Chapter 6
A long time ago, Dad used to read me fairy tales. In those stories, witches were always ugly and evil. They kidnapped children and tried to eat them.
“I’m not a witch!”
The memory came back, and I shouted without thinking.
The boy flinched in surprise at my protest, but instead of lowering his sword, he pointed it at me even more aggressively.
“If you’re not a witch, then what was that? You were releasing evil energy into the ground!”
“It’s not evil energy! It’s purification!”
“Purification? Ha! That’s a joke. That dark and creepy color looked like something that curses everything it touches. And now you’re lying too?”
“I’m telling you, I’m not a witch! I’m not ugly! My dad said I’m cute and pretty!”
Dad always said staying calm was my strong point. I was proud of that, and I tried not to get angry over small things.
But calling me ugly and evil?! And saying my magic is wicked?!
That magic was something my dad taught me! Staying calm after hearing something like that would be weirder!
I stomped my feet and shouted, and the boy looked confused.
“Wait… I didn’t say you were ugly…”
“Take it back!”
“Huh?”
“Take back what you said about me being ugly!”
“But I didn’t even say that…”
“Take it back!!”
As I yelled, people started to stare. The boy, now flustered, awkwardly lowered his sword.
“F-Fine. I take it back. Sorry.”
I knew it wasn’t fair for him to apologize for something he didn’t say, but that wasn’t the point.
“Hmph. Be careful next time!”
What really mattered was that he called me a witch and accused me unfairly.
Anyway, since he took it back, I wasn’t going to stay mad. Instead, I held out my hand to show him what I had been doing earlier.
“This isn’t a curse—”
“Justian?”
Someone interrupted me. I turned my head and saw blue eyes approaching.
Black hair and clear blue eyes. A gentle-looking boy walked toward us.
“What’s going on? It sounds noisy.”
“Oh, Edric.”
Edric and Justian—two names I had recently learned.
Edric looked at me with his blue eyes. No, not just blue—more like a clear, sky-blue.
“Violet eyes. Is she your relative? That color is rare.”
“Maybe. But today’s the first time I’ve seen her.”
“Really?”
After a few words, Edric looked back at me and smiled warmly.
“Hi! How old are you?”
“Eight. My name’s Ilenia.”
“Nice! I’m twelve. I’m Edric. Nice to meet you.”
He held out his hand as if to shake mine, so I did the same.
“Hey, stop! That hand might be cursed!”
“Cursed?”
Surprised by Justian’s shouting, Edric turned his head, while I glared angrily.
“It’s NOT a curse!”
“How do I know that?”
“My dad never taught me curses! He said only bad people use that kind of magic!”
“Hmph. I don’t know who your dad is, but your words don’t matter here.”
“Grrr–!!”
“Ilenia, calm down.”
I didn’t like this boy at all! Everything he said made me angry!
I was about to stomp in frustration when Edric stepped between us and gently took my hand.
“Edric!”
“Hmm, nothing’s wrong.”
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
“It doesn’t feel cursed. If it were, it’d feel cold or burning. But this feels warm… even comforting. I feel relaxed and less tired, just by holding her hand.”
“Of course! Because it’s purification, not a curse!”
“Purification?”
Edric tilted his head. I let go of his hand, turned around, and crouched on the ground. I placed my hand on the soil.
A soft green light came from my fingers and seeped into the earth. Then… nothing happened at first.
“What’s she doing?”
Justian’s voice was getting louder—until it suddenly stopped.
Where there was only dirt, green sprouts started to pop up.
I stood and looked back. The boys’ faces were filled with surprise as they watched the sprouts grow.
“How is this possible…?”
“I told you it was purification.”
Of course, purification alone wouldn’t make plants grow.
But I didn’t like being accused of curses, so I added a little life magic to help things grow.
The ground was purified, and I sent just enough life energy for the seeds hidden underground to sprout.
If I pushed harder, I could even grow huge vines to wrap around a castle—but that would take a lot of energy.
“So? Do you believe me now?”
“……”
“Justian, you should apologize.”
Still staring at the sprouts, Justian slowly looked at me.
“…Who are you? How can you do that?”
“I told you. I’m Ilenia.”
“I meant, who *really* are you?”
“Young master!”
Just then, a voice called out. I turned to see an older man, a butler, hurrying toward us.
He bowed politely to Edric first, then looked at both Justian and me.
“Perfect timing! Who is this girl?”
“…Sorry I didn’t tell you earlier. The Duke said he’d explain later, so I kept quiet. If there was any rudeness, I apologize on his behalf.”
“You don’t need to apologize, sir—”
“Please be generous and forgive the young master’s rudeness.”
“…Sir?”
Justian looked shocked. He stared as the butler bowed politely to me.
I remembered how Justian had pointed a sword at me and called me a witch.
“Hmm, forgive you? I don’t knooow–?”
I looked at Justian with a sly smile. He flinched when he met my eyes.
“Wh-what’s with that look? That’s disrespectful! Do you know who I am?!”
“And do *you* know who I am?”
“I’m the firstborn and heir to this family! No one can treat me like this except the elders!”
“Except the elders, huh?”
“Y-Yeah!”
I smiled and clenched my fists.
“Then you should be respectful to *me*.”
“What?”
“My name’s Ilenia. I’m not official yet, but I’m part of this family. And since you’re the Duke’s son… I’m technically your great-grandmother.”
“Great… what?”
He clearly didn’t understand. I nodded.
“Your great-grandmother.”
“G-Great-grandmother?”
Justian looked at the butler in disbelief. The butler nodded, confirming it.
He turned slowly to Edric.
“My ears must be broken, Edric.”
It looked like he just couldn’t accept the truth.
—
After hearing the shocking news, Justian rushed to see Bale. He hoped Ilenia and the butler were just mistaken.
“It’s true, Justian.”
“…!”
But Bale calmly confirmed it. Justian stared in disbelief.
Bale handed him a letter. Justian slowly unfolded it.
**\[Preldin Jonas]**
The name at the end of the letter caught his eye.
“…Preldin?”
Even young Justian had heard of that name—the only natural-element Archmage in the Empire, and someone the Heideirik family had been searching for.
“That little girl is Preldin’s daughter?!”
“Watch your mouth. She’s your… great-grandmother.”
Even Bale sighed in disbelief after saying it.
The letter slipped from Justian’s hand.
“…Great-grandmother?”
He saw Ilenia’s smirking face in his mind.
*‘I’m your great-grandma\~’*
It was like she was floating above his head, taunting him. He had pointed a sword at her. Called her a witch.
Preldin’s daughter. His family’s great-grandmother.
What would happen to him now? Would she forgive him?
*‘Hmm, forgive you? I don’t knooow\~?’*
That mischievous voice echoed in his head.
In the end…
“This is a dream. It has to be a dream…”
Justian tightly shut his eyes, refusing to accept reality.
