IHYWRM l CH 11

Chapter 11

Two weeks passed.

During that time, Charlotte stayed shut in her room and gathered every bit of information about this world. She read everything—from cheap gossip papers to imperial history books and even academic papers.

At first the maids thought it was another mood swing. But when her strange routine lasted more than ten days, they had to admit: Charlotte had changed in a different way.

The maids whispered, but Charlotte ignored them and sat among stacks of books, looking lost. Her eyes stopped on a history book—especially the part about Noctum.

It recorded everything about him, but not a single line said he used magic. Instead, it said he was one of the continent’s top sword masters, stepped down from being crown prince at sixteen, and had been slaying monsters in the northern region ever since.

Her eyes trembled. She tried to look away, but that only made it worse. She picked up a newspaper.

It was a noble paper from about a month ago. On the front page was a huge photo of Charlotte dumping wine on another young lady.

And—

“It’s exactly the same as the scene I saw in my dream.”

She couldn’t even laugh. The more she checked, the more she found worse stories: photos of her throwing money at commoners, reports of her hitting and insulting a nobleman, and so on.

All of them matched the “Charlotte Daphsine” from her dream.

The papers laid everything out clearly, and Charlotte quickly accepted what she was in this world.

Yes—she had become a real villain. And she had gone back six years to a different world.

‘Why this trial for me…’

If only it had been a normal return to the past.

In this world, the Noctum she knew did not exist. Neither his magic, nor his achievements, nor his life. That truth hurt her for a while. On top of that, she still hadn’t confirmed the secret about the merchant guild from his last letter.

Because of that, Charlotte tried to shake off her feelings. What was done was done.

And if it had been a normal return, that would be a problem too.

“If so, I might have faced that tragedy again.”

Charlotte could never watch Noctum die because of her again.

In that sense, maybe this “return” was a punishment for her: she could never solve his last riddle, and now only she remembered him. And here, she truly was the infamous villain who deserved the scaffold.

‘Maybe this is better.’

She gave a bitter smile. Thinking that way strangely calmed her. She sat in the sunlight from the window for a while.

But old habits die hard. Whenever the window frame rattled, she found herself peeking outside—though no one was truly there anymore.

It was just the day—full of memories—messing with her.

Just then—knock, knock.

A maid knocked. Charlotte quickly straightened the scattered books and told her to enter.

Anna came in, holding a black dress, looking nervous.

“L-lady, I brought the dress you asked for.”

Her face was full of confusion. She didn’t know why she’d been called.

‘So, even Anna isn’t on my side here.’

There was a bitter taste in Charlotte’s mouth. She forced a small smile.

In her original world, Anna had served her for over twenty years and was also her closest friend. But not here. Because this Charlotte bullied everyone, Anna feared her deeply.

“…All right.”

She didn’t add “thank you.” If she did, the already pale Anna might faint.

Anna, terrified of being picked for errands by this lady, was at least relieved that there had been no hitting lately—but who knew how long that would last?

Charlotte pretended not to notice and held out her arms.

“I’ll wear it now. Hurry.”

“Y-yes, milady…”

Anna rushed to help her change. Once the tension eased, curiosity slipped out. A black dress was usually for funerals or condolences.

Charlotte knew that, but she kept her face blank and adjusted the dress. She couldn’t tell the truth anyway.

How could she say: “It’s my husband’s death anniversary—the husband who doesn’t exist in this world.”

Here, she was known as a crazy troublemaker; maybe they would believe it. But the key point was: since the Noctum she knew didn’t exist, neither did his grave.

‘If I’m lucky, they’ll only lock me in a ward as a madwoman. If not, they’ll call me a witch and burn me.’

She swallowed a sigh and finished dressing.

Even if his grave wasn’t here, she had to visit the empty place where it would have been. And—

‘If I don’t remember you, who will?’

You with the long hair, the magic, the gentle heart—always smiling at me.

***

Before searching for where Noctum’s grave would have been, Charlotte stopped by the best flower shop in the capital.

When she lowered her hood, the shopkeeper went pale and dropped to her knees.

“L-lady, w-what brings you to such a humble place…?”

“Stand up. I’m only here to buy flowers.”

“P-please say what you need. I’ll prepare it!”

Her hands on the dirt floor shook with fear. Charlotte sighed quietly; it had been three years since she’d felt this kind of treatment.

She didn’t try to lift the woman—she just said what she needed.

“I’m looking for white camellias. Not many. Just a small bouquet.”

“W-white camellias, yes, yes! Right away!”

The woman got up, still hunched, and hurried off to fetch them.

Charlotte had brought no guards. Around her, only bees and birds made sounds.

“You bloomed the fastest again this year.”

Bright flowers always eased her heart.

While she admired the blooms, the owner returned and, a little calmer now, said, “My lady, the camellias are in another district. It will take at least an hour to bring them.”

“That’s fine. I’ll walk around the city. No rush.”

“Th-thank you.”

Her voice and manners were so different from the rumors that the owner relaxed and went off.

Charlotte smiled. She knew this woman well in her original world.

‘Your Grace! Didn’t I promise? The pink roses will bloom sooner this month!’

Because of all the flowers Noctum had planted in the ducal estate, Charlotte visited the florist twice a month. Seeing someone often makes you relax. Though the owner was a commoner, the two had become friendly.

The bitterness grew stronger. In this world, those six years of memories didn’t exist.

Charlotte passed the pink roses by the door and left the shop.

The streets looked almost the same as six years later.

“Fresh golden apples! Sweet and crisp! Three for five coppers!”

“Fish straight from the morning catch! Get them before they’re gone!”

“Pretty trinkets for sale! Some are from the Eastern continent!”

Voices overlapped so much it was hard to make out words.

Charlotte walked slowly, watching people. She entered the dessert shop Noctum had liked and bought madeleines.

The pastry chef recognized her when she tried to pay, which almost caused trouble, but luckily she got through it.

Though she felt like she was only inside for a moment, the sun was already lowering. If she went back now, the white camellias would be ready.

She quickened her pace. Maybe the fast heartbeat, maybe the new environment—she didn’t notice her handkerchief slip from her sleeve and fall to the ground.

She also didn’t notice the man staring at her and following from behind.

The man tailing her—Noctum Afros—frowned when he saw Charlotte standing carelessly in the street with a purse full of money.

‘Again, alone.’

He usually didn’t care about people, but she stood out enough to bother him—twice now, even while he was passing quickly by in a carriage.

Her hood hid her face and hair, but her unique aura still showed. He didn’t know when he’d learned that aura—but he had.

‘Ignore her.’

Yes, ignoring was best. Actually, “ignore” wasn’t even the right word—she simply wasn’t someone who should affect him.

Noctum walked past her.

“…Haa. Ridiculous.”

That resolve lasted less than a minute. She bothered his eyes, and he spotted a group secretly following her.

Probably slavers.

That thought pulled up the memory of the gambling house incident.

‘At this rate, she’ll end up surrounded by scum.’

The image of those hands reaching for her made him feel deeply disgusted—for no clear reason. If he had to name one, it was that such things happened openly in his Empire.

Noctum jumped from the carriage. Luckily, he had his cloak.

He swung it on and reached toward the men following her.

“Guh—!”

He yanked them into a dark alley and took them down in an instant. Threatening them was easy.

He disabled them enough that they wouldn’t try this again, then stepped back onto the street.

Finding the woman wasn’t hard. He didn’t even have to try. Right in front of him, in a dessert shop, she was paying for a small mountain of madeleines.