Chapter 287 – Memory of the Body
Wolfgang took a deep breath and opened the scroll.
“Then let’s begin.”
“Hmm.”
Alicia, who had been standing there with her eyes closed tightly, nodded her head with her expectant face.
“Please…”
Leona’s expression turned tense as she took out her handkerchief and wiped the beads of sweat on her forehead.
It was nothing difficult.
A scroll is a tool that allows non-magical people to use magic. Even now, what was in Wolfgang’s hand was a scroll made by the Master of the Magic Tower himself.
Therefore, the probability of ritual failure converges to zero.
Even the preparation process is close to perfect, and the control of variables is also certain because Leona drew the magic circle, which had the possibility of errors.
All Wolfgang had to do was follow the instructions on the scroll to recite a spell and infuse mana.
Extremely speaking, even if a talking monkey took over his role, the ritual would probably go on without a hitch.
But that’s only a theoretical story.
From now on, it’s a real practice.
Also, this is a ritual directly related to Alicia’s safety.
At this moment, Wolfgang’s concentration was heightened to the same level as when he was in the middle of the battlefield, or even higher.
—Slowly…
A warrior who has reached the limit closes his eyes for a moment.
A man searching for his lover’s memories desperately begins to cast a spell.
“ᚱ, ᚲ, ᚷ…”
As the power of the ancient letters containing the mysteries of the arctic regions awoke, a dazzling light and a huge magical storm raged in disarray, covering Alicia’s bedroom.
—Keyiing… !
Maybe it’s because he collected all the most powerful magical catalysts, such as gold, green gemstone, ruby, and agate, from the magical goods shop in the island.
The output of magic is truly staggering.
Wolfgang regarded it as a positive sign. The expression that excessiveness is as bad as insufficient is a phrase that only holds true when discussing metaphysical values such as courage and pride.
In reality, enough of anything is the best.
Would a researcher working at the Technology Development Bureau under the Imperial government spit out words like a habit of asking for a little more time and budget?
“Ahhh…!”
Alicia’s model, located in the center of the magic circle, floats in the air.
“Oops!”
The moment Leona, who was eagerly watching her consciousness with her hands together behind her, let out a short scream.
Wolfgang quietly recited his final incantation.
“ᚠ”
Then, the raging magical storm subsided in an instant, as if it never happened.
Soon, only a silent silence lingered in the room.
The moment when you inadvertently foretell the possibility of failure in the excessive silence, even though you know that this is nothing but a process.
—Fury… !
Eventually, the catalysts placed at the apex and outline of the magic circle burned all at once, and mysterious phenomena began to occur centered on Alicia located in the center.
A visual effect that is too flashy to be called a mere magic effect.
—Pababababat!
Behind Alicia, who closed her eyes and opened her mouth slightly, dozens of translucent illusions resembling her appeared in an instant and then disappeared.
A movement reminiscent of the legend of Thousand Hands Guanyin, the ancient transcendental figure of the East.
The illusions passing by Alicia’s back seemed to have disappeared at first glance, but upon closer inspection, they remained in the form of a haze-like mass and hovered above her head.
Wolfgang slowly opened his eyes and watched the dreamy figure as if possessed.
It was not easy to distinguish the appearance of an illusion that only lasted for a short time and then disappeared as a mist. However, the extremely trained knight’s dynamic vision made it possible.
“Alicia…”
Wolfgang quietly called Alicia’s name and continued to observe the process of the ceremony.
The types of welcomes were very diverse.
Alicia as a girl toddling in the garden of the Palace of Light.
Alicia in adolescence, who had an unexpectedly poor body.
A lively Alicia just about to go through her coming-of-age ceremony.
Numerous illusions that contain the life of a woman pass by like a panorama in front of Wolfgang’s eyes.
Most of the illusions that passed before his eyes dozens of times in just one second were unknown to him.
“Yeah, you haven’t forgotten.”
Alicia smiled blissfully as she held his hand.
Alicia seduced him with a strange smile.
Alicia, who pretended to be angry on purpose, puffed up her cheeks and played with her.
Even at this moment, only a few of the thousands of tens of thousands of illusions that passed by her back were clearly projecting memories of being happy with him.
Of course, it was only a small part of the ratio, less than a decimal point.
Nonetheless, Wolfgang’s face did not show despair, but a faint smile.
Although the number may be small, the fact that the memories of him and her together have not completely disappeared from this world is tantamount to proof.
—Uuuuu…
After that, about a few minutes passed.
As the catalysts placed throughout the magic circle were carbonized and crumbled one by one, the brilliant light of Runic also began to fade.
“Ha…”
While Wolfgang, who felt extreme fatigue from observing the illusion by temporarily raising his eyes full of mana, took a breath.
As the remaining magic power left in the magic circle dispersed into the air and dissipated, Alicia’s body, floating in the air, plummeted to the ground.
—Gasp!
“Oh no, no.”
Wolfgang quickly leaps forward and skillfully embraces her body.
If he made a mistake, he could have finished all the important ceremonies and ended up in an absurd accident where Alicia was injured.
“Hmm, I guess something happened…”
“Coo…”
Wolfgang patted the head of Alicia, who was sleeping peacefully in his arms with an angelic face, and murmured softly.
“Sir Wolfgang! What was that just about?”
Anyway, was the memory restoration successful? Or have you failed?
This kind of thing is more curious about the person watching from the side than the original person.
Sure enough, as soon as the ceremony was over, Leona, who had approached Wolfgang, raised her monocle and showered her with questions like a rapid-fire cannon.
“Is the ceremony a success? No, more than that, is Her Highness okay? It seems she lost consciousness in the middle.”
“Well, I don’t know the details. But…”
Wolfgang, too, did not know exactly what effect the ritual had.
He too just followed the instructions written on the scroll and Scarlett’s guidelines.
In the first place, the ritual just before was not healing, but a ritual using Runic for ‘restoration’.
Since it is a magic that returns the target to its optimum state, its effect is determined by exactly what condition Alicia’s body and mind regard as the best.
But for now, can we be a little reassured?
“It doesn’t look like anything went wrong.”
“Haaaaa…”
Wolfgang patted Alicia’s back slowly and gave a small smile.
Then Leona also raised her right hand and put her chin on her chest and let out a long sigh.
“Well, we’ll have to wait for a while. At least until Alicia wakes up.”
“I see. First of all, it’s a relief that the two of you weren’t hurt.”
On the other hand, regardless of the success or failure of his ceremony, Wolfgang was very satisfied with the current situation.
At this moment, when Alicia is asleep in his arms.
It is because he can fully enjoy the warm and happy touch that Alicia always gave him before losing her memory.
There are some things you only realize after going through a loss.
I didn’t know that hugging or enjoying the warmth of a lover’s body temperature, which I had taken for granted, could be such a precious and pleasant thing.
“It’s warm…”
Unknowingly, Wolfgang hugged Alicia’s soft body even tighter.
In my heart, I wanted to stay like this forever. I don’t know if it’s because it’s been a while since I’ve hugged you, but I really don’t want to let you go again.
On the other hand, he habitually tried to bury her face between her hair and the nape of her neck.
“Hmm, Sir Wolfgang?”
“Yes?”
Leona, who had been watching from her side, stopped him, fanning her hand with a blushing face.
At that, the corner of one of Wolfgang’s eyes rose above him without even realizing it.
“That’s a very presumptuous statement. As you know, the princess is not feeling well right now. It’s okay if her memories are completely restored, but if not…”
Leona cautiously pointed out Wolfgang’s actions in a very polite tone.
At her words, Wolfgang turned his body around and looked at the large mirror on one side of the wall.
Wolfgang was in a situation where he was holding Alicia upright and hugging her body like a doll. Why did he suddenly redden his face, but isn’t it an embarrassing attitude enough for others to see?
But Wolfgang just smiled and smirked as if he didn’t care at all.
“Oh, that’s fine.”
“Ahh! Sir, what the hell…!”
At the same time as he said that, Wolfgang removed both of his hands that had picked up Alicia.
—Fuck!
“Yes…”
Even though he removed her hand, the sleeping Alicia was clinging to his torso like a sloth.
Wolfgang’s eyes widened as he checked the lovely reflection in the mirror.
“Chief Maid, could you make the bed? I’m tired, so I’d like to lie down.”
“Yes, yes…”
This convinced Wolfgang.
I’m still not sure what happened to Alicia’s memories.
At least her body seems to remember him.
