An unfamiliar ceiling.
This time, it’s really an unfamiliar ceiling.
No, it’s not even a ceiling at all.
I’m looking at something like a silk canopy.
What the fuck.
Why is the bed so wide like this?
I sat up and looked around.
This is a strange ceiling.
But the room itself isn’t.
“…”
This is definitely Charlotte’s bedroom.
I’ve been in here before, and I recognize the room instantly.
I must have been sleeping in Charlotte’s huge canopy bed.
“Oh, you’re awake!”
She must have been watching me from the bedside, but she had to jump on the bed to reach me.
She’s got a big bed.
“Uh, um… yeah.”
“Are you okay? Is there anywhere that hurts? Your eyes and your hands, are they okay?”
“Uh, um… yeah. I think I’m okay.”
“That’s a relief… I’m so glad…”
I wasn’t worried about being injured, but I wasn’t exactly expecting to be fine either, but unlike the last time I’d used Magic Body Strengthening, I was in near perfect condition. Charlotte hugged me, then pulled away slightly and looked at me.
“Thank God… thank God, Reinhardt.”
“Uh… Mmm. Uh, yeah. You okay?”
“Yeah. I’m fine.”
Charlotte hugged me again, clear tears streaming down her face.
She didn’t blame me, or say anything else.
She didn’t say anything else, just held me as if to say she was relieved that I was okay.
At first, she was shaking a little, but eventually she calmed down.
“Huk…ugh…ugh…”
Charlotte was overcome with emotion as she cried a little. I didn’t know what to do, so I patted her on the back.
“But, anyway… It’s all fine. It’s not like this is the first time something like this has happened to me.”
“Ugh…yeah…”
“It’s probably been a few days since I fainted, and I …want to know how things are going.”
As someone who has a tendency to faint at the slightest thing, I was always curious about how things were going once I woke up.
The fact that I woke up in the princess’s bedroom was already suspicious enough.First of all, waking up in the princess’s bedchamber was already a strange experience.
“Hold on for a moment…”
Charlotte seemed to think she needed to stop crying first, and after a long pause to catch her breath, she pulled away from me. Charlotte shielded her face with her hands over her eyes, though I still saw a glimpse of how red and puffy they were
“Have they swollen up?”
“…I don’t think so,” I replied.
But honestly, they had swollen a bit.
Everyone’s body reacts differently when they’re under stress, and Charlotte was no exception. She could afford having her eyes be a little puffy. Charlotte lowered her hand from her eyes.
“It hasn’t been that long since you fainted. The incident happened the day before yesterday, and it’s Friday now. You’re here in my bedroom… to keep it a secret from the other people in the palace.”
I passed out on Wednesday, so I skipped Thursday, and now it’s Friday.
“Fortunately, it rained heavily and there was a thunderstorm, so what happened then didn’t come to light. No one knows what happened except you, me, and Lady Turner. We’ve had some damage to the palace, but we don’t need to worry about it.”
Saviolin Turner took the blame for my actions for now. But neither Charlotte nor Turner didn’t know what really happened.
“I decided to keep you here secretly. Although it was a little dangerous, I thought about calling a priest for treatment, but I used an elixir instead.”
“…An elixir?”
“Yes.”
Was she talking about the elixir I was thinking of?
“That’s a national treasure that even the empire only has a few bottles of, from what I know. It’s not just a simple potion, is it?”
No wonder my body is excessively fine.
“Can you use that without reservation?”
“…Who would?”
Her words were strangely touching.
“Also, it was from Turner, not me.”
I take it back.
If it were Saviolin Turner, she could have brought a bottle of elixir and used it on her own, couldn’t she?
By the way, judging from Charlotte’s nonchalance, she was most likely fine.
“Your Majesty, may I come in?”
Before I could even speak, I heard Saviolin Turner’s voice from beyond the door. Charlotte looked at me.
I take that as a sign asking if it’s okay to let her in.
What?
She owns the room, but why is she asking for my permission?
This is weird!
I nodded, and just as Charlotte called out that she could come in, Saviolin Turner, dressed in full regalia, walked into Charlotte’s bedroom.
“You’re awake.”
“Oh, yeah.”
She casually sat on Charlotte’s bed, without making any particular expression at me.
Both Charlotte and Saviolin Turner seemed to have a lot of questions for me, such as how I obtained Tiamata, what happened after she fainted, and so on.
She pulled up a chair and sat by the bed.
…but she’s too far away.
Although she sat next to me, she was sitting far away. Charlotte, who had been sitting next to me, also scratched her cheek.
“…I need a new bed.”
The bed was too big and uncomfortable.
I quickly realized that Charlotte had experienced a new world with her dorm bed.
“Since I’m all fine, let’s sit down and talk.”
I got off the bed and sat on the sofa, while Charlotte and Saviolin Turner sat facing each other.
“I want to thank you first, Reinhardt. I don’t know the details, but you saved me and Her Highness that day.”
Even though the palace was damaged, Saviolin Turner probably didn’t report that she had been subdued during the battle. If she had, Charlotte wouldn’t have been able to stay in her palace.
Saviolin Turner probably falsified her report. Charlotte looked at me as if she had regained her senses.
“I didn’t properly thank you either. Thank you so much, Reinhardt,” Charlotte said, smiling at me.
It wasn’t the eerie and sinister smile that Charlotte had shown when she was consumed by power.
Yeah.
I wanted Charlotte to keep that smile on her face.
Obtaining Word Magic was secondary.
I did it for Charlotte, not for the power.
“Before you ask me anything, I also want to know what’s going on,” I said, staring at Charlotte.
“Is your problem solved?”
I awakened Word Magic.
Then I commanded the thing that had possessed Charlotte’s body to disappear.
Did it really disappear?
Rather than waiting for them to explain, I wanted to know it badly that I asked first. Charlotte had a complicated look on her face.
“I don’t know, but I was fine yesterday and… That… I had a feeling that was hard to describe, I guess you could say it’s unbearable, like something is swallowing me whole. I felt anxious and cornered. It’s like there’s this terrifying nightmare that haunts me at night, and then it’s gone, all of a sudden.”
“The ability itself?”
“It’s still there.”
My anxiety disappeared. I don’t know if that’s enough, but it means Charlotte is safe for now.
The power to manipulate shadows still remains. That was still a source of anxiety. Charlotte refrained from using it as much as possible because she didn’t like to use her ability.
I now know why Charlotte dislikes her ability. Who would like a power that devours oneself?
“Well. We’ll have to watch the situation for now, but there must have been some change to her highness. We’ve tried everything we could with magic and divine power, but none of them had any effect.”
Saviolin Turner and Charlotte look at me.
“Reinhardt. What exactly did you do?”
Word Magic.
It has already become my supernatural ability.
So it will soon be revealed in a physical scan.
“I think my supernatural ability has become stronger.”
It was clear that it would be judged as excessively dangerous, but since I couldn’t hide it in the first place, I had no choice but to tell the truth.
I roughly explained the situation.
The first thing I explained was the matter regarding my ownership of Tiamata.
A sword with an evil power brought from the Darklands.
It was easy to talk about it since Charlotte already knew about the matter. The object that was presumed to be the relic of the Kier was incompletely bound with my soul and was purified and transformed into Tiamata, and that’s the story.
I left out the fact that there was no distinction between Kier and Towan. I just said that Tiamata was corrupted.
I had no choice but to bring up Olivia Lanze’s involvement in the process.
Neither Saviolin Turner nor Charlotte could hide their shock at my words.
That Tiamata could be corrupted and that I was chosen by it…
“It’s… a complicated problem to explain, so I had no choice but to keep it a secret.”
“…I see.”
“This is a matter where the religious world is going to be turned upside down….”
It took quite a while for both of them to recover from the shock.
Anyway, since the result was undeniable, neither of them argued about the matter. Charlotte seemed relieved that the worries regarding the missing Holy Relic of the God of Corruption were resolved and even thanked me for mentioning it.
And then there was my new supernatural ability.
I didn’t want them to realize the full extent of its capabilities, so I kept it vague..
I also explained about the fight against whatever was possessing Charlotte.
When I yelled for it to disappear, it actually disappeared.
There could only be one conclusion.
“So you can use Self-Suggestion on others now?”
“Otherwise, the situation can’t be explained.”
Self-suggestion could now be applied to others.
Word Magic is not much different from Self-Suggestion.
If Self-Suggestion is an ability that manifests through resolve, Word Magic uses a slightly different concept that manifests through commands or declarations.
“…The answer… was a supernatural ability.”
Supernatural abilities are characterized by the phrase ‘Whatever…’.
It uses logic that cannot be explained and the miracle it creates manifests as an illogical existence in the world.
Therefore, the only way to solve Charlotte’s problem, which could not be solved by any means, was to use a method that could not be understood by any means.
It is difficult to accept that this unreasonable situation has become reasonable with unreasonable deeds, but in the end, Saviolin Turner had the look of someone that seemed to have found an escape after wandering through hell.
“So that means… you’re the only one who can heal Her Highness’s condition.”
“Well, that might be true.”
Although Charlotte’s condition, which was gradually eroding, had improved for now, no one knows what will happen later. I am the only plan if that situation happens again.
It’s like becoming Charlotte’s personal doctor.
But Charlotte’s expression was serious.
“It’s too dangerous of a power. It’s more dangerous than my ability. No, it’s even more so.”
The evolution of Self-Suggestion .
This power has become more dangerous as it has become applicable not only to oneself but also to others.
Self-Suggestion and Word Magic did not even appear in the original novel.
Even I don’t know the true limit of this power. The Word Magic that I gained may not be absolute, but if the level of this ability continues to rise, it may be possible to do terrifying things.
Of course, Charlotte did not think that since my power was too dangerous, she had to eliminate me.
“Your abilities, I’m not sure how they will be measured, but I’ll instruct Temple to keep your new ability a secret.”
“To protect me, you must keep your new ability strictly confidential. Even if Temple knew, they would only have a vague idea of the true nature of your abilities, and reveal it to, at most, to Mr.Epinhauser.”
Indeed, this ability is very strong, and if we look back at the recent fight, I was the one who suppressed Charlotte, whom even Saviolin Turner couldn’t subdue.
Of course, the actual situation was a bit different. If Saviolin Turner had Tiamata, or if there was a senior high priest present, things might have been different.
She fought against a poorly matched opponent in the worst condition in every possible way.
Keeping this new ability a secret was the best option. Saviolin Turner seemed to have different thoughts though.
“What if we let Reinhardt stay at the Spring Palace?”
I’m not sure if Charlotte’s condition has really improved. Since I don’t know when something might happen, it would be best if I was close to Charlotte as often as possible, afterall I am the only one who can do something about Charlotte’s dilemma.
It may not look good from the perspective of the public, but since the princess’s life was at stake, the emperor would not object.
“No, even if we try to conceal it, Reinhardt is in the same class as Bertus. If we live like that, someday Bertus will find out, and then Reinhardt will be in danger.”
“…I see.”
Charlotte was putting my safety first.
The fact that I rescued Charlotte and the battle the day before yesterday had not been revealed, but she thought that if it was known that I had saved Charlotte’s life, Bertus might try to eliminate me.
Bertus does not know that I am in the palace.
“Did Bertus know about your condition?”
“I don’t know the details. But he knows that I shouldn’t have that much time left.”
It would be strange if Bertus did not know this situation.
There is no need to compete with a dying opponent. That’s why there has been little conflict between the two recently.
But I saved Charlotte’s life. The opponent that he thought would die on her own, was suddenly reinvigorated.
If Bertus finds out about this, I would be dead.
That’s why Charlotte made the bold choice of letting me sleep in her bedroom. It’s dangerous for Bertus to know that I am here.
“But… at this point, Reinhardt is the only one who can guarantee Your Highness’s safety.”
Saviolin Turner had to admit that she couldn’t protect Charlotte, and neither could the royal family.
There is no safe place for Charlotte in the world. Only when I am by her side can Charlotte be safe.
“I guess I have to go back to Temple, as expected.”
“…”
Charlotte cannot live in the palace.
So ultimately, there was no choice for Charlotte but to return to Temple and live in the dormitory with me.
Saviolin Turner could only nod her head because she knew it was the best choice for both me and Charlotte.
It’s only been a day.
Neither Saviolin Turner nor Charlotte thought that everything was over now that nothing had happened for only a day.
“Reinhardt.”
“Yes, Lady Turner.”
“Regarding this matter, I must keep it a secret from everyone else. But I have to report it to His Majesty.”
“…”
“Leaving aside my personal oaths, that’s the only way I can persuade His Majesty that her condition has improved. His Majesty should know that no further action is necessary.”
Charlotte looks at me.
It was an expression full of apology. Saviolin Turner is not Charlotte’s vassal, but the Emperor’s. She is responsible for the safety of the princess now, but ultimately, her master is the Emperor.
She cannot withhold secrets from the Emperor. After all, this is also necessary for Charlotte.
The situation has become so complicated that I, a prince of the Demon Realm, now have a connection to the Emperor.
“I will do my best to keep you from harm. I swear by my honor.”
The oath of the strongest person on the continent. If my life is endangered because of this matter, she is prepared to sacrifice even her own life.
That’s what her oath of honor means.
“Not only Her Majesty, but you also saved my life.”
She suddenly bowed her head.
“I sincerely thank you for that.”
“Well… you don’t have to do all this….”
I felt her sincere gratitude in her lowered head.
Saviolin Turner left, saying she would report the details of the situation to the Emperor.
Only Charlotte and I were left in the bedroom. Charlotte brought out a tea set and skillfully made tea alone, offering me a cup.
“I didn’t think about Bertus when I brought you to the palace. I didn’t need to.”
Because Charlotte thought she was going to die soon…
“…Reinhardt. To speak plainly, saving me will have a negative impact on you.”
“…It was a mistake to have saved me.”
Charlotte spoke casually. As I looked at her sad smile, I furrowed my brow.
“I don’t need to hear that kind of talk.”
“…”
“I’ll do the same thing if something like this happens again.”
Charlotte seemed surprised by my words. I smirked and watched her as she held her teacup quietly.
“How about that? In the end, things turned out the way I said they would.”
I told Charlotte that I would save her.
When she asked how, I said I would do it somehow.
Charlotte had given a pessimistic answer, saying anyone could say that kind of thing.
But in the end, I saved Charlotte. After looking at her teacup for a moment with a vacant expression, she nodded slightly.
“Yeah… I’m sorry. I didn’t trust you.”
“From now on, if I say something, just go along with it. I’m never wrong. I’m always right.”
Charlotte’s mouth burst into a wide smile at my nonsense.
“Okay, I’ll trust you. Always.”
I was surprised by her response.
Charlotte took a sip of her tea and I took a sip of the milk tea she had made for me.
“Anyway, I may not know what will happen from now on, but since I’m alive, Bertus will try to find out the reason. Even if he can’t actually harm me, he’ll be on guard again. So, you can’t let it be known that you were at the Spring Palace. Luckily, your entry and exit records have been erased. There weren’t many people who saw you, so Bertus still won’t know who was here or what happened.”
“…That’s fortunate.”
“So, you can’t leave the palace, okay?”
Upon hearing that, I couldn’t help but feel bewildered. So, living in the Spring Palace is not allowed, but if I can’t leave the palace, does that mean I’m supposed to stay here after all?
Did Saviolin Turner lie to me?
As if she knew what I was thinking, Charlotte smirked.
“You fool, you know that.”
She pointed to a wall in the bedroom with her chin.
A secret passage.
There is a warp gate installed underground.
“Go there, and connect to a gate within the capital. You can leave that way. The surveillance of those entering the gate is thorough, but it’s lax for those leaving, right?”
There was a way to leave the palace without anyone knowing, and it was in Charlotte’s bedroom.
“And this.”
Charlotte went somewhere in the room and handed me something she retrieved from a magic safe.
It was a small golden brooch.
“What is this?”
“The gate is bi-directional, isn’t it?”
“…Yes?”
“If you can leave, you can also enter, right?”
Charlotte showed me how to activate the brooch. It seemed to work by opening it and pressing a switch-like button.
“Activate this brooch, and when you pass through any warp gate in the capital, it will be connected to the warp gate in the basement of the Spring Palace.”
“…”
Charlotte handed it to me and held my hand.
Her hands were trembling slightly.
“I’m giving you something that can allow you to enter my bedroom anytime… Without anyone knowing, you can get inside….”
Charlotte’s face was red, and her voice trembled even more.
It’s not something she can give to just anyone.
No, is it even something that she has given to someone before?
It was nothing less than a secret key that could allow one to sneak into the royal palace without anyone knowing.
“Do you understand what this means…?”
Charlotte couldn’t even look at me properly.
“It means that you trust me that much?”
“….”
Charlotte stared at me blankly, sighed and looked away.
“Yes, whenever I need help, I want you to come to my side..”
Charlotte looked outside with her arms crossed, looking a little annoyed with pouting lips.
Her face was so hot that it seemed like blood would drip from her face.
“…Don’t throw away this gift…”
Charlotte said in a trembling voice. Was she thinking about what I said before I fainted?
Honestly, I don’t remember what I said before I lost consciousness.
“Of course.”
As a reward for throwing away the gift that Charlotte gave me with the premonition of farewell.
I received something that could allow me to meet Charlotte anytime.
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