Sien was disliked by Martin because of Mirmode.

Originally, he disliked her because she was a Mirmode, and was annoyed that she was trying to enter the academy with that name.

But now it was different. Intense anger consumed Riena’s entire body.

She gritted her teeth as she looked at the entrance to the corridor where Martin had disappeared.

[This is the timeline separator]

I hopped up and down. A report card was clutched in my hand. They said there would be another exam tomorrow, as a separate viewing area and selection of observers were needed.

“I’m going to show off to Dad!”

“…Are you happy, Sien?”

“Yes! Because I’m first place!”

Leonhart smiled gently. He was on his way out after breaking a few chairs in excitement over the fact that I had placed first in the ancient language exam.

“As expected of you, little chestnut, you’re a genius!”

“What! You did well too!”

“But I’m not the first person to get a perfect score in academy history.”

After praising each other’s faces for a while, I suddenly realized that the audio device was empty. I hurriedly looked at the seat next to me.

Aside was calmly looking out the window without saying anything special.

‘Is he disappointed?’

Although Aside hadn’t failed, his ancient language skills were terrible compared to Leonhart and me. I poked Aside’s side and smiled.

“Our healer!”

“…Yes?”

“Aside, you were good at reading ancient language too, right? Is it because people with holy power are different? Even though you never learned it.”

“Ah…”

Aside’s face turned pink. I giggled and poked Aside’s reddened cheek.

“Your face has turned cherry blossom color!”

“I-I’m embarrassed. I’ll work harder from now on…”

Aside lowered his thick eyelashes downwards, looking truly shy. I showed my rabbit-like front teeth in a smile, finding his constant hesitation cute.

“So cute!”

Saying that made Aside’s cheeks flush even redder. I kept teasing him because it was fascinating.

At that moment, a sarcastic voice was heard from the side.

“Oh, look at this. These little things.”

“Huh?”

Leonhart pouted and grumbled.

“These little pebbles, where do they think they’re dating!”

“It’s not dating!”

I was about to retort that I’m only ten years old, what dating, when I heard the sound of a teacher walking from afar.

I looked at the teacher with a puzzled expression.

“I have something to say about this exam question.”

“…?”

“The principal is calling for you.”

Why would the principal call for me? I wondered, but I nodded, blinking my eyes.

I have to go when called. Because the boss here is the principal.

‘I think I need to find out what kind of person he is too.’

I popped out of the carriage and said,

“Okay. I’ll go see the principal!”

[This is the timeline separator]

“Lady Sien.”

I saw the plump expression of the academy principal. I stared at her.

Her white hair looked like a fluffy white poodle, making me want to keep touching it.

“Lady Sien?”

At the voice reminding me of the situation with confusion, I quickly came to my senses and looked at the principal. She said with a kind smile on her lips.

“My name is Hepsiba. I’m the principal of this academy.”

I bowed my head politely and said.

“Hello! Principal!”

Everyone likes a polite child!

A gentle smile appeared on Hepsiba’s lips.

“Lady Lucella insisted.”

‘If it’s Lady Lucella, that’s my grandmother!’

I opened my eyes wide and asked back.

“Do you know my grandma?”

Even though I no longer use baby talk, when talking about my beloved grandmother, I automatically use the word ‘grandma’ like a nickname. Is it because the sound of ‘grandma’ feels warmer than ‘grandmother’?

Still, I didn’t want to act like a little child in front of the principal I was meeting for the first time.

I blinked and smiled brightly at Hepsiba.

“Yes, of course.”

“Ah…”

“But that’s not why I called you. I heard about your test results. You’re really smart.”

I made my smile even brighter on my lips and looked at her.

“Yes, I’m a little smart!”

After showing the confident appearance of a child, Hepsiba gently smiled and stroked my hair.

“You did very well. But since you’ve sufficiently proven your qualifications, let’s not take the magic test.”

“…Pardon? Why?”

As my voice trailed off in disappointment, Hepsiba swallowed with a regretful look and said.

“You can attend magic formula and theory classes, but magic practice classes will be difficult. You know that you lack mana in your body, don’t you? Lady Lucella mentioned it.”

I nodded.

“Yes… She said I don’t have any.”

It had been a long time since I heard from Duchess Lucella at the age of five that I had a body without mana.

“But is it a bad body if you don’t have mana?”

Hepsiba laughed, ho ho, and shook her head.

“No. You just can’t use magic, but it’s a rare and special body. Especially for such a lovely and smart little lady, shouldn’t there be one thing you can’t do?”

Seeing Hepsiba’s warm smile made me feel that it was okay not to have mana. I felt a surge of strength and nodded vigorously.

“Yes! Because I’m special. I can make friends who have magical talent!”

I came to this children’s academy to build connections. So even without magical talent, it was enough to make friends who had magical talent.

But was there something wrong with what I said?

For a moment, sadness began to fill Hepsiba’s gentle expression. Looking closely, her eyes even turned red.

Which word in what I said had caused her depression?

Soon Hepsiba solved the mystery.

“Our brave child… really resembles Yuella.”

I froze at the mention of Yuella. I couldn’t not know that name.

She was…

“…My mother?”

“Yes.”

“…She visits often. I’ll tell you stories about your mother.”

“Okay.”

I nodded, stretching out the end of my words, then paused.

‘Everyone said she was bad, so I don’t have high expectations… But should I ask about mom? I’m curious.’

As if reading my thoughts, the grandmother principal said with a small smile on her lips.

“She was a good person. Probably the smartest student I’ve ever taught?”

“…Really? People…”

People said mom was a bad person.

The words crumbled like sand grains in my mouth, unable to be spit out.

The principal added with an indescribable expression.

“At least that’s what I think.”

She handed me a small chocolate and said kindly.

“So Sien can grow up to be a good person too.”

I nodded quietly as I took the chocolate.

Dad seemed to have tried to keep quiet, but so far I’ve heard a lot of bad rumors surrounding my mom, whom I can’t even remember the face of – the Devil’s Trial, the witch’s daughter.

‘It’s the first time someone has spoken well of my mom.’

For a moment, I smiled brightly, thinking that my mom might be a good person.

“…Yes, teacher!”

I would be too busy surviving in the future to think much about mom. But at least for today, I could think about her.

My heart felt warm like a fluffy potato.

“Thank you!”

I felt glad that I came to the principal’s office and listened to Hepsiba’s story.

[This is the timeline separator]

After Sien left. The principal recalled Sien’s green eyes asking ‘Is it a bad body if you don’t have mana?’ and muttered to herself like a sigh.

“Your child really resembles you, Yuella.”

The principal remembered all the graduates over the years.

Among them, Yuella was special. She entered as a special student and topped the academy every time, beating the noble students.

That bright-eyed look was still in her memory. She spread her wrinkled hands and rubbed her dry face.

“Someday I’ll tell that child your story…”

The Devil’s Trial that raised Matthias Mirmode’s infamy.

Before her execution, Sien’s mother Yuella left a small note to the principal she trusted.

[I want to meet Moira, the God of Time, teacher. When I return, fate will have changed.]

How could you go to change fate, she asked urgently, but Yuella just gave a faint smile.

But had fate not changed?

For reasons unknown, Yuella summoned a demon instead of Moira, the God of Time.

And the conclusion was clear.

Yuella was executed as a witch for daring to summon a demon.

‘When I think of that day…’

A dangerous name that can’t be easily mentioned out loud now.

Writing a petition for Yuella at the time was still remembered as the principal’s only shame in the world. Enough for voices to still cling behind her back whispering.

But the principal liked her and didn’t regret what she had done.

‘If I’m like this, Matthias Mirmode must be worse.’

Recalling how he went crazy after Sien’s mother died left a bitter taste in her mouth.

‘I don’t know why he sent Sien to the academy, but…’

Was there also a sentimental meaning of letting her attend the academy her mother attended?

At least here, Sien’s mother, Yuella, was happy.

…At least as far as she, the principal, knew.

“Yuella was quite lovely, but her daughter is even more so.”

She was reminded of the good old days long ago when everyone was happy.

But the beautiful era like a dream set like the evening sun.

Now an old woman with white hair, she lifted her teacup with a bitter expression. The tea brewed as usual tasted strangely more bitter.

[This is the timeline separator]

On the way home after meeting with Principal Hepsiba. I said to Leonhart and Aside, who asked what I talked about with the principal.

“No matter how I think about it, it’s strange.”

“What’s strange?”

“Principal Hepsiba seemed to really like my mom.”

“…Ah.”

The atmosphere plummeted as soon as I mentioned my mom.

That’s because my mom, Yuella, was executed in the Devil’s Trial incident.

‘Everyone treats my mom as a bad person, but Principal Hepsiba seemed to have a good opinion of my mom.’

Just that alone made me feel like the stones that build up in my heart whenever I think about mom were falling to the bottom with a clatter.

‘Maybe… my mom might have been a decent person.’

As the saying goes, blood is thicker than water, there’s no way someone who summoned a demon could be a good person.

But just as all the protagonists in the original are bad people, and there are good people even in the villainous Mirmode family in the original…

“Sien, what are you thinking about?”

I snapped out of my deep thoughts about mom.

“Good thoughts.”

The muscular maid sisters, who had been sitting quietly like dead mice, were opening the carriage door.

We had already arrived at the Mirmode mansion!

But…

“It looks like someone came?”

The mansion atmosphere was quite gloomy yet also bustling.

I tilted my head.

“Did something happen?”