CHAPTER~66
Mela sometimes dreamed.
Dreams of a past life so unreal, a life she could never return to.
‘You must become the strongest magician of all, Kanna.
You take after your father.’
A life where she never once looked back, desperate for her father’s recognition.
‘Kanna, your strength protected me.
But at the same time, it became the blade that could cut down the Emperor that I am.’
Despite her devotion, she met a miserable end, closing her eyes to the blade of the one she loved.
Looking back, all that remained was emptiness and a life steeped in unbearable loneliness.
She fought every day to survive alongside her half-siblings, betraying and abandoning one another.
Their wish was singular.
To become the strongest magician and be acknowledged.
She was the same.
And when she finally ascended to the position of the youngest Grand Magician, she realized the truth.
Beneath the pedestal called “recognition” that she had climbed stood piles of her siblings’ corpses, those who died without ever being acknowledged.
She had trampled over them and run forward without looking back, yet her end was death at the hands of her lover, crowned Emperor, for being too strong.
‘Car…los.
Please.’
As her vision blurred and her breath slowly faded, she still reached out, begging to live.
At first, betrayal burned into rage, then regret followed, and finally she clung to unfulfilled longing.
Mela—no, Kanna of her previous life—no longer wished to be strong.
She only wanted to be loved.
She cherished the days when she could laugh even while being beaten alongside her siblings.
Though they shared only half their blood, they were still family.
So if some nameless god was watching, she wished—just once—for another chance.
‘Burn that woman’s corpse.
Leave not even a handful of ashes.’
But the god never answered, even as her consciousness shattered completely.
Thus ended the pitiful and sorrowful first life of Kanna Mela of the Lopenter family.
A life she believed had ended forever had, astonishingly, returned to the past.
And when she miraculously regressed to her childhood, Kanna did not hesitate.
She burned the Lopenter Marquis’s confidential documents, cast magic upon the estate, and fled desperately.
Her destination thereafter was only one place.
Duke Frezen Decart.
However, reaching the northern Decart territory immediately was difficult, so she chose the Leella County instead.
‘Your name is Mela.’
‘I look forward to living with you.’
And there, she encountered Evlyen Leella.
The woman who called her by a name she had never been known by, except by her birth mother.
* * *
Evlyen was unexpectedly strong, bright, and yet carried a hint of melancholy.
She was nothing like the Duchess of Decart Mela had heard of in her previous life.
Most decisively, the two were currently divorced.
In her previous life, when Mela was five, they had clearly been husband and wife.
Even if it ended in tragedy, hadn’t they been a deeply affectionate couple?
“Never again!
We will never meet again!
So Mela, forget about today.
Understood?”
“Mm… o-okay…”
Watching Evlyen treat her former husband like a sworn enemy, Mela sensed that something had gone terribly wrong.
But it didn’t matter.
In this life, she would never repeat the past.
Thus, Mela secretly struggled to reunite the two.
That was how she arrived in the North.
Ironically, the North resembled her past life.
A land where chilling snow fell year-round and neither moon nor sun rose properly.
A place teeming with vile villains.
And that day, Mela made a promise to the trembling Evlyen.
‘Mela will stay by your side now, so don’t be scared.
I’ll protect you.’
Yet until then, Evlyen and Frezen had been nothing more than tools to her.
Mela’s goal was singular.
To keep Frezen from becoming entangled with the Imperial Family.
To stop him from becoming Carlos’s swordsmanship instructor.
Only then, she believed, could the tragedy be prevented.
That was all.
Mela was neither particularly altruistic nor purely kind.
Though she smiled innocently like a child, she did not consider them family.
Perhaps she didn’t consider anyone here family.
‘Anyone who lays a hand on my daughter or my wife will not be forgiven.’
‘You won, so you are the older sibling.
There’s no need to apologize.
It was a fair victory.’
As time passed, however, unfamiliar emotions began to bloom within her hollow heart.
She faced a back broader and more reliable than her real father’s.
She was acknowledged without having to harm anyone.
‘Thank you for being my friend.’
‘Our Mela was already cute, but now you’re even cuter all dressed up.
What should I do?
You’re just too adorable!’
‘Good girl, our Mela.’
Their warm, unguarded gazes made her heart swell, bringing tears without reason.
Evlyen’s voice calling her name grew pleasant to hear.
Like a real mother, Evlyen was endlessly warm.
‘I was jealous.
That this was what a loving family looked like.’
And through Morris’s eyes and words, she realized something.
To others, they truly looked like a family who cherished and loved one another.
Though she had sworn never to repeat her foolish mistakes, she had once again allowed herself to grow attached.
She had come to treasure them like her own body.
If it were them…
The familial affection, love, and memories she never received in her previous life.
At that moment, Mela gained one more goal.
If given the chance, she wanted to truly become a family with them.
Not for revenge or lingering regrets, but sincerely.
She wanted a family.
That was why she ate the poisoned food, even knowing it was poisoned.
So that not a single one of the people she cherished would fall ill.
‘…Mela, Mela!
I’m here.
Mom is here.
Wake up, Mela!
You can’t lose consciousness!’
So Evlyen—no, Mom—please don’t be too sad.
She was only sleeping for a little while.
She would definitely open her eyes, go on picnics together, and wear pretty dresses.
Like an ordinary family.
Though she asked for nothing more from the god who let her live again, she had one wish.
That when she regained consciousness, the snow would have stopped and the sun would be shining.
“…M-Miss Mela has awakened!”
Thus, Mela awoke from her deep slumber, hearing countless voices calling her name.
* * *
“…”
The moment Mela regained consciousness, her throat felt unbearably dry, and she frowned instinctively.
Her vision was blurry, soaked with tears, making it hard to see ahead.
As her sight gradually cleared, faces looking down at her came into view.
Still not fully aware, she blinked slowly as familiar voices flowed into her ears.
“Mela!
Mela, are you conscious?
It’s me, Artemene.
Your great-aunt.”
“Thank goodness… thank goodness…
How relieved I am that you opened your eyes.”
“Hic… s-sister!
No, Mela…
When you collapsed and nearly left us, I was so w-worried…”
“Miss Mela, thank goodness…
I was so afraid something had happened to you…”
Rina wiped her tears and gently helped Mela sit up.
Leaning against the headboard, Mela quietly looked at those surrounding her.
Then someone approached from behind Morris.
It was Reia.
“Re…ia…”
Dried tear tracks clung to Reia’s face, yet her flushed expression was filled with joy.
Their eyes met, and Reia broke into a wide smile.
“Tha…nk you, Mela.”
“R-Reia… you can… talk…”
“It’s because of you.”
Reia stepped closer and threw her arms around Mela.
“…Your voice is much prettier than I imagined, Reia.
No, sister.
Thank you for letting me hear it.”
Before the lingering warmth could fade, the door burst open with a bang.
Mela’s eyes reddened instantly upon seeing who it was.
Evlyen and Frezen had arrived, having rushed over after hearing the news.
“…Mela.”
Evlyen froze, tears welling as if she could not believe her eyes.
“Mela, you… do you know how scared I was?
When you collapsed so suddenly, I was afraid something terrible had happened…”
She hurried forward and pulled Mela into her arms.
Tears soaked her face, impossible to stop once they began.
“I’m sorry, Mom.
And thank you for staying by my side.
All of you.”
Mela gently patted Evlyen’s back with her small, chubby hands as she cried like a child.
Then Mela’s gaze shifted to Frezen, who stood behind them like an outsider.
“You too, Dad.”
“…”
Mela carefully extended her hand toward Frezen.
Stunned by the word “Dad,” Frezen stood frozen for a moment before stepping closer.
“I’m glad you’re safe.”
He spoke calmly, then gathered Evlyen and Mela into his arms.
Evlyen flinched at the sudden closeness but did not push him away.
Instead, she patted Frezen’s back together with Mela.
“…Oh!
There’s something I want to show you, Miss Mela.”
As the warm atmosphere lingered, Loren hurried toward the window.
When she pulled the curtains open, bright light poured into the room.
The sky held no falling snow.
“The sun…
It’s out.”
Seeing the clear sun in the fading sky, everyone’s eyes shimmered with anticipation.
Mela stared blankly at the sky.
Sunlight was no longer something ordinary to her.
It was the brilliance bestowed upon her second life, granted like a miracle.
“Mom, Dad.
I have a request.”
“Of course.
Anything you want, Mela.
Everyone here will listen.”
Mela’s eyes welled with tears, then she smiled brightly.
“Let’s all go on a picnic together!
I want to go on a picnic!”
She would protect it.
The small happiness she could never regain.
The warm sunlight.
