While I was silently repeating Unc Aiden’s name in my head, he spoke up again.
“…Do you have any parents?”
“Nope.”
“No guardian, either?”
“Well, my father’s younger brother raised me for a while, but two years ago he dumped me in a forest full of demonic beasts. I’ve been an orphan ever since.”
I answered him honestly between small bites of food.
When I snuck a glance at Unc’s face, I could see Unc’s eyes flaring up with barely restrained fury.
“So… that forest with the demonic beasts…”
“Are you asking how I got out alive?”
“…Yeah.”
“At first, I just ran through the forest begging someone—anyone—to save me.”
I’d prayed over and over.
But my hope shattered quickly, and then all that was left was unbearable pain tearing through my small body. It didn’t just happen once, either. It happened again and again.
“Eventually, I even started wishing someone would just kill me quickly so it wouldn’t hurt so much.”
It was cruel enough to die once. But even after dying, I’d just keep coming back.
These days, I can actually use my ability, so it seems pretty freaking amazing. But back then, it had felt like nothing short of a horrific curse.
“Anyways, I managed to survive because I awakened my ability.”
Although to be more accurate, I was forced to keep living.
Unc lowered his gaze, like it was too hard to meet my eyes.
Good sign.
I needed him to feel as sorry for me as possible so he’d let me stay here for a while.
Despite how he looked on the outside, Unc Aiden was soft-hearted and easily moved by pity. There was no way he’d throw me out.
When Unc finally looked back up, his voice came out cautious.
“If you don’t mind… can you tell me what kind of ability you awakened?”
“Foresight.”
“I see…”
“Uh. It’s a pretty amazing ability. You don’t look all that surprised though.”
“I’m plenty surprised.”
Oh, sure you are. Your face says otherwise.
I almost shot back something snarky, but shrugged instead, remembering how he’d always been so stoic.
“So, have you satisfied your curiosity now?”
“…Do you have anywhere you’re staying?”
“Nope. I was living in a little village before this, but it felt like if I stayed any longer, I’d starve. So I followed a merchant guild’s caravan and just arrived in Catalea today.”
“There wasn’t anyone in that village who could help you?”
“It was a poor border town. A kid like me is useless as labor, so…”
Unc’s expression turned so savage it looked like he could rip someone to shreds on the spot.
So this was the face Unc must have made when I told him about my past in the previous timeline.
“…Just one last question.”
“Sure, go ahead.”
His face twisted into something complicated, like he was deep in thought.
“Tania, did you come here because you knew who I was?”
Thud.
My heart dropped.
I hadn’t expected that, and for a split second, I almost lost control of my expression.
Had the way I looked at him given me away somehow—like he could see how much I’d missed him?
When I hesitated, fumbling for a response, he quietly added on.
“It’s just… of all the houses you could’ve picked, why this one?”
Oh. So that’s what this was about.
Come to think of it, it would be suspicious. A kid suddenly showing up out of nowhere like this.
Unc Aiden… even from my very first memories, he had seemed like he was always being chased by someone.
So it made sense that even a kid like me would have to pass his scrutiny.
The truth was, in my previous timeline, he hadn’t died from some accident or illness. Someone had contracted his murder.
It was probably that same person who’d been after him for years.
I hadn’t managed to catch them last time.
But in this life, I was absolutely going to find whoever was behind it and wipe them out.
Doing my best to look natural, I answered lightly.
“I’ve lost count how many houses I’ve knocked on.”
“What’s that supposed to mean…”
“I’ve just been going door to door hoping someone might give me something to eat. You’re the first person who actually did.”
“I see…”
With a look I couldn’t quite read, he let out a small sigh and said in an even voice,
“Do you have anywhere to sleep tonight?”
“Not at the moment. That’s why I’m planning to take House Papiope’s ‘Elite Ability Training Academy’ entrance exam pretty soon.”
The Elite Ability Training Academy.
It was a place established by the Papiope Ducal House specifically to cultivate promising kids.
Only children between seven and fifteen could enter, but if you passed the test, they’d cover your room and board, plus give you an exceptional education.
The problem was, tons of kids dreaming of a better future flocked there, so getting accepted was insanely competitive.
After hearing my plan, Unc closed his eyes for a second, then opened them again.
“If you’ve got nowhere else to go for now, stay here.”
I’d pretty much expected my soft-hearted Unc to say that, but actually hearing it made me break into a delighted grin.
“Really? Thank you so much!”
When I gave Unc a little bow, he frowned like it bothered him.
“…First thing I’m going to teach you is how to be more suspicious of people. And get some meat on those bones.”
✦ ✦ ✦
Late into the night.
Unc Aiden stood by the bed, looking down at Tania, who was sound asleep.
She must’ve been exhausted from the trip here. She was out cold—so deeply asleep someone could’ve picked her up and carried her off and she wouldn’t have stirred.
Unc’s eyes burned with something fierce and painful as he watched Tania for a long time.
“I’m sorry.”
At some point, his face went deathly pale and he began whispering in a choked voice, like he was on the verge of sobbing, letting the words drop one by one.
“I’m so sorry your Daddy… left you all alone.”
A crushing wave of regret slammed into him, swallowing him whole.
From the first moment he’d held Tania in his arms, her wobbly first steps, to the day she’d called him Daddy for the very first time—he remembered it all, clear as day.
So the instant he’d seen Tania standing at his doorstep, he knew.
How could he not know?
That beautiful rose-gold hair, those amber eyes exactly like his.
It was the daughter he’d longed for so badly he even dreamed about her every night.
He finally collapsed, sinking to his knees at the side of the bed.
Then with hands that trembled violently, he gently stroked Tania’s thin, delicate cheek.
“My one and only daughter, Tania.”
When he said it, his face was twisted with unbearable pain.
✦ ✦ ✦
The next morning.
I woke up to warm sunlight spilling over my eyelids.
Rubbing my tired eyes, I stepped out of the room—and there was Unc, making breakfast.
Just seeing him there like that made me smile for no reason at all.
“Morning, Unc!”
At my cheerful greeting, Unc turned around from the stove, frowning like he didn’t quite approve.
“You wake up way too early for a kid.”
“Guess that’s just how I am. So, when are you going to answer my ‘good morning’ properly?”
“…Good morning.”
Seemed like breakfast was just about ready. Unc plated up some perfectly golden food and set it on the table.
“Eat.”
“Thank you! Sit down and have some too, Unc.”
“I don’t—”
“Come on!”
When I tugged on his sleeve with a silly grin, Unc finally gave in and sat across from me, looking like he had no choice.
But he only stared at me instead of eating, so I stabbed a sausage with my fork and held it out to him.
Unc hesitated, looking pretty thrown off, but ended up taking the fork from me.
Watching him like that made me happy, and it also reminded me of something I’d wondered about yesterday.
“Hey, can I ask you something?”
“What is it?”
“Aren’t you curious about my ability? Don’t you want it for yourself?”
Unc’s face darkened just a bit.
“Do I look like I’m so broke I’d stoop to taking advantage of a snot-nosed kid?”
“No, it’s not that. I was just curious. Most adults get all greedy when they find out what I can do.”
“You…”
Unc looked at me with a strangely troubled expression before finally speaking.
“Doesn’t it feel awful to be an Abiliter?”
It wasn’t unusual for Abiliters to get bought and sold on the black market.
A powerless orphan like me made an especially easy target for that kind of crime.
Unc must have been asking about it in his own roundabout way.
It was the first time anyone had done that.
Not in my last timeline, not even in this one.
No one had ever worried first about all the things that could happen to me because of my ability.
Everyone just wanted to use me, or they envied me, or they outright hated me…
“I actually like being an Abiliter. I never met my parents, but I’m grateful to them for passing this ability down to me.”
Because if I hadn’t had it, I never would’ve gotten to see Unc again.
“…I see.”
Unc’s expression twisted up like he was lost in a maze of thoughts. Then he let out a sigh and said,
“Finish eating, and we’ll go get you some new clothes.”
“You’re even going to buy me clothes?”
“So what, were you planning to keep running around in those rags?”
It sounded harsh, but really, it just meant he was paying attention to me that much more.
I couldn’t help but laugh.
Unc was the same as ever—never could say things in a nice way.
💟 Translator Notes 💟
Uwah! It’s her real dad 😭😭😭
☕Like this translation? Would love your support ☕
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