IHYWRM l CH 15

Posted by Eleanor, Released on September 2, 2025

Chapter 15

Noctum kept visiting the field for about a week. In other words, Charlotte came to the field every day for a week.

At first, he thought about confronting her—asking how she knew Kai’s name, like when she called “Noctum” at the empty clearing. But he gave up on that idea.

“She likes him that much… ruining it would be… ahem… not great.”

He meant Kai.

He had cared for the fox for fifteen years. Kai didn’t even act that happy when Tei—who visits once a month—came by.

But somehow, Charlotte made Kai crazy with joy.

Even now, after a little playtime, Kai wagged his tail so hard he might get a cramp.

And Charlotte smiled more brightly than Noctum had ever seen, so it felt wrong to interrupt.

So Noctum spent about a week hiding behind a tree trunk, watching Charlotte and Kai all day.

At first he wondered what he was doing. But watching them strangely calmed him.

After months of killing monsters in the north, his worn-out heart felt like it was healing.

He got almost addicted to that field. He even canceled a week’s worth of noble appointments.

After watching for a week, he even felt familiar with Charlotte.

He learned her little habits.

He creeped himself out a bit, then forgave himself. “I’m only noticing what’s in front of me!”

Lucky or unlucky, Charlotte was the one who stopped coming first.

At first, when she didn’t show up, he felt jumpy—like withdrawal. After three days…

“Sigh. Did something happen? Why isn’t she coming?”

…He was still anxious.

He tapped his office desk fast with his index finger.

Should he go back to the field? It was already 3 p.m., and he had gone there ten times today…

“Damn it, why am I so restless?”

It wasn’t a curse. He wasn’t crazy. So what was this?

He grumbled that nothing went right after he met the lady, blaming Charlotte for his state.

Then—

Knock, knock.

Tei came in with a thick stack of papers.

Piles of documents already reached from floor to ceiling, but Tei’s face didn’t twitch. This mess existed because Noctum had done no work for about ten days—because of Charlotte.

Tei put the stack down, picked the urgent items, and briefed him.

For that moment, Noctum actually focused on work and forgot Charlotte.

“…That’s everything due by tomorrow. Also, we sent the summer donation to the temple. Here’s the receipt, Your Grace.”

“Good. How’s the temple?”

“The same. They seem set on neutrality. But… today felt a bit odd.”

“Oh?”

The temple. It serves Terua, the continent’s one god.

Unlike other countries—with plenty of atheists and dual-religion followers—almost everyone in the Empire believes in Terua. If the temple supports you, you can sway public opinion easily.

So both the noble faction and the imperial faction tried hard to win the temple’s favor.

But for decades the temple stayed neutral, for “peace.”

“And now it feels odd?”

Tei doesn’t make much of anything.

Noctum jerked his chin: go on.

“The High Priest approached the lady and spoke to her. We were too far to hear it all, but… it sounded like he was inviting her to devote herself—to ‘join’ them.”

“What?”

Unexpectedly. Noctum’s eyes widened.

“You mean the Charlotte Daphsine I know?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Hah.”

So she’d been there. His worry eased.

It wasn’t likely she was sick or hurt after only three days.

But as he replayed Tei’s words, the word “join” stuck.

“Why would he suggest that to her?”

“Join” could only mean one thing: become an Apostle of Terua.

But Apostles aren’t chosen by faith alone. The temple has a special selection test. You must pass it no matter how devout you are.

“…It is strange.”

Just as Tei said—odd.

“What is the temple plotting?”

Why approach Charlotte? His tapping sped up.

“Did she spend those three days at the temple, trying to become an Apostle?”

No way… a stretch.

…but also kind of possible?

“I should check.”

Not to see her. For political reasons only!

He slapped the desk and stood, throwing on his uniform and cloak.

“Y-Your Grace?” Tei called faintly. Not surprised anymore—just wishing he’d finish his work first.

Noctum had no idea of the many subordinates behind him silently crying about overtime.

“I’ll step out.”

“…Yes, sir.”

Resigned, Tei nodded.

Noctum strode out of the grand duke’s estate.

***

Meanwhile, Charlotte—unaware that Noctum had basically watched her daily life for over a week—was leaving the temple with a dazed face.

Unlike Noctum’s guess, this was her first visit. She had come without a special reason.

Thrown into a parallel world, she believed in “fate.” So she assumed this world’s one god, Terua, truly existed.

Before leaving the capital, she came with a thin shred of hope.

“So why did that priest say that?”

Out of nowhere, a priest tried to recruit her.

“An honor to meet you, my lady. Your eyes are truly clear. If you come here, your faith in Lord Terua must be deep. Would you consider becoming an Apostle?”

When she first heard this, Charlotte quickly checked his outfit.

His tone and vibe felt more like a fanatic from a fringe religion than a holy priest.

But his robes really were the temple’s official garb.

“Truly. Your soul is very pure. If only we could remove the black fog around you… Shall we go to a prayer room?”

“N-no, I’m fine…”

“Come, come. This way.”

She was pulled into a prayer room before she could refuse and had to listen for a long time.

Mostly the same lines: your soul is pure, there’s black fog, it must be cleansed—empty talk.

She was so scared that she forgot she had prayed earnestly to Terua before meeting him.

In the end, the priest pushed the Apostle’s offer for over two hours, only stopping when she looked visibly exhausted.

He waved, telling her to come back soon. Charlotte ignored him and hurried out to the street.

She didn’t slow down until the temple was just a dot behind her.

“What kind of priest is that…”

She had the strong feeling a cult priest had slipped in to stir up trouble.

She kept walking—or maybe she was shaken—sweat beaded on her forehead.

She tugged down her hood deeper as the busy market street came into view.

Temple or not, it was extremely dangerous if people recognized her in the commoners’ district.

“The curse of being a villainess.”

At least with the hood on, most people failed to notice her. Without even that, life would be unbearable.

Charlotte sighed, freshly reminded how hard the “villainess” life was after three quiet years.

Clouds gathered like her mood.

“There was no rain in the forecast…”

When has the paper’s weather ever been right?

She quickened her pace. Her carriage was far.

Then she stopped. Something familiar caught her eye.

“How much is this?”

She found herself asking a peddler, like she was under a spell.

“Oho, miss, you’ve got an eye! This came from the Eastern Continent—a rare piece! You wouldn’t find it if not for me!”

His way of talking and phrasing were familiar. Charlotte reached for the item.

It was a ribbon ornament. In the center of a flower pattern sat a tiny purple stone—not even fine enough to call a gemstone. The embroidery design was something this country didn’t make.

She knew this piece well. In her past life, Noctum had bought her this ribbon.

“Ten gold. Exactly ten,” the seller said.

“This tiny thing is ten gold?”

Odd. In her original timeline, Noctum wouldn’t buy it for another two years, and yet the same seller had it now.

For a commoner, the price was absurd. A noble could afford it, but why would a noble shop here?

“So it’s been stuck here for two years.”

Then a naive mark—Noctum—must have finally bought it.

As Charlotte stared, the seller thought she was hesitating and hurried to add:

“Ahem. Just between us, the Grand Duke is getting married, isn’t he? It’s a gift he’s had his eye on!”

In the original, the line was “the Grand Duchess-to-be has an eye on it.” Funny switch. She smirked.

“Is that true?”

She raised her voice in fake surprise. The nervous seller perked up.