A strong force surged towards Mercedes’ mother. It was a violent power, almost unbearable.

“Ugh…!”

“Mom?”

“Medi, shh…!”

The people in the back alley didn’t know how she performed magic.

They just considered her a born mage with mana. They found it strange that she didn’t go to the Academy or Magic Tower for support… but everyone has their own circumstances.

Besides, since she was a mother raising a child, everyone just let it slide.

It was fortunate. If they saw her absorbing life, she’d be branded as a strange being, and who knows what would happen then. The surviving descendants of Elawe, the mothers, had kept their secret for good reason.

Because Karkan’s wariness of their abilities and destruction of their tribe was a sort of trauma.

So she hushed her daughter in her arms as much as possible and accepted the fierce power.

This seemed to be enough life force to protect Mercedes for about half a year without having to absorb the lives of the back alley people to build up power.

‘How could a child’s body contain so much…’

It was like multiple ghosts possessing at once.

The boy had awakened special abilities with power obtained from human lives. And like the Elawe clan, he seemed to be building up power by accumulating it in his body.

‘It must be Karkan.’

Only two clans had such power.

Mercedes’ mother quietly looked at the boy, Carlos.

‘The child is innocent.’

It was frustrating that they had to live in hiding because Karkan had destroyed them, but this child didn’t choose to be born as Karkan…

Moreover, to have accumulated this much power at such a young age and to be injured to this extent, his story seemed deep.

Of course, he probably wouldn’t have died right away even if left alone.

But it would be painful, and his life would be shortened more quickly.

She couldn’t just leave him. No matter how strong his build, he was still a child who needed adult protection.

“…Child. Survive.”

Mercedes’ mother endured and absorbed all the power built up in Carlos.

It was burdensome, but she managed to utilize it somehow.

And soon, Carlos exhaled with a “Whew.”

“Cough… cough.”

Then he coughed like someone pulled out of water and faintly opened his eyes.

Since Mercedes’ mother was holding her daughter tightly in her arms, Carlos couldn’t see Mercedes.

He only saw someone who looked like the incarnation of an angel, with bright hair shining beneath a worn robe and white skin.

“…Who…”

“You’re awake.”

“Did the boy wake up?”

“Yes, shh-.”

“Mm.”

Mercedes whispered to her mother. Her mother nodded to Mercedes and then hid her daughter’s head in her bosom.

If this boy had noticed her power or knew about Elawe, the compassion and tolerance she showed today for a child would be a mistake.

Surely Karkan would try to capture Elawe to break that ‘curse’.

So Mercedes’ mother hoped this mistake would be hers alone, not extending to her daughter, as she hid the child from the boy.

“Don’t use this power too much. It will surely eat away at you. Take care of your body.”

“Who… how… me…”

“I’m sorry for leaving you in a place like this. But your condition should be a bit better than before. Such luck, such an encounter won’t happen again. It shouldn’t, and that’s right. Forget me. And sleep peacefully.”

Mercedes’ mother closed Carlos’ eyes and stood up. Then she wrapped her daughter in her robe once more and disappeared, leaving him behind.

Carlos lost consciousness again as soon as the woman vanished from his sight. Somehow he felt tired even though his body was much better.

And while being carried in her mother’s arms, Mercedes poked her face out to look at Carlos.

‘He seems like he’d have a bad personality.’

That was the impression she got from his arrogant-looking face. Still, she was worried. Mercedes, who inherited her mother’s kind nature, closed her eyes and prayed in her heart.

‘Get better soon. Big brother.’

He seemed about her age but was injured so badly. It was fortunate he met her mother.

Because her mother was an amazing person who could do anything.

Mercedes took in the sight of Carlos and then snuggled into her mother’s arms.

Only after leaving that alley and arriving at a dilapidated abandoned house where they could stay did her mother put her down.

“Medi. Aren’t you sleepy?”

“Nope. I’m fine. Mom, go to sleep quickly. You get tired when you use your power!”

“I’m okay today. Shall I sing you a lullaby?”

“Um… I’ll sing for you. For Mom!”

“Haha. Alright. Sing a lullaby for Mom.”

Mercedes’ mother cast protective magic to guard them both, and lay down with her child on the dirty straw.

The two faced each other and smiled happily.

If only they could have lived like that.

That night, they had to face kidnappers sent by the Count.

Her mother, knowing how to use her power properly, could have won easily.

But she judged that if there was a big commotion in defeating the pursuers, not only her own existence but also Mercedes would be in danger. As Elawe was a barely surviving tribe, they instinctively feared extinction.

Moreover, using magic to repel the kidnappers now would also be a problem. The Count would soon receive information that she was a mage, and then he would likely come looking for them with even more bloodshot eyes. He would track them endlessly.

As a result, she had to flee using only minimal protective magic.

But she couldn’t easily shake off the kidnappers. Without magic, she was just a weak woman.

She tried to send Mercedes away alone.

But the child whined and refused to leave.

‘Mercedes, Mom will follow soon. I love you.’

Knowing it wouldn’t work, she used hypnotic magic to daze the child and make her run away.

Then she lured the kidnappers.

But in the end… she was grabbed by rough hands and died instantly.

As she collapsed, she thought of Mercedes. How far had she gone with those small feet? She had told her where to hide, but had she safely reached there?

If she had hidden, please don’t let the kidnappers find her…

She hadn’t even properly told her about Elawe and Karkan, only to hide her power…

‘I’m sorry I’m this kind of person, Mercedes.’

On the brink of death, she begged and begged. Please let my child be happy. Let her not be hurt. Please make it so.

And so the mother ultimately gave her life to send the child away.

‘I love you, Mercedes.’

She mouthed those words until her very last moment.

But Mercedes was caught.

It was all too easy for the kidnappers to catch a little girl stumbling under hypnosis, unable to use her power.

Afterwards, Mercedes, who hadn’t even properly seen her mother’s last moments, opened her eyes blankly at Count Cromwell’s mansion in Shame.

At the end of her memory… it seemed her mother had lovingly put her to sleep.

Where was this? The door of the shabby room with a chilly atmosphere was locked. After staying dazed for a day, a maid came in and threw her a hard piece of bread.

And that night, the Count visited and she learned she was his illegitimate child.

That’s how she became alone.

The events that followed were so shocking that she easily forgot about the sick boy abandoned in the alley, and the memory faded.

It was when she was just over ten years old.

Meanwhile, Carlos, who had been saved by Mercedes’ mother, woke up the next day feeling lighter and was amazed.

But since he had seen Mercedes and her mother in an almost unconscious state, he couldn’t remember properly. He seemed to have seen something, and perhaps even encountered something like the form of an angel he didn’t believe in.

But since he couldn’t remember, he thought it might have been a dream… and soon arrogance welled up as he thought his body had endured the aura better than expected.

Or he thought that perhaps the Elawe curse couldn’t kill him.

That’s how it was.

Although the two had met, they couldn’t remember each other as they lived fierce lives with no leisure.

And now, after crossing this long time, Mercedes’ love took Carlos’ hand in place of her mother’s kindness.

* * *

“Somehow, when I first saw you, I thought you seemed strangely familiar.”

“…It’s a very, very faint memory. I wasn’t even properly conscious then…”

Carlos looked at her with confused eyes.

“Then what I saw then wasn’t a dream…”

“Mother used this power often. To protect me. But she told me not to use it because it’s a power that takes people’s lives. Because the world might think our abilities are strange… I guess she was worried about me too.”

“…Because Karkan annihilated Elawe.”

Carlos put his hand to his forehead.

“Damn. These cursed connections… Mercedes, I.”

Until now, he had only thought about surviving, and considered his ancestors’ affairs not his own. He cursed the curse.

But one side clearly did annihilate the other…

“If you’re going to apologize, don’t.”

“Mel.”

While feeling grateful to Mercedes and her mother, he also felt sorry. As he made a troubled face, Mercedes smiled slightly.

“It’s something we couldn’t control. It’s from too long ago.”

“…But still.”

“It’s alright. Give me your hand, Carlos. I’ve found a way to save you, so that’s enough.”

Mercedes smiled brightly. Very brightly. As if nothing in the world could make her happier.