HPCM 03

Chapter : 03

Was it the help of God?

The answer she had failed to find even after crossing snowy mountains was, absurdly enough, in the hands of an alchemist who lived shut away in a place below where the river never froze.

“The spell is based on a strong wish to bring a human back to life, and it also requires a vessel to hold it. You said you froze the corpse—well done. Those two conditions are fulfilled.”

“Then… does that mean Alfonso can be brought back to life?”

“The vessel is prepared, and the spell is ready as well. However, we lack fuel. A powerful spell requires a great deal of fuel.”

The alchemist’s finger pointed at Charlotte.

“The fuel will be the life of someone who possesses a powerful wish.”

“……”

“Even now, you should turn back. My lady, don’t you still have many things in your life? It’s not too late to meet someone new—”

“My life… that alone is enough, right?”

Charlotte’s voice trembled slightly.

Yet the expression on her face was unmistakably one of joy.

“If Alfonso can be brought back to life, then it’s a life well worth giving.”

How could it be a waste to give a single life to the person who died because of her?

After all, once he died, her life had lost its meaning. If it could at least be used for this, then it was only right.

“Kill me and bring him back to life.”

If Alfonso heard that the woman he despised so much had died, he would surely be happy.

There would be no reason for him to look deeply into Charlotte’s death, so it would be easy enough to disguise it as an accident.

“You can say you happened to pass by the estate, heard what happened, and saved Alfonso. Edouart will give you a generous reward.”

“…Very well. However, my lady, it’s possible that I may not be able to deliver your message.”

At the sudden condition, Charlotte slightly furrowed her brow.

“Why?”

“The spell is based on your wish. The result is fixed—bringing him back to life—but depending on your wish, we cannot know what form that resurrection will take.”

What did that mean?

Charlotte simply stared at him for a moment.

The alchemist’s vague warning did not immediately make sense to her.

Realizing she did not understand, the alchemist let out a low sigh.

“Even if he comes back to life, he may not be exactly as you imagine. If you focus solely on the goal of simply reviving him, unexpected results may occur. Perhaps even terrible ones—”

“Oh, is that all you meant?”

Charlotte, who had been frowning, relaxed and let out a small laugh.

“If that’s the case, it’ll be fine. What I wish for is for him to come back to life and be happy. So if your spell is based on my wish, then surely he’ll be fine.”

She wanted to return what Alfonso had lost because of their marriage.

His life.

His happiness.

Even if she herself could not be part of his happy future, it didn’t matter. As long as he lived and found happiness.

Seeing the certainty in Charlotte’s answer, the alchemist wore a troubled expression.

“No matter what result appears, the spell will last for only one year. If the wish is not fulfilled within that time, everything will vanish like bubbles.”

Of course, Charlotte—who served as the sacrifice for the spell—would die.

And Alfonso might not be revived at all.

“My lady… are you truly fine with that?”

“Yes.”

Charlotte answered without hesitation.

The alchemist shook his head slowly.

“You don’t seem to value your life.”

“There’s no such thing as someone who doesn’t value their life.”

It was simply that there were things worth risking one’s life for.

The time she had wandered in search of a way to save Alfonso.

How much had she cried? How much had she regretted?

“I know you hate me terribly, Alfonso. But there’s nothing we can do. This marriage is for my family. If you want to resent me, call me while you’re drinking a good bottle of wine. If the wine tastes good, I’ll even allow you to slap me.”

“Alfonso, I heard your birthday is next week. Happy birthday in advance. I won’t be here then. On your birthday, it’s probably better for you if I’m not around.”

“You’re asking why I don’t wear the necklace you sent? I told them to store it away because it’s unimpressive. Or what—do you want me to wear something given by someone who clearly hates me and smile like an idiot?”

No matter which memory she recalled, they were all memories of her harsh words toward Alfonso.

It had been a defense mechanism.

She simply didn’t want to be looked down upon by someone who hated her.

I actually wanted to tell the truth.

That she was sorry for forcing him into a marriage he never wanted.

That even if they couldn’t sit together warmly on his birthday, she still wanted to celebrate it in her own small way.

That the necklace he gave her was so beautiful that it made her feel shabby in comparison, so she couldn’t bring herself to wear it.

Why were those few words so difficult?

Why had she been so afraid of being looked down on that she could only say cruel things to him?

If she had known that the words she never spoke—I’m sorry, thank you—would haunt her this deeply, she would never have acted that way.

At least once, she would have smiled honestly at him…

“…I’ve lived selfishly all my life. So just this once, I want to make a choice for someone I love.”

“To give your life for love… that’s quite different from what I’ve heard about you.”

“You’ve heard stories about me? This place is quite remote.”

“I used to wander from place to place. I once stayed in the capital. Back then, the stories said you were not someone who would make such reckless and foolish choices.”

“Well… that’s love, I suppose.”

To fall in love with a man who hated her so deeply that she would throw away her life for him.

To some people, she must look incredibly foolish.

Some might even call her crazy.

Charlotte already knew how she would appear in the eyes of others.

But what could she do?

I fell in love with him, even knowing everything.

If there was the most foolish and yet most noble emotion in the world, surely it was love.

But wasn’t it far better to foolishly die for someone you loved than to foolishly cause their death?

Even if no one understood.

Even if she could never dream of a happy future with Alfonso.

If only Alfonso lived.

If only he was happy.

Then I would be satisfied.

That was Charlotte’s atonement.

And her love.

The alchemist, looking at her as if he truly could not understand her, handed her a vial.

“If you drink this, the spell will activate.”

He seemed to secretly hope that Charlotte might change her mind.

But she accepted the vial without hesitation and drank it in one gulp.

Overwhelming pain rushed through her, and it took only a moment for her consciousness to fade.

How much time had passed?

Charlotte slowly opened her eyes at the sound of murmuring voices.

A bright room.

The familiar ceiling of the Noah estate came into view.

“…My lady? My lady? Are you awake?”

It was only a brief moment, but instinctively she knew.

The alchemist’s spell had succeeded.

She had returned to the time before she married Alfonso.

So that was already a week ago.

Looking out over the winter garden beneath the clear sky, Charlotte reminisced with a gentle mood.

She still remembered vividly the moment right after she returned.

After asking the maid for the date, she had jumped out of bed in shock and run to the mirror.

“…This can’t be real.”

Did it really succeed?

In the full-length mirror, a woman in a negligee murmured blankly.

Though she had just gotten out of bed and her appearance wasn’t neat, the woman in the mirror was flawlessly beautiful.

Long, vivid red hair that curled slightly at the ends.

Eyes slightly upturned, their color reminiscent of lush greenery under the midsummer sun.

The fingertips resting against the mirror were smooth and unscarred.

It was a sight unimaginable during the days she had desperately wandered in search of a way to save Alfonso.

There was no need to ask further.

I came back to the past.

Although it wasn’t the exact result she had expected, it didn’t matter.

He’s still been brought back to life.

At first she had been so shocked that she repeatedly checked whether it was all a dream.

But once she became certain it wasn’t, she realized this outcome might be even better.

To be given the chance to start everything from the beginning—what greater fortune could there be?

That alchemist is more capable than I thought.

She had only hoped Alfonso would come back to life, but this unexpected gift…

Charlotte felt so happy she could have hugged the maid beside her and started dancing.

Of course, not long after that I coughed up blood and collapsed…

Fortunately, Charlotte had awakened right after the accident.

She had apparently slipped on the stairs and tumbled down badly.

Because of that, no one found it strange when she suddenly coughed up blood.

No one except Charlotte herself.

Falling down the stairs… that didn’t happen in the past.

And she certainly hadn’t been so weak that she coughed blood at the slightest provocation.

Was it a side effect of returning through time?

I’ll probably have to find the alchemist to know for sure.

But the alchemist had disappeared.

She had sent people to the place where she met him, but they were told no one lived there.

He did say he wandered around… so it won’t be easy to find him.

Still, there was one thing she could infer.

“No matter what result appears, the spell will last for one year. If the wish is not fulfilled within that time, everything will vanish like bubbles.”

Those words the alchemist had repeated many times.

The fact that I’m alive—even though I was supposed to die as the sacrifice—must mean the wish hasn’t been fulfilled yet.

Charlotte’s wish was for Alfonso to come back to life and be happy.

The spell had chosen turning back time as the method.

Thanks to that, Alfonso had indeed been brought back to life.

But the spell will only be completed when Alfonso becomes happy.

If that doesn’t happen, time will return to its original state—and both Alfonso and Charlotte will die.

So what she had to do was simple.

Once the spell had been activated, she was destined to die one year later anyway.

If she would die either way—

Then all I have to do… is make Alfonso happy.