Episode 3: Go Back
“No. No, you can’t.”
Jizelle gave a small smile.
“Mom’s doing a magic circle right now, so no. Later, when the sun is hanging on the mountain, Mom will let her guard down. That’s the best time to come, okay?”
Tori looked puzzled, since she didn’t know what Jizelle meant. Harel didn’t change his expression at all.
“Anyway, I have to make Mom’s birthday cake, so I’m off now.”
Jizelle carried the eggs back into the house. As she came in, her heart started racing.
“He’s coming. That guy is coming…!”
Now that it was happening, she felt a little excited. She hoped Yulita and Mertz would fall for the trap she’d set.
Jizelle ran to the kitchen, cracked the eggs, and started making cake batter.
“Jizelle, are you in the kitchen?”
Looks like Yulita finished her magic. Jizelle had even skipped lunch for this.
“I’m going to make the most delicious cake for you, Mom!”
“Jizelle, it’s okay. My daughter suddenly became so dutiful.”
Yulita came in and helped mix the batter. When it was ready, they put it in the oven.
“Smells great. I’ll go get the whipped cream I made last time.”
That was an excuse. Jizelle used the chance to go to the back door. She’d buried a can of whipped cream near the back door earlier, and she also knew that person might come. She dug up the can, opened it, and tasted it. It was really good.
Snow kept falling. To keep flakes out of the cream, Jizelle snapped the lid shut.
“Is this already a blizzard?”
She stamped her foot. Maybe she’d remembered Mertz’s arrival time wrong.
Then she saw a figure walking through the snow.
His steps had weight. They were the steps of someone going to meet someone they both loved and hated at once.
Jizelle held her breath and said nothing while he got closer. Finally she could see him clearly. His bright blond hair was dusted with snow. He shook it off and looked at the little girl standing in front of him.
“Yulita?”
Jizelle grinned. She was glad she made him wear that outfit.
The man stepped up and grabbed Jizelle’s face.
“Yulita…?”
“No. I’m Jizelle. Yulita is my mother.”
Jizelle opened the eyes that looked just like his, as if to say, I’m your daughter.
His dazzling silver eyes met hers.
“Yulita has a daughter?”
He looked like he couldn’t believe it and gripped Jizelle’s face hard.
“Oof!”
Behind him, Tori and Harel arrived, and another blond man who looked like Mertz himself stood there. Tori tried to calm Mertz.
“Your Majesty, calm down for now, and speak to Lady Yulita.”
“Yulita cannot have a daughter…”
“Why not? Did you only hold hands with her? Really?”
“Prince Philip… Anyway, little miss, would you invite us into your house?”
Jizelle widened her eyes and pretended to be a little scared.
“Okay.”
She put on a small act, then led them inside. At home, Yulita was busy, flour on her nose, getting the food ready.
“I brought the whipped cream…”
“Mom, some guests came to see you!”
When Jizelle’s unexpected visitors walked in, Yulita froze.
“Why are you here…?”
Jizelle ran to Yulita and helped her up.
‘You never expected this, did you?’
She felt bad for startling her mom, but it couldn’t be helped.
“They said they were lost, so I brought them in. Let’s give them shelter for one night.”
Yulita trembled. Jizelle held her hand tight and, her silver eyes shining, looked at Mertz.
“Say hello to my mom.”
Tori and Harel knelt on one knee.
“It’s been a long time, Lady Yulita.”
“Good to see you again.”
Yulita was shaking and pulled Jizelle behind her.
“Get out.”
“Yulita, you need to explain this.”
“Get out of my house right now!”
A red magic circle rose around Yulita. Jizelle was surprised. Yulita had never used a circle like that before.
Mertz walked straight into the circle without fear. He drew his sword. If this were the original story, that sword would have been stained with Jizelle’s blood.
Clang. The blade scraped and then cut through the magic circle with a sharp sound.
“Yulita, you’ve gotten weak. Your main skill wasn’t offensive magic, but still, I didn’t expect this.”
“I told you to get out of my house.”
“This shabby place is no home for you.”
He showed no hesitation. Mertz knelt on one knee and extended his hand to Yulita.
“Our home is finished. Let’s go back.”
Tears filled Yulita’s blue eyes. Jizelle had never seen her cry before. Seeing her mother like that made Jizelle feel overwhelmingly sad too.
“Mom, don’t cry.”
“Jizelle…”
Yulita turned toward her.
“Go into your room for a bit.”
“And that child, she’s my daughter.”
Mertz interrupted Yulita as she started to speak to Jizelle. But Jizelle cheered instead. Good. He realized she wasn’t some random child but his own. That removed his reason to kill her. For now, Jizelle could breathe easier. She had avoided the death in the original story.
“She’s not your daughter. She will be my daughter.”
“If she’s your daughter, she will soon be mine.”
His big hand touched Yulita’s face.
“Don’t touch my mom! Don’t touch her!”
Seeing Yulita uncomfortable made Jizelle flare up and shout. Mertz’s silver eyes swung back to her.
“If someone speaks to me, at least answer.”
Harel’s face was blank and Tori looked a bit embarrassed. Prince Philip could barely hold back a laugh.
“…What is your name?”
Jizelle crossed her arms.
‘This guy is doing the whole dramatic block-and-answer thing, but he’s terrible at it.’
“Why do you need to know?”
Philip laughed before he could help it. Tori was fidgety. Mertz’s face showed a flicker of embarrassment.
As they stared, Yulita finally covered Jizelle’s eyes.
“Go to your room now, Jizelle.”
“Jizelle. It’s a name fit for a princess.”
“Jizelle is not a princess. I’ll raise her like a normal child, so mind your own business.”
Mertz grabbed Yulita’s arm and pulled it away from Jizelle. Her star-bright silver eyes were revealed.
“You want to raise a child who has my eyes like that?”
“Do you think that’s best for Jizelle, Yulita? What do you want, Jizelle? To be the empire’s only princess or to live as a normal country girl?”
Honestly, Jizelle did want to be a princess inside, but she couldn’t just say that. It was also cowardly of him to ask such a question to a child.
“I just want Mom by my side.”
Still, she felt uneasy and added one more thing.
“Even if I was a princess and could get all the privileges, I’d want my mom with me.”
“If you become my princess, you will have every privilege this world offers.”
Mertz placed his hand on Jizelle’s head. It felt heavy.
“And, of course, you’ll be with Yulita.”
“Then that’s fine. As long as Mom is there, anywhere is fine.”
Yulita looked at Jizelle with worry. Suddenly she looked paler and started coughing. Blood trickled from her lips.
“Mom!”
“Yulita!”
Mertz reacted quickly. He took off his cloak and wrapped it around her. He used his shirt to wipe the blood and lifted her in his arms.
Yulita tried to push away, but Mertz didn’t move.
“I’m okay. Put me down…”
“Has healing magic gotten weaker too? Jizelle, where is her room?”
Hearing that, Jizelle hurried and led them to the bedroom. Mertz laid Yulita on the worn bed.
“Yulita, what on earth…”
Instead of Yulita, who was bleeding, Jizelle spoke with a determined face.
“My mom is sick.”
“What…?”
“Jizelle!”
“Mom, maybe this person can help us. Umm…”
Mertz looked stunned for a moment by what Jizelle said. His shirt was covered in blood, but he didn’t care. He only stared at Yulita.
“Yulita, there is no illness you cannot cure.”
Tori, who had been watching outside, came into the room and whispered to Jizelle.
“Princess Jizelle, Lady Yulita is the empire’s best at healing magic. But, did something happen to her?”
Only then did Jizelle understand why Yulita had seemed certain she had only a short time left.
“Mom, nobody can cure that illness?”
Why hadn’t she realized something about Yulita’s disease earlier? Yulita had worried just because Jizelle might prick herself with a needle, but not about her own illness. Jizelle felt a sudden sharp pain in her chest and found it hard to breathe.
“So, Mom can’t be cured?”
“Let’s go back and find a way, Yulita. You can’t die and leave me.”
Hearing Mertz say that, Jizelle gripped Yulita’s hand.
“Mom, come on. Let’s go to the palace. You can get treated there.”
Tears welled up in Jizelle’s silver eyes. Yulita lifted a hand and wiped them away.
“Mertz. One thing I know for sure is this. My stealth magic may be weakened, but my healing is not.”
“Even if you called every healer in the Barthemios Empire, none could surpass me in healing.”
“Then what can we do?”
“I don’t really want to tell you.”
Yulita paused and coughed again. Heat rose through her body. Her lips were dry and she called her daughter’s name in a weak voice. She looked like a deer hit by an arrow, dying.
“Jizelle. Even if I go…”
“Don’t say that, Mom!”
“Yes. Still, I’m glad at least this person is here to look after you. Jizelle, from now on this man is your father. Go with your father.”
Before Jizelle could argue, Yulita lost consciousness from the fever. Tori cried out.
“If we leave this fever untreated, it will be dangerous. We need to cool her down now.”
Prince Philip stepped forward and drew green runes in the air. The letters shattered into pieces that reached Yulita, but they seemed ineffective.
“It’s not taking effect. Normal healing doesn’t work.”
“It seems to be the disease Yulita mentioned.”
“If we leave the fever like this… she might lose consciousness entirely.”
