Chapter 76

***

In that room with the curtains drawn, Clyde Samuel Arvain clenched his right hand and murmured softly.

"Hmm..."

He repeated opening and closing his hand several times, checking the discomfort. Just a few hours ago, someone else's magic had tightly enveloped Clyde's wrist.

The magic that captured Clyde was just before he was about to transfer from the Holy Maiden Charlotte's place.

The magic circle had already activated, and Clyde's body was about to disappear from the spot, yet the tracking magic pursued him accurately.

Although he immediately severed the connection, he was genuinely surprised. He hadn't imagined that someone could capture and track him with such precision and speed.

(That must be Osvold Ralph Langheim.)

Clyde squinted and walked towards the mirror hanging on the dimly lit room's wall. Naturally, his own reflection appeared on its surface. He stared into his own eyes and began to speak.

"I will now begin my report."

While taking off his jacket, he spoke in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Contact with the Holy Maiden Charlotte was successful. Osvold was not present, and we proceeded as planned."

As he spoke, he removed his gloves and began unbuttoning his shirt. Clyde loosened his collar with one hand and squinted.

"I believe the act of being infatuated with Charlotte is proceeding without issues."

『…………』

The mirror rippled like water, and a voice came from the other side.

"Is it possible to secretly take the Holy Maiden Charlotte away?"

"It's difficult. I detected that someone other than Charlotte had touched the letter I gave her."

『...Osvold...』

Osvold had cast the tracking magic in that instant to capture Clyde. Clyde already understood that he was a first-rate magician.

"It seems Charlotte is completely under the influence of her husband, Osvold. However, this level of action was within expectations."

"Can you separate her?"

"Yes. Although she acted as a calm and calculating villain in front of me, that was just Charlotte's act."

Behind the cold expression and voice, a subtle reaction could be felt. To Clyde, who had seen many lies, it was an all-too-obvious sign of deceit.

Charlotte was likely a simple and straightforward woman, albeit a bit dull.

"I will continue to approach her as a man who is deeply in love with the Holy Maiden Charlotte but was abandoned due to her memory loss."

"Do not neglect your reports."

"Of course."

Clyde smiled and cut off the connection on the other side of the mirror. This special magic, which allowed him to communicate over a distance, was exhausting even for just a few minutes.

"Well..."

He plopped down on the long chair, crossing his legs. He looked at his wrist, which still felt uncomfortable, and thought about the next approach.

"Finally, I have met you, Holy Maiden Charlotte. I want to take you away as soon as possible..."

The words Clyde whispered were the false lines of a man who professed a fanatical love for Charlotte.

"I must make you mine before you are tainted..."

Clyde ran his fingers through his hair, sighing in exasperation at the ridiculous words.

"Perhaps the intensity of the act is just right."

Pretending to have overwhelming emotions can overshadow everything else.

When someone is targeted with an abnormal level of obsession, they lose their ability to make rational judgments.

Their thinking is likely overwhelmed by the fear of incomprehensible affection or the joy of being intensely loved.

(Charlotte. The woman called the Cruel Holy Maiden.)

He didn't intend to spend much time manipulating her.

(The main purpose of giving her that letter was to understand her behavior patterns. I will use the gathered information effectively for the next contact.)

Clyde slowly closed his eyes.

Whether the mission succeeds or fails, it ultimately doesn't matter. In a world where 'she' is dead, my life or death is trivial.

He cherished the memory of a certain girl and muttered to himself.

"I want to end this pointless mission and return to the country as soon as possible."

***

(Huh...!)

In the early morning, Charlotte, who had been tossing and turning, opened her eyes to the light seeping through the curtains.

(Finally, it's morning...)

Relieved that the long night was over, she hurried to get up. However, at that moment, a slow movement was detected behind her.

"Mm..."

"!!"

She involuntarily jumped at the sound that escaped with a breath. She cautiously turned around to see the cause of her sleepless night: someone was snoring under the same blanket as Charlotte.