CHAPTER 100…………………………………………
The woman, with a face that seemed to understand everything, walked past Aslan and placed a white lily on Minerva’s grave.
In a clear, gentle voice, she asked Aslan,
“Don’t you want to go back?”
“None of your business.”
“You’re still prickly, I see.”
It had just slipped out, that sharp tone — yet she laughed pleasantly, saying Aslan sounded just like Minerva.
“Still, you should go back. This isn’t where you belong.”
If she already knew that, she could’ve said so earlier!
And how could she say that — when this was her mother’s grave?
Aslan was about to snap in irritation when—
“Huh?”
From Aslan’s feet, little round lights began to rise, glowing like fireflies.
To be precise, they bloomed for a moment — then began to fade.
The woman smiled softly and waved to Aslan.
Suddenly, a question came to Aslan’s mind.
‘Was she… Mom’s friend?’
Aslan had a friend named Ayla. Surely, her mother Minerva must’ve had friends too. Though Aslan had never heard her talk about any.
The light had now spread up to Aslan’s chest.
“What’s your name?”
“Gabriel.”
“Were you Mom’s friend?”
“Yes.”
So Mom had another friend after all.
But since she’d never mentioned her, they must not have been that close.
Aslan, after all, couldn’t go a day without talking about Ayla.
Aslan wanted to ask more, but her mouth was already gone — she couldn’t speak.
Gabriel waved gently, bidding her farewell.
“Goodbye. Let’s meet again.”
I don’t want to.
This place is a nightmare. I’m never coming back.
Aslan turned her head sharply away.
At least — she was finally free from this nightmare without her mother.
“Ah!”
Aslan jolted awake, gasping.
Where was she? Was she still dreaming?
Before she could even question it, the voice she’d wanted so badly to hear reached her ears.
“Aslan, you’re awake?!”
“Mom…”
Her vision was blurry, maybe from keeping her eyes closed too long, but after blinking a few times, she saw her face clearly.
Minerva gently wiped the sweat from Aslan’s forehead with a warm towel and asked worriedly,
“You were tossing and turning in your sleep. Did you have a bad dream?”
“Mhm…”
“What kind of dream?”
Aslan didn’t answer right away. Instead, as if to make sure Minerva was really there, she threw her arms around her tightly.
And in a small, trembling voice, she whispered,
“…A dream where you died.”
“I died?”
“And it was weird. People kept calling me Leona. Even Uncle Lloyd called me that! He said he’d protect me in your place — but he couldn’t even get my name right?”
Minerva dropped the towel in shock.
It fell onto the bed with a wet slap.
That’s from the original story.
It was too much of a coincidence to be just a random dream.
And if Lloyd said he’d protect “Leona” in her stead — then something was definitely going on.
But before she could think further, she noticed her little girl trembling.
Minerva hurriedly rubbed Aslan’s back and soothed her.
“It’s okay. It was just a dream. Only a bad dream.”
“Right? Still, it was scary. I missed you so much, Mom.”
“It’s all right. I’m right here.”
Aslan sniffled and finally pulled away from her shoulder — leaving a bit of snot behind.
Minerva naturally took out a handkerchief and wiped her nose.
“Okay, blow.”
“Honk!”
“There you go, good job.”
How could such a tiny body produce so much snot? Truly, the mysteries of the human body.
While Minerva was gathering the used towels, Aslan suddenly spoke again, as if remembering something.
“Oh, right. I met someone who said she was your friend.”
“My friend? Who?”
“Umm…”
Aslan strained to remember.
But dreams fade quickly after waking, and the details slipped away.
“I don’t remember.”
She looked genuinely blank.
Minerva was almost relieved. She had no real friends — and the few she’d once had weren’t worth remembering. Better that Aslan forgot.
More importantly—
“Do you feel better now?”
“Mhm! I think I’m all better!”
Aslan rolled up her sleeve and showed off her “muscles.”
It was just soft baby fat, but Minerva found it adorable.
Nothing mattered more than her child being healthy.
That kid who only had ‘cuteness’ going for her — she was sick for days, how worried I was…
After confirming Aslan was fine, Minerva took her to the bath, washed her clean, dressed her in fresh clothes, and dried her hair with care.
As Aslan started to get drowsy, Minerva spoke gently.
“There’s something I want to ask you, Aslan.”
“Mhm?”
Feeling relaxed and happy, Aslan smiled generously as if to say Ask me anything!
Minerva hesitated — this was something hard to talk about.
“When I went into the forest… I thought, I wish the fire would go out. And then it suddenly started to rain. The earring you always play with was glowing.”
Gulp. The sound of Minerva swallowing was loud in the quiet room.
“Was that… you, Aslan?”
They locked eyes.
Then Aslan blinked innocently.
“I don’t know?”
“What?!”
Minerva was certain Aslan had done it!
She remembered several times Aslan had used strange, almost magical abilities.
“Try to think carefully!”
“Hmm… I make wishes a lot. But they don’t usually come true.”
“They don’t?”
“Mhm! Like when I wanted salmon, they gave me meat instead. Or when I wished for ham sandwiches, they gave me tarts. Oh! And I wished for a giant mountain of meat, but that never happened either.”
…Well, that made sense.
Those kinds of wishes would require cooperation from the kitchen staff first.
Minerva sighed — but then Aslan added brightly,
“Oh, but the important ones did come true!”
“The important ones?”
“I wished for everyone to be healthy and not get sick!”
Aslan beamed.
Just as she said, everyone — Minerva and the servants alike — had survived the recent mine explosion without losing a single life.
Whenever someone was hurt, Aslan’s cheerful ‘Get better!’ would somehow make them heal faster.
So that’s it… The reason there were no casualties among the miners — it must’ve been Aslan’s power inside that cat’s-eye earring, answering my wish. Because I couldn’t let anyone die.
Things had turned out well, but the thought still unsettled Minerva.
Ugh… I’ll have to seal that earring away for now. No matter how pretty it is, if it hurts Aslan, it’s off-limits.
She silently vowed never to take that earring out of her vanity drawer again.
Still, it felt strange knowing Aslan wasn’t even aware of her own power.
Aslan, ever carefree, suddenly asked,
“Oh, right! What happened to the bad man who kidnapped me?”
“Oh, that bastard…”
Minerva recalled the trial from the day before.
Archibald, who was about to be sentenced to life imprisonment, had suddenly confessed to being the real culprit behind the attempted assassination of Mars five years ago — demanding an imperial investigation.
Since he might try to escape or be silenced by the Mars family, the emperor would likely have the matter handled here directly.
A confession was the strongest evidence possible.
Archibald would be dead within days.
“He’ll never bother us again.”
“Good.”
Aslan let out a deep sigh of relief.
Minerva, cleared of all charges, would soon return to the imperial palace — and that meant Aslan would too.
And since she’d agreed to a contractual marriage with Lloyd, the two of them would enter the palace as father and daughter.
The thought alone made Minerva’s stomach ache.
To distract herself, she smiled and said,
“Since you’re all better now, how about a special meal today?”
“A special meal?! What kind?!”
Aslan, ever the foodie, took the bait immediately.
Minerva thought of all her daughter’s favorite dishes.
Aslan loved seafood, though it was hard to get fresh enough quality often.
“How about lots of fish dishes? Raw or cooked — anything you like. Actually, never mind, let’s eat everything you wanted earlier! Even that mountain-sized meat. How’s that?”
“I love it!”
Her face lit up like sunshine — fish and a mountain of meat!
Aslan nodded vigorously and jumped off the bed.
Minerva squeezed her small hand, grateful to feel its warmth.
Things might still be complicated and uncertain, but today — at least today — she wanted to cherish the simple joy that everyone was safe and alive.
