“A secret? What is it… Ah, right! A nickname too! Please tell me a nickname too!”

“Unfortunately, there really is no nickname. I apologize.”

Joseph, his eyes smiling, looked around briefly just as Chersion had done earlier.

Naturally, there was no one else in the study room besides the two of them.

“Instead, you must keep this absolutely secret.”

“Even from Mother?”

“Yes. From everyone.”

Joseph’s voice was as gentle as usual. But somehow, there was a sense of pressure in his tone that made one feel compelled to obey.

Of course, even without that, I had intended to promise, but in this atmosphere, it felt like I was forced to nod.

“If that’s the case, I’ll trust you, young master, and show you my secret.”

I thought I saw a strange light flicker in Joseph’s ruby-like eyes.

It was right after that.

The air around us changed noticeably.

Though I couldn’t define it clearly, Chersion tensed up for a moment at the strange, chilling sensation.

And then…

Click.

Swoosh.

Clatter, thump thump thump.

Chersion was startled by the noises coming from around him.

He reflexively looked around, but there was no one. No one, and yet.

The door closed without anyone touching it.

The wide-open windows closed on their own, and the curtains moved by themselves, blocking the light from outside.

As the study room’s curtains were made of a material that didn’t let any light through, the surroundings were instantly enveloped in darkness as black as night.

“W-What’s going on!”

The frightened small body curled up tightly and burrowed into Joseph.

‘Is it a ghost? Is it a ghost!’

Chersion had caused ghost pranks on his tutors before.

In this situation where something so extraordinary was happening, it was inevitable that such a thought would flash through his mind.

“W-We have to run away!”

Joseph patted Chersion as if to comfort him.

“Don’t worry. I did this.”

“What?”

“It would be troublesome if we were discovered.”

Before Chersion could ask again, a ringing sound, ziiing, brushed past his ears.

And then.

A small, faint yellow light appeared in the dark room.

No. It wasn’t just one. Two, three, four, five… ten…

The endlessly appearing lights soon began to float at regular intervals in the dark study room, as if lining up. Like orderly fireflies, perhaps?

‘But fireflies are supposed to emit a greenish light…!’

Then, could it really be ghosts?

But even so, the lights floating in the air didn’t feel threatening at all.

Even when they started to encircle Chersion in a spiral, round and round, it still felt that way.

“Wow!”

It felt more like being in a small universe.

A planet at the center of the universe! The floating lights around it were like rings of planets made of twinkling stars.

Unlike his initial fear, Chersion was soon captivated by this amazingly wondrous and beautiful sight.

Straightening his hunched back and looking around, Chersion’s gaze eventually found the place where stars kept being created.

Inside the no-longer-dark study room. The place where these beautiful things originated.

It was at the tips of Joseph’s long fingers, wrapped in white gloves.

Every time his elegant hand gestures traced the air, a small light embraced it and sparkled.

“H-How did you do that?”

Chersion’s voice, full of curiosity, seemed to sparkle even more than the stars.

A small laugh, reminiscent of Joseph’s breath, spread.

“It’s the second time, but I think it’s a really interesting question.”

“Pardon?”

“I thought you would first ask me who I am.”

“Ah…!”

Only then did the amber eyes widen round.

Still nestled in Joseph’s arms, Chersion leaned his upper body back to create some distance.

His blinking eyes stared at Joseph, trying to gauge his identity.

“But I read in a book that magicians disappeared a thousand years ago.”

“Why did it say magic disappeared a thousand years ago?”

Well, that’s because.

“The Mado Emperor got angry… and destroyed the Mado Tower. Then magic disappeared, and a lot of fog covered the seas, and the sea routes vanished so they couldn’t find the Mado Tower anymore.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“…So it’s not magic… right?”

I’m not sure how else to explain this, but… Chersion tried to think within the bounds of common sense as much as possible.

“Surprisingly…”

However.

“It is magic.”

Joseph showed a meaningful smile and said firmly.

“That collapsed Mado Tower is in my territory.”

Before Chersion could ask in surprise, his words continued.

“So if I now say that I am the successor of that tower, would it be easier for you to understand?”

“…!”

Chersion’s jaw dropped as if it might fall off. Joseph gently brushed under the boy’s chin and smiled softly.

Finally coming to his senses, Chersion asked in an excited voice.

“Then! Are you really really a magician? Lord Joseph?”

“Yes, in fact, that’s my specialty. Things like academics, swordsmanship, horseback riding, or embroidery are just cultivated skills I happened to learn as I lived.”

“Wow!”

If Lieselotte had heard this, she might have narrowed her eyes and called him a ‘deceiver’.

But Chersion just poured out admiration, his large eyes shining purely.

“But, what can a magician do? Can you make fire, shoot ice, and zap lightning like in the books? Besides making star-like lights like you just did!”

“Ahaha. I don’t often use elementary elemental magic as it tends to be too noticeable.”

“That means you can do it!”

“Even so, it’s difficult to use unless it’s to help someone with a sprained ankle by creating an ice pack.”

Joseph’s gentle voice continued.

“Otherwise, though not elemental magic, I once collapsed a distant suit of armor to draw others’ attention. This was about a month ago.”

“I don’t know why you did that, but since it’s you, Lord Joseph, it must have been for a good reason!”

A small laugh seemed to answer in place of words.

“Interestingly, the higher-level magic becomes, the less noticeable it is to others. Therefore, very difficult and powerful magic can be used without anyone except the caster even realizing magic was used.”

“I see.”

Though Chersion nodded, it didn’t mean he understood Joseph’s words.

After all, magic was a field of study that no longer existed in the current era of glory.

“In fact, I can do much more than that.”

“Like what?”

“For example…”

Before finishing his sentence, Joseph quietly set Chersion down. The child’s feet finally touched the ground and supported his body.

It was then that the star-like lights floating around them began to extinguish one by one.

“Oh!”

Chersion made a small whining sound, “Heeng,” feeling regretful that the beautiful scene was disappearing.

Nevertheless, the light clusters illuminating their surroundings had completely vanished, and the thick curtains were drawn back.

Finally, the closed windows opened, and the morning light seeped into Chersion’s room.

Chirp chirp, the sound of birds seemed to declare the end of the wondrous dream they had just experienced.

Only then did Joseph finish what he was about to say.

“…I can make it so that Young Master Chelsie no longer suffers from memory problems.”

The fact about the youngest’s special condition, which I had been unaware of for 11 years, came as a great shock to me.

For a while, I could only blink blankly.

Unable to forget memories. Remembering everything experienced in life.

At first glance, one might think having a good memory is like that of a great genius.

But as I listened to Master Rogier’s explanation, I realized that Chersion’s condition was closer to a memory disorder.

There’s a saying that goes:

‘If memory is God’s gift, then forgetting is God’s blessing.’

No one experiences only happiness in life. We also experience painful things and sad things.

People grow through experiences of frustration.

This is because forgetting, which dulls memories and emotions over time, comes into play. Thus, people can retain lessons instead of memories and emotions.

But if one cannot forget memories and emotions, what can they retain?

The pain from ten years ago, the suffering from ten years ago, all the emotions from ten years ago as vivid as if they happened yesterday or just now…

‘So Chelsie has been suffering like that, with painful memories every day.’

It felt like something was about to burst out from within me.

Of all things.

To be born with such a special condition, and of all people, that cursed man had to be his father.

It was incomprehensible why that sweet and adorable child had to endure abuse not typically experienced, and suffer from things not usually encountered.

But am I a good mother then?

How could I be? It was I who caused all of Chersion’s goldfish to die just a few days ago.

At that time, Master Rogier told me that Chersion would be having a hard time and asked me to take good care of him.

I didn’t know this was what he meant then.

My heart felt like it would burst at the realization that while I was beginning to forget and even the guilt was fading, Chersion remembered and grieved as if it had happened just yesterday.