07 Nov 2025 6 min read NOMAMWTM

NOMAMWTM Chapter 6

Time passed again, and it was the sixth day since the wedding.

Charlotte worked hard exploring the estate with Michael.

Originally her goal had been to go outside within a week of getting married, but the estate was so large and complex that far from going out, she hadn't even figured out the entire house layout.

Contrary to her intentions, her physically weak body tired quickly with just a little walking around, so over the past several days she'd only toured briefly for a few hours from morning to afternoon—in a way, it seemed natural.

Today too, after getting exhausted from touring the massive library all morning, Charlotte had tea time with Michael in the garden, taking a break.

Sitting in a chair and basking in the sunshine was an extremely pleasant thing, so it was a tea time she never forgot to have each day.

Also,

'...Because I enjoy our time together in the garden, I asked.'

Michael had added this bashfully midway through, recommending it.

It really did seem like fate.

Charlotte tried to suppress her unnecessarily pounding heart as she happily admired her husband today too, lightly dressed in a dress shirt and black trousers.

For six days, he had treated her well and been consistently handsome while doing so.

He was taciturn and showed almost no change in expression, and he didn't speak to her much—perhaps cautiously thinking she too might flee in fear—but his interest in her seemed certain, as he occasionally asked questions about her.

"...Charlotte, why did you come to this estate?"

Just like now.

While she felt sorry for Michael, who must have lived alone and lonely among people so afraid of him they couldn't even speak freely, Charlotte was very pleased by the interest he showed in her.

It seemed he too wanted to grow closer to her.

And today... was a bit more special.

That must mean 'everyone fears me, yet why did you accept this marriage'?

He, who had seemed to be cautiously probing her all along, had leaked his inner thoughts.

Because it felt like proof they were growing closer, even if only just a little, she smiled broadly and answered honestly.

"Because I wanted freedom. And I... know about things like magic."

Of course, her father hadn't said a word to her, so she'd never dreamed this place would be like this either.

But what mattered was that she knew the truth and didn't fear him at all.

"...I see..."

Michael only reacted to her answer after a long while.

Quietly, with an unclear ending to his words.

But since he was a man with little change in expression, even the slightest reaction that could only be noticed by someone very close to him made his agitation quite apparent.

Perhaps satisfied simply that she knew the truth, he fortunately didn't ask how she had come to know about magic.

Well, if someone acknowledged the difficulties you'd faced your whole life, even she would find herself thinking that plight trivial.

Charlotte thought she'd take the opportunity, now that magic had come up, to ask about something she'd been curious about for several days.

"Th—"

"M-Master!"

But no sooner had she opened her mouth a scream-like voice rang out.

Charlotte blinked. When she turned her head, two maids were running over urgently.

The servants never came first unless called, so this was unexpected.

They arrived but were so frightened their faces turned pale, they fixed their gazes on the ground and stammered.

"W-w-well, M-Madam, no, hic, the Grand Duchess..."

Grand Duchess?

Charlotte reflexively looked at Michael and froze.

Though the maids had only spoken one sentence, his face had hardened as if he'd grasped what had happened.

He stood up abruptly.

The maids couldn't endure even that brief moment and quickly fled far away despite the situation.

He took a step as if to follow the maids immediately, then belatedly seemed to remember Charlotte, who'd been with him, and turned back to her.

"...Ah."

"Go on."

Though she didn't know what it was, it seemed to be urgent, so she sent him off without asking anything.

Perhaps it was urgent—for six days Michael, who had never hurried or shown much emotion, moved his lips then dashed off without a word.

He could have used magic, but he seemed too distracted to think of it.

Left alone in an instant, Charlotte watched Michael's rapidly retreating figure, then slowly tilted her head.

The masses on the table rolled chaotically across it, disturbed by their master's agitation.

Shaaaa.

The wind rustled the leaves of the trees, creating a sound like ocean waves.

"She definitely said Grand Duchess, right?"

Charlotte propped her chin on her hand.

It seemed she had a mother-in-law.

Since no one had been at the wedding, and Michael was a duke rather than a ducal heir, she'd thought her parents-in-law had all gone to Sornia's side.

But if that wasn't the case, they would certainly have heard news that Charlotte had arrive, yet Charlotte had never received greetings from anyone or even had a message conveyed.

Which meant... She frowned, having easily deduced the reason.

It seemed Michael was a fearsome existence even to his own mother.

Yet he had run off so quickly.

Unlike her mother, Baron Ethel had never loved her—she'd seen his face maybe two or three times in six years—so Charlotte, who'd long since cut her ties with her father, found Michael curious.

Well, it wasn't incomprehensible.Yet he had run off so quickly.

Rustle.

With Michael gone, she grew suddenly bored and was gazing at the bright red tea rippling like waves in her cup when she heard a sudden sound—

She sharply turned her head.

The bushes behind the gazebo shook slightly.

The masses seemed to be hiding there.

Rustle rustle rustle rustle.

"Don't."

Charlotte said primly.

She'd by now adapted to the masses that would shake, drop, and rattle anything they found.

They were truly mischievous.

Yesterday they'd smashed all the teacups in her room, making things quite difficult.

Rustle rustle

Rustle.

"I said don't."

Rustle rustle

Rustle rustle rustle rustle rustle rustle.

Rustle rustle rustle rustle

Rustle.

Until now they'd at least listened when she spoke, but today they didn't seem inclined to listen even to that—the thick bushes kept shaking.

"I said don't."

Charlotte stood and approached the shaking bushes.

Rustle!

As if waiting for just that, a black object shot out from the bushes and grazed past Charlotte.

Just as she thought. Since it was obvious the masses were clustered there, she reflexively dodged it.

Thump.

Soon a dull sound came from behind her.

"...Hm?"

It was a strange sound for the flying masses to make.

Charlotte, who had turned her head, was shocked to see a small black rabbit collapsed in the gazebo.

Good heavens, it was a rabbit.

What had been in the bushes apparently wasn't the masses.

Charlotte hurriedly picked up the tiny thing.

It was so small it must be a baby, but it couldn't even open its eyes and was trembling violently—clearly, it was in poor condition.

"...Gasp."

Moreover, something damp seemed to be seeping into her hand—when she looked, there was blood.

Wondering if it was injured, Charlotte hurriedly examined the rabbit's body.

Fortunately there were no wounds anywhere, but the rabbit soon went limp.

"W-wait."

Surely, It couldn't have died, could it? Charlotte froze.

Fortunately, after a while, she felt slight movements. When she touched its neck, she felt a weak pulse.

It seemed to have fainted. Perhaps it had been chased by a beast and stumbled into the estate grounds.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Charlotte headed to the estate with the rabbit.

She couldn't leave this tiny thing here, and it seemed better to take it to her room and at least give it water when it woke up.

"H-hic!"

When she entered indoors, the maids and servants turned pale and pressed themselves against the edge of the corridor, bowing deeply.

Charlotte paused for a moment, then soon exhaled deeply and passed them.

The servants seemed to have accepted her, who moved around with Michael so casually, as another frightening existence.

Indeed they were foolish people, frightened by what they could see before their eyes.

Charlotte—who quite liked people and could normally talk to anyone—couldn't bring herself to like the servants of this estate.

'We're just like you. I wish you wouldn't be so afraid.'

'S-s-sorry! P-please...'

Even when she tried to converse, they were people she couldn't communicate with.

Michael, who'd lived surrounded by such people, was so pitiful.

"Honestly."

She pursed her lips and hurried up the stairs.

The rabbit, which had been trembling anxiously until just before, was now breathing fairly steadily.

However, before long, Charlotte had to stop in her tracks once again.

BANG!

"Uh..."

BANG!

She stood blankly on the landing, staring at what was definitely her bedroom.

There, two maids with reddened faces were opening and closing the door like madwomen.

BANG!

BANG!!