The Necromance of Love and Death: Defeated Early in the Game, I Reincarnated as a Tragic Villainous Noble and Rebel Against the Scenario with My Beloved Using My Modern and Game Knowledge - Chapter 26

After the training, Vio and I went back to the mansion.

I stepped through the door that the maid had opened for me. This was my father and mother’s room. Surrounded by the familiar furniture from my childhood, a wave of nostalgia washed over me.

But I could never see the owners of this room again. My father and mother were gone and that fact filled me with deep sorrow.

And now, I was about to lose yet another member of my family.

“Charles, how are you feeling?”

In a large basket placed in a sunlit spot, I saw a curled-up black ball of fur. My last remaining family member—Charles, my black cat.

Charles had always been an old, slow-moving, and easygoing cat. But lately, he hadn’t even been leaving his bed.

I had taken him to the vet who usually looked after our horses, but he told me it was most likely old age. Even if it were an illness, Charles was too old to recover.

The flame of Charles’s life was fading.

Even now, he didn’t move at the sound of my voice like he always had. But his ears were perked up, facing me.

I sat down by the window next to him.

Charles slowly opened one golden eye and looked up at me. He tried to meow—

But no sound came out.

“…Charles…”

I reached out and gently stroked his fur. Charles closed his eyes as if comforted.

Under my palm, beneath his soft fur, I could feel his bones.

“You’ve lost so much weight…”

Charles had always been on the thinner side, but since he had stopped eating, I could feel his bones more prominently than before.

It was as if there was nothing left of him but skin and bones.

As I continued to pet him, I heard a faint, broken purring sound. It was so weak, but it was the best Charles could manage now.

Tears spilled from my eyes.

Charles had already been in our home when I was born. To me, he was both an older and a younger sibling. When I was little, we would race around the house together.

“We used to get scolded for breaking things all the time… Do you remember, Charles? That time we sneaked into Father’s study, and you knocked over his favorite bottle of liquor? After that, we were banned from going in there…”

I kept talking, reminiscing about our memories, as I gently stroked Charles. His body, warmed by the sunlight, was still warm to the touch.

Charles passed away three days later.

The maid woke me up in a panic, and when I arrived at my parents’ room, Charles was already cold.

“…Charles…”

Even though I knew it was impossible, I reached out and stroked him like I always had. I thought that maybe, just maybe, if I did, he would purr again.

But reality was cruel.

No matter how much I petted him, Charles did not move. He did not purr.

All I could feel was the coldness of his body.

“…Clo…”

Before I realized it, Vio had wrapped her arms around me from behind.

I hadn’t even noticed her approach—I must have been too overwhelmed by grief.

“Vio… Charles is… Charles is gone…”

“Yes. He’s passed away, hasn’t he?”

“…Yeah…”

Then, Vio whispered in my ear.

“Clo, can Charles move again, like I do?”

“…That’s…”

To be honest, the thought had crossed my mind.

Binding Charles’s soul with my power.

But would Charles even want that…?

“Charles lived a full life. Would it be right to twist that just because of my selfishness…?”

“But, Clo… you want to see Charles again, don’t you? I was happy when you made me move again. I’m sure Charles would feel the same way.”

“…Thank you, Vio.”

Even in a situation like this, Vio told me she was happy.

Those words lifted a weight from my heart.

Because deep down, I had always felt guilty for binding Vio’s soul for my own reasons.

“I’ll give it a try.”

Charles… forgive me… I can’t bear to lose any more of my family…

With that thought, I released my Necromancy.

The number of souls I could bind was limited. Most of my power was already being used to keep Vio’s soul tethered. Only a small portion remained.

Using what little power I had left, I attempted to bring Charles’s soul back.

I wasn’t sure if it would work, but a cat’s soul was smaller than a human’s.

And then—

Charles’s body twitched.

“Ah…!”

Then, he slowly stood up, as if nothing had happened.

He looked around and, when his eyes found me, he rubbed his head against me—just like he used to when he was full of energy.

“Charles…!”

“…Meow.”

Overwhelmed with happiness, I scooped Charles into my arms.

He let out a small, unimpressed meow, but he didn’t resist.

He just quietly stayed in my embrace.