CHAPTER 04
“Eheu
Diana let out a small, gloomy sigh as she looked at the ragged clothes she would have to wear later.
She was cute and pitiful at the same time, so I held back a smile and said,
“I’ll wash your clothes for you tomorrow.”
“Unni
“Yeah, Unni.” (Big sister.)
Diana tilted her head like a tiny lark. She was so adorable that I unconsciously patted her head.
We didn’t have soap, but if I washed them several times in the lake, they would get somewhat clean.
Of course, the path to the lake was rough.
The reason Thomas could act so high and mighty was because he and his group were the ones who fetched water from the lake.
‘It’ll be hard, but I promised.’
As I let out a worried sigh at the thought of going to the lake tomorrow to do laundry, I suddenly lifted my head.
“Am I an idiot?”
Because I had returned to being a child, it seemed my brain had also reset. I had completely forgotten something important.
“How could I forget that?”
Lightly knocking my head with my fist, I broke into a bright smile, unable to hide my excitement.
Even though I was born with a small amount of mana and could never become a great mage, I was quite skilled at using simple spells.
“I can just use a weight-reduction spell!”
If I showed the kids tomorrow how I could lift heavy buckets of water with both hands effortlessly, their mouths would drop open in shock.
“I should teach Thomas a lesson too.”
Even though I knew it was childish, I covered my mouth and giggled. Diana, who had been blinking her big eyes at me, followed with a small giggle of her own.
“Alright, let’s wash your feet now.”
Feeling reassured because I could replenish the water with magic, I set aside the damp cloth and scooped up a full ladle of water.
When I poured it over her dirt-covered bare feet and legs, Diana shrank back.
“Huh?”
I thought it was because the water was cold, but as the dirt washed away, I saw scratches all over her legs and even a large wound on her foot.
My eyes trembled as if struck by a storm.
I hadn’t noticed. Not in the past, and not until just now.
Setting aside the fact that she had suddenly been left alone in the world, she was hurt like this, and I had found her troublesome and ignored her.
As my expression turned serious, Diana suddenly shouted,
“No! It doesn’t hurt!”
She stubbornly shook her head.
Her chubby cheeks wobbled cutely, but her eyes looked anxious.
Like a frightened little rabbit.
“It’s okay. I’m not mad. You can tell me the truth.”
“…Really You won’t yell?”
I nodded.
Still looking uneasy, she hesitated before finally sniffing.
“D-Dana hurts…”
“Unni will make it stop hurting right away.”
“Will you blow on it?”
At my quick reply, Diana’s eyes widened.
Her innocent question made me laugh.
There was no way I could leave such a small, lovable child in pain.
I quickly spread my small hand and placed it over her foot.
The moment I recited the healing spell in my mind, a brilliant light burst from my hand.
“…!”
The light quickly wrapped around Diana’s foot, and her wounds healed in an instant.
“Wow!”
Diana, who had been watching curiously, opened her eyes wide and shouted.
“Unni is amazing!”
She clapped her hands, praising me.
Normally, I would’ve laughed shyly at her amazement over such a simple healing spell.
But the light had been much stronger than usual. Even I was shocked.
Smiling faintly at Diana, I closed my eyes to check the mana inside my body.
At that moment, a strange heat spread from deep inside my heart.
Startled, I quickly opened my eyes.
Mana filled my heart completely, as if overflowing.
‘Isn’t the amount of mana you’re born with fixed?’
I was utterly confused.
The Master, who had taken me in and taught me magic, had clearly said that I had too little mana to become a proper mage.
It had stung, but since it was rare for commoners to even be born with mana, I had been satisfied just to have some.
That was why I focused more on physical training.
“So what is this?”
Why was my heart now overflowing with mana I had never once felt in my previous life?
I was still confused—almost as confused as when I realized I had returned from death—when suddenly Diana threw her arms around my neck.
“Unni, thank you.”
Her soft, warm voice tickled my ear.
The warmth of her small body startled me.
Sharing warmth with someone like this felt unfamiliar.
Awkwardly patting her back, a question I had never thought about before crossed my mind.
How had the House of Elard lost such a lovable child?
***
That night.
To soothe Diana, who was whining in her sleep, I took her to the large window by the second-floor stairs instead of staying in the shared bedroom.
The full moon hung above the thick trees, creating a beautiful scene, but the air was cold enough to see my breath.
“Unni, read me a book…”
I laid one thin blanket on the floor and covered her with the other. Diana squirmed and rested her head on my lap.
“A book?”
“Mm! Princess!”
“A princess story?”
She nodded eagerly.
I was flustered by such a natural request.
I had heard that ordinary children outside had their parents read them fairy tales before bed.
“What should I do? We don’t have any books here.”
The children here had no parents to read to them. And none of us could even read, so even if we had books, we couldn’t use them.
“No books?”
Diana’s face fell in disappointment.
I smiled bitterly and stroked her hair. It wasn’t the princess story she wanted, but I slowly began speaking, recalling an old memory.
“Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, there was an orphanage. One day, an unusually large carriage stopped in front of it…”
***
Diana listened with sparkling eyes for a while, but soon she fell asleep, softly snoring.
Carrying her back to the bedroom, I felt extremely hungry and tired.
‘Maybe it’s because I used magic…?’
I vaguely thought so, but I was too exhausted to care. The moment I lay down, I fell into a deep sleep.
Because of that, I didn’t notice someone playing with my hair for quite some time a few hours later.
But when I finally opened my eyes at the creaking sound of metal—
“…Dana?”
“Mm? Unni’s awake!”
Diana, who had been completely focused on my hair, greeted me with a bright smile.
I was surprised.
I had half-expected her to wake up crying like before.
But she was awake all by herself, cheerful and calm.
Maybe she had cried before because no one had properly comforted her. Diana was truly a smart and lovable child.
Looking around to make sure the other children were still asleep, I whispered,
“Dana, why are you awake so early?”
Outside the window, dawn was just breaking.
It had been a long day for both of us. Maybe the bed was uncomfortable?
Diana placed her tiny hands on her stomach and said gloomily,
“Dana’s hungry…”
“Ah… you’re hungry.”
Feeling sorry for her, I gently asked,
“Were you bored by yourself?”
Diana blinked her blue eyes and shook her head.
“I played with Unni’s hair. It’s pretty.”
I froze.
“…Pretty?”
“Mm! Unni’s pretty. Very pretty! “Sparkly
She raised both hands and wiggled her fingers.
I couldn’t say anything.
For some reason, I felt like I might burst into tears.
Had anyone ever called me pretty before?
“…It’s the first time.”
***
When I was very young, I thought I was extremely pretty.
Every time I looked into a mirror to wash my face, I was amazed.
Soft pastel pink hair that fluttered like watercolor, bright pink eyes that sparkled like jewels, flawless pale skin, a neat nose, and cute lips.
But none of the children ever called me pretty.
I thought they were just jealous.
Until someone told me my hair was the most common brown in the Empire.
At five years old, I was so shocked that I went around asking the other children.
〈Emily, what color are my hair and eyes? 〉
〈Huh Brown hair and brown eyes. 〉
Not just Emily. Every child gave the same answer.
Unable to accept it, I finally went to Jack—who I wasn’t close to, but who I knew wouldn’t lie.
〈Hey, Jack… Do my hair and eyes look brown to you too? 〉
Jack, who had clearly been waiting for me to ask after seeing me question everyone else, answered immediately.
〈Yeah. Your eyes are dark brown, and your hair is a slightly lighter, soft brown. 〉
〈…I see. 〉
That was when I admitted that something was wrong with my eyes.
Even though when I looked in the mirror, I still couldn’t see any brown at all.
‘There must be something wrong with me.’
But even if I understood it logically, my heart didn’t fully accept it.
Near the information guild, Terenchium, in the busiest street of the capital was the central square.
In front of the fountain, many street artists danced, sang, or painted portraits to earn money.
After the orphanage collapsed and I joined Terenchium, I often passed by that street and kept an eye on one painter.
A cruel painter who drew brutally realistic portraits without caring about the feelings of those who paid him.
Hooked noses, moles that took up a third of someone’s face, thinning bald heads—he drew everything exactly as it was.
〈Mister, please draw exactly what you see. 〉
Gathering my courage, I sat in front of him.
And that day, for the first time—
I saw the face that others saw when they looked at me.
