed, truly a place for lady education)

"But, it must be lonely, young lady. If you can't see your friends, living in this mansion must be boring."

Asked kindly, she thought about it again.

(...The old man knows that I am the 'Holy Maiden' Charlotte, doesn't he?)

Otherwise, he wouldn't have said something like "living in this mansion."

Despite knowing, he didn't treat her coldly, which made her feel both happy and guilty as she nodded.

"Yes, it's very lonely. Besides, I wanted to ask Professor Hydemarie and my friends some things..."

"Hmm. How about asking this old man?"

"Ask the old man?"

The old man was smiling at Charlotte.

"Well... actually, it's about the prince."

After saying it once, Charlotte regretted it. If it were known that she made a careless statement about a prince of the country, it might cause trouble for Osvart.

"Prince?"

"No! Prince... Uncle, uncle, uncle... Osvart-sama! It's about Osvart-sama, who is as wonderful as a prince...!!"

"Hmm?"

Trying to change the direction, Charlotte's question was the same.

"...Does Osvart-sama have any enemies?"

"..."

The first thing that came to mind was the words written in her diary. On the first page, next to Osvart's portrait, the word "enemy" was written.

(But that was written by me before I lost my memory. The enemy to me might have been Osvart-sama, but from Osvart-sama's perspective...?)

Prince Randolph clearly had ill intentions towards Osvart.

Osvart, while deflecting them, seemed to remain vigilant against Randolph.

Is there a reason for a prince of the country and a duke who serves the country to oppose each other so strongly?

"...Ah! I'm sorry, old man! You're here to work in the garden, you wouldn't know such things, would you? I'm so silly...!"

"..."

The old man smiled as if it couldn't be helped.

"Excellent people are often disliked by their peers."

"That's true. ...If I had to guess, that might be the reason."

Prince Randolph seemed to have a very high sense of self.

He was probably around the same age as Osvart, or not much different.

If Randolph was repeatedly compared to Osvart and found himself falling short, he might develop strong animosity.

(But, it seemed to be a more complex kind of animosity... Osvart-sama, being treated that way by someone of high status must be difficult for his work, right?)

Hmm, she thought.

Seeing Charlotte's contemplation, the old man smiled.

"You seem to be quite troubled, young lady. How about it? Would you consider the old man's suggestion?"

"Suggestion?"

"Yes. It might just clear up your and your beloved's hearts a little."

At the old man's playful wink, Charlotte chuckled.

"...Yes! I would like to hear it!"

And so, Charlotte decided to execute a certain plan she heard from the old man.

***

In a corner of the royal library, Osvart was browsing through a magic book.

He brushed off the thin layer of dust and flipped through the pages, searching for the necessary text. Approaching him was an acquaintance from his youth.

"Hey there. Haven't seen you since the ball, Osvart."

"...It took you three days for a mission? That's unusually long for you, Ignatz."

"Hehe. I'm honored to receive praise from Captain Osvart."

Ignoring his casual shrug, Osvart returned to the magic book. Ignatz, however, didn't seem to mind.

"Still, it's such a hassle. I need formal citations from magic books to write my report."

While complaining, Ignatz stood next to Osvart, reached for a book on the shelf, and whispered.

"...Your prediction was right, Osvart."

"..."

Osvart confirmed that no one else was around.

"Is it about the order of succession?"

"Yes, Prince Randolph is upset about it. The king is about to enter the final deliberation."

(...The king has always said that succession would be based on ability, not birth order.)

Osvart suppressed a sigh, recognizing that his hypothesis was correct.

Ignatz seemed to be thinking the same thing.

"Among all the princes and princesses, Prince Randolph will likely be at the bottom."

"Ignatz, you shouldn't say such things. You never know who might be listening."

"Hey, you cast a soundproofing spell the moment I approached, didn't you?"

Osvart snorted. Ignatz chuckled and pulled out a magic book he wasn't reading, unnecessarily scattering dust.

"Anyway, Prince Randolph is filled with anxiety and frustration. As a result, he's directing his hostility towards you and Charlotte. But the incident at the ball was under surveillance, right?"

"..."

"If so, it should have been seen by other nobles and the king. If the king saw it, he would likely reprimand Prince Randolph for unnecessary actions, right?"

"Ignatz"

Osvart closed his eyes and said clearly.

"I don't trust what the king does."

"...Osvart..."

He remembered the fact revealed by Randolph at the ball.

(Charlotte had a command implanted through a contract spell. ...Probably since she was a child and offered to the country.)

In reality, Osvart had no personal interaction with Charlotte before he sealed her divine power, when she was known as the 'Cruel Holy Maiden.'

(I've heard rumors. I've seen her from a distance on the battlefield, and I've witnessed her divine power heal an entire squad. ...And the bodies of friends who