Chapter 4
[Hello, Elena? I’m an alien.]
Tak— I shut the book loudly. I checked the cover again, plain with nothing written on it. Then I reread the first page two, three times. The words didn’t change.
“…This has to be a joke, right?”
Mom always liked making jokes, so maybe this was just one of them. Thinking there must be another meaning, I read further.
[Does this sound strange? To be exact, I came from another world. That world was different from here—it was full of science. Do you remember when I told you that someday there would be carriages that ran without horses, or trains that could fly in the sky? Those really existed in my world.]
“……”
[One day, I had what people call the classic way of traveling between worlds—I got hit by a truck. That’s how I ended up here. At first, I was shocked, but somehow I survived, gave birth to you, and lived until now. And that was all because I knew the future.]
Somehow survived? That single phrase skipped over way too much. And then she said she knew the future? The story was going too fast. I closed the book again and stared blankly at the ceiling.
Did I really read that right? Was this some kind of prank? Mom being from another world was already ridiculous, but saying she knew the future made it even harder to believe.
But then… I remembered all the strange things Mom had done. She invented things no one else could imagine. She even found the Emperor’s illegitimate son and brought him here. If she wasn’t telling the truth, how could she have done all that?
“……”
In silence, I opened the book again.
[I could have become Empress. I even could have become Emperor. Because I knew the future. But I chose your father instead. Do you know why? Because your dad is too handsome! Even now he’s handsome, but when I first met him, he was so dazzling. To win him over, I worked hard and earned money. That’s why you exist today.]
That sounded exactly like Mom. Yes, Dad was very handsome. Even with my young eyes, I had never seen anyone more good-looking. Mom always called him “the most handsome man in the Empire,” and I agreed.
[Are you confused? I understand. But this book will help you. The book I left for you is filled with future prophecies.]
“Future prophecies…?”
[Yes. I wrote down short notes about things that will happen. You just have to read them and decide how to act. I’ll handle the family’s work in Chelano, but the Kalstadt household right now belongs to you, Elena. You’re my daughter. Of course, Erkiel will watch over you.]
Only my mom would think it was okay to leave such a burden to a ten-year-old. I sighed and turned the page.
[And about Claudiel. Please take care of him. I once joked he would be your husband, but even if you don’t become Empress, that boy will still be the most important person in your life. I won’t force you. You can treat him kindly, or even badly—it’s your choice. But remember, the result of that choice will be yours to bear.]
“…Choice?”
[Hehe, I know it sounds big and serious. Don’t worry too much. Whatever you choose, I’ll always be on your side. That’s all I wanted to say. Stay healthy. If something happens, send me a message. No matter where I am, I’ll always be watching you.]
“…Mom.”
[PS—Claudiel will grow up to be a very handsome man. Handsome men are good for health and for happiness, so make sure to keep him close. You’ll feel like your life gets longer.]
I sighed. Only Mom could write something like that at the very end.
After that, the rest of the book was full of the prophecies she mentioned. I didn’t know if they were real. But the first prophecy was dated for tomorrow.
‘So, I’ll just have to wait and see if it comes true.’
My eyes were dry from reading, so I rubbed them. Then I heard a knock.
“Are you alright, Miss?” asked Butler Taylor as he bowed.
“…I’m fine.”
I wasn’t fine at all. Once again, Mom had done something crazy and left without saying anything. Taylor’s worried eyes looked at me closely.
“If you’re tired, shall I escort you to your room? I can explain things to Baron Erkiel Twarlow on your behalf.”
“No, it’s fine.”
I forced a small smile and stood up. As I turned, my eyes caught the book on the desk.
“……”
Maybe Mom was joking. Maybe she wrote all this because she felt guilty for leaving me behind.
“I’ll go now.”
I picked up the book and went to meet Erkiel.
Back in the reception room, Erkiel rose politely when I entered. He checked me with his eyes, as if to see how I was doing. I gave him a small smile and sat down again. The chair felt unusually big today, and I had to use my arms to climb into it.
“If this is too much, we can talk tomorrow,” he said gently.
“No, it’s alright. Mom leaving without a word isn’t new. I just have to get used to it. It happens often.”
Half a year still felt too long, but Mom once disappeared for two months before. Maybe this was just another time like that.
“You really are mature, Elena. Most ten-year-olds would cry if their mother left for that long. You’re amazing.”
“One of my best traits is being boring, isn’t it?”
“…Haha, yes.”
As always, Erkiel simply nodded at my strange words.
“I read Mom’s letter. She says she’ll be gone for half a year.”
“Yes. But don’t worry. Chelano is far, but only about four days away by carriage. If you want to see her, I can take you.”
“It’s fine. I’m not a kid who cries because she misses her mom.”
“……”
Erkiel gave me a faint, awkward smile. I turned away and looked around the wide reception room. It felt so much larger than when I used to sit here beside Mom. The tall ceiling, the long walls, the chairs—it all felt different without her.
“So, you’re my guardian now, handling the household work?”
“Yes. But you don’t need to worry. Lady Kalstadt will still handle the main family matters from Chelano. I’ll only deal with small, everyday things.”
I knew very well that sometimes guardians used their power to take over a noble house. Erkiel must have realized I thought of that, because his words came carefully. I nodded.
“Then… may I ask you something?”
“Of course, Elena.”
“Did Mom ever talk to you about the Imperial Family, or about the future?”
He frowned slightly, as if confused.
“Well… she always said many unusual things. But about the Imperial Family? Hardly ever. The future, yes—sometimes. But nothing I remember clearly.”
“I see…”
So she only revealed her “alien” secret to me. If this book was a prank, it was very detailed.
“Is something wrong, Elena?”
“No, nothing.”
I forced a bright smile. Erkiel still looked doubtful but gave a short nod.
‘I need to read the book again.’
If Mom wasn’t joking, then the book must say something about Rigel—maybe how to remove the slave mark, or if he really was fated to become Emperor. Or even about Mom being from another world.
As I thought about this, the door opened and Taylor entered.
“Miss, the boy has woken up.”
“Oh, really? I’ll go right away.”
“Boy?” Erkiel tilted his head. He hadn’t heard about this yet.
“Who came here?”
I kept my lips pressed shut. Even Erkiel probably wouldn’t believe me if I said Mom bought the Emperor’s illegitimate son from the slave market. But if I kept it hidden, he might find out later anyway. After hesitating, I smiled.
“Mom brought someone here. She said he’s… my husband candidate.”
“……”
Erkiel’s mouth slowly dropped open. Why did he look so shocked? I wasn’t lying.
“…What kind of trouble are you causing now, Lady Kalstadt…” he muttered under his breath.
I didn’t care. Rigel had woken up, and I couldn’t waste time. I said goodbye quickly and left the room—without realizing what kind of misunderstanding I had just planted in Erkiel’s mind.
