episode_0008

Mother only calmed down after I clung to her like gum for quite a while.

Still, perhaps realizing she had made a scene, she added:

“Ahem, ahem. You know Mommy was just so worried about you, right?”

What was the appropriate response here?

Option 1: “No. You didn’t seem like yourself.”

Option 2: “Mom, you scared me.”

But of course, as the good, angelic daughter I am, I had no choice but to pick Option 3.

“Mm, of course. I completely understand how you feel, Mom.”

Nodding, I patted her back—and in an instant, tears welled up in Mother’s eyes again.

“S-See? Our daughter really is an angel…!”

Ugh.

If this kept up, she’d start up again.

I quickly backpedaled and said,

“Mom, I’m hungry.”

Finally snapping out of it, Mother took my hand and led me to the dining room.

“Goodness, what was I thinking? Let’s get our princess some food right away!”

“Mkay.”

And so, for the first time in a while, I ate until I was stuffed at home.

‘Nothing beats home-cooked meals.’

Honestly, the food at the Magic Tower, while nutritionally balanced, was consistently bland.

With a spread of dishes tailored exactly to my taste laid out before me, I couldn’t hold back my appetite.

—Chomp chomp.

‘Gotta eat as much as I can before I go back.’

As I stuffed my cheeks, Mother watched me with adoring eyes.

“Tsk tsk. Slow down, dear.”

“Mm, sho good (It’s so good).”

“Hehe. Mommy put in a little extra effort since it’s been a while.”

Wait.

Mother cooked this herself?

Startled, I looked up at her, and she added with a smile,

“Hehe. Not bad for my skills, right?”

‘Not bad? This is way beyond that.’

Frankly, her cooking could rival our household chefs.

Why hadn’t she done this before?

When I glanced at her with that thought, Mother seemed slightly embarrassed as she explained,

“Ahem. Well, it’s a bit labor-intensive, so it’s been a while.”

“Ahh.”

But who cared if it had been a while?

As long as it tasted good, that was all that mattered.

—Munch.

I ended up devouring everything down to the last crumb before finally setting my plate down.

—Clink.

“Whew. I’m so full.”

“Did you enjoy it?”

“Mhm. Your cooking’s the best, Mom.”

“I’ll make it more often from now on.”

“Yay!”

Once the meal was over,

Mother gestured for a servant.

“Please prepare for a walk.”

“Right away, madam.”

“Mom, are we going for a walk?”

With a warm smile, Mother replied,

“I thought we could take a stroll together to help digest. It’s been so long since we’ve done this.”

Oh.

So the next part of today’s schedule was going out.

‘Now that I think about it, it’s been a while since the family stepped outside the mansion.’

The idea of seeing the world after so long didn’t seem bad, so I nodded.

“I’d love that.”

“I’m glad. Hehe. There’s something new on the streets lately—I thought you might like to see it.”

Something new?

‘What could it be?’

Was there even anything noteworthy in this era?

‘Maybe they put up a statue or something.’

Well, I’d find out soon enough.

Led by the servants, I began preparing to go out.

When I entered my room, what awaited me was—

‘Oh no.’

—Rustle.

A mountain of clothes.

‘Changing is such a hassle.’

And it wasn’t just about trying on one outfit—

I had to try on every single piece here, a fact that filled me with despair.

‘How many hours is this gonna take today?’

My old nanny, fussing over me for the first time in ages, began dressing me up.

“Goodness~! Young lady, how have you grown even lovelier?”

“Um… Have I? I’m not sure…”

“Oh my. To these old eyes, you’re becoming more beautiful by the day. If only my granddaughter could grow up even half as lovely as you…”

“I’m sure she’ll grow up wonderfully.”

“Ahh, and so kind-hearted too~!”

All the while, I was being stuffed into and stripped of countless outfits.

—Rustle, rustle.

“Young lady, which do you prefer—this one or that one?”

“Hmm… They’re both pretty.”

“But you must pick just one.”

“Ugh… Nanny, you choose…”

And so, most decisions were delegated to her.

It wasn’t just the clothes, either.

Several other maids clung to my head, busily working on… whatever they were doing.

To this day, I still have no idea what they were putting in my hair.

—Swish, swish.

‘This is taking forever…’

Honestly, sitting still for hours like this was draining.

Eventually, wilted and exhausted, I kept asking in a sluggish voice,

“Nannyyy… Are we done yet?”

“Young lady, we’re almost finished. Just a little longer.”

—A while later…

“Nanny… Are we really almost done?”

“Of course! Oh, this one’s lovely too.”

—Another while later…

“Nannyyyy… I’m gonna collapse…”

“Young lady! Just this last one, I promise!!”

‘I’ve hit my limit…’

After enduring this torturous ordeal far beyond the stamina of a seven-year-old,

just as I was about to keel over from exhaustion—

—Ta-da!

“Young lady! We’re finally done!”

“Ugh… Really…?”

“Absolutely! Here, look in the mirror.”

—Click.

With practiced ease, Nanny held up a full-length mirror to my near-lifeless form.

The reflection staring back at me was, well…

Honestly, pretty.

‘Not bad for a rare makeover.’

The overall theme was white.

A pure white dress adorned with cute frills.

A slightly wide-brimmed but elegant white hat.

Long silver hair cascading down from beneath the hat.

And finally, white knee-high socks and shoes.

‘I’m all white.’

“The young lady was already fair, but dressed like this, she truly looks like an angel.”

“Madam will adore it.”

“Ahem. That much?”

“Oh, absolutely!”

“Young lady, hurry along to Madam now.”

Slightly puffed up by the maids’ praises, I strode confidently out of the room.

—Hop!

“Off I go! See you later!”

“Yes~! Take care~!”

‘Where’s Mom?’

—Pitter-patter.

I dashed around the house until, before long, I found her.

—Murmur murmur.

‘Mom’s voice!’

Following the sound, I sprinted over.

As expected, Mother had already finished preparing and was chatting with Father and Master Rachel.

‘Mom looks stunning too.’

I threw myself into her arms.

—Hug.

“Mom!”

“Oh my! Serena?”

Mother’s eyes widened as she took in my appearance.

“An angel?”

“Huh?”

“I knew you were an angel!”

Some things never change—Mother’s dramatics being one of them.

As she squeezed me tightly, I shot a glance at Father over her shoulder.

—Help me out here, Dad.

Fortunately, he caught my drift and cleared his throat.

“Ahem, ahem. Dear, shouldn’t we head out soon? The sun will set before we know it.”

“Oh, right. Silly me. Let’s go, Serena.”

“Okay~!”

‘Phew.’

Finally, with just my parents and a few servants in tow, we stepped outside.

—Creak.

“Mom, what about Master?”

“Rachel said she wanted to rest after the journey.”

“Ah.”

Seems she gave us space to spend time as a family.

‘Master’s sharp as ever.’

Walking down the streets after so long, we lost ourselves in nostalgia.

“Serena, remember that skewer stall?”

“Gasp. The Sweet-Spicy Skewer Shop…! It’s still here?!”

“Hehe. Want one?”

“Yes! Please!”

“Oh my~ The fountain looks lovely, doesn’t it?”

“They’ve added new water patterns recently.”

“Must’ve updated it after all this time.”

“Wow, migratory birds!”

“Hehe. Spring truly is here.”

After chattering and walking for a while,

the sky began to darken.

“Mom, it’s almost night.”

“It is.”

Normally, we’d have returned home before dusk,

but it seemed we still had somewhere to go today.

‘She mentioned earlier there was something to show me.’

Quietly, I followed Mother as we continued walking.

Before long,

we arrived in front of something newly installed.

What came into view was something never before seen on these streets.

And it was also something very familiar to me.

“Whoa.”

Before me stood a piano.

Mother spoke to me as I stared, transfixed.

“The church installed it recently.”

“Why?”

“Well, I heard someone comes to play it morning, noon, and night. Ah, here they come.”

No sooner had she finished than figures in priestly robes approached.

—Step, step.

Among them, the presumed performer sat at the piano.

Amidst a sacred atmosphere, he began to play.

—Ding ding ding~

A hymn that stirred devotion filled the air,

—Ah ah ah~

while the priests behind him added a chorus, enriching the music.

Enveloped in the grandeur, the surrounding crowd grew entranced.

“Ahh, how divine.”

“O Lord…”

Some even began to pray.

Mother, too, watched the scene with deep satisfaction.

—Ding ding ding~

How much time had passed?

—Diiing~

As the performer lifted his hands from the keys with a final note,

it seemed today’s performance had concluded.

Thunderous applause erupted, and I joined in with small claps of my own.

—Clap clap clap.

‘Hymns really do have their charm.’

Though honestly, I was just happy to see a piano.

In this world, pianos were so expensive that I’d never had the chance to see one.

I hadn’t wanted to burden Mother by begging for one,

so stumbling upon it like this was pure joy.

‘But why did she bring me here?’

Puzzled, I glanced at Mother,

and sensing my confusion, she leaned in and whispered,

“Serena.”

—Squeeze.

Gently holding my hand, she asked,

“Do you really have to stay at the Magic Tower?”

‘Huh?’

Caught off guard, I froze—

but Mother continued seriously.

“Truthfully, I’ve come here every day since you left.”

“Oh…”

“Listening to the priests’ hymns and praying… It gave me some comfort, easing my worries for you.”

‘Oh no.’

This was my fault.

Mother’s concern for me must have been far deeper than I’d realized.

‘A parent’s love is heavier than I thought.’

Though only Mother was voicing it now,

Father, too, had likely been holding back.

The way he kept glancing at me—he must have been just as worried.

‘I didn’t know, having never had parents before.’

I hadn’t understood the weight of a parent’s love.

No—

I had known.

Truthfully, I’d just been avoiding it.

In an era where music was dominated by men,

I feared being criticized for pursuing it.

Feared being called a disappointment for not becoming the “proper lady” my parents hoped for.

Even though, deep down, I knew they’d never react that way.

I’d just… kept running away.

‘What was I so afraid of?’

No more running.

This is my second life.

Since when did I start living like this, weighed down by worries?

Steeling myself, I quietly spoke.

“Mom.”

“Yes, my dear.”

My dear.

Those two words carried emotions I couldn’t even begin to measure.

Guilt.

Unease.

Fear.

They tightened around my chest, but I clenched my teeth and pressed on.

“I think… there’s something I’d like to show you today, too.”

With that, I walked toward the now-vacant piano.