Chapter 97

"Charlotte, if you get too excited, you might wake up from your sleep."

"H-Ha...! I'm sorry, Lord... Lord Oswald...!"

"Why do you blush so much just from a title...?"

Oswald, who seemed genuinely puzzled, then frowned slightly.

"But this feeling of discomfort. This is...?"

"Lord Oswald?"

In the video, Charlotte continued to ‘advise’ Niclas.

"Please, could you arrange for me to marry a suitable man?"

"..."

"Marriage to Lord Oswald would be an undesirable situation for Your Highness. To prevent that, I don't think it's a bad suggestion..."

"Charlotte."

Niclas spoke in a calm voice, slowly and deliberately, as if engraving his words into the eardrums of those who heard them.

"‘Do not speak out of turn.’”

"―――"

When Niclas gave the order, the former Charlotte swallowed her words. A faintly glowing magic circle appeared at her throat.

"That's the magic circle of the contract spell..."

"..."

The spell that forced Charlotte to obey all the royal commands, effectively enslaving her. Oswald glared at Niclas quietly. However, the Charlotte in the video, despite her furrowed brows, smiled as if it were a familiar act.

"I apologize for my insolence. However, Your Highness..."

"Charlotte."

Under the heavy pressure of Niclas' voice, the former Charlotte closed her mouth.

"Do you want to know why your father ordered you to marry Oswald?"

"―――..."

(To marry Lord Oswald!)

Realizing she had obtained unexpected information, she quickly looked up at Oswald.

"Lord Oswald! As Prince Niclas said, the talk about the marriage from the king...!?"

"..."

"His Majesty gave me the order just a few days before your divine power was sealed. It was only a few months ago."

"Then at least, the talk Clyde mentioned to me about ‘marrying two years ago’ is a lie!"

Charlotte let out a sigh of relief.

"If the me before I lost my memory had already received the blessing of marriage with someone other than Lord Oswald, there would be no need to ask Prince Niclas to arrange a marriage with a suitable man."

"...That's right."

Oswald, with a bitter expression, nodded in agreement. Then, the Niclas in the video told the former Charlotte.

"The reason your father chose you to be Oswald's wife is... the number of countries targeting you has become too great."

The former Charlotte furrowed her brows slightly.

"Do you understand? On the battlefield, many people saw you. When you moved before we commanded and healed all the severely injured, both enemies and allies, with a single prayer..."

"..."

"Eventually, other countries will launch a major war to take you. Your very existence will become a reason for war."

Niclas continued in a calm, matter-of-fact tone.

"War will break out because of you. People will die because of you. Enemies will die because of you, and..."

(...Because of me...)

Even Charlotte, who was only listening to the voice through the video, felt a painful constriction in her chest.

"Oswald might have to return to the battlefield, too?"

"―――..."

Charlotte admired her former self for not changing her expression. Oswald reached out and pulled Charlotte into his embrace. The touch that would normally make her scream now brought her immense relief.

(Thank you, Lord Oswald...)

She expressed her gratitude with her eyes alone, and Oswald, understanding her fully, nodded and stroked her head.

"Your Highness..."

"You have misjudged me, Charlotte."

Niclas rested his cheek on the armrest, a sarcastic smile on his face.

"Did you think all of us with the right to inherit the throne were fools who wanted to get rid of Oswald? The younger brothers, who are far from the throne, might foolishly harbor such ambitions..."

"..."

"To me, your husband must be Oswald, or it has no meaning."

A slight disturbance was visible in the Charlotte in the video. The Charlotte watching understood that she was desperately trying to act calm.

"To deter other countries from trying to take a wife from that man, he must be a man who can do so. At the same time, it would be inconvenient if Oswald's wife were anyone other than you."

"...Inconvenient, how?"

"If Oswald marries a nobleman's daughter and gains strength, it will be difficult to control the nobles. On the other hand, your existence, with your divine power sealed, will not help Oswald in any way."

Niclas narrowed his red eyes.

"My father intends to keep the marriage a secret for now, but eventually, he will announce it publicly. This is the best course of action for the benefit of the country."

(...When Lord Oswald announced our marriage publicly the other day, the royal family couldn't stop it because...)

It was always intended to be made public at the right time.

"Follow my father's orders. Become Oswald's wife, Charlotte."

"..."

The magic circle of the contract spell glowed again.