Chapter 02
“Tell me anything, Erkina. This mother will listen to whatever you have to say.”
The impulsive words slipped out of her, wanting to avoid upsetting her mother, and her mother’s eyes sparkled like sunlight on water.
The moment Erkina saw that loving gaze, her answer was decided.
“Magic. I want to learn magic.”
She couldn’t let such a kind person be labeled a villain by others and be left to depart alone.
Just as her mother had cherished and loved her, Erkina wanted to meet someone who would cherish and love her mother in return.
She had to return the love her mother had given her to the rightful owner.
If time had truly been reversed, this was a chance given by God.
If she could repair the misaligned love, she could save her mother, her father, the world, and herself.
‘If the three of us become a family, everyone will be happy.’
Seeing the sparkling look in Erkina’s eyes, Mernelia replied in a slightly reluctant tone.
“What? Why would you want something like that…?”
“If possible, I want to learn from the greatest mage, Zertemion, the Lord of the Magic Tower who rules the northern lands.”
Erkina declared confidently, full of conviction.
But her mother’s expression twisted into one of disgust.
“There’s nothing to learn from that fool.”
Erkina’s mother deeply despised that man.
Erkina peeked out of the carriage.
The carriage was speeding through the busiest streets of Invern, the largest empire in the Northern Continent.
The streets had not changed since the continent had begun to fall into ruin.
The flower shop her mother had loved was still there, and the toy store she used to visit frequently remained unchanged.
At the weapons store, a huge, mysterious sword still hung at the entrance, just as it had before.
The trees around the square where her mother had met her death were already blooming, early spring flowers just like that day.
“The streets are exactly the same as before…”
Erkina pressed against the window and murmured quietly to herself.
A laugh broke out from across the carriage.
“Oh, Erkina, one might think you’ve returned home after ten years.”
Startled by her mother’s words, Erkina subtly turned her head.
“Making a sad face won’t help.”
“But…”
“You are my heir, Erkina. A child who inherited the noblest blood. You don’t need to waste your time learning trivial things like magic yourself. You are meant to command those who wield it.”
It was the kind of remark that could only come from Mernelia Invern, the First Princess of the empire, a person destined to reign over all.
“But mother, if I think about Emperor Prilius III…”
“If you truly want to learn magic, go to the academy later and study it as part of your general education.”
Children of royalty naturally build relationships with nobles and scout talented individuals to expand their influence. When they come of age, they spend about a year at the royal academy.
There was no way to properly learn magic in such a short time.
“Besides, you have no magic anyway. That man wouldn’t even accept you as a student. He’s picky and has a terrible temper.”
“Do you know him well?”
“…No, that’s just the rumor.”
Mernelia turned her head, ending the conversation.
Erkina furrowed her brows and lowered her head, staring at the area around her solar plexus.
A warm yet dynamic power wrapped around her heart—it was definitely her magic.
The presence of this nearly unchanged magic confirmed to Erkina that she had truly returned to the past. Before the return, she had no magic at all at age eight.
With such abundant magic, wouldn’t Zertemion accept her as a student?
Yet it was too much for the magic of an eight-year-old.
She also felt uneasy because she hadn’t cast the spell to reverse time herself, and she couldn’t remember what had happened in the end.
What if there was another person who had returned? What if their goals were different from hers?
Until she knew who had turned back time, she needed to act cautiously.
“But I have you, Mom! Everyone always listened to you!”
Instead of showing her power directly, Erkina chose another way to appeal to her mother.
Mernelia was weak to flattery.
“Hmm, everyone does crawl before me, indeed.”
“Even if I can’t become that mage’s student, if I can bring the continent’s most powerful mage to our side, it’ll help in the succession struggle…”
Erkina stopped mid-sentence. Acting cautiously, had she spoken too maturely?
Her words sounded far too adult for an eight-year-old.
“Oh my, our daughter! So smart?”
“Well, she takes after you, doesn’t she?”
Erkina, caught off guard, stammered briefly.
“Oh, hohoho. They say children inherit their mother’s mind. I’m glad she’s the spitting image of me.”
Indeed, flattery worked best with Mernelia.
“Exactly! That’s why I want to learn magic from the Lord of the Magic Tower!”
She wiggled her little bottom like a child and clung to her mother.
‘Smells like Mom.’
The rich lilac scent spread as she buried her face in the folds of her dress. The familiar floral aroma, more than Mernelia’s usual purple perfume, transported Erkina back to her eight-year-old self.
“Isn’t that allowed? Huh?”
When she whined like this, her mother would ruffle her hair and even plant a gentle kiss on her forehead.
“No matter what, that’s not possible.”
But today, her mother was resolute.
Erkina lifted her head slightly, disappointed that her feelings weren’t understood.
Mernelia looked straight at her daughter and spoke gently.
“There are already rumors that he is an aide to the First Prince. Your uncle wouldn’t hand his aide to my daughter, his rival, would he?”
Erkina tensed, imagining another opportunity to meet Zertemion.
Strangely, she couldn’t recall any official meeting with him before her mother’s death.
A person of such stature—Lord of the Magic Tower—would surely have crossed paths at a banquet…
Anxious thoughts gripped Erkina.
‘What if Mother dies again before I can do anything?’
At that moment, Mernelia handed Erkina a silver container that rattled gently.
“Have something sweet to lift your spirits.”
Erkina’s eyes widened.
“Wait! Stop the carriage!”
She had completely forgotten.
The day the influential royal heir, Mernelia, began to be labeled a villain by the people was today—Erkina’s eighth birthday.
Screech!
The carriage suddenly stopped. People rushed toward a boy who had been knocked down by it.
“What happened? Did a child get hit by the carriage?”
“Why are you driving recklessly on such a narrow street? Are you trying to kill someone?”
The people criticized the carriage owner.
But when they saw the carriage’s insignia, they fell silent, feeling only pity for the unfortunate boy.
“Shh, perhaps you don’t know whose carriage this is?”
Could the boy survive?
“How dare a filthy child block my carriage?”
As expected, the fallen child received scolding rather than help from the carriage owner.
The carriage driver, trembling with guilt, reported the situation.
“It seems the child is badly hurt.”
“What do you expect me to do? Move him quickly and continue. We can’t be late for our important guest.”
As feared, the carriage owner, infamous for her reputation, ignored the harm caused.
The people frowned, silently protesting and blocking the path.
“What are you doing? Don’t you know who I am?”
In the tense standoff, a graceful yet commanding voice echoed from behind.
“Why is everyone blocking the road?”
“It’s the First Princess.”
As Mernelia held Erkina’s hand—who was clutching a teddy bear—the road seemed to part like the sea itself, opening a path.
“What… what is this?”
Upon seeing the fallen boy, Mernelia covered her mouth dramatically with one hand.
