Chapter 59

"......"

Her heart gave a hot throb.

It was an extremely unpleasant sensation, and Charlotte frowned as she kissed, unable to open her eyes due to the fear that she might fail, that she might not be able to help.

(If I can't help Lord Ozvalt here, I...!)

But, right then.

"......"

Ozvalt's hand gently stroked Charlotte's hair, caressing her head.

(Lord Ozvalt...?)

Then their lips parted.

At that moment, Randolph's scream echoed from the other side of the black smoke that filled the area.

"That's enough, I'll kill you all at once...!!"

Breathing heavily, Randolph once again summoned flames to his hands.

A burning sword was formed. The black smoke was absorbed, and the view cleared.

"Ozvalt, your magic is depleted!! Now you're just waiting to die, so I'll finish you off..."

But the confident tone of Randolph's voice wavered immediately.

"......Huh?"

A clear, sharp sound rang out.

The flame sword that Randolph had been holding had turned into ice.

The large, crystal-like object seemed heavy, and Randolph let the tip of the sword sink into the floor.

"What...?"

His voice conveyed that he didn't understand what was happening.

But the ice continued to spread from Randolph, expanding into the chaotic room. His eyes, wide with terror, were fixed on a single point.

"Impossible...!!"

Ozvalt, who stood at the end of his gaze, was staring straight at Randolph.

In the cold wind, Ozvalt took a step forward. The magic power in his eyes was evident to anyone.

"W-wait."

Panicked, Randolph took a step back, raising a hand as if to stop him.

"Stop, don't come any closer...!! Do you think you'll be forgiven for defying me, a member of the royal family!?"

"......"

"Don't come near me, you monster!!"

Ignoring the insults, Ozvalt moved his right hand.

Fearing the deployment of a massive magic circle, Randolph gasped and shrank back. The next moment, Ozvalt's action seemed to defy Randolph's expectations.

"Wh-what...!?"

Ozvalt didn't use an attack spell.

He punched Randolph in the cheek with his clenched fist.

Charlotte was surprised, but Randolph, who was sent flying by the impact, must have been even more shocked.

Red eyes looked down at the stunned Randolph.

"I'm more than happy to be a monster."

Ozvalt spoke slowly but with strength.

"---Thanks to my power, I can protect what needs to be protected."

"......Lord Ozvalt...!!"

Charlotte ran to Ozvalt and hugged him with all her might.

"Are you alright? Is there any pain, any discomfort, any part that hurts...!?"

"No pain, no discomfort, no suffering. ...Maybe just a little pain in the hand that hit him?"

Ozvalt, speaking with a hint of a joke, wrapped his arm around Charlotte's back to support her and gently tucked her side hair behind her ear.

"You, on the other hand, took quite a risk. ...To withstand the shock of the seal release and tear the teleportation array apart..."

"I tried really, really hard...!! I wanted to help Lord Ozvalt, to be of use...!!"

Just talking about it made her want to cry. Ozvalt was breathing, and his heart was beating properly.

For Charlotte, that fact was the happiest thing of all.

"So please, praise me. With your voice, with your words...!"

"......Charlotte"

Ozvalt narrowed his eyes slightly.

"You're a bad girl. You should have escaped using the magic circle I set up."

"Ah...!!"

"The outcome was good, but it was a matter of luck. ---However,"

Ozvalt pinched Charlotte's nose and then released it with a smile.

"As long as you're safe, everything is fine. ...Thank you for being alive, Charlotte."

"......!!"

At that moment, a warmth spread deep within Charlotte's chest.

She felt as if she had always wished for someone to say such words to her.

And surely, it wasn't a mistake; Ozvalt always gave her what she wanted.

"......Still, you really took a risk. The fact that the contract magic from Randolph's command didn't activate on you is nothing short of a miracle."

"About that, Lord Ozvalt. I think I'm probably..."

Charlotte stopped speaking.

A new teleportation magic circle had appeared in the center of the room. Seeing it, Ozvalt's eyes widened in surprise.

"Could it be...?"

Just as Ozvalt was about to say something, a person appeared on the spot.