Never Saved You

As she looked back on her memories, Ophelia did not remember her mother that much.

The biggest reason for this was due to how her mother had died when she was very young, and not a lot of people talked about her mother.

They were especially careful with their words in front of Ophelia. But more than that, they might not have known enough to say anything.

‘It felt like there weren’t many people who remembered her properly to begin with.’

That’s why each person’s recollection of her was a little different.

The most common thing they knew was that her mother was tied to the palace, and that she was treated as a lowly person because of her lack of status.

And, that she was a stunningly beautiful person.

—Whenever it comes to that person, doesn’t it seem like His Majesty can’t act logically?

—He’s bewitched, absolutely bewitched. I get it since that person’s appearance can’t be denied, but…

—But what could that do, when she passed away after Her Highness Ophelia turned five years old.

The palace that Ophelia had used was the same one her mother had lived in before.

However, it was too far from the main palace to have been the palace where the emperor’s most favored concubine. Even the palace’s existence is not too well known because the road to get there was much too complicated.

As if there’s something they’re trying to hide.

The maids who worked at the palace complained about this, saying that the emperor’s possessiveness was too much, and naturally, those kinds of stories soon reached the ears of the young Ophelia.

So, in retrospect, it was strange.

Ophelia’s mother died when she was around five years old. And it’s not like they lived separately.

‘Until now, why hadn’t I thought about my mother at all?’

When she was young, she often listened to what the maids said about her mother because she wanted to know, but as she grew up, she stopped paying attention to those stories.

She didn’t even know her mother’s identity and the emperor who loved her mother so much never spoke about her, so what’s the point of trying to embrace her mother?

It would have been a wiser decision to embrace the ashes.

With that thought, she recalled her doubts in the past that she had cut off.

‘If she died when I was five, I should have at least one or two things that I remember about her.’

But why couldn’t she remember anything?

As soon as she saw the scene of herself crying as a child, it felt as if she had been hit on the head with doubts and realizations.

How did she forget about her mother. And, what kind of person was her mother like.

Vaguely, she recalled one memory where her mother was comforting her as she was crying.

—My daughter, don’t cry. Mom isn’t sick. That’s right. I’m just going to a good place.

—Hic, hiic, a, a good place…?

—Yes. This sadness is only temporary. You’ll soon forget Mom and live a happier life. Because you can wear good clothes, and because you were born on the land.

Ophelia couldn’t understand what this meant, so she just cried and asked if they could just go together to that place.

Her mother looked as if she was being put on a tight spot, and this awkward expression grew more pronounced.

—My heart feels so heavy for leaving you, my daughter…

After saying so, her mother stroked Ophelia’s cheek, then held her preciously in her arms for such a long time.

—But it’s okay. It’s going to be okay. I’ve asked ‘that person’ to take care of you…

Her voice trembled faintly. In the end, the woman shed tears when she let go of the child.

—Forget everything and be happy, Ophelia.

And after this memory, there was nothing else. When her mother’s hand touched her forehead, Ophelia fell to slumber as though she had dived right into it.

And when she woke up again, her mother died, and she quickly forgot about her.

The scene she had just witnessed was only a part of it.

It’s not so difficult to guess what caused it. Unknowingly, Ophelia clenched her hands into fists and licked her dry lips before she spoke.

“…Did my mother cast a spell on me?”

[ If that’s what your subconscious tells you, then that is the truth. This space cannot give you any lies, so what you feel must be true. ]

In short, it wasn’t a denial either. At the magic tower’s explanation, Ophelia closed her eyes tightly.

“Then what you’re saying is… You’ve been waiting for me not because of Alei, but because of my mother.”

[ Perhaps both. In the first place, would you be standing here if not for your mother? ]

“What do you mean?”

[ Just because you try to strike a deal doesn’t mean I’ll accept it. Especially if it is against providence. ]

It would be easy to know whether the conditional magic was not accepted. This was to take the life of the spellcaster on the spot.

[ My young lord should be grateful that the exchange had cost only that much for him. If it hadn’t been for your mother’s request, I wouldn’t have accepted. ]

The magic tower bragged about how very generous they had been.

However, Ophelia’s was focused on something else rather than the magic tower, who was putting on airs beside her. Her eyes remained on the memory of her as a child, which was already gradually disappearing from her sight.

A realization that passed through her mind belatedly caused her to be confused.

Her mother was close friends with the magic tower, and she was the one responsible for erasing the memories of Ophelia’s childhood.

“…Was my mother your former lord?”

[ I do not consider any of my lords to be my friends. ]

“But I heard that only the tower lord can communicate with you.”

[ Individuals who are of a similar age to me can talk to me without having a telepathic connection. ]

In other words, Ophelia’s mother was about the same age as the magic tower.

“My mother… was not human?”

[ So you realize now. ]

Pitiful, they added, and then the magic tower grabbed her shoulder and pushed her.

The force was not so strong, but Ophelia was pushed back helplessly, submerged into the water that had been wetting her feet.

She fell on her backside because the water was only shallow, but this didn’t hurt because this space was her subconscious.

[ Your mother was the queen of the few merfolk who are left. After her death, the only one who can talk to me is the merking. It’s a pity. ]

“That doesn’t make any sense…”

[ Have you not wondered? Why you look so much like the youngest princess of the mermaids. Why you’re not afraid of the sea. And why you can decipher magic sigils that you never learned about before. ]

“But, it’s just.”

As Ophelia stammered, she closed her lips again. She couldn’t explain it. She thought it was just a coincidence.

She thought that she resembled Ariel only by coincidence, that she wasn’t afraid of the sea because of her personality, and that she could understand the magic sigils because she was from the imperial family.

However, when unaccountable coincidences coincide like this, it could sometimes be written as fate.

As Ophelia’s bewilderment faded, with a smile so beautiful they looked like a painting, the magic tower approached her and touched her head.

[ Do not be doubtful. I’m on your side, always. Did you not benefit greatly from me again this time? ]

“If it’s about how Alei turned back time—”

[ What are you talking about? It’s the letter. ]

The magic tower proudly spoke with a grin.

[ Do you know how difficult it had been for me to send it? I couldn’t even move properly because my vessel was asleep. ]

“…The letter, then you mean the letter that a siren delivered to the temporary temple?”

[ Exactly! ]

“You were the one who sent it?”

[ It’s the perfect set up to trick fate! ]

Without realizing it, Ophelia jumped to her feet.

Unlike the magic tower, who seemed to be very excited, Ophelia wanted to grab them by the collar right that second.

Just because of that letter, certain people had such a hard time just because they tried to find the culprit who did it, but the tower knew everything yet didn’t say anything!

[ Think positively. It’s thanks to me that you were able to come to the tower safely. ]

“I jumped off a cliff, Alei lost a lot of blood after vomiting it all up, and half a forest had been burned down. Could that still be considered ‘safe’?”

[ As long as no one has died. ]

“What kind of logic—”

[ Now, now. You even have the same personality as your mother. ]

When the magic tower clapped his hands twice, Ophelia’s voice disappeared as though it was never there.

After losing her voice, Ophelia protested with her facial expressions, but even this was dismissed.

The magic tower touched Ophelia’s forehead once more, then smiled softly as they took a step back.

[ The spell placed upon you by the mermaid scale is now undone. That’s why I waited for you, and now, there’s no reason for us to prolong this meeting any more than this. ]

The magic tower looked down at their friend’s child with a loving gaze.

The woman in front of them had red hair and blue eyes, overlapping with memories that have now become faded.

[ Be happy. ]